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Although the definition tends to vary from person to person, high fantasy generally refers to stories set in alternate worlds that bare essentially no resemblance to Earth. Magic, monsters, a good vs evil narrative, and an epic adventure also tend to separate high from low fantasy, although it is not always simple to tell when that line is crossed. Using these characteristics as a basis, here are the best and worst high fantasy games on the PS4.
10 BEST: Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
When considering the best traditional high fantasy title on the PS4, there is no need to look any further than Dragon Quest XI. Set in the colorful world of Erdrea, the game starts with the peaceful kingdom of Dundrasil coming under siege at the hands of monsters, leading the protagonist – a prince and a baby – to be sent away in order to save his life.
Many years later, the main character learns about his heritage and that he is the chosen hero destined to free Erdrea from the Dark One. Dragon Quest XI is a fantastic turn-based RPG that feels like a throwback to the PlayStation 2 era.
9 WORST: Secret Of Mana
Harsh as it might seem to include 2018’s Secret of Mana remake, the modern version of Square’s classic is one of the most disappointing releases of recent years. While the visuals do look beautiful at times, Secret of Mana is hampered by distracting voice acting, underwhelming 3D models, dated combat, and frustrating menus.
Stripped of the original’s charm, 2018’s Secret of Mana does nothing to justify its existence, and newcomers to the series should just go with the SNES version.
8 BEST: Divinity: Original Sin II
Rightfully hailed as one of the best RPGs of the current generation, Divinity: Original Sin II serves as a prime example of how to implement player choice and a dynamic world into an expansive storyline without diminishing the latter’s impact. As the barrier that separates Rivellon, the franchise’s world, and the Void is beginning to weaken, the God King’s monstrous forces have started to invade the former. Users play as the Godwoken, a person chosen by the Seven Gods to keep the Void out of Rivellon.
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Divinity: Original Sin II is a complex game with deep combat, three-dimensional characters, and memorable side quests. While the tactical gameplay can be unforgiving, this is one adventure that is worth going on.
7 WORST: Bound by Flame
Released simultaneously on previous and current generation consoles, Bound by Flame toes the line between high and dark fantasy, although it is not a particularly great example of either. The main character, Vulcan, becomes possessed by a demon and sets out to free Vertiel’s Worldheart from the clutches of the immortal Ice Lords.
Bound By Flame does have a couple of interesting ideas, as players can choose whether to embrace the demon’s evil ways or retain their humanity, but the lackluster execution ruins any of the RPG’s potential.
6 BEST: Monster Hunter: World
While Monster Hunter’s lack of magic and nonexistent plot are unusual for the subgenre, its unabashedly unrealistic worlds packed with strange beasts qualify it as high fantasy. Compared to earlier entries, World also does try to have some semblance of a narrative, even if it is mostly insignificant.
Featuring a real-time combat system that rewards both preparation and reflexes, Monster Hunter: World consists of a series of hunts as players try to take down monsters that get progressively bigger, especially when it comes to the Elder Dragons. Each battle is an epic adventure in its own right.
5 WORST: Zenith
Marketed as a comedic throwback to the old school RPGs, Zenith’s humor boils down to asynchronous modern lingo and references, the latter of which have already become dated since 2016. Taking charge of a wizard name Argus Windell who ends up instigating an apocalyptic scenario that requires besting a generic villain, Zenith has very little that is unique.
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The combat is seldom fun, the NPCs and companion characters are not particularly memorable, and the world struggles to set itself apart from other genre offerings.
4 BEST: The Witcher III: The Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt set the pace for RPGs in this generation, eclipsing earlier releases like Dragon Age: Inquisition. As the supposed final entry in Geralt’s story, CD Projekt Red’s 2015 title is a masterclass of open-world video game design and storytelling.
The main plot delivers the end of the world-esque drive one would expect from a high fantasy setting, but it is the more personal side-quests that bring out the best in The Witcher 3. While the combat is polarizing, the game’s expertly crafted magic system and impressive range of monsters keep it from ever becoming truly boring.
3 WORST: AereA
AereA takes place in a universe governed by music and tasks the player with collecting nine instruments to return harmony to its world. It is an interesting premise that has potential but it does not really manifest in any compelling way, with the map consisting of mostly generic fantasy regions.
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While the four playable classes use musical instruments as weapons, combat plays out like a simplified version of the systems found in most isometric action-RPGs. The lack of loot and pushover enemies do little to help stave off the boredom.
2 BEST: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (& Its Expansions)
Considering the terrible version of Final Fantasy XIV that launched in 2010, it is incredible that A Realm Reborn has developed into one of the best MMORPGs on the market. Eventually, Square Enix did justice to its storied franchise and dedicated fanbase.
Set in Hydaelyn, an enormous world that contains five main continents, 19 nations, and eight races, A Realm Reborn boasts a good story, great combat, and systems that are always evolving. Each expansion has arguably been better than the last, with Shadowbringers marking an unprecedented high point in the game’s history.
1 WORST: Eternity: The Last Unicorn
Eternity: The Last Unicorn sends its elf protagonist on a quest to defeat four bosses to break a curse that will kill the last unicorn left standing. It is a simple tale about the chosen one going on an epic journey throughout a somewhat Nordic-inspired but mostly standard high fantasy world.
Unfortunately, Eternity: The Last Unicorn fails to hit the mark in basically every area. The fixed camera is archaic, the combat is sluggish, the “chosen one” desperately needs a personality, and the game abuses backtracking to artificially lengthen its runtime.
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