Some of the best fantasy games of all time are third-person action RPGs. For example, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a great example made by Western developers, while Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a good Japanese example. Then there are fantasy games that are not quite RPGs, but are fantastic all the same, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
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Fantasy games are pretty commonplace, as are action games, but seeing the two combined so effectively in these games is something special.
Beyond the big franchises, there are few fantasy first-person games out there. The pool is thin, but the ones that rise to the top are special, from shooters to more classic RPGs. Those games will be ranked here based on their quality and the fantasy worlds they set up.
10 MythForce
Saturday Morning Magic
MythForce
- Released
- April 20, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
MythForce is a roguelike with a cartoony aesthetic, starring heroes and villains that would fit right in with a Saturday morning cartoon show. Players can choose from several characters, each with a starting loadout, from mage builds to powerful knights.
Enemies will come in waves upon entering a new room, and players have to fry them up with fire, fill them with arrows, and slash them to ribbons before they can move on. It’s a standard roguelike premise with temporary upgrades and permanent ones coming after runs. Plus, there is co-op to make things a bit easier.
9 Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
Fantasy Borderlands
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
- Released
- March 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Crude, Humor, Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, FPS
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is a Borderlands spinoff set in a lifelike board game called Bunkers and Badasses, with Tiny Tina telling a masterfully weird story as the central narrative. Instead of exploring semi-open maps, players will go from mission zone to mission zone via a world map akin to old-school Final Fantasy games.
There’s still plenty of shooting, but the guns have more of a fantasy edge to them, along with all the enemies. It may not have fully nailed its premise, but Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is a good spinoff with plenty of action, either alone or with friends.
8 Immortals Of Aveum
Gun-Based Magic
Immortals of Aveum
- Released
- August 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ascendant Studios
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Immortals of Aveum is set in a war-torn world where magic is basically used in place of guns. Players can equip various bracers and sigils to grant them new magic types that mimic classic firearms. There are sniper rifles, rocket launchers, standard assault rifles, shotguns, and more.
It’s one of the coolest magic systems for a shooter in years, even if the guns don’t exactly look like guns. Plus, players can lash at enemies and even block attacks with a magic shield. Finding loot, trying out new builds, and upgrading can be a lot of fun in this single-player-focused game.
7 Dragon Quest Builders 2
Minecraft With A Purpose
Dragon Quest Builders 2
- Released
- July 12, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix, Omega Force
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Adventure
Dragon Quest Builders 2 lets players create their character and then go on an adventure across a wide range of lands. They will have to stop monsters from invading villages, and will rebuild them back to prosperity in the process.
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Each arc is slightly different than the last, but players can expect a good balance of fighting, crafting, and building. Some tasks work better in third-person, but playing in first-person is an option, and so Dragon Quest Builders 2 deserves to be on this list. A list about fantasy games without a single Dragon Quest title would be missing out.
6 Doom: The Dark Ages
A Dark Medieval Shooter
DOOM: The Dark Ages
- Released
- May 15, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
The Doom series has always had a bit of a fantastical edge to it since The Doom Guy was fighting demons from the underworld on Mars, but the latest entry, Doom: The Dark Ages, really goes whole hog on the fantasy theming.
One of the coolest new mechanics is the shield, which also has a buzz saw attached to it. Players can rev it up like a chainsaw and go to town on enemies. Furthermore, each weapon has a personal twist to it that makes it fun to use. Whether it’s on the ground or in a giant mech, the carnage in this game will make players feel like a heavy metal god.
5 Avowed
An Elemental Paradise
Avowed
- Released
- February 18, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
Avowed has one of the best magic systems in an RPG in ages, along with a colorful world to explore across many biomes. Players can customize their character and build them however they like, but magic has a lot of uses outside of combat, making it stand out more.
Using ice magic can freeze lakes and create shortcuts, for example. Wands are satisfying to use, Grimoires are packed full of spells to test out, and the actual spell skill tree has a lot to choose from. Beyond that, the combat feels remarkably fresh for a first-person game, which is impressive because it can be tricky to nail melee-based combat, but Avowed made it work.
4 Minecraft
Building Your Blocky Life
Minecraft
- Released
- November 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Minecraft is certainly one of the biggest first-person games ever made, even if the fantasy elements are more low-fi. There are no sweeping quests or epic narratives in Minecraft, but the creativity can be endless. That’s why it has remained popular for well over a decade, because it’s fun for all ages and the learning curve is relatively simple.
Not everyone can recreate the Sistine Chapel or the Roman Coliseum out of blocks with running electricity, but that’s not the goal for everyone. Some players simply want to dig for materials and go with the flow instead of making a plan, and that versatility is what makes Minecraft so special.
3 Shining The Holy Ark
Remembering The Classics
Shining the Holy Ark
- Released
- December 20, 1996
- Platform(s)
- Sega Saturn
Shining the Holy Ark is one of the lost gems of the Sega Saturn era, no longer playable in any official capacity, nor is most of the Shining series. It’s a shame, because Nintendo fans may dig it the most. Camelot Software Planning developed it, which most may know from the Golden Sun series or the various Mario sports titles.
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The game is a dungeon crawler wherein players assemble their team and navigate dungeons in first person. Combat transitions quickly, and all the sprites still look great thanks to their excellent animations. However RPG fans like to play, Shining the Holy Ark still holds up decades later as an absolute treasure.
2 Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends Of The Titan
Crawl At Your Own Pace
Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan
- Released
- February 26, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends of the Titan is another great dungeon crawler, but a bit more modernized with plenty of customization options. Players can create their team of five and build their classes into distinct areas of expertise, from front-line attackers to back-row supporters.
Players can explore diverse dungeons and map them out themselves with plenty of tools. Etrian Odyssey is one of the most challenging and complex dungeon crawler franchises around, but if players had to pick one, Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends of the Titan would be the one to try out, even though it is still stuck on the 3DS.
1 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
An All-Purpose RPG
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Since its debut in 2011, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has become a staple in the fantasy community. Released in what seems like hundreds of different versions, it is certainly one of the most accessible games to buy and play today.
Availability is not its only strength, though, because its open-world is impressive, along with the freedom it gives players. If they see a mountain in the distance, they can go there. That objective became both a meme and a promise to all players that the game had no limits. The world is fully explorable, filled with hundreds of quests, locations, weapons, and more. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is the game that most games strive to be.
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