It appears that Vikings are fashionable right now. While Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s success may have set the groundwork, Valheim’s groundbreaking release struck the right combination and ignited the genre.
It’s a fantastic year to be a gamer if you enjoy taking on the role of a Viking raider exploring the realm in quest of glory.
There is no mead to give up on if you’re feeling like a Viking (get it? Mead? Because it rhymes with need?). Whether your goal is to explore Midgard, Jotunheim, or the even more fanciful kingdoms of long-lost Europe, we’ve compiled a list of the greatest Viking games ever made for you to lose yourself in.
The Top 15 Viking Video Games Ever
In this article you can find out the best 15 Top Viking Video Games Ever.
15. Vikings- Wolves of Midgard
Developer: Iron Gate AB
Publisher : Coffee Stain Publishing
When it comes to games with Viking themes, top-down action role-playing games appear to be the most popular genre. There will be a lot of inspiration from Diablo and Dragon Age, but it is by no means a negative thing.
One such game is Vikings: Wolves of Midgard, which also happens to be among the greatest Viking games ever created. The fact that it was produced by a Slovak studio gave the genre much-needed legitimacy.
Playing it is a lot like playing Diablo. It features a fairly good character creation system and a nearly open universe. That being said, the progression method is quite linear, and a large portion of the relatability is based on tricks that were genuinely innovative at the time.
It currently has a favorable rating 66 on Metacritic, and a favorable rating of 66 on Steam. If you’re bored, it’s a fun game to play, but if you want to experience Midgard and Jotunheim authentically, we wouldn’t suggest it.
14. Mount and Blade :Warband- Viking Conquest
Developer: Brytenwalda
Publisher: TaleWorlds Entertainment
Even after more than a decade, Mount and Blade: Warband is still regarded as one of the greatest mediaeval role-playing games ever made by the community. A DLC called Viking Conquest introduces, well, Vikings to both single-player and multiplayer games.
Despite being a sandbox game, the quaint little plot offers something different, but it’s nothing to get excited about. The absurd amount of global space additions in this DLC, on the other hand, will make you want to get it. Factions, cities, and characters added numerical values in the hundreds, making this an all-inclusive bundle for the price these days.
But ultimately, Viking Conquest is just Mount and Blade with Vikings. You’ll adore this DLC if you enjoy games in that genre. You’ll probably despise it if you don’t.
13. For Honor
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
One of the most well-known video games with Vikings ever produced is For Honor. Because of the lack of a deep single-player campaign and a simplified multiplayer experience, the game is more accurately described as a Viking feature game rather than a true Viking game.
Since For Honour is a Ubisoft title, anticipate the customary Ubi antics from the outset. Underneath all of that corporate garbage, though, is a multiplayer game that is actually remarkable.
The game’s tactical fighting system is based on an original yet well-designed design. It will truly feel like you are engaged in a duel with your opponents. Speaking of rivals, For Honour also includes figures from different historical periods, such the Japanese Dynasties and the Ancient Mandarians.
As previously stated, this is merely a Viking game, but it’s a fun one.
12. Expeditions : Viking
Developer: Logic Artists
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Why do developers seem to adore Vikings and top-down action RPGs so much?
Another game in that type is called Expeditions: Viking, and even I have to admit, it’s really fantastic. Its turn-based fighting system is the sole thing that draws attention to the depth of this 30-hour fast.
The idea is really clever: as a recently chosen chief, you naturally set out to raid the West to demonstrate your might and amass fresh wealth. The simpler the storyline, the more enjoyable it becomes as you play.
Viking Expeditions is a sleeper hit, if there ever was one. You will adore this if you enjoy the RPGs from the mid-2000s.
11. Volgarr the Viking
Developer: Crazy Viking Studios
Publisher: Adult Swim Games
Put the 2000s behind you; what if we told you about a fantastic Viking game from the 1980s? I’m sure you would accuse me of lying, and you would have a point. Although Volgarr the Viking was released in 2013, its design is reminiscent of games from the 1980s.
First of all, if you detest retro sidescrolling video games, have you ever played Mario? And secondly, please leave. You are not welcome here.
All kidding aside, Volgarr the Viking is a sidescroller classic from the indie genre. Don’t let the independent concept deter you, though; the fact that Adult Swim Games released this game should tell you everything you need to know about its calibre.
In the game, Odin has given you the task of going on a mission to slay a malicious dragon. Actually, that is all there is to it. It’s an inexpensive, straightforward experience that offers much more than it should.
10. Dead in Vinland
Developer: CCCP
Publisher: Dear Villagers
For one reason, Dead in Vinland is unlike any other. It’s a survival management game that successfully blends elements of role-playing games with survival. It does have that “free Facebook game” look, but don’t let that stop you from purchasing the game. There’s a good reason it has 81% positive reviews on Steam.
Although the game is essentially a follow-up to “Dead in Bermuda,” we wouldn’t recommend playing that before starting Dead in Vinland.
The narrative is straightforward and expertly constructed, as is apparently typical with Viking games. After being banished, you are guiding your family on a survival journey. But it’s the gameplay in this game that really makes it sparkle.
A row-turn-based skill system with RPG components forms the basis of combat. If you’ve played Darkest Dungeon, you should be familiar with the system because it’s almost exactly the same here. By the way, if you haven’t played Darkest Dungeon, please rectify that.
Essentially, the gameplay feels a much like Double Dragon, complete with a character management system that makes you anxious all the time.
I find the game to be similar to Marmite, although it’s not for everyone. This title will either make you adore it or loathe it. There’s no middle ground.
9. Ancestors Legacy
Developer: Destructive Creations.
Publisher: 1C Entertainment.
And with that, the top-down gameplay has returned. In contrast to most games in this genre, Ancestors Legacy was only released in 2018, and it will be ported to the Switch in 2020 and the PS4 in 2019.
With that kind of turnaround, the game can provide a classic genre title supported by cutting-edge technology. Combining these results in an RTS that has some of the most seamless PC to console conversions I’ve ever seen.
What catches my attention is its story. It’s a well-relayed Viking story that, despite modern standards, nevertheless finds a way to make its gameplay goals relate to the story.
I will add, though, that it has remarkably uninteresting gameplay. The gameplay is based on an infantry-based rock, paper, scissors approach, but we could have played Pokémon instead if we’d chosen that kind of gameplay.
Still, it’s a good game, especially for the Xbox and PS4. However, it’s unlikely that you will find a grim Norse experience here if that’s what you’re searching for.
8. Crusader Kings III
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
To be honest, some of you came here because of Crusader Kings 3., while some of you came because of Valheim and AC: Valhalla.
Although Crusader Kings isn’t a Viking game, you can still play as one, just like in For Honour. But unlike For Honour, which has a game focused entirely on PvP fighting, CK3 is more akin to Civ on steroids.
If you haven’t played this or any other Civilization game, I’d be amazed, but that just means you need to get this game even sooner.
As with most grand strategy games, there isn’t a main storyline. Rather, every single run is a standalone narrative. Every time you play, the way you expand your Viking clan and interact with other countries will be different, especially considering how intricate many of the CK3 systems are.
Since Crusader Kings III wasn’t released until 2020, Paradox is still actively supporting the game.
7. Jotun
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
We’re conversing now. Although many of the games on this list only employ Vikings as a decorative element or one of many elements, Jotun doesn’t hesitate to fully immerse itself in some aspects of Norse mythology. In order to fight the Jotun themselves, you must traverse the nine realms in the game.
Although Jotun’s basic idea makes for straightforward gameplay, it’s much more than that. It has a genuine heart and spirit, something AAA games like For Honour find difficult to accomplish.
The exquisite art direction of this title demonstrates the obvious love and effort that went into it. Jotun is one of the greatest exclusively independent Viking games available, despite only coming in at number seven on the list.
6. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
At debut, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla surpassed everyone’s expectations. That’s noteworthy in and of itself since, following Odyssey’s triumph, all eyes were on Ubisoft.
AC: Just like Black Flag was more of a game about being a pirate than an assassin, Valhalla is much more of a Viking game than a “traditional” Assassin’s Creed game. That could be awful for lovers of the original AC, but if you want a Viking gaming experience, it’s fantastic. It also makes several abrupt leaps into Norse mythology, which is unusual for a Viking game but nevertheless noteworthy.
But in the end, this is still an Assassin’s Creed game from Ubisoft. It’s going to get repetitious, full of grinding, and has microtransactions. However, it’s also packed with action, strong fighting, and a complex narrative, making it one of the greatest Viking games ever created. Skol!
5. Bad North
Developer: Plausible Concept
Publisher: Raw Fury
What a treasure, this is, man. You can tell a game is exceptional when it outperforms a multimillion dollar AAA title—a roguelite, tower-defense game, or an RTS.
If, on the other hand, you’re hoping for a Norse plot, Bad North is not the game for you. Vikings are used by Bad North as a point of stylization, though not necessarily in a significant way.
However, if you’re merely drawn to the subject of Vikings rather than the mythology, this ought to be at the top of your list right away. Considering that Bad North is also playable on mobile devices, it’s the ideal game to pass the time occasionally.
Every time you lead your people to a new island, you have to repel Viking invaders. All well, so what more could you have expected from a roguelite? It doesn’t have to be much more than this, though, really. Not at all.
4. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Ninja Theory
Is Hellblade the best-known independent game ever made? It’s up there, which is fortunate since it’s wonderful. It’s so amazing that Microsoft is supporting a sequel after buying the game’s developer—how many real independent games can boast that?
I’m already obsessed with Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice since it’s a dark fantasy action-adventure role-playing game. The game feels like it was made specifically for me, and at this point, I kind of believe that’s because it adds Vikings as a thematic element on top of that genre.
It’s a lovely story. I’m not ashamed to say that I became enamoured with the plot, which has you travelling to Helheim in order to reclaim your lost lover’s soul. I truly value the fact that this game was obviously designed to be a Viking game rather than being created as a game with a Viking theme.
Choose this game to play if you’re going to play any of the others on the list. It may not have placed in the top three, but it’s still one of those unique gaming moments that sticks with you for a long time.
3. Northgard
Developer: Shiro Games
Publisher: Shiro Games
Indeed, Northgard is among the top three games and it is a top-down game. You shouldn’t need any more evidence than the fact that we give it such a high rating even though the genre is outside of our normal purview.
In the progression-based role-playing game Northgard, you take charge of your clan’s journey to a recently found landmass. Like many similar games, it’s straightforward, but its randomised map generator ensures that you won’t grow tired of it.
But online cooperative play is what really takes this game to the next level. Additionally, it features PvP, although we have avoided it.
If you can get a friend to pick it up with you, it’s well worth the investment even though it’s pretty pricey for an independent game.
2. The Banner Saga
Developer: Stoic
Publisher: Versus Evil
- 2014 saw the release of The Banner Saga. Even after nearly a decade has passed, we still rank it as the second-best Viking game ever created. In 2018, a Switch port was released; how many other four-year-old games, outside of Skyrim, Mario, or Grand Theft Auto, receive ports?
When you take into account that the project was funded on Kickstarter, the Banner Saga is an exceptionally well-made tactical RPG featuring a tile-based battle system. But the most significant aspect of the game is this small detail. The Banner Saga is more heartfelt than Jotun. It is evident that it was created by gamers, for gamers.
Instead of being strictly Norse, the world is Viking inspired, but that merely allowed the developers greater creative freedom, which they used. There are two playable characters in the game, each with a backstory, and there are a tonne of options and different routes that you may choose to customise what happens in the game.
I won’t go into any specifics so as not to ruin this masterpiece for you, but please do yourself a favour and read it together with the other two incredible chapters to finish the trilogy. No excuses—it’s available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch.
1. Valheim
Developer: Iron Gate AB
Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
Naturally, Valheim comes in first. It’s the main reason this list was motivated to be created in the first place. Many people didn’t have high expectations for the games in 2021, especially after the worldwide lockdown that dominated 2020, but Valheim rang in the new year with more of a nuclear blast than a bang.
It has grown to be one of the most played games on Steam in just one short month. That’s an amazing statistic, especially since it was created by a five-person team and isn’t a party game like Among Us. Within less than thirty days of its release, this passion project has completely transformed the online survival genre.
In this role-playing survival game, you take on the role of a Viking establishing yourself in an afterlife that isn’t quite Valhalla.
Since it’s a sandbox game, you and your pals must forge your own route while you make tools and shelter in an attempt to protect yourself from the many enemies that lurk about.
The fact that Valheim is already such a reliable experience is highly significant for what is ahead. Get your ticket punched now to avoid falling too far behind, as the game will only receive support for the next few years.
