Dark fantasy is a favorite genre of many and an absolute pleasure for me to write about.
It’s no secret that creepy games are the fun ones that both scare and excite you simultaneously; nothing beats a good fantasy, except a dark one.
Here Are 25 Of The Top Dark Fantasy Games Ever Made!
25. Creepy Tale (PC / Xbox One / Nintendo Switch / Linux)
Creepy Tale Trailer:
Creepy Tale is a fun game with puzzles and mini-games in between, and it follows the character after he gets lost in a creepy forest after inhuman beings take his brother. In the forest, he comes face-to-face with ominous creatures, creepy scenarios, and danger.
The player is faced with unusual 2D puzzles, which also have unique solutions, making it fun to play. Creepy tale has two more games after this one for player fans of the game. It was developed by Creepy Brothers, Deqaf Studio, and No Gravity Games and then published by all three developers in 2020.
24. Ghostwatchers (PC)
Ghostwatchers Trailer:
In the creepy co-op game, you visit abandoned houses searching for ghosts. The game has a video camera effect, and the ghosts you come across are super scary! Ghostwatchers take you through every corner of the house you visit, which makes it an intense player experience.
The game received primarily positive feedback from players and is one to check out. It was developed and published by Renderise in June this year, 2022.
23. Diablo IMMORTAL (PC / IOS / Android)
Diablo IMMORTAL Trailer:
This is a huge online game, and it’s free to play on all platforms with an intense plot and storyline. This action-role-playing game is specifically created to play on android devices; however, it’s compatible with Windows (Yay).
The player creates their characters within the game according to the game's six character classes. Each character has 12 skills that players can unlock during gameplay, and my personal favorite would be the Demon Hunter and Wizard. Another fun thing about this game is creating more than one character!
Diablo IMMORTAL was developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment in 2022 with help in developing from NetEase.
22. Elden Ring (PC / PS4 / PS5 / Xbox One / Xbox series X/S)
Elden Ring Trailer:
Elden Ring is set in the lands of a fictional landmass ruled by demigods, and The Tarnished set out to repair the Elden ring, where they meet Melina, who grants them the ability to turn ruins into strength.
The game is played from a third-person perspective and features many action and scary scenarios! And the equipment and spells your character uses depend on the class you chose at the beginning of the game.
Eden Ring was developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment in February 2022.
21. Total War: Warhammer III (PC / Linux / Mac OS)
Total War: Warhammer III Trailer:
The game follows Yuri as he travels to a faraway land with his brother to save their god, where they encounter a demon prince that causes mischief and turns Yuri against his god. The voices in the game are excellent, and the storyline is interesting to follow.
Warhammer III is the third turn-based strategy installment in the Total War series. It can be played in single or multiplayer mode and was developed by Creative Assembly and published by Sega in February 2022.
20. V Rising (PC)
V Rising Trailer:
V Rising is an open-world survival game; in it, the player assumes the role of a vampire newly resurrected from his slumber. I don’t know about you, but I love vampires and associated things, so this game is a must!
The player has to gather supplies and materials to build their castle. They must also defeat enemies and unlock new abilities and technology. You must also maintain the vampire's blood level by feeding on victims.
V Rising was developed and published by Stunlock Studios in May 2022.
19. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PC / PS4 / Xbox One / Stadia)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Trailer:
In this game, players follow a character named wolf on his dangerous journey to save the man whose bodyguard he is. He loses his arm and is brought face-to-face with his past. It has three possible endings after defeating Isshin.
Though Sekiro: Shadows die twice sold over 5 million copies the year after its release, it received mixed feelings from both players and critics. They compared it to previous games from the developer and found that not all can be the same.
The game was developed by FromSoftware and published in 2019 by Activist.
18. Warhammer: Vermintide 2 (PC / PS4 / Xbox One / Xbox Series X/S)
Vermintide 2 Trailer:
With a fantasy universe setting, this game is another fun one on my list. The player can play as five different characters through 13 missions, with over 20 different enemies to face and 50 different weapons to use in battle.
During the end days, the player has to battle against rat men and the chaotic army with the unique skills of their characters. Warhammer: Vermintide was developed and published by Fatshark in 2018.
17. Grim dawn (PC / Xbox One)
Grim dawn Trailer:
Grim Dawn is set in a grim and dark town called Cairn, and human existence is almost to extinction. Some believe they can use them for ulterior motives, and others want to wipe out all humans before that can happen.
Somewhere along the lifeline, humans made contact with extra-dimensional beings and, listening to the whispers of the creature, attempted to bring one across by opening a portal, bringing them from their dimension to the human world.
The game is somewhat based on the Victorian era, which fits in perfectly with the dark fantasy theme of the game. Grim Dawn was developed and published in 2016 for the first time by Crate Entertainment.
16. Blasphemous (PC / Switch / PS4 / Xbox One / Linux / Mac OS)
Blasphemous Trailer:
Travel on a pilgrimage as a silent sword-wielding knight in Blasphemous. It’s an action-adventure game in a fictional world where you must fight enemies while exploring the land of Cvstodia.
The player is rewarded with the game’s currency for killing enemies, and when they’re damaged in melee combat, the player is rewarded in fervor. Blasphemous was developed by The Game Kitchen and published in 2019 by Team 17.
15. Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War (PC / PS4 / Xbox One)
Shadow Of War Trailer:
Set in an open-world environment, Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War is an action role-playing game with some of the best dark fantasy elements. The player controls the game's protagonist as he ventures through dangerous situations and battles enemies.
He shares his body with an elf lord, who grants him special abilities and fights with him as a combined force. This is a really fun game to play, and the third perspective point of view makes it easy to follow.
Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War was developed by Monolith Productions and published in 2017 by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
14. Dark Souls III (PC / PS4 / Xbox One)
Dark Souls III Trailer:
Dark Souls III follows the excitement and action like the previous game. Each enemy the player character faces has unique behavior and also different abilities. The game is the kingdom of Lothric, and the age of fire is dying out.
Undead beings produced by the age of dark are among you, and you must fight them off by casting spells, using weapons, and using your shields. The plot is intense, and the graphics are great; this is one fun game.
Dark Souls III was developed by FromSoftware and published in 2016 by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
13. Darkest Dungeon (PC / OS X / PS4 / PS Vita / Linux / Xbox One / Nintendo Switch)
Darkest Dungeon Trailer:
In Darkest Dungeon, the player character inherits an estate from an ancestor; little does he know that the fulfillment of their ambiguous ambitions, dark secrets, dungeons, and catacombs are excavated underneath the manor.
While exploring the manor, its lands, and dungeons, the player finds the memoirs of his ancestor, explaining all of the horrible deeds he had done. The player also finds the source of all the misery related to the property in the darkest dungeon of the manor.
This game was developed and published by Red Hook Studios in 2016.
12. Little Misfortune (PC / Mac OS / Linux / Android / iOS / PS4 / Nintendo Switch / Xbox One)
Little Misfortune Trailer:
Little Misfortune is an unhappy little girl who lives in a fictional town with her abusive parents. She then hears a voice asking her to play a game with him and leave her house, and if she can beat his game, he’ll give her eternal happiness.
Players will make choices on behalf of Misfortune, but be aware that each choice has a coincidence! This is a creepy game to play but a lot of fun. It was developed and published by Killmonday games in 2019.
11. Berserk And The Band Of The Hawk (PC / PS3 / PS4 / PS Vita)
Berserk And The Band Of The Hawk Trailer:
This game is a complete mix of hack-and-slash Dynasty Warrior series gameplay. It follows the player's character through the story of the Manga series. There’s not a lot of information on the game itself, but it’s fun to play!
Berserk And The Band Of The Hawk was developed by Omega Force and published by Koei Tecmo in 2016.
10. World Of Warcraft (PC / Mac OS)
World Of Warcraft Trailer:
In World Of Warcraft (WOW), the player controls an avatar while exploring the landscape in the game. The player then interacts with other players and non-players and fights multiple monsters.
As your character advances through the game, characters gain more skills, talent, and new abilities. However, the game is only a trial up until level 20 with locked features until the player purchases a subscription.
World Of Warcraft was developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment in 2004.
9. Salt And Sanctuary (PC / PS4 / PS Vita / Mac OS / Linux / Nintendo Switch / Xbox One)
Salt And Sanctuary Trailer:
The player starts off traveling on a ship transporting an unknown country’s princess who’s to be married to avert war. When the ship gets attacked by a group of marauders who wipes out the entire crew, the player kills them.
After the ship is wrecked, the player gets washed out on a mysterious and unknown island, where he meets a man that helps him on his quest to find the lost princess. With hand-drawn visuals in 2D, the game has over 600 items available for players to use.
Salt And Sanctuary was developed and released in 2016 by Ska Studios.
8. Tyranny (PC / Mac OS / Linux)
Tyranny Trailer:
Set in a fantasy world, Tyranny takes place in a world full of change and transition. During this time, technology is going from the bronze age to the iron age. After having already taken over most of the lands, the Overlord is very close to imposing order over Terratus.
The game also features multiple ruins left behind by an unknown civilization, and with the rising of a new rebel group that fights to save civilization. Tyranny follows epic gameplay similar to Pillars of Eternity.
Obsidian Entertainment developed this game and it was published by Paradox Interactive in 2016.
7. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (PC)
Hellblade Trailer:
Senua’s Sacrifice features two types of gameplay; one is the telling of the story where she roams freely and interacts with her surroundings, traveling from one place to another. The other focuses on completing puzzles to help her further progress in the gameplay.
The game is set in the 8th century and starts with a pict warrior from Orkney as she arrives at the border of Helheim. She ventures on a quest to save her dead lover’s soul from the goddess.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was developed and released by Ninja Theory in 2017.
6. Hunt: Showdown (PC / Xbox One / PS4)
Hunt: Showdown Trailer:
This first-person shooter game has two gameplay modes, and the player takes the role of a bounty hunter who can either choose to work on his own or have two other players help him in his venture to find clues that lead to the monster’s location.
You work from a map, and each map counts as an open world on its own. The player is searching for four monsters; on this adventure, you fight against multiple enemies that differ from map to map.
Among others are Grunts and hives you have to face. Hunt: Showdown was developed and published by Crytek for the first time in 2019.
5. Vampyr (PC / PS4 / Xbox One / Nintendo Switch)
Vampyr Trailer:
In this action-role-playing game, you play as a vampire turned doctor. He fights his enemies using supernatural abilities as he ventures off to kill innocent people driven by his thirst for blood.
However, he must maintain relationships, find clues, and ultimately change the habits of his targets. Vampyr was developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Focus Home Interactive in 2018.
4. Devil May Cry 5 (PC / Xbox One / Xbox Series X/S / PS4 / PS5 / Amazon Luna)
Devil May Cry 5 Trailer:
Devil May Cry 5’s main focus is the return of Nero and Dante as they hunt a demon named Urizen, who happens to be the demon half of Dante’s brother. They travel through Red Grave city, venturing to find and battle Vergil and his demon side.
It also has an extended version called Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition, where you can choose Vergil as a playable character/ The game was developed and released by Capcom in 2019.
Excellent game to play, with slightly improved graphics and a good feature of Red Grave City.
3. Examina (PC)
Examina Trailer:
This is an RPG action game that emphasizes the very detail and every object in the game. You as the player are stranded in an underground environment, and when picking up a torch you can explore a world full of the undead!
You have multiple weapons at your disposal to use while fighting them off and attempting to save yourself. This game is both creepy and scary with great graphics and an excellent plot to follow.
Examina was released by Bare Mettie Entertainment in 2015.
2. Code Vein (PC / PS4 / Xbox One)
Code Vein Trailer:
Code Vein is an open-world game set soon in the near future with mysterious monsters that start to roam around. The world has fallen to a stage where corpses are brought back by implanting a parasite that regenerates their organs. Human blood is the only thing that can keep them from entering a frenzy where they mutate into the lost.
At the beginning of the game, the player finds themselves in a ruined city named Vein, where they’re stuck in a ring of red mist. It was developed by Bandai Namco Studios and released by Bandai Namco Entertainment in 2019.
1. Nioh 2 (PC / PS4 / PS5)
Nioh 2 Trailer:
Nioh 2 is an action role-playing game and also the prequel to its predecessor Nioh. It’s set in the 1500s and the player can choose their character at the beginning of the game. During the gameplay, there are multiple weapons to collect and use.
The player advances through the chapters of the game by earning new skills and abilities. Nioh 2 features a character known as shifting as they befriend an ambitious merchant while seeking out a demon hunter.
This is an epic game to play with a plot that’s out of this world and great graphics. It was developed by Team Ninja and published by Kou Shibusawa in 2020.
