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Fantasy has been a common theme in video games since the medium’s inception, especially in role-playing games, or RPGs, which involve deep, lore-heavy worlds that can take hundreds, if not thousands, of hours to fully explore. These games are so popular because they offer a form of escapism. For a while, you can be someone else entirely, exploring a world far more interesting than that of our own.
The last quarter century or so has been a pretty big time for video games, with technology rapidly advancing and a massive boom in development across the board. With so many games coming out from independent publishers and major studios, it can be hard to pick out what truly stands out. However, when you think about cultural impact, critical reception, and widespread popularity, the best fantasy games of the last 25 years are easy to find.
10
‘World of Warcraft’ (2004)
World of Warcraft is an extremely popular MMO that is still active and which is still regularly adding new content. It’s basically the textbook definition of what an MMO should be, with guilds to join, quests and raids to complete, people to trade with, and a vast, immersive world to explore. This is a game that actively encourages social interaction, as you’ll probably have a hard time getting through the game completely solo.
While the game does face some scrutiny for the fact that one has to pay a $15 per month subscription fee to play it, its enormous community definitely speaks to its quality. World of Warcraft had a monumental impact on the gaming world, inspiring various other MMOs and RPGs, birthing memes, and even being repeatedly referenced in other forms of media. There are people who have played this game religiously for decades, because it’s just that addicting. It would frankly be a crime to not include it here.
9
‘The Witcher III: Wild Hunt’ (2015)
The Witcher III: Wild Hunt is the third game based on Andrzej Sapkowski‘s hit series of fantasy novels and short stories. The games serve as a sequel to the novels, featuring the same protagonist in the same world. Geralt of Rivia is a Witcher, a sort of partially undead magical being whose sole purpose is to hunt monsters plaguing the land. Most of these monsters come from folklore and mythology from all across the world.
While players don’t exactly get to choose their character, the game is still pretty versatile, allowing players to tackle things at their own pace. If you want to be the guy to actually take on the main threat of the story, that’s fine, but if you just want to move from town to town, accepting bounties and local monster hunting contracts, hey, that’s fine, too. The world is expansive, lore-driven, and intricately crafted, with lots of hidden Easter eggs to discover. There’s never a dull moment in this game, which is why it’s still popular all these years later.
8
‘Kingdom Hearts’ (2002)
Kingdom Hearts is a pretty ambitious concept that captured the imaginations of many a 2000s kid. This family-friendly title is a collaboration by Square and Disney, meaning both companies share influence in this game. Square’s influence is in the game’s combat and role-playing elements, a direct result of the Final Fantasy franchise, while Disney’s influence shines in its story, target audience, and the literal presence of Disney characters. Heck, even some Final Fantasy characters make an appearance.
The original game from 2002 is widely considered to be one of the greatest of all time, and was a huge commercial success. There are multiple worlds to progress through, each based on various Disney animated films, with many familiar characters populating them. Overall, this game was a really great way to explore the worlds of Disney’s films, and a fantastically original concept that ultimately did pretty well for itself. There’s a reason it’s considered a classic today.
7
‘Shadow of the Colossus’ (2005)
Shadow of the Colossus and its remake are PlayStation-exclusive titles with one heck of a concept. You play as Wander, a young man who travels into the Forbidden Land to awaken the evil god Dormin in an effort to resurrect his dead girlfriend, the princess. Dormin reveals that Wander must slay sixteen colossi scattered across the Forbidden Land. Each colossus has a different method to defeat it, and is big enough that Wander has to physically climb up its back in order to strike at its weak points.
The boss fights are super fun, but the game also excels in its storytelling. The Forbidden Land is extremely empty, but it’s on purpose. There are no enemies apart from the colossi and no other living humans around; there’s just you and your trusty steed. It’s a washed-out, depressing world that is, conversely, so much fun to explore. The colossi are also really well thought out. Some are standard human-shaped bipeds, others fly, burrow in the sand, and even swim in deep lakes, meaning each new fight is a brand new experience. The game also requires players to think outside the box quite a bit in order to defeat these behemoths. Shadow of the Colossus is a masterpiece of storytelling, and one of the greatest fantasy games ever made.
6
‘Dragon Age: Origins’ (2009)
Dragon Age: Origins is the first in the Dragon Age series, a BioWare role-playing game set in a new, original universe. It’s also considered the best in the series before it kind of fell off. It’s the only entry in the series that isn’t an action RPG; instead, in classic BioWare form, players must assemble a party of heroes and use tactics and skills to their advantage when engaging enemies. The player can take three other party members with them on their quest, but must choose who they are wisely, strategically choosing members for their roles and overall abilities.
Likewise, players can also create their own character and even choose their backstory, which determines how the game opens up. Story-wise, the game is about a rising threat known as the Blight, which threatens to swallow the land. Standing against the Blight are the Grey Wardens, a group of specially-trained warriors who are rapidly accepting recruits now that the Blight is stronger than ever. With lots of side quests and interesting environments to explore, Dragon Age: Origins is a bona fide masterpiece. By far the best thing about it, though, is the banter and witty dialogue that can be exchanged between party members.
5
‘God of War’ (2018)
Prior to 2018, the God of War series of video games was primarily centered on Greek mythology, and was a huge, bloody hack-and-slash affair, featuring elaborate stunts, gigantic setpieces, and boss fights with some of the most prominent figures in Greek myth. However, the 2018 reboot scaled things down a bit. Instead, the series focuses on Norse mythology, though the story is a direct continuation with the same protagonist.
The combat is completely different, and the game takes a more open-world approach. Yet, this new style was actually better than the original games, and that’s saying something considering the originals were pretty good, too. While the action isn’t quite as over-the-top, the combat is so much tighter and more rewarding. There are also definitive side quests, and Kratos, the protagonist, has much more emotional depth to him. It was the perfect way to bring back the franchise. While the recent sequel was good too, this reboot is arguably the best in the entire franchise. That TV adaptation can’t come soon enough.
4
‘Dark Souls’ (2011)
Dark Souls puts the player into the shoes of the Chosen Undead, an individual destined to link the First Flame and rekindle the Age of Fire, turning the bleak, desolate wasteland of a world into a thriving utopia once more. But doing this is no easy road. Indeed, the Dark Souls series got something of a reputation for being extremely difficult, which is something the developers have never budged on. Players will take on tough enemies, even tougher bosses, and will have to navigate through large, labyrinthine environments on their quest to save the world from itself.
Death is common in this game, to the point that it is even used as a narrative device. Like many role-playing games, Dark Souls lets you play however you want. If you want to be a mage, that’s doable, but you can also choose to be a heavy tank with large weapons and a massive health pool or a nimble ninja that relies on evasion. It takes place in a really bleak and oppressive world, and for the most part, players will be entirely alone, using only environmental clues to figure out the lore and the story on their own. This game and its sequels spawned a whole subgenre of RPGs, and its influence is still felt, so it definitely earns a spot on this list.
3
‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ (2017)
The Legend of Zelda series has been running for a really long time, with the first game coming out on the NES way back in the 1980s. A new installment comes out for Nintendo consoles or handhelds every few years or so, but in 2017, the franchise went through a massive overhaul. Enter The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Now, these games have always been open-world to an extent, but this entry gave that mechanic a completely overhaul.
The kingdom of Hyrule is so much bigger than it used to be, and there is so much more to do. Sometimes people get lost for hours just exploring the world and making no real progress, but even this is a fun activity. Unlike a lot of the other Zelda titles, this one lets you go at your own pace; you can complete the game super early if you want, or you can take your sweet time. This entry added so much to the franchise that it completely redefined what Zelda is really all about. It might not be the best title in the series, but it’s certainly the best one to come out in the last 25 years.
2
‘Baldur’s Gate III’ (2023)
Baldur’s Gate III is the newest entry in its franchise, which still feels brand-smacking-new despite being three years old. The game is an adaptation of the tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, or at least, it’s a fresh story set in the same world. What brought the game popularity was its narrative choices, which can deeply impact the game in all kinds of unexpected ways. Each and every choice is important, which means every action has real consequences.
Beyond that, the gameplay included classic D&D elements like 20-sided die rolls and character stats, making it feel like a great way to play the tabletop game solo. Combat is fun and tight, seamlessly blending real-time exploration with turn-based strategy, meaning tactics are important here. There are so many different ways to experience this game that it’s likely people will still be at it decades from now, which is why it’s one of the best fantasy games of the last 25 years.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a game that likely needs no introduction. The story is set in the nation of Tamriel, in the Northern province of Skyrim, home of the race of Nords. In this harsh terrain, dragons have mysteriously started coming back to life following a long period of extinction. To save the world from this new threat, a chosen one called the Dragonborn must rise and defeat Alduin, the World-Eater, and the leader of the dragons.
The world is so vast, and there are so many side activities that it’s easy to dump thousands of hours into this game and never get bored. The world of Skyrim is not only gorgeous, but it’s also huge, and each location is meticulously crafted, with a distinct story behind it. It’s one of those games that people never get bored of, especially with an active modding community and multiple DLC packs by way of the Creation Club. This game is so extremely popular that people have never stopped playing it since its release, and aren’t bound to any time soon. The quality is absolutely top-tier, which is why it’s arguably the best fantasy video game of the last 25 years, if not of all time.
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Dawson Nyffenegger
Almontather Rassoul
