Best Open-World Games With Surprisingly Dark Lore

Summary

Open-world games often have hidden tragedies.
Haikus in Ghost of Tsushima explore dark themes.
Subnautica’s eerie deep dive reveals dark lore.

In open-world games, players often enjoy the excitement of unrestricted exploration, where they can leisurely gallop towards sunsets, conquer seemingly insurmountable peaks, or bravely plunge into unexplored territories according to their own rhythm. However, beyond the picturesque landscapes and friendly non-player characters, there’s a subtle undertone that seeps through—a veil of history that doesn’t announce itself loudly, but rather whispers, casting a sense of mystery over the journey that makes each stride feel more weighted.

These tales conceal their sorrows within sacred sites, whisper warnings through distorted signals, or cover lost cultures under ground – yet, despite the world continuing to evolve around them, they remain eerily poignant.

In this version, I tried to maintain the original’s tone and structure while using simpler words and sentences for easier comprehension.

1. Ghost Of Tsushima

Even The Wind Carries Grief In Tsushima

In a more casual and straightforward manner,

Tsushima’s golden fields are full of stunning sights, like cherry blossoms dancing in the wind and temples nestled among cliffside groves. However, despite its picturesque beauty, Ghost of Tsushima is a game that carries an eerie sense of despair. The silence isn’t tranquility—it’s the lingering effects of destruction. Corpses dangle from torii gates. Villages are left in ruins following Mongol attacks. Entire towns disappear as you walk, vanishing from one moment to the next.

Those opting to discover Haikus hidden across the island will encounter themes of death, seclusion, and relinquishment in their writings. A constant struggle exists between Jin’s samurai principles that demand honor and the ruthless strategies needed to combat an adversary who disregards the rules. Beneath this conflict lies a mounting feeling that even as Mongols are pushed away, something deeply sacred has already been irrevocably lost.

2. Subnautica

Beneath The Waves, No One Hears You Go Insane

From the outset, I must admit that Subnautica initially seems tranquil. The gentle rhythm of gliding through vibrant neon reefs, with tiny peepers darting between corals, has a hypnotic soothing effect on me. However, as the day turns to night or, even more ominously, when my depth gauge surpasses 300 meters, it becomes abundantly clear that I’m not the only inhabitant of this underwater world. It feels like an unwelcome visitor, a stranger in a place where I never truly belonged from the start.

As you delve further into these depths, the environment grows increasingly bizarre. Monstrous predators lurk in the darkness, while eerie lights dance in unsettling patterns. Strange, seemingly abandoned alien constructions emit an undecipherable hum. There’s also a disturbing aspect – bacteria pulsating beneath your skin, a puzzling quarantine system that destroys any ship attempting to escape, and hints that this ocean was not merely intended to keep intruders out. It seems it was engineered to ensure no one ever leaves.

3. Horizon Zero Dawn

Earth Isn’t Just Dead. It’s Been Autopsied

In a strangely untainted manner, the realm of Horizon Zero Dawn presents an intriguing contrast. Ruins of once bustling cities now lie as powder, replaced by the hum of mechanical life forms. Yet, nature, in all its vibrant glory, has reasserted itself everywhere. However, this visual beauty serves as a disguise. This world doesn’t follow the conventional definition of post-apocalyptic; it’s more accurately described as post-extinction. The human race didn’t merely fade away; it was reborn anew.

Unveiling the mysteries of Project Zero Dawn’s past, the atmosphere transitions from intrigue to dread. Recognizing they couldn’t halt an army of self-reproducing lethal machines, Earth’s brightest opted for a controlled planetary destruction, only to rejuvenate life centuries later through artificial intelligence and genetic manipulation. The world that Aloy explores isn’t a second opportunity—it’s a last-ditch digital prayer carried out by specters.

4. Outer Wilds

It’s Not About The End. It’s About The Loop

In appearance, Outer Wilds appears to be an ideal independent adventure. It boasts a small solar system, an unsteady wooden spaceship, and a captivating alien civilization driven by curiosity. However, this game features a sun that detonates every 22 minutes, a phenomenon only remembered by the player character.

As you delve deeper into the mystery, the tales become more ominous and complex. Civilizations swallowed by black holes, scientists trapped in time warps, and an old race attempting to halt the universe’s demise but instead sealing their own fate – these are just fragments of the Nomai’s history, etched on walls, scattered across planets, forever teasing you with a hint of despair. In the end, when players finally piece together the truth, there is no epic battle or world-saving climax. Instead, they are left with a quiet, unavoidable ending that encourages them to let go.

5. Death Stranding

Delivering Hope While The World Bleeds Out

One might say that no other open world is quite as isolating as the one found in Death Stranding. It’s not void of life in a conventional sense; it’s been haunted. Every crest, depression, and ruin bears the mark of something known as the Death Stranding, an incident that rent open the divide between the living and the deceased. Now, timefall rain causes anything it touches to decay, spectral entities appear as unseen threats, and newborn infants in containers serve as the sole means of sensing approaching events.

However, the most troubling aspect isn’t the state of the world – it’s the path that led us here. The game is like a suicide bomb, devastating whole cities with a single encounter. Entire regions vanish, all in a delivery simulator. The irony cuts deep: players trudge for miles to mend a fractured America, burdened with dead bodies on their backs, as holographic figures beam cheerfully at them. Meanwhile, the world is dying silently behind secure bunker doors.

6. The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

The Moon’s Not The Only Thing That’s Falling

The game titled “Majora’s Mask” has always seemed somewhat peculiar. While it shares character designs with another game called “Ocarina of Time“, and its setting is geographically adjacent to Hyrule, the storyline presents a stark departure from the usual comforting narratives. From the very start where Link plummets into Termina and transforms into a Deku Scrub, it’s evident that this tale isn’t meant to provide solace.

The moon appears to be collapsing, a fact that everyone is aware of. Some choose to ignore it or remain hopeful, while others succumb to despair. A woman anxiously awaits her fiancé who’s been enchanted into childhood. A father struggles with forgetting his daughter’s name. A young girl endures nightly hauntings in her home by spirits. Link, the savior, is unable to keep his victories permanent. Regardless of how many lives are impacted, a three-day cycle perpetually rewinds everything back to its original state. Only Link retains the memories.

2025-07-23 09:35