10 best games with lore based in Hellenic mythology

With the stories of heroes triumphing over gods, the appearance of spine-chilling ancient beasts, and a variety of other-worldly locations, mythology in games is a trend that is sure to never cease, with fans being treated to a variety of great titles over the years. The Gamer put together a list of games based on real-world mythology. 

For players looking to brush up on their Hellenic mythology, there are plenty of games out there that will deliver you to the dazzling temples of Olympia, or delight you with their lore and references based on their ancient tales. From stories of the mythological gods, valiant fabled protagonists, fearsome beasts, and modern games with a Grecian twist, here are some of the best games with lore-based within ancient Hellas.

10 - Theseus

Theseus is an immersive VR experience that places you straight into the story of the Minotaur. The Minotaur, a mythical creature with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man, was born from King Minos of Crete's wife, Pasiphae, after Poseidon made her fall in love with a bull as revenge on the King Minos of Crete. The Minotaur was then placed into an elaborate labyrinth constructed at King Minos' request by Daedalus and his son Icarus.

The game almost perfectly recreates the legend, with you playing as Theseus, the Athenian Hero who traverses the maze and slays the Minotaur. It mixes exploration of the maze with survival, combat, and some cinematic story elements before your eventual run-in with the large foe.

9 - NyxQuest

NyxQuest sees you playing as Nyx, the embodiment of night within ancient Hellas. Nyx befriends Icarus when he flies into her realm within the sky, but when he disappears without warning, she then heads to the surface to search for him in the crumbling ancient Hellenic landscape.

The mesmerizing setting and game design seem to jump straight out of the artwork of Grecian amphora and temple friezes from the time. Nyx is aided on her journey by the Olympians as she traverses crumbling ruins and defeats ancient monsters like the Hydra with special powers such as manipulating objects, controlling the wind, and casting powerful rays.

8 - Kid Icarus

Kid Icarus first jumped onto screens in 1986, quickly becoming one of the more popular games for NES. It's a cult classic and often centers around the protagonist Pit and his quest to equip sacred treasures, traverse platforms, and defeat bosses in order to save the Grecian-inspired world of Angel Land and the Goddess Palutena, who is thought to be based on Athena.

Kid Icarus has come a long way from his humble NES beginnings, with 3DS game Kid Icarus: Uprising being released in 2012 and Pit, Dark Pit, and Palutena becoming recurring characters in the Smash Bros franchise.

7 - Persona 3

Persona 3 is the game that set the tone of what was to become the success of every Persona game to follow it and is still thought of today as one of the best JRPG's of the 2000s. You play as a character that attends a modern Japanese high school during the day whilst exploring Tartarus in the evening. Tartarus was a location in Hellenic mythology, described as the deep abyss used for the torment and suffering of the wicked, and the prison for the Titans.

Persona 3 has a vast collection of characters you need to maintain relationships with, all of which have Personas based within Hellenic and Roman mythology. Journeying to Tartarus also puts you face to face with a plethora of monsters, including the final boss Nyx, the embodiment of night.

6 - Okhlos

In Okhlos, you play as a mob of ancient Hellenic civilians, warriors, slaves, and animals who have become sick and tired of the abuse and antics of the Gods, and so take up arms to destroy every building, temple, Grecian monster, and Olympian in their path.

Okhlos embodies the scenery and settings of ancient Hellas with lush temples and large fearsome Gods, but that's nothing but an obstacle to your mob of toga and sandal-wearing ruffians. Okhlos is a one-of-a-kind battle game, and can even see you wielding the power of iconic Grecian figures such as the hero Heracles, Pandora, and even Socrates.

5 - Apotheon

A 2D action-adventure game that sees you playing within the minimalist artwork from the pottery of ancient Hellas. Apotheon sees you playing hero Nikandreos as he traverses a vibrant artistic world to ascend Mount Olympus and take on the Pantheon of Gods to save humankind.

In Pantheon, the Gods of Olympus have abandoned the humans, leaving you to traverse Artemis' forests, Apollo's palace, and climb Mount Olympus to take their powers for yourself. The heroic narrative is a direct look into the heroic tales of ancient Hellenic lore, with the game even tying in excerpts from famous stories like the Iliad.

4 - Assassins Creed: Odyssey

Assassins Creed Odyssey places you onto the lush streets and volcanic islands of ancient Hellas, moving from an unknown outcast to a living Spartan legend amongst humans and Gods as you play through a struggling, war-torn world during the mythological Peloponnesian war.

Assassins Creed Odyssey sees you forge your own path and destiny through ancient Hellas, influencing the history of the stories and land around you as you fight a list of formidable Grecian foes from Aegean naval fleets on the sea to legendary beasts of myth such as the Minotaur, Nemean Lion, and even Medusa, the legendary Gorgon.

3 - Immortals Fenyx Rising

Immortals Fenyx Rising is a new take on ancient Hellenic lore, as you play as Fenyx, a newly recruited winged Demigod on a quest to not destroy the Hellenic Gods, but save them! There is also the DLC 'The Lost Gods' which sees you play as Ash, a mortal hero who ventures to the Pyrite islands in order to locate the missing Gods.

This is a grand open-world Hellenic myth adventure brought to life, giving you the ability to wield the powers of heroes and Gods alike from Achilles Sword to Daidalos' wings to battle monsters such as the Cyclops, Cerberus, and Gorgons, as well as encountering rare mythological creatures such as Griffins.

2 - God Of War

The God of War franchise has recently seen lore-based within Norse mythology but began its journey in ancient Hellas, following the story of protagonist Kratos.

Kratos was a war general forced to kill his wife and daughter unknowingly under Ares command. After exacting revenge on Ares and ascending to godhood himself, he then goes on to seek revenge against the Olympians, Titans, and his own father for their betrayal. God of War is based in an alternate 495 BC Hellas, and as well as Gods and beasts also features critical moments from Grecian tales such as Heracles' 12 Labors, Jason and the Argonauts, and the sinking of Atlantis.

1 - Hades

Hades is a rogue-like dungeon crawler where you defy your father, Hades. You'll battle your way through a vivid reimagination of the Grecian Underworld as the immortal prince Zagreus, This game is renowned as one of the best games of its kind to have come out in recent years.

Hades is a new take on the Grecian theme, seeing you hack and slash your way through the underworld to break free of Hades' grip. Zagreus is helped on his journey by the Olympians, who grant him an assortment of powerful boons that help you take on the Underworld's monsters, courtesy of Gods such as Zeus, Athena, and Hade's wife and Zagreus' own mother, Persephone.

• Sunday, May 9, 2021
  current affairs Gaming

Action-RPG Titan Quest: Legendary Edition out now on Android and iPhone

I love Titan Quest. I think it's one of the best games out there, especially for an older game. It already go first place in my Top five Hellenic mythology inspired computer games list. It is an action-RPG of massive scale that made its debut on PC back in 2006. The game was ported to mobile 10 years later, but in the meantime, developer THQ released no less than three expansions. Now, there is a Legendary Edition and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

The new Legendary Edition includes all available DLCs and technical updates besides the base game. Regardless of whether you choose the Android or iOS version, you'll have to come up with $20 to buy Titan Quest: Legendary Edition. The good news is those who already own the Titan Quest Mobile base game will be able to purchase the DLCs separately.

Since it costs $20, Titan Quest: Legendary Edition doesn't feature microtransactions or any hidden paywalls. So, you just have to pay once and you'll receive the entire package. The three DLCs included in this bundle send players to fend off the legions of the underworld in Immortal Throne, take on mythical beasts of Europe's far north in Ragnarök, and uncover the secrets of the lost city in Atlantis.

For those who haven't played the original game on PC, Titan Quest is a top-down action-adventure RPG set in the pre-Roman Ancient World, which includes Ancient Greece, Egypt, and Silk Road leading through Asia. Players control an avatar and fight various enemies and bosses. The protagonist can be customized and players can choose different fighting styles from martial arts with various kinds of melee weapons to archery or destructive magic spells.

Titan Quest: Legendary Edition is available to download from the App Store and Google Play Store, just make sure your phone is compatible with the game.

• Wednesday, February 3, 2021
  current affairs Gaming

Titan Quest: Atlantis is out now on consoles (as well as PC)

Ohhhh, I forgot somethign when I posted up 12 computer games set in ancient Hellas to enjoy during you isolation! Titan Quest: Atlantis! I adore Titan Quest. I've played both previous parts religiously and I knew a third was out but I haven't had the pleasure again. Test it out for me, will you?

From the co-creator of Age of Empires, Brian Sullivan, comes an action role-playing game set in the mythical worlds of ancient Greece and Egypt. Amazing visuals and fast-action gameplay deliver a true cinematic gaming experience. Lush ancient world settings crafted in near-photo realistic detail provide the player with an extraordinary canvas on which to set forth on an epic quest of the ultimate good versus evil.

The Titans, gods before the gods, have escaped from their eternal prison to wreak havoc on the world. In this titanic struggle between old and new gods it is the heroes of humankind who will ultimately determine the fate of all existence. The player quests throughout the ancient world in a race to uncover the secrets needed to once again imprison these ancient gods. Journeying to fabled locations such as the Parthenon, the maze at Knossos, the Great Pyramids, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the player will have to overcome terrifying monsters and mythical beasts.

A flexible class system allows almost limitless ways for the player to develop their character. Skills can be customized in many ways, and never become obsolete. With addictive, fast action gameplay and tons of unique loot, epic gaming has never been so good.

Brave the trials of Titan Quest alone or bring a group of friends to share the glory while playing through the thrilling story-driven campaign.

The Hero meets an explorer that is searching for the mythical kingdom of Atlantis, and together they set out on a journey across the western Mediterranean. They will search for the legendary Diary of Herakles, rumored to be in the Phoenician City of Gadir, but their journey will take them beyond the edges of the known world…

The third expansion of the critically acclaimed Action-RPG Titan Quest is now available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Heroes can dive into a brand new and epic storyline and explore new environments in the most mysterious of all cities.

Please not that the base game Titan Quest is required to play the expansion.

By the expansion here.

• Saturday, April 4, 2020
  current events Gaming

12 computer games set in ancient Hellas to enjoy during your isolation

In the world of video gaming, using Ancient Hellas for a backdrop is trending more than ever. But that shouldn’t be surprising, considering that ancient Hellas has everything to offer as the ultimate setting — from beauty, magic and powerful Gods, to the ruins (intact back in ancient times!), islands and culture.

Everyone recognizes that ancient Hellas played a major role in western civilization, and everyone must be curious about what it would have been like to live there. Check out these 12 video games while you're self-isolating--and you ARE self-isolating, right?

1. Odyssey – Assassin’s Creed

Throughout the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, players deal with an array of political and scientific themes such as democracy vs. tyranny, myth vs. science and order vs. chaos. The game takes place in ancient Hellas during the Peloponnesian War.

Ubisoft Quebec, the studio behind the popular Assassin’s Creed syndicate, truly went the extra mile to ensure the authenticity of ancient Hellas in their new Odyssey game by depicting ancient Athens as a colorful, vibrant, multi-faceted city with many districts to explore.

2. God of War

God of War is a bloody, battle-filled adventure and strategy game also set in ancient Hellas. Developed by Santa Monica Studios, it revolves around Kratos, the protagonist, who encounters all of the most well-known Hellenic Gods of Hellenic mythology. The graphics are quite detailed, as Kratos completes his “quests” while taking players through ancient landscapes.

3. 300: March to Glory

Most modern theatergoers know the recent movie “300”. Similarly, in the “300: March To Glory” game, the player is also Leonidas, the ruler of Sparta, before the time of the famous battle of Thermopylae.

Inspired by the movie and comic book which were very popular at the time of its creation, the game was developed by Collision Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games. “300: March to Glory” gives the player the chance to re-write history… and who wouldn’t want to be able to do that?

4. Age of Mythology

This game features heavy elements from Hellenic mythology, along with Egyptian and Norse mythology. It is a real-time strategy game, developed by Ensemble Studios, which later went on to develop the popular Age of Empire series. Here you will find all of the buildings and cityscapes of ancient Hellas.

5. Wrath of the Gods

This adventure game is all about ancient Hellas. The player’s background story alone is right out of Hellenic mythology! The player begins the adventure as a young royal child who has been abandoned in the high mountains of ancient Hellas.

He and is soon found by a centaur by the name of Chiron, who raises the child. The player soon sets off to reclaim their Kingdom — no matter what it takes. The game was developed and published by Luminaria.

6. Zeus: Master Of Olympus

When it comes to city-building game series, this is one of the best which features ancient Hellas. You as the player are thrown into the ancient land during a time of great intrigue and adventure — where Hellenic Gods, mythology and legends all played a crucial role in society.

The game has several options for players, including a story mode, missions mode, and a sandbox mode. This is the fifth stand-alone game in the series by Impressions Games’ City Building.

7. Okhlos

This game was developed by the Argentina-based studio Coffee Powered Machine and published by Devolver Digital. It is also based in ancient Hellas and, of course, this means that the law of the land is that of the Hellenic Gods!

Okhlos is an action-packed game where the player is a scholar who doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the Hellenic Gods, and sets out on a mission to destroy them.

8. Spartan: Total Warrior

Brought to you by Creative Assembly, in this “hack-and-slash” video game you are a Spartan warrior who is under the tutelage of none other than Aris, the Hellenic God of war! This game is all about defending ancient Hellas from the invading Roman empire.

9. Spartan Wars: Blood And Fire

This strategy-based video game has 155,000 five-star reviews out of a total of 220,000 reviews! It is a real-time mobile/tablet game, using beautifully-rendered animation, which lets you build your own ancient Hellenic city.

It also allows you to assemble your own army to defend your land in the (unlikely!) event of “server vs. server wars”. The game is brought to you by developed by Tap4Fun Corp. Ltd.

10. Hegemony Gold: Wars Of Ancient Greece

This real-time strategy video game is all about ancient Hellas, and in particular, the military campaign of Phillip the Second of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. This game is all about battles and strategy, all of which you map out before the actual battle begins. It was developed and published by Longbow Digital Arts Inc.

11. NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits

If all you want to do is see what it would be like to be a Hellenic God, in this video game, developed by the Spanish developers Over The Top Games, you can do exactly that! You can play as two protagonists, known as Icarus and Nyx, who are given special powers by the Hellenic Gods Zeus and Eolus, as they go on adventures and conquer the land.

12. 0 A.D.

Developed by Wildfire games, this game is quite accurate when it comes to historical facts regarding Hellenic civilization from 500 B.C. to 1 B.C. There is even an updated scenario that focuses from 1 A.D. to 500 A.D. This is a free, open-source, real-time strategy video game which will take you through the best and worst of times in the history of Hellenic civilization!

Try out some of these fun and colorful games to “get your Greek on” and discover a bit of what it may have been like to live back in ancient Hellas!

• Wednesday, March 25, 2020
  current affairs Gaming

First look at Gods & Monsters

Last week, I announced that Ubrisoft is working on a game with Hellenic mythology themes. During E3, one of the largest game fairs, Ubisoft released its reveal trailer and it looks awesome! It shows a lone hero who we hear is pretty important.

"When heroes need help, they turn to the Gods. When Gods need help, they turn to you”. Said hero is charged with saving the Hellenic gods from the monsters that have overpowered them – so, it only follows that he’s going to have to take on things at least equal to the gods’ mightiness. The chief of these, and the orchestrator of the gods’ trouble, is the Titan Typhon.

The trailer also seems to show one of the biggest, baddest baddies it looks like your hero will tackle – a kind of harpy-type creature. It’s not confirmed this is what it is – but, boy, it sure looks angry.
Following this, the Gods & Monsters site says you’ll face off against some of Hellenic myths’ other beasts – including Gorgons, Hydras, and Cyclopes.

It looks then like the “painterly” and visually pretty world Ubisoft has created in the game may be a little at odds with the scary things you’ll find occupying it. However, take these beasts on successfully, and you’ll be the hero of all Olympus. There’ll definitely be some kind of hard-earned reward for that, right?

Gods & Monsters will release February 25, 2020. So excite!

• Tuesday, June 18, 2019
  current affairs Gaming

Ubisoft unveils Gods & Monsters, light-hearted Hellenic mythology adventure game

Ubisoft has unveiled Gods & Monsters, a light-hearted Hellenic mythology adventure game coming on February 25, 2020. The game is an accessible mainstream title that will run on cloud platforms such as Google Stadia as well as the PC and traditional game consoles, according to Ubisoft game leaders Marc-Alexis Cote and Jonathan Dumont.

The idea is to take the Homeric stories and classical Hellenic myths and make them accessible to everyone. The game will run on the PC, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia.

The idea came to life during the development of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, a hardcore game that was set in ancient Hellas. The team found such a rich array of stories to tell from ancient Hellenic mythology, but they couldn’t include all of it in Odyssey, said Dumont, creative director.

“It’s the story of the most courageous greek hero: you. You are named Phoenix, and your task is to help the Olympians save the Island of the Blessed. To do it, you have to venture into the Underworld and defeat Typhon and his minions.”

The game is a free-form exploration title with risky traversal. If you try to jump across the chasm, you have to make sure you can make that jump. It has over-the-top mythical combat, puzzles, and world challenges.

“The world is vibrant, with light role-playing game mechanics. You will fight Harpes, Cyclops, and other beasts.”

The idea is to go after a mainstream audience with a story that is relatable to everyone. It is an open world based on Hellenic mythology, with a painterly art style, and a light narrative tone. You can do things like dash and kick or engage in aerial combat.

Needless to say, I'm here for this!

• Tuesday, June 11, 2019
  current affairs Gaming

Visit Hellenic mythology in "Projection: First Light"

Projection: First Light is a platform computer game that follows the adventures of Greta, a girl living in a mythological shadow puppet world, as she embarks on a journey of self-enlightenment with the assistance of legendary heroes from each culture she explores.

Accompanied by atmospheric visuals and an ethereal soundtrack made with antique instruments used for shadow puppet performances, Projection: First Light takes players on an inclusive voyage through the history of shadow puppets as it evolves through Indonesia, China, Turkey, Greece, and 19th century England.

Early in her expedition, Greta takes control of a source of light and learns of her ability to manipulate it. Shadows become platforms and walls, other elegant and imaginative solutions irradiate puzzles, and enemies can be dispersed – as Projection: First Light explores themes of worldliness, respect and understanding.

Project: First Light is developed by Shadowplay Studios, a small indy developer based out of Australia. Although the release date is expected to be fall of 2019, you can go check out the game on Steam and their website. The game will be available on Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, and the Xbox One.

• Monday, March 18, 2019
  current affairs Gaming

Mythic Battles: Pantheon - The Videogame

This is not a sponsored post. Let's start with that. I'm just posting because it looks good! I recently stumbled upon Sanuk Games's kickstarter for "Mythic Battles: Pantheon - The Videogame".

"Mythic Battles: Pantheon is a tightly crafted turn-based strategy game where you play as Olympian Gods and lead the greatest heroes, monsters and warriors to ever live in Ancient Greece. It is based on a board game published by Monolith Board Games that, itself, was a KickStarter sensation, with more than 13,000 backers in a first campaign and more than 10,000 in a second campaign, raking in more than $3.7 million of pledges overall. 

It will bring the rich universe of this board game to life with state-of-the-art visuals and animations, while relying on its solid, proven gameplay. The mighty Titans awoke and unleashed a massive attack on Olympus. They were ultimately defeated but the world was ravaged, and the surviving Olympians became mere mortals. As the former Gods awake to a broken world, Mythic Battles: Pantheon begins their adventure through Olympus, Styx and the Labyrinth of Minos to regain the glory left decimated by the wrath of the Titans. 

Playing as Gods such as Zeus and Athena, alongside an army of heroes such as Achilles and Hercules and monsters such as the Hydra and Medusa, players will fight to regain their lost status and become the king of the Gods."

"Mythic Battles: Pantheon" will be released on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It will will offer solo play against the AI as well as online multiplayer game sessions.

Sanuk Games is a 15-years-old independent game studio based in France and in Thailand, with a team of 18 skilled and experienced professionals. Sanuk Games shipped over 70 games on almost all systems over the years, both as an indie and as a work-for-hire studio with 3rd party publishers. For more information, please visit https://www.sanukgames.com.

Back the Kickstarter here.

• Tuesday, February 19, 2019
  current affairs Gaming

No more Assassin's Creed? But it's so pretty!

I promised to stop posting about the new Assassin's Creed, but goodness, they did well capturing an ideal ancient Hellas! I came across this video yesterday and had to share. Could someone take me there, please? 

 

Assassin's Creed is a franchise centered on an action-adventure video game series developed by Ubisoft. It depicts a centuries-old struggle pitting the Assassins, who fight for peace and free will, against the Templars, who believe peace comes through control of humanity. The series features historical fiction mixed with real-world historical events and figures. The series took inspiration from the novel Alamut by the Slovenian writer Vladimir Bartol, while building upon concepts from the Prince of Persia series.

• Monday, November 19, 2018
  current affairs Gaming

New "Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey" is set in ancient Hellas

Disclaimer: I own the first Assassin's Creed game but only played it for an hour or two because the controls made me want to break things. Assassin's Creed is a franchise centered on an action-adventure video game series developed by Ubisoft. It depicts a centuries-old struggle pitting the Assassins, who fight for peace and free will, against the Templars, who believe peace comes through control of humanity. The series features historical fiction mixed with real-world historical events and figures. The series took inspiration from the novel Alamut by the Slovenian writer Vladimir Bartol, while building upon concepts from the Prince of Persia series.

Ubisoft already confirmed Assassin’s Creed Odyssey last month, following a keychain that leaked the game’s existence. Now, a set of leaked gameplay screenshots confirms all kinds of additional details, including the previously reported ancient Hellas setting.

Mission text in the images mentions Athenian items, and one of the screenshots is of the world map, which features the Peloponnese peninsula and numerous Greek islands, including Crete and Mykonos. Speaking of islands, it appears from the images that players will be sailing all over the Mediterranean Sea to get around in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. In addition to sailing, at least one of the images shows a mission in which the character has to destroy Athenian ships.

The screens were leaked by way of Gematsu, which said it discovered them on GamePro’s servers. Ubisoft is expected to detail Assassin’s Creed Odyssey at its E3 2018 press briefing, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT on Monday, June 11.

• Monday, June 11, 2018
  current affairs Gaming

Good Recon advice from a game about aliens

So, I can post this with a really long introduction, or a really short one. I'm going with short today, because it's not about the actual video anyway. I've been playing Mass Effect 3 for most of the free time I have this week (thus eating into my reservoir of unpublished but finished blog posts in the process) and I ran into this lovely parallel between the game and my practice.

In the video (time code 3:40 - 4:30), you see Liara (blue alien) gush about a unique discovery: a living, breathing, species of a Prothean, 50.000 years after they were supposed to go extinct. She paints them as intellectual, as aiding the species that were still in development in the time of the Protheans and a general good guys. It should be noted that Liara is the foremost expert on anything Prothean. When the main protagonist, Shepard, questions if Liara isn't coloring the Prothean with her racial brush, Liara agrees that's probably true, but that the evidence supports her claims. After the Prothean has been recovered, Liara has a chance to talk to him (time code 20:40 - 21:50), and to say he--and Prothean society--is nothing like she expected, would be a huge understatement.

Now, replace 'Prothean' with 'Hellenic' and you see the point for this post. We know a lot about ancient Hellas, and the civilization ended far less than 50.000 years ago, but it is a reminder to keep in mind that what we think we know, is actually knowledge we inferred through writings, pottery, and other discoveries at archeological dig sites. We interpret the information the best we can, but in the end, it didn't come to us from a living, breathing, Hellenic, and that's something we should never forget.

PS: sorry about the dress, the video was not recorded by me, but by youtube user Johnsen1982.

• Wednesday, November 28, 2012
  daily practice Gaming Hellenic Reconstruction

Top five Hellenic mythology inspired computer games

I'm a geek, and I love video games. They give me a chance to empty my mind, get rid of frustration, distract me from anything bad going on, and make up for the lack of role playing games in my life. They are also a great devotional to the Theoi, if you pick something to play with Them in it. For one, it just sets your mind in the Hellenistic mood; even if the mythology is bad, you are still thinking of the Theoi, trying to find the flaws, and smiling at inside jokes made by the creators of the game. This is why I'll share with you my top five Hellenic mythology inspired computer games.

5. Rise of the Argonauts (PlayStation 3 / XboX 360 / PC)

Rise of the Argonauts is an action role-playing game surrounding the myth of Iásōn and his Argonauts as he searches for the Golden Fleece. As taken from Wikipedia:

"In Rise of the Argonauts, the player assumes the role of the protagonist, Jason, a Greek king. Jason's bride, Alceme, is assassinated and Jason avenges her by killing the assassin. He seals her body in the temple where they were supposed to marry, which becomes her mausoleum. After that, Jason discovers the only way to bring back his wife is to obtain the Golden Fleece, which can restore the dead. Traveling to Delphi, Jason learns from the Oracle that the only way to tread the road to the Fleece is to find three descendants of three of his patron gods: Hermes, Ares and Athena. The descendant of Hermes is found on Saria, Athena's on Kythra, whereas Ares' is located at Mycenae.

After convincing all of them to join him, Jason travels to Delphi again and learns that the Fleece is in Tartarus, the Hell of the Greek Underworld. After obtaining it, Jason sails home to revive Alceme. He confronts Pelias, his traitorous uncle. During the course of the game, Jason will face Blacktongues, who are behind Alceme's assassination, Ionians mercenaries, mythical beasts and other characters, but he won't be alone."

So, not mythologically accurate at all, but definitely fun to play.

4. God of War (PlayStation 3)

I'm not really a God of War fan myself, but as it's so solidly set in the right mythological universe, you can't really leave it out, right? The game is--very loosely--based on Hellenic mythology, and is set in Ancient Hellas. The player controls the protagonist Kratos, a Spartan warrior in the service of the Olympian Gods. Kratos is tasked by the Theos Athena to kill Ares, the God of War, who, it is revealed, is responsible for Kratos accidentally killing his wife and child. As Ares ravages Athens, Kratos embarks on a quest to find the one object capable of stopping the god: the legendary Pandora's Box. There are several expansion packs: God of War II, God of War: Betrayal, God of War III, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, and God of War: Chains of Olympus.

3. Age of Mythology & Age of Mythology: Titans (PC)

Age of Mythology is a real-time strategy game, which means you need to build towns, gather resources, create armies, and ultimately destroying enemy units and buildings. Age of Mythology follows an Atlantean admiral, Arkantos, who is forced to travel through the lands of the game's three cultures, hunting for a cyclops who is in league with Poseidon against Atlantis.

Arkantos advances his tribe through four Ages: starting in the Archaic Age, up to the  Classical Age, the Heroic Age, and finally, the Mythic Age. There are three playable civilizations in Age of Mythology: the Hellens, Egyptians, and Norse. Each civilization has three deities such as Zeus, and Aphrodite. You choose your 'Major God' at the start of the game and pick a new 'minor' one when you advance an age. It's a great game, but not as historically and mythologically accurate as Zeus: Master of Oplympus (see below).

2. Zeus: Master of Olympus & Poseidon: Master of Atlantis (PC)

Official product description: "Zeus: Master of Olympus is the sixth game in the award-winning Impressions City Building Series, which has sold over two million copies worldwide. Zeus: Master of Olympus, set in a mythological ancient Greece, serves up a world filled with the likes of Hercules, Athena, Ares, Medusa, the Minotaur, and many others. Players build and rule Greek city-states while summoning heroes and gods to protect their land from monsters and other Greek cities. 

Build and rule beautiful city states to help Hercules defeat the Hydra or help Odysseus win the Trojan War. Make powerful allies, get involved in the affairs of immortals of the Greek Pantheon and even meet Zeus, the Father of the Gods himself! You have the power to build cities, summon heroes, and complete mythological adventures in ancient Greece."

If you like city-builders, this title is for you. It gives a fairly decent look at ancient Hellenic life and the mythology is also (pretty much) spot on. The expansion pack Poseidon: Master of Atlantis focusses--you guessed it--on Atlantis and daily life there. 

1. Titan Quest & Titan Quest: Immortal Throne (PC)

Is it the best game of the bunch? No, probably not, but it is the game I have had the most fun with. Titan Quest is an action RPG in which you can play as either male or female (which is a big deal for me). In Titan Quest, the world has been overrun by beasts and creatures--drawn largely from mythology--that are terrorizing the countryside wrecking harvests, burning temples, invading villages etc. Communication with the Theoi has been cut completely and can only be restored when the monsters are driven off. In the expansion pack, you get send to the Underworld by Zeus, to defeat Hades (and that's bloody difficult!)

So, there you have it: my top five Hellenic mythology inspired computer games. Are your favorites amongst them, or did I forget some?

• Thursday, November 15, 2012
  Argonauts Gaming Hellenic Reconstruction Iásōn Mythology 101 Sparta

This is not a real post...

Tonight, I played Fallout 3 and thought of nothing. I have no deadlines in the foreseeable future, nothing to prepare. I can't remember when this last happened. There is nothing spiritual about it, or this post, but it's a wonder none the less.

I forgot how much an empty head lifts the spirits. It leaves me (as I hope it does you) with an almost childlike  sense of possibilities. I could do so many things now I don't have anything I should do. There is no guilt for not doing what I should be doing. I can catch up with my (religious) reading or just play a game, nap or spend my time any other way I see fit.

Now, I don't advertise sloth; I doubt it would go over well with the Gods and I know for sure it's bad for the mind and soul. Just like too much stress, too much of nothing freezes the mind. Staying active but not getting overwhelmed is probably best. It's solid advice I've been given a lot and have ignored just as many times. I tend to do too much. Period.

But if there is one thing I can do, it's enjoy the spare time I have. Today, that means a short post here and a lot of time sniping Glowing Ones. C'est la vie.

• Monday, June 25, 2012
  Gaming this is not a real post