Itch.iois home to some incredible fantasy games. A lot of these arevisual novels, which is excellent for lore-rich, history-heavy stories set in magical worlds, but many have RPG and puzzle elements, too. Fromlove storiesset in magical universities to epic battles fought across fantastical landscapes, there’s something on Itch.io for everyone.
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Here are some of the best games fantasy fans can find on Itch.io.Most of them are freeor “pay as you please,” although some of the longer games have a set price. All of them have incredible stories and excellent writing, and most have gorgeous pixel art, too.
6Saint Spell’s Love Guide To The Magical Student’s Handbook by jiefinch
Saint Spell’s Love Guide to the Magical Student’s Handbookis a spellbinding dating sim, packed with magical races, interesting characters, and beautiful pixel art. The player steps into the role of a Spellcaster, heading off to university to learn skills of their choice. Players can choose their name, pronouns, and their school House, which will open up encounters with a range of characters.
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In each class, the player will have a chance to approach another student, unlocking a new series of dialogue options. Who they decide to bond with will determine the ending they will get (and there are quite a few of them). Between classes, they can wander around the campus to increase their skills. There’s a lot of content to enjoy here for fantasy lovers, and the characters are adorable.
5The Nameless by Parker Lyn
The Namelessis a work in progress, but it’s well worth checking out. It’s fantasy interactive fiction, and it’s free to play. It’s worth noting that it’s an 18+ game with descriptions of violence. Players will encounter a race loosely based on fae mythology, and it has a rich backstory with a ton of lore around different classes. Which class players go for will impact their magic bonuses, and they can choose to focus on magic or might.
It’s an interesting world, packed with detail, with lore players can get lost in. While it’s still in development, it’s worth trying out and checking back on from time to time. It already has a decent amount of content to get stuck into, and the developer adds updates often.
4Stay? by ejadelomax
An interactive fiction story withdating simand puzzle elements,Stay?by developer ejadelomax allows players to “choose your own happy ending.” Set in the magical city of Elaia, the player will have to choose a major, focusing on magic, history, or combat, while making friends, falling in love, and learning about the rich history of Elaia.
This is a classic text-adventure story, with a very minimal style, and players can go through the story multiple times to make different choices. It’s an engaging game with excellent storytelling, and Elaia is a unique setting to explore.
3A Tale Of Crowns by cherry
A Tale of Crownsis an epic story spanning generations. The setting, Arsur, is an empire based on Kurdish culture. It’s high fantasy with vivid descriptive writing, and there are four love options to choose from and a level of control over character appearance, clothing, and key strengths. It does have some adult content including violence, grief, and trauma, so the suggested age range is 16 years and above.
A Tale of Crownsis a text-based adventure, but it’s beautiful to look at, and the writing is excellent. Players will quickly become attached to their characters (which may be a problem depending on how well they can deal with certain events). It’s being continually updated, but it’s worth jumping in now.
2Grimm’s Hollow by ghosthunter
Grimm’s Hollowdeals with the topic of griefin a heartwarming, creative way. It’s an RPG, but it’s a short one, which is refreshing. The player awakes in a kind of dorm room surrounded by a bunch of little Reapers (and a lot of balloons). They find out that they have died, and it’s their job to reap unwieldy souls and take them into the afterlife.
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The main character, however, is more concerned with finding their brother, Timmy, so they begin a quest to find out what happened to him. It’s a sweet game, with some adorable ghosts, sweet dialogue, and multiple endings. It does deal with a heavy subject matter, but it’s done in a kind, gentle way, and feels reminiscent ofUndertale.
1Roadwarden by Moral Anxiety Studio
A beautiful story with some incredible pixel art,Roadwardenis a text-based RPG in which the player takes on the role of a Roadwarden, with the task of exploring the incredibly harsh wilderness to deliver messages, tackle enemies, and walk headfirst into danger around every corner. Players can choose to pick their conversational style depending on who they’re talking to: they can be friendly or playful or go for threatening if they want. Choosing the right option for each character is important because players will need to gain their trust to progress.
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Players can choose their strengths, background, personality, and beliefs, developing their character over the course of the game as they get to the root of several perplexing mysteries and problems. For those looking to enjoy the story alone, they can choose the Casual difficulty, while more seasoned RPG players may prefer to go for Standard or Restrictive for more of a challenge.
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