Final Fantasy 16takes the series back to a more medieval setting but incorporates much darker and more mature themes than series fans will be used to. Based on theFF16demo alone, no character will be safe from tragedy in a story of war and politics. Producer Naoki Yoshida used his fandom ofThe Game of Thronesseries to inspire the storytelling and characters in this latest entry in the long-runningFinal Fantasyseries.
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The different approach to combat and the darker themes will likely appeal to a new audience, given its potential to reach new players. As a result, fans ofFinal Fantasy 16may want to play something with similar themes or mature storytelling, like the games in this list.
8Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisenlacks the dramatic storytelling ofFinal Fantasy 16,but fans of dark medieval worlds and epic monster battles will love immersing themselves in Capcom’s epic. The fantasy world of Gransys, a duchy inspired by Sicily, shares similarities to theDark Soulsseries in its approach to storytelling. However, the protagonist’s quest for revenge and the player’s attachment to the characters will compare toFF16.
One of the best biggest draws ofDragon’s Dogmaisthe fighting system. It was co-developed by Ryota Suzuki, the lead combat designer forFinal Fantasy 16,who previously worked on theDevil May Cryseries. Similarly, the combat system combines magic and hack-and-slash mechanics seamlessly, making it easy to pick up and fun to master.
7Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
Fans of medieval lore, historical settings, and massive worlds should look no further thanAssassin’s Creed: Valhalla.The game is set in the late ninth century during the Viking expansion of Europe. Players take onthe role of Eivor, a male or female character, as they deal with conflicts, war, and politics—comparable toFinal Fantasy 16—across Norway and Anglo-Saxon Britain.
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Assassin’s Creed: Valhallais inspired by Norse mythology and incorporates it into theAssassin’s Creedlore. Moreover, fans of dark medieval settings like those seen in TV shows like Vikings, which blends mysticism with historical events, will love everything Valhallaoffers. It is a vast epic with several expansions that will last players over one hundred hours.
6The Dragon Age: Origins
Coming from the developers behind theBaldur’s GateandMass Effectseries,Dragon Age: Originsis a dark medieval fantasy with fantastic world-building, characters, and a story that combines the political intrigue of a medieval drama within a dark but high fantasy setting.
LikeFinal Fantasy 16,its dark world doesn’t pull any punches andcompares to theGame of Thrones—A Song of Fire and Ice—and theWheel of Timenovels. The combat inDragon Age: Originsis turn-based and quite traditional in its approach to the genre. However, fans will love the setting that was continued in the more action-centricDragon Age 2.The third mainline title in the series,Dragon Age: Inquisition,strikes a balance between action and tactical.
5Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Stylistically,Kingdom Come: Deliveranceis significantly different fromFinal Fantasy 16,but the approach to storytelling is rife with political intrigue, revenge, and betrayals. As a result, fans of the distinct feel thatFinal Fantasy 16offers compared to its predecessors will love the gritty and dark 15th-century Bohemian setting.
There are no fantasy themes inKingdom Come: Deliverance,and players must focus on surviving the harsh world as they continue their quest. Moreover, the combat is tactical and strategic and will take time to learn, but it is so satisfying when it clicks with counters, parries, and deflections.
4Final Fantasy Tactics: The War Of The Lions
While the main series ofFinal Fantasyhas rarely dealt with dark themes the same wayFinal Fantasy 16does,Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lionscertainly ticks all the right boxes for fans. Mature storytelling, war, betrayals, a medieval fantasy setting, it’s all there for fans to enjoy. It doesn’t have the big-budget visuals or the action-based combat, but the themes, stories, and characters draw fans into their worlds.
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Final Fantasy 16takes inspiration fromGame of Thrones, the TV series and novels, andGoTauthor George R.R. Martintook inspirationfrom real-life medieval history conflicts like The War of the Roses.Final Fantasy TacticsWar of the Lions, set during the 50 Years' War,is loosely based on the War of the Roses and the 100 Years' War. As a result, the depictions of war and loss run deep inFinal Fantasy: Tactics.
3A Plague Tale Series
Most of the games on this list are RPGs or sub-genres of RPGs, but thePlague Talegames—A Plague Tale: InnocenceandPlague Tale Reqiuem—are action-adventure games set during 14th Century Medieval France. LikeFinal Fantasy 16,players are taken through a journey in a realistic medieval world with believable characters, intensely dark themes, and fantasy elements.
There are stealth and horror elements as the protagonist Amicia fights to protect her younger brother Hugo. Fans who appreciate the unforgiving and realistic medieval worlds should invest their time in thePlague Taleseries.
2The Last Remnant
First launched on the PS3 and Xbox 360,The Last Remnantwas remastered for the iPad, PS4, and Switch in 2018. It is one of the most challenging games on this list, thanks to the steep learning curve, but it is also rewarding. More interestingly, The Last Remnant is directed byFinal Fantasy 16director Hiroshi Takai.
It features a medieval fantasy world with some sci-fi that’s not quite as dark asFF16,butThe Last Remnantcarries dark themes and mature storytelling in a world reminiscent ofFinal Fantasy 12.Moreover,The Last Remnantfeatures a great main antagonist known simply as The Conquerer providing the protagonists and their allies with lots of motivation to fight back.
1The Witcher Series
Few video games compare toThe Witcherseries' dark medieval settingsand fantasy themes. More specifically,The Witcher 2: Assassins of KingsandThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntare the best recommendations for fans RPG fans. The fantastic characters, character development, and dark world are unrivaled and sure to appeal to fans ofFinal Fantasy 16.
LikeFinal Fantasy 16, The Witchergames understand the concept of mature storytelling without forcing it like several games. The games are based on fantasy books of the same name, and the elements of prejudice, war, and oppression run deep throughThe Witcher’sstory. Of course, the high fantasy concepts of Elves, Dwarves, Dragons, and more will make them an instant hit for fans of Final Fantasy 16.
Final Fantasy 16is available from June 22nd, 2023, for the PlayStation 5.
