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One of the most intriguing settings for historical video games has to be Ancient Egypt. There’s always been an aura of mystery and secrets whenever discussing the Ancient Egyptians, with many films like The Mummy and Raiders of the Lost Arc portraying the Ancient civilization as something mysterious and exciting. So today, we’ll be taking a look at some of the greatest historical video games featuring Egyptian lore that we recommend diving into. The history may be skewed here and there for entertainment purposes, but, in most cases, you’ll get an interesting and engaging overview of the intriguing historical civilization.
Assassin’s Creed Origins
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Perhaps the most popular game set during Ancient Egypt, Assassin’s Creed Origins was released in 2017 to great critical acclaim. The title was more or less an overhaul for the series, as it introduced a much-improved combat system, a massive open world (much bigger than any other entry that came before it), and many RPG-like elements. These changes made for one heck of a game, with many fans and critics calling it the best game in the series yet. All of the updates and improvements in the entry were largely carried over into the series’ next two installments, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla.
One of the coolest addition seen in Origins was the introduction of the Discovery Tour Mode, which was a new game mode that sent players exploring the game’s massive open world with accompanying narration. Most of the game’s features, including all combat and story elements, were removed to focus on the history behind the game’s world and setting. For those wishing to learn more about Ancient Egyptian history through interactive means, you can’t get much better than Assassin’s Creed Origins.
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
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When talking about great games that take place during Ancient Egypt, many gamers often forget about Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. Originally released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox, the game features gameplay reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda series and follows two playable characters: Sphinx and a Mummy named Tutankhamen. Gameplay consists of traversing various Egyptian tombs as both playable characters, with the Mummy having some hilarious abilities like setting himself on fire, becoming paper-thin to squeeze through tight areas, and more. The game has a ton of charm, as it plays with Ancient Egyptian mythology to create a fun, kid-friendly take on the historical setting.
The game was recently re-released in high definition for modern consoles. Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is a perfect pick for those looking for a 3D Zelda-like experience and have a certain love for Ancient Egypt. It seemed to go rather unnoticed when it was first released nearly twenty years ago, so now is a perfect time to check it out if you’re looking for a more old-school action-adventure game that features a fun take on Ancient Egypt.
Rome II: Total War
Through the course of the franchise’s history, the Total War games have covered different historical time periods from Ancient Rome to the American Revolution and everything in between. In the 2013 title Rome II: Total War, fans were reintroduced to Ancient Rome but were also given control of several new playable factions, including Egypt.
Unlike some of the other games that feature Ancient Egypt, Rome II: Total War is a turn-based strategy game with real time-tactical-battles that give a much more broad look at Egypt and the game’s various other factions. The player must use both diplomacy and tactical war strategy to succeed, with the game mixing both real-time and turned-based gameplay. This title is excellent for those who share a fascination for Northern Africa and its surrounding areas, as well as strategy games.
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
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Ancient Egypt and horror have gone hand-in-hand many times, with undead mummies being one of the most iconic monsters of all time, right up there with werewolves and vampires. So it’s a bit unsurprising that there happens to be a horror game that features Ancient Egypt as a major setting. The GameCube classic Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is an incredibly ambitious title that features over ten playable characters, each from different time periods and settings, with one of the levels set during Ancient Egypt. Through this section of the game, the player’s character gets trapped inside a tomb and must escape while avoiding the undead.
Eternal Darkness is really the only game that manages to capture the fear of getting trapped within an ancient tomb, and the rest of the game is equally as frightening. The game also does a great job of giving historical context to all of its different levels, all while being a very scary and unsettling gaming experience. If you’re a lover of both history and horror games, then Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem might be the perfect game for you.
Tomb Raider Anniversary
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Throughout the long-running Tomb Raider franchise, many of the games have unsurprisingly featured Egyptian tombs. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of exploring a dark and mysterious tomb, and Tomb Raider manages to scratch that itch quite nicely. One of the most exciting entries that featured Egypt has got to be Tomb Raider: Anniversary, which had Lara exploring the Egyptian Temple of Khamoon. Though the games don’t take place during Ancient Egypt, players can still manage to learn a bit about the ancient civilization through the game’s exciting storytelling and the exploration of the tombs themselves. For those looking to jump into the series, Anniversary is a great place to start as it’s a complete remake of the very first PlayStation 1 game.
Fans of Ancient Egypt should definitely take a look at these games, as they each offer unique perspectives and looks at the ancient civilization. Whether you’re more interested in the history of Northern Africa or simply experiencing the setting through an interactive medium, all of these games offer quite a lot of enjoyment to players.
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At Epoch Xperience, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch Xperience’s service on our parent site, SJR Research.
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(This article is credited to Ben Price. For as long as he can remember, Ben has always loved playing, discussing, and writing about video games. Since receiving his B.A. in English, he now writes about them for a living.)