Norse Influence in Gaming

Odin as portrayed in the Final Fantasy series

Where can I begin? When it comes to the topic of Norse Mythology in video games, the list is huge, and to name all of the games that have some kind of Norse influence would take up far more room than I have available in a meager blog post.

Mainly, one could argue that video game characters are full of stereotypes, and in some games, especially games that contain a wide and varied cast, contain quite a few of these stereotypes. Japan have the Samurai and Ninja, Americans have cowboys among others, and the Norse have the Viking... and boy, does the gaming industry love its Vikings.

Blizzard entertainment, which has now become a household name because of the popularity of its World of Warcraft MMORPG, has their roots firmly planted in Norse mythology. Their very first published game, before World of Warcraft, Starcraft, or even Warcraft (The real time strategy game) was a side-scrolling platformer called The Lost Vikings. The gameplay involved leading a trio of vikings through a series of levels  safely. The characters from The Lost Vikings would later be referenced in a number of quests within World of Warcraft as an ode to the series. In later expansions to the World of Warcraft MMO, namely Wrath of the Lich King, a frozen tundra area was introduced which included many creatures and monsters from Norse mythology.

In Square-Enix's Valkyrie profile, the player takes control of Lenneth, whom many believe is supposed to represent the valkyrie Brynhildr. In the game, Lenneth is tasked by Odin to gather the souls of lost warriors to prepare for the upcoming battle of Ragnarok. In the Final Fantasy series, also by Square Enix, many weapons, locations, and ships are named after figures and weapons in Norse mythology as well. You can also summon Odin and other gods as guardians to assist you in battle.

In Vanillaware's Odin Sphere, a side-scrolling action RPG, you control multiple characters, each with their own storylines. One character is the valkyrie Gwendolyn, who serves Odin in the fight for Ragnarok (which the game refers to as Armageddon). Other characters, while not all Norse-related, still fight creatures from Norse mythology through the levels and fight their way through the guardians of the underworld, while valkyries and faeries wage war to control the land.

In the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim by Bethesda Softworks, Much of the game is based on Norse mythology and legend. Tomb Raider: Underworld's plotline is based on Norse myth, and protagonist Lara Croft is even able to obtain Mjolnir, the legendary hammer.

As noted in my last blog entry, the MMORPG Ragnarok Online, is heavily influenced by Norse mythology, including gods, creatures, weapons, locations, and pretty much everything else you could think of. A sequel to Ragnarok Online has been released in Korea for quite some time now, and rumors of it finally launching in the US have surfaced.

Many other games contain smaller references to the Norse mythos, such as the naming of characters or weapons. In Eve-Online, a space conquest MMORPG, many ships are named after Norse gods or mythological creatures. In the MOBA games League of Legends and Heroes of Newerth, you can play as either a Viking or Valkyrie, respectively. In Shin Megami Tensei: Persona and its sequels, many Persona (the spirits that the protagonists have the ability to summon) are the embodiment of Norse gods and creatures of myth.

The Valkyrie Gwendolyn faces off against Odette

(the goddess Hel, ruler of Niffleheim) in Vanillaware's Odin Sphere
Odin Makes an appearance near the end.