The awesomeness of these games is no myth.
Legends and folklore have captivated humans for as long as we've been around — the present day is no exception! It's no surprise that a fair share of video games have taken on mythology as a central theme.
Greek and Norse, Japanese and Indian, Egyptian and Native American — this list has a bit of everything, to scratch whatever mythology itch you may have. Get ready to be introduced to (or reminded of) fifteen of the best mythology games ever!
15. Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology Gameplay
Age of Mythology is a spin-off of the Age of Empires series but based on mythology rather than historical events. In this real-time strategy game, you play as one of three civilizations: Greek, Egyptian, or Norse, each with their major god.
As you grow your civilization and make technological advancements, you advance from the Archaic Age all the way to the Mythic Age. The end goal? Annihilate your enemy civilizations.
Age of Mythology has only one campaign but it's a lengthy one. You play as Arkantos, an Atlantean soldier traveling through each civilization as he hunts down a cyclops.
Released in 2002, Age of Mythology still has an avid fanbase; as evidenced by an expansion pack being released in 2016! It added the Chinese civilization, after a 2003 expansion pack added the Atlantean one.
The three major gods of each civilization in Age of Mythology are Zeus, Ra, and Odin.
14. Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider E3 Gameplay Trailer
Lara Croft has unleashed a Mayan apocalypse onto the world, and now she must traverse Central and South America to find the lost city of Paititi. At the same time, she has to deal with Trinity, a paramilitary group working against her.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the sequel of Rise of the Tomb Raider, and the final entry in a trilogy telling Lara Croft's origin story. It's based on Aztec, Mayan, and Incan mythology. Developers of the game worked alongside historians and archeologists to make sure Paititi and the characters around it were accurate.
In this action-adventure game, gameplay consists of exploring the semi-open world, raiding tombs, and fighting enemies. The game's focus on the tombs and their associated puzzles was especially praised by critics.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is one of the most expensive games ever made; it cost $110-135 million!
13. Raji: An Ancient Epic
Raji: An Ancient Epic Official Trailer
On the day of the Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan, demons attack the carnival where the orphan Raji and her little brother, Golu, work. Within the chaos and panic, Golu gets abducted by three of the demons!
With the guidance of the Goddess Durga and Lord Vishnu, Raji goes on a quest to save her brother and the other abductees, and put a stop to the havoc the demons are causing. On her journey, she uncovers memories from her childhood and encounters beings from traditional folklore.
Raji: An Ancient Epic is a 2020 action-adventure game based on Indian (mostly Hindu) mythology. It takes inspiration from Indian epics such as the Ramayana. The visuals have a hand-drawn feel and are based on the Pahari art style from the 17-19th centuries in India.
Raji: An Ancient Epic was developed by a team of thirteen based in the city Pune in India.
12. Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Assassin's creed Valhalla Gameplay Overview Trailer
It's the 870s AD, and there's an invasion of the Vikings into Britain. The Viking Eivor is just trying to establish a clan in England but he finds himself in the midst of the conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the twelfth mainline entry of the Assassin's Creed series. Like the previous two games, part of the story takes place in the modern day. In the 21st century, Layla Hassan relives Eivor's memories as she tries to stop impending world destruction.
Valhalla is an action RPG that takes inspiration from Norse mythology. In the game's open world, you take on main storyline quests and optional side quests as well. There's more stealth involved than the past few games and the "social stealth" mechanic that many fans missed returned!
In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, you can choose whether to make Eivor male or female.
11. Darksiders
Darksiders Gameplay Trailer
The first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, War has been tricked into bringing about the end of the world too early. He's stripped of his powers by the council that sits between Heaven and Hell and given a single chance to prove his innocence. So War returns to a now-ravaged Earth to search for and punish those responsible, and clear his own name.
Darksiders was released in 2010 and is the first entry of the Darksiders series. Based on Biblical mythology, you play as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse — War, Death, Strife, and Fury — in each installment. These vary from the actual Biblical Horsemen but, let's be real, "Famine" and "Pestilence" aren't very cool names!
Darksiders is a hack and slash adventure game, revolving around exploration and combat. War's main weapon is a two-handed sword called the Chaoseater.
A remastered edition, "Darksiders: Warmastered Edition," was released in 2016.
10. Apotheon
Apotheon Action Trailer
The Gods of Olympus have cast mankind aside, allowing evil free reign on the mortal world. The young warrior Nikandreos may just be humanity's last hope. With the help of the goddess Hera, guide Nikandreos throughout Mount Olympus as you battle the divine powers!
Apotheon is a 2D platformer based on Ancient Greek mythology. The narrative is original but, at its core, it stays true to familiar gods, creatures, and events. The game takes place in an open world, set in Mount Olympus, with locations based on different gods.
Along with mythology, Apotheon is an homage to Greek art, too. The art style is inspired by Ancient Greek black-figure pottery, and a lot of the visuals are based on Greece during the bronze age.
Apotheon features fully-voiced legendary characters from Greek mythology.
9. Titan Quest
Titan Quest Gameplay Trailer
Before the reign of the Olympian gods, Titans ruled the world in darkness. Imprisoned for ages, a trio of lesser Titans have somehow managed to wreak havoc on the mortal world. Your protagonist travels from Greece to Egypt, all the way across the Silk Road to China in pursuit of the lesser Titans in order to restore peace to humanity.
Titan Quest is a tile-based action RPG, with hack and slash combat. Along with main quests, there are side quests you can complete to gain experience and equipment. At release, gameplay was often compared to the Diablo series, which was a defining game of the action RPG genre at the time.
Titan Quest was released in 2006 and still has a loyal fanbase. It receives pretty frequent updates, too. The game has four expansion packs, the most recent of which was released in 2021!
Titan Quest was conceived by Brian Sullivan, who was a developer for Age of Empires.
8. God of War III
God of War III Launch Trailer
Vengeance is the name of the game in God of War III. Son of Zeus and ex-God of War, Kratos, seeks to exact revenge on his father after being betrayed by him. Guided by Athena, he rises from the depths of the underworld and makes his way to the peaks of Mount Olympus.
God of War III is the fifth entry in the God of War franchise. Narrative-wise, it's the final one in the series' Greek era. The game is set in Ancient Greece and is loosely based on Greek mythology.
Like previous games in the series, God of War III is a hack and slash action-adventure game. Kratos' main weapons are the Blades of Exile, which are used in the combo-based combat. The game also features quick time events, as well as platform and puzzle elements.
God of War III was awarded "Most Anticipated Game of 2010" at the Spike Video Game Awards.
7. Assassin's Creed Origins
Assassin's Creed Origins E3 Gameplay Trailer
The Assassin's Brotherhood and the Templar Order have been in conflict for millennia. In Assassin's Creed Origins, we learn the story behind their legendary feud. The protagonist who finds himself involved in this is Bayek, a Medjay who protects the Egyptian people.
Assassin's Creed Origins is set in Egypt in 49–43 BC and is inspired by Ancient Egyptian mythology. The game features an open world with many ways to explore, with an emphasis on stealth.
Gameplay is fairly open-ended as well, and there's tons of optional stuff to do aside from the main storyline. You can explore pyramids, raid bandit bases, and solve puzzles to get rare items. Origins also features a revitalized combat system, different from previous entries in the series.
Assassin's Creed Origins is the first game in the series to feature Layla Hassan.
6. Nioh 2
Nioh 2 Overview Trailer
The Sengoku period was riddled with civil war, social unrest, and — in Nioh 2 — hordes of yōkai! The player character is Hide, a customizable half-yōkai (AKA "Shiftling") who must battle spirits from folklore in brutal combat. Hide's past is shrouded in mystery, even for the player, and you learn more about it as you play.
Nioh 2 is set in the late 1500s in Japan and is based on Japanese mythology, especially yōkai. Available weapons include traditional weapons used during the Sengoku period, as well as weapons from mythology.
Storywise, Nioh 2 is both a prequel and sequel to Nioh. Like its predecessor, Nioh 2 is a masocore action RPG; its level of difficulty is specifically designed to make you rage!
Nioh 2 is primarily single-player but also has a three-player multiplayer mode.
5. God of War (2018)
God of War PC Announce Trailer
Kratos has left his life struggling against the Olympians behind and now resides in Midgard, in the realm of the Norse gods. A first for the series, God of War (2018) features two protagonists, Kratos and his son, Atreus. The pair are on a journey throughout Scandinavia, in the pre-Viking era.
Kratos just can't catch a break, though! He finds himself in conflict with Norse gods and monsters but he can't fight as recklessly as usual when he has a son to protect.
God of War (2018) is the eighth entry in the God of War series and the first to diverge from Greek mythology. The game received immense praise for how well it revitalized the story, design, and gameplay of the previous games, as well as how it approached the father-son dynamic of Kratos and Atreus.
God of War (2018) is tied with the first God of War (2005) for the highest-rated game in the series!
4. Never Alone
Never Alone Launch Trailer
Never Alone is based on Native American mythology, specifically that of the Iñupiaq people of Alaska. The two player characters are a little girl Nuna and her pet, Fox. The main plotline is based on a traditional Iñupiaq tale; it sees Nuna and Fox search for the source of an endless blizzard that ravaged their village.
Smaller side stories involve other Iñupiaq legends such as that of the Blizzard Man and the Rolling Heads. The main theme of the game is generational wisdom and it includes documentary-style cutscenes of Iñupiaq elders sharing their stories.
Never Alone is a puzzle platformer described as "atmospheric." You control Nuna and Fox alternately throughout eight levels (or "chapters") of puzzles. A sequel was announced in February 2022.
Never Alone's Iñupiaq title is "Kisima Inŋitchuŋa" which means "I am not alone."
3. Valheim
Valheim Gameplay Trailer
"Valheim" is a fictional tenth world within the world tree of Norse mythology It is here that slain Vikings must prove that they deserve to go to the paradise of Valhalla. How do they do this? By defeating five bosses based on Norse mythology.
You'd be wrong to think you can just go straight to them! You must gather resources and hone your skills while surviving the wilderness of Valheim, whether alone or in co-op.
Valheim is a survival sandbox game that was released in early access in February 2021. You might not even realize it though, as the game already feels quite polished! Valheim was an unexpected smash hit, selling five million copies within the first month after release. The five-person team behind the game even admitted that they didn't expect it to be so successful.
In the first month of its release, Valheim was one of the most-played games on Steam.
2. Hades
Hades Official Animated Trailer
Zagreus, the son of Hades, wants nothing more than to escape the Underworld. He's helped by various gods and goddesses, such as his adoptive mother Nyx, his mentor Achilles, and the ferryman Charon. The Olympian Gods are on his side too, giving him Boons that endow him with special abilities.
Not everything is going Zagreus' way, though. Hades isn't about to go easy on his son — he'll unleash the Underworld's residents (including a Hydra and a Fury) just to stop him!
Hades is a roguelike dungeon crawler, set in random rooms filled with enemies and rewards. The game is set up in a way that requires multiple runs, with each run revealing a bit more of the storyline. Treasures you find carry over to your subsequent runs, too! The combat system is hack and slash using a mixture of attack types.
Several publications named Hades as 2020's game of the year.
1. Okami
Ōkami Gameplay Trailer
Ōkami tells the tale of the sun goddess Amaterasu, who takes the form of a white wolf as she goes on a quest to save the world from darkness. Most humans see her as just a plain wolf; only a few actually recognize her.
Ōkami is inspired by Japanese mythology and set in the classical period of Japan. The art style is based on sumi-e, ink wash paintings that originated in China but became prominent in Japan, too. Gameplay was inspired by The Legend of Zelda, a favorite of director Hideki Kamiya. It's a mix of action, puzzle, and platforming.
Ōkami was one of the last releases on the PlayStation 2 and didn't generate very much sales. It did, however, receive critical acclaim and was even named the 2006 Game of the Year by IGN!
"Ōkami" is a pun; it can mean either "great god" or "wolf," both referring to the main character.
BONUS: Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Final Trailer
Senua is a warrior broken by the death of her lover. On a journey to rescue her lover's soul from the goddess Hela, Senua faces fantastical monsters, psychological horrors, and a dark entity that haunts her. In a metaphor for psychosis, she believes her condition to be caused by a curse.
There are two main modes of gameplay in Hellblade, puzzle- and narrative-focused exploration, as well as combat against disfigured foes and bosses.
Though the game's main theme is mental illness, the mythological elements are nothing to be scoffed at! Hellblade is set in a breathtaking world inspired by Celtic culture and Norse mythology.
In making the game, the developers worked alongside neuroscientists and people actually living with psychosis.
