Apotheon
A Greek mythology platformer with a pottery-inspired art style.
Apotheon is a 2D action platformer created and published by Alientrap. It launched for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4 on February 3, 2015, with versions for OS X and Linux following on February 10, 2015. This was the studio’s second commercial title, and it stands out for its visual style, which mimics ancient Greek black-figure pottery.
The gameplay is built around a heroic story rooted in Greek mythology. Players take the role of Nikandreos, a young warrior who, guided by the goddess Hera, battles the Olympian gods using weapons typical of ancient Greece.
In the story, the gods have turned against humanity. Zeus, angered by human arrogance, orders the Olympians to withhold their gifts, stripping the world of animals, food, and sunlight. As darkness falls, human cities are ravaged. In the village of Dion, invaders attack, and Nikandreos wakes to find his home destroyed. After rallying the surviving soldiers, he drives off the raiders and kills their leader. In the temple, Hera appears, congratulating him and revealing her hatred for Zeus’s infidelities. She tasks Nikandreos with killing Zeus and the other gods to restore their gifts to humanity. He agrees and ascends Mount Olympus.
His journey begins in the Agora of Olympus, where he must claim the gifts of Artemis, Demeter, and Apollo. In the Forest of Artemis, he hunts mythical creatures until the goddess confronts him. Their battle shifts between forms—deer and hunter—until Nikandreos kills Artemis and takes her bow. He then confronts Apollo, but is knocked unconscious and imprisoned. With help from the imprisoned god Helios, he escapes, kills Apollo’s captains, frees the tree-bound Daphne, and slays Apollo, taking his lyre. Searching for Demeter, he learns she grieves for her daughter Persephone, taken by Hades. Nikandreos descends to the underworld, where Persephone willingly gives him her seeds. In return, Demeter hands over her sheaf. Some gods, like Aphrodite and Dionysus, secretly oppose Zeus and offer aid.
Returning to Dion, Nikandreos is intercepted by Zeus, who accuses him of arrogance and hurls him back to Earth. He finds Dion further ruined, with the gods now attacking directly. Hera apologizes for not helping earlier and warns that Zeus has sent Poseidon, Ares, and Athena to destroy humanity. Nikandreos heads to the Acropolis of Olympus, killing each god and taking their powers.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Apotheon
- Developer
- AlientrapPorted to PlayStation 4 by Sickhead Games
- Publisher
- Alientrap
- Engine
- Microsoft XNA, MonoGame on PlayStation 4
- Platforms
- Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 4
- Released
- Windows, PS4 WW · February 3, 2015 OS X, Linux WW · February 10, 2015
- Genre
- Platform, Metroidvania
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Director
- Lee Vermeulen
- Designer
- Fredrik Henriksson
- Artist
- Jesse McGibney
- Composer
- Marios Aristopoulos
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Apotheon is Alientrap's second commercial game and features a 2D action gameplay style with a heroic narrative based on Ancient Greek mythology. The player controls Nikandreos, a young warrior who, with the help of the goddess Hera, fights against the Olympian gods using various weapons of the Ancient Greeks. The plot follows Nikandreos as he awakens to find his village of Dion destroyed by invaders, then meets Hera who tasks him with slaying Zeus and his siblings to restore humanity's gifts. The game's name means 'exalted to the state of godhood,' reflecting Nikandreos' deification at the end.
The game was released on Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4 on February 3, 2015, and on OS X and Linux on February 10, 2015. In August 2015, Alientrap partnered with IndieBox to produce a limited, individually-numbered physical collector's edition containing a flash-drive with a DRM-free copy, the official soundtrack, an instruction manual, a Steam key, and custom collectible items. The game was later released for free for PlayStation Network subscribers.
Reader's Guide
Apotheon received generally favorable reviews, with Metacritic scores of 78/100 for Windows and 76/100 for PlayStation 4. Critics praised the game's aesthetic and entertaining combat. Bryan Vore of Game Informer called it a 'damn fun game and one of my surprise early favorites of 2015.' Patrick Hancock of Destructoid felt it 'more than backs up its aesthetic prowess with rewarding combat and exploration systems.' Many reviewers noted a Metroidvania influence; John-Paul Jones of GameWatcher applauded its 'homage to the engrossing Castlevania and Metroid games pioneered back in the 8-bit days.' Nicholas Plouffe of Canadian Online Gamers recommended it to fans of the Metroidvania genre. However, some critics found the gameplay shallow. Alex Carlson of Hardcore Gamer concluded 'Apotheon is a classic case of style over substance,' and Philippa Warr of Rock, Paper, Shotgun described it as 'an attractive but shallow game whose more interesting ideas are marred by an unwieldy control system.' Reviewers of the PlayStation 4 version noted crashes and bugs. The soundtrack was ranked 2nd best PlayStation soundtrack of 2015 by Push Square, 3rd by Paste Magazine, and 6th by Fact Magazine and IGR.
Did You Know?
- Apotheon's art style is based on ancient Greek black-figure pottery.
- The player can choose to leave Hera chained or kill her with Zeus' thunderbolt at the end.
- The soundtrack was named the 2nd best PlayStation soundtrack of 2015 by Push Square.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Apotheon?
Apotheon is a 2D side-scrolling action platformer developed and published by Alientrap, in which you battle through Greek mythological foes using weapons drawn from ancient Greek warfare. It was the studio's second commercial release.
What makes Apotheon's art style stand out?
The entire game is rendered to resemble ancient Greek black-figure pottery, so every character, enemy, and background looks like a painted ceramic scene. This single aesthetic commitment is what most players remember about the title.
Who do you play as and what is the story about?
You take on the role of Nikandreos, a young warrior guided by the goddess Hera to fight the Olympian gods themselves. The narrative deliberately inverts the usual mythological power structure, casting the divine pantheon as the antagonists.
When was Apotheon released and on which platforms?
The Windows and PlayStation 4 versions launched on February 3, 2015, followed by OS X and Linux builds on February 10, 2015. Alientrap handled both development and publishing across all four platforms.
How did critics rate Apotheon?
The Windows edition scored 78 out of 100 on Metacritic, reflecting broadly favorable reviews that highlighted its distinctive pottery-inspired visuals and responsive platforming. Fans and critics alike noted it as a visually bold entry in the 2D action genre.
More in Platform Games of the 2010s, Part 1 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced