For a book series, there isn’t a more magical series for kids than Harry Potter. The magic system is relatively simple in that universe, and it works like this: if a person has magical blood in them, then they can learn virtually any spell as long as they are taught the incantation, with some occasional mental visualization for the more powerful spells. It’s the equivalent of learning Calculus in the real world.
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People can turn others into rats, make objects float, create walls of fire, and so on. It looks cool in the movies, but it is technically limiting, and the video game adaptations have only had one breakout hit via Hogwarts Legacy. For fans of magic of all kinds, surely there are better spell systems in games than Harry Potter, so let’s take a look at some more diverse offerings.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Dual-Wielding Magic
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is a legendary RPG and one of the best, if not the best, in The Elder Scrolls series. Players can customize their character and then set off exploring the world. Everything they do matters, like the spell system, for instance. Players will start with a few spells on hand, but they can learn a lot more through reading books or scrolls they find or purchase. Players can equip a spell in each hand and dual-wield to diversify their loadout, like casting a healing spell with the left hand while the right shoots bolts of lightning.
The more players use their spells, the stronger those spells will become, and there are also skill trees to strengthen the core discipline behind spells. Finally, equipping the same spell in both hands will create a stronger version, so players can pretend they are Goku in Dragon Ball, casting a Kamehameha Wave with their fireballs. That’s a specific example, but the point is, magic is accessible to all in the world of Tamriel as long as players practice.
Avowed
From Spells To Wands
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 recent RPGs. Players can create their character and spec them in any way they want with skills or spells. Creating a mage is easy as there are several skill trees, each flowing down specific spell-based rabbit roles. There are various fire and ice spells, for example, and a lot of them have environmental effects. Players can freeze water to walk on it, thus opening new paths.
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Players can also wield wands in Avowed, like in Harry Potter, but they’re a bit more lethal as they shoot spurts of magic like bullets at enemies. There are also spell books, which are packed with a variety of spells. The nice thing is that high-level spells can be used by low-level characters, depending on a few factors, allowing magic to be used by all character types. Best of all, if players have learned a spell, like casting a stream of fire, and their equipped book has that same spell, then they can combine those spells into a stronger attack.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Know Your Archetype
Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Released
- October 11, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a turn-based fantasy RPG from Atlus, sort of like a spiritual spinoff to the Persona series. It has a class system, dubbed "Archetypes," that all playable characters can utilize. Some Archetypes are exclusive, but only toward end-level character builds. Each Archetype comes equipped with certain stats, skills, and spells that players can learn. A Knight, for example, focuses mostly on protection and physical attacks, whereas a Mage has traditional elemental spells, from fire to ice attacks.
Like characters, Archetypes will level up and evolve, typically offering players different pathways to pursue. In battle, certain Archetypes will bond with others, offering players new skills or spells to summon as dual attacks, which is a dynamic system. It should be noted that the game is primarily a turn-based RPG, but players can attack and kill weaker enemies in real-time combat, too, or they can at least weaken enemies before the turn-based battle begins. The Archetype system is exclusive to the heroes in the game, but magic, overall, is something that readily persists for those gifted enough in Metaphor: ReFantazio’s world.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
The Magic Of Fusion
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- March 24, 2008
- ESRB
- Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 is a prequel to Final Fantasy 7 and stars Zack, an old SOLDIER buddy of Cloud’s. The Final Fantasy 7 universe’s magic system relies on orbs called Materia, which contain purified magic from the holy age. In this prequel, they operate virtually the same as the mainline game. Zack is the only playable character, and he can equip various Materia to his equipment to give his blade an edge in battle.
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Cure can heal him, while Fire will cast a fireball at his enemies. New to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 is the fusion system, with which players can take almost any piece of Materia and fuse it to another to create something new. Players can create dark versions of spells, for example, which can add status effects, making it a fun system to experiment with. On the whole, Materia is accessible to everyone in Final Fantasy 7’s world and doesn’t require inherent magical gifts in the slightest.
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy
À La Carte Spells
Bravely Default
- Released
- February 7, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Silicon Studio
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is basically a reboot of the Final Fantasy franchise in all but name. The game stars four unlikely heroes trying to protect the world’s elemental crystals from dark forces. When players defeat big bosses, they will gain an Asterisk, allowing them to transform into a new class called a Job. Players can become healing White Mages or offensive Black Mages, to give some magical examples of Jobs. Instead of learning spells through leveling up, though, players can simply buy spells from vendors, essentially letting the whole group share in the magical knowledge.
Once a tier is unlocked through a Job’s leveling process, that character can then use the purchased skill. Also, there is a cross-class system in the game, so even if players assume the role of a more melee-focused Job like a Monk, they can still use Black Mage spells if they have the skill equipped. As far as Job systems in games go, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy has a great one, and it’s wonderful that presumably anyone with a will in this world can buy and learn magic.
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