15 Shows Like Dragon Age: Absolution Every Fan Needs to Watch

shows like dragon age

Dragon Age: Absolution is a Netflix original series that is based on one of the most successful video game franchises of the last decade. Although this series is an animated one, it is actually quite mature in terms of its themes and storylines. As such, it combines a lot of different elements of fantasy in a single series that has its own charming yet mature storyline.

Of course, a lot of fans enjoy the Dragon Age video games, and Dragon Age: Absolution is no different in terms of the entertainment factor that the games offer. As such, for those who are looking for something similar to this animated TV series, we have a good list of shows that have similar elements that are present in Dragon Age: Absolution.

15. Stranger Things (2016 – Present)

stranger things

Stranger Things follows a storyline that is set in an Indiana town during the 1980s, as a group of kids ends up discovering a dark and supernatural secret in their small town. What they learned was the fact that their town was the venue of a secret government experiment that had gone wrong and produced a child with powerful psychic powers and also opened a gateway to a world that allowed demonic creatures to enter their town. And it is up to these kids and their new psychic friend to stop the demonic entities that are trying to take over their town.

RELATED: 30 Shows and Movies Like Stranger Things You Need to Watch

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Even Though Stranger Things isn’t set in a fantasy world and isn’t animated, it is similar to Dragon Age: Absolution because it follows a group of friends that become unlikely heroes that work together to stop a great evil from doing harm to everyone. As such, there are similar elements of fantasy between these two different series.

14. Love, Death, and Robots (2019 – Present)

love death and robots.jpg

Love, Death, and Robots is an animated anthology series produced by Netflix, as this series has a lot of different stories that tell different fantasy and sci-fi tales with each episode. That means that no single episode is similar to another, as every episode in this series has a different story to tell. While most of the episodes have sci-fi elements, there are a lot of episodes that have plenty of elements of fantasy as well.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Despite the fact that Love, Death, and Robots is an anthology series, it is still similar to Dragon Age: Absolution not only because they are both from Netflix but also because some episodes have themes that are similar to the themes explored in Dragon Age: Absolution. Of course, we can’t name these episodes because different episodes have their own different themes in Love, Death, and Robots.

13. Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005 – 2008)

atla

Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the journey of an Airbender named Aang, who is actually the Avatar. The Avatar is the only person in the world that’s capable of using all four forms of bending in a fantasy setting where there are people that could basically bend the elements to his will. In this case, Aang had just awoken from a century of slumber after getting himself frozen in ice. And when he woke up, he now had to go on a journey with his new friends to prevent the Fire Lord from taking over the entire world.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Basically, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a lighthearted animated series that can be quite similar to Dragon Age: Absolution due to how it involves a group of friends that become unlikely heroes in their quest to save the world. Think of this series as a lighter and less mature version of Dragon Age: Absolution.

12. Avatar: The Legend of Korra (2012 – 2014)

korra 1

Set in the same world as Avatar: The Last Airbender but happens after the death of Aang, Avatar: The Legend of Korra follows the story of Aang’s Avatar successor as Korra carries the responsibilities of being the Avatar. Unlike Aang, who went on a quest to save the world, Korra now has to fulfill her duties as the Avatar while preventing evil forces from doing awful things to a world that had become peaceful thanks to the efforts of Aang decades ago.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: While Avatar: The Legend of Korra may be the more serious version of Avatar: The Last Airbender, it is still quite lighthearted compared to Dragon Age: Absolution. And they are both similar because they follow stories that focus on a powerful female character as the lead.

11. His Dark Materials (2019 – Present)

tile

His Dark Materials is another one of HBO’s many success stories when it comes to the fantasy storyline, as this series is the adaptation of Philipp Pullman’s novel series. The series follows a storyline with alternate worlds that are full of mystical and fantastic elements, creatures, and people, such as talking polar bears, daemons, and witches. Of course, this is also a powerful coming-of-age story that focuses on a young female lead that seeks to prevent a great evil from taking over the world. 

RELATED: His Dark Materials Season 4: Renewed or Canceled?

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Like Dragon Age: Absolution, His Dark Materials takes place in a fantasy world (even though His Dark Materials has a parallel world similar to Earth). There’s also the fact that they both follow female characters that are trying to learn more about their place in the world and what they can do to stop evil entities.

10. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019)

dark crystal.jpg

While The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was not for everyone due to its art and animation style (that might explain why Netflix canceled it after one season), it still is a fun fantasy adventure storyline that serves as the prequel to the 1982 movie The Dark Crystal, which is a favorite among those that grew up in the 80s. This series follows a new adventure that focuses on three Gelflings as they try to ignite a rebellion that aims to save their world from creatures that are enslaving them.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Aside from the fact that they are both from Netflix, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is like Dragon Age: Absolution due to the fact that they take place in fantasy worlds and follow the stories of simple people who are trying to stop powerful forces from doing evil deeds to the rest of the world. In that regard, they both have some of the most common fantasy troupes that we often see in many different shows and movies.

9. House of the Dragon (2022 – Present)

hotd

House of the Dragon is currently one of the best fantasy TV shows you can watch. It is a prequel story to Game of Thrones, as it happens nearly 200 years before the events of the main series. In that regard, the story focuses more on the Targaryen family and the events that eventually led to the downfall of the greatest family in the history of Westeros. Of course, there are dragons, and a lot of them.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: The main reason why House of the Dragon is similar to Dragon Age: Absolution is the fact that they both have dragons. Kidding aside, they are both set in a fantasy world where fantasy elements like magic and dragons can be found. But the difference is that House of the Dragon tends to be more political than Dragon Age: Absolution.

8. Game of Thrones (2011 – 2019)

Got

One of the most popular and most expensive television shows of all time is Game of Thrones, which adapted the novels by George RR Martin. Game of Thrones follows the story of a continent in turmoil due to the many political infightings happening among the different families in this huge empire. In that regard, one man seeks to stop a great evil from returning to the world, all while different families are in a power struggle to see who gets the right to sit on the Iron Throne.

RELATED: Is Game of Thrones Worth Watching (& for the Second Time?)

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: While Game of Thrones is quite political in its approach, it is similar to Dragon Age: Absolution due to the fact that it primarily focuses on different elements of fantasy, such as magic, dragons, and supernatural creatures. There is also the fact that, in the middle of all of the politicking, there is still a hero looking to keep the world safe from darkness.

7. The Wheel of Time (2021 – Present)

wheel of time

Based on the hit fantasy novels by Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time follows the story of a group of young adults that were chosen to go on a quest by a powerful mage in the hopes that they would discover their inner power as possible candidates for an even more powerful wizard called the Dragon Reborn. In that regard, one of them needs to step up and learn whether or not they are the Dragon Reborn as a great evil seeks to return to the world to plunge it into darkness.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: While there is no “chosen one” theme in Dragon Age: Absolution, The Wheel of Time is still similar to it because it follows the story of an unlikely group of people that need to work together to stop a great evil in a fantasy world. They both do a great job in world-building.

6. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022 – Present)

rings of power

Of course, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a retelling of the different events that happened during the Second Age of JRR Tolkien’s Legendarium. This storyline follows a younger version of Galadriel as she goes on a quest to search for Sauron, who was the final remnant of a great evil that once plunged the world into darkness. The entire series does a good job of filling some of the holes between the events of the Second Age and the events of The Lord of the Rings.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Like Dragon Age: Absolution, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power follows a strong female lead that goes on a personal quest. However, she has to work together with an unlikely group of people in a fantasy world to stop evil forces from plunging the world into darkness.

5. The Witcher (2019 – Present)

witcher 1

Another Netflix original series, The Witcher is based on novels of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, as these are the same books that were used as the source material for the hit video game series known of the same title. In that regard, The Witcher follows the story of a monster hunter named Geralt as he embarks on a quest to keep his de facto daughter safe from dark forces that seek to use her powers for their own selfish desires.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Like Dragon Age: Absolution, The Witcher takes place in a fantasy world where monsters and magic exist. They also have similar fantasy themes that focus on an unlikely hero’s quest to try to stop evil forces from using a great power for something that’s dark and evil.

4. Dota: Dragon’s Blood (2021 – Present)

dota

Dota: Dragon’s Blood is based on the hit video game of the same title, as it seeks to give the characters that you can see in Dota a story through an animated series. The entire gist of Dragon’s Blood focuses on a dragon slayer that ends up merging with the spirit of a dragon in the hopes of preventing an evil force from returning to the world to plunge it into chaos. In that regard, he needs to find a way to harness the power of the dragon to defeat this great evil.

RELATED: 50 Best Movies Based on Video Games

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Of course, Dota: Dragon’s Blood is similar to Dragon Age: Absolution in the sense that they are both video game adaptations. As such, they both have similar elements, such as magic, monsters, and dragons. But they do tell different stories, albeit they both have similar themes of good vs. evil.

3. Arcane (2021 – Present)

arcane

Of course, Arcane makes it on this list as this is another fantasy series that is based on a hit video game called League of Legends. In that regard, the characters of League of Legends are given stories and more character development in Arcane, which follows the story of two sisters that end up becoming bitter enemies after they both parted ways when they were still young. Of course, the other characters in Arcane also have their own stories to tell, as the different side stories of this series all converge into one.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Like Dragon Age: Absolution, Arcane is an animated series that was based on a hit video game. They are both from Netflix as well. Of course, their worlds are kind of different in the sense that Arcane is more of a steampunk kind of fantasy world with elements of magic and technology melding together. Still, themes like friendship, betrayal, and family are present in Arcane, as these are some of the themes that you can also find in Dragon Age: Absolution.

2. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)

cyberpunk

Serving as the prequel story to the hit video game Cyberpunk 2077, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners follows the story of a young Edgerunner named David Martinez as he ended up joining a group of Edgerunners after he lost his place in the world when he lost his mother. In that regard, Martinez now joins a ragtag group of rebel mercenaries that seek to “stick it up to the man” in a futuristic world that’s governed by cybernetics and a powerful corporation.

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: You might be wondering why Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is on this list, even though it clearly isn’t set in a fantasy world. Nevertheless, it is still like Dragon Age: Absolution because it was adapted from a video game and is also a Netflix original. However, there are similar elements like rebellious renegades that are present in both of these shows.

1. The Legend of Vox Machina (2022 – Present)

vox machina

The Legend of Vox Machina is a series that is based on the Dungeons & Dragons universe and adapted from the hit podcast series called Critical Role. Of course, this entire storyline focuses on a group called Vox Machina, which is a ragtag group of misfit mercenaries that were hired by a kingdom to slay a dragon and become the champions of the people. All of the members of Vox Machina have their own histories and unique storylines, but they all have to work together in the most unlikely ways to defeat their enemies.

RELATED: 10 Strongest Characters In The Legend Of Vox Machina (Ranked)

Why It’s Like Dragon Age: Absolution: Both The Legend of Vox Machina and Dragon Age: Absolution are set in fantasy worlds where magic and dragons exist. Of course, they also follow the story of a group of adventurers that were only in it for the money but ended up going on quests for a more altruistic reason. As such, both of these shows are more similar than anyone would ever think.

  • Ysmael Delicana

    Ysmael “Eng” Delicana is a writer based in Davao City, Philippines. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics at Ateneo de Davao University before continuing to teach part-time at the same university. While teaching was a fun gig, being a geek and a writer seemed to be his cal...