Gloom and Hopelessness: The best dark fantasy games

Dark fantasy covers a wide range of game genres and styles, from hardcore soul games to real-time strategy and indie. They have one thing in common: breathtaking dark settings with breathtaking landscapes, frightening monsters, and a complex and mysterious narrative. This article contains a list of dark fantasy games that you should definitely pay attention to.

Grim Dawn
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: Crate Entertainment
What to play on: PC, Xbox One

Screenshot from the game Grim Dawn

Photo: Crate Entertainment

The player is literally thrown into the gloomy world of Grim Dawn, and he has to adapt and develop his abilities in order to survive. Humanity is on the verge of total annihilation: an apocalyptic scenario threatens to wipe everything off the face of the earth, iron has become the most valuable currency, and no one can be trusted here, because the world is full of dark hearts. But by teaming up with friends, you can face threats together. Four players is a classic number for cooperative games, and Grim Dawn is no exception.

Hunted: The Demon's Forge
Genre: Action
Developer: inXile entertainment
What to play on: PC, PS4, Xbox 360

Screenshot from the game Hunted: The Demon's Forge

Photo: inXile entertainment

The publisher of Hunted: The Demon's Forge was Bethesda, but the game surprisingly passed by the attention of many gamers. This is a worthy adventure in the world of dark fantasy — with bloodthirsty monsters, dungeons, rich plot and deep gameplay. Together with the elf Elara and the human Caddock, players will set off in pursuit of a mysterious artifact. The storyline is designed for co-op, and Hunted: The Demon's Forge can continue to be played over a local network, despite the online mode being disabled in 2014.

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Bloodborne
Genres: action, soulzlike
Developer: From Software
What to play on: PlayStation 4

Screenshot from the game Bloodborne

Photo: From Software

One of the hallmarks of the "dark" genre in games. Bloodborne is an aesthetic feast with location and character designs inspired by the Gothic and Victorian era. Like all soulz games, players here are constantly tested for strength in battles with bizarre monsters and grotesque bosses. You don't have to suffer alone — you can summon up to two friends into battle using the Wake-up Bell to gain an advantage in difficult battles.

Remnant 2
Genre: soulzlike
Developer: Gunfire Games
What to play on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S

Screenshot from the game Remnant 2

Photo: Gunfire Games

In this setting, swords give way to firearms and immerse players in a post-apocalyptic universe. The plot here is secondary, the gameplay component is much more important, although there is a motive for saving the beloved girl and, of course, the Universe. The game has many randomly generated enemies and bosses, four character class archetypes to choose from at the start, and almost a dozen archetypes that can be unlocked as you progress. The game can be played alone, but it also supports a cooperative mode for up to three players.

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Diablo 4
Genres: Action RPG
Developer: Blizzard
What to play on: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Screenshot from the game Diablo IV

Photo: Blizzard Entertainment

The fourth part of the legendary series, the "grandfathers" of dark fantasy, just couldn't help but get on this list. Traditionally, you can explore ancient dungeons, fight demonic creatures and collect valuable trophies. The game has five classes and many skills.

Path of Exile
Genre: MMORPG
Developer: Grinding Gear Games
What to play on: PC, Xbox One, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Screenshot from the Path of Exile game

Photo: Grinding Gear Games

This online multiplayer game is considered the spiritual heir of Diablo. It features unique builds and seven character classes, which in different combinations help you develop your own unique passing style. The action takes place on the destroyed Raklast continent, where players in a party of up to five people can explore vast expanses, fighting against a variety of enemies.

Dark Souls
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: From Software
What to play on: PC, PS4, Xbox One

Screenshot from the game Dark Souls

Photo: From Software

A famous, incredibly complex and ruthless dark fantasy series. The story here is presented not "head-on", but through descriptions of objects, replicas of NPCs and architectural details. The player puts together a puzzle of events by himself in order to conclude why this world has fallen into disrepair. The game leaves a lot of room for interpretation and fan theories. Fighting enemies in Dark Souls has become an Internet byword and spawned a lot of memes. To make the battles a little easier, you can summon up to three friends, but the enemies' health increases in proportion to the number of people fighting.

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Lords of the Fallen
Genre: soulzlike
Developer: HEXWORKS
What to play on: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X

Screenshot from the game Lords of the Fallen

Photo: HEXWORKS

The main feature of Lords of the Fallen is hardcore gameplay and a variety of enemies. As in other games of this genre, the player can summon or see other users. The Murias world in the game is vast and interesting to explore. There is also a second dimension, the Umber, which can only be reached with the help of a magic lantern.

V Rising
Genre: MMORPG
Developer: Stunlock Studios
What to play on: PC

Screenshot from the V Rising game

Photo: Stunlock Studios

Survival with building elements, in which the player controls a newly awakened vampire. The hero has to drink blood regularly and avoid dangers, such as sunlight. Despite these limitations, players need to explore the world and collect resources and upgrades. You can play on servers with PvP or PvE content: team up with other vampires to hunt together, and if you don't want to play with strangers, private modes for up to 10 people are suitable.

Nioh 2

Genre: Action-RPG
Developer: Team Ninja
What to play on: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Screenshot from the game Nioh 2

Photo: Team Ninja

"Dark" Asia! This is a prequel to the first part of Nioh, but the final chapters take place after the events of the first game. The action takes place in 16th century Japan, and the player controls a half—breed, half-human, half-youkai with the ability to assume demonic form. To defeat colorful enemies, you need to master different types of weapons.

Total War: Warhammer 3

Genre: Strategy
Developer: Creative Assembly
Platform: PC

Screenshot from the game Total War: Warhammer 3

Photo: Creative Assembly

A real-time turn-based strategy game set in the Warhammer Fantasy universe, an iconic example of dark fantasy from Games Workshop. The ideal option for fans of large—scale battles is to choose a faction and wage war against races and units.