With Christmas creeping up, and Bethesda Softworks epic “Skyrim” recently receiving its beautiful remaster just in time for Christmas, it’s certainly going to be a title seen in plenty of letters to Santa this year. Winning awards and accolades left right and centre for both its original, and it’s re-release, Bethesda set the new standard for both fantasy games with Skyrim, and also online games with the release of The Elder Scrolls Online. But it certainly wasn’t the first great game in the fantasy genre, or the last. We take a look at some of the finest examples of from RPG’s to MMO’s, and even some of the top down classics. What’s your favourite? And does it make our list?
- World of Warcraft
Starting with the true Behemoth of Fantasy games, we kick things off with the game that absolutely changed everything. With a peak of over 12 million monthly subscribers at its peak in 2010, “WoW” as it’s more affectionately known is one of the most popular online games in history. Created by video game developer Blizzard Entertainment, it is the fourth game in the Warcraft lineage, and has had six expansions to date. A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), the game sets the player in one of three factions, the Alliance, or the Horde. The game allows you to play as a host of different races from your regular Human, Orc, Dwarf or Goblin, all the way to more unique races such as Pandaren, Worgen, Tauren or Blood Elf.
- Skyrim
The 5th full game in the Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim was released to universal acclaim back in 2011, earning itself three DLC’s and a full next-gen remaster in 2016. Set in Skyrim on the fictional continent of Tamriel, the main story follows your character as the “Dragonborn” caught in-between the civil war raging between the Imperials and the Stormcloak rebels over the true heir to the High King. The game features a host of different races from humans (Nord, Imperial, Redguard or Breton) to Elves (Altmer, Bosmer, or Dunmer) and also the Khajit, Argonian and Orsimer.
- Fable II
Set in the fictional land of Albion, this well-loved 2008 RPG from the now sadly defunct Lionhead Studios features the voices of a wealth of English talent from Oliver Cotton, Zoe Wannamaker and Stephen Fry. Beginning in the city of Bowerstone, the tale follows the hero Sparrow as a child, and later as an adult in a story of revenge and justice against the evil Lord Lucien. The game also has a good/evil mechanic, where the outcome of the game and the world around you is affected by your positive or negative actions.
- Dragon Age: Origins
In an era already filled with high quality, EA kept up the pace with 2009’s DA: Origins, described by some as the spiritual successor to the infamous “Baldurs Gate”. Released to critical acclaim, the game is set in the fictional kingdom of Ferelden during a period of civil strife, the game puts the player in the role of a warrior, mage or rogue coming from an elven, human, or dwarven background who must unite the kingdom to fight an impending invasion by demonic forces known as the “Darkspawn”. The game was an instant hit selling over 3.2 million copies since release.
- Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Taking a step back to 1998 with one of Nintendo’s most successful franchises, and one of the most loved games in history, Ocarina of Time was the first game in the Legend of Zelda series to feature 3D graphics. The game follows the character of Link through the fictional kingdom of Hyrule on a quest to save the Princess Zelda and stop the evil boss Ganondorf from capturing the Triforce, a holy relic that gives its owner godlike powers.
- Baldurs Gate
Developed by BioWare, and released in 1998 to much fanfare and critical acclaim, and credited with revitalizing the computer based RPG, Baldurs Gate has sold an estimated 8 million copies since its release. The first game in the Baldur’s Gate series, it takes place in the Forgotten Realms using a modified version of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition rules.
- Dark Souls
Receiving universal acclaim upon its release, Dark Souls is on plenty of lists that claim it to be one of the best video games ever released. Unlike the rich tapestry of lore weaved by plenty of the games on this list, Dark Souls has a uniquely minimalistic plot. Historical events in this world and their significance are often suggested though not directly expressed, mostly left to the player’s own interpretation rather than fully explained. Most of the story is given to the player through dialogue from in game characters and the world around them.
- Diablo
Blizzard’s 1996 RPG takes place in the Kingdom of Khanduras, located in the world of Sanctuary. The player takes control of a lone hero battling to rid the world of the Lord of Terror, Diablo. Beneath the town of Tristram, the player journeys through sixteen randomly generated dungeon levels, ultimately entering Hell itself in order to face the Lord of Terror himself.
- Dishonoured
Bethesda’s cult favourite was released to rave reviews from both critics and fans alike. With a beautifully crafted tale of revenge, the game takes you through the breath-taking Industrial city of Dunwall. The player takes on the role of Corvo Attano, a former bodyguard framed for murder, on his journey to save the Young Lady Emily from corrupt officials. The game allows the player to decide how to play the game, from quiet, stealthy and non-lethal, to loud, explosive and deadly, plus everything in between, ultimately affecting the world around you, and the game’s eventual outcome. The game earned itself a sequel at the end of 2016, released once again to universal acclaim.
- Warhammer Dawn of War
Warhammer is without a doubt one of the most loved table top games in history, spawning books, merchandise and a fan base of millions. The video game adaptation, “Dawn of War” was a sci-fi real time strategy released in 2004 that sold over 7 million copies, spawning two sequels, Dawn of War II & III, plus three expansion packs including Winter Assault, Dark Crusade and Soulstorm. The original game allows you to play as one of four factions, the Space Marines, the Chaos Marines, The Eldar and The Orks. The game is set in the Warhammer 40k universe, a dystopian vision of the far future where humanity has forged a galaxy-spanning empire, The Imperium of Man.
