Summary
- Non-combat magic in open-world games can offer exploration, utility, and creativity beyond destruction.
- Games like Skyrim and Zelda prioritize problem-solving and traversal over brute force.
- Magic can be used for nefarious purposes in games like Conan Exiles, requiring dark sacrifices.
Besides harvesting resources for crafting and accepting quests, most of the interaction in open-world video games is done through violence. That's true whether the player is swinging a sword, nocking an arrow, or aiming a gun. Magic, something that is usually associated with intelligence and creativity, is also used like a cudgel to flatten foes and turn them into crispy XP bacon.
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Magic has been a core part of video games since the beginning, but magic focused open-world games do not appear all that often.
However, that's not the case for all open-world fantasy games. From illusion-breaking and levitation to time manipulation and teleportation, some go beyond fireballs and lightning bolts to make magic a tool for exploration, creativity, and utility, not just destruction. These games empower players to interact with the world in imaginative, often surprising ways, offering magical systems that open doors both literal and metaphorical.
7 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Shouting, Soaring, and Seeing the Unseen
Skyrim
WHERE TO PLAY
While Skyrim is packed to the brim with destructive spells, its most iconic magical systems aren't limited to combat. Spells like Clairvoyance help guide players to objectives, while Telekinesis, Waterbreathing, and Detect Life make exploration a magical endeavor in its own right.
One of the most interesting (and balance-breaking) spells, Transmute, allows players to turn iron into gold. Dragon Shouts, which can be learned by players of any build so long as they follow the "chosen one" main story, offer a range of magical abilities that let players slow time, sprint through space, call storms, and even bend animals to their will.
6 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
When The Ultrahand Is More Powerful Than The Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
- May 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
Nintendo’s sequel to Breath of the Wild continued its open-world streak with a physics-driven magic system that invites experimentation over confrontation. In Tears of the Kingdom, players wield abilities on the Ultrahand like Ascend and Recall, allowing them to manipulate objects, reverse time, and pass through solid matter.
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These powers give Link the powers of a great mage who prioritizes problem-solving, traversal, and playful ingenuity over brute force and turn TOTK's Hyrule into a magical playground and a paradise for those who enjoy using creativity to shape the open-world, whether that's building vehicles, traps, or magical mechs with out-of-the-box thinking.
5 Conan Exiles
Dark Powers For Indirect Domination
Conan Exiles
- Released
- May 8, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Nudity, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Action-Adventure
Non-combat magic can imbue an open world with the sense of greater possibility, but just because it doesn't directly deal damage, that doesn't mean it can't be used for nefarious purposes. In Conan Exiles, sorcery is all about transformation, corruption, summoning, and subtle manipulation, and perfectly complements the survival and building mechanics for those willing to make the necessary dark sacrifices.
Sorcerers can use their powers to create bridges of ice or connect settlements with magic stones, but since they tend to be regarded as villainous in Conan, and so any powers the player gains will usually require a blood sacrifice for their magic, either from the sorcerer or an unwilling victim.
4 Hogwarts Legacy
Everyday Magic With Extraordinary Uses
Hogwarts Legacy
- Released
- February 10, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
While there is plenty of danger and action to be had in the Harry Potter universe, the fantasy of being enrolled in a private school where students learn the art of witchcraft and wizardry is the main draw of the series. Hogwarts Legacy gives players exactly this, and while there is plenty of combat magic to pick up, the day-to-day spells have a prominent role in gameplay.
Most fantasy games give players the choice whether to embrace magic or not, but Hogwarts Legacy puts magic at the center stage. From the Wingardium Leviosa levitation spell and the Alohomora unlocking charm to brewing potions and conjuring decor for their perfect Room of Requirement layout, players use their abilities to solve puzzles and tame beasts with techniques lifted straight out of the classroom.
3 The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
From The Halls Of The Mages' Guild And Of House Telvani
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- Released
- May 1, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Although it is considered a legendary RPG by most old-head gamers, Morrowind is hardly considered streamlined or accessible by today's standards. However, while players are expected to memorize directions and contend with unwieldy combat, they have a Daedric-realm's worth of options when it comes to non-combat magic.
On top of the damage-dealing kind, there are spells of flying, item finding, and invisibility. Some spells let the player walk on water, others charm NPCs, or teleport the user back to a safe location. Not only that, but the player can make incredibly specific and personalized custom spells with all of the strange effects available, letting players essentially create their own magical tools for traversal, stealth, utility, or roleplaying.
2 The Sims 3 (Supernatural)
Finding A World Of Magic In The Mundane
The Sims 3
- Released
- June 2, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
The Sims 3 pulled off some impressive feats for a life simulation game, not least its presentation of an open-world neighborhood. While the series might not seem like a vessel for fantasy and sorcery, fans worth their salt all know that sooner or later, there will be a supernatural expansion pack to add a little magic to the world. The "Supernatural" pack does just that with its introduction of the Witch and Fairy life states.
Sims who take the time to master the magical arts can teleport, transfigure objects, enchant items, and summon storms at will. Coupled with an open town and sandbox-style freedom, "Supernatural" lets players live a magical life where spellcraft is more about fun, mischief, and convenience than combat.
1 The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
Spellcasting & Spellcrafting Returns In Glorious Form
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
- Released
- April 22, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Open-World, Adventure
Most fans consider the magic system in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion to be the peak of the series. While some fan-favorite spells were absent (most notably Levitation), Oblivion and its remaster make up for it with their fun physics-based spells, which not only have a mechanical influence on the world and the people in it but also have an intuitive feel.
Most importantly, players have the ability to create their own spells with these effects, at least once they are accepted into the Arcane University. Oblivion Remastered gives every effect a facelift, making casting more immersive and visually striking with enhanced lighting, shadows, and animations, including the wacky non-combat effects like Invisibility, Telekinesis, and Demoralize.
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