Magic can be defined as something fantastic and beyond the reach of human capability. It's a concept that has fascinated people since time immemorial. After all, magic is power. This idea is something that will never go out of fashion, so much so that meta-human abilities have become a staple of the video game medium. It has seeped into practically every genre. Here the particular topic of interest is specifically the traditional means of magic with spells and incantations, rather than superpowers.

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The fixation on magical powers can sometimes be almost detrimental, leaving some games feeling rather pedestrian in their implementation of this concept. So here is a compilation of games where the developers truly had to think of outside the box in order to incorporate magic into the gameplay, making it feel just a little less fake.

Updated on July 13, 2023 by Jack Webb: Mages, wizards, witches, and everything in between are recurring themes and tropes in several games. Mostly you find them in fantasy games, but that's not always the case. Here are some of the best games you can check out that heavily feature wizards and mages.

16 Final Fantasy 10

screenshot of Lulu Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy 10 was a massive leap into the next generation that ended up being wildly successful for the franchise. The swift nature of the turn-based combat coupled with an emotional story led to players experiencing one of the very best games in the series.

Lulu and Yuna are the two out-and-out mages in the game. Along with this, Tidus can learn the abilities of a Time Mage as well thanks to easy access to the Haste and Slow spells, making him more of a hybrid role that combines this class and that of a Warrior.

15 Wildermyth

The main characters of Wildermyth on a stone bridge, creatures surrounding them.

Wildermyth is one of the most unique games that anyone can check out if they love the combination of tactical turn-based gameplay and procedural storytelling. This combination ends up being quite riveting indeed, with Wildermyth being an absolute joy to play as a result.

This game has a pretty unique take on magic, letting you interfuse with objects on the battlefield and using them to deal damage. It's pretty unique, making the act of playing as a Mystic pretty worthwhile indeed.

14 South Park: The Stick Of Truth

A screenshot showing a scene from South Park: The Stick of Truth

South Park: The Stick of Truth is a game that faithfully adheres to the art style of the show while also delivering a brilliant experience in its own right. The game is full to the brim with hilarious moments and surprisingly engaging turn-based combat.

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You can choose from several classes, with one of them being a Mage. It has all the classic Mage powers, including elemental powers and the ability to put enemies to sleep.

13 Divinity: Original Sin 2

Divinity Original Sin 2 Artwork

Larian Studios is a master of its craft when it comes to creating amazing modern CRPGs, with Divinity: Original Sin 2 being their magnum opus by a country mile (so far!). The sheer amount of character in this game is more than enough to draw more people into experiencing this masterpiece.

There are several characters you control in your party, including mages the dabble in various magical arts. You can also opt for a battlemage build yourself if you want things to be more interesting in combat, although this can make the initial trek through Fort Joy a downright chore.

12 Dragon Age: Inquisition

Dragon Age Inquisition GeForce Now horses

The Dragon Age series has seen its fair share of ups and downs, with the imminent release of a new game exciting players to no end. While the first game is considered by many to be the best of the lot, the gameplay in this series is improved extensively in Inquisition.

As a result, it's a ton of fun to play as a wizard in this game. Launching projectiles and unleashing powerful spells is a ton of fun in this game, making this class feel more action-heavy than most other games featuring wizards and mages.

11 Lego Harry Potter Collection

Hagrid and Dumbledore from Lego Harry Potter Collection walking the Diagon Alley

Probably the most well-known entry on the list, as neither Lego nor Harry Potter, require lengthy introductions. Harry Potter is practically synonymous with wizards and boasts a vast catalogue of games already. While the Lego games have become a celebration of pop culture's favourite icons and this game is no exception. The collection includes both games from the series and manages to strike the nostalgia chord in just the right way.

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What the game seemingly lacks in terms of spells at first glance, it immediately makes up for this with a staggering amount of playable characters, all of whom manage to make themselves distinct in one way or another. Revisiting Hogwarts is a delightful experience, which can be enhanced by the chaos that ensues during a co-op playthrough.

10 CodeSpells

Player avatar from CodeSpells casting Earth Magic

CodeSpells is an indie game developed by ThoughtSTEM, LLC. The gameplay loop is self-evident - it's all about coding spells. This is a project which started as a means to teach kids coding and flourished into the closest thing to a bonafide wizard simulator. The developers stuck to their controlling idea instead of watering it down and created something wholly unique. Thanks to CodeSpells, it's possible to learn a marketable skill while finding innovative ways to express creativity.

You shouldn't worry about your lack of prior coding experience nor be put off by assuming that the learning aspect is somehow ham-fisted and will detract from the experience - the application of coding principles is seamlessly woven into the demonstrations of magical prowess.

9 Lichdom Battlemage

Player avatar from Lichdom Battlemage facing off against minotaur

From Xaviant and Maximum Games comes Lichdom: Battlemage. The game takes the spell crafting approach to magic. Even though more and more magically-oriented games started doing this in recent years, Lichdom: Battlemage can't be faulted for its choice. After all, a robust and varied arsenal of spells is the bread and butter of any good wizarding experience.

The first-person action RPG spoils you for choice. There are literally thousands of spell combinations in Battlemage that can be crafted from salvaged materials. However, for those who might find the system a little overwhelming at first, there is an option to smart-craft spells, which helps ease you into the flow of the game.

8 Arx Fatalis

Am Shaegar, the Guardian from Arx Fatalis

This may be the oldest game on the list, but it's not pulling any punches. Arx Fatalis is a classic of the RPG genre and is fondly remembered by all who played it. To further sweeten the pot, this is the first game by Arkane Studios, a developer with some pedigree that went on to create Prey and the Dishonored series.

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The game makes use of the gesture system for you to interact with magic. What this means is that the computer mouse effectively functions as a wand, you can cast different spells by drawing specific patterns with the cursor. This approach is not too dissimilar from the way magic is used in Okami.

7 In Verbis Virtus

Sirens from In Verbis Virtus assaulting the Mage

In Verbis Virtus is an action RPG made by an independent studio called Indomitus Games. This is another game whose approach to the in-game magic system is unparalleled in terms of its creativity. You must use their own voice in order to cast spells and find solutions to problems that arise as they traverse the mystical temple. The game's title translated from Latin actually means Virtue In Words.

In Verbis Virtues isn't a one-trick pony either - there is plenty to explore inside the dilapidated temple. It's an adventure with tricky puzzles, unforgiving traps, and fun bosses that stand in your way. The end result is extremely immersive and nothing short of genuinely magical.

6 Magicka 1 And 2

Players uniting spells into a beam in Magicka

A co-op game with color-coded munchkins, that surprisingly isn't Among Us but twice as tumultuous. Magicka plunges you into the world of Norse mythology, giving you all the necessary tools to survive from the get-go. From here, you must adopt a "mess around and find out" attitude if they want to get to the end.

The premise is simple - there are eight different spell bases that can be combined. Doing so might offer unique solutions to the situations at hand, or it might result in death. The games quickly become challenging so spamming the same combination is ill-advised, bringing a friend along, however is not (unless they are quite trigger-happy!) What makes the co-op mode even better is the tongue-in-cheek nature of these games. It's rewarding to find some obscure jokes and memes sprinkled throughout the world.

5 Mages Of Mystralia

Zia from Mages of Mystralia using a Fire magic volley

Mages of Mystralia is an RPG dungeon crawler from Borealys Games. The game has a charming cartoony art style that creates an apt sense of whimsy while simultaneously juxtaposing the potential havoc wrought by your impressive arsenal of spells.

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The magic system in the game functions on crafting principles, which makes all of the spells customizable. Experimentation is the main meat of the game. Beyond that, the game has a simple story and isn't particularly challenging, which makes it very suitable for someone who is just looking to unwind.

4 Spellbreak

Player from Spellbreak casting the Thundercloud Lightning magic

Spellbreak is a game primarily aimed at people who have grown fatigued with Fortnite and Apex Legends but covet a unique take on the battle royale genre. The developers at Proletariat, Inc offer a polished spell-slinging experience where elemental magic is the name of the game. You can equip two of the six available magical gears and combine their disciplines for unique effects.

What sets this game apart from other battle royales is its smooth freedom of motion due to the dash ability. The aerial combat is satisfying to pull off and is the closest thing to a modern Avatar: The Last Airbender game. Gone are the days of standing around waiting for the spell to finish channelling.

3 Noita

The Witch casting an AoE Spell in Noita

Noita is a roguelite by Nolla games. You take control of a witch who must battle her way through ever-changing locales and hordes of mythological creatures based on Finnish mythology.

The unique feature of Noita is the fact that every pixel is physically simulated, meaning that everything can be interacted with from melting to freezing to completely being obliterated to smithereens. This feature makes every action you take quite weighty and tangible, as well as every subsequent run that much more memorable. It may not sound like much on paper however actually trying the game will convey the feeling better than any words can.

2 Wizard Of Legend

Battle against Flame Empress Zeal Boss in Wizard of Legend

Wizard of Legend is a gruelling roguelike dungeon crawler that thrusts you into magical trials, keeping you on the move constantly. A key ingredient to overcoming said trials is precise movement and good reflexes. Those things alone, however, may not be sufficient to surmount the challenges. This is where the expansive magic system comes into play.

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You can equip arcana from six different elements mixing and matching them in order to create specific builds to suit their runs. This can range from a cautious avoidance-heavy playstyle where adversaries are taken out one at a time, to an AoE-focused build that will obliterate waves of enemies at once. In Wizard Of Legend, there is never a quiet moment, which really sells the feeling of being an accomplished battlemage set out to prove that they are the best in business.

1 Baldur's Gate 3

art of the wizard gale from baldurs gate: 3
Gale, Waterdeep Prodigy by Cristi Balanescu

Baldur's Gate 3 faithfully converts Dungeons and Dragon's 5E rules into a video game format, and what D&D campaign would be complete without a Wizard or Sorcerer to help you out?

Baldur's Gate 3 not only lets you create your own Sorcerer or Wizard class from the official D&D gamebook, but you can choose to play as one of the main story characters, Gale, if you so prefer. Warlocks, Paladins, and any other magic-based class you can imagine appears in BG3. Almost every enemy has access to spells and magic of some sort, making Baldur's Gate 3 the perfect option if you want a healthy supply of magic and wizardry in your games.

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