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Games with a good magic system?
- Thread starter inkls
- Start date
NoblesseOblige
Banned
I've heard Lichdom: Battlemage is a decent spellcasting game, but I can't confirm.
There are different ways magic can feel satisfying. Depending on what you're looking for (and how you'd define "magic"), I'd probably suggest some of these:
Dragon's Dogma
Diablo 3
Dishonored
Kingdom Hearts series
Final Fantasy Tactics
fighting games with magical characters
playing as an adept in the original Mass Effect
edit: just remembered Divinity: Original Sin
Dragon's Dogma
Diablo 3
Dishonored
Kingdom Hearts series
Final Fantasy Tactics
fighting games with magical characters
playing as an adept in the original Mass Effect
edit: just remembered Divinity: Original Sin
ugh_the_boot
Banned
From my personal experiences (I only really play action/rpg games) I would say Eternal Darkness, Demons Souls and Dark Souls.
In Eternal Darkness you have to figure out the spells for yourself then chant the runes in order (kinda like playing the flute thingy in wind waker), they are usually puzzle based but a few can be used for combat, buffs etc.
In Eternal Darkness you have to figure out the spells for yourself then chant the runes in order (kinda like playing the flute thingy in wind waker), they are usually puzzle based but a few can be used for combat, buffs etc.
Psychoward
Banned
Dragon's Dogma
Mass Effect 3 biotic powers are great too if that counts. Most powers of the series and the Vanguard loop especially of abusing charge, nova and melee is too great. Add in now they're useful against forms of barrier and the global cooldown is based on your equipment and it easily has the best gameplay of the series - not even counting other improvements like rolling or shooting. I'll always miss the insane physics breaking combos of adepts in me1 but it still isn't a comparison.
Mass Effect 3 biotic powers are great too if that counts. Most powers of the series and the Vanguard loop especially of abusing charge, nova and melee is too great. Add in now they're useful against forms of barrier and the global cooldown is based on your equipment and it easily has the best gameplay of the series - not even counting other improvements like rolling or shooting. I'll always miss the insane physics breaking combos of adepts in me1 but it still isn't a comparison.
FFVIII
I always liked how your playstyle in Tales of Symphonia influenced the magic/skills you learned, often times combining moves. The whole Arte system of later games honestly felt like a downgrade in complexity for a while before they finally added some new systems down the line.
I always liked how your playstyle in Tales of Symphonia influenced the magic/skills you learned, often times combining moves. The whole Arte system of later games honestly felt like a downgrade in complexity for a while before they finally added some new systems down the line.
Blackleg-sanji1
Banned
Kingdom hearts to me always had some satisfying magic.
Psychoward
Banned
it's so much better in 3 though :/
Iva Demilcol
Member
Oh, a stealth Dragon's Dogma thread...
lol, I've never played the game, but those gifs do look nice.
poodaddy
Member
I came to say this, game's quite a lot of fun and it's really beautiful. It can bit a spammy though, and some of the spells are too useful, but overall I really enjoyed it. I hope they make a sequel and really get creative with the spells. It's unique at least if you look at it more like a first person shooter than an RPG.
Yeah, the Tales series is another good example for satisfying magic. You can often do solo runs with magic-oriented characters if you want, and sometimes entries like Vesperia go one step farther accomodating magical play. (Example: Rita can eventually skip her incantations entirely, saying "blahblahblah" instead. That was like my favorite thing ever.)
Haha, I only specified ME1 because you can get skill cooldowns so low that enemies literally can't do anything when you spam lift, stasis, throw, and singularity. ME3's great, too.
flatearthpandas
Member
Eternal Darkness again. You can tweak the spells by arranging the runes and certain levels involve massive spell creation.
Divinity is fucking incredible. I knew it was great when I:
1) Used telekinesis to move a bunch of crates for cover
2) Hid behind said crates and conjured an oil slick in front of them
3) Waited until the enemies were partway through it, advancing to rout me out of cover
4) Summoned a fireball to set the oil (and the advancing enemies on fire)
5) Used the teleport spell to send any attackers that managed to get through the fire RIGHT BACK INTO IT.
God Divinity is so good. I love how it rewards insane ideas that would not and could not work in any other game.
Blackleg-sanji1
Banned
Yeah, the Tales series is another good example for satisfying magic. You can often do solo runs with magic-oriented characters if you want, and sometimes entries like Vesperia go one step farther accomodating magical play. (Example: Rita can eventually skip her incantations entirely, saying "blahblahblah" instead. That was like my favorite thing ever.)
Haha, I only specified ME1 because you can get skill cooldowns so low that enemies literally can't do anything when you spam lift, stasis, throw, and singularity. ME3's great, too.
https://youtu.be/fs93c9KavvU
I think i once made a thread similar to this but far more verbose.
In my experience, there's no truly good magic system in video games. It always boils down to "Press button to cast a spell", and spells are often very limited, even in games set in worlds where magic can do many, many things.
The old PC game, Black And White, was kind of interesting since you played as a god. Spells/abilities were gestures (though quick buttons were available), so it felt like you were casting something instead of just pressing a button. Plus the abilities did involve stuff like creating food from nothing, which is arguably more interesting than "fireball!".
I want to raise tower for myself and use magic to do the impossible, i want to create things and change things, i want figure out new things. What do i care for killing petty bandits or political intrigue, if i'm a mage?
A honorable mention to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, as one could use the Force (which is really just magic) pretty freely and to do various things. It did feel a bit like you were given an ability and told "Do what you wish". (It wasn't quite that but the feeling was there, hence the honorable mention.)
In my experience, there's no truly good magic system in video games. It always boils down to "Press button to cast a spell", and spells are often very limited, even in games set in worlds where magic can do many, many things.
The old PC game, Black And White, was kind of interesting since you played as a god. Spells/abilities were gestures (though quick buttons were available), so it felt like you were casting something instead of just pressing a button. Plus the abilities did involve stuff like creating food from nothing, which is arguably more interesting than "fireball!".
I want to raise tower for myself and use magic to do the impossible, i want to create things and change things, i want figure out new things. What do i care for killing petty bandits or political intrigue, if i'm a mage?
A honorable mention to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, as one could use the Force (which is really just magic) pretty freely and to do various things. It did feel a bit like you were given an ability and told "Do what you wish". (It wasn't quite that but the feeling was there, hence the honorable mention.)
Teleport explosive barrels into your flame trap or teleport one enemy back in but on top of the rest and have them toppled falling all over each other. It's all about mind games. And then multiplayer. It's all about the fuck ups.
Edit. Another game I enjoyed some "spells" in are the Castlevania, 2d games. Speeding around with rapidus fio and comboing my fungus lightning or nitesco beams are very solid and satisfying in Order of Ecclesia
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Psychoward
Banned
Really? I personally hate the magic system in the Souls games, always end up going melee.
Cameron122
Member
I grant you fire's blaze, OP!
JustSomeone
Member
Morrowind.
It has the biggest and best selection of magic effects I have ever seen in a game. You can fly, become invisible, protect yourself against enemy spells,reflect enemy spells, summon monsters to fight for you and much more.
And the best part is that you can create your own spells by combining some of those spell effects.
Also, Divinity original sin - the interaction between spells and the environment is amazing.
And of course, diablo 2 and 3.
It has the biggest and best selection of magic effects I have ever seen in a game. You can fly, become invisible, protect yourself against enemy spells,reflect enemy spells, summon monsters to fight for you and much more.
And the best part is that you can create your own spells by combining some of those spell effects.
Also, Divinity original sin - the interaction between spells and the environment is amazing.
And of course, diablo 2 and 3.
autoduelist
Member
Most of the middle-late Ultima's had absolutely fantastic magic systems. It was a combination of crafting Reagants and knowing the words of incantation.
Oh man yeah.... Like if you knew what to do you could literally just become a nuclear armed fighter jet. Levitation plus super speed plus massive fireballs with poison effects.... Comically broken but that's why the game is so lovable.
I also loved how the enchantment system was 100% freeform too. Like, if you wanted to make armor that was just enchanted to poison you to death, nothing was stopping you other than common sense.
I actually have vague memories of killing merchants by selling them custom made magic items that were enchanted with such effects. They would equip it and then just keel over a few minutes later.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
New Standard.
100%+ Fire resist, stand in lava for free heals, embarrass fire enemies.
Yeah, the Tales series is another good example for satisfying magic. You can often do solo runs with magic-oriented characters if you want, and sometimes entries like Vesperia go one step farther accomodating magical play. (Example: Rita can eventually skip her incantations entirely, saying "blahblahblah" instead. That was like my favorite thing ever.)
Haha, I only specified ME1 because you can get skill cooldowns so low that enemies literally can't do anything when you spam lift, stasis, throw, and singularity. ME3's great, too.
The other Great Vesperia Character.
Graces did this in an even better with "physical" attacks shortening the cast times of "magic" attacks leading to COMBONATION (instant cast EENDEEGAHNASHIYON also tends to solve alot of problems).
Dark_castle
Junior Member
Treasure of the Rudras, a less popular SNES RPG by Square had a pretty interesting Magic system which involves player creating magic spells from scratch using combination of keywords, and it has further depths by certain keywords changing the properties and effectiveness of the magic spells in different ways.
Dark Souls, even though I don't really like playing with magic because sword & shield is just too fun, it's a cool system.
Definitely Mass Effect's biotic powers too, I played all 3 as both a soldier & biotic class and enjoyed biotics a lot more. Bending them around cover and blowing them up in mid air was brilliant fun. I actually forgot how fun it was. Now I want to play ME. I also loved the back story on biotics, one of the novels in particular about a young biotic I enjoyed quite a lot.
Definitely Mass Effect's biotic powers too, I played all 3 as both a soldier & biotic class and enjoyed biotics a lot more. Bending them around cover and blowing them up in mid air was brilliant fun. I actually forgot how fun it was. Now I want to play ME. I also loved the back story on biotics, one of the novels in particular about a young biotic I enjoyed quite a lot.
ugh_the_boot
Banned
I've never used it personally (outside of Roayal Guard in Demons) but i've got a mate who prefers magic builds in almost every game that offered it and I saw him absolutely ruining mobs in Dark. He was having a hella easy time getting through areas which were causing me some grief (multiples of each spell equipped so you get more shots). I guess it can work both ways though because later on he did have some problems of his own when I was steadily hacking my through. The builds are viable though, that's for sure (especially pvp).
Psychoward
Banned
Oh I wasn't denying that it's useful, I just don't like using it or the way From implements it.
I like tales of Destiny Remake's magic system. Spell casting times are lowered the longer the combos get. Certain characters can also store spells.
Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEso5iUSQuc
Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEso5iUSQuc
hydrophilic attack
Member
Do you mean Inkle's adaptation of the Sorcery! game books? If so, I agree!
ph1l0z0ph3r
Member
Wizard from Diablo 3 is fun in terms of this. Especially with the DMO Twister - Explosive Blast build going around. Some gifs but they don't do the class justice.
shadowfall
Member
Along with dragons dogma and souls series I think I enjoyed magic in Fable 3. Was kind of simple but it was fun to combine different spells.
I really like the Magic System from Fire Emblem.
The animations are really satisfying too.
If I had the power to make one change to a game series, it would be to bring back the sprites from the GBA FE games. Nothing in the series looks and feels as satisfying.
Dragon's Dogma is pretty good.
I love Dragon's Dogma! and I love the magic in the game because you feel like a bad ass mofo
But how good is the magic system if its just a game of "jack-in-the-box"
Dragon's Dogma is pretty good.
It looks pretty but a good system?
Baldur's Gate 2 has some fun magic.
RespectThySole
Member
Divinity: Original Sin.