Best Fantasy Games for PS5 - Magic & Medieval Adventures

CD Projekt Red's Continent is a war-scarred medieval fantasy built for wandering, but its real achievement is texture: witcher contracts that start as monster jobs and unfold into morally tangled short stories, and side quests written with more consequence than most games give their main plot. The Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions are routinely named among the finest in the medium, and the PS5 edition layers in ray tracing, faster loads, and an optional over-the-shoulder camera. Critics crowned it 2015's Game of the Year and players still treat it as a high-water mark, converging on the writing, the world, and Geralt himself. The lasting reservation is combat that reads as stiff next to everything around it, a complaint the botched next-gen launch briefly amplified before patches settled the crashes. For anyone who values a reactive world and adult storytelling over crisp swordplay, little on this list competes.

Set in the dystopian world of Gaia, "Final Fantasy VII" follows Cloud Strife, a mercenary who joins a rebel group aiming to thwart the oppressive Shinra Electric Power Company. The game's core loop combines exploration, turn-based combat, and character progression through an innovative Materia system that allows players to customize abilities. Its cinematic storytelling, memorable characters, and an iconic soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu make it a landmark title in the RPG genre.

Stellar Blade is Shift Up's first console game, a third-person action adventure that bets everything on its combat. EVE, a soldier sent from an orbital colony to retake an Earth overrun by the Naytiba, fights through linear, science-fiction ruins on rhythm: parrying and dodging to enemy tells, chaining graceful combos, then surviving boss encounters that test pattern reading over button-mashing. Critics landed in generally-favourable territory, singling out the combat, boss design and visual craft while agreeing the story stays superficial next to the NieR games it borrows from. Much of the pre-release noise fixated on EVE's design rather than the game itself, which sells short a genuinely sharp action title. It suits players who want a demanding, good-looking PS5 character-action game and care more about how a fight feels than what the plot says; anyone chasing a narrative to match the spectacle should temper expectations.

Santa Monica's close to the Norse arc leads with character. Kratos and Atreus march toward a prophesied Ragnarök across the Nine Realms, and the writing, backed by performance capture critics treated as a benchmark, does more work than the fighting. Even so, the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos return heavier and more varied, threaded through puzzle-solving and a deep bench of optional realms and side content. Critics were near unanimous, and the game swept the 2022 Game Awards, taking Best Narrative and an accessibility prize among six wins. Players run warmer on the story than on the structure: the persistent knock is length, with long cutscenes, forced walking, and Atreus stretches that make a big game feel bloated rather than tight. It rewards anyone invested in the saga's emotional payoff and asks patience of everyone else. Newcomers are better served starting with the 2018 game first.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, "DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH" continues the journey of Sam Porter Bridges as he navigates haunting landscapes and a fragmented society. Players engage in exploration, deliveries, and combat while interacting with mysterious beach environments that play a pivotal role in the narrative. The game is noted for its atmospheric storytelling and innovative mechanics, building on the unique themes of connection and isolation from its predecessor.

Baldur's Gate 3 renders fifth-edition Dungeons and Dragons as a turn-based, party-led campaign across the Forgotten Realms, following a band of cursed adventurers who race to cure a mind-flayer infection before it consumes them. Its defining trait is reactivity: dialogue, dice, and improvised tactics like shoving foes off ledges or dousing a room in flame feed a branching story that acknowledges nearly every choice. A party of up to four plays online, or two share one console in split-screen. It swept 2023's major awards and holds one of the highest critic scores on the platform, with reviews singling out the writing, companion depth, and freedom to break encounters in unintended ways. Player warmth matches that, though the friction is consistent: the sprawling third act taxes performance in the Lower City, and the density of threads turns the finale into a marathon. It rewards experimentation and patience, and it will test anyone hoping for something tighter or shorter.

Set in Norse mythology, 'God of War' follows Kratos, the former Greek god, and his son Atreus on a journey to honor his deceased wife. The game features breathtaking visuals, a deeply emotional narrative, and a combat system that combines strategy with visceral action, positioning it as a standout in modern gaming.

Guerrilla's open world imagines a far-future Earth overrun by nature and roamed by robotic beasts, and builds its combat around hunting them: setting traps, targeting components, and choosing the right tool for each machine. Aloy's search for her origins gives the exploration a strong narrative pull, and its premise, tribal societies living among the ruins of a lost technological age, is one of the genre's more original. Players praise the visuals, the tactical combat, and the lore; the recurring criticisms are repetitive side content, weaker human enemies, and occasional technical bugs. Teen-rated and approachable, it is the friendliest entry point on this list, a beautiful, generous open world that asks less of newcomers than the Mature, punishing picks around it. Rated Teen.

Bloodborne is FromSoftware's sharpest break from its template, and the closest relative to Elden Ring in feel. It swaps shields and cautious spacing for the rally system: take a hit and that health lingers, reclaimed only by counterattacking at once, so every exchange pushes forward instead of back. Trick weapons that transform mid-swing reinforce the aggression, all set in Yharnam, a Victorian beast-hunt that curdles into cosmic, Lovecraftian dread. Critics met it with near-unanimous acclaim, repeatedly calling it the PS4's first essential exclusive, and players still rank it among the studio's best. The reservations are narrow: the procedural Chalice Dungeons feel rote beside the handcrafted city, and a decade on the game remains locked at 30fps with no remaster, PS5 patch, or PC port despite relentless fan campaigns. For Elden Ring players who prize aggression and atmosphere over frame rate, the aging package is a footnote; for anyone hoping to play slowly or smoothly, it is the sticking point.

The closest thing to Elden Ring's direct blueprint: the same studio and director working bonfire to bonfire through a decaying medieval world of ash-choked cathedrals and ruined kingdoms. Combat leans faster and more aggressive than earlier Souls games, borrowing Bloodborne's forward momentum while keeping the stamina discipline and patient enemy-reading intact. The boss encounters are the centerpiece, among the most demanding and theatrical FromSoftware built before Sekiro and Elden Ring opened the design into an open world. Critics received it as a polished, confident close to the trilogy, and the prevailing view is that it refines the formula more cleanly than any entry before it. The reservation, raised most by series veterans, is that its level-to-level path trades away the interlocking world the original was known for. Set beside Elden Ring, that linearity reads two ways: a tighter, purer run of the same loop for boss-hunters and newcomers, or a smaller stage for anyone who prized getting lost.

Set in a vibrant, whimsical world, ASTRO BOT is a VR platformer that places players in the role of a tiny robot captain navigating diverse environments to rescue his scattered crew. Utilizing innovative VR mechanics, players engage in platforming, climbing, and puzzle-solving, making it a standout title for PlayStation VR. Its charm comes from its creative level design and engaging use of VR technology to immerse players in a playful, interactive experience.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is an open-world fantasy role-playing game built around one freedom: the province opens in every direction at once, and a build emerges from how the hours are spent rather than a class chosen up front. Hunting the dragon Alduin as the prophesied Dragonborn can be shelved indefinitely for a mage's college, a thieves' guild, or a snowbound barrow no marker pointed toward. The original collected more than 200 Game of the Year awards, and the remaster's lighting and effects freshen a decade-old world without touching what dates it. The friction players still name is the combat, stiff beside modern action RPGs, and an engine that keeps surfacing bugs. Console Creations and mod support soften both and stretch an already long game. Included on PS Plus Extra, it rewards anyone who treats the map itself as the quest, and disappoints those after responsive swordplay.

FromSoftware's first open-world game takes the studio's punishing combat and scatters it across the Lands Between, a dark fantasy realm built to be explored without direction. Bosses guard its ruins and catacombs, magic and weapon builds reshape every run, and discovery, not a waypoint, sets the pace. It is a role-playing game first and an open world second, unforgiving by design and content to let the curious find their own way. Reception is about as strong as reception gets: it swept Game of the Year in 2022 and sat near the top of the year's review charts, with critics converging on its world design and combat. The recurring friction runs the other direction, cryptic questlines that all but require an external guide and late-game bosses whose difficulty spikes hard. For players who want a medieval world that respects their curiosity and little else, nothing on this list matches it; for anyone who needs a map marker, it will grate.

Set in a vibrant ecosystem teeming with awe-inspiring creatures, "Monster Hunter: World" invites players to become hunters who track and battle colossal monsters. The core gameplay loop revolves around questing, hunting, crafting weapons and armor, and collaborating with other players online. Its seamless open world and living ecosystem elevate the franchise to new heights, making it a standout entry.

A full-scale reimagining of the original's opening hours, Final Fantasy VII Remake confines its entire story to the industrial city of Midgar and expands it into a 25-hour role-playing game. Cloud Strife's mercenary work for the eco-terrorist group Avalanche becomes the spine of a single-player, third-person adventure built on real-time combat that blends action timing with tactical, party-based command. Striking art direction, a celebrated soundtrack, and deepened character arcs flesh out what the 1997 game raced through. Reception splits along one line: how much padding a player will tolerate. Critics praised the combat and emotional storytelling while flagging filler side quests and slack pacing between set pieces, and longtime fans divided over the fate-altering ending. Rated Teen and included with PS Plus Extra, it rewards newcomers and the patient; those wanting the original's brisk momentum should weigh the slower middle.

Set against the backdrop of brutal Greek mythology, God of War® III Remastered follows Kratos in his quest for revenge against the gods that betrayed him. Players engage in visceral real-time combat, portal through intricately designed platforms, and solve challenging puzzles, all rendered in stunning 1080p at 60fps. This remaster of the critically acclaimed action-adventure game delivers epic battles with enhanced graphics and refined gameplay mechanics.

The critically-acclaimed title makes its debut on the PS4™ system. Explore the ancient, mysterious world of Journey as you soar above ruins and glide across sands to discover its secrets. Play alone or in the company of a fellow traveler and explore its vast world together. Featuring stunning visuals and a Grammy-nominated musical score, Journey delivers a breathtaking experience like no other.

Diablo III: Eternal Collection packages the base action-RPG with the Reaper of Souls expansion and the Rise of the Necromancer pack, all set in Sanctuary, a dark-fantasy world of gothic cathedrals and crumbling medieval keeps. The loop is pure compulsion: clear procedurally arranged dungeons, watch graded loot rain, refine a class build, and climb difficulties for better drops. Seasons reset the chase, and up to four players can grind side by side, locally or online. Critics treated the console release as the definitive way to play, singling out the gamepad combat and the removal of the auction house that dragged down the PC original. The steady caveat is repetition: the kill-and-loot rhythm that hooks for hundreds of hours is what wears thin for anyone chasing story or variety, and shared same-screen loot can turn a friendly session tense. Rated Mature, it rewards players who want a deep build-and-grind RPG and disappoints those after a story-led medieval adventure.

Hollow Knight is the benchmark modern metroidvania: a hand-drawn descent through the ruined insect kingdom of Hallownest, where a huge interconnected map unlocks one hard-won ability at a time. The appeal is density, every corridor hides a charm, a boss, or a shortcut, and the tight nail combat and pin-sharp platforming reward patience over reflexes. Player reviews single out the art direction and the sense of discovery; the recurring reservation is a deliberate scarcity of fast travel and map markers that some find punishing, and PS4 owners have flagged save-file issues. Take it as the genre's high-water mark for exploration and atmosphere rather than a gentle entry point. Anyone who wants to understand why metroidvania became a PlayStation staple should start here, then move to its faster or friendlier peers.

Set in a modern-day world filled with demons and supernatural elements, Devil May Cry 5 combines fast-paced hack-and-slash combat with a deep narrative surrounding the characters Dante, Nero, and V. The game is renowned for its stylish action, expansive environments, and the freedom it offers players in combat, making it a standout in the action-adventure genre.