Muted, Depressing, Mysterious Fantasy Worlds

Muted colors, big, empty feeling levels, fog, bloom, sometimes very ornamental designs in weapons, armor, clothing and areas, often a lack of music, uhhh...European looking? Lots of... brown? Look, I'm not an art guy, but these games share an aesthetic and awaken something in me, just, look at screenshots and you'll get what I mean, hopefully.
These don't need to be necesarily fantasy games, it's just that most games I find with this aesthetic happen to be so.

Ico
Ico
Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus
The Last Guardian
The Last Guardian
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Demon's Souls
Demon's Souls
Dark Souls III: The Ringed City
Dark Souls III: The Ringed City
Shadow Tower: Abyss
Shadow Tower: Abyss
Drakengard
Drakengard
Drakengard 2
Drakengard 2
Drakengard 3
Drakengard 3
NieR
NieR
NieR RepliCant
NieR RepliCant
NieR: Automata
NieR: Automata
NieR Re[in]carnation
NieR Re[in]carnation
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...
Lost in Shadow
Lost in Shadow
Pandora's Tower
Pandora's Tower
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics
Vagrant Story
Vagrant Story
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward
Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Resonance of Fate
Resonance of Fate
Overgrowth
Overgrowth
Machinarium
Machinarium
Creaks
Creaks
Beyond the Labyrinth
Beyond the Labyrinth
Bayonetta
Bayonetta
Bayonetta 2
Bayonetta 2
Chaos Legion
Chaos Legion
Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry 2
Devil May Cry 2
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening
Devil May Cry 4
Devil May Cry 4
Resident Evil
Resident Evil
Resident Evil Zero
Resident Evil Zero
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
Haunting Ground
Haunting Ground
Silent Hill
Silent Hill
For these games, it's mostly when you walk around the foggy city.
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 3
Silent Hill 3
Silent Hill 4: The Room
Silent Hill 4: The Room
Tormented Souls
Tormented Souls
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Journey
Journey
The Last Story
The Last Story
Valkyrie Profile
Valkyrie Profile
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
Valkyrie Elysium
Valkyrie Elysium
Infinite Undiscovery
Infinite Undiscovery
Frontier Gate
Frontier Gate
Lost Odyssey
Lost Odyssey
Baroque
Baroque
Baroque
Baroque
Linger In Shadows
Linger In Shadows
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
Darksiders II
Darksiders II
Remnant II
Remnant II
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Last Remnant
The Last Remnant
Wild Arms 5
Wild Arms 5
Dragon's Dogma
Dragon's Dogma
Dragon's Dogma II
Dragon's Dogma II
Dragon's Dogma Quest
Dragon's Dogma Quest
Dragon's Dogma Online
Dragon's Dogma Online
Kabus 22
Kabus 22
Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc
Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc
The Sword of Etheria
The Sword of Etheria
Kagero: Deception II
Kagero: Deception II
Deception III: Dark Delusion
Deception III: Dark Delusion
Trapt
Trapt
Phantom Dust
Phantom Dust
Otogi: Myth of Demons
Otogi: Myth of Demons
Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors
Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors
Babylon's Fall
Babylon's Fall
Cloud Climber
Cloud Climber
Pseudoregalia
Pseudoregalia
King's Field: The Ancient City
King's Field: The Ancient City
King's Field: Additional I
King's Field: Additional I
King's Field: Additional II
King's Field: Additional II

17 Comments


2 years ago

ok, that's my shit

"Look, I'm not an art guy, but these games share an aesthetic and awaken something in me" I GET WHAT YOU MEAN. Since I first laid my eyes on FFXII and SotC as a kid I know what you're trying to say.

Marvelous list. I know the majority of these titles (and played a bunch too), however, some of these are new to me. I also leave some suggestions: The Last Remnant; Dragon's Dogma and Tactics Ogre (and Wild Arms 5, maybe...?)
Anyway, thanks for the great list. You've got an awesome taste. Peace!

2 years ago

Here I am, once again, with a new recommendation: Sword Of Etheria

2 years ago

Yeah, this works. Added!

1 year ago

Panzer Dragoon Saga is the point of inception for so many of these games

1 year ago

Another suggestion: Cloud Climber.

1 year ago

Babbdi too, perhaps?

1 year ago

Can always count on rod. Babbdi, looked more like a weirdo version of Half Life 2's aesthetics, but I like Cloud Climber's!

1 year ago

Always glad to help! This list is a gem and helping it getting expanded is a joy in itself o/
Lovely list! If I were to add anything I'd recommend The Dark Souls DLC The Ringed City. Only for the Dreg Heap though.

6 months ago

this is perfect i've been trying to pinpoint games with this specific aesthetic the past months cause I like how a lot of those games look

1 month ago

ICO is my favourite game so this list just what I wanted, thank you.

Shadow Tower and Shadow Tower Abyss are a must though.

1 month ago

@bwoe I'm glad you liked it! Usually, I try to be selective and keep games that have a lot of detail, so I'm only adding Abyss here

1 month ago

@Lehuan I wanted to make a "Team Icocore" list for a while, but this is basically it lol

1 month ago

YESs!!!!! YESS!!!!!! YOU FOUND THE WORDS!!

23 days ago

I think Halo Reach fits in here.

11 days ago

Yo, look who's back.

I was trying to remember a ps2 game I played briefly as a kid, which I think might fit in here, and, during the process, stumbled upon another game that might do it too.
These games are, respectively, Legion: The Legend of Excalibur (ps2); and King Arthur (ps2).

Just finished Demon's Souls, btw. God, how I love this specific type of art direction/aesthethics/color palette/idk

9 days ago

Btw, what abou Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom? Too colorful for this list or nah?


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