Making History: The Calm & The Storm is a turn-based grand strategy World War 2 game. It places the player in the reins of a major power during the 1936-1945 era, and asks them to guide their country to survival and prosperity. Five scenarios are included, each with a different start date, and all with historically researched troop and resource levels.

Gameplay is divided into military, diplomatic, domestic, and economic areas, with each area affecting the others. Players must choose between improving industries or researching new technologies, controlling the air or controlling the seas, and ceding territories or declaring war, all while contending with over 80 independent AI countries.