The Most Impressive Video Game Fantasy Worlds

Let’s make this clear. I’ve played a lot of video games in my life - some good ones, some not-so-good ones… and some ‘out of this world’ ones, literally. But the ones that have really stuck with me most are the ones that have managed to take me somewhere completely different. You know, the places that have been so amazingly designed that you just want to stop and take in the scenery (even if there’s a scary giant boss who wants to smash you into oblivion). 

For me, it’s the games that create a whole universe - a universe that is filled with its own history, culture, and secrets that are the ones that keep me coming back to my game controller. And, you can find them everywhere if you know where to look… Xbox, Nintendo, PlayStation -  and the likes of the casino bonus offers by Boylesports gives players the chance to spin the reels that take you into a whole new world… with games like Gigantoonz and Reactoonz and their cute little Alien creatures in cutesy Alien worlds.

So, let me share with you some of my absolute favourite video game fantasy worlds… and why I love them!

The Continent in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

If there was ever a fantasy world that actually feels properly lived-in, it has to be The Continent from The Witcher 3. This isn’t just a gorgeous map. This is somewhere that actually feels like it has a history. It has politics… and even changing weather that changes the whole mood of the game. There were villages that felt like life was really happening… even when I wasn’t there to see it. When I was wandering through the rain-soaked streets of Novigrad, it actually made me feel like I was being transported to a real medieval fantasy land.

But what I really loved about it was its moral complexity. It’s not just about good vs evil. The people are all real, with their own agendas… just like the real world. I often even found myself getting sidetracked from the actual main quest because I liked the backstories!

Tamriel in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

It’s been a few years since I played Skyrim, but Tamriel is still up there, right near the top of my list. It’s got snowy peaks, fabulous foliage and ancient ruins that give it an epic feel I’ve not really experienced in many other games. I loved the fact that I could go from walking through the city of Whiterun to scaling the dragon-infested mountain without one single screen loading. It’s enormous and it’s amazing!

But what I really loved about it was the level of freedom it gave me. Whenever I wanted to abandon the main story thread and become something completely different… like an alchemist or a thief, I could. And you even get rewarded for these explorations by finding cool little details like log cabins and characters having a chat about what’s going on. These are the details that make it feel real and alive!

Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Next, we have Nintendo’s reimagining of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild... and it literally blew me away. I remember in vivid detail when I climbed my first tower and saw the whole landscape open up, as well as the plethora of brand new items to wrap my head around. There were mountains in the distance, forests, and lakes that were shimmering in the sunlight. It didn’t just look like a basic game map. It was more like a playground just begging me to explore every inch of it. 

I also found it to feel really natural to explore as well. There weren’t any obvious ‘follow me’s’ to help. Whenever I saw something that looked interesting, I just went and took a look. I’ve literally spent hours not bothering with the mission and just wandering around to see what’s out there. It’- was part of the whole experience for me!

Spira in Final Fantasy X

You know when you get worlds that stay in your head for years? Well, for me, Spira is one of those. It had this amazing mix of tropical beauty, relics, and spirituality that made it unlike any other fantasy world I’ve ever seen before. With the golden sands of Besaid and the darker and more mystical ruins of Zanarkand, no area looked or felt the same.

There’s this beauty to it, but somehow it also feels a bit sad… with that ever-looming presence of Sin, religious dogma and constant conflicts. It actually made me feel something, and that’s why it stood out to me.

The Lands Between in Elden Ring

Then we have The Lands Between - which somehow manages to be awesome but fearsome at once. And I loved it! There were huge golden trees, dark, rotting swamps, and it was massive, exciting and unforgiving. It just made me feel like every castle ruin and hidden cave has its own story that it was waiting for me to uncover.

Here, it wasn’t just about finding the loot either, I actually got to piece together the history of this broken world. Sometimes I’d see something really weird in the distance that I’d drop whatever I was doing and just find out what it was. Sometimes I regretted it… But only in the best way possible.

A Whole New World… or Two

For me, these worlds aren’t just pretty backdrops for a game. They’re actually characters in their own right - and characters that you get pretty fond of. A good game might have a map, but a great game has a whole new world… that you get to explore without having to step foot outside your home.