Perhaps the greatest thing about video games is that they can allow players to visit ancient worlds and civilizations during their heyday. Being able to sample history, folklore and mythology in such an interactive way is certainly a lot more interesting than listening to a history teacher with elbow patches on their blazer drone on and on about the most boring parts of ancient history possible. At least sometimes, they’d put a movie on.
One of the most popular historical periods to explore in gaming is Ancient Greece, with its amazing architecture, incredible stories/moments and interesting mythology giving video games developers so much inspiration and material to pull from when it comes to making their games. With that in mind, these are the best games based on ancient Greece that you should be playing.
15. Altered Beast
Developer: SEGA
Publisher: SEGA
Platform(s): Practically any major console/platform since 1988
For gamers of a certain vintage, Altered Beast is probably one of the first games that they ever played, with the Genesis classic allowing players to fight against the hordes of the Underworld as a resurrected Roman centurion. That might not sound like it’s a game about Ancient Greece, but considering you’ve been resurrected by Zeus in order to rescue Athena, you’re an agent of Olympus now.
Players progress through the levels of Altered Beast, battering zombies and other undead creatures while gaining power along the way. Eventually, you’ll even transform into various monstrous forms, like wolves, bears and dragons as you do battle against Neff. It might not be the most complex game ever made, but in terms of historical impact and legacy, Altered Beast simply shouldn’t be overlooked.
14. Theseus
Developer: Reply Game Studios
Publisher: Reply Game Studios
Platform(s): PC, PS4
The story of Theseus and the Minotaur is one of the most iconic and well-known tales from Ancient Greece, with the all-conquering hero venturing into the labyrinth to take on the deadly Minotaur. As much as it’s a well-trodden story though, it’s something that hasn’t been explored too much in the world of video games, which is why the game Theseus is worth checking out. Sure, you’ll need a VR headset, but what better way is there to immerse yourself in Ancient Greece than with VR?
A darker take on the classic tale, Theseus utilises a third person perspective while in VR to create a unique experience. With a mix of combat, exploration and story, Theseus will definitely hold your attention during its admittedly brief runtime, allowing you to enjoy one of the oldest stories in the world in a brand new way.
13. Zeus: Master of Olympus
Developer: Impressions Games
Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
Platform(s): PC
Those who are also interested in games about Ancient Rome will no doubt be aware that one of the most popular genres when it comes to video games about history is city management games. Being able to create your own city based on a certain time period or civilization is definitely enticing, and considering that Zeus: Master of Olympus was created by the same people behind the Ceasar games, you know it’s going to be good.
Players are in charge of building up and ruling a Greek city state, managing the various facilities and necessities that comes with governing a city, while also warring with rival cities and managing natural disasters in the form of monsters from Greek mythology. With various gods from the Greek pantheon all making an appearance, and lots of options to ensure your city stands the test of time, Zeus: Master of Olympus is still worth checking out over two decades since it first launched.
12. Okhlos: Omega
Developer: Coffee Powered Machine
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platform(s): PC
Video game depictions of Ancient Greece tend to focus more on the warriors and conquerors that make up so much of the folklore surrounding that period, but one aspect of Greek history that’s still relevant today is the work of their philosophists. Okhlos: Omega attempts to celebrate the amazing work done by the philosophers of that time period, using them as playable characters riling up the civilians to wage war on the malicious gods themselves.
Playing out like a violent Greek Pikmin roguelike, Okhlos: Omega sees players recruiting the likes of warriors, peasants and whatever animals they can find in the vicinity in order to lead an uprising against the oppressive Gods of Olympus. With hordes of people on screen at any one time, and dozens of champions and bosses that can appear to make each run unique, Okhlos: Omega is a often-time silly, but still enjoyable Greek romp.
11. Imperiums: Greek Wars
Developer: Kube Games
Publisher: Kube Games
Platform(s): PC
Strategists and conquerors like Alexander The Great comprise a major part of the tapestry of Greek history and mythology, so of course there’s a lot of video games out there that allow players to walk that same path. Imperiums: Greek Wars is perfect for those who want to prove they can be just as effective at taking over everything the light touches, installing themselves as Ancient Greece’s newest tyrant.
In this grand strategy game, players can choose to play as one of 30 factions from across the Greco-Persian landscape, whether they’re from Athens, Sparta, Macedonian or one of several other Greek city states that were around at the time. As leader, you’ll be charged with trying to secure your faction’s place while other factions try to bring you down. Survival won’t be easy, but if you do so, you’ll be etched into history forever.
10. Apotheon
Developer: Alientrap
Publisher: Alientrap
Platform(s): PC, PS4
The arts and culture of Ancient Greece often don’t receive the same amount of love and attention from video games, which is a real shame as there’s a lot of inspiration to pull from. Alientrap were fully aware of this when they decided to create Apotheon, as it utilises the artistry and style seen on various pieces of Ancient Greek pottery and paintings to create a game unlike any other.
A 2D action platformer, Aptheon sees you playing as the warrior NIkandreos, who wakes up one day to discover that the Gods of Olympus have decided to deprive humans of their gifts, plunging the world into darkness. Teaming up with Hera, who has grown sick of Zeus’ machinations, you’ll storm Olympus, steal the power of the Gods themselves and even kill a few Gods along the way.
9. Spartan: Total Warrior
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Platform(s): PS2, Xbox, Gamecube
It’s no secret that the Total War series is the gold standard when it comes to recreating civilizations and cultures from yesteryear, but sitting back and commanding large scale forces isn’t for everyone. Sometimes instead, it’s just better to get in amongst the carnage, dealing out death while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with your fellow soldiers. Fortunately, Creative Assembly were aware of that in the mid-2000s, releasing Spartan: Total Warrior on consoles.
Focusing on the absolute hardnuts that were the Spartans, Spartan: Total Warrior sees players controlling an unnamed warrior who finds themselves facing down a Roman invasion. With allies by your side and various powerful weapons and artifacts to find, you’ll cut a bloody swathe through both Greece and parts of Italy in order to liberate an entire group of people from the might of the Roman Empire.
8. Age of Mythology: Extended Edition
Developer: Ensemble Studios, Skybox Labs
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platform(s): PC
The Age of Empires series has been one of the main pillars of strategy and management gaming for a long time now, but for the most part, Empires focuses more on history rather than mythology, which is why a game like Age of Mythology: Extended Edition is so enticing. If you want to experience some classic real-time strategy gameplay, bolstered by the appearance of various mythological gods and creatures, this is the game for you.
In truth, Age of Mythology doesn’t only focus on the Greek mythology, as players can also play as the Egyptian and Norse cultures too, experiencing their culture and Gods too, but that doesn’t stop Age of Mythology: Extended Edition from being one of the best games about Ancient Greece you can play. If nothing else, you can settle those playground arguments about which culture would win in a fight. It’s totally Greece by the way, those Spartans would kick your head in.
7. Titan Quest: Anniversary Edition
Developer: Iron Lore Entertainment, Black Forest Games
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Action RPGs and mythology feel like a match-made in heaven, as the deep wells of folklore and tales allows for video game developers to create a wide range of enemies, weapons, levels and more. If you’re looking for a great action RPG about Greek Mythology in particular, look no further than Titan Quest: Anniversary Edition, as this updated version of a nearly 20 year old game is still worth checking out.
After being imprisoned by the Gods, the Titans have escaped and are running amok on Earth once again, so the Gods have called upon a champion to stick it to them. Creating a character from scratch, you’ll travel around Greece, fighting some of the biggest monsters and villains that the time period has to offer. With thousands of pieces of loot to collect and the ability to join other friends online in your adventures, Titan Quest is an odyssey worth undertaking.
6. A Total War Saga: Troy
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Platform(s): PC
We’ve already mentioned Spartan: Total Warrior, the hack and slash spin-off of the Total War series, but nothing really compares to the full fat experience, and if you’re looking for that franchise’s best depiction of Ancient Greece, you can’t go wrong A Total War Saga: Troy. If building an empire in a Bronze Age version of the Mediterranean sounds great to you, be sure to pick up Troy.
Based on Homer’s Iliad and the legendary Trojan War, A Total War Saga: Troy includes a lot of different modes of play, especially when you include all the DLC and content updates Creative Assembly have released. Whether you prefer your strategy games to be historical, mythological, or walk the line between the two, you can undertake a variety of campaigns and scenarios under those parameters, with more than a dozen playable heroes too.
5. Kid Icarus: Uprising
Developer: Project Sora
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform(s): 3DS
Despite Pit being a mainstay of the Super Smash Bros. series ever since Brawl, the Kid Icarus series hasn’t been utilized all that much by Nintendo. After two games in the 90s, the series went on a 20 year hiatus until Kid Icarus: Uprising launched for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012, proving to be the most popular entry in the whole franchise. If you’ve got a 3DS that’s been gathering dust, Kid Icarus: Uprising is definitely worth playing.
Admittedly, Kid Icarus: Uprising plays fast and loose with the idea of Greek Mythology, using some of the characters and concepts as a baseline but using it to create a world where seemingly anything can happen, and in the course of Uprising’s story, it does. A mix of third-person and rail shooter, Kid Icarus: Uprising’s gameplay and spectacle pushed the limits of the 3DS, making it a must-have title about Ancient Greece.
4. Immortals: Fenyx Rising
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, Switch
A Greek mythological take on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is certainly a great elevator pitch, which is why a game like Immortals: Fenyx Rising ranks so highly on this list. Exploring an open world inspired by Greek mythology, using the powers and weapons you’d expect from that era, makes Immortals: Fenyx Rising one of the best games about Ancient Greece you can buy, especially if you’re looking for something a bit more comical.
Playing as the created character known as Fenyx, you’ll find yourself on the Golden Isle to see the Gods and the island’s other inhabitants have been petrified, with the Titan known as Typhon trying to remake the world in his own image. Exploring the island at your own pace, you’ll gather a variety of tools and powers, all the while learning the place that Fenyx will eventually take among the Greek pantheon.
3. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S
The past three Assassin’s Creed games have been steeped in both history and mythology, with Assassin’s Creed Origins bringing Ancient Egypt into focus, while Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was all about Nordic mythology. However, it’s the middle entry in this revamped trilogy, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which immerses itself in Greek mythology and culture, and for many AC fans, it’s the best in the series.
Playing as either Alexios or Kassandra, a Spartan warrior, you’ll make your living working as a mercenary for both sides of the Peloponnesian War, as you try to accomplish your own goals of finding your missing family and taking down the mysterious Cult of Kosmos. While the base game focuses more on Greek history, the additional content that was released for Odyssey upped the mythological content, making for a more complete experience.
2. God of War 3
Developer: Sony Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform(s): PS3, PS4
The God of War series might have reached new heights dabbling with Norse mythology with the 2018 reboot/sequel hybrid, before going even further with the follow-up God of War: Ragnarok, but at its core, the God of War series will always be tied to its Greek mythological origins. If you want to experience the past of the franchise, God of War 3 is your best bet, providing you with a whistle-stop tour of some of Greek mythology’s biggest characters before they get their heads stomped in by Kratos.
The conclusion of Kratos’ rampage around the Mediterranean, God of War 3 finishes off the fight between Kratos and Zeus himself, but not without Kratos being sidetracked at nearly every available opportunity to pummel another Olympian or Titan. With excellent character action gameplay and awe-inspiring spectacle that still manages to impress over a decade after release, God of War 3 is utterly incredible.
1. Hades
Developer: Supergiant Games
Publisher: Supergiant Games
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, Switch
When it comes to the best games about Greek mythology, you really can’t go wrong with Hades, as it’s truly the greatest Greek-based game out there. Where Hades succeeds is how it uses the established mythology as a building block, taking a relatively unknown member of the Chthonic pantheon in Zagreus, and using it to tell a very human and relatable story about a boy looking to find out more information about his mother. It just so happens that his dad is the titular Hades, and he’ll need to escape the Underworld itself to get the info he needs.
Playing out as a dungeon-crawling roguelike, you’ll progress through random chambers across four different biomes, all with the view of becoming stronger and finally making your escape. As it is a roguelike though, you’ll die often, but the resources you gather on your run can be used to upgrade your capabilities in future runs, making the game much more approachable for players of all kinds.
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