There is nothing quite like getting lost in an open-world fantasy game. As technology evolves, games now are able to present highly detailed and interactive worlds for you to explore. But old does not mean irrelevant, and the following has tried to present a mix of great titles both past and present. I’ve selected games that are strictly open-world, and set in a fantasy setting. Zelda: Breath of the wild is missing because it’s only available on one platform and despite the hype, I have not played it. Without further ado, here are ten great open-world games that are available on most platforms.

10. Greedfall

I thought I start with a lesser-known title from french developer Spider studios. The company is known for producing mid-tier games such as Bound by flame and technomancer. Greedfall is their most ambitious game so far. Set in a colonial period, which sets it apart from most medieval fantasy settings. You play as a settler, mercenary, and treasure hunter exploring a remote island paradise where the natives fight off the invaders with magic and supernatural monsters. A unique setting and some stunningly detailed environment that makes you feel you’re playing inside a Dutch master’s painting. The game mechanics are similar to games like the Witcher. While gamers will be familiar with most games on this list. I recommend you give this a try and promise that you will come away pleasantly surprised.

9. Dragons Dogma

Capcoms attempt to cash in on the open-world fantasy game is a flawed but fun game that has a huge following. It’s a hack and slash role-playing game where you, the Arisen are destined to liberate the high fantasy world of Gransys, from the tyranny of the dragon Grigori while unraveling a sinister conspiracy. You explore, and complete quests aided by companions called pawns who fight alongside you. The combat is fun and challenging, and the boss fights are epic. There is limited fast travel and no mounts, so traversing the land can be a drag at times, and the environments are not as detailed as other games on this list. But this is still a really great and deep action RPG that you can sink days into and get lost in.

8. Kingdoms of Amalur

There is so much to say about this game. The story of how it was made could easily fill a blog post on its own. More on that later. Costing an estimated  80 million dollars to produce; The brainchild of Baseball player Kurt Shilling who assembled a creative dream team including forgotten Realms Author R.A Salvatore, Comics legend  Todd Mcfarlane to design the game. The creators also cherry-picked two senior Elder scrolls developers Mark Nelson and Ken Rolston to build the game.

Armed with a large public loan from the state of Rhode Island and Shilling’s own fortune. Long story short, the game bankrupted the studio and drowned on launch among a sea of competitor titles. The company went into receivership, leaving the citizens of Rhode Island out of pocket.

But thus it was not in vain. Kingdom of Amalur is a great open-world RPG. Its comic-book art style has allowed it to age well, and its fun combat mechanics and generous loot system make it an easy game to get into. The quests are fun and well written. The environments and creature design are also top-notch. I also really loved the music for this game. It’s an absolute joy to play and suitable for younger players.

7. Immortals: Fynx rising

Developed by Ubisoft and heavily influenced by Zelda: breath of the wild and Ubisoft Assassin’s Creed games, you play as Fynx a young hero who battles the titans who have escaped from the underworld and are hellbent on revenge against the gods of Olympus. It’s full of Greek mythology with a cell-shaded cartoon style like Zelda. It is a virtual clone of Zelda, but the Greek mythological setting and combat distinguish it from that title and allow it to stand on its own two feet. It combines exploration and dungeon crawling with neat puzzles and boss battles. The game also looks stunning. People are pretty quiet about this game today, but I am sure in a few years this will gain a cult following. Its art-style and fun gameplay will allow it to age like a fine wine.

6. Dragon Age : Inquisition

Bioware has a good reputation for creating amazing fantasy games. Among their back catalog sits games like Balders Gate, Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, and of course Dragon-Age.

Inquisition is an action RPG with tactical elements, where you play as an inquisitor who embarks on a quest to close a mysterious breach that unleashes a horde of demons in the world of Thedas.

You also control a number of companions who join you on your journey. This third game is a combination of the first two games. You can play it as a hack n slash or role-play with CRPG elements that require tactics and careful inventory management. The great thing about Bioware games is their emphasis on role-playing. You can converse with other characters and get lost in the lore and story. The game looks great too.

5. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

I had to include a game based on the Lord of the Rings IP. Shadow of Mordor is an original story set years before the events of the books. It’s a stunning action-adventure game from monolith productions.

You play as a ranger named Talion who is bonded to the wraith of the elf lord Celebrimbor, as they both set out to revenge the deaths of their loved ones. The combat mechanics are similar to Batman Arkham games and Assassin’s Creed.

You can parkour across rooftops and scale walls with ease. What makes this game fun is the Nemesis system, which allows enemy A. I to remember prior encounters against the player and act accordingly.

This makes some fights personal, as you might lose to an opponent early in the game, only to find that he has been promoted to a higher rank among his peers because of his actions.I love that this is a darker take on the mythology, which feels distinct from the films.  I really enjoyed this game, and It’s one of the better titles based on the iconic franchise.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is an action role-playing game developed by Ubisoft. It’s the eleventh game in the series and is a spiritual successor to the previous game’s origins. At the beginning of the game, you can select to play as Alexios or Kassandra, who are Greek mercenaries descended from king Leonidas of 300 fame.  As well as an interesting story campaign, players are also free to explore the open world set in a magnificently realized Ancient Greece. As with origins that were set in Ancient Egypt, the level of historical detail is breathtaking. The locations and environments that you explore are so immersive and quite simply a joy to explore. The islands of Greece are bathed in rays of warm sunshine, you almost feel like you are on holiday when you are playing this game. I wandered around the game’s recreation of Athens like time-traveling tourists admiring the temple architecture and wall art.

You can engage in sea battles, fight ground assaults, treasure hunt or become a hired assassin or bounty hunter. The combat feels good. I recommend you disable the waypoints which lead you to all the game objectives and ignore the fast travel system and just allow yourself to be immersed in the game. The game blends historical fiction, sci-fi, and mythology. There are a number of monsters to fight in order to open the gates of Atlantis and if you bought the edition that includes the excellent DLC fate of Atlantis then this game will keep you busy for a long time because of the level of content in this game is huge.

Bethesda’s behemoth title has sold over 30 million copies and set the benchmark for open-world games way back in 2011. An active gaming mod community has kept this game going by adding new quest lines and updating the visuals and gameplay. But The vanilla game is still a joy to play through. Travel through its awe-inspiring vistas and entertaining quest lines where you can role-play as a mercenary, rebel, soldier, thief, Assassin, and a lot more. You can stalk the moors as a werewolf or vampire, you can take part in the main quest or go your own path. I found the melee combat janky but casting spells is fun and most of the fun in Skyrim is in the exploration of its incredible world and role-playing with the side quests and enjoying all the random adventures that happen to you. Simply put, Skyrim is a must-play.

2. The Witcher 3 : The Wild Hunt

Playing the Witcher 3, it feels like you have been transported into an epic fantasy novel. The main campaign’s mature storyline is engaging, and the action-packed quest lines will have you on the edge of your seat. You play as Geralt of Riviera, a wanderer who earns his living as a professional monster hunter. The main story has him searching for his protégé Ciri, who is being pursued by the demonic wild hunt. The developers have rendered the world in obsessive detail, and it is honestly a stunning open world to explore. The towns and cities feel lived in. The story is dark and violent, and the encounters with the monsters are epic. It took me a while to get used to the combat, but it’s fun once you get the hang of it. I did not like the inventory and crafting system. I thought it was convoluted and difficult to manage the items. The world feels lived in, and the environments are simply stunning. Some of the world’s most gifted artists worked on this game, and sometimes I would just wander around just admiring all the work that went into creating this magical game world. Witcher 3 is a stunning open-world game with excellent role-playing, strong storytelling, and fast-paced action.

Elden Ring takes the successful formula of the previous soul’s games and sets them in an expansive open world. Challenging combat, with a rewarding loot system that rewards players for their curiosity and encourages them to explore the dark fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R Martin. Martins’s contribution to the game seems superficial at first, with him credited with creating the game’s world lore and mythology. But his influence is woven into the very fabric of the game. Allow me to explain, As well as being the author of the song of ice and fire series. Martin has also created the Wild card anthology series.  The wild card is stories based on his table-top role-playing game campaigns. Game mastered by Martin and involving many original authors, the framework of the series was developed by Martin and author Melinda Snodgrass.

This is the real contribution of martin is the fine-tuning of the role-playing elements of the Elden Ring as much as the lore and story. Elden Ring is more balanced and friendly to new players. If you get stuck on a certain boss or area, you are free to explore the giant open world, which is filled with items and weapons that will help you to get good. Experienced souls players can traverse the difficult dungeons for a more punishing challenge. The best thing about the game is not knowing what is going to come next. The boss battles are heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping thrill rides. The sense of progression you feel as you level up and get good. The interactivity with NPCs and other players and the thrill of exploring the landscapes have been rendered in beautiful detail. It’s the newest game on the list, and it takes the top spot because it’s so freaking good.