Highlights
- Open-world gaming has matured with dark themes and complex storytelling that resonate with players seeking deeper experiences.
- Elden Ring, Days Gone, and Death Stranding exemplify the trend of bleak and harrowing narratives in open-world video games.
- From gritty zombie post-apocalypses to disturbing body horror, these games push boundaries with dark and mature themes.
Open-world gaming has progressed by leaps and bounds, with many developers finding a wide variety of settings to set their games in. These include everything from sprawling post-apocalyptic wastelands to dark fantasy backdrops that are full of death and strife. Suffice it to say, a more mature brand of storytelling is appreciated here, with many developers getting the memo as they stuff their sandboxes full of complex themes and dark subject matter.
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Given how many players covet more mature and engaging experiences, it's easy to see why so many open-worlds have adapted dark and brooding worlds that are a ton of fun to mess around in. Parents should be wary of what video games they buy for their kids, lest they leave a permanent emotional scar on them because of their heavy-handed and disturbing themes.
Updated April 25, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Open-world gaming has become one of the broadest and most accessible genres around right now, so it's no surprise to see a lot of games in this genre try to get that coveted Teen rating that serves as the perfect middle-ground for titles that want to appeal to the broadest player base without feeling too washed down or sanitized.
However, many open-world video games aren't afraid to hit that M rating and make the most of it by covering dark and mature themes that make players think.
1 Elden Ring
FromSoftware Games Are Full Of Bleak Details And Disturbing Lore, And This Title Is No Exception
Elden Ring
- Platform(s)
- PS5 , Xbox One , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC
- Released
- February 25, 2022
- Developer(s)
- From Software
Elden Ring is one of the greatest open-world video games of all time. The natural sense of exploration encourages players to check out anything that seems remotely interesting in the distance which is found to feature something or the other that fans would love to uncover. Elden Ring's tendency to buck the trends that plague most by-the-numbers open-world games is what made it such a massive hit.
As one would expect from a FromSoftware game, the game is as dark and depressing as they come. The lore explores a world full of demigods who are fighting over scraps at this point, leading to them being corrupted with power. It's a fascinating tale that shows Miyazaki's storytelling at its very best and proves why this video game auteur has attained a reputation for developing amazing action games with stories that hit hard despite not being shoved in a player's face.
2 Days Gone
An Anti-Hero Protagonist In A Zombie Apocalypse Is A Combination That Makes For Some Dark Themes
It's only a given that most open-world games that take place in the zombie post-apocalypse are bound to be pretty dark and depressing in their own way, and this is precisely what Days Gone is all about. Deacon St. John is not a good guy or a bad guy, and the only things he cares about are the people close to him.
His search for his wife leads to several gritty encounters that further hammer in the savagery of this world. Even now, the sight of a horde chasing down the player is something that will strike fear in the hearts of most players. This, coupled with a story that has some wild twists, makes Days Gone a harrowing tale about humanity's struggle for survival in an age where the undead run rampant.
3 Death Stranding
The Ruined State Of The World And The Unseen Horrors That Lay Within Are Harrowing
Hideo Kojima is known for creating interesting video games with bizarre themes that can be pretty challenging to understand at times, and no title personifies this better than Death Stranding. After being given all the freedom in the world to develop a brand-new IP, Kojima crafted a unique open-world game that emphasized traversal itself over everything else.
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The simple act of carrying a package from point A to point B is harrowing, with both scavengers and BTs standing in the player's way. Seeing the desolate surface is something that will instill a sense of melancholy in players, with this apocalyptic landscape portraying a haunting world where the damage caused by these mysterious BTs has completely destroyed modern society.
4 Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor
Features Gory Gameplay And A Dark Take On Tolkien's World
Middle-earth is far from a happy-go-lucky place, but Shadow of Mordor's take on this setting is especially dark and does a great job of showing just how horrifying the denizens of this world can really be. The game's most unique mechanic is easily the Nemesis system, allowing the player to form rivalries and subjugate enemies who remember their previous encounters, creating an immersive and dynamic world that changes based on the player's actions.
Players take on the role of Talion, a ranger who loses his family in a brutal encounter, while also being cursed to live after his demise after fusing with a wraith, Celebrimbor. The game is pretty violent and is definitely a great game for fans of Tolkien's work to check out... even if the game may be a bit too gritty for some people's tastes.
5 Prototype
Body Horror And Bloody Dismemberment Runs Rampant In A Game Full Of Shady Experiments Gone Wrong
Prototype makes the act of being a superhero both awesome and terrifying to behold, which is a huge achievement for this underrated open-world game. The game follows the story of Alex Mercer, a mysterious man who has no recollection of his past, quickly realizing that he possesses shapeshifting abilities and heightened endurance.
The game's dark and gritty atmosphere is further accentuated by its visceral combat system, which can get pretty gory at times. Absorbing humans, tearing them apart, and blasting them into smithereens with Mercer's powers make for a fun time indeed for fans who are interested in such experiences.
6 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Mature Edge Of The Dark Fantasy Genre Is On Full Display Here
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Switch , PC
- Released
- May 19, 2015
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
Despite its fantasy setting, the world of The Witcher 3 will seem familiar to players, which is the result of layers upon layers of moral ambiguity. The sheer amount of content in this game is truly mind-boggling, and a lot of it can be quite cheerful.
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However, The Witcher 3 is also populated with many shady characters, saddening stories, and nightmarish creatures that truly make this fantasy world seem quite vicious to the untrained eye. Morality is never black or white in this game, and Geralt will have to make some tough choices along the way.
7 Shadow Of The Colossus
The Reality Of Wander's Dismal Task Slowly Rears Its Head In A Melancholic Experience
Shadow of the Colossus
- Released
- October 18, 2005
- Developer(s)
- Bluepoint Games , JapanStudio , Team Ico
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Unlike most of the games on this list, Shadow of the Colossus goes out of its way to hide just how dark the story really is. All players care about early on is killing the beautiful and awe-inspiring Colossi, not realizing the gravity of their actions.
It turns out that Wander, the playable character, must defeat sixteen peaceful Colossi and absorb their dark energy to save his love. This places him in the palm of a dark entity called Dormin that fulfills Wander's wish... but ends up taking over his body in a bid to leave this prison that was made for him!
8 Pathologic
A Unique, Unsettling Game Set In A Town Addled By The Plague
Pathologic is a unique combination of open-world exploration and survival horror that is about as strange and unsettling as it gets. Players take on the role of a healer who tries to uncover the source of a sand plague that is ravaging a small town.
The allure of this game comes from how bizarre and unnerving the writing is, making for a one-of-a-kind experience that fans of mysterious stories will have a great time with. The game truly goes above and beyond with its narrative, which is about as creepy as they come.
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