Top 8 darkest video games of all time
We’re back today with one of our lists, this time a little creepier than the usual digital art-related article.
That we are huge fans of video games is not a secret, with all the concept art and updates we share, so this post shouldn’t come to you as a surprise.
Before going on, please notice that dark doesn’t necessarily mean horror and that, while this list and titles’ order may seem biased - well, they totally are, we still tried our best to comment on the positive aspects, so no pros and cons in review style, only what we love and take from these games.
Happy reading with our top eight darkest video games of all time or, as this can be a touchy subject for some, don’t kill us in the notes!
Hunted and alone, a boy finds himself drawn into the center of a dark project. (Steam)
And we literally know nothing about this project. Only what’s seen, so a combination of perfect design and dark atmospheres immersed in a simple and gorgeous-looking puzzle game.
The soundtrack literally happens inside your head (see Martin Stig Andersen and you’ll know what we mean).
The story, again, is apparently non-existent and yet it leaves room for interpretation. The gameplay is linear, the puzzles not as simple as you think.
2016 - PC/PS/Xbox One/iOS
After receiving a letter from his late wife, from Silent Hill, James Sunderland makes his way to the town in an attempt to find her. (IMDb)
It’s one of the darkest games ever and it practically defined the horror genre. Today, Silent Hill continues to inspire other video games and that alone should speak of its relevance.
The survival horror developed by Team Silent is a unique video game of puzzles and action taking place on a disturbing background.
Considering it was published years ago, the graphic is good, the characters realistic and the creatures believably creepy. The story is well developed and examines grief and tragedy in a more mature way compared to the first chapter of the series, making the gameplay the more intriguing.
“And so I wait, wrapped in my cocoon of pain and loneliness.”
You’re following a trail of clues that started with the seemingly impossible murder of a pregnant woman known only as Jane Doe.
The investigation has lead you miles into the Arizona desert, to a darkness so deep that no one could shed light upon it, and a corruption so profound that going mad may be the only sane thing to do. (Steam)
Disturbing, controversial, dark. A nightmare, really, with its perversion and fanatic cruelty.
The story is thought-provoking, the gameplay dread-inducing by dark hallways and open fields, narrow passages and a sinister-looking rural village that you explore, hide in or run from. The design is simply superb.
2017 - PC/PS/Nintendo Switch/Xbox One/OS
“God give me voice, God guide my hand.”
The radio is dead, food is running out, and the machines have started to think they are people. Underwater facility PATHOS-II has suffered an intolerable isolation and we’re going to have to make some tough decisions. What can be done? What makes sense? What is left to fight for? (Steam)
From the creators of Amnesia, Soma is an equally dark and terrifying video game, but not because it makes you jump on the chair. No, as a survival horror, this game’s tension comes from an intimate phobia of drowning and disappearing, its well-developed story combined with a dark environment that manages to keep you awake with purely existential and dreaded matters- from the beginning till the grand finale.
2015 - PC/PS/Xbox One/Linux/OS
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing it, doesn’t go away.” - Philip K. Dick
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
The last remaining memories fade away into darkness. Your mind is a mess and only a feeling of being hunted remains. You must escape. (Steam)
A game that calls to your fears, a tension that makes you shudder, creatures that make you run or fight.
This survival horror presents a dark environment and a perfect sound design, that, in this game, plays a big role. The story remains consistent until the end, the gameplay is the good kind of challenging.
2010 - PC/PS/Xbox One/Linux/OS
“We are so very much the same, you and I.”
Immerse yourself in Little Nightmares, a dark whimsical tale that will confront you with your childhood fears! Help Six escape The Maw – a vast, mysterious vessel inhabited by corrupted souls looking for their next meal. As you progress on your journey, explore the most disturbing dollhouse offering a prison to escape from and a playground full of secrets to discover. Reconnect with your inner child to unleash your imagination and find the way out! (Steam)
Little Nightmares is a dark puzzle game. The atmosphere is sublime and the game a feast for your eyes if you appreciate good, if not perfect, design. The creatures are grotesque yet morbidly fascinating. Although the puzzles aren’t as challenging as those from other games of the genre, the (short) gameplay is still good- a masterpiece to look at, actually.
2017 - PC/PS/Nintendo Switch/Xbox One
While investigating the scene of a gruesome mass murder, Detective Sebastian Castellanos and his partners encounter a mysterious and powerful force. After seeing the slaughter of fellow officers, Sebastian is ambushed and knocked unconscious. When he awakens, he finds himself in a deranged world where hideous creatures wander among the dead.
Facing unimaginable terror, and fighting for survival, Sebastian embarks on a frightening journey to unravel what’s behind this evil force. (Steam)
From Resident Evil’s creator Shinki Mikami, The Evil Within is a game aiming to impress with its disquieting environments and great design. The gameplay is simple, intuitive, and, even if it doesn’t have the scary elements typical of a survival horror, never boring.
2014 - PC/PS/Xbox One-360
Artbook: Art of Evil Within
“You think I’m some kind of monster.”
A massive demonic invasion has overwhelmed the Union Aerospace Corporation’s (UAC) Mars Research Facility, leaving only chaos and horror in its wake. As one of only a few survivors, you must fight your way to hell and back against a horde of evil monsters. The path is dark and dangerous, but you’ll have an array of weapons–including a pistol, a chainsaw, grenades, and more–to use for protection. (Steam)
One of the darkest, claustrophobic video games, Doom features macabre creatures, bad-ass music and disturbing elements. Compared to Doom 1 and 2, this spin-off sees less action and more darkness, its genius being based almost solely on the eerie atmosphere- this is a horror game.
Created by Playdead, this is the first game of the Danish studio, a dark puzzle, generally simple, but a very good experience.
What Remains of Edith Finch
A walking simulator, dark at times with an emotional story and a house whose walls feel confining and way too many. This game has one of the best graphics ever seen.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
An atmospheric, unique dark adventure.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Not really horror or even as dark as the video games listed above (and it doesn’t want to be one) but this is a personal favourite of ours. As a mystery puzzle game, it’s amazing, and the art is droolworthy- but the story is what really stabs you in the guts, not exactly in the beginning, but certainly towards the end. Patience and wonder, the two virtues for this game.
If you like these games or have different favourite ones, feel free to let us know in the notes!
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