7 Games You Should Try After Watching The Odyssey
Or maybe any game with a bow?
With the Odyssey being around 2,700 to 2,800 years old, there are countless inspirations based on this classic. Almost anything tied to a perilous adventure, especially through sailing, trying to go back home, could be tied to the Odyssey.
With so many choices available, we’ve narrowed down a medium-sized list of games that capture different parts of Homer’s epic. Some feature the gods and monsters of Greek mythology, while others focus more on exploration, dangerous journeys, or the desire to return home.
Whether you’re interested in experiencing Ancient Greece or simply want to embark on an adventure, these games are worth checking out.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
It would be almost impossible to make a list of games that feel like The Odyssey without including Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Ubisoft’s massive open-world RPG is set during the Peloponnesian War and lets players explore a huge recreation of Ancient Greece.
Much like Odysseus, players spend a significant amount of time traveling across the Aegean Sea. The Adrestia becomes your primary way of getting from one island to another, with plenty of opportunities to stop at new locations, discover hidden areas, and encounter enemies along the way.
The game also embraces Greek mythology, although it takes some liberties with the source material. Players can encounter legendary creatures such as the Minotaur, Medusa, and Cyclops, making the adventure feel much closer to the fantastical side of Homer’s epic.
Hades II
While Hades II doesn’t exactly recreate The Odyssey, Supergiant Games’ roguelike is one of the best modern games for experiencing Greek mythology through an interactive story.
You play as Melinoe, the princess of the Underworld, as she attempts to stop Chronos and rescue her family. Along the way, she encounters a massive cast of gods, heroes, monsters, and other figures from Greek mythology.
This is particularly interesting for The Odyssey fans because Hades II includes characters connected to Homer’s epic. Odysseus himself appears in the game, alongside other familiar figures such as Circe and Scylla.
God of War
God of War takes the concept of a mythological adventure and moves it away from Ancient Greece, but that doesn’t make it any less appropriate for this list.
Kratos and Atreus spend much of the game traveling through the realms of Norse mythology to fulfill Faye’s final wish. Their journey takes them across dangerous landscapes, through ancient ruins, and into encounters with gods and monsters pulled from Norse mythology.
The most important similarity to The Odyssey, however, isn’t the mythology. It’s the journey itself.
Kratos and Atreus aren’t simply traveling because they want to explore the world. They have a destination and a reason to reach it, with the relationship between father and son becoming increasingly important throughout the adventure, maybe quite similar to Odysseus and Telemachus, but Odysseus doesn’t call his son “Boy” every single time.
Titan Quest II
If you’re looking for something that embraces the monsters and mythology of The Odyssey, Titan Quest is another excellent choice.
The action RPG takes players through a world heavily inspired by ancient mythology, beginning in Ancient Greece before eventually expanding into other mythological locations.
Players battle creatures taken from Greek mythology, including Satyrs, Minotaurs, Gorgons, and other legendary monsters. The game also features the gods and mythological figures that have appeared in countless stories throughout history.
Age of Mythology: Retold
Age of Mythology: Retold takes a very different approach to Greek mythology by turning it into a real-time strategy game.
The Greek pantheon plays a major role in the game, with players able to worship gods such as Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Depending on which deity you choose, you’ll gain access to different powers, technologies, and mythological creatures.
The Greek campaign also follows a hero named Arkantos as he embarks on an adventure involving gods, monsters, and a journey across the ancient world.
Sea of Thieves
Not every game on this list needs to be based on Greek mythology. Sometimes, all you need is a ship and a dangerous ocean.
Sea of Thieves is perhaps the closest game here to capturing the feeling of sailing through an unknown world.
Players take control of pirate ships and travel across an enormous open sea, stopping at islands to search for treasure, fight enemies, solve puzzles, and encounter other players.
The ocean itself becomes part of the adventure. One moment you can be peacefully sailing toward your destination, and the next you’re being attacked by another crew or facing a massive sea monster.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
If you’re more interested in the adventure and exploration side of The Odyssey, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is one of the easiest games to recommend, with absolutely no bias involved since Uncharted 4 is one of my favorite games of all time, cough*.
Nathan Drake’s final major adventure takes him across the world as he searches for the lost treasure of pirate Henry Avery. That means players get everything you’d expect from an adventure inspired by legendary explorers: tropical islands, ancient ruins, hidden caves, shipwrecks, puzzles, and plenty of danger.
Nathan has already settled into a quieter life with Elena, but the return of his brother Sam pulls him back into the treasure-hunting life he supposedly left behind. His desire for adventure is constantly placed against the home and relationship he has built. That makes Uncharted 4 more relevant to The Odyssey than it might initially appear.
