Demigods are the children of gods who are born as a result of their often illicit unions with human beings. The actual heritage of demigods can be somewhat different from simply half-god and half-mortal. Some demigods have divine ancestry on both sides, such as Hercules, who was a maternal descendant of Perseus, in addition to being his half-brother through Zeus. Others earn their title of “god” rather than it being a fact of their birth. They tend to be protagonists in video games revolving around the mythology of their divine parents.
Demigods are usually very powerful, but the same can also be said of those who mean them harm, whether mortal, monster, or even antagonistic divinity.While gods are commonly classified as invincible, demigods need to work their way up to that distinction (if they are even capable of being called such). Their mixture of otherworldly power combined with an essential human element is part of what makes demigods such popular characters. Here are some of the best video games (and franchises) to feature demigods as prominent playable characters.
TheWarriors Orochiseries is, at its core, a crossover betweenDynasty WarriorsandSamurai Warriors, a pair of games rooted in a mixture of history and mythology surrounding various periods when states in China and Japan, respectively, were at war with one another. Fascinatingly, certain warriors from these periods, such as Guan Yu, a military general and friend of the warlord, Liu Bei, have also been worshipped as gods.Warriors Orochitakes the figures from these separate eras and puts them in a strange new world where they have to fight each other and eventually other mythological beings, most commonly led by Yamata no Orochi. This typically involves clashing with a number of gods, many of whom eventually deem mortals worthy after a long period of being unconvinced.
Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimatefocuses more on Greek and Norse Mythology when it comes to new antagonists. A prevalent character is Perseus, the demigod son of Zeus and Danaë. Perseus rebels against his father’s forces and tends to be a guiding hand to the warriors, forming an especially close bond with Yukimura Sanada. Ultimately, this version of Perseus is revealed to be Loki, the Norse Trickster God, unwillingly serving Odin. InUltimate, this version of Loki defects, discussing his survivor’s guilt as he and Perseus were forced to fight one another to the death in a show of loyalty to Odin. Eventually, the warriors are able to resurrect Perseus, who, like Loki, forms a genuine bond with Yukimura. The true Perseus unveils the secret perpetrator behind the madness in the game to be none other than Hades himself, who is collectively beaten by the other warriors after much effort.
Another popular demigod character is Nezha, who, like his father, Li Jing, was recognized as a deity. Nezha was previously an antagonist inWarriors Orochi 3, but he grew to respect the power of mortals and now aids them against the new gods. He also has two forms, with one being a cyborg body created for him after the destruction of his mortal body. Yang Jian, more popularly known as Erlang Shen, is also present, and another god with at least partially mortal ancestry. He is known for his roles in the Chinese novels,Investiture of the GodsandJourney to the West. He is a rival andoccasional ally of Sun Wukong, a recurring, often antagonistic character in theWarriors Orochiseries.
Also present is Achilles — specifically the version fromWarriors: Legends of Troy.
The MOBA gameSMITE(and its recent sequel) stars a number of mythological figures from all over the world. Beyond the commonly explored and adapted mythologies, some are relatively less present in the popular conscious are also adapted here. One of the earliest examples, chronologically speaking, is Gilgamesh, a hero of ancient Mesopotamian Mythology. He is the child of Ninsun, a Sumerian Goddess, and Lugalbanda, the King of Uruk. Gilgamesh is best known as the protagonist of theEpic of Gilgamesh, an epic poem that largely details his relationship with Enkindu, with them beginning as enemies but growing into lifelong friends who achieve many exploits together.SMITEfocuses on the arrogance of Gilgamesh with his apparent desire to become a “full” god.
Another demigod inSMITEis Cu Chulainn, who is considered a son of the Irish God, Lugh, and also an earthly form of his. He is a fearsome, fatalistic figure who is destined for both greatness and an early grave. Other demigods include Hercules, Erlang Shen, and Achilles.
It should be noted that regardless of how divine their parentage is, every playable character inSMITEis classified as a god.
Demigods, as they are defined inAsura’s Wrath,are significantly different from them as they are conventionally understood. They are an advanced species of humans effectively given some form of “divinity” through the ability to control Mantra, a type of cosmic energy produced by emotions and prayers. The titular character, Asura, is one such being. He seeks vengeance after being betrayed by his allies who killed his wife, framed him for her death, and kidnapped his daughter, which led to him being killed once he tried to rescue her.
His wrath at such injustices leads to him returning to the mortal world and slaughtering all his former allies. He eventually discovers that a being who previously guided him, known as Chakaravartin, is at the root of all the suffering, as the god who endowed others with demigod powers and subsequently orchestrated the conflict Asura participated in along with the rest of their world. Asura kills Chakaravartin after refusing godhood, and he subsequently removes the world’s mantra, ending his life. His rescued daughter, Mithra, keeps his name alive bytelling his story to humans. He is subsequently reincarnated many years later, alongside his family and former allies, into a world with presumably less significant conflicts.
Many people knowGod of War, at least by reputation. What is somewhat less known is the fact that there is in fact a mythological character known as Kratos. He is a loyal servant of Zeus who is known for his involvement in the torture of Prometheus. However, he has little directly to do with the protagonist ofGod of War, as his name was merely chosen to mean “strength.”
The initialGod of Wartrilogy and supplementary games focus on Kratos in the context of Greek Mythology. Having been manipulated by Ares to kill his family, Kratos seeks vengeance on him. He eventually kills Ares and succeeds him as the God of War, but he is still haunted by his past sins. Suffering further betrayals, and the discovery that he is Zeus' son, Kratos goes on a rampage against the Greek pantheon, even temporarily allying with the Titans, before he is betrayed by them as well. After eventually killing the likes of Zeus and Gaia, Kratos is left in a near death state.
Since 2018, the series has taken a turn, instead focusing on Kratos' journey into Norse Mythology. Kratos takes another wife, who bears him a son by the name of Atreus. One of the first major goals of Kratos in the 2018God of Waris to honor his wife’s dying wish to have her ashes spread on the highest mountain in all the realms. This incarnation of the series focuses on Kratos' relationship with his son, Atreus, and his attempts to be a better person, in spite of the conflict that seeks him out. Without delving into spoilers, the story is packed with gods, mythological creatures, and mystical realms.
TheHadesduology is a pair of roguelikes, the second of which,Hades 2, is currently playable in Early Access. Each game features a child of Hades and Persephone. Zagreus, stars in the first game as the son of Hades, who discovers his mother is actually Persephone, the demigod daughter of Demeter. This runs counter to his previous belief that Nyx, the Goddess of Night, was his mother. Zagreus attempts to escape the Underworld to find his mother, but he is met with many challenges along the way, the chief of them being his father. Zagreus is aided by other Olympians, who recognize him as one of their own due to both of his parents' ties — despite some resentment toward Hades.
Zagreus is eventually not only able to find his mother and return her to the Underworld but also steadily form a reconciliation between Hades and the other Olympians, helping a few other tragic figures along the way. Sometime later, Persephone and Hades have a second child, a daughter by the name of Melinoë. Unfortunately, a short while after they pose for a family picture, Chronos, the Titan of Time, escapes his prison and takes over the Underworld, banishing most of its residents. This leads to the events of the still developingHades 2.
Melinoë never really knew her parents, her brother, or the many friends and relatives Zagreus had encountered during the events ofHades. She was instead raised as a student and an effective surrogate daughter of Hecate, the Goddess of Magic, who teaches her magic and spells. After being raised for many years to become a powerful warrior, Melinoë delves into the Underworld with the goal of defeating Chronos. Her goals take her to the surface, where she eventually travels up to the heights of Mount Olympus to face Prometheus. AsHades 2is still being developed, her ultimate fate is not yet known, but it will likely be unveiled as the game’s development continues.
