The 9 Best Games To Play After Watching The Odyssey

July 18, 2026 - 20:04

Homer's "The Odyssey" is the original epic road trip, packed with monsters, gods, and a guy who really just wants to get home. If you have just finished reading or watching the latest adaptation and feel the itch to sail the wine-dark sea yourself, these nine games capture that same spirit of adventure, cunning, and brute force.

First, there is "Assassin's Creed Odyssey." It is not a direct retelling, but it drops you into the Peloponnesian War with a ship, a spear, and plenty of mythical beasts to hunt. You can choose to fight the Minotaur or sail into a storm, which feels very Odyssean. For a more focused story about a journey home, "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" is hard to beat. You sail a tiny boat between islands, fight a giant squid, and solve puzzles with a sharp wit. The art style is cheerful, but the loneliness of the open sea is real.

If you want the monster-fighting part, "God of War" (2018) and its sequel "God of War Ragnarok" are essential. Kratos is a rage-filled warrior who must blind and smash creatures that look like they stepped out of a Cyclops's cave. The combat is heavy and personal. For a quieter, more desperate survival story, "Frostpunk" is about leading a city through an endless winter. It is not a sea voyage, but the constant struggle against nature and the tough moral choices feel like Odysseus bargaining with Poseidon.

"Sea of Thieves" is the purest sailing simulator. You and your crew navigate a cartoon ocean, dig up treasure, and fight krakens. It is chaotic and funny, just like the original poem when the crew turns into pigs. "Hades" is a must-play because it is literally about trying to escape the underworld. Zagreus, the son of Hades, fights through rooms of shades and talks to gods who give him boons. The story loops back on itself, much like Odysseus's long journey.

For a strategic take, "Total War: Troy" lets you command armies and manage resources in the Bronze Age. You can recruit heroes like Achilles and Hector, and the game includes a mode where mythical creatures are real. Finally, "Return of the Obra Dinn" is a detective game about a ghost ship. You piece together the fate of its crew using a magical pocket watch. It is a slow, careful puzzle, much like Odysseus using his wits to outsmart Polyphemus. Each of these games offers a different piece of the epic, whether it is the voyage, the violence, or the clever tricks.