Greek Myths That Would Make Great Games

Key Takeaways

• The Furies are underrepresented in video games, and a dedicated story would add depth and perspective.
• Herakles’ Twelve Labors could be an engaging RPG, exploring his tragic motivations in an open world.
• Adventure games based on mythological characters like Hephaestus or the Amazons could offer interesting and diverse gameplay.

Despite over two millennia passing since the peak of Greek antiquity, culture continues to draw inspiration from the mythology of that time. The wealth of characters, rich stories, and the lessons that can be learned are still of great value in the modern world.

As a result, there have been many video games either inspired by or directly following Greek myths, some great and others less heralded. Despite the plethora of Hellenistic experiences available in this medium, there are still many characters and stories just waiting to be explored, and others that need to be better represented than they have been already.

10 The Furies

Hell Hath No Fury

The Furies, or Erinyes, have featured heavily in some games in the past, but usually as enemies for the hero to defeat. In Hades, Megaera or one of her sisters will act as the first boss in the final chamber of Tartarus, and in God of War: Ascension, the three are the main antagonists who imprisoned Kratos.

A game focusing on Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone would be very interesting, investigating why they act in such vengeful ways. Perhaps a hack-and-slash RPG similar to God of War or a musou game with a spotlight on their story would be the best representation.

9 Heracles

The Twelve Labors

While Herakles has been extensively used in popular culture, usually with his name in the Roman form ‘Hercules’, many of the video games about him have mixed reviews. Perhaps the best example is Disney’s 1997 movie tie-in platformer, and he has appeared in the God of War series as an antagonist.

An RPG with Herakles as a hero, or anti-hero, is crying out to be made. Something like Shadow of the Colossus would be appropriate for this myth, delving into the tragic reasons why Herakles must take on the Twelve Labors, and venture across an open world to tackle them head-on.

8 Hephaestus

Forging A New Path

Often depicted as having a limp or some form of disability, Hephaestus would be a fine choice of protagonist for any developers wanting more inclusivity. He has made appearances in God of War as an antagonist and the artisan who crafted some of Kratos’ weapons, and in Hades 2, granting boons to Melinoë. Being the God of smithing, a game with solid crafting mechanics is required.

Hephaestus could forge weapons for chosen heroes in a tower defense or RTS game, and players see how the action unfolds. Borrowing from mythology, he could also craft automatons and ingenious traps to punish enemies and those who have wronged him.

7 Charon

Ferrying The Dead

The enigmatic Charon was a fan-favorite character in Hades. The boatman on the Acheron and Styx rivers, who carries the souls of the dead to the afterlife, would provide fascinating content for a game similar to Spiritfarer.

Discovering the stories of those being ferried, and perhaps learning something about Charon himself are interesting topics for a more chilled-out game. The souls of the damned could make peace with their deaths or even face judgment for their actions in life. Developers could even explore what happens to those who are unable to pay the required obols.

6 Minos

Judging The Dead

Another character pertaining to death and the afterlife, Minos was known for locking the Minotaur in the Labyrinth, being a tyrannical Cretan King in life, and becoming one of three judges of the dead in Hades. Often depicted as a demonic monster, he held the deciding vote in any verdict.

A game about those judgments is a compelling proposition, finding out what people did in life and deciding their fate. It would be like Papers, Please, but in Hades and deciding where the souls of the dead will go in the afterlife.

5 The Many Escapades Of Zeus

Dating An Olympian

The King of the Gods on Mount Olympus, Zeus, was quite notorious for his outlandish and often unsavory adventures. His many dalliances are prime fodder for a bizarre and humorous dating simulator game, akin to Dream Daddy and I Love You, Colonel Sanders!.

The developers would have to change some parts of Zeus’ mythology to make him more likable, but it would be an eye-catching and intriguing experience. Alternatively, they could recreate Untitled Goose Game, but with Zeus pretending to be a swan causing mayhem in Ancient Greece.

4 The Fates

Weaving The Tapestry Of Life With Many Threads

Many games have played with the concept of fate, from the many Tell Tale games to Life is Strange, and even The Stanley Parable. Oona in Neo Cab is even quite meta, commenting on the choices Lina, or the player, made and how they were destined to do so.

Playing as the Fates, or Moirai, could really immerse players into these ideas and develop them further. They may determine the destinies of characters in the game and see how they play out while controlling one or all of the three sisters: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos.

3 The Amazons

Horizon Amazon

The famous tribe of warrior women, known for their military and hunting prowess, and particularly for archery and horseback combat, the Amazons are perfect for video games. Many characters already have qualities reminiscent of the Amazons, such as Aloy from the Horizon series and Abby in The Last of Us: Part 2.

It is precisely these titles that prospective developers should look to if they wish to showcase strong female characters in combat. Playing as either a Queen or soldier in a third-person RPG would work well, advancing a skill tree and utilizing more advanced weaponry.

2 Homer’s Iliad

Untapped Potential

Thousands of years since the story of the Trojan War was first told, Homer’s Iliad endures and inspires. Countless attempts have been made to put this epic into video game form, and it has been best executed in the form of turn-based and RTS games like Total War and Age of Empires, focusing mostly on military tactics.

The Iliad itself is already told like a video game, with Diomedes breaking from the battle to chat with an enemy, like a cutscene, and the Gods granting boons to their chosen heroes in the middle of a fight, much like suddenly leveling up. There is so much potential for an open-world game, like an entry in The Elder Scrolls series, including specific skirmishes at set times.

1 Homer’s Odyssey

Quite A Journey

Continuing on from the Iliad is Homer’s Odyssey, following the adventures of Odysseus and his crew as they try to return home after the war, but more meddling from the Gods prevents this. There is a wealth of unique characters and monsters, and plenty of intrigue on this journey to fill an open world.

Seafaring adventures would be necessary here, and potential developers should look at Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag or Sea of Thieves when it comes to naval traversal and combat. For inspiration when it comes to land sections as they travel around the Mediterranean, The Witcher series with its excellent monster designs, characters, and general tone may fit the best.