16 Games Like Corruption of Champions

With more than 2 million active players at any given time, Torn is not only one of the most popular text-based games but is probably one of the few examples of a massively multiplayer text-based online RPG. 

Fans of Grand Theft Auto will likely take to this game. Torn gives players the option to do anything and go anywhere, given you have the necessary amount of funds. A moderate learning curve makes it available to just about any player and the gameplay is addictive. Torn is the perfect example of games that don’t need visuals to be exciting.

Zork is an odd game and I believe the developers intentionally made it so. It’s a tale of magic, subterfuge, and political intrigue. It doesn’t try to dazzle you with flowery prose. Despite being a no-nonsense game the story can get a bit convoluted at times. The player’s characters seem prone to jump headlong into unnecessary danger but that’s only part of the game’s charm.

A highly obscure game that is entirely text. Players are given the option to use the games built-in tutorial mode which guides the players without making the game too easy. While newcomers might be taken aback by the large amounts of text and lack of visual cues veterans of the genre will find all aspects of this game familiar. The Dreamhold is a game that truly requires players to use their imaginations, which, many would argue, is the primary draw of games within the text fantasy genre.

The setting of Arcanum is a clash between the ancient magical world and technology from more modern times. Players will immediately compare it to The Legend of Korra before realizing this world is a bit more sinister. 

Gangster elves wage war against industrialist dwarves and evil wizards with a host of other characters thrown in, Arcanum is a departure for typical sword and sorcery stories.

A whimsical game that, instead of taking cues from fantasy novels, is inspired by the works of Shakespeare. Written by Kreg Segall, the game’s narrative relies heavily on the player’s choice as they deal with overbearing fathers, warrior fairies, and a host of life’s other problems. The game practically has no learning curve, which allows all players to sit down and immediately jump into Segall’s colorful world.

Another game that will immediately remind players of The Witcher, Lone Wolf tells the story of a single warrior making his way through hostile land. The titular Lone Wolf boasts powers and abilities that the player will be able to make use of as they progress through the world of Magnamund. Just like in the Witcher series, your choices mold the kind of game the player experiences. Lone Wolf is a perfect game for those wanting a more gritty experience.

Icewind Dale blends the top-done strategic combat of MOBAs with a heavy dose of text-based gameplay. With the popularity of MOBA-type games, Icewind Dale seems like the best bet to bring text-based gameplay into the mainstream. The game features a complex magic system that makes combat both compelling and highly varied. The voice acting is surprisingly good which only enhances the game’s meandering narrative twists. The game’s visuals certainly make it more appealing to genre newcomers than a wall of text. It’s a game designed from the ground up to attract as players as possible.

King of Dragon Pass has a steep learning curve. Players must first familiarize themselves with the user interface and then with the various systems, such as trading and selling. It might seem tedious, at first, but it pays off once players learn the basics. The game, for the most part, depicts a lighthearted contest between clans. Players are just as apt to trade with rival villages as they are to attack them over perceived slights. This makes up the bulk of the game’s relatively low stakes narrative.

Another ambitious entry that opts for a more compact narrative relative to Achaea’s massive world. The game provides players with little guidance as they make their way through a world filled with danger, both man-made and supernatural. The game’s primary foes come from a bestiary of monsters that players have to best by combining magic with might. It’s one of the few games on this list that has been compared to The Witcher on more than one occasion.

Kicking off the top 10 is Achaea, the premier fantasy text game. Achaea is a labor of love for its developer Sarapis and its small but fiercely loyal fanbase. Sarapis refers to the game as the deepest game on Earth, packed with enough lore to fill an entire book. The gameplay is standard within the genre but set up in such a way that experienced players can skim without having to read everything. This allows for a certain level of speedy gameplay not seen in other games of the genre.

A more humorous take on the genre, Kingdom of Loathing is perhaps the closest this list is going to get to a mainstream hit thanks to YouTubers like Markiplier. The gameplay is a puddle wide and an inch deep. It also relies too heavily on corny jokes but what it lacks in depth it makes up for in character.

One of many depictions of the classic tale of Robin Hood. Unlike other games in the genre that focus almost entirely on text, Nocked! True Tales of Robin Hood, features stunningly beautiful painting. The story often reads like a carefully penned book, hooking players into the tight but compelling narrative. The events of the game branch out, depending on the player’s various choices, making it one of the few games on this list with replay value.

Materia Magica is not for newcomers to the genre. While all these games are text-heavy, Materia Magica is doubly so. It requires players to rely heavily on their imaginations to fill in the blanks. In spite of this, Materia Magica is a shot of nostalgia for those who grew up playing these kinds of text focused games. Those players will be right at home as Materia Magica’s small and compact world unfurls.

Visual novels are Japan’s answer to American text-based fantasy games. Nova: Synthesis Creaturum tries to blend both into one package and it mostly works. Nova tells a low stake story about a girl who was able to transform a deadly monster into a harmless animal. She is joined by a cast of characters as she sets out on a quest to find out more about her powers. The visual novel wears its Lord of the Rings inspiration on its sleeve and fans of the book will probably find something to like about Nova.

Out of a genre that focuses almost entirely on text to portray the story, Fara distinguishes itself by offering players some kind of visual in the form of sprites on a screen. Out of all the games on this list, Fara is perhaps the only one that can be considered a precursor if not a prototype to The Legend of Zelda.

One of many obscure titles to grace this list, Sryth is a text-based fantasy games that boasts perhaps the largest world. At the start of the game each player is given a character with completely randomized states, an early precursor to games like Rust that randomize your character’s physical features. Players that don’t like their states are given the chance to “re-roll” but, ultimately, you will have to settle with what the game gives you. Once players are happy with their assigned characters, they set off on a sprawling quest. Unlike other text-based fantasy games, Sryth somewhat holds the player’s hand making it ideal for newcomers.