The Mesoamerican culture that grew into an empire has long fascinated historians, storytellers, and video gamers alike. Settings from antiquity and their mythologies have long been an explored avenue of video game settings. Greek mythology would be explored as a setting in God of War, Hades, Kid Icarus, and the Assassin's Creed franchise. The latter would also explore Egyptian mythology in the Origins title. Successfully, God of War would go on to transition into the realm of Norse mythology, previously best utilized by the original Max Payne. However, Aztec mythology hasn’t received the same attention as the others.
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Though many games have dipped their toes into the designs and styles of Aztec aesthetics, not so many have based entire games around mythology and culture. Below are the best titles that made memorable games based on the Aztec mythos.
7 Aztec: The Curse In The Heart Of The City Of Gold
A curious title in the annals of adventure video game history, Aztec: The Curse in the Heart of the City of Gold stands as a brilliant exploration of the lore but also a considerably educational title. Released on the PC and PlayStation in 1999, this game would feature full voice-acted 3D cinematic cutscenes for storytelling amid a traditional point-and-click format. In a mature and thoughtful assembly of Aztec rituals and customs, the story places the player in the role of an Aztec huntsman called Little Serpent who witnesses the murder of a nobleman.
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From here the protagonist is given an ornate neckless from the slain nobleman and takes it to a poet in the Tlatelolco. Wrapped around ample texts giving in-depth coverage of Aztec customs and historical knowledge is an inspired murder mystery tale set in the heart of an Aztec settlement.
6 Loki: Heroes Of Mythology
Loki: Heroes of Mythology is an action RPG taking on the unenviable task of blending several mythologies all under the banner of one title. The story is far from labyrinthine the player must select a protagonist to take down the Egyptian god Seth, who is taking his rule of chaos and the desert to wreak havoc across several mythologies. What Loki does well is capture the four mythological settings and eras it covers Greek, Egyptian, Norse, and Aztec.
In the Aztec strand of the campaign, the player takes the role of a male or female Aztec shaman and ventures across a Mesoamerican jungle setting. A curious title, Loki: Heroes of Mythology only received middling reviews for many felt Diablo did what this game offered but better.
5 Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
The final installment of the Tomb Raider reboot trilogy takes a huge amount of inspiration from Aztec mythology. Whereas the opening game in the Survivor trilogy places Lara on a mythic Japanese island, the second game takes place in the depths of Siberia, and the third game puts Lara in the lost city of Paititi. It’s in this lush and vibrant setting that the game's Aztec influence comes to life. Both the game's setting and its story beats brought a mix of Incan, Mayan, and Aztec mythology to life.
From the clothing to the characters and the art design, all are based on the historical accounts of Aztec, Mayan, and Incan settlements. Working alongside historians to assure accuracy, Shadow Of The Tomb Raider is one of the finest games to depict and capture Aztec mythology and its rich lore.
4 Grim Fandango
Despite being a commercial failure at its 1998 launch, Grim Fandango is one of LucasArts' most original creations and a beloved title to this day. Part of Grim Fandango’s magnetic and unique appeal is its blending of 1950s film noir verve and Aztec Afterlife mythology. In this one-of-a-kind cocktail of styles, the player takes the role of Manny Calavera who guides the recently deceased in a very ’50s setting Land of the Dead on their way to the Land of Eternal Rest. In design, the game is built around the Aztec conception of the afterlife but in aesthetic and tone it’s a 1950s noir.
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In a signature capture of LucasArts' humor seen across the Sam and Max titles, Manny is, in fact, a travel agent, assisting these souls. Its gameplay has not aged the best, but Grim Fandango remains a seminal title for the adventure genre and not one to miss.
3 Aztaka
Aztaka was released on Windows and Max OS in 2009, as something of a mix between the side-scrolling and point-and-click adventures of yesteryear. The player takes the role of Huitzilo, an Aztec warrior on a quest to appease the angry gods or his world will face ruin. The game takes a classical PC controlling style with the WASD keys and the mouse for action and attack buttons.
A title for those who enjoy the Aztec setting and verve, the 2D animation style captures the period wonderfully and the traversing of environments in the gameplay is engrossing. The story itself involves Huitzilo collecting seven photographs to sate the Gods in this clever and imaginative re-interpretation of Aztec mythology beats.
2 Aztech Forgotten Gods
Taking Aztec mythology, designs, and architecture and blending it with futuristic tech, Aztech Forgotten Gods re-imagines Aztec mythology into a contemporary action adventure package. The story places the player in the role of Achtili, a young woman who awakens Ancient Gods after discovering an artifact that grants her the superpower of flight. The capture of Mezo American design through the art style is the game’s stand-out feature. Icons and gods are depicted in an original mix of their depictions in lore and the futuristic world setting of Tenochtitlan.
Aside from the Aztec beats and design, it is the ability of flight that makes Aztech Forgotten Gods feel singular in contemporary action-adventure titles. Those looking for Aztec mythology brought to life in a spirited action adventure should give Forgotten Gods their attention.
1 Aztez
Aztez is a truly creative take on a genre and a historical setting rolled into a brilliant stand-alone title. Released in 2017 for Windows, macOS, and Linux, Aztez takes the familiar formula of a side-scrolling beat ‘em up and places it in the late 15th-century Valley of Mexico. Taking a stylistic inspiration from the Wii classic MadWorld, Aztez's art design is grayscale with only the color red coming for the depiction of blood.
Where Aztez, succeeds the most is a distinct graphical direction that makes its Aztec setting feel vibrant and tangible. However, its combo-based beat 'em up gameplay and subtle blending of strategy make this an engrossing beat ‘em up that fans of the genre should be sure to try.