Open-world games are popular among gamers. Exploring an expansive world provides a more immersive experience. Fantasy is also a favored genre among players, leading to thepopularity of open-world fantasy games. These games aren’t just about playing; they’re about getting lost in vast landscapes, embarking on epic quests, and discovering magical adventures.
Whether traversing the vast wilderness via horseback or delving into ancient ruins to uncover long-lost secrets, open-world fantasy games offer an exciting sense of adventure, magic, and discovery. This article discusses some ofthe most popular open-world fantasy games available.
WhileDragon’s Dogmamay not be the first game to pop into your mind when you think of open-world fantasy, the game has a cult following, making it worthy of mentioning. The first game generated enough buzz that a sequel is in the works.
In the game, you fight a dragon named Grigori or risk the end of the world. While the original game was released in 2012, the game was relaunched in 2016 as Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen. The highly anticipated sequel,Dragon’s Dogma 2, is set to launch in March 2024.
Bloodborneis a dark fantasy open-world game by FromSoftware, the developers of Elden Ring andDark Souls. In this Victorian-esque RPG, you explore the city of Yharnam to find a cure for a mysterious illness. The story slowly unravels as you uncover notes throughout Yharnam.
Players praise the game for its brilliant, Lovecraftian atmosphere, world-building, and writing. While darker than others on the list, it’s worth playing if you can handle haunting, mysterious horror and a feeling that lingers once you turn your gaming console off.
Dragon Age: Inquisitionis widely considered the fan-favorite of theDragon Ageseries. Upon release, the third RPG game received critical acclaim. This sequel focuses on traveling to Thedas to seal a portal that allows demonic enemies to wreak havoc on the world.
The game’s semi-open worlds invite exploration, with each corner brimming with secrets to uncover and quests to undertake. With its stellar writing and captivating gameplay, Dragon Age: Inquisition remains a timeless favorite among fans of open-world fantasy RPGs.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordoris a 2014 fantasy game, widely considered the best Lord of the Rings game to date by players. You play as Talion, a Ranger of Gondor. Talion bonds with a wraith, the Elf Lord Celebrimbor, and begins an adventure of vengeance.
This game received praise for its combat and open-world design. Shadow of Mordor also was the first game to use the Nemesis System. As you fight Orcs and other enemies, the Orcs level up and remember your actions. This made the game feel personal and immersive, earning a space on the list.
Diablo 4is the most recent addition to theDiablofranchise. Taking place 30 years after the events of Diablo 3, Lilith has returned. You play as a Nephalem, attempting to prevent further destruction. This dungeon-crawling RPG is the only open-world game in the series. Locations are connected and explorable, making it the most immersive Diablo game yet.
While theinteractions players encounter during explorationmay not be as strong as other fantasy RPGs, it still belongs on the list of the best open-world fantasy games.
Many fans regardThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildas the best game ever made. While many RPGs provide a range of side quests and map icons, Breath of the Wild makes the ending clear from the start, then it’s up to you how you get thereacross Hyrule.
The only waypoints are the ones that Link places. Exploring the world freely as you come across various side quests encourages slow travel rather than fast travel, making this a unique open-world fantasy game concept.
Elden Ringis a vast, explorable RPG that won Game of the Year in 2022. It’s been described as Dark Souls meets high fantasy and is a must-play for lovers of the dark fantasy genre.
In the game, you must explore the Lands Between as a Tarnished, an exiled warrior working to restore the Elden Ring to become the Elden Lord. With a rich story, vast landscape, and brutal challenges, fans raved about the game upon release.
The Witcher 3is one of the highest-rated RPGs of all time. Based on novels of the same name, the game follows Geralt of Rivia as he searches for his adoptive daughter Ciri, racing to find her before the Wild Hunt does.
As a monster hunter, you will encounter exciting fights and set pieces as they travel the large, open world. The side quests provide complex, moral choices and those choices may determine the outcome of the story. The characters, fights, and story are layered and lead to an immersive game-playing experience.
This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioningBaldur’s Gate 3. The latest addition to theBaldur’s Gate game seriesrecently won game of the year, making it one of the best fantasy games to date. This Dungeons and Dragons RPG follows your character as you navigate a mind-flayer invasion.
The fight against the mind-flayer tadpole will take you all across Faerun in 3 different acts, with various fights, companions, and choices throughout the massive map. With impressive voice acting, storytelling, and combat, players can’t get enough of this award-winning fantasy game.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimchanged the game for open-world RPGs. The game’s expansive open world, rich storytelling, and immersive character creation were groundbreaking when the game launched in 2011. Remastered on every platform with a thriving mod community, Skyrim is widely considered a masterpiece.
The lore is captivating, and players feel as if every detail has been covered. The sheer size of the map makes it difficult to finish every side quest before ending the main quest line. With customizable characters, it’s impossible to find a more impressive open-world fantasy game.
