Mythological tales have found a unique home in the form of video games. Titles like God of War, Black Myth: Wukong, Hades, and Titan Quest aren’t just mere entertainment but powerful storytelling mediums. These games serve as living museums of ancient myths, with a set of benefits for players that other media doesn’t offer.
Unlike films or television series that often just reimagine mythology for the screen, whereas video games are interactive wonders that allow players to explore these worlds first-hand offering a unique perspective on the complete story.
First Mythology-Inspired Video Game
We are just coming down from a Black Myth: Wukong high, a video game inspired by a Chinese epic novel Journey to the West that dives deep into the rich mythological lore. That got me thinking, what is the first-ever video game inspired by mythology?
Ancient cultures and religions have been a part of video games for a long time but the success has long avoided these series and is gaining more traction in the gaming world today. The success of titles like Hades and God of War, which draw heavily from Greek and Norse mythologies respectively only supports this.
Determining which video game was the first to incorporate mythology is no easy task. One of the early contenders I dare to say is Pokemon Red and Blue, from 1996. Although primarily based on the personal experiences of its designer, the game includes creatures inspired by Japanese folklore, such as Vulpix and Ninetales, who are based on the Kitsune, and Magikarp evolving into Gyarados, which mirrors the legend of the Dragon Gate.
These are just subtle nods and fearless steps into the unknown, more of an homage than a direct retelling.
However, there is a title, I already mentioned, God of War, that is a strong contender for the first such video game. Released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2, this Sony exclusive didn’t just poke at elements from Greek mythology, it lived and breathed them. Give the main protagonist a name like Heracles or Prometheus and you will have a full-fledged Greek myth here.
Anyhow, Kratos embarks on an epic adventure fighting Greek gods and in the process creates a narrative that could be an actual lost tale from ancient Greece. The game didn’t just use myths as inspiration but rather placed players in a world so thoughtfully created that the popular myths were the very fabric of the story.
The first installment propelled Kratos to international success as he fought his way to find the Pandora’s Box fighting Olympian Gods. The franchise that started all is alive and well today, though it has crossed into Norse mythology, once again, giving new audiences a full retrospective of ancient times.
Mythology-Inspired Video Games Don’t Just Retell Myths
Upon the immense success of the Spartan warrior Kratos, Titan Quest came out. Another perfect example of a video game that uses mythology as a foundation rather than simply retelling ancient stories. Set in a world inspired by Greek myths, the game tasks players with stopping the Titans from escaping their prison and causing chaos.
Titan Quest is just another mythical story told differently and pits players against these immortals in a firsthand experience, prompting them to learn anything and everything about this ancient lore. Titan Quest isn’t just about Greek myths but the campaign progresses into other ancient cultures, including Egypt and China.
Speaking of ancient China, it felt like there weren’t many games inspired by the China myths, until the Black Myth: Wukong proved me wrong. Not because of its release, but because I completely forgot about Jade Empire. BioWare’s beautiful take on Chinese mythology, which commercially flopped despite rave reviews.
Nevertheless, Black Myth: Wukong has shown that both commercial and critical success are achievable for a video game inspired by a mythology epic created in ancient China.
The game doesn’t just retell the story of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. instead, it keeps aspects, like Wukong’s shapeshifting abilities and his battles with mythical creatures, keeping this Homeric writing away from oblivion. In the process, the game familiarises other cultures with the story of the Destined One.
For a brief moment, I need to return to Greek mythology and write about the indie gem of 2020, Hades. The roguelike action role-playing game certainly has a place in many hearts as it successfully combined many things, including a mythology-inspired story, popularizing roguelike as a genre, all the while delivering stunning graphics, epic combat, and soundtrack. Furthermore, Hades 2 just hit the early access a few months ago and is worth checking out.
Video Games are Mythology Museums
While it might look easy to adapt an existing myth into a video game, the process is far from simple. Even films and TV series fail as fans are looking for something more than just throwing Brad Pitt into a decade-long Trojan War story.
Developers and other creatives need to make the lore clear to the players and need to integrate these stories into a fantastic personal experience.
This is why I see video games as mythology museums. They offer players an interactive way to explore the tales of old. We have only seen a handful of these stories translated into epic adventures in the form of video games and as more people courage into the task, we are likely to see more stories adapted into epic adventures for a new audience.
What are your thoughts on mythology-inspired games? Are these a good medium to transfer and retell old stories to new audiences? Let us know in the comments below.
