A lot of people really liked Supergiant’s mythological roguelike game, Hades. (It ranks high on our GotY 2020 list, too.) Now, it’s inspiring fans not just to get into Greek myth, but to record their own reading of The Iliad, one of the most notable writings of classic myth, and one of the most foundational works of Western literature.
The Iliad Project is a reading of The Iliad, as translated by Robert Fagles, set to be released on June 20. The recording is done by 27 community readers, and even includes the vocal talents of Courtney Vineys, the actor behind Dusa and Aphrodite. It will be available on YouTube and various podcast apps, following a release stream on June 20 at 3pm PDT / 6pm EDT / 11pm BST.
As you might imagine, the Hades developers are excited about it too, and creative director Greg Kasavin is even providing a forward for the project. “It’s wonderful when Hades can help spark new or renewed interest in Greek myth,” the devs say on Twitter. “These folks from our community will soon be taking it to the next level with a complete audio recording of the Iliad of Homer, which inspired our Achilles and Patroclus and many other details.”
Stories like The Iliad were historically delivered in the oral tradition, so it’s only appropriate that the community is bringing interest back to Hades’ inspirations in just this format.
It's wonderful when Hades can help spark new or renewed interest in Greek myth! These folks from our community will soon be taking it to the next level with a complete audio recording of the Iliad of Homer, which inspired our Achilles and Patroclus and many other details. https://t.co/kdKfF7LQAQ
— Supergiant Games (@SupergiantGames) May 28, 2021
Who says you’ll never learn anything from videogames?