Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Mythology in Video Games

Mythology can be found in the most unexpected places. Lately it has permeated pop culture in the form of video games. Three games that I've played lately on the PS2 offer a glimpse into myths of the world with stunning colors, staggering action scenes and stories that will draw you in and then take your breath away. Try these three games for a myth-packed challenge:

1. God of War series(Greek):
With a focus on Greek mythology, this actino/adventure game focuses on Kratos, a man with a vendetta and determined to topple Ares, god of war and perhaps all of Olympus. Enemies include Greek mythology favorites such as gorgons, harpies and cyclops. The gods and goddesses, just like Greek mythology, are fickle, and sometimes they can shower you with gifts, and sometimes they are your worst nightmare on the battle field.


2. Okami (Shinto):

If you've ever wanted to play a Japanese sun goddess, here's your chance. Playing Amaterasu, you roam Japan as a wolf, using your controller as a paintbrush to interact with the environment. Your quest: to restore faith in the gods by creating miracles and de
feating demons - traditional goddess fare. This game is visually stunning and looks like a traditional Japanese painting, complete with cherry blossoms and rising suns. Even the soundtrack sounds traditional and you feel like you are in the middle of ancient Japan instead of in your living room.

3. Odin Sphere (Norse):
This game is often so beautiful to look at that it can be hard to remember that you have enemies to fight. A RPG, Odin Sphere offers a story comprised of five characters which all play important parts in the fight for the Cauldron which leads to Armageddon. With the ability to mix potions, cook meals, and plant various trees that give you items, Odin Sphere has a healthy dose of strategy. It's only drawback is the frequent slow down during large battle scenes.

2 comments:

  1. Oh, i have first two (and played it through) on my PC with emulator pcsx2 (you need at least CoreDuo 3.2 Ghz or higher to play it well).

    First one is brutal kick-and-slash all that moves-around (it's like prince of persia series gameplay, but more action and hellish)

    Second one is my favorite, it's brilliant though. Okami is wolf-goddess with somekinda mushroom assistant jumping on her head and helps any little boys and girls what to do. The best thing is you can perform any magic acts by brush, You draws magic. The story line is funny also - you must clear areas from plague, sent upon by awful "Orochi".

    Third one i never saw.

    Check Final Fantasy XII. I loved it most of other games for PS2. about 70 hours of "exploring worlds" experience. You don't need to fight, only set tactics for your 6 characters to perform automatically.

    Or, almost forgot .... check "ICO" and "Shadow of the Colossus". Two best adventure games on PS2 as well as Valkirie Profile 2 (also norse but very "japanese interpretaion" of things) and The Last Remnant (SQUARE Enix released PC version for this one).

    later, Alex

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  2. Thanks for the tips! I own FF XII and VP2, but just haven't gotten to them yet! I've been looking for Ico, but it seems difficult to track down. The husband played Shadow of the Colossus. Beautiful visuals. I haven't heard of The Last Remnant. I'll check it out - thanks!

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