10 Fantasy Video Games With the Best Worldbuilding

Published Aug 21, 2026, 7:22 AM EDT Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts. Video games have a lot of benefits compared to other storytelling mediums because they can give the players a ground-level view of the story and have the actual audience experience the plot rather than watch it. Video games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 thrive at this, especially because of their worldbuilding, which gives more detail and understanding of the world since gamers live through it. Worldbuilding is more than simply crafting a unique setting; it is about creating the history and lore and how it connects to the world that the races live in, which involves culture, politics, religion, constant change, and incredible detail. That is why this list will feature ten fantasy video game masterpieces with the greatest worldbuilding based on design, detail, narrative, setting, lore, depth, coherence, everything mentioned earlier, and overall quality. 'Dragon Age: Origins' (2009) Image via BioWare Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Dragon Age will be getting another game anytime in the future, which is sad since the franchise had such great worldbuilding, with Dragon Age: Origins, in particular, shining. Thedas is the massive continent where the game takes place, but the majority of the events happen in the kingdom of Ferelden, where factions must unite against the Blight, an apocalyptic force led by an archdemon. While Thedas is a high fantasy world, it brilliantly subverts typical tropes with different homes and treatments of the races, such as elves being outcasts living in slums. The many factions and races of Dragon Age: Origins each have distinct prejudices and histories, making their unification challenging and fascinating to witness. It is centuries of conflict forced to blend overnight because of a bigger threat, highlighting the worldbuilding prestige of this game. 'Planescape: Torment' (1999) Image via Black Isle Studios A lot of computer games excel at worldbuilding because they are continuously updated and can be jam-packed with so much more lore, and one example is Planescape: Torment. Sigil, also known as the City of Doors, is a paradoxical world that floats at the center of the universe, only existing because of people's beliefs. In it, factions are shaped by philosophy, and gods are unable to enter and conquer it. This ring-shaped city is a peculiar location that is both well-made and fascinating, especially since it connects all the worlds together. Since the gameplay is all about dialogue, knowledge, and philosophical thought, the worldbuilding reflects this approach, creating a heavily stylized world. Planescape: Torment doesn't have wars to define it, but rather the words of history and thought that shape the culture. 'Elden Ring' (2022) Image via Bandai Namco Entertainment The open-world format is more popular than most others nowadays. Exploring a vast world naturally comes with some fascinating worldbuilding; Elden Ring is the perfect example. It takes place in The Lands Between, a beautiful and haunting fantastical world where the player must adventure around and find the shattered pieces of the titular object in order to restore it and become the Elden Lord. Co-created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin, the worldbuilding in this game might be the best part. The visual grandeur of Elden Ring alone is enough to have players frozen in awe, but the detail of item descriptions and environmental storytelling build a bigger picture that is even more beautiful to look at. As one of the best modern fantasy games, Elden Ring had to deliver on the worldbuilding, and it certainly didn't disappoint. 'World of Warcraft' (2004) Image via Blizzard Entertainment If there is one game that can be endlessly replayed, it is World of Warcraft, which has been going strong for over 20 years with immersive role-playing gameplay and excellent worldbuilding. Azeroth is a planet with many factions, races, monsters, and other creatures inhabiting it. With so many magical threats, there are bound to be apocalyptic events where they must unite to stave off destruction. Azeroth is a well-known video game world because it was created with so much care, detail, and attention, constructing an eternal setting that has evolved over 20 real years. The world is colorful and full of charm and high-fantasy delight, but its strength lies in the unique cultures and scale, which combine for epic battles. World of Warcraft is a theme park-esque world that has had years to establish itself. 'The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt' (2015) Image via CD Projekt Based on Slavic folklore, the Game of the Year-winning The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes place in The Continent, where monsters and creatures are not only commonplace but rampant. That is where Witchers come in, exterminating them at a price. However, monsters aren't the only threat to the world. The story seeps into every part of The Witcher 3, and that includes the worldbuilding, especially through side quests. Players can stumble upon a random well, and it will turn into an hour-long quest that explores a traumatic past and monster origins. This singular approach is the beauty of The Witcher 3: random encounters that enrich the world with an irresistible fantasy flavor, which proves it is one of the best modern video games. 'Dishonored' (2012) Image via Bethesda Softworks Fantasy comes in many shapes and sizes, including gothic urban fantasy, and Dishonored uses a Victorian setting to deliver a distinct flair. Dunwall is a dark and gloomy fantastical city that thrives on the whale oil industry and its brutal harvest. The wealthy live in high-rise and well-lit towers, whereas the poor fight for scraps in the bleak and grimy mess at the bottom of the city. This gothic city doesn't feel too fantasy-like, but Dishonored is a distinct part of the genre that has better worldbuilding than most. The art direction is striking and gorgeous, but it also relates to the world, reflecting the political tyranny and oppression of the hierarchical system. The contrast between the poor and the rich is a major theme that the worldbuilding reflects in every aspect. 'Pillars of Eternity' (2015) Image via Obsidian Entertainment Most of the games on this list are extremely well-known, but one of the lesser-known titles featured is Pillars of Eternity. Taking place in the dark world of Eora, this fantasy game follows a party's adventure across the world and the technological renaissance it is facing. With philosophy and science integrating into the world, there is also a soul system that makes souls quantifiable energy that fuels reincarnation. Pillars of Eternity builds itself around one of the most unique worlds in video game history; it's just a shame that it isn't more popular. Soul Science isn't just an engaging concept or mechanic, but it is used as a worldbuilding aspect, questioning its ethics and the different views surrounding it. Lore is baked into the history, philosophy, science, and magic system, making the conflicts in the world even more engaging and connected. 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' (2017) The Legend of Zelda franchise is one of the biggest of all time, and while its worldbuilding is different in each game, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a completely different beast that uses past and new worldbuilding to create the best setting in the series. Set in Hyrule 100 years after Ganon and Zelda were sealed away, the kingdom has been taken over by nature, monsters, and ancient mechanisms, leaving an atmospheric yet dangerous world. Tears of the Kingdom expands on Breath of the Wild's worldbuilding, but it also means it reuses a lot, which is why the latter is on this list instead. This game is riddled with fun easter eggs and references to old games, which are actually worldbuilding. But that isn't all. Breath of the Wild has plenty of ruins, landmarks, and locations with a deep history that isn't overly explained. There is plenty of environmental storytelling, which builds the micro level, while the grand temples and ruins showcase macro-level worldbuilding. This title has an ambitious scale and plenty of intriguing lore, which is why it is one of the best adventure video games. Image via Bethesda Softworks The Elder Scrolls is one of the largest fantasy franchises out there, and any of their games could be on this list, but The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the one that reigned supreme. The titular province is layered with history and lore, from ancient ruins to modern architecture. Local tradition and Imperial control fight for influence. Meanwhile, a world-ending prophecy could end it all. Fans should think of this entry more as a spot for The Elder Scrolls in general, with Skyrim simply serving as the figurehead to represent them all since it is the most recent entry. A simple dungeon or cave can provide a long-lost history or a modern tale of adventurers, both of which add to the worldbuilding on different scales. Whether it be the architecture, political conflicts, culture of the factions, or a change in religious beliefs, Skyrim is a glorious world with hundreds of hours of side content. 'Baldur's Gate 3' (2023) Image via Larian Studios Dungeons & Dragons is one of the most expansive worlds in storytelling history, with constant updates to build it more and more. Baldur's Gate 3 had the benefit of already being in an established world, but the game further improved the worldbuilding and added new content to explore. The Forgotten Realms is home to monsters, ancient evils, magical beings, and many races all fighting for political control of the region. Baldur's Gate 3 doesn't just reuse whatever is in Dungeons & Dragons; it also incorporates older lore and history with some new aspects. Every NPC and readable book adds rewarding content to the worldbuilding, weaving an elegant and epic tapestry of history, lore, politics, philosophy, and change. Player choice and the sheer scale of decisions also alter the world, making it a reactive worldbuilding game and creating a dynamic experience that showcases why Baldur's Gate 3 is the best turn-based RPG. Baldur's Gate 3 Released August 3, 2023 ESRB M Developer(s) Larian Studios Publisher(s) Larian Studios Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 5