10 Role Playing Video Games With the Best Power Fantasies, Ranked

The role-playing genre in gaming is a deeply diverse one, paving the way for countless fantasy adventures spanning sci-fi, fantasy, and even modern settings. But regardless of the subgenre or setting an RPG may choose for its world, many of these games deliver on engaging power fantasy experiences. The sci-fi and fantasy genres (including the many subgenres in between) are particularly great at facilitating this.

Recent hits like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered show that players love an RPG that lets them experiment with character builds that make them feel like powerhouses. Even so, the “power fantasy” label is broad enough for that to mean different things. Everything from overpowered character builds, much like The Elder Scrolls or even Monster Hunter, to forming rag-tag groups of space explorers, like in Mass Effect, are brilliant ways to let players live out their imaginations in an RPG.

Related

10 Classic JRPGs That Changed the Genre Forever

Some classic JRPGs, like Dark Souls and Final Fantasy VII, took the genre from a niche hobby to the mainstream.

Seeing Oblivion Remastered bring back a 2000s RPG classic in such fine form is more than welcome, but that doesn’t mean The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has lost any of its appeal. The game lets players customize their Dragonborn hero to take on the fabled dragon Alduin, a prophesied villain hellbent on unleashing dragons in his apocalypse. However, just a handful of hours into the game, players realize that this experience becomes so much more than its main plot.

Skyrim earned acclaim in the early 2010s for its depth in character progression, letting players curate their build as they see fit. Class-based RPGs undoubtedly have their own strengths, but this free-form progression system makes magic-wielding tanks, conjured swordsman, and everything in between possible. Players can find countless ways to make any character setup into a potential world-beating build, and that’s before mods come into the frame. Skyrim‘s extensive modding community has introduced new game mechanics, with plenty that still feel in line with the Elder Scrolls world, to make every playthrough truly unique.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Systems

Released

November 11, 2011

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol

Developer(s)

Bethesda Game Studios

Publisher(s)

Bethesda Softworks

9 Monster Hunter: World Is a Constant Rush of Action

World Takes the Monster Hunter Series to New Technical Heights

Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds is continuing the ongoing success of the action RPG series, but World is one of the most complete packages in the modern era. Monster Hunter: World was the most technically ambitious entry on home consoles at the time, having built up steam for years on the PS2, PSP, and spent a stretch on Nintendo systems. The game tasks players with creating their hunter to investigate the New Worlds, the environments, and battle monsters.

Crucially, Monster Hunter: World is capable of humbling hunters who take on more than they can handle. But after spending time battling wildly imaginative monsters, grinding to craft new gear, and mastering a myriad of weapons, the game’s action culminates in one of the most stylish and cathartic combat systems in the action RPG subgenre. Few games can replicate the thrill and powerful sense of satisfaction of Monster Hunter’s combat gameplay loop, especially when overcoming the challenging monsters in the Iceborne expansion.

Monster Hunter: World

Systems

Released

January 26, 2018

ESRB

Teen

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Engine

MT Framework

Welcome to a new world! Take on the role of a hunter and slay ferocious monsters in a living, breathing ecosystem where you can use the landscape and its diverse inhabitants to get the upper hand. Hunt alone or in co-op with up to three other players, and use materials collected from fallen foes to craft new gear and take on even bigger, badder beasts!

8 Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Chronicles a Sci-Fi Epic

The Mass Effect Trilogy Has One of the Most Fulfilling Sci-Fi RPG Parties

BioWare’s original Mass Effect trilogy has had a lasting impact as one of the most quintessential sci-fi RPGs in gaming. It’s an influence that can still be felt today, and Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the perfect way to go on the Normandy crew’s exploits, remastered. Players will take command as Commander Shepard and form a well-rounded group of explorers and soldiers as they defend life across the galaxy from invading Reapers and Collectors.

For sci-fi buffs, the original Mass Effect trilogy is a deeply rewarding power fantasy in its combat and storytelling opportunities in role-playing. Kitting out Shepard and his crewmates with powerful gear and sci-fi powers leads to incredibly satisfying squad-based combat. The many ways the main and side quests can be influenced through player agency make each playthrough the player’s own, and watching the rag-tag bunch of heroes operate like a well-oiled machine is reminiscent of the crews of Star Trek and Firefly.

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

Systems

Released

May 14, 2021

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence

Developer(s)

BioWare

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

7 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Puts Players In the Boots of a Professional

Geralt’s Swansong In The Witcher 3 Is One of the Most Immersive Fantasy RPGs

The world of author Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher and developer CD Projekt Red’s gaming adaptation is undoubtedly bleak. That said, the dark fantasy world seen in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt provides one of the richest RPG experiences in the medium, even 10 years after its release. Elite monster hunter Geralt of Rivia returns on a grand race against time to rescue his surrogate daughter, Ciri, from the Wild Hunt, who are aiming to use her innate powers as harbingers of destruction.

Related

35 PS5 Games With the Best Stories (So Far)

The PS5 features a slew of fantastic story-based games, including titles like Final Fantasy XVI, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Ghost of Tsushima.

Geralt of Rivia is far from being a superhero character. He’s an ultimately good, if complex, man in an unforgiving world, but such archetypes would go against The Witcher 3’s atmosphere. But he’s certainly an expert in his trade, and the game is well-paced in its engrossing main quest and equally engaging side quests to make players feel Geralt’s martial prowess. Especially considering some of the builds players can tinker with in The Witcher 3, Geralt can use expert swordsmanship, Sign magic, and even alchemy against hostile monsters and, as is often the case, similarly vile humans.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Systems

Released

May 19, 2015

ESRB

M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content

Developer(s)

CD Projekt Red

Publisher(s)

CD Projekt Red

6 Baldur’s Gate 3 Quickly Became One of the Best D&D Games

Players Chart Their Own Course Throughout Baldur’s Gate 3’s Forgotten Realms

Games like Larian Studios’ breakout hit Baldur’s Gate 3 prove that power fantasies in RPGs aren’t limited to action RPGs. The acclaimed developer perfectly adapts the Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition tabletop RPG in video game form, taking players and their party on a saga-length campaign across the land of Faerûn. Players can pick from established origin characters or curate their own for the ultimate medieval power fantasy, as their nuanced party tries to find the cure to the Mind Flayer tadpole they’ve been infected with — and uncover an even more widespread plot.

Similar to Mass Effect with sci-fi, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a masterclass in letting players live out their adventuring fantasies, but with the added high fantasy flair of D&D 5e. It seamlessly emulates the tabletop experience and gives them a wealth of options in character builds for them and their NPC companions without feeling overwhelming. That goes double for the recent major patch, which adds a staggering 12 more subclasses. Meanwhile, the countless possibilities to devastate enemies as a team with magic and melee, and BG3‘s riveting character-driven quests, round out a superb D&D-themed fantasy in video game format.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Systems

Released

August 3, 2023

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence

Developer(s)

Larian Studios

Publisher(s)

Larian Studios

5 Cyberpunk 2077 Is Now a Compelling Sci-Fi Urban Jungle

Updates & DLC Give Players Plenty of Ways to Experiment In Cyberpunk 2077

CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 has managed an impressive turnaround after years’ worth of post-launch support for bug fixing and optimization, and an excellent DLC expansion in Phantom Liberty. With the game working in proper order, players can finally live out a power fantasy worthy of the eponymous sci-fi subgenre. The story revolves around protagonist V, a mercenary with a bio-chip implant, who must work alongside the installed consciousness of rock star Johnny Silverhand to separate from each other.

Thanks to Cyberpunk 2077 completing its comeback arc, players are given plenty of toys and an immersive sandbox to play out a cyberpunk fantasy in this gritty world. Even in this grueling, dystopian, and corporate nightmare, Liberty City facilitates its own brand of catharsis thanks to its sci-fi arsenal and character progression mechanics. V can be equipped with different mods, guns, cybernetic weapons, and more, so players can explore, fight, and role-play in this city their way. Pushing back against this seemingly hopeless, cynical future certainly brings about a sense of satisfaction.

Cyberpunk 2077

Systems

Released

December 10, 2020

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

Developer(s)

CD Projekt Red

Publisher(s)

CD Projekt Red

Engine

REDengine 4

4 Hogwarts Legacy Is a Harry Potter Dream Realized in Gaming

Harry Potter Fans Can Play Out Adventures as a Hogwarts Student

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of the foremost modern fantasy IPs, so it’s no wonder Hogwarts Legacy struck such a chord with so many long-time fans. The open-world action RPG is set well before the events of the books and movies, putting players in the shoes of a young student at the prestigious magic school. Its protagonist goes on a quest spanning the school and various locales around it to uncover a deep-rooted mystery surrounding Hogwarts.

Considering the setting, genre, and source material for Hogwarts Legacy, it’s easy to become enamored with what is essentially a “magic school simulator.” The numerous ways the game lets players customize the look of their young protagonist, learn spells, attend classes, make potions, and interact with and face off against a slew of magical creatures make it the ideal way to realize a Harry Potter fan’s fantasy. It’s a pleasantly versatile playground that has almost limitless possibilities to expand in a sequel.

Hogwarts Legacy

Systems

Released

February 10, 2023

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol

Developer(s)

Avalanche Software

Publisher(s)

Warner Bros. Interactive

3 Middle-earth: Shadow of War Is a Gritty Action RPG

Shadow of War Fulfills a Dark Power Fantasy Based on LOTR Lore

Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work with his Lord of the Rings universe can explore the darker parts of the lore in Middle-earth: Shadow of War. Taking a more action-RPG shift from its predecessor, Shadow of Mordor, this sequel continues the story of ranger Talion and the elven wraith Celebrimbor to take the war directly to Sauron’s forces. The game lets players play a grungier take on Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings’ mythos with its intense combat and tone.

Related

15 Best Elder Scrolls Villains, Ranked

The Elder Scrolls has known some truly sinister villains of the years – but which is the most evil of all?

Even if Middle-earth: Shadow of War’s protagonist isn’t as customizable as more “blank slate” player characters, fans can still hone plenty of melee, stealth, and magical skills to pummel enemy orcs through its character progression systems. But the standout feature in this Lord of the Rings-flavored power fantasy is the famous Nemesis System. With the shifting power dynamics of Talion and the various orc groups’ hierarchies, players can revel in crushing rival factions and gain favor among allies to command in this epic wartime setting.

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

Systems

Released

October 10, 2017

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence

Developer(s)

Monolith

Publisher(s)

Warner Bros. Interactive

Engine

lithtech

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer

2 Diablo IV Offers Constant High-Octane Combat

Classes, Loot & Fast-Paced Combat Make Diablo IV Easy to Dump Hours Into

The Diablo series has been among the faces of the action RPG subgenre since the late ‘90s. While that category has expanded to include notably different games, like Skyrim, The Witcher 3, and Elden Ring, Blizzard’s Diablo IV remains a consistently fun game to simply tear through hordes of monsters. This fourth mainline entry sees the protagonist explore a dark fantasy world and thrust into a conflict involving the demonic Lilith, summoned to exert her power.

What stands out for Diablo IV gameplay-wise is its addictive hack-and-slash combat system. With six classes to choose from, including the Vessel of Hatred DLC’s Spiritborn, players get an array of tools to create builds with to go on countless dungeon-crawling ventures. Diablo IV also does well to adapt the series’ hack-and-slash/looting gameplay loop into the open-world format with procedurally generated dungeons, giving the game plenty of replay factor to clear swathes of enemies off the screen with martial and magical abilities.

Diablo 4

Systems

Released

June 6, 2023

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language

Developer(s)

Blizzard

Publisher(s)

Blizzard

Engine

Proprietary Engine

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Cross-Platform Play

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S

Cross Save

Yes, Diablo 4 doe support cross-save

Diablo® IV is the ultimate action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or explore an expansive end game and shared world where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle world bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play, cross-progression, and couch co-op on Xbox.

Oblivion Remastered Balances Nostalgia & Modernity for the Hero of Kvatch’s Quest

Skyrim doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon, but The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a good mix of something old with something new. While its launch hasn’t been without optimization issues, studio Virtuous’s update for the ’00s classic has proven to be another fun high-fantasy romp through a vibrant open world. The game takes players through the Hero of Kvatch’s story, going from Imperial prisoner to a key figure in the land’s line of defense against the encroaching monstrosities from the Oblivion gates.

New players and returning Elder Scrolls veterans alike can stumble upon hours’ worth of fun questlines to satiate that medieval power fantasy craving. It gives players the freedom to tailor plenty of creative and powerful character builds, even with (like the original) Oblivion Remastered‘s more structured class system compared to Skyrim‘s open-ended skill progression. This is made all the better with the remaster’s retooled leveling mechanics, which finally allow players’ Minor skills to contribute to progression alongside the Major skills. That’s on top of featuring some of the series’ best side quests, letting players be a Dark Brotherhood assassin to a master thief.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Systems

Released

April 22, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence

Developer(s)

Virtuos, Bethesda

Publisher(s)

Bethesda