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Video games and epic stories go hand in hand. They are an excellent medium to show off the supernatural and otherworldly elements. The gaming industry has focused a ton of its resources on providing a gaming experience that is grand and inspiring.
Video games that feature godly proportions are some of the best in the business. With gaming being such an accessible hobby these days, video game developers want to make an experience relatable to all, and what better way to do that than to make a game inspired by some of the best stories.
One could argue that the Greek mythology trope has overplayed its hand. Many games released over the years have been inspired in some way or another by Greek folklore. Most monsters and creatures that players encounter have ties to the Greeks.
This list features 5 games inspired by Greek mythology, some of which would undoubtedly make Hermes proud.
5 Greek Mythology-inspired video games
1) Hades
From Supergiant Games comes an action-adventure roguelike that is brutal and challenging in every way. Hades follows the story of the namesake Greek god’s son, who goes through ordeals and trials reminiscent of what Hercules goes through, albeit in a more gory and grim fashion.
Traveling through the Underworld, Hades’ son, Zagreus, attempts to escape his fate and journey to Mount Olympus to find his birth mother. The game's lore is tied deeply to the stories of the Greek gods, who are not entirely benevolent in nature.
Hades is played in an isometric camera view. The main center of focus is Zagreus, which helps players see any incoming danger and take the necessary steps to come out on top. Players have access to multiple abilities tied to the lore as well. With extremely relatable characters, Hades is a fun and challenging experience.
The gameplay is quite simple to learn but hard to master. Death is part of the game’s mechanics, and players are encouraged to never give up, which is very true for a roguelike of this caliber. The game can be defined as a hack-and-slash with the player given special attacks as well as a dash/dodge, which they can use to get out of harm’s way.
The 2018-released video game also has a dynamic difficulty setting that enables players to customize their difficulty based on their preferences. This can encourage lesser-skilled players to experience the game in its entirety.
Hades is a fantastic roguelike experience that is insanely fun and should be enjoyed by anyone who likes the Greek mythology narrative.
2) Total War Saga: Troy
This next entry looks at Homer’s epic through the lens of a turn-based strategy game. The story of Troy is an epic tale that has inspired a lot of popular stories in the modern-day and is an inspiration to many fictional writers. Total War Saga: Troy is a sandbox video game that takes place in the Bronze Age, specifically during the Trojan War.
The game follows its predecessors in terms of gameplay. There is not much to the story of the game, but players can make their own epic war tale in the sandbox title. Although not the most compelling title on the list, Total War Saga: Troy is a decent game with a ton of stuff to do.
Multiplayer is also present in the 2020-released title, which gives the game a bit more flavor as it can be enjoyed with friends. Taking on the armies of Troy has never felt better, and Total War Saga: Troy is a good experience for any Turn-based strategy fan.
3) Immortals Fenyx Rising
One can argue that Ubisoft is an innovative company with IP that is unique and original, but this is not the case for this particular title in their library. Immortals Fenyx Rising is a rip-off of Breath of the Wild in every way except the things that made Breath of the Wild special. The video game industry is cut-throat and extremely competitive.
Video game devs have to come up with innovative ideas in order to appeal to their audience. Immortals Fenyx Rising is more of what players would expect in a Ubisoft game, and it has been criticized a lot for this.
Gameplay-wise, Breath of the Wild is a better game. All the ideas that made Breath of the Wild can be seen in Fenyx Rising, as Ubisoft brings nothing new to the table. The lore is interesting up to a point, but it soon devolves into a massive let-down and copy-paste filler content. The story follows the player's character on an epic Greek quest that introduces gods and heroes alike.
Immortals Fenyx Rising is a AAA title released in 2020 that seems like it was just made to ride the hype train that is Zelda. Ubisoft has totally missed the mark, and the only unique thing it has going for it is the Greek setting.
4) Assasin’s Creed Odyssey
Another Ubisoft entry that is very true to its name, Odyssey, feels like a journey that never ends. In some cases, it can be argued that this is a good thing, but when a game or story continues with no end in sight, it trivializes the entire experience, leaving players with a confused outlook.
With Origins, Assassin’s Creed wanted to expand on its horizons and set a course for the future, but with most AAA video games today, these aspirations fall short of customer expectations by a country mile.
Ubisoft has created a dull experience in Odyssey. Taking the formula that made the games special and unique, they have devolved it into a series that has no structure in its narrative or combat. Everything about the game feels dumbed down, and it feels condescending to the audience.
Combat literally has zero challenges, and this is perpetuated a lot more with the microtransaction feature. Why a single-player game would need levels and content detrimental to gameplay that needs to be purchased is beyond reason. Ubisoft has been disconnected from the player-base for quite some time now, and it really shows in their ‘AAA’ titles.
If one does not look at the problems the game has, it can be a fun experience, but nothing about the game makes it feel special. The Greek setting is supposed to be grandiose and epic but still feels lacking. There are a few fun moments but they are vastly overshadowed by filler content. This might be a Greek mythology-inspired video game, but that is literally the only thing it has going for it.
5) God of War (Original series)
The final entry on this list is magical and epic in every way. The original God of War games were gory, violent, chaotic hack-and-slash games that captured all of the right notes. These games are visceral, and the combat feels like the player is actually there. Kratos’ character feels real and the player will feel the same rage as he does. There is very little to complain about in the series, and it has become a cult icon.
The story for the God of War video games is quite tragic, as it is with a good Greek story. There is depth to the violence and the rage Kratos displays. Every major enemy in the game is tied to who Kratos is and how they have wronged him. The main antagonist for the first game is Ares, who Kratos dethrones as the God of War, and the story for the series ends with Kratos eliminating the entire pantheon. With excellent combat, intricate puzzle sections, and a compelling story, the God of War video games are just amazing.
With the series getting a whole new makeover, fans miss the in-your-face combat style, but the new game(s) have a lot going for them. Taking a bigger focus on the story, the new games tell Kratos’ story from a human perspective, and the characters feel more fleshed out. The video game series is far from over, and fans cannot have enough of the lovable God of War.
Note: This article is purely subjective and reflects the author's views.
