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The Top Fantasy Video Games of All Time
Some of the most popular video games in the market have high fantasy settings as their backdrop.
23:14 10 March 2023
Some of the most popular video games in the market have high fantasy settings as their backdrop. It is simple to understand why, given that Dungeons & Dragons and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings might serve as inspiration for narratives and locations in video games.
Tolkienesque high fantasy settings have, however, declined in popularity in recent years as more developers have opted to adopt post-apocalyptic or even contemporary settings. However, that doesn't mean there aren't many excellent high fantasy games out there. Some of the best video games from the past two generations continue to make use of fantasy settings rich in elves, witchcraft, swords, and sorcery. The fantasy genre also dominates the online gaming industry which can be seen from the sheer amount of fantasy titles listed in this slot review like Age of Gods and Thunderstruck II.
Here are some of the top fantasy video games of all time.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is an obvious choice for fans of high fantasy who enjoy dark, perilous realms because it is already regarded as a strong contender for Game of the Year in 2022. The same studio that invented and popularised the Souls-like subgenre also made Elden Ring. Fans of the Souls series will be familiar with this game from FromSoft, but it has evolved by being set in a large open-world environment. There are many dragons, trolls, dark knights, and other creatures for fantasy fans to battle.
Dragon Quest 11
Nintendo released the first game in the Japanese RPG series Dragon Quest in 1986. Players of all ages can enjoy the series' vibrant and whimsical imagination. Dragon Quest 11 is the most recent game in the series, and it might be the greatest one yet. The game boasts a tale that rivals Dragon Quest 5 and has enough surprises to surprise even the most jaded RPG fans. It may be played for up to 100 hours. Including new cutscenes, symphonic music, a classic 2D mode, and all the PS4 DLC, Dragon Quest 11 S is an enhanced ultimate edition of the game that was released for the Nintendo Switch.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The first game in the action-adventure series, The Legend of Zelda, debuted in 1986 on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Since that time, almost all of the games in the series have emerged as some of the most important fantasy games ever made.
The classic RPG Alundra was inspired by games like The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. Breath of the Wild has more recently served as an inspiration for games like Elden Ring and Immortals: Fenix Rising. One of the best fantasy adventure games of any generation is Links' most recent journey. It has a lovely environment to explore and captivating lore for fantasy aficionados.
The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
The game was made available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and, more recently, the Nintendo Switch. It was based on the same-titled fantasy novel series by Andrzej Sapkowski. In addition, Netflix turned The Witcher into a big-budget television series with Henry Cavill in the title role, and with a third season on the horizon, fans have a lot to look forward to in its adaptation thanks to the success of the video game.
The Witcher 3 is a remarkable accomplishment. The tale and the characters that live there are as complex as the ones in the novels, and it has one of the most intricate game worlds ever created. The side quests aren't just pointless diversion either; they provide the player a number of moral decisions that can and will change the world they are in.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is available for the PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and other platforms. It is already acclaimed as one of the most dynamic role-playing games ever created, where each player's decision has an impact and results in reality.
Similar to The Witcher 3, the game forces players to make exceedingly difficult moral choices throughout and has characters who hardly ever fit into the good or evil categories. Additionally, there are so many options available to players that it almost feels like a Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game, allowing even more freedom than the vintage CRPGs that served as its inspiration. It seems appropriate that Larian is now working on Baldur's Gate 3, which will have an official launch in 2023 and is currently available in Early Access on Steam.