what if it was... dark?

y'know that era where seemingly every well-regarded franchise got rebooted with some bizarrely realistic, or gritty coat of paint?

that's what we're talking about here

suggestions welcome. note that the title needs to be part of a preexisting game series that wasn't already (visually) dark

Zork Nemesis: The Forbidden Lands
Zork Nemesis: The Forbidden Lands
Twisted Metal: Black
Twisted Metal: Black
Contra: Shattered Soldier
Contra: Shattered Soldier
Space Raiders
Space Raiders
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness
Jak II
Jak II
Tony Hawk's Underground
Tony Hawk's Underground
Ninja Gaiden
Ninja Gaiden
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Altered Beast
Altered Beast
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Conker: Live & Reloaded
Conker: Live & Reloaded
Blitz: The League
Blitz: The League
Ratchet: Deadlocked
Ratchet: Deadlocked
Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadow the Hedgehog
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
Final Fight: Streetwise
Final Fight: Streetwise
Bomberman: Act Zero
Bomberman: Act Zero
The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
Alone in the Dark
Alone in the Dark
Battlefield: Bad Company
Battlefield: Bad Company
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Bionic Commando
Bionic Commando
Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
Serious Sam 3: BFE
Serious Sam 3: BFE
Dead Rising 3
Dead Rising 3

16 Comments


1 year ago

im not sure if it counts but gta 3 since the visual change from 2 to 3 changed completely to be "darker"

1 year ago

nah. gta 3 looking the way it did wasn't left field or anything by any stretch of the imagination. gta 4 might be appropriate though for how suddenly bleak it is
idk if twilight princess counts

1 year ago

Jak II

1 year ago

DmC

1 year ago

@chandler
oh yeah lmao IV's a much better choice, around that era too and was a jump from 3D to HD though I'm not sure if it fits the criteria of "reboot"

1 year ago

is this exclusively based on aesthetic/design or does the content of the game count too

1 year ago

@compost i think tp is the closest nintendo got to hiring this man. it has a similar vibe to like ssb brawl aesthetically. granted the series has been plenty dark before (and usually is) so idk maybe you're right

@mortopol i'm not really familiar with the series but just off what i've seen i don't think jak ii seems like a far cry from the original

@shu nah. dmc is just a shitty western reboot that went edgy in the wrong direction

@lynx more aesthetic over content but they can go hand in hand. sort of a you-know-it-when-you-see-it kinda thing

1 year ago

aight nah this jak 1 > 2 jump is ridiculous lmao i'll add it

1 year ago

sleeping dogs? It was originally meant to be a game in the true-crime series but had to be renamed. the game itself is pretty serious compared to what I saw in the true-crime games.

1 year ago

For potential additions, maybe add in Sonic Unleashed (vs Sonic & the Secret Rings) and Rayman 2 (vs the original Rayman)?

1 year ago

Would sly 2 count?

1 year ago

Also Gonna suggest the Mario Strikers Games, Pac-man World 3, Star-Fox Assualt, Ty 3 and Spider Man: Web of Shadows

1 year ago

Bionic Commando and Bomberman Act Zero should get thrones and accolades, they might be the greatest examples of this.

1 year ago

I'd second DmC but also suggest Shinobi (2002) and Transformers: War for Cybertron, and maybe Tekken 4.

10 months ago

Burnout revenge
NFS Most wanted


Last updated: