10 Great Mythology Games That AREN'T Greek or Norse

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00:00Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we are showcasing video games that focus on mythologies outside

00:21of Greek and Norse.

00:23While those pantheons and cultures have been explored a lot, we wanted to shine a light

00:28on others that are just as interesting.

00:38But before we dive in, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and

00:43ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.

00:47Inscription

00:55This indie game got a lot of attention when it was released in 2021.

01:00Being a roguelike deck builder designed around a found footage horror narrative, it's got

01:06a lot going for it.

01:07Another thing that makes it unique is Leshy, the shadowy figure who forces you into playing

01:13its game.

01:14Leshy is a forest deity from Slavic mythology, a shapeshifter who often misleads or takes

01:20advantage of travelers in Tales From Folklore.

01:33Daniel Mullins, the developer, had come up with the villain's concept before learning

01:38about Leshy, and then included him because he fit so well.

01:43There are many other elements that make Inscription worth checking out, but the Slavic deity at

01:48its core is one of the strongest.

01:59Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy

02:11It may seem a tad silly, and is, but Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is one of the more underrated

02:17games to focus on Egyptian mythology.

02:20It follows the demigod, Sphinx, who must fight against the forces of Set, the god of deserts,

02:26storms, and, more importantly to the plot here, violence.

02:38Along for the ride is Tutankhamun, known in our world by many as King Tut, who is cursed

02:44to be a mummy.

02:45It's pretty fun as far as older action-adventure games go, and includes a ton of other notable

02:51figures and deities like Osiris and Horus.

02:54Sure, there are a lot of creative liberties taken, but it makes great use of its setting

03:00with strong puzzles and combat.

03:09Tales of Kinzera Zao

03:21Surgeon Studios' Metroidvania follows Zhao, an African shaman, who makes a deal with Kulunga,

03:26the god of death and Bantu culture, in order to bring his father back from the dead.

03:31The studio was founded by actor Abubakar Salim, who also directed the game.

03:37It was inspired by the loss of his own father, as well as his time spent among Bantu tribes

03:42in South Africa.

03:53While it doesn't bring much new to the genre in terms of mechanics, it's still plenty

03:58fun to play.

03:59However, the heartfelt narrative and focus on mythology that's rarely explored in pop

04:04culture is what makes it worthy of your time.

04:16Folklore

04:25Although it's all but been forgotten by now, the PS3's Folklore deserves a lot more love.

04:31Inspired heavily by Celtic mythology, it follows Ellen, a student with a mysterious

04:36past, and Keats, an occult journalist, who navigate the netherworld, the land of the

04:42dead.

04:52While there aren't really any traditional Celtic deities in the game, there are plenty

04:57of mythical creatures, many of which players utilize in combat.

05:02Upon release, its focus on Irish myth, especially with how that played in with worldbuilding

05:07and art direction, was the highest point of praise.

05:11It's a shame the game didn't perform well, causing future plans to be scrapped.

05:24Never Alone

05:33While some of its mechanics can be a bit cumbersome, as long as you're patient, there's a lot

05:39of beauty to be found in Never Alone.

05:42It's inspired by Native American mythology and folklore, specifically that of the Inupiat

05:48in Alaska.

05:57It follows a young girl named Nuna and her arctic fox companion who brave a mystical

06:02blizzard ravaging their home in order to find and stop its source.

06:07Not only was Never Alone inspired by Inupiat folklore, but many indigenous people also

06:13worked on it to ensure its accuracy.

06:16It adapts several traditional stories within its own narrative, and received a handful

06:21of noteworthy awards for doing so.

06:34Sekiro Shadows Die Twice

06:44Some software's catalog of games is often praised for similar elements, from the brutal

06:49boss fights to the usually stellar level design.

06:53In the case of Sekiro Shadows Die Twice, it also received acclaim for how it used elements

06:59of Japanese Buddhist mythology.

07:02While some of this can be seen in enemy designs, from the headless yokai to the divine dragon,

07:08Much more of it plays into the story and philosophy, primarily concepts of rebirth and immortality.

07:26It's an incredibly fun and obviously challenging game to play, but seeing how it adapts these

07:32elements gives it another layer of greatness.

07:35A special shout out goes to the Nioh series, a Souls-like that also adapts Japanese myth

07:41with a heavier focus on yokai.

07:54Prince of Persia The Lost Crown

08:05Most Prince of Persia games play it pretty light with actual Persian mythology, instead

08:11being more inspired by tales from the Arabian Nights.

08:15However, 2024's The Lost Crown went more heavily on the mythos.

08:20It follows Sargon, a member of the Immortals, named after an unparalleled group of warriors

08:27of the First Persian Empire.

08:29While searching for a kidnapped prince, he and his companions are trapped inside a strange

08:34pocket of time.

08:46Sargon gains abilities, as he goes, by collecting feathers of the Simurgh, a legendary bird

08:53across multiple tales.

08:55There are plenty of bosses and enemies that are also derived from Persian mythology, including

09:01the Manticore.

09:02But The Lost Crown is also just a really good metroidvania in its own right.

09:22Tomb Raider series Yeah, we're going to just throw a whole

09:37blanket on the Tomb Raider series.

09:40Lara Croft's adventures have shown her exploring a wide variety of cultures and mythologies,

09:46many of which are pretty solid and have a focus outside of Greek and Norse tales.

09:52The Last Revelation saw her explore Egypt and fight against Set after accidentally setting

09:58him free.

09:59She once again battled the deity in Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, alongside Isis and

10:06Horus.

10:15That spinoff was a sequel to Guardian of Light, which saw her team up with an ancient warrior

10:21to stop the Mayan deity, Xolotl.

10:24She even dabbled in Japanese myth in the 2013 reboot, which adapted an ancient shamaness

10:30named Himiko, albeit with some definite creative liberties.

10:35Simply put, if you want mythological tales outside of Greek and Norse, Tomb Raider is

10:41a good place to start.

10:52Black Myth Wukong There are two things that caught everyone's

11:07eyes when Black Myth Wukong was revealed.

11:10Its incredible visual flair, surprising from a studio unproven in big international releases,

11:17and its focus on Chinese mythology, specifically the figure of Sun Wukong from Journey to the

11:23West.

11:24It follows a monkey warrior known as the Destined One, who sets out to free Sun Wukong after

11:30he was sealed in stone centuries ago.

11:44His journey takes him through several real provinces in China, having him contend with

11:49a plethora of mythical creatures and deities in the form of bosses, such as Arlong Shen,

11:55traditionally the Chinese god of water and hunting.

11:59The combat was praised, of course, as was putting one of the most famous figures in

12:04Chinese folklore front and center, Okami.

12:28Of all the games to focus on Japanese mythology, Capcom's Okami likely receives the most

12:34praise.

12:35With gameplay inspired by The Legend of Zelda, it tells the tale of Amaterasu, the Shinto

12:41goddess of the sun, who here takes on the form of a white wolf.

12:57As Amaterasu, players must save Japan from a curse placed on it by Orochi, an ancient

13:03eight-headed demon.

13:05There were certainly a lot of elements that were changed in its mythical figures to fit

13:09the gameplay style, but everything about Okami is a success, from its stunning cell-shaded

13:16visuals to its unique celestial brush mechanic.

13:20It's an easy game to recommend on its own merit, regardless of one's interest in mythology.

13:33What's a mythological game you love that doesn't focus on Greek or Norse stories?

13:38Share it with us in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to Mojo Plays for more great

13:42gaming videos every day.

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