The Best Games Based On A Lost Civilization

Exploring lost civilizations has long been a source of fascination in video games, blending mystery, history, and adventure. From ancient ruins to forgotten empires, these games often immerse players in exotic worlds brimming with secrets and challenges.

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Some games have a lost civilization as the backdrop to the storyline to provide a mysterious and atmospheric setting. Others focus solely on discovering the secrets of a lost civilization, uncovering artifacts, or defeating ancient enemies. These are sometimes mythological civilizations based on actual legends, cleverly mixing known history with fantasy aspects. Others are fantastical constructs that have come from the minds of the game’s designers.

8

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Based Upon A Mythical Greek Civilization

There are certain real-world civilizations that have passed out of recorded history, and as such, are shrouded in myths and legends. Ancient Greece is one such civilization, and this is the setting for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

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Players can explore the open-world map, find ancient ruins, and discover lost artifacts. The game is also notable for the exceptionally effective way that naval combat is handled. Overall, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey blends just enough history with mythological mystery to create a fascinating backdrop to what is considered one of the best games in the Assassin’s Creed franchise to date.

7

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune

Search For El Dorado, The City Of Gold

Systems

Released

November 19, 2007

Drake’s Fortune is the first game in the Uncharted franchise. Taking on the role of Nathan Drake, players set out on an adventure to locate the lost city of El Dorado, and the treasure that legend says is hidden within it.

The game combines features from several genres, including platformers and puzzle games. With its focus on the mythical civilization and the treasure it left behind, the game is driven forward by some polished cinematics and a compelling storyline and does a good job of setting the scene for some classic exploration.

6

Tomb Raider

Discover The Secrets Of The Yamatai

The 2013 release of the Tomb Raider game is part of the franchise reboot, and returns to the tried and tested recipe used by the original movie and the early games in the series. Namely, Lara Croft heads off to find treasure by discovering the remnants of a lost civilization; the Yamatai civilization in this case.

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Having become stranded on an island, Lara must uncover the secrets of the island’s Queen Himiko as she explores, overcomes puzzles, and gets ever closer to the truth and the treasure that comes with it. The game has a great narrative, and the ancient ruins are very atmospheric.

5

Shadow Of The Colossus

Defeat 16 Ancient Colossi

Systems

Released

February 6, 2018

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Even though the storyline of Shadow Of The Colossus does not expressly revolve around the tale of a lost civilization, the game’s setting and world-building certainly do. The world is filled with mysterious ruins and ancient architecture, all situated in a haunting, desolate landscape.

The goal of the game is for the player to defeat each of the 16 giant colossi that roam the land. Each of these is a huge boss that is part organic and part construction. The game’s esthetics are beautiful yet haunting, with an underlying theme of loss and desolation.

Explore Dwemer Ruins

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim takes place in the fantasy land of Tamriel, in the northern realm of Skyrim, which is loosely based on Nordic mythology themes. However, it features the enigmatic lost race of the Dwemer, which has left behind remnants of its technologically advanced civilization in the form of ruins that dot the landscape.

These ruins are generally underground cave systems and complexes that are populated by mechanically derived constructs. The player can explore these ruins, and uncover lore, and learn the secrets of the lost civilization of the Dwemer piece by piece.

3

Horizon Zero Dawn

Explore The Ruins Of An Advanced Human Civilization

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Horizon Zero Dawn

Systems

Released

February 28, 2017

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

In Horizon Zero Dawn, the player walks in the shoes of a young woman named Aloy, who has a mysterious past that is somehow connected with the remnants of a lost civilization. The civilization in question was technologically advanced and had built an AI to help fix the Earth’s ecosystem. For some reason, the civilization disappeared, and the AI began to run amok.

The player must uncover the secrets of Aloy’s past and work towards stopping the AI from completely taking over the world. This involves exploration and puzzle-solving, as well as fighting plenty of robotic enemies.

2

Atlantis: The Lost Tales

Uncover The Secrets Of Atlantis

The lost civilization of Atlantis is arguably one of the most intriguing real-world mysteries, and it is no surprise that it is a trope used frequently in games. Atlantis: The Lost Tales puts the player in the role of the young hero, Seth. His task is to seek out the secrets of this mythical civilization.

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With a great mixture of excellent storytelling and rewarding exploration, this is a game that all players with an interest in the myths and legends of Atlantis can enjoy. The fantastical environments and challenging puzzles fit well with the theme.

1

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Explore The Remnants Of A Lost Hylian Civilization

Systems

Released

March 3, 2017

Developer(s)

Nintendo EPD

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Taking place in the Kingdom of Hyrule, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild lets players explore an exquisitely crafted open-world map that is dotted with ancient ruins. These ruins have slowly been swallowed by nature over time.

The player will find lost temples, forgotten shrines, and other remnants of a lost civilization. Indeed, the entire game has exploration and discovery at its heart. With its impressive level of player agency, fantastic narrative, and masterful world design, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild truly deserves the top spot on this list.

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