Fantasy themes in video games are one of the most common settings on the medium. The backdrop has appeared in almost every genre imaginable from RPGs to beat-em-ups. Whether games are taking inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings or Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian, high fantasy and sword and sorcery will always have a place.

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Unfortunately, with such a large number of fantasy games getting released every year, there will be titles in the genre that get overlooked. In addition, some get forgotten in time with many fantasy classics not getting a sequel or even a remake for decades. Old or new, let’s take a look at ten forgotten fantasy games that still need to get played.

10 Champions Of Norath

Released in 2004 for the PlayStation 2, Champions of Norath was developed by Snowblind Studios, who also created the Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance series on the PS2. Champions of Norath uses an enhanced version of the isometric hack-and-slash engine featured in their Dark Alliance series.

Snowblind Studios also released a sequel in 2005 called Champions: Return To Arms. Both games are set in the Everquest MMO fantasy universe. Visually, they are two of the best looking games on the PS2 and are great couch co-op games that managed to surpass the Dark Alliance series.

9 Altered Beast

Released in 1988 for the arcade, Sega Master System, and the Sega Megadrive/Genesis. It was sold as a built-in game for the Sega Genesis in European and North American territories. Altered Beast is a side-scrolling beat-em-up with a Greek mythology setting inspired by Ray Harryhausen's The Clash of the Titans movie.

Players would need to collect spirit balls throughout the course of the levels to gain size and strength. If three are collected then the player’s character can turn into a mythological beast like a werewolf, weretiger, dragon, and golden werewolf. The game can still be played on the Sega Genesis Collections for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

8 Dragon’s Dogma

Dragon’s Dogma was first released in 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was later remastered for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2017 and the Nintendo Switch in 2019. Despite all the remasters and good critical scoring, Dragon’s Dogma has never quite reached the heights of Capcom’s other flagship series like Devil May Cry.

Nevertheless, Dragon’s Dogma is one of the best action RPGs set in a high fantasy world available. It doesn’t have an amazing story but the atmospheric world of Gransys and the monster battles are some of the most imaginative seen in the genre. In addition, Dragon’s Dogma has one of the most robust character creators available in an RPG.

7 Golden Axe

The Golden Axe series is a side-scrolling high fantasy beat-em-up developed by Sega. It was originally released in arcades before finding a home on the Sega Master System and the Sega Megadrive/Genesis in 1989.

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Taking a lot of its visual inspiration from the Conan the Barbarian movies, Golden Axe allowed players to select male and female barbarians and a dwarf character. Later games in the series incorporated more complex mechanics and puzzles and the couch co-op multiplayer is still some of the best available. Like Altered Beast, the Golden Axe series is available in its entirety on the Sega Genesis Collection.

6 The King’s Quest Series

The Kings Quest series is a graphic adventure hybrid point and click games based on high fantasy and fairy tales. The series began in 1980 and there nine titles including the 2015 episodic reboot. All games in the series are consistently clever with entertaining, funny and heartfelt stories.

The complete series up to the eighth entry is available from retailers like Steam and the episodic reimagining, which takes place in between then events of its predecessors, is available on the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the PC.

5 Conan (2007)

conan

The Conan video game released in 2007 on the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 remains one of the most faithful adaptations of the Conan the Barbarian character in gaming. Its gameplay is very similar to the God of War series but it implements a very satisfying counter and parry combat system.

In addition, it features excellent voice work from Hellboy’s Ron Perlman in the titular role and Stargate SG1s Claudia Black in the role of A’Kanna. Special mention should go to Conan’s incredible soundtrack by composer Mike Reagan, which is epic in its own right.

4 Blue Dragon

Released in 2006, exclusively for the Xbox 360, Blue Dragon was the first JRPG developed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi’s development studio Mistwalker. It is a traditional turn-based fantasy RPG with artwork from acclaimed Dragon Quest artist Akira Toriyama, and music from legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu.

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Blue Dragon plays like a combination of classic Final Fantasy titles due to its job system and Chrono Trigger and the Dragon Quest series in terms of its presentation. The game also has the benefit of being backward compatible with the Xbox One and performs much better than it did on the 360 as a result.

3 Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle Earth II

battle for middle earth 2 - storming castle walls

Released in 2006 for the PC and Xbox 360 in 2006, Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle Earth II is a real-time strategy with similar mechanics to the Command & Conqueror series. It’s based on the fantasy novels and films of the same name and allows players to participate in both evil and good campaigns.

Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle Earth II is also surprisingly accessible on Xbox 360 with easy to use menus and interface. Even though the multiplayer servers have long been shut down, it still features a worthwhile single-player experience.

2 Legend Of Dragoon

Developed exclusively by Sony, Legend Of Dragoon was released on the PlayStation in 1999 at the peak of the Final Fantasy popularity on the system. It drew many comparisons to Final Fantasy VII in particular but still managed to carve out an identity of its own.

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Despite selling well at the time, Legend Of Dragoon never received the sequel that fans have been hoping for and even talks of a remaster have run cold recently. It’s a shame because LoD is a fantastic high fantasy JRPG with its own unique combo-based battle system and beautiful pre-rendered backdrops.

1 The Last Story

The Last Story has a great combat system with engaging characters

The Last Story was released on the Nintendo Wii in 2012 for western territories. It is the final home console release from Hironobu Sakaguchi’s Mistwalker studio and is arguably the best. The Last Story is an action RPG with unique environmental-based combat that implements western action game mechanics like a cover system.

The characters and world-building in The Last Story are also very well developed with dialogue and character interactions feeling natural and often funny throughout. If ever there was a game that deserved a remaster for the Nintendo Switch, its The Last Story as it definitely deserves a second run on the better selling console.

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