Photo by Gioele Fazzeri on Unsplash
What do you think of when you hear the word “Viking”? Horned helmets, Dragon ships and big braided beards are all likely to be among the first thoughts that pop into your head. The enduring appeal and fascination of the Vikings can be hard to pin down, but certainly has a lot to do with their perceived attitude. These pirates and warriors of the dark ages were the ultimate outlaw bikers of their day and are a means by which all of us can get in touch with the barbarian within. Here we take a quick run down of some of the most exciting, engaging and accomplished games, movies and TV shows that take Vikings as their central focus and inspiration. If you’re needing to bring out the berserker, fill your drinking horn and dive into this glittering horde of mighty Viking media.
Vikings TV Series
Arguably the best known slice of Viking action available across any platform today is the epic TV series Vikings originally developed for the History channel in 2013. Vikings follows the semi-legendary life of Ragnar Lothbrok and his descendants as they rise up from poor farmers to Norse royalty in command of a vast north sea Viking empire. The series has plenty of stunning sword-play, epic locations and intrigue to keep it gripping from the start to finish of its 6 season run. Now is perhaps the best time ever to binge the series in anticipation for Vikings: Valhalla, a spin-off set 100 years after the conclusion of the original set to drop on Netflix in February 2022.
Photo by Steinar Engeland on Unsplash
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series of games are among the biggest titles in the games industry today. From the humble beginnings of the original Assassin’s Creed title back in 2007, the series has gone from strength to strength as it has incrementally refined its mechanics and approach to storytelling. Since 2017’s reboot, Assassin’s Creed: Origins, the series has also fully embraced an open world sandbox format which has given the last several games greater freedom of exploration, with more mysteries to solve and collectibles to undercover than ever before. The latest release, the 12th in the mainline series, is Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. This title trades the balmy waters of Aegean sea for the decidedly colder climes of Norway in this stunning Viking Age iteration on its classic stealth combat gameplay.
Vikings Go Wild Slots Game
If you prefer a less time intensive gaming experience, the slots title Vikings Go Wild brings might and mayhem to your fingertips in this heroic and barbarous take on the classic online fruit machine. Vikings Go Wild features 5 reels emblazoned across the side of a fearsome Viking longboat. Line up any 3 of 8 potential symbols to win on one of 25 available paylines. Added variety comes in the form of bonus Sea Monster rounds where you must fight off an invading beast from the depths, and a range of free spin events that keep the gameplay dynamic and engaging.
Valhalla Rising
There have been many great Viking films come out in recent years, from the eminently entertaining 13th Warrior starring Antonio Banderas, to the bizarre Vikings-meets-Aliens popcorn flick Outlander. But there is one film that stands head and shoulders above the rest thanks to its innovative cinematography and surreal storyline. That film is Valhalla Rising, a film by director Nicholas Winding Refn who is best known for 2011’s equally excellent Drive, starring Ryan Gosling. Valhalla Rising is largely set in what was once called Vinland — the ill-fated North American Viking colony that was wiped out by Native Americans around the year 1000 AD. Valhalla Rising follows a crew who wind up shipwrecked behind enemy lines in an unfamiliar and extremely hostile land. As they struggle to survive, they question their sanity and even their beliefs in this stunning take on the classic Man vs Wild movie genre.
