Experience magic, monsters, and mayhem in the best fantasy war games you can play in 2015!
Sometimes, all a war game needs is a little magic. Like, spells-that-can-turn-you-inside-out kind of magic. Or fire-breathing dragons that can turn soldiers into armies of burnt matchsticks.
You have to admit, fantasy does bring spice to war gaming. Listed here, then, are the 11 Best Fantasy War Games to Play in 2015 – fantasy games set in medieval worlds filled with elves, orcs, demons, and all those things that’ll make the Tolkien in you smile.
11. Warlock: Master of the Arcane
Love Civilization but feel the series doesn’t have enough vampires, pointy ears, and fireballs? You’ll have a blast with Warlock: Master of the Arcane.
This 4X turn-based strategy has you assuming the role of a Great Mage (each representing human, undead, monster races) as they lead their civilization to victory. You explore and expand your empire in the starting land of Ardania. Eventually, however, you’ll be able to travel between dimensions called the Underworlds, giving you access to new areas.
As expected, various elements come into play, like economy, diplomacy, religion, more. Magic can be researched, giving you a host of powerful spells with which to turn your rivals’ armies into dust. Heroes level up, equip special items, and embark on quests. And, true to the genre, there is more than one way to win the game.
Few fantasy games are this addicting!
10. King’s Bounty: Dark Side
It’s good to be bad in King’s Bounty: Dark Side.
After being driven from their homes and families by annoying do-gooders, Orc warrior Baghyr, Demoness paladin Neoleene, and the vampire mage Daert come together to exact revenge on their persecutors. Now allies, they gather what’s left of their armies to reclaim what they have lost.
A heady combination of strategy and RPG, you’ll be exploring the world of Teana and completing quests as one of these dark heroes. Of course, you’ve got your loyal troops to command in combat. Like your enemies well-done? Roast them alive with your dragon. Those pesky elves bothering you with their puny arrows? Send over your ogre to pound them into a bloody pulp. Each hero also has a unique battle companion that’s fueled by rage, not to mention you’ve got hundreds of spells and abilities to learn, artifacts to discover, and more.
The forces of Light won’t know what hit ‘em. One of the best fantasy war games you can play right now!
9. Eador: Masters of the Broken World
You’ve got to love Eador: Masters of the Broken World. Seriously, how many fantasy games have you playing as a demigod with the fate of entire worlds in their hands?
A magical cataclysm sunders the universe, Eador, setting countless shards adrift in the void. Each shard is a unique world populated by various forms of life. Now, as one of the many immortal Masters, you’ll be fighting your fellow gods for control of the universe.
Attacking shards plays a huge role in the game. Doing so transports you to the world, where’ll you have to muster your forces against its inhabitants to conquer it. This is where the empire-building elements come in, which includes exploration, hero recruitment, economy development, and more. Armies go head-to-head in tactical, turn-based combat.
Additionally, you can communicate with the other Masters as you plan your conquest, and snatch technologies from defeated Masters.
One of the best fantasy war games you can play right now!
8. Might & Magic Heroes VI
The long-running Heroes of Might and Magic series has given us some of the best fantasy war games over the years, and we’re glad to announce Might & Magic Heroes VI lives up to expectations.
The game is set in Thallan, a world rich in magic and diverse cultures that worship dragon gods. It’s also the focal point of an enduring war between the Angels and the Faceless. Five playable factions exist, each with their own special units and attributes. For example, you can chill your enemies with frightening undead creatures as Necropolis, or join Stronghold and overwhelm the opposition with a stampede of beasts such as Centaurs and Cyclopses.
Gameplay is a mix of turn-based strategy and RPG, with you controlling heroes and armies as they explore the world, conquer cities, discover artifacts, cast devastating magic spells, and more. You can also either affiliate yourself with “Tears,” if you prefer diplomatic solutions to problems, or “Blood,” if you simply love the smell of burning villages and charred flesh.
A list of excellent fantasy games would be incomplete without Might & Magic Heroes VI!
7. Sorcerer King
You had one job.
Now the world is on the brink of destruction, as the Sorcerer King readies the Spell of Making to transform himself into a god and annihilate everything you hold dear. Because nothing tickles fantasy super villains pink quite like the apocalypse.
Part RPG, part strategy, Sorcerer King puts you in the shoes of the sovereign of one of the few unconquered cities. Reclaiming the world entails exploration, questing, alliances, and the slaughter of all manner of evil.
You hero needs all the help he can get to survive the battles ahead. Thankfully, the crafting system has you following recipes to build powerful weapons and armor, while enchanting allows you to enhance them with special attributes. You’ve also got armies at your beck and call, magic spells to learn, and more.
And oh, the guys behind Galactic Civilizations made this game, so it’s definitely worth playing!
6. Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes
Also from the studio behind Galactic Civilizations comes Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes – one of the best fantasy war games we’ve played.
Like other turn-based strategy games, you’ve got an empire to expand and maintain, armies to manage, alliances to make and break, and a huge world filled with secrets to unravel. But as a stand-alone expansion of Elemental: Fallen Enchantress, Legendary Heroes’ main draw is its heroes. Depending on your chosen faction’s Fame (which grows with every successful exploit), you can attract a variety of unique champions to your cause, such as undead necromancers, specters, trolls, and golems.
Both your faction leader and heroes can level up RPG-style, while there are tons of magical abilities to learn and monsters to slay. And this is just to name a few of the game’s many features.
Defeat the Fallen Enchantress and save the world in one of our favorite fantasy games!
5. The Banner Saga
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you’ve probably heard of The Banner Saga.
This notoriously difficult, Viking-inspired tactical RPG has you journeying vast, frozen lands in a caravan – a small, wandering force of humans and horned giants called varl sent to fight the savage Dredge. All the choices you make along the way, from the friendships you make to the battles you pick, have significant impacts on the story’s evolution.
More than 25 playable and upgradeable characters, categorized into 7 unique classes, will join you on your quest. Some of them will make it to the end; some will not. And you’ll have to live with the consequences of your actions, as you don’t have the option to reload earlier game states after being defeated in battle. This makes the choices not only more difficult, but also more meaningful.
With memorable characters, innovative gameplay, a compelling story, and gorgeously hand-drawn visuals and animations, The Banner Saga is one of the best fantasy war games in existence.
4. Age of Wonders III
We can’t have a list of the best fantasy war games without including 4X turn-based strategy Age of Wonders III.
In addition to the six races to choose from (humans, high elves, dwarves, draconians, goblins, and orcs), you also choose your leader’s class, which gives you access to special skills. For example, as the Rogue, you’ll be using underhanded tactics such as manipulation and stealth both in warfare and diplomacy. On the other hand, with machines, tanks, and gunpowder in your arsenal, the Dreadnought brings steampunk to the table. As leaders partake in quests and defeat rivals, they revolve, RPG-style.
It’s not all murder and mayhem, however; you’ve also got to manage your cities and your citizens, as well as explore the world and discover secrets.
The campaign’s story centers on the perspectives of the human Commonwealth Empire, who believe in the eradication of the old ways and who want to assimilate the entire world under their rule; and the Court of the High Elves, who wish to marshal the ancient races in opposition to the Empire’s expansionist ambitions.
It’s one of the most engaging fantasy games you can play in 2015 – and it’s gorgeous to look at, too!
3. Total War: Warhammer
Since the dawn of the new millennium, Total War has been giving us some of the greatest strategy war games in the industry. The common denominator of these games is that they all have historical basis – from Attila and his nomadic hordes to feudal Japan’s samurais and ninjas.
But that is all about to change in their upcoming Total War: Warhammer.
The latest entry in the franchise will be set in the dark, Tolkienesque Warhammer universe, where fantasy races such as elves and lizardmen are locked in constant battle. At launch, the game will feature four playable factions: the technology-focused human Empire, the Orcish Greenskins, the Dwarfs, and the Vampire Counts.
Like other Total War games, Warhammer will combine titanic real-time battles with turn-based empire-building campaigns. Unlike the others, there will be magic, and monsters such as dragons and giants.
We simply can’t wait for what will likely be one of the best fantasy war games ever made!
2. Kingdom Wars II: Battles
Not enough fantasy games have zombie invasions written into their scripts. Leave it to Kingdom Wars II: Battles to bring the undead hordes to your doorstep in one of the best fantasy war games today.
The game combines real-time strategy, city-building, and zombie survival. They even managed to throw in a card game system in there!
The amazing thing is, it works. The large scale battles are intense and gory. Siege combat has your armies scaling walls with siege towers and ladders, bombarding walls with trebuchets, and ramming gates with battering rams, while you can defend your own stronghold with deadly defensive structures and fiendish traps. A complex crafting system lets you create new items and even cards, while there are numerous technologies to research. The three playable races (Humans, Elves, and Orcs) have distinctive traits, with numerous crafting opportunities and technologies unique to each of them.
Innovative and enormous in scope, this is one of the best fantasy war games you can play in 2015!
1. Endless Legend
Fantasy games don’t get much better than Endless Legend, a 4X turn-based strategy game set in the mystical land of Auriga.
As the overseer of one of eight factions, it’s your job to change the fate of a world on the verge of collapse. These factions are as unique as they are diverse.
Ever wanted to be part of an army of spectral knights? Join the Broken Lords. A fan of creepy-crawly freaks? The plague-spreading Necrophages are for you. Then you’ve got the nomadic Roving Clans, the forest-dwelling Wild Walkers, and the fanatical cult of mechanical monstrosities called the Cult of the Eternal End.
The vast, explorable world map is split into hexagonal tiles, over which you move your armies. But it’s not all about warfare; you’ll also have to micromanage the cities you’ve created or invaded, as well as prepare for Seasons, which drastically alter the climate and, consequently, the abilities of your units. You can win by eliminating all enemies, discovering all scientific technologies, becoming the economic power of the lands or the most diplomatic of factions, and more.
Truly one of the best fantasy war games of our time.
And thus another list comes to a close. So, dear readers: want do you think are the best fantasy war games to play in 2015? Tell is in the comments section below!
Or do you prefer your medieval war games more realistic? If so, check out our 11 Best Medieval War Games To Play in 2015 list.
If you like your war games a little more modern, there’s 10 Best Military Strategy Games to Play in 2015 to read.
Other articles that may interest you:
Top 10 Games Like Civilization
10 Strategy Games That Make You Smarter
All Total War Games, Ranked Best to Worst
