Vikings role playing game. Path to Valhalla - the best games about Vikings

Games about Vikings are, of course, included in the pantheon of favorite themes for a significant part of players. Scandinavian mythology is often found in games - sometimes the developers will come up with a people “very similar to the Vikings” or casually mention one of the Scandinavian gods (Odin, Thor, Loki, etc.).

At the same time, it cannot be said that ancient Scandinavia occupied the top of the best games; after all, there are not many high-quality projects.

A selection of the best games about Vikings

on PC and consoles, tailored to personal gaming preferences

Viking: Battle for Asgard

In order to free Fenrir the wolf and thereby trigger Ragnarok, the army of the dead, led by the mistress of the underworld Hel, invades Midgard. The young warrior Skarin, the chosen one of the goddess Freya, stands in the way of dark plans.

A commendable, but not the most successful attempt by the British studio The Creative Assembly to create an action game about Vikings, nevertheless, it deserves a mention in the annals.

Vikings: Wolves of Midgard

Ragnarok, predicted by an ancient prophecy, has come and the giant jotuns have invaded the world of the living with the intention of destroying people and the gods of Asgard, but a mighty warrior stands in their way - the leader of the Wolves of Midgard clan.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth + Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria

The legendary JRPG games created by the tri-Ace studio tell the story of the approaching final battle on the eve of Ragnarok. The supreme god of the Vikings, Odin, sends his Valkyrie daughters (in the first part - Lenneth, in the second - Silmeria) to collect the souls of fallen warriors (Einherjar) to send to Valhalla.

It's not always the case that when Valkyries are mentioned in a Japanese game, there is a clear connection to the mythical warrior maidens, but in the case of these projects, the connection is clear. The first part is , the second is included in , which seems to hint...

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Among the many races of the famous The Elder Scrolls series of games, one of the most popular are the Nords (the fifth part takes place in the north). You don’t need to have several higher education degrees to notice their obvious connection with the topic.

The gameplay is to match - complete freedom of action in the huge open world of the northern province of the continent of Tamriel - Skyrim, which stands out for its harsh nature, mythical creatures, and also... reminiscent of Ancient Scandinavia in the minds of the people who inhabited it.

Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia

The events of this global strategy with tactical battles in real time cover the period from 878 to 1066. AD and are dedicated to the Viking invasion of the British Isles and their struggle with the Anglo-Saxons and Gaels.

The creators of the famous Total War game series have already released a project dedicated to northern warriors - Medieval Total War Viking Invasion, but that was an addition, albeit a large-scale one, this time we have a completely independent project.

The Banner Saga (trilogy)

Stylized as a real saga of the North, the game tells about the mortal danger looming over the world. Stone monsters that have emerged from the depths of the earth threaten all living things, and in order to survive, people and varls have to unite to survive.

One of the best tactical games tops my personal top. The game world was invented by the wild imagination of the developers and, as often happens, the northerners are called here differently and even have their own mythology (although there are similarities between the local gods and the Ases), but the atmosphere is extremely authentic.

Do you know any other good games about Vikings? Write in the comments!

The strongest and most terrible warriors were Vikings who carried out their raids, robbing and sparing no one. From ancient Rus' to North America, the Vikings left their mark, in some places as pioneers and in others as professional mercenaries or invaders. Of course, after so many years, I want to feel those times and the spirit of these warriors. Therefore, many companies have released a number of games dedicated to the Vikings. In this article we will introduce list of Viking games on PC, so that you yourself can download and play as fearless raiders.

Mount and Blade: Warband

One of the factions in Mount and Blade represents the Vikings, although it is quite difficult to notice at first. This faction is called the Northern Kingdom and their king is Ragnar, which is the prototype of the real Viking king “Ragnar Lothbrok”. Also in this faction, the Vikings are perfectly depicted, who are called “housecarls” instead. Of course, in this game you will not see the famous longships and the culture of this people, but you will fully experience the fighting style and their tactics.

In this game, the action takes place at a time when the Vikings conquered Britain, fighting the Saxons. There is no plot or open map here; all actions will take place on the battlefield. The main skills that you must have are sensitivity and reaction, since one mistake and the hero will die, there are no lives or “force fields” in this game. You can also choose for yourself who to fight for, the attacking Vikings or the defending Saxons. Each side has its own weak points, and when choosing one of them, you must understand what you are getting into.

What would happen if the entire mythology of Scandinavia actually existed, you can clearly see this in the game Viking: Battle for Asgard. In this game, a huge world filled with Scandinavian mythical creatures opens up before you. Explore the lands and find Vikings to help you in further battles, reach the leaders and destroy them, receiving a great reward. When you completely complete one of the locations, you will have to fight in a large-scale battle or siege, where hundreds of soldiers from different sides are participating. This battle looks epic, especially with the trolls, who easily destroy the line of people.

Vikings: War of Clans

Just recently, a popular smartphone game, Vikings: War of Clans, became available on PC. In it you have to develop and defend your own village, as well as organize exciting raids on other people's settlements.

The Banner Saga - epic role-playing game a game, inspired by the legends of Vikings. Hand-drawn graphics create frightening landscapes that drown in eternal twilight. Cities and villages are crumbling. The heroes leave the comforts of home and travel across snowy terrain, meeting allies along the way in the battle against a new, unusual threat. The player's choices influence the course of the story. Every decision you make along the way, in conversation with someone, or in battle can significantly change the outcome of the game.

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War of the Vikings

• PC games: Vikings
• Year: 2014
• Genre: MMO action
• Developer: Fatshark

The game takes place in the era Vikings, so all close battles will be bloody and aggressive. The main role will be played not by strength, but by skill, since just one wrong move and your death is inevitable. The game has ample opportunities; you can completely customize your hero as you like, changing the appearance of your hero, his armor, weapons, perks, and shield design. You can play as a Viking or defend Britain as a Saxon. In addition to the standard mode, there is a mode in a special arena, where the battles are even fiercer due to the unlimited battle area.

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Viking: Battle for Asgard

• PC games: Vikings
• Year: 2012
• Genre: action
• Developer: Hardlight

Vikings, merciless and furious warriors, devoted their entire lives to battles. Dying on the battlefield is the highest honor for a Scandinavian warrior, because eternal life awaits the fallen brave men in Valhalla, where they will prepare for new exploits, but in the battles of the gods! The fatal confrontation between higher beings is approaching. The rivers will fill with blood, the heavenly kingdom of Asgard will turn into ruins, and the world will plunge into severe cold and darkness - Ragnarok is coming. The Scandinavians left behind a rich mythology. You can personally take part in the confrontation between the ancient gods. The arena for battles will be the world of mere mortals, defenseless before the millstones of an all-destructive war. Only Skarin, an outstanding fearless hero, is able to stop the apocalypse. It is he who will have to go on a dangerous journey, gather an army for the last battle and come face to face with a dangerous enemy.

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Valhalla Chronicles

• PC games: Vikings
• Year: 2002
• Genre: RPG
• Developer: Paradox

Darkness is gathering over the world. Blood, hunger and death have long become the rightful masters of the earth. A little more, and only grief and darkness will rule the show in the northern expanses. Only one person is capable of stopping the inexorably approaching end of the world: a great warrior who can obtain all eight Runes of Power. Only in his hands is the fate of the world of people and gods. A world that is already thousands of years old. A world in which traveling through Valhalla, the land of the dead, is no more difficult than traveling to Vinland, known to us as North America. A world in which myth becomes reality, and reality becomes myth.

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Medieval Total War: Viking Invasion

• PC games: Vikings
• Year: 2002
• Genre: strategy
• Developer: The Creative Assembly

a magnificent 3D real-time strategy game that covers one of the bloodiest periods in the history of medieval Europe from 1095 to 1453. You have a chance to personally participate in the hundred-year war between England and France. Or protect Europe from the Mongol invasion. Depending on your preferences, you can become a Byzantine emperor or, for example, Richard the Lionheart. In the addon you can fight on the side of the Vikings. Now you have a real chance to change the course of history!

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Rune

• PC games: Vikings
• Year: 2000
• Genre: action
• Developer: HumanHead

Rune is the world of the mighty warriors of the North, the world of the Vikings. In the role of the young Viking Ragnar, you will have to fight with fantastic creatures of Old Norse mythology and defeat the villain who plotted to exterminate the entire Viking race. You have to conquer the snowy peaks of the northern mountains and descend into the deep dark caves of the underground world of Scandinavian legends. An epic plot, bloody battles and fantasy worlds are harmoniously combined and recreate the atmosphere of the early Middle Ages, a cruel time when the sword and thirst for profit ruled the world.

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Volgarr the Viking

• PC games: Vikings
• Year: 2013
• Genre: arcade
• Developer: Crazy Viking

Developers are increasingly returning to the roots of the gaming industry, when games were more hardcore, and the emphasis was on completely different things than now. Volgarr the Viking combines the best of platformers of the past. The developers did not skimp on complexity; the main mantra of the game’s authors is: “Dying is fun because learning is fun.” The game has excellent level design, dangers will await you at every step, and you will die often and constantly. Only true heroes will be able to find the true ending to this story by using lives more wisely. A brutal hero is waiting for you! Are you ready to challenge yourself and your destiny?

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Loki: Heroes of Mythology

• PC games: Vikings
• Year: 2007
• Genre: action RPG
• Developer: Cyanide

Welcome to a fantastic universe woven from myths and legends of the ancient world. The majestic civilizations of the past mixed here: the Aztec Empire and ancient Greece, the cold Scandinavian countries and the ancient Egyptian kingdoms. Four great heroes will set off on an epic journey through these lands: a frantic Viking, a dark Egyptian magician, a beautiful Greek warrior and a formidable shaman of an Indian tribe. But even they, the most skilled of warriors, cannot defeat countless hordes of demons without the help of pagan gods. For behind the chaos that slowly enters the mortal world lies the ominous shadow of Set, the gloomy deity of the Egyptians who rose from oblivion.

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The Platinum studio is well known to fans of computer games. This company does not limit itself to working only with a certain genre. In this article we will talk about another masterpiece of this studio - an MMO with which you can be transported to the Viking era. You can download Vikings War of Clans to your computer from our website. This game, originally released for mobile devices, will sparkle with new colors on the big screen of your home PC.

About the game

Like most strategy and MMO games, in Clash of Clans you will have to develop your village from scratch and make it the greatest city in Scandinavia. For this purpose, you will have to enter into trade and military alliances, redistribute resources and create an army that will become the strongest in its region.

Interesting

Journalism professor Paul Gleder recommends using the game Vikings: War of Clans as a business tool for studying planning and leadership. He published his note on this topic on the page of Forbes magazine.

The game Vikings: War of Clans belongs to the genre of multiplayer strategies. It covers the period of Viking military dominance in medieval Northern Europe. In order to become the strongest among the numerous warring Scandinavian tribes, you need leadership skills. Learn how to spend resources correctly and enter into military alliances. And then you will be able to claim the throne of the Viking state.

Video review

Gameplay and features of the game on PC

This strategy appeared on the Play Market in 2015. Today there are browser versions of this game. But, they have somewhat reduced functionality. If you want to enjoy the full version of this game, download Viking War of Clans on PC.

Interesting

The game initially only had support for the Russian language, and only after some time an English version appeared, and then it was adapted for other markets.

In “Battle of Clans” the outcome of the battles is played out in a very interesting way. You can completely destroy the enemy and erase him from the map or force the rest of his life to work for you. Of course, you need to understand that they can do the same to you.

In the game, it is important to constantly upgrade your hero. You can develop it in several directions. And increasing the power level is just one of them. You can choose the most optimal form of leveling up your hero and, thanks to this, get good bonuses. For example, to carry out lightning attacks, upgrade your damage indicators. You can also upgrade economics or defense skills. Choose what is closest to you and make your hero the best in your formation.

If you don’t want to deal with the hero’s skills and abilities, then this can be left to the game algorithms. They will choose the most suitable ones themselves. At first it is very convenient. But, when you understand all the mechanisms of this game, it is better to choose skills and abilities yourself.

The gameplay of Vikings: War of Clans is very addictive. A variety of opportunities for development, various bonuses and a large number of battles will help everyone who loves strategy games to find something of their own in this game. But you can’t survive on your own in the Viking world. Therefore, you need to understand that the time will come when you will have to join a clan. Of course, such an alliance, on the one hand, facilitates the gameplay and makes it more exciting, and on the other, imposes obligations. Which will have to be done.

Furthermore. Clans, in turn, can also unite into unions. The battles of such kingdoms are very epic. If you win, you will share territories and resources. And you can become one of the most powerful players in Vikings: War of Clans. Speaking of battles. They are very diverse and multifaceted. Over time, you can learn many military tricks that will help your army win.

If you are just going to install this game and start playing it, do not be lazy to link your account to Facebook. Thanks to this synchronization, you can protect your account from hacking and immediately receive 1000 gold to your account for development. After that, start developing your village. Accumulate resources and attack players who cannot fight back. For example, those who have not appeared in the game for a long time. You can find out who does not have defenders with the help of a scout.

Game controls

Playing Viking War of Clans on a computer is quite simple. Thanks to the BlueStacks emulator, all actions that can be performed using the touch screen are transferred to the computer mouse. It won't be difficult. On the contrary, a large computer screen and convenient mouse controls will allow you to enjoy “War of Clans” with greater comfort.

How to install Viking War of Clans on your computer

To install this game, like any other Android application on your computer, you will need the help of an emulator program. One of the best products of this kind is BlueStacks. This most popular Android emulator already has a built-in . With it, you can take advantage of all the delights of mobile applications on the big screen of your home computer.

To install the game Vikings: War of Clans for PC, use one of two options:

“Listen to me, all sacred families, children of Heimdal, great and small!..
Brothers will begin to fight with each other, close relatives will die in feuds; painful in the world, the age of swords and axes,
shields will crack, an age of storms and wolves until the destruction of the world; man will not spare man.”

"Elder Edda", XIII century

Until recently, Greek mythology was the queen of the epic - any citizen of our, and not only our country, can safely take an exam on the topic “Olympus and its inhabitants: morals, customs, habits.” The complex relationship of Hercules with his parents occupied the minds and touched the hearts of more than one generation of fans of the series of the same name and numerous films of the same content.

However, now all kinds of “Clash of the Titans”, “Percy Jacksons” and others like them, if they arouse interest, it is more polite than enthusiastic. Zeus, Hades and Perseus with harpies, centaurs and gorgon jellyfish were replaced by Thor, Loki and Ragnar with seers, the World Tree and frost giants. And although the Greeks are still paying for themselves according to old memory, the Scandinavians, in the northern way, are slowly but methodically capturing the market.

In the gaming industry, however, the balance of power is different. God of War, Rise of The Argonauts, Age of Mythology and Titan Quest with their clones rule the roost, and the Scandinavian epic is the exception rather than the rule. But if you look closely, you realize that in games Vikings are not the last spoke in the chariot either. Today we will look at what legends of the northern peoples inspired the developers, what this led to, and whether it is worth preparing for an invasion of fly agaric eaters and shield biters on consoles and PCs in the near future.

Three in space, not counting axes

The first foray of northerners into a gaming settlement happened in 1992 through the efforts of the company Silicon&Synapse, which later became famous Blizzard Entertainment. Exciting platformer The Lost Vikings in general, the flesh of the flesh of eminent parents: the well-known Interplay Entertainment, and the second part was released by Blizzard themselves.

In the story, three Vikings - Erik, Olaf and Baleologist - are kidnapped by the evil emperor of the alien race of Croutonians, Tomator. This amateur collector was looking for heroes for his menagerie of unique life forms, but, of course, he ran into the wrong ones. The friends escape from the menagerie, and wherever the hard times take them after that: in the list of locations, in addition to the Tomator spaceship, there are Egyptian pyramids, a factory, a circus, and a prehistoric village.

L'Anse aux Meadows National Historical Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Compared to other platformers, The Lost Vikings immediately stood out due to its unusual gameplay - here you need to control not one character, but three at once, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Eric is the brains of the team and runs the fastest, Olaf holds the defense with a strong oak shield, and Baleologist crushes aliens into cabbages with a sword or shoots them with a bow and an endless supply of arrows.

Real Vikings are considered one of the most formidable warriors who ever roamed the seas and even oceans. For the most part, these were free peasants who lived in the territory of modern Sweden, Denmark and Norway and, in pursuit of profit, devastated all the lands that they could sail to on their boats. Together with the Scandinavians, the Vendians were noticed in this - Slavs from the Baltic Peninsula, who alternately plundered Swedish and Danish lands.

The good old Sega Vikings set is now a collector's treasure.

The Vikings carried out their bloody raids from the 8th to the 11th centuries, terrifying not only the Angles, Franks and Russians, but also the inhabitants of Greenland and America. The question of whether the Vikings sailed to America remained open for a long time, until in 1960 scientists discovered in Canada the remains of the settlement of L’Anse aux Meadows that belonged to them.

Interestingly, the Vikings began and ended their conquests on the same island - Britain. The first attack - on the county of Dorset in 789 - ended in the complete victory of the pagan seafarers, and the last foray dates back to 1066, when the remnants of the crushing Scandinavian army were defeated at the Battle of Hastings by William the Conqueror.

One of the most popular tactics in The Lost Vikings is Olaf shielding Baleologist while he deals with the aliens.

But let’s return to the three Vikings, who, by the will of the developer’s imagination, found themselves already in space. In addition to the joys of strategy and tactics, The Lost Vikings is also a lot of fun. Here's an example of a standard exchange of pleasantries during spaceship adventures:

- If this Tomator is so evil, why did he leave all these useful things for us - bombs and so on?- Olaf inquires.

- Listen, in other games no one asks such questions!- Eric answers.

- Yes, Olaf, adds Baleologist. - Stop being boring!

The public liked the game so much that in 1997 it got a sequel - The Lost Vikings 2, in which the restless Tomator again teleports the trio to his ship. In the second part, two new characters appear - the dragon Scorch and the Transylvanian wolf Fang, although you can still control only three of the five heroes at a time. The dragon, as it should be, flies and spits fire, and for some reason the wolf climbs the walls and, naturally, scratches itself.

Blizzard Entertainment still has fond memories of this game: in StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty In the wardroom of the Hyperion there is a slot machine called “The Lost Viking”.

The Man from the Fjord

The word "Viking" literally translates to "man from the fjord." Initially, these were petty robbers who hid in secluded bays and robbed ships passing by. Scientists are still debating where the word itself came from. It may be that fjords used to be referred to as such, or that robbers were more likely to hide in the bays of the Norwegian region of Vik, or that the root of the word comes from the Old Norse verb “vike,” which means “to leave one’s lands to plunder or trade.”

Valkyrie-san

Two years after the release of The Lost Vikings 2, the Japanese turned to the Scandinavian theme. Company tri-Ace supported by Enix(Now - Square Enix) released a fairly successful role-playing game Valkyrie Profile for PlayStation 2, later ported to PC.

That's why the Japanese are Japanese, so that if they take on the Scandinavian epic, then with all seriousness and attention to detail. The main character here is the Valkyrie Lenneth, who accompanies the souls of fallen warriors to Valhalla, where they train in anticipation of Ragnarok. Along the way, Lenneth tries to remember her past.

Exclusive Rune 2 art courtesy of Human Head Studios.

Visually, Valkyrie Profile is a mixture of 2D and 3D: we move around the world map in 3D, and through cities and dungeons in 2D. Although the game allows you to assemble a small squad, during battles only Lenneth is at the player's control: she jumps, fights with swords and freezes enemies with ice crystals. Flying over the world map, the Valkyrie uses her main ability - spiritual concentration, with which she opens dungeons, detects enemies and souls suitable for teleportation.

Anyone who has not been interested in northern mythology in their spare time immediately stumbles upon unfamiliar or unfamiliar terms in the game. What kind of Valkyrie is this, what other Einherjar, Aesir, Vanir, Asgard, Midgard, Valhalla, Ragnarok... Let's figure it out.

At the dawn of time, Odin, the supreme god and ruler of the Aesir (besides them there are also the Vanir - also gods, but much older and wiser; the Vanir and the Aesir sometimes squabble and sometimes make peace with each other), raised the seer Völva from the grave and ordered her to tell the fate of the world. Völva said that Ragnarok is coming - the death of the gods and all things, and it will happen immediately after the final battle between the gods and monsters, personifying the power of nature. Odin will be killed by the huge wolf Fenrir, and he will in turn be killed by Odin's son Vidar. Thor, the god of thunder and storm, will kill the serpent Jormungandr, but he himself will fall from his poisonous bite.

The British love to entertain themselves with the annual re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings.

Frey, the god of fertility and summer (he is one of the Vanir, like his famous sister Freya), will die in a battle with the fire giant Surt; Heimdal, guardian of the gods and the World Tree, will fight with Loki, the god of cunning and deception, but neither will be able to prevail. Seeing that the forces of evil and good are approximately equal, the giant Surt will bring down all his fiery power on the earth, destroying both Midgard, the world of people, and Asgard, the abode of the Aesir (what is this, if not cheating?).

Scandinavian myths, although cruel as usual, do not place either a gloomy black dot or a mysterious ellipsis in the prophecy of Ragnarok. The Völva told Odin that the death of the world would be followed by its revival: the surviving sons of Odin and Thor would settle in Asgard, and two people who survived the cataclysm would settle in Midgard, from whom the human race would again descend.

Vikings aboard the Hyperion.

So, Lenneth’s task in Valkyrie Profile is to collect the souls of the bravest and noblest warriors, the Einherjar, and deliver them to a feast in Valhalla, the heavenly palaces in Asgard. There, the Einherjar not only eat and drink, but also prepare for Ragnarok, and Lenneth is responsible for their training. Each warrior has a scale of importance - it shows how ready he is for the final battle, in which, according to the Japanese, for some reason the Aesir and Vanir will come together (what about Fenrir, he is supposed to swallow the sun... it's a mess!).

Valkyrie Profile was reissued more than once, but in small editions, and therefore the prices for a licensed disc jumped up to hundreds of American dollars. And “Valkyrie” was praised primarily for its fantastic plot, drawn by its creators from northern myths. Although there are no less typically Japanese (read anime) elements in this game than Scandinavian ones.

Runes of Asgard

Preventing Ragnarok and the battle with the serpent Jormungandr is the basis of the plot in the economic strategy Cultures 2: The Gates of Asgard 2002 release. According to developers from a German company Funatics, it will be possible to stop the apocalypse in the Scandinavian way only if representatives of the four nations act as a united front in the fight against the impending scourge.

The story begins when the Viking Bjarni, son of Leif Eriksson, has a dream in which he and three strangers try to stop the end of the world. Bjarni decides that sleep is in his hand, and goes to England, Italy and Normandy to persuade these same foreigners to join him. Fortunately, Bjarni’s visions are not due to his abuse of magic mushrooms, so he will still have to fight the huge snake.

Valkyrie is the daughter of the king or the bravest warrior, who picks up fallen warriors and sends them straight to Valhalla.

By the way, Leif Eriksson is a real person, the son of the Viking Erik the Red, the discoverer of Greenland. It is assumed that it was Leif who discovered America five centuries before Christopher Columbus. His exploits in the field of navigation are described in the Saga of Eric the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders, the historical accuracy of which was later confirmed by archaeological excavations. With a crew of just thirty-five men, he discovered Helluland, Markland and Vinland, potentially Baffin Island, the Labrador Peninsula and the Newfoundland coast respectively. Besides Cultures 2, he is mentioned in Corsairs: Return of a Legend.

But Bjarni, Leif's son, is a completely fictional character. His adventures were greeted coolly by critics: Gates of Asgard received a solid C due to the monotonous gameplay, which had changed little since the first part, boring music and dragging narrative. Funatics turned out to be a very Nordic game.

But about Rune(2000), a third-person slasher film developed by Human Head Studios, you can’t say that. Who is taking on this difficult job this time - stopping Ragnarok?

The young warrior Ragnar learns from the elder that the Rune stones standing in the central square of his native settlement are not a tourist attraction or an element of exterior design, but the only means that can keep Loki imprisoned underground.

According to the Völva's Divination, during Ragnarok the sun will turn black, the stars will fall from the sky and water will flood the earth.

As always, it cannot do without traitors - Konrak, one of Ragnar’s fellow tribesmen, chooses Loki’s side, but with Odin’s help, the young man gets out of the depths of the kingdom of the dead Helheim and, after countless battles with superior enemy forces, saves the Rune Stones from destruction. Or he chooses Loki’s side, which never ends well for anyone - the god of deception, he is also the god of deception in Scandinavia, because he lies like he breathes.

It would be a sin not to make a brief excursion here into the biography of King Lodbrok, aka the Danish king Ragnar. For the Danes, Ragnar is the same as King Arthur for the British: there are no documentary sources confirming that he lived in this world, but references to him are a dime a dozen in the sagas.

If Ragnar really once ruled Denmark, then it was in the 9th century. Why Lodbrok? There are several versions of this. According to the most common and most fun, “Lodbrok” means “leather pants.” Naturally - Ragnar's leather pants, sewn for him by his wife as a talisman. Which he constantly wore throughout his life. A more “hygienic” explanation is that thick leather pants saved Ragnar’s life as a child when he fell into a pit with snakes. Well, the most beautiful version is that “Lodbrok” means “banner of fate,” since Odin’s raven was embroidered on the king’s banner, and Ragnar considered himself the son of this god.

Again, according to legend, Ragnar Lothbrok had eleven legitimate sons and a lot of bastards from numerous concubines. This small family army avenged the death of their father, which occurred in the second half of the 9th century. Although Ragnar's list of victories includes the capture of Paris and a large piece of British lands, during one of his campaigns he was captured by King Ella the Second of Northumbria, chained and thrown into a pit with snakes. This time, leather pants, alas, did not save me - either there were too many snakes, or they bit higher.

Ragnar from Rune had a better fate. From the point of view of legends, the action here definitely outweighs the plot, but it’s enough to create the right atmosphere. The game is still loved to this day, and it’s not for nothing that there’s a petition demanding its release Rune 2 By the time the material was prepared, it had collected 6,683 signatures. To find out what's going on with the release of the sequel, and to discuss the recent re-release of the original, we talked to Ted Halsted from Human Head Studios.

Ted Halsted

Hello Ted! Last year, Human Head Studios re-released Rune as Rune Classic via Steam. What has changed for the company since the original, and what challenges are you struggling with now?

We had great pleasure returning to Rune and were very pleased that the re-release was received so warmly. A lot has changed in game development since the early 2000s, and we think now is the time for a new journey into the world of Vikings and Norse mythology. Developers have more freedom - both publishers and players are ready to experiment. You can safely make the game on your own terms.

It took a lot of work for Rune Classic to finally come out. What are the main differences between the original and the new version?

The creators of the first part came together to unite the original Rune under the name Rune Classic, Rune: Halls of Valhalla And Rune: Viking Warlord. In Halls of Valhalla, we have greatly improved the famous furious multiplayer of Rune. The addon includes an arena for death matches (with spectators), headball - such a bloodthirsty, Viking-inspired version of modern sports - new characters and ridicule.

For an equally harsh single player experience, we took new monsters from Warlord and polished the levels. And they included all the extended versions of music tracks from the game and an audio disc in OGG format.

Tell us more about Halls of Valhalla - history, gameplay, features?

This is a multiplayer addition to Rune. Multiplayer is one of the most popular features of the game, and we wanted to expand it by increasing the number of modes - for example, adding co-op. From Halls of Valhalla you can understand the direction in which Rune will develop, and its main concept is to plunge the player into chaos, where all you have time to do is swing an ax left and right. As for the story, the main thing for the player is to show the best of what he is capable of, that is, how deftly he chops off the limbs of enemies with a large, sharp weapon.

Loyal Rune fans have started a petition to release Rune 2. Do they have reason to hope for a second part in the near future, or do you have no such plans yet? If so, what will happen in Rune 2, can you share your conceptual ideas?

It’s very nice that the fans continue to support us and their interest does not dry up. We listen to them and are glad that people are still going to play Rune. In the future, she will definitely focus on bloody melee combat, both when playing in a clan and solo.

The story of the second Rune will be dedicated to one thing: what it is to be a warrior. With an emphasis on battles, conquests, profit and honor, glory and, if the player wants it, the success of his clan. Ragnar will remain the key character of the story, but there will be a new protagonist, a great Viking conqueror, whose adventure will be about how the player will lead his warrior - or warrior - throughout his or her life.

The new Rune storyline will highlight the richness of Norse mythology, but from a different perspective. The game will not be celestial fantasy, but more focused on Midgard. Myths are real, they surround the warrior. If you dream of success on the battlefield or at sea, please consider what this or that god wants. It will be possible to make sacrifices to him or place loot at the altar, or you can go to war against his followers, wearing them down with raids and skirmishes.

There is no clarity on the release date yet. We are currently talking with several potential partners about the next stage of development. The situation in the industry has changed dramatically, and there is no better time to release unusual games and games focused on multiplayer. It's time for the next Rune.

It turns out that the second Rune is already in full development?

The hero of Rune is the famous (especially after the recent Vikings series) Scandinavian warrior Ragnar. What can you tell us about the real Ragnar, did you delve into his story while creating the game and how deeply?

We read a lot about the real Ragnar and his adventures, his story was a good basis for creating a powerful character. We also really liked the sound of his name. In the future, Rune will focus on how a warrior can achieve success as a conqueror, so the intricate history of a king like Ragnar Lothbrok will be directly related to the game.

And yes, we are big fans of the series.

The Scandinavian theme is not yet very popular among developers, but you were one of the first to pay attention to it. Why, in fact, did you choose northern legends for Rune? Is there any personal interest here?

Norse mythology combined with history creates one of the richest and most intense worlds in gaming. For us, the first Rune was just the beginning. We now have a much deeper understanding of the Nordic legends than we did when we wrote the original, and we look forward to introducing the world to the next epic chapter in the history of Viking conquest.

Personally, I have always admired northern mythology and history, and now my six-year-old daughter is fascinated by this and rushes to correct me if I make a mistake somewhere: “Dad, this is Loki - Mother Sleipnir (Odin's eight-legged horse, the offspring of Loki. - Note auto.)".

What are your favorite Scandinavian legends?

Is it possible to choose one or two here! I learn new ones all the time. Recently I became interested in stories about the Volsung clan, Beowulf and everything connected with them. The more you learn, the more upset you become at how much has been lost over the past centuries, and what remains, of course, has been changed by later cultural strata.

What about the gods - are there any favorites?

Again a difficult choice, but I think I'll go with Odin and Thor. Many believe that Odin is such a “wise old man, the father of everything and everyone.” In general, they think so correctly. But he is a deity not only of knowledge, but also of battles, if he fights, then to the end, and in addition makes sacrifices for the sake of both knowledge and victories. And Thor, among other things, acts as a protector, which few people know about. It is to him that they cry for salvation in a storm or for a harvest in calm times.

And also Ymir. Imagine a giant so huge that the entire world was created from his body.

And the last question - do you believe that Ragnarok will ever come, or is it a myth, that’s why it’s a myth, not to believe in it?

He's coming.

Lived once

What was life like for the Vikings? Those who were richer could afford a large rectangular house made of clay-coated wood or stone. In such a house all the numerous relatives of the wealthy owner were housed. The peasants lived in simple one-room houses made of wood and with a turf roof. Most of the time was spent in the central room - there they built a fireplace, cooked food and slept. Sometimes pillars were placed along the edges of the room as additional support for the roof, and the resulting gaps were used as bedrooms.

Too Viking

After the release of Cultures 2, the Scandinavians were forgotten for six whole years, until the “northern breakthrough” happened in 2008 - one after another, three games in the action-adventure genre were released, exploring this topic from different angles: Tomb Raider Underworld, Viking: Battle for Asgard And Too Human.

While many people have heard about Underworld and Battle for Asgard, Too Human’s path turned out to be much more thorny. Canadians from Silicon Knights, despite the sixty-odd million dollar budget, they made one fatal mistake: they made the game on Unreal Engine 3, “forgetting” to pay for the rights to use the engine. After litigation with Epic Games they had to destroy all unsold copies of the game and pay the injured party nine million dollars.

There are a great many resources for construction in Gates of Asgard: there is wood, stone, tiles, brick, marble, clay, and iron.

However, a certain number of copies did reach the players, and the game did not remain “terra incognita”. The main character here is Balder, the god of spring and light, who out of the kindness of his heart helps humanity fight the alien invaders. Scandinavian mythology in Too Human is intertwined with science fiction: the aliens for the most part are huge robots, and the ace gods use... cybernetic implants to enhance their abilities.

A more traditional version of northern legends was used by developers from The Creative Assembly, responsible for Viking: Battle for Asgard. The plot is this: the gods in Asgard quarreled to smithereens, and most of all the goddess of death Hel, Loki’s daughter, was indignant at the party’s course, for which she was expelled from the heavenly kingdom. Hel, naturally, was indignant, decided to free the wolf Fenrir and arrange Ragnarok for everyone. In order for her threats to be taken more seriously, Hel raised the Vikings from their graves and marched on Midgard with fire and sword.

This categorically did not suit Freya, the goddess of love and war. She turned to the young warrior Skarin for help, and he could not refuse the beautiful goddess. Although she shouldn't have fooled the guy - as soon as Skarin found out about the true cause of Midgard's troubles, he... himself freed Fenrir, saving people from the everyday presence of the gods.

Surt is the lord of the Muspels, the fire giants.

By the way, Freya is one of the most popular goddesses in the gaming industry. She is mentioned in World of Warcraft, Lineage II, Ragnar?k Online(discussed later) and Final Fantasy IX, and indeed in almost all fantasy role-playing games, like Neverwinter Nights or series The Elder Scrolls, objects enchanted by this goddess are regularly found.

Freya is the daughter of Odin's adopted son Njord, whom the Vanir left in Asgard as a hostage after a truce was concluded with the Aesir. After Frigg, Odin's wife, Freya occupies the most honorable place among the goddesses in Asgard and controls the Valkyries. And she has no equal in beauty! Freya can turn into a falcon, and after the disappearance of her husband - either a man or the incarnation of Odin in mortal form - she cries golden tears. It was Freya who taught the Aesir magic, previously known only to the Vanir.

Like Cultures 2, Battle for Asgard lacks stars: the game was criticized for its monotonous gameplay and empty world, consisting of three almost identical islands that the hero can explore in search of allies - or enemies. There are two pluses - interesting combo techniques and a special atmosphere, although the plot itself is quite primitive.

And instead of a heart there is a flaming ax

The Vikings most often fought with spears about one and a half meters long or with swords. Long swords were also preferred, with a small guard. Only the top of the blade was made sharp, and the lower part was either not touched at all or sharpened poorly. Scandinavian axes inspired real horror in the enemies - thin axes with side jaws and a wide, symmetrically diverging blade.

Raider of Helheim

They worked out their plot very carefully Crystal Dynamics, “parents” of Lara Croft from the seventh to the ninth parts. In Underworld, a logical continuation Legend, Norse mythology is explored with encyclopedic rigor. If you print out all the relevant entries from Lara’s personal diary, you’ll get a nice selection of “Everything you wanted to know about the legends of the north, but didn’t bother to read until now.”

Battle of Asgard has no shortage of blood or anything.

Already in the first chapter, Lady Croft goes in search of Niflheim, lands of eternal darkness and fog, where frost giants live. According to legend, there are nine worlds in the universe: in addition to the mentioned Asgard, Midgard and Helheim, Vanaheim grows on the World Tree - the abode of the Vanir gods, Jotunheim - the giant Jotuns live here, Muspelheim - the world of fire, the entrance to which is guarded day and night by the giant Surt, Svartalfheim , inhabited by miniature dwarves, Ljosalfheim, where the light elves, or elves, live, and, finally, Utgard, the world of demonic magic, where only a chosen one can enter.

Unlike other worlds, Utgard exists outside the ash tree of Yggdrasil, and it is not really known where it actually is. He does not obey the world order that the ace brothers Odin, Vili and Ve established when they placed the sky (Asgard), the earth (Midgard) and the underworld where the souls of the dead go (Helheim) into the cosmos they created.

In Rune Classic, hacking your enemies to pieces with an ax is still fun.

The Underworld writers not only retold the main content of the northern myths, but also offered their own, and very logical, explanation of the prophecy of Ragnarok. Jormungand, a huge serpent, whose awakening should provoke the final battle of gods and monsters, is in fact a chain of tectonic faults encircling our planet. Like any chain, there is also a weak link here - and if it is broken using the special mechanism of Yggdrasil, an endless series of volcanic eruptions will begin, which will lead to the death of humanity. Lara will have to act as Thor and, using his full set of weapons - gloves, belt, hammer - defeat the serpent, that is, destroy the mechanism capable of initiating Ragnarok.

However, not everyone takes Scandinavian mythology so seriously. Swedes from Arrowhead Game Studios released a humorous action adventure film in 2011 Magicka. The game showed great promise and was even recognized as game of the year at the Swedish Game Awards in 2008 while still in development, but the final version, alas, could have won the race due to the number of bugs and lack of balance.

With the help of rune stones, each weapon in Rune can activate additional abilities - for example, sucking the life force out of enemies with a blow of a sword.

The story revolves around four magicians from an ancient order trying to stop the sorcerer Grimnir from destroying Midgard, although it is later revealed that the real threat comes from the demon Assatur. Scandinavian legends here are nothing more than a reason to mock a whole galaxy of hits to their heart’s content: they stretch out and Warhammer, And The Legend of Zelda, And Dungeon Keeper, And Diablo, and even the films "Star Wars", "300" and "Monty Python". By choosing any of the four wizards, the player fights with opponents using a magic staff and melee weapons. The latter can be a sword in a stone from the legends of King Arthur - literally a sword sticking out of a stone and, accordingly, used as a hammer - and even an M60 machine gun.

Sailing on the blue sea

The Vikings were renowned as skilled shipbuilders and boasted a large fleet. The bulk of the ships were drakkars - wooden warships with a high bow and stern, designed for one hundred to one hundred and fifty soldiers. Smaller warships were called snekkars: they could accommodate up to sixty people. The ships were built from ash, pine or oak, and the sails were made from sheep's wool. Then the wool was covered with lanolin - a fatty layer that protected the sail from water. The Vikings also built merchant ships - knorrs. Wide and roomy, knorrs were often used for long-distance reconnaissance trips.

Artifacts online

Although most games dedicated to Scandinavian themes are made in the action-adventure genre, northern legends are also honored in online role-playing spaces. The most famous game here is without a doubt Ragnar?k Online, the brainchild of a Korean company Gravity Co.

The original source of RO is Korean manhwa comics by Lee Myung-jin, which after the game were also adapted for anime. Most of the names are borrowed from Scandinavian myths, but there are also cities in the game that are stylized, for example, after Arabic or English fairy tales. A nice feature of Ragnar?k Online is that its universe is constantly evolving: the game world is regularly expanding, new classes, skills, professions, monsters, quests, etc. appear. All key updates are called "episodes".

This is what Leif Eriksson looked like.

Initially, RO had only one nation, and all players began their adventures in the kingdom of Midgard, but in the 10th and 11th episodes, the technocratic Republic of Schwarzwalt and the religious state of Arunafelz were added. Niflheim and Valhalla migrated here directly from Scandinavian mythology, but to the heritage of the north, both the first part and Ragnar?k Online 2: Legend of the Second have little relation. Just take a look at the typical anime character portraits and imagine how these pink-haired and lilac-eyed beauties and beauties would look in a group photo with real Vikings.

In addition to RO, there is a not so well-known Haven&Hearth, a free MMORPG from Fredrik Tolf and Björn Johanssen, two Swedish student enthusiasts. The game was awarded at the Saturn Game Awards, although it is still extremely unstable: the world of Haven & Hearth has already experienced seven “wipes,” that is, complete resets with the map redrawn.

Interestingly, in H&H it is allowed to kill a character who is not online if he has committed theft or killed someone himself. At the same time, the deceased cannot be resurrected, and the only option is to create a new hero, to whom from 25 to 75% of the skills of the deceased will be transferred. In addition, there is a specific crafting system: you need to go through the entire process of creating an item, from preparing tools to procuring materials. For example, to make a barrel, you need to cut down and saw a tree, but first you have to assemble a saw, ax or hammer from stones and branches. The more the set of necessary skills is pumped up and the better the resources used, the better the quality of the resulting item - up to the level of an artifact. Everything is like in life.

Vikings also appeared in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In the original game there is Valhalla (although it is called differently, and we even end up there in the plot), and on the cover of the first official Dawnguard add-on there is a stern northerner.

By the way, about artifacts. German-Scandinavian mythology could not do without these unique things, often endowed with magical properties. They are also found in games - for example, the above-mentioned set of Thor's armor from Tomb Raider Underworld or Too Human.

Mjollnir, which translates from Old Norse as “destroyer,” is perhaps the most widely publicized of all divine artifacts and is present wherever there is even a hint of Thor or his relatives. The almost weightless hammer is as beautiful as it is deadly. In addition to the thunder god, only the sons of Thor, Magni and Signy, could lift it, and then with the help of iron gloves and a belt, whose rings doubled the strength of the owner.

Mjollnir has an interesting manufacturing history: once Loki argued with the miniatures Brok and Sindri who was the best blacksmith in the dwarven kingdom. Brok and Sindri forged a hammer, recognized by the Aesir as the best dwarven creation, and the trickster god accordingly lost the argument. However, Odin did not allow the miniatures to cut off Loki’s head, as was agreed upon in the terms of the dispute, and as a compromise, the god of deception had his mouth sewn up. But due to the machinations of Loki and thousands of attempts to prevent the dwarves from winning, the hammer came out with a short handle.

Another exclusive art sent to us by the authors of Rune 2,

In addition to Mjollnir, the Scandinavians have a dozen more unusual artifacts. For example, Gungnir, Odin's spear, which always hits the target and kills with one blow; Skidbladnir, the largest ship in the world, which can be folded so that it fits in your pocket, or another ship, Naglfar, made from the nails of the dead - on it Hel will sail out of the kingdom of the dead before the start of Ragnarok (by the way, this is why the northern peoples have always circumcised their dead nails). And, of course, Gjallarhorn is a horn made of pure gold, which Heimdal will blow, announcing the beginning of Ragnarok.

And then there is the necklace of the goddess Freya Brisingamen, which, like a true lady’s piece, can’t do anything like that, but is beautiful to the point of insanity, sparkles and pleases the eye. Even Thor himself wore it when he had to change into a woman’s dress to return the stolen Mjolnir (yes, Loki was also involved in this story).

We don’t know whether Ragnarok will ever happen or not, but there is no doubt that it excited the minds of the developers. As well as the fact that legends in games are treated very freely, although Crystal Dynamics’ reinterpretation of the myth of the end of the world in the Scandinavian way deserves respectful applause.

Unfortunately, in the near future there is no sign of the active intervention of the Vikings in gaming life, or even the appearance of a single hit that will move away from the theme of Ragnarok and truly immerse gamers in the multi-layered German-Scandinavian epic. The only thing that will definitely come out is an arcade slasher based on the second part of the Thor film, and we can only hope that this time Marvel they'll release something better Thor: God of Thunder, which, despite all sorts of goodies for fans, such as voice acting by Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston and Jamie Alexander, after half an hour of familiarization with the gameplay, it goes to the shelf with games of the “Y” category.

Although a surprise is just a surprise, to capture the imagination unexpectedly. Well, let's wait for a balanced, well-thought-out project in terms of plot and action, inspired by the myths and legends of the peoples of Scandinavia, to fall on our heads. Maybe we'll wait.

Write different letters

The writing of the ancient Scandinavians was runic, and in the Swedish province of Dalarna they wrote in runes until the 19th century. One of the most famous finds that preserved the original writings are rune stones in the Danish city of Jelling. This is what the inscription made by the first Danish king, Gorm the Old, looked like. It reads as “kurmr kunukr karthi kubl thusi aft thurui kunu sina tanmarkar but”, and translates as “King Gorm made a memorial stone in honor of Tyra, his wife, Lord of Denmark.” This is the first written mention of the name of this country found on its territory.