Why isn't there an epic rpg about the bible?

Christian media has this problem in general of trying to be propaganda first, media second (there are exceptions, just see Veggietales), epic RPGs take a lot of effort to make, effort which a lot of people dont want to make when a lot of people are going to automatically dismiss it due to it being a Christian games.

 

I also think many will see the stories as either exaggerated, or blasphemous, which is bad for PR. It's just overall a bad idea to base a game on religious stories.

 

David and Goliath could have a guest appearance in Mortal Kombat. But then there would be calls for censorship.

 

it's called Sonic Adventure for the Sega Dreamcast

 

You know what RPG series often uses religious imagery and is a blast to play? The MegaTen franchise, but i don't know if it fits the description of what OP wants

 

Whatever other merits the stories may have, I don't think they exactly make for riveting plots unless they're heavily embellished, and lots of people do not like it when you embellish the Bible.

Also, there is no shortage of truly awful Bible-based games out there, quite apart from the NES ones.
https://www.cracked.com/blog/5-baffling-video-games-based-bible/

I think it would be more accurate to say that lots of games and movies draw inspiration from mythmaking – the Hero's Journey described by Joseph Campbell, in particular.

 

The most Christian game I can think of is Crusader Kings. But that's more about playing as religious zealots and keeping your country together. But you can have Crusades and Jihads, go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, or a Hajj to Mecca.

You can also imprison all your sons, have them executed, so you can play as your favorite son next, who has the best stats. All the while fucking your sister as a secret Satanist.

Spoiler

Spoiler

You can also do stuff to the Jews or be a Jew.

 

it's called shin megami tensei

 

Yeah(weh), and its spin-offs - Last Bible series. Also, Xeno games bear a philosophical & religious burden. Here're quite enjoyable writeups about Xenoblade: https://withaterriblefate.com/category/xenoblade-chronicles/

 

God would never allow it!

 

Imagine the boss battles

 

Did you watch AVGN. Some bible games have rpg elements

 

ask and he shall receive... (yup... You get to roleplay as the Man Himself
)

 

I saw this one a couple weeks ago!

 

The main reason there were a lot of epic films based on bible stories way back when is because it is a good way to get more tits and violence in it ("it is in the bible, can't be bad") when you are otherwise being censored ( https://www.classichollywoodcentral.com/background/the-hays-code/ . Or if you prefer there is a reason there were few before then despite long form film being a thing for decades prior to that and after it was gone they also tended to stop being made or go more specialist/niche).

Anyway I don't know that the bible has much in the way of compelling stories or coherent narrative. Now you can make just about anything compelling (any number of video works covering a conversation over a mundane task have seen me there until it is done where I can fall asleep to by the numbers action -- give me "Coffee and Cigarettes" over another ageing action star there for the money) but you will have to dress it up so much I don't know if it is really recognisable (the seventh seal, even if it is not actually that then something most would assume to be a mundane conversation as they have possibly only seen the famous scene, being named for a bible verse after all) and would be a monster effort if not.

Today with religion, or at least those religions that have the bible as a holy book, being a concept on its way out from the world then I imagine most such things would be considered sales poison -- for films if it is not a super lame film starring either washed up actors or those that decided to do the whole born again thing, maybe with the very occasional thing that gets a crossover going on (see those Left Behind books which became films and also a few mediocre at very best RTS games), infantile stuff for children of those in the American interior where marginal higher rates of religiosity, a lack of selection and a captive market mean they can get away with utter drivel (most things I see here are sub edutainment level -- at least education games have to teach some maths or something where religious games for kids tend to be awful controlling platfomers, even by edutainment game standards, that maybe have a vaguely themed sprite and if any religious content is found in it then it is a text dump at the end of a level). Mainstream appeal is all but absent and all but the most hardcore (which would not be likely to play your games) buy the average COD-Battlefield-sports games and whatnot anyway so they probably figure why bother.

For RPGs specifically you have a couple of basically RPG maker type deals
https://gamejolt.com/games/alphaomega/336301
https://store.steampowered.com/app/449040/Jesus_Christ_RPG_Trilogy/

Plenty of things borrow art styles and something like a story or two. Something like Bayonetta going purely for imagery and a few minor character elements. Dante's Inferno being another rather loosely inspired by the book of the same name.

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron I actually really like as a game, though it might be more on the Jewish side of things (the story being about attempting to prevent the Noah's Arc flood thing but less of the one most Christians ever hear, you taking control of Enoch for the game). Does have a spinoff RPG as well on the PS4 but never even heard of it before 5 minutes ago.

A few things have some Templars as a character but most of those are not great games (I played many as many had touted co-op as a feature and I do like co-op games) and for any kind of historical or thematic accuracy there... Assassin's Creed is, relatively speaking, like looking back in the time machine that makes up the core concept of that series, and... yeah.

Some also headcanon things or actually play a role in a game -- Mass Effect had something of a notable thing where some would attempt to play Shepard as some flavour of Christian rather than gaming the system or doing whatever. Not sure how many games are suited to that sort of thing, though I would love to see a GTA playthrough done as such. Probably the main way you will be able to play anything with fancy 3d graphics though. Can't say I have ever gone looking for the mods and hacks here.