For me, the Baldur's Gate series is still unmatched. Going from barley being able to memorize any spells at the begining to bringing down comets, summoning divine warriors, trapping people in magical mazes and literally stopping time to unleash a storm of spells onto your opponents, among other things. I haven't played any other games that make you feel like you're becoming so powerful.
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What games do magic and spells really well?
- Thread starter Farks!
- Start date
Magic Mushroom
Member
Dragon's Dogma.
BigTnaples
Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
Morrowind. No contest.
Well as in... you see your improvement? Or the graphical effects? From your post I would go with the former.
I think World of Warcraft is actually a good candidate if you take a class that uses magic. It's a bit different nowadays as it was several years ago, with Blizzard adding and removing skills and reworking their talent system every other expansion.
However, you still start out with some basic attack. Shadowbolt for a Warlock. Frostfirebolt for a Mage. You then get some more spells and at level 10 decide your specialization. Depending on what you choose your skills change. A fire mage no longer uses Frostfirebolt, instead several fire based attacks. A warlock that specializes in Destruction uses Fire skill instead of Shadowmagic. And then you still get more and stronger spells the higher you get.
I think World of Warcraft is actually a good candidate if you take a class that uses magic. It's a bit different nowadays as it was several years ago, with Blizzard adding and removing skills and reworking their talent system every other expansion.
However, you still start out with some basic attack. Shadowbolt for a Warlock. Frostfirebolt for a Mage. You then get some more spells and at level 10 decide your specialization. Depending on what you choose your skills change. A fire mage no longer uses Frostfirebolt, instead several fire based attacks. A warlock that specializes in Destruction uses Fire skill instead of Shadowmagic. And then you still get more and stronger spells the higher you get.
ArgyleReptile
Banned
If there is ever a Dragon's Dogma 2, I hope they expand the magic and give us some more "unique" stuff to cast aside from Elemental. Time, Space, Illusion, more Seals, Shapeshifting, etc.
Pipomantis
Member
Not sure it's what you expect with this thread but magic in Arcanum really baffled me at the time.
There are 16 different schools, containing 5 spells each.
The schools ("spell colleges") go from classic elemental magic to black or white necromancy, but also illusions, divination, time mastery etc.
http://arcanum.wikia.com/wiki/Spell_Colleges
Not only the magic system is awesome, but it is just half the game, as you could totally ditch magic and play a "tech" character, crafting potions and ammo from the junk it finds throughout the game.
Man, Arcanum <3
There are 16 different schools, containing 5 spells each.
The schools ("spell colleges") go from classic elemental magic to black or white necromancy, but also illusions, divination, time mastery etc.
http://arcanum.wikia.com/wiki/Spell_Colleges
Not only the magic system is awesome, but it is just half the game, as you could totally ditch magic and play a "tech" character, crafting potions and ammo from the junk it finds throughout the game.
Man, Arcanum <3
Divinity Original Sin. The way that you can have a party that every member is some form of magic user and the combinations of elements that can encourage was an absolute blast. I don't remember enjoying magic and spell casting as much as I did in that game.
I can't wait for their follow up.
I can't wait for their follow up.
Exentryk
Member
Kingdom Hearts also does spells really well. Fast, instantly casting magic that is just fun to use.
Yup.
Dragon's Dogma.
Yup.
Caipirinha
Member
One Foul Note
Member
It isn't technically magic in the traditional sense, but I always loved how your abilities played into the core gameplay of Psi-Ops. All your powers are so quick and accessible to fire off which let you kinda go nuts with them every fight and just have fun with being a telekinetic deathball.
SeriuzBiznus
Member
Does space magic count? Because nothing beats the satisfaction of a good biotic explosion in Mass Effect 3.
Definitely Eternal Darkness. In that game you cast spells by combining various runes, with different combinations resulting in different magicks. It's a great feeling when you can quickly pull off a spell in the middle of combat and be greeted with awesome casting animations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rszOYiPllM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rszOYiPllM
Pai Pai Master
Banned
I loved the spellcasting system in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Funyarinpa
Member
Soul Sacrifice (Delta), especially storywise.
Morphing your arm into different forms to initiate different types of sorcery. Black Rites, having you sacrifice a part of your body for extremely powerful magic. The Save/Sacrifice/Fate mechanic.
Morphing your arm into different forms to initiate different types of sorcery. Black Rites, having you sacrifice a part of your body for extremely powerful magic. The Save/Sacrifice/Fate mechanic.
StereoVsn
Gold Member
Yes, a 1000x times yes. The environmental affects were possibly best done magic in an RPG to date.
Otherwise the usual suspects of BG2 (not original BG), Morrowind are very good. Daggerfall from Bethesda also had a crazy magic editor, you could do so much with it.
StereoVsn
Gold Member
Skyrim's magic system is pretty poor compared to its predecessors. Morrowind is heads and shoulders above Skyrim in that aspect of the game (and most others to be fair).
Imp the Dimp
Member
"no contest"? Dragon's Dogma is about a billion times better.
Dragon's Dogma.
Came to post this. No other game I've played had spells that felt like the ones in this game.
JustSomeone
Member
This should have been the first answer.
Divinity original sin is a close second.
Actually, this is the best answer.
Does space magic count? Because nothing beats the satisfaction of a good biotic explosion in Mass Effect 3.
Vanguards were so satisfying to play in Mass Effect 2 due to that.
Magicka
One of very few games where it's your skill that matters when casting magic. Usually in most rpgs spell cast is just hitting a hotkey and waiting for recharge, and that sucks - waiting until your mana bar recharges is not fun and usually magic feels like a free joker card that you can use once in a while, like a cheat almost.
In Magicka, you learn the spells yourself - your skill is the combining the elements and speed if doing it. There's no mana, no spell recharging, no limitations, no leveling up. You have all the power from the beginning, no artificial limitations. You can cast powerful spells very fast if you know how to, and you feel as a greater mage not because you filled some xp bar, but because you actually learned something.
One of very few games where it's your skill that matters when casting magic. Usually in most rpgs spell cast is just hitting a hotkey and waiting for recharge, and that sucks - waiting until your mana bar recharges is not fun and usually magic feels like a free joker card that you can use once in a while, like a cheat almost.
In Magicka, you learn the spells yourself - your skill is the combining the elements and speed if doing it. There's no mana, no spell recharging, no limitations, no leveling up. You have all the power from the beginning, no artificial limitations. You can cast powerful spells very fast if you know how to, and you feel as a greater mage not because you filled some xp bar, but because you actually learned something.
Two Worlds Two has the best damn spell crafting of any game I have played.
It really hits the sweet spot between functional and hilarious jank. The game has got to be like $10 now, if you want to cast an ice bolt that splinters into ice shards that then also bounce off walls and let's give it life steal why not, then this game is for you.
You can also make a wind vortex which makes objects fly around you, both shielding you and doing damage.
There are a ton more too!
The game itself was mediocre-good, but the spell system was so good.
It really hits the sweet spot between functional and hilarious jank. The game has got to be like $10 now, if you want to cast an ice bolt that splinters into ice shards that then also bounce off walls and let's give it life steal why not, then this game is for you.
You can also make a wind vortex which makes objects fly around you, both shielding you and doing damage.
There are a ton more too!
The game itself was mediocre-good, but the spell system was so good.
Dragons Dogma spells in #1 but yeah other games does it pretty good as well.
Magicka of course. Actually captures they magic from many fantasy novels pretty well in the regard how hard it is to do fast as a beginner and how you have to control it so you don't kill yourself and/or your friends. Of course a lot of humor in the game but still.
Magicka of course. Actually captures they magic from many fantasy novels pretty well in the regard how hard it is to do fast as a beginner and how you have to control it so you don't kill yourself and/or your friends. Of course a lot of humor in the game but still.
Baron von Loathsome
Member
Flipendo!
FalsettoVibe
Member
Kingdom Hearts also does spells really well. Fast, instantly casting magic that is just fun to use.
Yup.
Which Kingdom Hearts is this?
Dragon's Dogma did magic like almost no other game out there making battles alongside mages a true spectacle because not only the spells where cool and different than the commonly used missile of elements with things like the lightning whip and the summoning of a tornado but the creatures you fight react to them in great and natural ways.
Even Mass Effect 1 was kind of amazing with powers like Lift and Singularity that you can feel like a Jedi using the force.Does space magic count? Because nothing beats the satisfaction of a good biotic explosion in Mass Effect 3.
Possumowner
Member
First post nailed it,Dragons Dogma.
I'd also include Diablo 3
I'd also include Diablo 3
I think it's 2.8 or 2.9 but I'm hoping someone will confirm as I would also like to know