Learn French with Video Games

Why not Learn French with the Help of Video Games?

As a child of the 80s and 90s, I grew up alongside the burgeoning popularity of personal computers and video games. Early on, I was exposed to this medium in its various forms, as video games, much like cinema and literature, encompass a wide range of genres.

Games like Age of Empires, Civilization, and Caesar fueled my passion for history, while adventure games in both English and French allowed me to teach myself a foreign language and expand my general knowledge.

While not all games are equally suitable for learning, today, as a teacher, I wholeheartedly recommend incorporating video games into everyone’s education!

This recommendation holds even more weight in the modern era, where E-learning and Serious Games have become legitimate alternatives to more traditional teaching methods, spanning a wide array of subjects, including the French language.

 

An Innovative Teaching Approach

Numerous teaching methods leverage various media, with professors frequently incorporating music, videos, traditional board games, maps, and other activities into their lessons. Video games often encompass all these media in one, making it a missed opportunity not to utilize this versatile tool.

By combining voice, text, video, and more, video games allow students to work on both written and oral comprehension. It’s then up to the teacher to use this format as a foundation for essential written and oral expression exercises.

 

What Are the Benefits of Learning Through Video Games?

• Cognitive Enhancement: A study of ~2,200 children aged 9–10 found that those playing video games for ≥3 hours/day performed better on impulse-control and working memory tests, and exhibited more brain activity in attention and memory areas (source).
• Attention & Executive Skills: Meta-analyses show action and strategy games improve attention, planning, working memory, and visual-spatial skills—though benefits taper after ~20 h/week (NCBI).
• Optimal Play Time: The American Academy of Pediatrics advises 1–2 h/day for older children, with evidence showing most adolescents play 1–2 h/day—a healthy balance for cognitive and emotional development (Verywell Family).
• Broader Skill Gains: In moderation, video games foster problem-solving, creativity, hand–eye coordination, teamwork, and can strengthen shared experiences between parents and children (Parents.com).

 

It’s challenging to find a more didactic and engaging medium for “Millennial” students than video games!

While educational games have existed for quite some time, with titles like Carmen Sandiego or the Pink Panther, today, countless independent and free games cover nearly every imaginable subject, whether their primary purpose is educational or not.

Beyond knowledge transfer, video games can enhance various skills in students of all ages, including concentration, attention, memory, logic, and reflexes. They are not only motivating but also allow students to become familiar with instructions through mission-based gameplay.

Moreover, many modern video games feature well-developed stories, characters, and intricate narrative systems, rivaling the best novels. This encourages children to follow multiple characters and plotlines, fostering their imagination.

Video games can also help young people discover their calling. With an increasing number of simulators, individuals can explore demanding professions like airline pilots, farmers, surgeons, and many more. There are also numerous music and art games and applications for creative kids.

 

Top Video Games to Learn French and Explore French Culture

The following games are either French video games or include French voice/text and settings, making them excellent tools for language learners.

 

Assassin’s Creed Unity

Step into late‑18th‑century Paris during the French Revolution as Arno Dorian in Assassin’s Creed Unity. With fully French voice acting, menus, and subtitles, learners absorb vocabulary naturally while navigating a meticulously reconstructed Notre‑Dame and revolutionary landmarks—perfect for combining culture and language immersion.

• Type: Action‑adventure / Stealth
• Release Year: 2014
• Studio & Publisher: Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft
• Metacritic Rating: 70 (PS4)
• Available on: PC, PS4, Xbox One

 

A Plague Tale: Innocence

Travel through plague‑ravaged 14th‑century southwestern France with siblings Amicia and Hugo in A Plague Tale: Innocence. The gripping narrative, stealth gameplay, and emotionally charged dialogues are all in French—ideal for intermediate learners who wish to deepen their lexicon within an atmospheric historical setting.

• Type: Stealth / Narrative Adventure
• Release Year: 2019
• Studio & Publisher: Asobo Studio / Focus Home Interactive
• Metacritic Rating: 81 (PS4)
• Available on: PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, Nintendo Switch (Cloud)

 

The Saboteur

Become Sean Devlin, an Irish resistance fighter in Nazi‑occupied Paris. The Saboteur features open‑world stealth, driving, climbing, and sabotage missions, all drenched in French dialogue, signage, and radio—offering learners a rich wartime vocabulary and full audio immersion.

• Type: Open-world Stealth / Action
• Release Year: 2009
• Studio & Publisher: Pandemic Studios / Electronic Arts
• Metacritic Rating: ~75
• Available on: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

 

Enemy Front

Play as journalist‑turned‑soldier Robert Hawkins in France during WWII. Enemy Front delivers a classic FPS experience with French-accented resistance dialogue and mission briefings, immersing learners in wartime terminology and accent exposure.

• Type: First-Person Shooter
• Release Year: 2014
• Studio & Publisher: CI Games
• Metacritic Rating: ~60
• Available on: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

 

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG with real-time elements (QTEs, parries, dodges), set in a dark and fantastical universe inspired by the Belle Époque. Players follow the Expedition 33 group as they try to stop the mysterious “Paintress,” who is responsible for an annual event called the Erasure, which wipes out people who reach a predetermined age.

• Genre: Turn-based RPG with real-time action (QTEs, parries, dodges)
• Release Date: April 24, 2025
• Developer & Publisher: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive
• Metacritic Rating: 93/100
• Available on: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

 

Sniper Elite Series (France Missions)

In several entries of the Sniper Elite series, you conduct stealth sniper missions in occupied France. French commands, mission briefings, and ambient dialogue provide realistic military context and WWII-era French, while the series’ stealth mechanics encourage attentive listening.

• Type: Tactical Stealth Shooter
• Release Year: 2005–2025 (notably Resistance 2025)
• Studio & Publisher: Rebellion / MC2 France
• Metacritic Rating: ~70–80
• Available on: PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series X, Switch, Stadia

 

Pokémon X & Y

Set in the beautifully designed Kalos region, inspired by France, Pokémon X & Y offers one of the most accessible ways for younger players to engage with the French language. Players explore cities reminiscent of Paris, battle trainers, and catch Pokémon in a colorful and culturally rich environment. With the option to set the game in French from the start, kids can immerse themselves in everyday vocabulary, commands, and narrative elements throughout the game.

• Type: Adventure / RPG
• Release Year: 2013
• Studio & Publisher: Game Freak / Nintendo
• Metacritic Rating: 87
• Available on: Nintendo 3DS

 

Sly 2: Band of Thieves

This stealth-based platformer follows Sly Cooper and his gang of charming animal thieves as they travel across the world—including an atmospheric mission set in Paris. With its comic-book aesthetic, non-violent gameplay, and clever humor, Sly 2 is an excellent way for young learners to experience French audio and text through engaging missions and narrative sequences. Choosing the French version exposes players to slang, teamwork vocabulary, and fun dialogue.

• Type: Stealth / Platformer
• Release Year: 2004
• Studio & Publisher: Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Computer Entertainment
• Metacritic Rating: 85
• Available on: PlayStation 2, PS3 HD Collection

 

Ratatouille

Based on the Pixar film, Ratatouille lets players guide Remy the rat through the streets and kitchens of Paris in his dream to become a top chef. Its vibrant visuals, easy-to-understand story, and Parisian setting make it an ideal game for young players learning French. The game is fully dubbed in French, offering voice-acted scenes, cooking-related vocabulary, and visual clues that help contextualize new words.

• Type: Platformer / Family Adventure
• Release Year: 2007
• Studio & Publisher: Heavy Iron Studios, Asobo Studio / THQ
• Metacritic Rating: ~70 (varies by platform)
• Available on: PC, Mac, PS2, PS3, Xbox, GameCube, Wii, GBA, DS, PSP

 

Les Chevaliers de Baphomet (Broken Sword) – Director’s Cut

Take part in a classic detective story beginning in Paris. Les Chevaliers de Baphomet – Director’s Cut features extensive French text and voice, idiomatic expressions, and cultural references—all wrapped in witty noir storytelling that sharpens reading and comprehension skills.

• Type: Point‑and‑click Adventure
• Release Year: 2009
• Studio & Publisher: Revolution Software
• Metacritic Rating: 81–82
• Available on: PC, PS4, Switch, iOS, Android

 

Learn French in Saigon with L’Atelier An Phu!

Whether you’re just beginning or refining your skills, L’Atelier An Phu in Saigon offers personalized French courses that incorporate creative learning tools—yes, even French video games! Our methods blend structured lessons with immersive media, making language acquisition both effective and enjoyable.

🎯 Register now and level up your French fluency at L’Atelier An Phu.