2000s/2010s Edge-core

I grew up in the 2000s and was a teenager during the era when games where at the peak of edginess so I will always have nostalgia for games that invoke these feelings and unfortunately they don't come out much anymore. Re-playing The Darkness recently reminded me how I miss the era of 2000s edge so much so I decided to make a list including any game that falls under the classifications for what I call '2000s edge-core', this doesn't necessarily mean the game is good (Though a lot of games here are legitimately great), but more that it manages to captures the aesthetics and vibe of the edginess of the 2000s through the early 2010s. Listed alphabetically.

P.S. I did add a few games that came out in recent years simply because they capture the vibes and aesthetics and deserve to be mentioned.

The World Ends with You
The World Ends with You
Wet
Wet
Wanted: Dead
Wanted: Dead
Watch Dogs
Watch Dogs
Vexx
Vexx
Van Helsing
Van Helsing
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Twisted Metal: Black
Twisted Metal: Black
Tomb Raider: Underworld
Tomb Raider: Underworld
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness
Thief
Thief
The Suffering
The Suffering
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Spec Ops: The Line
Spec Ops: The Line
Spawn: Armageddon
Spawn: Armageddon
Soulstice
Soulstice
Sonic Unleashed
Sonic Unleashed
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
Shin Megami Tensei IV
Shin Megami Tensei IV
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Shadow Hearts
Shadow Hearts
Shadows of the Damned
Shadows of the Damned
Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadow the Hedgehog
Rogue Warrior
Rogue Warrior
Ride to Hell: Retribution
Ride to Hell: Retribution
Resistance 2
Resistance 2
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
Ratchet: Deadlocked
Ratchet: Deadlocked
The Punisher
The Punisher
Prototype 2
Prototype 2
Prototype
Prototype
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Postal 2
Postal 2
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
Pokémon Colosseum
Pokémon Colosseum
Persona 3 FES
Persona 3 FES
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Perfect Dark Zero
Perfect Dark Zero
Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
No More Heroes
No More Heroes
Ninja Gaiden II
Ninja Gaiden II
Ninja Gaiden Black
Ninja Gaiden Black
NieR
NieR
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
Max Payne 3
Max Payne 3
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Max Payne
Max Payne
The Matrix: Path of Neo
The Matrix: Path of Neo
Manhunt 2
Manhunt 2
Manhunt
Manhunt
Lollipop Chainsaw
Lollipop Chainsaw
Legendary
Legendary
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Legacy of Kain: Defiance
Legacy of Kain: Defiance
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Killzone 2
Killzone 2
Killzone
Killzone
Killing Floor 2
Killing Floor 2
Killing Floor
Killing Floor
Killer Is Dead
Killer Is Dead
Killer7
Killer7
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Jak 3
Jak 3
Jak II
Jak II
Infamous 2
Infamous 2
Infamous
Infamous
Hunted: The Demon's Forge
Hunted: The Demon's Forge
Hellboy: The Science of Evil
Hellboy: The Science of Evil
Heavenly Sword
Heavenly Sword
Hatred
Hatred
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
God of War III
God of War III
God of War II
God of War II
God of War
God of War
God Hand
God Hand
Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider
Gears of War 3
Gears of War 3
Gears of War 2
Gears of War 2

2 Comments


1 year ago

Fantastic compilation, thank you!
A couple of suggestions:
- Pokémon Colosseum (much edgier than XD)
- Ratchet: Deadlocked
- Splinter Cell: Double Agent & Conviction
Also, Woodaba makes a great case for GoldenEye: Rogue Agent in this video, which is also the reason why I found this list (in fact, the video mentions most of "my" suggestions).
@Undercover, thanks for the suggestions! I haven't played Ratchet or Rogue Agent, but they def qualify and I actually have played Colosseum and the Splinter Cell games and thought I already had them added, but must have forgotten. It's hard to keep track of 150+ edgy games lmao


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