Summary
- Dark fantasy presents grim themes and hopeless struggles.
- Dark fantasy games like Dark Souls are unforgiving and cruel.
- Dark fantasy games explore themes of corruption and oppression.
In a more natural and easy-to-understand manner: Instead of depicting a romanticized version of a world filled with magic, power, and monarchy rule, dark fantasy distorts this image into something terrifying. Since many video games revolve around the concept of “survive or perish,” it provides an excellent setting for fast-paced action like hack-and-slash combat.
The term ‘Dark Fantasy’ doesn’t necessarily imply a setting that’s as gloomy as nighttime, though many games within this genre do indeed embody such a mood. Instead, a compelling dark fantasy world often features somber themes, seemingly insurmountable challenges, and an ongoing battle against evil or decay (which often appears to be triumphing). The evaluation of these games considers not only their gameplay quality but also how effectively they convey the ‘dark fantasy’ atmosphere and aesthetic.
7. Darkest Dungeon
An Intense Slowcrawl Through Terror, Stress, And Pain
In the games Darkest Dungeon and its sequel, death and sacrifice are not just common themes but essential elements, particularly at the outset. These games embody the essence of a “dungeon crawler,” immersing players in an experience where they might feel like they’re leading their hapless recruits, crawling on their hands and knees, through the darkest corners of a haunting underworld.
The wellbeing of the party isn’t merely reflected by a fluctuating numerical value. Rather, the lasting health – both physical and mental – of each recruit is at stake. Even when team members manage to endure grueling confrontations, hidden traumas can surface unpredictably and tragically in the future.
6. The Thief Series
A Lowly Housebreaker In A World Thick With Gloom
To stay hidden and accomplish their goals, a cunning thief needs to be highly observant of their surroundings – this keen sense of awareness is what made the game “Thief” revolutionary in the first-person immersive sim genre. The game’s ominous ambiance and meticulous attention to detail, particularly in sound design, are unparalleled (even though its graphics may appear somewhat dated compared to modern standards).
In the game called Thief, I find myself immersed in environments that seem to have been plucked straight from the gritty Victorian era and devout Middle Ages, with subtle touches of magic lurking here and there. Despite being tasked solely with burglarizing the homes and establishments of the city’s elite, I can’t help but feel like I’m delving deep into a captivating dark fantasy realm as I go about my thievery.
5. The Blasphemous Series
The Metroidvania Christpunk Goretacular
Just like few games delve deeply into the dark and twisted religious themes of fantasy as Blasphemous does, this side-scrolling game reminiscent of Metroidvania explores a world called Cvstodia, which has been tainted by an event known as The Miracle, a mixed blessing more like a curse. Players control the Penitent One, the lone survivor of a massacre, on a path to redemption through a land filled with intense suffering and altars stained with blood.
The eerie pixel art style and “Christpunk” design, filled with Catholic symbolism and reminiscent of classical paintings, meticulously portrays the grotesque. In this game, The Penitent One faces and battles monstrosities that evoke feelings of pity over fear, such as sightless giant infants, a three-in-one abomination crafted from three sisters, deformed followers who went mad due to the harshness of the Miracle’s touch, and other twisted believers.
4. The Diablo Series
Going Against The Devil
Since its inception, the Diablo series has consistently exuded an ambiance of decay, tyranny, and condemnation, taking players from the accursed catacombs of Tristram to desolate landscapes of future installments. The realm of Sanctuary, sandwiched between the angels of High Heaven and the demons of Burning Hell, exists in a precarious balance, beset by incarnate demons, tormented by deformed cults, and guarded by tenuous mortal defenders.
The challenging gameplay focused on acquiring loot and the dark narrative create an intriguing balance, with every victory for good feeling uncertain. In more modern times, the series has experienced its highs and lows, but it’s earlier games have sparked numerous grimdark looter ARPGs like ‘Grim Dawn’ and ‘Path of Exile’.
3. The Dishonored Series
Between Industrial Misery And Jungle Horrors
In the atmosphere of Dunwall and its surrounding areas, there’s a heavy sense of oppression from factory owners and their financial schemes, along with smog from whale oil, supernatural influences, and the lingering stench of plague. Drawing inspiration from Victorian England during the 18th and 19th centuries, Dishonored immerses players in the perspective of Corvo, a wrongfully accused and disgraced former bodyguard to an assassinated Empress.
In a setting illuminated by gas lamps, blending elements of steampunk and dieselpunk, Corvo attains supernatural abilities from an enigmatic being called the Outsider. These powers enable him to traverse space, alter time, and control both animals (like rats) and people. This masked assassin expands his repertoire of skills by gathering occult artifacts scattered across the islands, which are strategically placed by the secret followers of the Outsider.
2. The Legacy Of Kain / Soul Reaver Series
A Tortured World Ruled By A Vampire Archon
A story commences with a vampire named Kain, who’s been infused with blood-power, stirring to his own thirst for dominance, marking an ominous beginning for a gloomy cosmos. The subsequent installments unfold in a universe where Nosgoth is forever consigned to unending death and decay – the result of a grim ending.
Apart from creating an immersive dark fantasy environment, the dialogue and storyline between game levels were deliberately designed to echo a gothic (or more precisely, Elizabethan) tone. Performed by professional stage actors, each character brings a sense of weight and authenticity befitting a truly terrifying exploration of existence.
1. The Dark Souls / Soulsborne Series
The Standard For Dark Fantasy Games
In the realm of contemporary video games, the hauntingly beautiful soundscapes combined with the distorted depictions of once-mighty figures in a doomed world set Dark Souls, as well as its spiritual predecessors and successors (Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring) apart. These games have long been considered the benchmark for dark fantasy in video games.
In this rephrased version: The land of Lordran, along with other settings in the series, is mercilessly tough, harsh, and unforgiving. This characteristic is vividly portrayed throughout each game’s gameplay. Unlike many dark fantasy tales, the protagonist doesn’t possess extraordinary abilities to triumph over the horde of demons or specters that dominate the land. Instead, they must battle and persevere to conquer seemingly insurmountable odds mostly on their own.
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2025-01-13 06:13