10 Almost Perfect Fantasy Games No One Remembers

When people think of fantasy games, they often imagine RPGs like these: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Or, um, final fantasy; But fantasy games are about more than just RPGs. Because this could be a fantastic setting for a platform game like this: Jak and Daxter: Pioneer LegacyOr action-adventure games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

The examples are all masterpieces, but they are well known. What about fantasy games that come close to greatness but aren't perfect enough that many fans don't enjoy them? Astalon: Tears of the Earth, last story, Battle Chaser: Night WarAnd with more items awaiting review, let's take a look at why.

Astalon: Tears of the Earth

Three Heroes, One Destiny

Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a 2D Metroidvania where players can swap between three different heroes at a campfire that serves as a castle checkpoint. Arias is a standard warrior with a sword and shield, Kyuli is a bow, and Algus is a wizard. Each character has advantages and disadvantages, such as having stronger defenses with Arias compared to Algus' glass cannon archetype. It plays well, the music is great, and the 8-bit aesthetic is a fun throwback to the NES era and still exists.

Battle Chaser: Night War

The return of 90s comics

Battle Chaser: Night War is a turn-based RPG based on the cliffhanger comic from the late 90s and early 2000s. It's a simple fantasy plot with warriors, magic, and monsters, regardless of whether the player reads the comics or not. It may not be much narratively, but the art design is impeccable, with big, bulky characters and heavily drawn lines. The combat design is simple yet enjoyable, and the inclusion of a world map was novel at the time of release, serving as a throwback to old school RPGs that could be played in a few different ways.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

Old School Castlevania Reborn

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Although another homage to the 8-bit era, the game plays like a more linear NES Castlevania game. Specifically, it is modeled after: Castlevania 3: Curse of DraculaPlayers can swap between multiple characters. in Bloodstained: Curse of the MoonPlayers can switch between a katana user, a wizard with two different styles, and a whip cracker. Unlike the NES castlevania In the game, this homage works really well, as does the sequel on pretty much any platform the player chooses.

Overshadowed by his older brother, night ritual, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon It was treated like a rather nice little bonus. ROTN It's fantastic and deserves all the praise in the world, but curse of the moon It is more than just a side dish to the main course. It's a fully fleshed-out game and a great celebration of the genre's roots.

Boktai: The sun is in your hands

Go outside and touch the grass

Boktai: The sun is in your hands A vampire-hunting top-down action game released for the GBA, it had one strange gimmick. A solar panel was attached to the cartridge. By charging in sunlight, players can better kill enemies effectively.

The big boss in each area was a vampire, and players had to literally drag the vampire out of the castle, place him in a coffin, and expose him to sunlight to complete the task. It was a process, but it was a nice novelty for the GBA that was still great to play if players still had a GBA.

Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest

Diablo for PS2

Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest It was one of many. diablo– 2000’s style top-down action RPG. This was a PS2 exclusive with a separate sequel on the PS2. EverQuest MMO. Sadly, it's still a PS2 exclusive, which is one of the reasons it's more forgotten than most PS2s. Regardless of its heritage, players can continue hacking and slashing through all manner of monsters and undead creatures using a variety of classes. Collect loot, level up, and play solo or with friends in couch co-op.

Although not particularly new by modern standards of the genre, Champion of Norath It was a polished and addictive dungeon crawler tailor-made for console. It was not a level that could be reached. diabloBut it deserves to be remembered as a minor classic.

child of light

Gorgeous 2D RPG

child of light is Ubisoft's unsung hero of the 2010s, using the UbiArt Framework engine. rayman origins. As a princess trapped in a fallen kingdom, players can run and glide to gather allies and bring light back to everyone. The turn-based combat is inspired by: grandiaPlayers can see the turn order and even interrupt attacks with well-timed counters. Even though not everyone played it, the visuals, deep combat strategy, and dreamlike nature of the world made it stand out. child of lightHowever, it is possible to play on a variety of systems, so it is not too late.

Dust: The Elysian Story

Devil May Fury

Dust: The Elysian Story A hand-drawn Metroidvania can rival more modern graphics. Hollow Knight: Silksong. Although the art is bright and colorful, the game's story is incredibly dark, dealing with topics such as genocide. Aside from the visuals and story, the best thing about the game is the complex, combo-heavy action: Devil May Cry. It's also a great game for anyone interested in furry culture or anyone who wants to play a messy fantasy story that challenges their morals wherever players can find it digitally.

Kid Icarus: Rebellion

fly high fit

Kid Icarus: Rebellion It was released for the 3DS and will remain so until Nintendo decides to port it elsewhere. This was a major return to the series at the time, featuring two styles of gameplay.

Some players fell off the flight controls because the 3DS settings didn't make things as comfortable, but on the ground the action was undeniably fun. It was a novel story with a cheerful atmosphere. Kingdom HeartsIt's cliché and flawed at times, but it's one of the best 3DS games.

last guardian

In the shadow of the colossus

last guardian It was a spiritual follow-up. shadow of the colossusSo there were literally big shoes to fill. Although it didn't surpass that game or even Ico, last guardian In his own way, he laid the foundation for the action-adventure pantheon. As a boy, the player can run, jump, and interact with the environment to solve puzzles.

Next to him was Trico, a beast that followed orders, and even though the AI ​​wasn't perfect, players were able to form meaningful bonds with Trico. Since it was a PS4 game, players can still access it on PS5. Compared to other games from Japan Studio last guardian A little more disappointing and not perfect. But the ambition and heart are very easy to see. As the game progresses, the game also improves. Especially once Trico starts following orders a little more.

last story

Final Fantasy Wii and one of the console's best JRPGs

last story It was a Wii exclusive with little release outside of Japan. It's an action RPG, but it's closer to an action-adventure game than anything else. Players can explore hub towns between missions, but the overall structure is more linear. Additionally, combat in dungeons takes place in real time, and since players command large parties, combat can be quite chaotic. This party dynamic helps. last story It stands out from other RPGs and action games from the early 2010s, and like many Wii games, it no longer exists and it's very rare to find a hard copy.