Why We Love Mythology Games So Much

Mythology has been part of games for decades now. Whether it is the focal point, such as in a series like God of War, all the way to Egyptian themed slot games, mythology has been a part of all types of gaming for ages now. 

This post will go through why mythology has become an almost go-to theme for games. It will also look at the games that have pulled it off the best, and that you should play if you are looking for a great mythology themed experience. 

Why Mythology?

The very first and rather simple question is why mythology? Why has mythology become such a popular theme with game developers and players over the past few years. Much like the question, the answer is simple too.

Mythological stories just make for great games or part of a games storyline. The characters in particular fit so perfectly into a gaming world. They have powers, weaknesses, and in a gaming sense, are no different to superheroes really. 

The stories of mythology also lend themselves very well to games, as you can easily fit your character into a particular narrative, or use that narrative as the backdrop for your character’s story. God of War is the perfect example of this, fitting Kratos into particular stories and legends of Greek and Norse mythology. 

God of War

God of War is probably the most famous series that uses mythology as a major part of its storyline. The games have taken players through Greek and Norse mythology, having to fight Gods, Goddesses, titans and the like. 

The upcoming game in the series, God of War: Ragnarok, is probably the most highly anticipated game of the year, while not many details are known about, not even the actual title, it will see Kratos most likely be part of one of the biggest events in his story so far, the end of times. 

As mentioned, God of War is most likely the most loved game based on mythology, and if you haven’t played it yet, every title in the series is incredible, tells a brilliant story, as well as having memorable characters. 

Assassin’s Creed Origins

Assassin’s Creed Origins takes place in ancient Egypt, and while the game isn’t technically a mythology based game, there is a very good DLC that is added to an already great game that sees players having to investigate apparitions of the dead in a city. 

Egyptian mythology is one that hasn’t been explored by game developers as much as Greek, Roman and Norse mythology has. Having a DLC that is based around it is a very good change and offers players something different. 

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is an AC game that most definitely dives more into mythology than other AC games. You meet gods, pick up and use weapons once wielded by the gods, as well as having Norse gods and goddesses be present across the game. 

Not only can you take part in the real life exploration that vikings took part in, in modern day England, as mentioned, there is a lot of influence from Norse mythology, that is placed across the game and across the storyline of the main character, Eivor. 

Age of Mythology

Age of Mythology, released all the way back in 2002, was one of the first games that was very highly influenced by mythology, and as you can tell by the title, it was the theme of the whole game. 

The game is based off the highly successful series Age of Empires, except you don’t have access to the same amount of nations, instead, you can choose between the Egyptians, Greeks and Norse. 

While it plays in a similar way to Age of Empires, your particular race has unique powers and elements depending on the mythology, the campaign also follows an admiral as he tracks down a cyclops that is in cahoots with Poseidon. 

Smite

Smite puts you in control of a god or goddess from a number of different cultures, such as Hindu, Mayan, Chinese, Greek and a few others. Smite plays like League of Legends and DOTA, with one team facing off against another. 

Once again, there are many options of characters for players to choose from, that all have their own unique abilities and powers, another example of incorporating mythology into an established genre of game. 

Apotheon

Apotheon is a simple yet gorgeous platform game that takes elements of Greek mythology and turns into their own story. While the game doesn’t copy stories, it does use the characters and is stylized to look like an ancient Greek pottery painting. 

It is very simple but very fun, has depth you don’t expect, and in a world of super modern and advanced games, Apotheon is a breath of fresh air. 

As you can see, mythology being used in games is almost as old as games themselves, and the genre has been loved by fans for decades now. Considering the amount of mythologies around the globe, there are endless opportunities for stories and characters.