There’s no setting quite as iconic as Dungeons and Dragons’ Forgotten Realms. A sprawling high-fantasy world shimmering with magic and mystery, it’s become the backdrop for millions of virtual and tabletop adventures. While Mages of Mystralia isn’t a DnD game in name or setting, its overarching narrative is the brainchild of Ed Greenwood, the creator of the Forgotten Realms, and it wears its lineage on its sleeve. So if you, like me, are looking for yet another fantasy RPG in the wake of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Avowed, look no further: Mages of Mystralia is free right now.
Mages of Mystralia casts you as Zia, a young, blossoming wizard. Magic is banned, however, forcing you to venture out into the wilds to hone your skills and sharpen your wit. On your travels you meet a band of exiled mages, who quickly show you how to create your own spells using various long-lost ruins. Said spellcrafting forms the basis of the RPG‘s Zelda-like combat, and in many ways feels reminiscent of games like Diablo.
Spells are split into two categories: focus and essence. Focus is effectively the core component of the spell – Immedi spells react instantly, Actus spells form stationary elemental orbs, Creo spells create terrain such as ice bridges and fire walls, and Ego spells buff you. Essence allows you to use the elements to alter the world, so Aura (or electricity) lets you activate switches, for example.
In order to change out exactly what the spell does, you’ll use runes, which are also split into three categories. Behavior Runes completely change how a spell will operate, Augment Runes work in tandem with the spell itself and any other runes, and Trigger Runes cast quickfire spells if the right conditions are met.
Mages of Mystralia’s spellcrafting system offers a wealth of possibilities, really allowing you to customize your playstyle. As a long-time Diablo fan, it reminds me of the Runeword system in Diablo 2 (and now Diablo 4), and it’s one of the reasons I’m so excited to take Mystralia for a spin.
If you’re also intrigued, now’s the time to try Mages of Mystralia, as it’s completely free on the Epic Games Store, saving you $19.99 / £14.99. Borealys Games is also working on a sequel, Echoes of Mystralia, which has a brand-new playtest. You can sign up for that here.
If you’re looking for more adventures that won’t break the bank, check out our rundown of the best free Steam games. Alternatively, if you’re also a little bit too obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons, here’s a full list of all the best DnD games.
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