Summary
Certain tropes fit strategy games well.Science fictionand galactic conquest is one such trope. But for more down to earth strategy games, the legends and myths that have become the background of human history are an incredibly rich resource. Since the very first strategy games, developers have leveraged myths and legends to paint the backdrop for their games.
There are so many great strategy games and entire franchises that have beenbased on mythology. This list is far from exhaustive, and doesn’t attempt to rank the games it covers in any way. They are all great examples of strategy games that have entertained players for decades in some cases.
Zeus: Master of Olympus,more commonly known just asZeus, was released in 2000. This is an old school strategy game, with slower gameplay than modern titles. The game is set inancient Greece, and players will come across a profusion of Greek Gods, mythical creatures, and legend rich content.
The premise of the game is that the player gains control of the emerging state of Greece. They are responsible for setting up infrastructure that includes education, religion, commerce, and industry. Part of the process of proceeding in this game is the worship of mythological Greek Gods, and the recruitment of Greek heroes from legend.
Released in 2006,Stronghold Legendsbuilds on the solid real-time strategy mechanics established inStronghold1 and 2, and adds a mythical/legendary twist to the gameplay. Rather than being a pure FPS game,Stronghold Legendsbegins with a scenario driven experience, that is loosely based on the myths and legends that surroundKing Arthur.
This is especially true if the player chooses to take control of the good faction. This is based on the Knights of the Round Table, and many of the quests and tasks are focused around NPCs that are recognizably drawn from the legends of King Arthur and Merlin.
Age of Mythologywas launched in 2002, and instantly became a favorite with strategy game players. Rather than setting specific win conditions, the game challenges the player to survive and thrive through four ages; Archaic, Classical, Heroic and Mythic.
As the player progresses through these ages, new research and construction options are unlocked. Each age brings in myths from different cultures. Including Norse, Egyptian. And Greek mythology. All of this is mixed together in a melting pot to provide some of the most unique strategy gameplay ever.
The first game in theAge of Empiresfranchise was released in 1997. Eventually, the franchise produced the aforementionedAge of Mythologygame as a spinoff. However, the originalAge of Empiresalso embraced aspects of mythology at a root level.
The game takes place on the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa between the Stone Age andIron Ageperiods. Myths and legends from these cultures are interwoven into the game. Each faction is given bonuses and specializations that are historically or legendarily aligned with them.
Northgardis very firmly based on Norse Mythology, a richly mineable resource of tales and legend that lend themselves well to game design and features. Originally released in 2018,Northgardis still popular today.
When played in story mode, the player takes on the role of Rig, a prince who is seeking revenge for the murder of his father. Rig is a Viking, and as part of the story arc he will battle with the Clan of the Raven. However, much of the gameplay revolves around expanding theViking claninfluence, with the story acting as something like a tutorial.
In the 2000 game,Invictus: In The Shadow Of Olympus, the player must recruit a hero straight out of Greek Mythology. They can choose from Hercules, Achilles, and Electra, as their main unit in the fight to secure their right to ascend Mount Olympus.
The game combines strategic gameplay on the world map, with tactical gameplay in the real-time battles that take place regularly. The player can select from more than 30 different types of units as they build their armies. Battle maps are varied, and encompass different biomes with their own specific challenges and bonuses.
Launched in 2022 to mixed reviews,Land Of The Vikings, as the name suggests, is based onNorse Mythology. Much of the core gameplay revolves around unlocking and upgrading bonuses via Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life or World Tree as it is commonly named in Norse mythology.
Each individual unit in this game has its own stats. Even villagers can be specialized at an individual level to perform their job more efficiently. Colony/town building is a large part ofLand Of The Vikings, with a large range of buildings and decorations available to the player.
As the name suggests,Total War Saga: Troyis based on the myths and legends that abound in relation to the long-gone City and Confederation of Troy. This is a fascinating source of content for a game. Troy existed and there are historical artifacts to prove this, but it has slipped out of the memory of humanity, to take on a mythical appeal that fits strategy games well. The result is one of the best of theTotal War games.
The player takes the part of a mythological hero, and can choose to play Achilles, Hector, Paris or Menelaus. Gameplay, unit types of progression will be driven by which of the heroes the player chooses. The integrated storyline gives players a reason to try out each of the available mythological heroes, as each has a different story.
