Best Strategy Games That Mix History And Fantasy

28/06/2024

Combining history and fantasy in a video game is an excellent setting that developers have leveraged often. In most cases, these games are set in a time period that has not quite passed into legend, and is just on the cusp of recorded history. This gives developers the freedom to take creative license, but still maintain some level of realism.

Of course, a mixture of history and fantasy also sets the scene for epic battles and grand struggles, both of which fit well within the strategy game genre. Gather resources, raise an army, and stomp the neighbors: it's a proven gameplay loop that these titles do well.

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Citadels

Legend Meets Fantasy

Platforms: Microsoft Windows
Released: July 25, 2013
Developer: Games Distillery, bitComposer Interactive
Genre: Real-time strategy

Citadels is a real-time strategy game that surrounds the Legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. It's based on a historically correct timeline, yet populated by heroes and iconic figures that are part of the Legend of Arthur. The player can choose to fight on the side of Arthur, or as his enemy.

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Much of the gameplay in Citadels, as the name suggests, revolves around building a stronghold or fortress, and raising an unbeatable army. Resources need to be gathered, and battles won. By completing special tasks, the player can unlock hero units and other historical figures, such as Merlin the Magician, which will open up new strategic options. Anyone that has an interest in the Legend of Arthur might like to give this game a try.

Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood

Part History, Part Legend

Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood

Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, PC, macOS, LinuxReleased November 12, 2002Developer Spellbound Entertainment, Strategy FirstGenre(s) Real-Time Strategy, Stealth, Action, Strategy

The story of Robin Hood is an excellent setting for a historical fantasy game. Did Robin Hood exist? Many of the facts of the story ring true, such as Prince John taking over the throne for his brother, Richard the Lionheart, who was imprisoned at this time. But in all likelihood, Robin Hood was a fantasy creation, an amalgamation. His many reported deeds were actually carried out by a number of different people around the same time.

Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood takes the legend of Robin Hood and uses key aspects of the story to create a non-linear campaign. The player can choose who they wish to be in the campaign, including Robin Hood himself, Friar Tuck, Little John, or Maid Marian. The game itself takes place on a map populated with locations that are entrenched in the legend, such as Nottingham Castle and Sherwood Forest.

The player can carry out activities such as castle raids, ambushes, and, of course, robberies. This isn’t a grand fantasy game per se; there are no orcs or goblins. Instead, it combines documented history with a fantasy adaptation of the story of Robin Hood.

Stronghold Legends

Fantasy Castle Builder

Stronghold Legends

Platform(s) PCReleased October 13, 2006Developer Firefly StudiosGenre(s) Strategy

The Stronghold franchise has become synonymous with great castle-building strategy games. However, most games in the franchise, such as Stronghold: Crusader, tried to stay true to the history of the era they were set within. Stronghold Legends takes a different turn.

Stronghold Legends brings in fantasy aspects, such as monsters and magic, but still manages to throw in some history as well. The player can select one of three factions, two of which are historically inspired. These are Vlad the Impaler (or Vlad Dracula, as the game calls him) and Siegfried of Xanten. The third faction is King Arthur and his knights, which, of course, is based on a legend.

There are 23 interlinked missions the player can tackle. The general Stronghold premise of constructing a castle, gathering resources, and building an army holds true with Stronghold Legends. But the player will find that the campaign is very different. Rather than the old-school RTS style of throwing the player into battle after battle, Stronghold Legends intermixes non-combat-related challenges as well.

Age of Mythology

Historically Influenced Strategy Game

Age of Mythology

Platform(s) PCReleased October 30, 2002Developer(s) Ensemble StudiosGenre(s) Real-Time Strategy, Tactical

This game was actually a spin-off from the Age of Empires franchise. It features a mix of historically influenced factions, such as Egypt and Greece, but populates them with fantasy creatures such as Cyclops and other monsters. The gameplay revolves around guiding the player’s chosen faction through four separate ages; the Archaic Age, the Classical Age, the Heroic Age, and the Mythic Age.

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As with most strategy games where the player has to expand their empire, Age of Mythology requires the player to gather materials such as food, wood, and gold, to construct buildings and units, expanding their power base. There is also a fourth resource, favor, which is granted by the gods and is spent on training mythical units. Age of Mythology is an older game, but one that took the popular Age of Empires format and mixed it up enough to become something unique in its own right.

Legion: Legend of Excalibur

Dark Sorcery Begins This Historical Game

Platforms: PlayStation 2
Released: June 17, 2002
Developer: 7 Studios, Westwood Studios
Genre: Strategy Game

Legion: Legend of Excalibur is another game that takes the Legend of King Arthur, with its loose basis on the history of the time period, and spins it into a fantasy adventure. The game begins with Morgan le Fay, the Dark Sorceress, attacking and murdering her father, Uther Pendragon. Her intent is to take over the Kingdom of Camelot. But of course, her younger brother Arthur, with his magic sword Excalibur, is in opposition.

The player takes on the role of young Arthur. With his group of allies, including Merlin, and the knights Galahad, Percival, and Lancelot, he must defeat the evil forces of Morgan le Fay. This period in the history of the British Isles is an excellent setting for a strategy game. Just enough of the history of this time period has remained to add to the story's believability.

Northgard

Viking History With A Splash Of Fantasy

Northgard

Platform(s) Switch, PS4, PC, Android, Xbox OneReleased March 7, 2018Developer(s) Shiro GamesGenre(s) City Builder, Strategy

Northgard pays homage to Norse mythology and legend, but also throws in fantasy aspects in the form of the enemies the player encounters. These include Draugr dwarves, zombie dragons, and rock golems, to name a few. The player takes on the role of Prince Rig, whose father, the High King, was murdered by the leader of the Clan of the Raven, Hagen. This sets the scene for the campaign mode.

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The gameplay in Northgard doesn’t follow the typical empire-building strategy game, due to the way the map is handled. Each map has four zones, and each zone has a particular resource. With this setup, establishing a robust supply chain means controlling certain parts of the map, which is easier said than done due to enemy action. Northgard is a great strategy game, with tons of replayability for anyone that has an interest in Norse mythology.