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8 Essential Fantasy Video Games
This Collider feature ranks eight video games considered essential to the fantasy genre, arguing that "essential" differs from simply "best" — these titles are picked for their outsized influence on fantasy gaming's subgenres rather than pure quality alone, though the author notes most are excellent regardless. The piece frames fantasy as a foundational pillar of video games as a whole, tracing its roots to tabletop influences like Dungeons & Dragons, and presents the list as a starting point for anyone wanting a well-rounded grasp of the genre's history.
Only the top two entries are detailed in the excerpt provided. Supergiant Games' "Hades" (2020) is named for its transformation of the roguelike genre, turning permanent death into a narrative device rather than a punishing mechanic. Nintendo's "Fire Emblem: Awakening" (2013) is cited as the highest-rated entry in its franchise on Metacritic and the game credited with saving the series from cancellation after it far exceeded a 250,000-copy sales ultimatum, going on to sell over 2.25 million copies.
– Collider lists eight games deemed essential (not just "best") to fantasy gaming's history – "Hades" (2020) tops the list for redefining the roguelike genre's death mechanic – "Fire Emblem: Awakening" (2013) saved its franchise, selling over 2 million copies past its target
Explained simply
Fantasy is one of video gaming’s long-standing genres, shaped in part by tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons. Its games often draw on imagined worlds, magic and quests, but they have also influenced many different styles of play.
A game can be considered essential because it changed what later games could do, rather than simply because it is judged the best. The feature uses that idea to look at titles that helped shape fantasy gaming and its subgenres.
Two examples show the range: Hades made repeated character deaths part of its unfolding story, while Fire Emblem: Awakening sold far beyond the target set for its series and helped secure its future. The list is presented as an introduction to the genre’s history.