Best Open-World RPGs With Magical Realism Elements

Key Takeaways

• Magical realism blends beautifully in games like Stardew Valley, GreedFall, and The Witcher 3.
• Each game integrates supernatural elements uniquely into otherwise historical or real worlds.
• The exploration of magic in these games enhances gameplay, style, and lore, creating immersive experiences.

There are plenty of games that are pure fantasy, like God of War and Dragon’s Dogma, while others are pure realism, like the Red Dead Redemption franchise or Firewatch. This list illustrates games that successfully blend magical elements into otherwise historical or real worlds, adding depth to the gameplay, style, and lore in turn.

These games may vary quite wildly in their art styles and gameplay, but all successfully blend beautiful open-world environments with magical elements, whether that be in their characters, settings, or side quests. Some games lean into deep cultural and mythical ties when exploring magic, such as Assassin’s Creed Odyssey or Ghostwire: Tokyo, while others reflect darker, more creative, and unusual explorations of the supernatural and surreal, like Persona 5 and Metal Gear Solid.

6 Stardew Valley

Whimsical With Magical Elements

The magical elements of Stardew Valley are subtle, but go hand in hand with the adorable pixel-art graphics and cozy narrative that the game is beloved for. Elements of magical realism within the game include the Wizard Rasmodius, mysterious figures like Krobus, the enchanted forest, and, of course, the mysterious and elusive character of the Witch.

Players of Stardew Valley get to explore the beautiful open-world map of Pelican Town, where they work as farmers trying to improve the sense of community and live off the land. These activities are certainly added to by the curious and often bizarre goings-on in the town, many of which have unusual or supernatural causes.

5 GreedFall

Mixes The Historical With The Surreal

This RPG is highly exploration-driven, with players getting the chance to roam about a remote island in an alternative version of the 18th Century. There’s a distinctly colonial element to this game, which explores the relationship between nations and foreign settlers, with a hint of magic added for good measure.

This indie mix of the historical and surreal is sure to immerse players, and both the narrative and the visuals are dense with stunning details that make this game an unforgettable experience.

4 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Grounded in Eastern European Folklore

The Witcher 3 is a celebrated example of magical realism embedded in an otherwise naturalistic world. Players act as Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter on a mission to find his adopted daughter, Ciri. The open-world setting here is vast and stunningly detailed, making it an extremely immersive experience for players.

This seamless integration of fantasy with the historical all coexists with a Slavic-inspired world that includes elements like alchemy, magic, and supernatural combat abilities. The plot of this game is vast and filled with lore that fans of historical and fantasy games are bound to enjoy.

3 Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Brings Ancient Myths To Life

A gripping action RPG, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is set within the depths of the Peloponnesian War in Ancient Greece, focusing on exploration and combat while also dipping its toes into the wealth of supernatural mythology that comes with the territory.

Players can look forward to encountering mythological icons like Medusa and the Minotaur, which add credence to the setting, rather than detracting from the splendor of Ancient Greece. The mythological elements are just one aspect of a densely packed game full of exciting action and varied narrative.

2 Disco Elysium

A Unique Approach To Magical Realism

Disco Elysium is an unusual RPG that doesn’t fit into traditional genre conventions but focuses largely on storytelling. The game is set in Revachol, a city full of corruption and unrest. Magical realism comes to players through strange dialogues, hallucinations, and philosophical themes that punctuate the gameplay, as well as through the Pale and the strange ending.

The story of Disco Elysium is charged with mystery from the beginning, when the player, a detective, wakes up in a strange hotel room with no recollection of how they arrived there. While the game is technically an open world, the layout is murky, and much of the exploration comes from thought-provoking dialogue.

1 Persona 5

Varies Realism And Fantasy Very Well

Persona 5 is a JRPG with two distinct elements: a social simulation set in a Tokyo school and a surreal ‘Metaverse’ where players dungeon-crawl and seek to fix the psychological corruption of evil characters through turn-based combat, all while in the form of ‘Personas’, spiritual manifestations of the characters’ psyches.

The gameplay in Persona 5 is super varied. It is consistently engaging, and the story has lots of depth. Players spend half the game in the real world: going to school, working part-time jobs, and having random conversations with people in the city. All this makes the surreal elements all the more exciting by contrast, really driving home the sense of magical realism in the combat.