If You Loved The Odyssey, Play These Games Next

Whether Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster adaptation brought you here or you’re just a lifelong fan of Greek mythology, there’s no denying the timeless pull of The Odyssey. After all, precious few works of literature can claim to be as resonate as the nearly 3,000-year-old text, which explores longing, endurance, hubris, fate, and the human condition with a level of depth that transcends time and culture. It's also just one hell of a story, filled to the brim with memorable characters and set pieces, and all the horror and magic that makes Greek mythology so endlessly fascinating.

If watching Matt Damon navigate "the wine-dark sea" and his own guilt-laden mind left you eager to embark on an epic journey of your own, you've come to the right place. From massive open-world adventure games to mind-bending mysteries, here is a list of games you should play if you loved The Odyssey.

Assassin's Creed: Odyssey

Okay yes, this is an extremely obvious one, but it's obvious for a reason. Ubisoft's fantastic recreation of Ancient Greece allows players to sail the Aegean sea, rub shoulders with the likes of Plato and Socrates, and take down mythological creatures all while crafting their own, well, odyssey. And hey, if you're feeling flirty, you can also smooch a character named Odessa in the game, a self-proclaimed descendent of Odysseus found wandering around Ithaca. With the largest map and deepest RPG systems of any Assassin's Creed game, Odyssey is a sprawling adventure that allows players to truly immerse themselves in divine politics and weave a Homerian epic of their very own.

Immortals Fenyx Rising

As with AC: Odyssey, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a Ubisoft title and a bit obvious, but it is also criminally slept on. Yes, it's name could be better--and originally was!-- but despite releasing alongside plenty of hard-hitting games back in 2020, Fenyx Rising remains one of the most unapologetically fun titles of that year. If you're looking for an experience with the gameplay sensibilities of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild but the melodrama, comedy, and humanistic themes associated with Greek mythology, you'd be hard pressed to find a better game to pick up.

Titan Quest

If you want to feel like an epic hero, carving a path through ancient history and taking down mythical beasts left and right, you can't go wrong with Titan Quest. Set during Greece's Bronze Age, the action RPG tasks you with saving Greece, Egypt, and Asia from total destruction after the ruinous Titans escape from their divine prison. If your favorite part of The Odyssey is the sheer thrill of a grand, world-spanning adventure--or Odysseus's many face-offs against mythological horrors--this classic hack-and-slash is well worth diving into.

Ryse: Son of Rome

Yes, wrong fallen empire, I know, but if you're looking for a game that captures the brutality of ancient warfare and prioritizes cinematic immersion, Ryse fits the bill. The action-adventure game tells the story of Marius Titus, a young Roman soldier who goes to Britannia to exact revenge after a band of barbarians murders his family; what ensues is a hack-and-slash style adventure filled with quick-time events and twists. Despite being 12-years-old, Ryse holds up remarkably well in terms of visuals and performances, making it a great choice for those who walked about from Nolan's film eager to immerse themselves in another epic story.

The Forgotten City

Though it might have started out as a Skyrim mod (strange, I know), The Forgotten City as we know it now is an utterly fantastic stand-alone mystery game that tasks players with traveling through time to uncover the events leading up to an ancient Roman city's destruction. While this conceit is exciting in itself, what really sets The Forgotten City apart is the amount of freedom it gives you. With multiple endings and countless ways to go about investigating--violence, bribery, cleverness, schmoozing, charm, and intimidation are all welcome here provided they don't fit this particular society's definition of "sin"--each playthrough allows players to craft a unique story and explore new paths opened up by making different (and difficult) moral choices. If you're looking for an opportunity to feel just as clever as Odysseus himself, The Forgotten City is a must-play.

A Total War Saga: Troy

If The Odyssey left you wishing you could take command of the fabled armies it depicts, A Total War Saga: Troy is the game for you. Blending turn-based empire management with massive, real-time tactical battles, Total War: Troy offers players the chance to relive one of literature's most iconic conflicts. In it, you'll get to control heroes like Achilles, Hector, and Odysseus himself, leveraging strategy, diplomacy, and the favor of the gods to shape the outcome of the Trojan War. Whether you opt to lean into the events of Homer's epic poem or embrace a more mythical approach, Total War: Troy is a fantastic sandbox for living out your own odyssey.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

The Odyssey is as much a story about psychological endurance as it is about mythical monsters, and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice arguably captures that intense, internal journey better than any game on this list. In it you play as Senua, a Pict warrior who embarks on a quest to the Norse underworld in an attempt to bring back her dead lover--a feat so quintessentially rooted in Ancient Greek literature, they even have a term for it: katabasis. Despite depicting a different pantheon, Hellblade somewhat mirrors Odysseus's journey through the Underworld. This game is haunting and deeply human, exploring what it means to stare down both your demons and faults and then, somehow, find reason to keep going.

Dante's Inferno

And speaking of katabasis, we'd be remiss not to include a game based on what is arguably the most well-known example of this type of literary journey: Dante's Inferno. It's not a great game by any stretch of the imagination, just so we're clear, but if you've already played the old school God of War games--or are just a big fan of that Devil May Cry-style hack-and-slash combat--Dante's Inferno might scratch an itch for you.

Hades (and Hades II)

If I had to level one criticism at Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, it'd have to be the lack of gods present throughout it. Don't get me wrong, I get it--it seems daunting, trying to convey these larger than life figures in a way that captures their grandeur (and dysfunction) while also keeping the overall experience grounded. But if like me you were left longing for an experience that leans harder into the mythology of Ancient Greece, look no further than the Hades duology. Both games are absolute masterpieces, boasting top-notch combat, gorgeous art, great writing, and show-stopping soundtracks. If you’re looking for a crash course on Greek mythology with a lot of style and modern sensibilities, I highly recommend picking up both of these titles.

Age of Mythology: Retold

Ever since I was a child, I've absolutely adored RTS games, and although Age of Mythology might not be the most in-depth, it has always been my favorite. Age of Mythology features the same slow and steady build as the Age of Empire games--the same need for strategic thinking and resource management. However, Age of Mythology dials the entire experience up to an 11 with its inclusion of mythical creatures, dashing heroes, God-given powers, and titans. Retold does a fantastic job of capturing the original's experience while updating it enough for modern players to enjoy. I highly recommend anyone who loves Greek mythology (or Egyptian, Roman, Norse, Atlantean, Chinese... etc.) and strategy games give this one a whirl.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical

I'll admit it, Stray Gods is a bit of an outlier on this list, but if you're looking for a game that digs into the drama of Greek mythology, you needn't look further. In this narrative-driven musical RPG you play as Grace, a young woman who inherits the power of a Muse and is forced to clear her name after the last Muse is murdered. Featuring an incredible voice cast and dynamic musical numbers, in which your choices directly alter the song's genre, lyrics, and narrative outcome, Stray Gods offers a spectacular fresh take on Greek mythology that captures the intense emotion of the pantheon.

God of War (Any of them, really)

Whether you're looking for a rage-fueled hack-and-slash adventure or a pensive father-son journey (that still includes a lot of rage and slaughter, to be fair), the God of War series is an excellent pick. In God of War, you primarily play as Kratos, a son of Zeus who seeks revenge upon various Greek and Norse gods for the wrongs they have done unto him and his family. Whereas The Odyssey sees gods as meddlesome, all-mighty beings that we are merely subjected to, God of War levels the playing field, allowing us to fight back against these deities and defy fate's design.