Summary
- Some video game titles embrace the concept of the Afterlife and explore spiritual and metaphysical ideas, adding depth to the gameplay experience.
- Games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell incorporate Norse mythology and religious themes in their storylines, providing players with thought-provoking narratives.
- Other games, such as Kena: Bridge of Spirits and Cyberpunk 2077, tackle themes of balance, belief, and the implications of technology on spirituality, offering players unique perspectives on the afterlife.
The concept of the Afterlife draws various reactions from different people. Those reactions largely depend on what they believe, religious or otherwise. Because the subject matter is so heavy, most gamers tend to avoid it for their escapist enjoyment.

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That said, some titles lean into Afterlife, spirituality, and other metaphysical ideas. Several of these are open-world in style. Players explore the spiritual realm for themselves and use it in building the world. Usually, the developers seek to deliver poignant existential themes. Alternatively, they may make the whole ordeal into a joke. However these realms come into play, they always give fans pause for thought.
5 Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Norse Mythology Of Valhalla
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
- Platform(s)
- Stadia, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Released
- November 10, 2020
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft
Though Assassin's Creed Valhalla is already too huge for its own good, the developers clearly thought it wasn't big enough. In addition to medieval England, players can use the Vikings' hallucinogenic drugs to visit other realms of Norse mythology: Asgard, Jotunheim, and Helheim. The gods and similarly mystical entities dwell here, and their questlines explore the concept of free will clashing with fated events. That's not the only significance, though.
These sections tie into the Isu plotline of other Assassin's Creed titles. It turns out the ethereal figure guiding fans through the story is Odin, whom they control in the aforementioned drug trips. On top of that, the Viking afterlife of Valhalla is really an early animus simulation. Rooting Norse myths in ancient technology somewhat cheapens them, but it does make the overarching narrative more labyrinthine. Take that for what it's worth.
4 Saints Row: Gat Out Of Hell
Shoot Satan In The Face
- Franchise
- Saints Row
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Linux, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
- Released
- January 20, 2015
- Developer(s)
- Deep Silver, Volition
As wild as Saints Row gets, it's no surprise that this expansion literally sends the gang to "the bad place." Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell revolves around shooting Satan in the face. The Devil wants to find a suitor for his daughter, which is why he targets the Saints and their boss. In response, Johnny Gat leads them down below to fight on the villain's terms. What they find isn't all that different from their own city.

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Satan has built a metropolis called New Hades. Its residents are history's most notorious individuals, from Blackbeard to Vlad the Impaler to William Shakespeare. Aside from that, it's a city like any other, right down to paying taxes. That mundanity definitely takes the divinity out of the place, a fact that becomes more evident once God actually shows up. After the Saints defeat Satan, the Father of Existence grants Gat a wish. He can ascend to Heaven, become the king of Hell, restore the human race, or possess the secrets of the universe. Yep, God rewards Gat for a glorified gangland hit on his rival. The whole scenario spits in the face of religious sanctity. Truly, there's no line Saints Row won't cross.
3 Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Play As A Spirit Guide
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Released
- September 21, 2021
- Developer(s)
- Ember Lab
No one likes unfinished business, even dead people. Such is the heroine's calling in Kena: Bridge of Spirits. The eponymous Kena is a spirit guide. She helps lost spirits find peace in death, usually by completing any tasks they couldn't finish in life. In the process, she sends them to the next world. Sadly, things aren't always that simple.
Some deceased denizens have a serious conflict with the powers that be. They may have committed terrible crimes in life; Kena must help them to forgive themselves. Alternatively, those suffering misfortune may have sought answers and lashed out at the Rot God, wreaking havoc on the land. Amending the problem heals said land. The Rot God works these wonders through Kena, illustrated by the Rot minions aiding her in gameplay. The mechanic carries a powerful message about balance and how belief can shape the world.
2 Cyberpunk 2077
The Debate On Digital Soul
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Stadia, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Released
- December 10, 2020
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
One would think the technological future of Cyberpunk 2077 would abandon spirituality altogether. Instead, the residents use that tech to pave a path past the mortal coil. The Arasaka Corporation has a secret project called "Mikoshi." The name stems from a Buddhist shrine used to transport deities, and that's not far off here.

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In Cyberpunk 2077, Mikoshi is a virtual space containing one's consciousness. The rich clients of the "Secure Your Soul" program get to digitize their minds and upload them to the data fortress. The place also serves as a prison for individuals whom Arasaka deems worthy of preserving. Whatever the circumstances, Mikoshi is a makeshift means of immortality as a person's essence ascends to a higher plane of existence. The game makes the Afterlife metaphor more blatant by the fact that the original version kills the person whose personality is digitized. Given the implications, it's no wonder why the company keeps a tight lid on the project.
1 Tak And The Power Of Juju
Spirituality & Comedy
Tak and the Power of Juju
Like the title, the villagers of Tak and the Power of Juju wear their spirituality on their sleeves. They regularly pay homage to the Juju spirits representing the elemental forces. A prophecy states that a great shaman will commune with these Jujus and harness their power to restore peace. The premise is the typical "Chosen One" trope with a religious flair, but the execution is anything but conventional.
The game mainly uses its concepts for comedy. Tak only goes to the spirit realm to bring back the village's "real" hero, Lok, who was trampled and killed by sheep. Plus, the Jujus themselves are all petty and moronic, often assigning menial tasks to the pint-sized protagonist. The resulting adventure is a hilarious spin on standard spiritual clichés, though it's hard to see why anyone worships these idiotic deities in the first place.