Five Best Video Games Inspired by Real Mythology

From ancient Greek legends to Norse folklore, mythologies from around the world have often featured in video games. Having myths incorporated into games gives an additional layer of engagement for players to explore. But which games inspired by real mythologies are the very best? Read on to find out.

5. Okami

The action-adventure game Okami (大神) is set in classical Japan, and it combines lots of elements of Japanese folklore and mythology. The game is based on the mythical story of how the land was saved from darkness by Amaterasu (天照), the Shinto sun goddess, who took the form of a white wolf. The visually stunning game also features the legendary monster Orochi (大蛇), which is an eight-headed and eight-tailed Japanese dragon or serpent. The Orochi legends were first recorded in two ancient Japanese texts: the 680 AD Kojiki and the 720 AD Nihon Shoki. In the Okami game, you will come across various figures from Japanese folklore, which makes the game educational as well as a lot of fun.

4. Myth

In this slot game inspired by ancient Greek mythology, you get to stare into the one eye of the Cyclops, face the Minotaur in his maze, and attempt to trick snake-haired Medusa and her harpies to gain higher wins. Greeks believed the singular-eyed giants known as the Cyclopes live in a faraway lawless land, and the Minotaur was a mythological bull-headed monster who lived in a twisting labyrinth in which it was offered sacrificial young maidens to satisfy the beast’s hunger. The Myth slot game is great fun, and it contains various features like free spins, multipliers, and bonus games. Myth, and hundreds of excellent slots and table games, are available at Casumo.

3. Gods of Egypt: Secrets of the Lost Kingdom

Based on the popular 2016 fantasy action movie Gods of Egypt, this 3D video game features all kinds of Egyptian mythology. In Gods of Egypt: Secrets of the Lost Kingdom, you play as the god of the sky Gods of Egypt: Secrets of the Lost Kingdom. With your human sidekick Bek, you must battle against the evil god Set. As in the plot of the film, which is based on real Egyptian mythology, Set kills his brother Osiris and seizes the throne during the coronation of Osiris’s son Horus. It is your mission to take on Set’s armies and gain victory to save humankind, as you fight humans and creatures through three game levels, each one of which is based on specific scenes from the movie. This game is every bit as epic as the film.

2. Max Payne

The extremely popular third-person shooter game Max Payne is littered with references to Norse mythology. The plot of the game involves the protagonist investigating a designer drug called Valkyr, which was indirectly responsible for the death of Max Payne’s wife and child. The Valkyr drug is named after the Valkyries, those brave female warriors of Norse mythology who served worthy souls in Valhalla. Other notable Norse myth references in the video game include Asgard, the dwelling place of the gods, and the tribe of deities known as the Aesir. There are also references to Yggdrasil, which is a mythical tree that plays a central role in Norse cosmology, as it connects the Nine Worlds.

1. Until Dawn

In the interactive survival horror video game Until Dawn, you control one of eight young adults who are trying to survive on the Blackwood Mountain. Many enemies in the choice-and-consequence game terrorize and threaten your character’s life. One of those foes is the mythological Wendigo. The legendary creature’s story stems from the Native American tribes in the Great Lakes region, such as the Inuit and Algonquin. The monster is described as having human characteristics. Some legends say the Wendigo was a spirit who possessed a human, and it was that which made the creature become monstrous. And the Wendigo was thought to have an insatiable hunger, which led them to devour humans for their flesh. The influence of the Wendigo is said to invoke acts of greed, cannibalism, and murder. You can find out what it is like to battle the Wendigo first-hand by playing the thrilling and engaging Until Dawn game.

amy

YAM Magazine editor, photographer, blogger, translator and part-time web designer. Film junkie, music junkie… and lately series (a.k.a. TV) junkie.

1 Response

  1. very cool theme. now I want to play all of these games!

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