The gates of Valhalla are waiting for your arrival, all shiny and chrome! They draw ever nearer especially with the advent of Assassin's Creed Valhalla and it's about time someone made a AAA game about Vikings and Vikings alone. God of War sort of doesn't count since it's mostly about Norse god deicide, sadly.
Anyway, long before Assassin's Creed Valhalla set its sights on hardened sea-faring warriors with dank beards, other games were already telling tales of these fearsome raiders. Some of these video games about Vikings have even existed for decades now. They're definitely worth looking into to if you want to hype yourself up for Valhalla or crave more Viking adventures.
10 Vikings: Wolves Of Midgard - 67
There always has to be that one Viking-themed aRPG played from a top-down perspective and that would be Vikings: Wolves of Midgard. This one is a certified Diablo-clone but don't let that put you off since those tend to stand out as their own games and tend to be good.
Vikings: Wolves of Midgard is relatively decent. The graphics are one of the strongest points of the game as well as the robust effects of the magic and elemental imbued weapons. The story is pretty standard as far as Norse mythology goes and it's all up to the mortal Viking players to set the chaotic family squabble straight.
9 Dead in Vinland - 74
Ever wanted to play a video game that's essentially The Swiss Family Robinson except they're all Vikings? That description pretty much covers the first half of the game, Dead in Vinland where a Viking family crash-lands on foreign land.
The other half of it is an RPG that closely resembles hardcore titles like Darkest Dungeon with its turn-based party combat. Outside of that, Dead in Vinland is a survival and management simulator where players can tweak the stats of family members as well as assign them tasks or resources.
8 Bad North - 74
Anyone looking for a Viking game that offers a better challenge than others ought to give Bad North a try. It's a roguelike game which means progress gets reset with every death or failure and the players will be hard-pressed to learn how to "git gut" or start over and over again.
Bad North softens the blow of such an ordeal by wowing the players with its dreamy 2D Viking game design. This time around, it's Vikings defending their exodus against other Vikings, similar to a tower-defense game where wave upon wave of enemies assaults the players.
7 Expeditions: Viking - 74
Of course, when it comes to making some Viking-themed games, voyages should always be one of the better considerations as an adventuring formula. That's why Expeditions: Viking grabbed that opportunity and built a Viking simulator game with some RPG elements.
It gives players the opportunity to do what Vikings do best-- either trade, raid, or settle, sometimes all of the above. Much like The Banner Saga, Expeditions: Viking also has slow combat which is something to consider if you're a swashbuckling Assassin's Creed fan.
6 Rune (Classic) - 76
Long before God of War even existed, Rune has been holding the crown for one of the most epic games based around Norse mythology. Of course, it wouldn't have been mentioned if it didn't feature Vikings and that came in the form of the game's Viking protagonist who was killed by Loki then revived by Odin to defend the mortals against the trickster god's transgressions.
In terms of graphics, Rune is easily the most outdated game here but its story and gameplay nevertheless evoke Viking epics better than newer games who utilize the same setting.
5 Ancestors Legacy - 77
Ancestors Legacy is a different flavor of Viking video game as it's primarily a real-time strategy game that's also squad-based. Think of Company of Heroes except set in the Dark Ages. Hence, players control their own Viking Warband against other cultures in a power struggle for the meanest beards and baddest warpaints ever.
In Ancestors Legacy, players get to pick among four different European factions and lead them to war. The gameplay formula is a simple nod to the more basic mechanics of old RTS titles where players build a base, muster up their armies, and then crush their enemies, sometimes not in that particular order.
4 For Honor - 79
For those looking for someone a bit more straightforward than an RPG, For Honor might just be the thing. It's been around for some years now and remains a solid multiplayer game that pits Vikings in a triumvirate against Samurai and Knights-- don't ask how and why, it's not a crime to have dumb fun every once in a while.
In any case, at least a third of For Honor is reeking with rich Viking stereotypes that lets players channel their inner axe whackers and berserkers. The combat system is more intuitive compared to other third-person action games and is a slow methodical dance that rivals that of Dark Souls' fighting mechanics.
3 Jotun - 79
For a Viking game with a heavy mix of Norse mythology, Jotun might just be more epic than God of War itself. It's a hand-drawn 2D action game where players assume the role of a Viking warrior set loose in Valhalla.
That warrior is named Thora and she died a rather inglorious death, making her ineligible for entry in the glorious halls of Valhalla. Thus she must prove herself worthy again in order to gatecrash the dead warrior's long table buffet by all means because that roast wild boar isn't going to devour itself.
2 The Banner Saga Trilogy - 80
It might not be the regular Assassin's Creed fan's cup of tea as The Banner Saga games are slow turn-based RPGs but it has some of the best Viking aesthetics ever. The art style is also 2D cartoons, making it unique and alluring.
The story centers around the reappearance of the Dredge, which is a warlike race that despises humans. Players then control their own band of warriors where each decision has far-reaching consequences and each turn-based battle is a story in itself.
1 Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - 88
Speaking of combat, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is one game that doesn't skimp on some exhilarating swordfights. The protagonist is Senua herself who is suffering her own afflictions many of which manifest as harmful demons in what appears to be an analog for psychosis.
The game's plot is also rather simple, Senua, a Pict warrior, must fight her way to Helheim by defeating the said demons and otherwordly creatures. All of this she must do in order to redeem the soul of her dead lover.