Summary
Magic systemshave been a part of video games almost ever since the creation of the medium. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of games out there that let players live out their power fantasies of being a magician who can annihilate entire groups of enemies with the click of a button. However, creating a coherent and engaging magic system is not an easy feat.
Striking the fine balance betweena magic system that’s overpoweredand one that doesn’t leave enough space for players to showcase their creativity is difficult, but every once in a while, a studio manages to get it just right, creating awe-inspiring titles that linger in one’s memories long after beating the game.
Updated on June 07, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat:Representing some sort of magic is almost essential for every fantasy-themed game, but some developers go farther than just implementing a few magical effects, and allow players to engage with the process of crafting and using the magic.
Magic system, however, has a wide range of implementations from one game to another. In some games, it’s just summarized in a skill tree, while some others task players with gathering resources, searching for recipes, and crafting magical potions.
Gamers who are looking for a soulslike title that combines incredible spells with flawless melee combat should look no further thanWo Long: Fallen Dynasty, a title developed by Tea Ninja. The Wizardry spells that follow the five philosophies inWo Long: Fallen Dynastydon’t only look stunning to a player’s eye, but they are also incredibly powerful.
The magic system withinWo Longallows for various playstyles with spells that allow both offensive and defensive abilities, which the player will gradually unlock throughout their adventure.
One of the key aspects ofOutwardis its use of magic and how magic can help a player within the RPG. The world ofOutwardis harsh. Therefore, any magic that is done must be done with the purpose of achieving something, not just as a way to attack, though there are some exceptions to this.
Rune Magic is one of the greatest waysfor players to display their power, as this impressive magic forces the player to learn how to combine various runes to create a variety of both simple and danced combinations to make spells, like Runic Heal, Runic Lighting, Runic Trap, etc.
The magic system inThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, known as Signs, is pretty straightforward, as the game treats it like a skill tree that the player can upgrade over time. However, what makes Signs quite unique is the way that they affect the victims.
While some magics do basic stuff like spitting fire on enemies or knocking them back, a category of Signs in The Witcher 3 directly affects the target’s behavior, forcing them to stun, go into a slow-motion mode, or even become an ally of Geralt and help him deal damage to other enemies.
While shying away from the sun can seem like quite a hindrance inV Rising, players can’t ignore the sheer power that comes from their vampire magic. In this survival MMORPG, players use more than simple weaponry, asV Risinghas quite an interesting assortment of magic paths for gamers to experiment with.
From spells that focus on Unholy magic, which lets the playersummon the undead to fight for them, to even illusion magic to confuse enemies, there are plenty of incredible ways for the player to build their vampire while defeating the various bosses to unlock the skills they may want.
22Fictorum
Customizable Spells That Bring Destruction
Despite being rather well-received by both critics and gamers,Fictorumnever really became a wildly popular game. Released in 2017,this indie action RPGhas a complex, creative magic system that can make players feel almost god-like, especially once they level up.
Fictorumfeatures spells that can be customized on the fly and destructible environments upon which said spells can be unleashed. In order to be able to alter spells to their liking, players first need to find special runes. Each one of these runes has its own modifier, and every spell can be composed out of a maximum of three runes. There are plenty of runes to be found, and the game takes place in agorgeous, procedurally generated open world, an ideal playground for testing out each newly unlocked magical ability.
WhileImmortals of Aveummay not have been released to the most successful start, it cannot be denied that that first-person shooter puts an interesting twist to magic systems in games by combining an assortment of magic powers from a first-person point of view.
Each type of magic the player is able to use is similar to a piece of weaponry with the likes of Blue Magic – also known as Force Magic – replicating the power and distance that can be achieved with a Sniper Rifle. This isn’t the only type of magic available to players, however, as different situations call for different approaches.
Dishonored 2isa dark fantasy action-adventure titlethat has the player assassinating various people during its story. However, in this industrial world, the player has the powers gifted to them by the Outsider, which allows them to use various dark magic to bend the world around them to their will.
This includes slowing time to dodge out of the way of an attack, a blink ability that allows the player to teleport, and much more. Players are encouraged to use this interesting magic system and the assortment of skills within it to experiment with how they traverse the world ofDishonored 2and deal with the dangers ahead.
First released in 2006 with an anniversary edition released 10 years later, THQ’sTitan Questmay not have taken the world by storm, but the game was still popular enough towarrant three expansions and attract a loyal fanbasethat still plays it to this day. Although, in many ways, it is aDiabloclone, one of the things that sets it apart from this particular crowd isTitan Quest’s complex magic system.
Each class inTitan Questhas dozens of abilities to choose from, all of which can be improved by investing skill points. The majority of these abilities are tied to some form of elemental magic. They can be combined with the right gear for enhanced effects, leading to truly spectacular effects during combat. Later on in the game, the player can choose a secondary class, further multiplying the number of ways in which they can plow through hordes of enemies.
What makes the magic system ofDragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisenso interesting is how spells aren’t limited to those who decide to be mages. Although these may arguably have the most power, Magick Archers are by far one of the strongest classes in the game due to combining the lethality of arrows with the magical prowess they have learned from being a mage.
Like other magic systems in games, these spells can be used both in and out of combat, depending on the type of magic involved. While some deal great damage, others can be used to limit harm to the player, such as the Levitate spell, which will stop the player from taking fall damage.
Final Fantasyis another long-running franchise that has had a prominent magic system throughout its lifetime. However, out of all the available games, many players have agreed thatFinal Fantasy 7has thebest magic systemout of all of them.
The interesting nature ofFinal Fantasy 7is not only the variety of spells that are in play that allow a player to support their allies, attack others, or alter combat in some way but also how Magic Materia can be combined with Support Materia for some interesting results.
