Games have been playing with fantasy settings since the very beginning. Whether it be grounded in historical fantasy or introducing magic and fantastical races, there’s no genre that fantasy games haven’t touched. Sure, RPGs are the most obvious choice, and there are tons of great ones on Xbox Series X, but that’s just scratching the surface of what some developers are doing.
Game Pass drops don’t typically have a theme, but the three games I’m picking out this week felt so natural to group together that I couldn’t resist. I’ve got a new entry in a classic franchise, a co-op roguelike, and an ambitious strategy game that you can’t afford to miss this weekend.
Visions of Mana
The Mana series is one of the oldest, but also one of the most overlooked. It certainly doesn’t carry the same weight as a Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, but it has cultivated its own niche and cult following since its early days. Visions of Mana is a fresh entry in the series, following two friends on a quest to the legendary Mana Tree. They will meet more characters and companions on the way who you can choose to play as in the real-time combat. It is meant to be a cozy RPG, with a lush world to explore and monsters that are more adorable than terrifying. There’s enough depth in the combat system to keep it fun throughout, but it never gets overly complicated. This is a great palette cleanser game for RPG fans that you probably missed when it first came out.
Visions of Mana is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Sworn
Sworn has been building up hype in early access for a while now, and it is time to finally put it on your radar. If looking at this game is giving you Hades 2 vibes, that’s clearly not a coincidence. This is hardly a cheap knock-off, though. Yes, it is a roguelike with gorgeous portrait art and an isometric perspective, but it has established its own tone and gameplay loop that is just as addicting. For one, being built for co-op gives it a far different feel than Hades, but you can still play alone if you wish. Build crafting with the various characters, weapons, and abilities is what will keep you hooked for way more than just one weekend.
Sworn is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Endless Legend 2
Last up, we have one for all you tactics fans out there. Endless Legend 2 is an evolution of the 4X genre where the map is always in flux. Each faction is led by a hero unit, but wars are won through careful management of armies, political power, and economy. Unlike many other strategy games, where your faction has minor impacts on your playstyle, Endless Legend 2 makes each faction feel like playing a completely different game. Plus, with things like changing tides completely altering the shape of the map as you play, no two games will ever go the same way. You already know if this type of game is for you or not, but if it is, then there’s no better game to melt away your weekend with than a solid 4X strategy game.
Endless Legend 2 is available now on PC.
