1) Don't look, Narcissus!
This would essentially be a game of traps where the player, Narcissus, would have to avoid seeing himself. Clearly, puddles of water would need to be avoided to succeed.
Enemies in such a game would have to be varied to make it worthwhile (one trap over and over wouldn't be very exciting.) Ideas could range from static objects such as mirrors (duh), and other shiny surfaces that would slowly diminish health due to a 'fuzzy' reflection. 'Fuzzy' reflections could include any polished object somebody's outline would be visible in (Momma's polished fridge, a car window, ect.)
Mobile enemies could include jealous lovers that Narcissus has already scorned since he just 'Still hasn't found what he's lookin' for. These women would be shysters that could allure your gaze into pitfalls...or something. Obviously the setting for such an adventure would be a much more modern one, with the cast carrying names and stereotypes from The Metamorphoses.
The story would progress from Narcissus just walking around to more and more of his maidens 'attacking' him after he rejects them. The game would get progressively harder as time lapses until the player either dies of old age or sees himself.
The art scheme of things would need to be surreal in order to bring heightened contrast on different surfaces. It would be a non-cartoony cartoon of sorts. More metallic surfaces would generally want to be avoided, textured ones not so... Since the world of Narcissus in the game would be a clear fantasy, making the face of Narcissus himself more realistic would be a great warning to players about to lose (or have lost).
The game would work well on a console if developed deeply enough as the primary game mechanic is just walking around. If made for a PC dialog or more action options would need to be added for compensation.
2) PilotWings Ovid Edition
PilotWings was one of the first video games I ever really played. It was on the SNES, and was so much fun my Dad even played it. I think the same game model could be applied to the various flying objects from our text, the most blatant being the stellar chariot ride and Hermes's winged sandals.
The game would have a completely different setup depending on the 'craft' the player would be flying. That is to say that the chariot level would have no effect on Hermes's. I'm envisioning something more of an airplane through some hoops for chariot and a jet-pack through inconsistent hoops for Hermes.
Players would work toward getting 'certified' and could earn achievements based on time or accuracy completions. A 'silver' chariot flyer wouldn't have the same access to difficult races a 'gold' one would. Also, since a 'gold' racer is obviously more qualified, he would receive stat bonuses to help him on the harder courses.
A game of this variety would work well on a web player using a traditional mouse and keyboard setup. A joystick would be fun, but overkill. For consoles, the game would likely be too shallow, unless implemented in a way similar to Little Big Planet, where players could add to the game universe.
Another interesting way to play could be mobile, making use of the motion sensing abilities of phones. Controls (things like throttle) would be an issue though...
3) Avoid Jupiter
Whatcha' goin to do when they come for you?
This one is obvious. That guy is bad news, avoid him. He touches you, and its game over.
Obstacles would include getting stuck in a herd of cattle, getting lost in mist, Jupiter not looking like Jupiter, bear attacks, flash floods, lightning bolts, and Hera being angry at you.
This game would be unwinable. All games would conclude with the player losing.
In such a simple game the story would follow suit. The player would control a strapping young lad who insults Jupiter. The game starts as Jupiter begins his vendetta to exact revenge.
I think this game would be at its best if the art was done in a way that highlighted the comedy of the situation. The lord of everything is chasing after you incessantly, and all of this crazy stuff keeps happening. I'm no artist, but games like Team Fortress 2 have intrinsic comedic value from their art. Something like that would need to be replicated in this situation.
Since this is a heavy action game, I think would be best suited for a console as minimal controls are needed. There would be little inventory management as that would subtract from the game's pace. The HUD would need to cover things such as fatigue and active power-ups a player could collect.
4) Call of Duty: Metamorphoses
Obviously, I'd to change the name...but the idea would make for a fun game!
CoD:Metamorphoses would be a multiplayer only game where players pick a warrior from Roman times to control. Said warrior would battle other warriors for supremacy in the Coliseum. Different game modes would be available, allowing players to fight a variety of foes. One could fight other humans in deathmatches, go against lions and such (controlled by other players), or participate in recreations of past battles.
Players would have the option to pick patron gods, allowing highly customizable characters. For example, a player who has chosen Apollo would likely be an archer, while Vulcan's troops would be strongly armored. It would be a challenge to keep every 'devotee' balanced.
Getting kills in the name of your deity would increase your
favor in his/her eyes allowing new or better skills granted. Doing so would come at a cost, rival deities would become angry at the player, granting bonuses to his devotees who slay the 'negative' player.
The art would be gritty to complement the combat. Such a game would need complex experience and karma systems to make the process of leveling up worthwhile. The game would work well on console or PC as first person combat games have been well established and successful on both platforms.
5) Cadmus Tower Defense
Cadmus has slain the serpent and sown the beast's seeds in the earth. The men that arise band together to form a scourge that threatens even the Gods that created them. Mankind is on brink of destruction, pleading to the Gods for aid. The Gods answer.
Enter the player, a tactician responsible for the defense of various landscapes against the 'dragon teeth people'. He does so by strategically placing his troops in the given terrain against a predictable path that enemies must follow.
Obviously, the Gods have decided to aid mankind in our plight. Our general would be able to place specific Gods in various locations along the map aiding human forces in various ways. For example, the speedy Hermes would grant an 'attack speed' bonus to nearby forces, as well as aiding with his own attack. Apollo could increase unit attack range, Mars could increase attack damage, ect. Another possibility would be the Gods lending special abilities for short durations of time, such as Hermes lulling enemies to sleep with his music.
This game would fit in best on a PC with the mouse and keyboard setup most tower defense games are accustomed to having. A mouse offers far more precision than any console could offer. The graphics would need to be simple enough to allow for quick loading over the web, and to allow high frame rates while playing inside of web browsers.
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