ARE YOU SICK OF ALL OF THE SCI-FI FLOODING THE MARKET? GET THESE FANTASY GAMES ON THE GO AND LOSE YOURSELF IN AN AGE LONG FORGOTTEN
LOST ODYSSEY
If you were looking for a great Final Fantasy game last generation, you didn’t need to look much further than Lost Odyssey. Directed by famed FF creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, it took players through the life and adventures of Kaim a man that lived for a thousand years but has no memory of his past. Set in a world in turmoil as it approaches a magical industrial revolution, this turn-based RPG was relentless in its attempt and eventual success to make you cry. Presented over four discs, this is still one of the best Japanese RPGs to come in a very long time.
FABLE 2
Fable is one of Microsoft’s best exclusive franchises, and it’s still bloody wonderful to return to its crowning moment 2008’s Fable 2. Set 500 years after the original game, Fable 2 whisks us away once again to Albion, a land as beautiful as it is dangerous. While some of the mechanics have noticeably dated, there’s something pure to be enjoyed from the wealth of moral options presented, and the impact they have on your character and story. Peter Molyneux may have promised (and failed to deliver) the earth and more, but he still managed to release one of the best fantasy games on 360.
GAME OF THRONES A TELLTALE GAME SERIES
We honestly never expected Game Of Thrones to translate so perfectly into Telltale Games’ episodic game format. Like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, Telltale carved out a space to tell a new adventure within the universe, as the player follows the northern House Forrester following the War of the Five Kings. Westeros is one of the best fantasy settings in TV and fiction, so it’s perhaps no surprise that its debut on Xbox One is unmissable for fans of Game Of Thrones and fantasy alike.
DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION
BioWare did a pretty sensational job of setting a new benchmark for fantasy universes with Dragon Age: Inquisition. If you’re into dragons, swords, dragons, magic and, obviously, dragons, then what are you doing? Go and get this installed already. As to be is expected with a BioWare release, the character customisation options are robust, and the scope for diving into the world through conversations and side-quests is huge. The combat is also greatly improved over the previous games, making this the perfect starting point for fantasy fans.
KAMEO: ELEMENTS OF POWER
Sure, this might not be traditional fantasy, but it’s no less impressive. Rare made an impressive debut on the Xbox 360 with Perfect Dark: Zero, but it’s the other launch title that we still return to Kameo: Elements Of Power to take control of elf princess Kameo as she attempts to banish her evil sister Kalus and the troll king Thorn from a beautiful land ripe with adventure. It’s as you explore this fantasy land, and take control of ten elemental warriors, that you realise Kameo is something of an underrated 360 gem.
DARK SOULS
Dark Souls definitely isn’t for everyone. This tough-as-nails action-RPG has you trawling through dank dungeons and tight corridors against enemies so crazy hard it’ll have you introducing your controller to the wall. Probably several times. It’s time to invest in a padded cell, is what we’re saying. But that isn’t to say Dark Souls isn’t worthy of your time, especially for those that love to go hunting for lore and exploring every inch of interesting fantasy worlds. Lordran may look bland on the surface, but those willing to sacrifice the time and energy will find an experience quite unlike any other waiting.
THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM
For many years now, Tamriel has proven to be one of the most incredible lands to explore on Xbox but never has that been truer than with the sensational open-world RPG Skyrim. Bethesda had a lot to live up to, following Oblivion and Fallout 3, but the studio somehow managed to blow our expectations out of the water. Skyrim really gives you room to breathe, to define your character and place in an incredible setting just waiting for you to leave your mark on its history. Four years on, this is still the RPG to beat.
DRAGON’S DOGMA
Daunting is pretty much the only way to describe Dragon’s Dogma. It’s the sort of game that only springs to life when you’ve sunk an embarrassing amount of hours into learning its nuances, levelling up, and exploring its lush, ambitious world. Despite being overlooked upon release in 2012, it’s proven to be much more of a long-term experience, and one of the best games to come from Capcom in a good long while. Think Devil May Cry meets Shadow Of The Colossus, with just a little hint of Monster Hunter thrown in for good measure if that doesn’t get you excited, we don’t know what will.
THE WITCHER 2: ASSASSINS OF KINGS
If you own an Xbox One, there’s a fairly strong chance you’re feverishly excited about leaping into The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Word to the wise: play The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings first. CD Projekt RED has created a lore and history heavy world, and while you’ll still have fun, if you want to understand what’s going on, you need to start here at the very least. Thankfully, The Witcher 2 is a pretty incredible game. It’s a tightly-paced, well-structured RPG that will have any and all fantasy fans begging for more by the end.
ODDWORLD: STRANGER’S WRATH
Okay, this might the strangest entry in this list of fantasy games you absolutely have to play but who can honestly say they aren’t interested in romping through Oddworld’s undeniably quirky world as a bounty hunter in search of pockets full of Moolah? Stranger’s Wrath released just ahead of the Xbox 360 and was mostly overlooked, but with a crazy ‘live-ammunition’ system and clever puzzle mechanics, this was one fantasy FPS that tried to break the mould.
LOST ODYSSEY
If you were looking for a great Final Fantasy game last generation, you didn’t need to look much further than Lost Odyssey. Directed by famed FF creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, it took players through the life and adventures of Kaim a man that lived for a thousand years but has no memory of his past. Set in a world in turmoil as it approaches a magical industrial revolution, this turn-based RPG was relentless in its attempt and eventual success to make you cry. Presented over four discs, this is still one of the best Japanese RPGs to come in a very long time.
FABLE 2
Fable is one of Microsoft’s best exclusive franchises, and it’s still bloody wonderful to return to its crowning moment 2008’s Fable 2. Set 500 years after the original game, Fable 2 whisks us away once again to Albion, a land as beautiful as it is dangerous. While some of the mechanics have noticeably dated, there’s something pure to be enjoyed from the wealth of moral options presented, and the impact they have on your character and story. Peter Molyneux may have promised (and failed to deliver) the earth and more, but he still managed to release one of the best fantasy games on 360.
GAME OF THRONES A TELLTALE GAME SERIES
We honestly never expected Game Of Thrones to translate so perfectly into Telltale Games’ episodic game format. Like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, Telltale carved out a space to tell a new adventure within the universe, as the player follows the northern House Forrester following the War of the Five Kings. Westeros is one of the best fantasy settings in TV and fiction, so it’s perhaps no surprise that its debut on Xbox One is unmissable for fans of Game Of Thrones and fantasy alike.
DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION
BioWare did a pretty sensational job of setting a new benchmark for fantasy universes with Dragon Age: Inquisition. If you’re into dragons, swords, dragons, magic and, obviously, dragons, then what are you doing? Go and get this installed already. As to be is expected with a BioWare release, the character customisation options are robust, and the scope for diving into the world through conversations and side-quests is huge. The combat is also greatly improved over the previous games, making this the perfect starting point for fantasy fans.
KAMEO: ELEMENTS OF POWER
Sure, this might not be traditional fantasy, but it’s no less impressive. Rare made an impressive debut on the Xbox 360 with Perfect Dark: Zero, but it’s the other launch title that we still return to Kameo: Elements Of Power to take control of elf princess Kameo as she attempts to banish her evil sister Kalus and the troll king Thorn from a beautiful land ripe with adventure. It’s as you explore this fantasy land, and take control of ten elemental warriors, that you realise Kameo is something of an underrated 360 gem.
DARK SOULS
Dark Souls definitely isn’t for everyone. This tough-as-nails action-RPG has you trawling through dank dungeons and tight corridors against enemies so crazy hard it’ll have you introducing your controller to the wall. Probably several times. It’s time to invest in a padded cell, is what we’re saying. But that isn’t to say Dark Souls isn’t worthy of your time, especially for those that love to go hunting for lore and exploring every inch of interesting fantasy worlds. Lordran may look bland on the surface, but those willing to sacrifice the time and energy will find an experience quite unlike any other waiting.
THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM
For many years now, Tamriel has proven to be one of the most incredible lands to explore on Xbox but never has that been truer than with the sensational open-world RPG Skyrim. Bethesda had a lot to live up to, following Oblivion and Fallout 3, but the studio somehow managed to blow our expectations out of the water. Skyrim really gives you room to breathe, to define your character and place in an incredible setting just waiting for you to leave your mark on its history. Four years on, this is still the RPG to beat.
DRAGON’S DOGMA
Daunting is pretty much the only way to describe Dragon’s Dogma. It’s the sort of game that only springs to life when you’ve sunk an embarrassing amount of hours into learning its nuances, levelling up, and exploring its lush, ambitious world. Despite being overlooked upon release in 2012, it’s proven to be much more of a long-term experience, and one of the best games to come from Capcom in a good long while. Think Devil May Cry meets Shadow Of The Colossus, with just a little hint of Monster Hunter thrown in for good measure if that doesn’t get you excited, we don’t know what will.
THE WITCHER 2: ASSASSINS OF KINGS
If you own an Xbox One, there’s a fairly strong chance you’re feverishly excited about leaping into The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Word to the wise: play The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings first. CD Projekt RED has created a lore and history heavy world, and while you’ll still have fun, if you want to understand what’s going on, you need to start here at the very least. Thankfully, The Witcher 2 is a pretty incredible game. It’s a tightly-paced, well-structured RPG that will have any and all fantasy fans begging for more by the end.
ODDWORLD: STRANGER’S WRATH
Okay, this might the strangest entry in this list of fantasy games you absolutely have to play but who can honestly say they aren’t interested in romping through Oddworld’s undeniably quirky world as a bounty hunter in search of pockets full of Moolah? Stranger’s Wrath released just ahead of the Xbox 360 and was mostly overlooked, but with a crazy ‘live-ammunition’ system and clever puzzle mechanics, this was one fantasy FPS that tried to break the mould.