Fantasy Games With Worlds Just As Amazing As Lord Of The Rings

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Even after more than 70 years, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is still one of the most important and impactful fantasy stories ever written, fundamentally shaping the genre we know and love. The world of Middle-earth has everything fantasy readers enjoy: detailed and memorable settings, a wide variety of peoples and cultures, magical creatures like dragons, and a strong sense of history brought to life through compelling characters and events.

Gamers who love the world of Middle-earth have a lot of great options to choose from, with games based on both J.R.R. Tolkien’s books and Peter Jackson’s popular movies. Some popular titles include LEGO The Hobbit and LEGO The Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings Online, The Battle for Middle-earth, and the open-world action games Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War.

The influence of The Lord of the Rings is everywhere in fantasy – you can see it in many books, movies, and especially video games. While no game quite reaches the incredible detail and beauty of Middle-earth, several have created their own fantastic worlds that are truly special. These worlds are brought to life through unique stories, visuals, histories, characters, and overall feeling. Here are some of the best fantasy games with worlds that are almost as captivating as Tolkien’s masterpiece.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

The Tamriel Continent and the Skyrim Province

For nearly 30 years, Tamriel has been a beloved world for fans of fantasy role-playing games, letting players lose themselves in a vibrant and open world where they can choose their own path and align with different groups. Bethesda’s original fantasy universe has grown with each new game, becoming richer in history, stories, secrets, and grand adventures. The developers have even included a huge number of in-game books, demonstrating their incredible attention to detail. Now, Tamriel is one of the most famous and well-loved fictional universes in gaming.

Although the world of The Elder Scrolls shares similarities with other fantasy games, it also stands out with its originality. Unique races like the Khajiit and Argonians, unusual plants and animals (particularly in Morrowind), and the diverse designs of its cities, languages, and traditions all make the world of Tamriel feel incredibly real. Even as fans anticipate The Elder Scrolls 6, Skyrim continues to be a remarkable open-world game, offering a truly epic adventure across its expansive map, complete with different landscapes and major cities like Whiterun, Solitude, and Windhelm. For those who want even more, The Elder Scrolls Online provides the most expansive and detailed version of Tamriel yet, offering a truly massive and impressive experience.

Baldur’s Gate 3

The Continent of Faerûn

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a brand new, large-scale role-playing game set in the popular fantasy world of Faerûn, which is part of the Dungeons & Dragons universe. It’s considered the most immersive and beautifully realized version of this world yet. The Forgotten Realms, where Faerûn is located, is already one of the most well-known fantasy settings ever created. While it shares some common ground with places like Middle-earth, its creator, Ed Greenwood, says Tolkien’s influence was limited. It’s a place filled with unusual landscapes, dangerous monsters, powerful magic, and mighty gods – a world where almost anything is possible and you’ll encounter all sorts of strange creatures.

Players consistently rave about the story, characters, and quests in Baldur’s Gate 3. While the game world isn’t as vast as some others, it’s incredibly detailed and rich with over 50 years of established lore from the Forgotten Realms. Larian Studios clearly respects the source material and the original BioWare games, making the world of Faerûn feel unique and genuine. This is a journey players won’t soon forget, and many will want to replay it, especially to fully explore the beautifully reimagined city of Baldur’s Gate, also known as the City of Blood.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Continent and the Northern Realms

The Witcher games, inspired by the novels of Andrzej Sapkowski, are set in a sprawling, dark fantasy world called “The Continent.” This world is made up of many kingdoms, empires, and realms, and the games mainly focus on the Northern Kingdoms – Temeria, Redania, Aedirn, and Kaedwen – which are constantly battling for power as the Nilfgaardian Empire tries to take over. While Sapkowski didn’t create a detailed map like Tolkien did, he built a rich history for The Witcher universe, filled with intricate events and characters that are just as complex as those found in Middle-Earth.

The world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a stunning and varied place, heavily inspired by Slavic myths and legends. The game creates a unique and immersive experience through its captivating atmosphere, music, and mature storylines, all set against incredibly beautiful scenery. Players, as Geralt of Rivia, will journey through a wide range of environments – from thick forests and foggy swamps to peaceful villages and lively cities like Oxenfurt, Novigrad, and Beauclair (added in the Blood & Wine expansion) – along with countless mountains and islands. Though realistic in its visuals, The Witcher 3 stands out from other fantasy games thanks to its distinctive mood, rich folklore, and creatively designed monsters, making it a truly memorable game world.

Dragon Age Inquisition

The Continent of Thedas

The Dragon Age series is BioWare’s unique vision of a classic fantasy world, taking place on the continent of Thedas. Players can journey across diverse regions like Ferelden, Nevarra, Antiva, and the imposing Tevinter Imperium, each with its own distinct culture and feel. The world is beautifully designed and filled with detail, and Dragon Age deliberately offers a more mature and gritty take on fantasy, dealing with complex issues and conflicts. It shares more in common with the darker tone of The Witcher than the more traditional heroism found in The Lord of the Rings.

While each Dragon Age game has its own unique look and feel, Dragon Age: Inquisition still boasts the most stunning and detailed environments of the series. As the leader of the Inquisition, players travel across the diverse continent of Thedas, working to forge alliances and bring peace to a troubled land. The game features incredible landscapes – from lush forests and eerie swamps to icy mountains, burning deserts, and rugged coastlines – and these visuals still stand out even years after its release. Interestingly, the game isn’t a single, seamless open world, which allowed the developers to create rich, memorable areas. Ultimately, the journey through Thedas in Inquisition is truly epic, putting it among the best large-scale fantasy RPGs ever made.

Elden Ring

The Lands Between and the Realm of Shadow

As a huge fan, I can honestly say that Elden Ring‘s world, crafted by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin, is one of the most incredible gaming worlds I’ve ever explored. It really feels as epic and massive as The Lord of the Rings. Seriously, traveling through the Lands Between is breathtaking – you’re constantly amazed, whether you’re delving into deep underground areas or scaling huge mountains to discover lost cities, impressive castles, beautiful estates, magical schools, and ancient ruins. And you can always see the Erdtree – it’s this massive, glowing tree in the distance that just makes the whole world instantly iconic and unforgettable.

The Lands Between isn’t just a beautiful place; it’s a deeply complex world with a rich history and hidden secrets. Like other games from FromSoftware, everything in the game – from small items to important characters – has a purpose and contributes to a detailed and believable world. The new Shadow of the Erdtree expansion adds a vast and stunning new area to explore, raising the bar even for a studio known for its beautiful game design. Considering how successful Elden Ring has become so quickly, many are now wondering if a sequel is on the horizon.

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2025-11-18 08:39