I'm starting work on a series of articles, of indeterminate length, that will look at mythology in video games and relate it to the mythology of various ancient civilizations and cultures, and potentially how to use mythology as inspiration for your own games.

It's still in the early planning stages, so I don't know how many articles will be in the series (I'm thinking around 10-15, total), or the exact content.

Basically what I would like from anyone reading this is your opinion and suggestions.

• What games do you think have interesting mythologies?
• Are there any myths that are frequently incorporated into games' plots that you think are overused? (Like the de facto miscellaneous evil god trying to rule/destroy the world)
• How do you feel about invented languages in games? (Like Al Bhed, or Hylian?) Do they add to the ambiance or are they just silly and annoying? Do you have any favourites?
• What do you think about names? Do they mostly sound funny to you? What do you think/feel if/when you recognize some root-word in a name that relates to the character?
• How do you feel about the way gods/deities are depicted in games? Which ones looked silly to you? Which ones looked good? Are you ever offended by the depiction of a god in a game?
• What games would you like to see me write about or analyze?
• Is there anything else you would like to say?

The above are just some guiding questions & thoughts. If you choose to respond, you don't have to strictly answer everything or stick to the questions I've written.

Feel free to express your thoughts and opinions. The more input I receive, the better my articles will be.

Thanks.

Sounds like an incredibly fun/good idea. I'll try to address your questions first, and then maybe make some additional points.

* What games do you think have interesting mythologies?

Mythology in games can be very touch and go. For instance, while I appreciate the mythological tone to FF 10, the parts where it deeply comes in to play, generally don't make me yearn to know more about it. Not to mention that certain games that are based loosely on real mythology, usually have a habit of butchering said mythos.

In general it's hard for me to like a game's mythology so much that I just have to know more about it. There are of course, exceptions. For instance, the I personally feel that the Wild Arms series does a fantastic job with it's mythology.


* Are there any myths that are frequently incorporated into games' plots that you think are overused? (Like the de facto miscellaneous evil god trying to rule/destroy the world)

I'm sure there are several. "King of Dragons" type things, and "Sealed Evil" type things run rampant throughout gaming, especially in the older games.


* How do you feel about invented languages in games? (Like Al Bhed, or Hylian?) Do they add to the ambiance or are they just silly and annoying? Do you have any favourites?

Generally I enjoy them, unless they're just incredibly bad. Al bhed was 50/50 for me. But I did like how it was incorporated into the game (slowly learning letters and slowly revealing more of the words).

* What do you think about names? Do they mostly sound funny to you? What do you think/feel if/when you recognize some root-word in a name that relates to the character?

I think names play a huge part in character reception. If you don't have a good name, then meh. That being said, names based in myth don't have to be bad, and I do like when I'm able to make connections with roots.

* How do you feel about the way gods/deities are depicted in games? Which ones looked silly to you? Which ones looked good? Are you ever offended by the depiction of a god in a game?

Never been offended. And, to my knowledge, I've never seen a god I just hated. For tops picks, I probably have to go with the Tales series mana/elements (which I would equate to gods in those games).

* What games would you like to see me write about or analyze?

Oh gosh, there is a host. Wild Arms, FF, Tales, Shining Force, Vagrant Story, Devil May Cry, Valkyrie Profile.

* Is there anything else you would like to say?

I'm sure there was something else I was going to say, but now I can't remember it. Ah well. I think this is a good/fun idea. So if you want help or input or editing just let me know.

I loved the story of FFX, and while I would have appreciated more material about the Yevon religion (I do love reading, after all), the thing I really wanted to see was more art in the temples - rather than just unreadable text. It would have made for a much deeper and more rich mythos, and would have upped the ambiance.

And the Fayth were these beautiful statues, but later in the game when you get to actually see them, the stationary camera made it impossible to really appreciate and scrutinize them.


What would make you want to learn more about a game's mythology? Does it have to be personally relevant, unique, or is there just some immeasurable quality?


FF is interesting because the games usually incorporate elements of real-world mythology (like the Norse elements in FF7). And they deal with classic mythological concepts like reincarnation, destiny, cyclical time, etc. Writing about FF in my series is going to be tough - there is a lot written about the games, and I don't just want to rehash everything that's been said before. I'll have to figure out a new approach.

I really have to get started playing more games, though.

Anything else you want to add, feel free.

What games do you think have interesting mythologies?

Tales of Symphonia got this just right, I think. A history that's rich enough to help start the story, and otftentimes the main characters must learn about the past to figure out what to do next.



Are there any myths that are frequently incorporated into games' plots that you think are overused? (Like the de facto miscellaneous evil god trying to rule/destroy the world)

The "light god versus evil god" is terribly overused. And reviving the dark god? Way too cliche, and far overused. Example would be something like Grandia 2, and unfortunately, there's a lot of rpgmaker games I've seen where the story starts out with a light god and evil god. How boring!

How do you feel about invented languages in games? (Like Al Bhed, or Hylian?) Do they add to the ambiance or are they just silly and annoying? Do you have any favourites?

Personally I love them. Languages delve into communication, and I love games that use that. And I LOVE it when you need to decihper another language to progress. Good example are Riven, where you must learn a number system to solve a puzzle, and Legend of Mana, where you must figure out the Dubbear's language to sell them lamps early in the game.

What do you think about names? Do they mostly sound funny to you? What do you think/feel if/when you recognize some root-word in a name that relates to the character?

Can't think of any specific examples for now.

How do you feel about the way gods/deities are depicted in games? Which ones looked silly to you? Which ones looked good? Are you ever offended by the depiction of a god in a game?

Gods that look silly to me? Any god that shows themselves. You don't see Jesus Christ walking around, do you? The idea of a god shouldn't be that they're in the game just to come into existance later in the game. A more passive role is best. Usually the last boss is a god that is all-powerful or really tough that you must defeat tha hates mankind and can't understand them, so they want to rid the world of them. It's so one-dimesional. Good examples are Grandia 2 and 3, and probably many others I'm forgetting.

It just seems that many 'gods' in games are just all powerful beings to fight for the last boss.

So what kind of gods DO I like? Ones with a human element, or are even human themselves.

What games would you like to see me write about or analyze?

I would look into Tales of Symphonia, Legend of Mana, and Zelda for some more interesting ways to implement gods.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

Um...nope! Have fun!

@1ce - I rather like Tales of Symphonia. I'll definitely have to add that to my list of games to cover in this series.

As for The Legend of Zelda games, there's so much that I could talk about. That's another game franchise that I'll definitely cover. Majora's Mask is my favourite - and one I wish they would re-make/re-release (double the number of masks, please! ).

I really feel bad about never having played Legend of Mana - I wish they would do a re-release for the DS.

What games do you think have interesting mythologies?

The Mana series of games have a really good mythology, what with the Mana Goddess and all of the Mana Spirits like Undine and Dryad.

How do you feel about invented languages in games? (Like Al Bhed, or Hylian?) Do they add to the ambiance or are they just silly and annoying? Do you have any favourites?

I really like invented languages in games. Though besides Al Bhed and the Dub Bear language I can't think of any others, though I know at least one other game that had a great language.

On a sorta related note: Isn't it odd that many games only have English or Japanese? I mean, take a look at the Star Ocean series. What are the chances of going to an alien planet, and then conversing with these aliens in your native tongue? On the other hand, Star Ocean isn't really a good example for something like this if you know the story of the games.

What do you think about names? Do they mostly sound funny to you? What do you think/feel if/when you recognize some root-word in a name that relates to the character?

Names are good. I don't think I've noticed any names that based on myth though.

Going back to Star Ocean. What was Squeenix thinking when they named the main character of the fourth game Edge Maverick?

How do you feel about the way gods/deities are depicted in games? Which ones looked silly to you? Which ones looked good? Are you ever offended by the depiction of a god in a game?

Fanboyism time. I really like how Gods are depicted in the Lufia series, through the Sinistrals. They aren't kind and friendly like you would expect a God to be, but they also aren't completely evil as they are simply under orders to determine if humans need Gods.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

After reading The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, it becomes very hard to appreciate the mythology surrounding some video games. It really makes you ask, "Why couldn't the game developers take the time to develop this world's mythological beliefs like the myths in The Lord of the Rings were developed?"

A lot of sci-fi has that problem. Star Trek waves it away with the communicator badge's universal translator, but there's hardly ever a good explanation for this sort of thing.


I'll have to add that to my list of game franchises to research.


I had that problem after I read the trilogy in middle school. It was kind of hard for most things to compare, after that.

But it did take Tolkien 12 or so years to write LotR. I don't think that any game studio would be allowed to take that long to develop a game. But, you look at the Elder Scrolls franchise, and see that the creators have developed a very deep mythology over the years. Since all the games take place in the same world, in a sequential order, they were able to build off of what they had already established.

Conversely, the FF series has relatively shallow mythology in its games. There are a lot of them, but they don't have anything to do with each other (excepting FFX-2, and the menagerie of FFXIII games to be released).

Being as I love detail, complexity, and lots of reading, it really irks me that few games put much effort into their back-stories and histories. Granted, in many games that isn't relevant, but for the ones where history and myth is important, it would be nice to see deeper work.

Thanks for your contribution. If you ever have anything else to say, feel free to post.

Three responses? That's it?

Good bump because I don't think I ever saw this topic but I like it.

[*]What games do you think have interesting mythologies?
It depends on what you mean by mythologies. My favorite RPGS are Shadow Hearts which don't have much to them mythologically in the historical sense or in the battle of the gods sense, but I absolutely love the consistency of useable items and accessories from game to game. The game creates a very distinctive Gothic-Absurd world with an overall underlying tragic main theme and all the descriptions of the items, and accessories are consistent with that world plus their origins are often described impressively and the fact that the game uses them from game to game makes it seem all the more reflective of an actual world that continues to exist. Although the monsters are often different from game to game, they are similar and fit the overall world perfectly plus their origins are also described in ways that just really make you say, "Man that is cool". They never really explain the origin of too much of the spells but they are often similar as is the class system and the main theme of the tragic hero, the Harmonixer, the tragic shapeshifter and the role of memory to their being.

[*]Are there any myths that are frequently incorporated into games' plots that you think are overused? (Like the de facto miscellaneous evil god trying to rule/destroy the world)
Everyone knows which exactly which myths are overused and I have no idea why people still buy these games.

[*]How do you feel about invented languages in games? (Like Al Bhed, or Hylian?) Do they add to the ambiance or are they just silly and annoying? Do you have any favourites?
Don't like them at all unless for decoration where I have a translator and don't have to think about it.


[*]What do you think about names? Do they mostly sound funny to you? What do you think/feel if/when you recognize some root-word in a name that relates to the character?
Myth names are usually fine.

[*]How do you feel about the way gods/deities are depicted in games? Which ones looked silly to you? Which ones looked good? Are you ever offended by the depiction of a god in a game?
If the myth is a historical one (i.e. Greek, Egyptian, Norse) then all encounters should be consistent with the history. Otherwise it is lame that the hero fights someone just because they are an evil god even if there is no real connection to said particular god and this hero.

Thanks for your input. I'll take a look at Shadow Hearts and see if I can work it in.

Anyone else have anything to say? [please ]

What games do you think have interesting mythologies?

Mortal Kombat 1 and 2 have the best mythology in fighting game history. The whole concept of the Mortal Kombat tournament, with its stakes being the fate of the entire Earth, being fought by a handful of competitors against a 4-armed mutant and an evil wizard mastermind is just crazy awesome. Then, when Shao Kahn came in, the Outworld came into play. Also awesome.

Are there any myths that are frequently incorporated into games' plots that you think are overused? (Like the de facto miscellaneous evil god trying to rule/destroy the world)

A thousand years ago, crystals, the weapon of ultimate power that is rumored to exist always exists.

How do you feel about invented languages in games? (Like Al Bhed, or Hylian?) Do they add to the ambiance or are they just silly and annoying? Do you have any favourites?

Al Bhed pisses me off, because I'm only play RPGs once. I don't think I've ever really liked a made-up language in a game. I just accept it.


What do you think about names? Do they mostly sound funny to you? What do you think/feel if/when you recognize some root-word in a name that relates to the character?

You'll never get me to call Tidus "Teedus". "Tide-us" sounds like an infinitely-more badass name. That makes sense. But I generally accept character names. If I recognize the root word in a name, I might think "huh" or "neat".

How do you feel about the way gods/deities are depicted in games? Which ones looked silly to you? Which ones looked good? Are you ever offended by the depiction of a god in a game?

I've never been offended, because I don't believe everyone is trying to commit sacrilege. And even if they were, it is not my place to act as God's hand. He is more than capable of doing his own work.

I've always felt indifferent to any gods or dieties.

What games would you like to see me write about or analyze?

Do something about Mortal Kombat.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

I'd like to say that 4 replies to a topic this heavy is a good catch.

Thanks, Ix. I'll look into Mortal Kombat.

Well, I'm at five replies now. Can I get six?

If you don't respond, my Haunter is going to come for you.


"I'm going to pull your pants down when you least suspect it."

Well, if you bring up fighting games, personally I like the mythological premise of the storyline for Mace:The Dark Age for the N64. It was a fighting game which didn't go into detail into any specifics other than a basic history of world and the purposeful role of each charcter to the story, but I thought it was very good, very underrated in overall world and premise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mace:_The_Dark_Age

Thanks - I'll look into it.

Oh, how could I have forgotten Jade Empire! By far that was my best gaming experience of a traditional mythology.

Added to my list.

The final boss battle was extremely stupid and boring, IMHO. Which was disappointing because I rather like the rest of the game.

Anybody else have anything to add? Please?

1:Interesting mythologies? Generally speaking, I don't like mythologies as a whole... it all comes down to the moment. So, I might find the whole life energy/mako thing of ff7 cool, but it still depends on how it gets used in the game. It would have been more background noise if it weren't for the scenes after Tifa and Cloud fall in.

2: Working for "The Evil God" to fulfill his wishes (most likely freeing him). I've never seen it done to justice... not enough emotional attachment is created. Not sure I've seen a whole lot of this done recently... Mostly it's older games before everything really started to get fleshed out.

3: The language in final fantasy 10 was alright. Sometimes it seemed forced in there, especially when you play through and go back through again. In most instances, I'd rather languages be used for other purposes, rather than general atmosphere.

4: I like a lot of the names. I recognize a lot of root words...

5: Never offended. Usually disappointed in how they are played out. Most could probably use more screen time, even if the characters wouldn't know what was going on.

13: I'd like to see some sort of formula for taking mythology and transplanting into a game... or basing a game around the same general thing... maybe even how to take a cool scene (like recreating the defeat of medusa through a standard turn-based battle system in an rpg, and things you should look for to decide how to split it up, what parts to make interactive, etc), but at the same time how to make sure it's your own thing and not a direct copy. Perhaps how to break down mythology into the important parts (or a place online that has already done so). How mythology enhances your game and what parts it highlights or changes, if any. It might be out of the scope of your articles, though.

What games do you think have interesting mythologies?
Xenogears for sure, I mean come on, a thousand years of history, war, and religion that actually take a hundred
page book <Xenogears Perfect Works> just to explain?

Are there any myths that are frequently incorporated into games' plots that you think are overused?
The silent girl who holds an ultimate power, I mean really? Couldn't they put that in something else?

How do you feel about invented languages in games? (Like Al Bhed, or Hylian?) Do they add to the
ambiance or are they just silly and annoying? Do you have any favorites?
Sure they do, its cool to see something that you don't understand or holds secrets then everything just
translated for you, plus a character could be cursing you out and you wouldn't know lol

What do you think about names? Do they mostly sound funny to you? What do you think/feel if/when you recognize some root-word in a name that relates to the character?
Names are little kooky, I mean who really names their kid "Edge" or "Cloud" ummm..... what's next "apple"?

How do you feel about the way gods/deities are depicted in games? Which ones looked silly to you? Which ones looked good? Are you ever offended by the depiction of a god in a game?
Again, Xenogears is the only game I think does this justice, A game where you kill god, how did Square get this published here?

Is there anything else you would like to say?
Not enough games have gun-totting bunnies, nuff said