Summary
- Games based on Norse mythology offer thrilling adventures and challenges, allowing players to fight powerful gods and encounter horrifying monsters.
- These games, such as Kari and Through The Woods, immerse players in the rich lore of Norse folklore, featuring characters like Odin and creatures like the Huldra and Draugen.
- Popular titles like Assassin's Creed: Valhalla and God of War explore Norse mythology in epic settings, allowing players to take on the roles of Vikings and interact with gods and mythical creatures.
Games based on mythology and real-world history always offer great content and amazing visuals. Many popular titles, such as the Assassin's Creed series or Hades, have taken inspiration from popular myths. Fighting against Vikings or the gods of the underworld makes for great adventures and challenges.
There have been many games, both in the past and recently, inspired by Norse mythology. That does not come as a surprise, as Norse folklore is full of powerful ancient gods, intriguing spells, and horrifying monsters. From going against the mischievous Loki to fighting overpowered enemies, these games have it all.
10 Kari
Kari is a free point-and-click adventure game that takes you to Vanaheim, one of the Nine Realms of the World Tree and the home of the Vanir Gods. The protagonist, named Kari, gets lost in this world after a failed sailing voyage.
Kari is a combat-free game that has you solving puzzles in order to help the young girl return to her own world. Along the way, she will meet the various inhabitants of Vanaheim, such as Odin himself and his trusted raven, Muninn.
9 Through The Woods
Through the Woods is a thrilling third-person psychological horror game with a Nordic-inspired setting. You play as a mother searching for her missing son in a dense and haunting Norwegian forest. The narrative explores themes of loss, grief, and the consequences of ignoring ancient beliefs and traditions.
You will encounter many creatures inspired by Norse mythology, such as the Huldra, forest dwelling creatures that lure men to their doom. You will also meet the Draugen, a ghostly mariner that haunts the sea, and many more.
8 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
The Assassin's Creed series has created lots of great games, and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla lets you play as a male or female version of a Viking named Eivor. You get a wide world to explore, with lots of missions involving sailing and raiding with your clan.
Your journey takes you through the 872–878 AD Viking invasion of the British Isles, where once again the Brotherhood is fighting against the Templar Order. You will encounter many characters inspired by Norse mythology, such as Fenrir, Loki's wolf son.
7 The Banner Saga
The Banner Saga series is a combination of tactical, turn-based role-playing games. With beautiful 2D hand-drawn graphics and a Viking-inspired world, it is certain to win you over. There are 25 playable characters to choose from, including two races. You can play either as a human or a Varl, a horned giant.
In this game, you can write your own story and encounter various challenges and monsters based on Norse mythology, such as the giant serpent Jörmungandr and the Valkyries.
6 Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a great action-adventure game that has you exploring a wide world while dealing with serious mental health issues. You play as Senua, a Pict warrior trying to free her lover's soul from the goddess Hela.
The Norsemen are the enemies in this game, and their appearance may change due to magic or Senua's condition. By playing this horrifying game that mixes myths and reality, you experience how it was to work through trauma in the Viking age.
5 Jotun
Jotun is another great action-adventure game based on Norse mythology. It follows the story of Thora, a Viking warrior who had a disgraceful death, preventing her from entering Valhalla.
Despite her death, Thora tries to prove herself and sets off on an adventure. She encounters and fights the five Jötunn, who are basically giant gods, including Odin himself. With its hand-drawn, beautiful animation scenes, Jotun will undoubtedly win your heart.
4 Munin
Munin is an indie puzzle platformer with beautiful 2D graphics and a Norse mythology-inspired storyline. You will travel through different realms and fight creatures such as trolls and Jötnar.
The protagonist is based on one of Odin's legendary messenger ravens, Munin. Loki plays a prank on the raven and transforms her into a mortal girl. She is tasked now with collecting scattered feathers across Yggdrasil, trying to regain her powers.
3 Elder Scrolls V Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the most popular action role-playing games. It features gods, dragons, monsters, and much more content inspired by Norse mythology. It is a game full of great storylines and hidden locations to explore.
There are dragons based on Loki's son Jörmungandr, and the warrior's afterlife, Sovngarde, is based on Valhalla. It also would not be surprising if Thu'um, the language-based power you learn, deviates from Galdr, which were spells or incantations in Old Norse.
2 Valheim
Valheim is a great multiplayer survival game with similar elements to popular games such as World of Warcraft and Minecraft. The game is set in something like a purgatory built for slain Vikings, where they’re reassigned to serve a new purpose.
You get to explore a wide world based on Norse mythology with up to 9 of your friends. You collect resources, hunt abominations, do lots of crafting, build your base, and much more.
1 God Of War
God of War may have been influenced by Greek mythology at first, but in the popular franchise's 2018 reboot, you see Kratos surviving in the realm of the Norse Gods. Once again, you play as the grieving father, exploring a wide world and trying to connect with his son, Atreus.
God of War Ragnarok, the sequel to 2018's installment, delves even more deeply into Norse mythology, having you meet various gods of Odin's court, visit the remaining realms, gather legendary artifacts, and battle ferocious mythological monsters like Nidhogg and Garm.