10 Best Grimdark Games You Need to Play

There’s something strangely captivating about grimdark settings. The idea of battling against impossible odds, surrounded by hopelessness and desperation, sparks a determination in players to push through challenges and come out on top.

Sometimes you need to climb a mountain of corpses along the way, but the sweet taste of victory makes it worth it.

Video games love using these dark backdrops for their stories, and many of them do an amazing job of blending the atmosphere with the gameplay. In this list, we’ll dive into 10 titles that nail this balance particularly well.

10 Blasphemous

Mea Maxima Culpa

One of the best things about grimdark settings is how they let us explore the darkest corners of humanity—and Blasphemous does that by looking through a religious lens.

The original game caught everyone’s attention (for better or worse) with its raw, gory visuals inspired by Catholic iconography. Guilt and sin weave through its lore and world-building, evident in every detail of its art and gameplay, especially through the eyes of its main character, The Penitent One.

Sure, the first Blasphemous wasn’t without its flaws, but it offered a wild, unforgettable journey just by diving into its themes.The sequel refines the gameplay and deepens the lore, making the whole duology a must-play for fans of Metroidvania-style adventures and grimdark settings.

9 Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader

Grimdark By Definition

When you think of grimdark universes, Warhammer 40,000 is probably the first that comes to mind. After all, it’s perfectly captured by the iconic line, “In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.”

Following the success of Wrath of the Righteous, Owlcat Games decided to dive even deeper into the grittiness with Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. In this game, you step into the shoes of a Rogue Trader—a daring and sometimes morally gray leader tasked with exploring the Koronus Expanse to expand the influence of the Imperium of Mankind.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader pulls you into its harsh universe, letting you experience some of the most intense and disturbing aspects of Warhammer 40K.

Your choices can lead you to commit some pretty heinous actions. After all, tough moral decisions are a hallmark of the grimdark genre.

If you’re eager to immerse yourself in the bleak future of Warhammer 40K, few games capture its essence quite like Rogue Trader.

8 Warhammer: Vermintide 2

Time to Purge Some Rats… AND HERETICS

Let’s be honest, when it comes to grimdark games, I could just fill the list with Warhammer titles. However, it’s more interesting to limit myself to one game per IP. And we can all agree that Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40K are two separate IPs, right? Good.

Warhammer Fantasy is dark enough on its own, but it doesn’t quite hit the same level of bleakness as its sci-fi counterpart. The Vermintide series, however, is set during the End Times – the Warhammer universe’s version of the apocalypse. What’s more grimdark than playing a game set during the literal end of the world?

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 offers an awesome co-op experience, packed with nonstop action, gruesome visuals, and endless hordes of Skavens and Chaos worshippers to take down. Even years after it first came out, Vermintide 2 is still a fantastic game, thanks to regular updates and DLCs that keep things feeling fresh.

7 Diablo 4

Lilith’s Gruesome Crusade

When Diablo III first came out, a lot of fans weren’t thrilled with its lighter look and brighter colors compared to the earlier games. It seems like Blizzard took that criticism to heart because Diablo IV is by far the darkest, bleakest, and most disturbing chapter in the series.

The game is downright gruesome, packed with body horror, and drenched in an atmosphere of hopelessness—making it a perfect fit for our list.

In Diablo IV, you get to explore a vast open world where you can choose to follow the main story or take on personal quests. There are tons of dungeons and side activities to keep you busy long before you reach the endgame.

Since its release, Diablo IV has only gotten better. They introduced a revamped loot system last year, which made finding gear more fulfilling. Plus, the seasonal content keeps things fresh by bringing players back for new challenges and rewards with each reset.

Even if you’re not into spending countless hours grinding for the perfect equipment, the campaign alone is a lot of fun and offers a deeply immersive experience.

6 Path of Exile

A Dark Path Ahead

Infinite curses, forgotten gods, endless violence, and, of course, tons of screen-filling flashy particle effects—these are the hallmarks of a great grimdark action RPG.

Path of Exile has long been one of the most beloved Diablo-like games out there. Its popularity has skyrocketed over the years, thanks to the developers’ commitment to keeping things interesting by implementing new mechanics every season.

The skill system, based on skill gems that let you tweak how your abilities work, combined with a massive skill tree, can make Path of Exile pretty intimidating for newcomers. But once you get past that initial hurdle, diving into the game becomes incredibly satisfying.

The sequel is currently in Early Access and already shows great potential. If you’re in the “slaughtering hordes of enemies to grind loot” business, Path of Exile is worth checking out.

5 Grim Dawn

Grim is Already in the Title

If you prefer to play your dark fantasy action RPGs without having to rely on an internet connection, this one is for you.

Grim Dawn is set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world where humanity, on the brink of extinction, has to face war, disease, and supernatural threats. The game’s atmosphere masterfully evokes despair and relentless struggle, with only a few human settlements standing as bastions of hope.

Facing the dangers that proliferate on Cairn requires a lot of force, both brute and of will. Grim Dawn features a dual-class system and expansive skill trees, allowing for countless viable builds tailored to any play style. The abundance of loot keeps the gameplay engaging and rewarding.

I hate talking about Grim Dawn because every single time I get the itch to reinstall it.

4 Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines

Grimdark but in Style

Who said only fantasy or sci-fi worlds can be grimdark? Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is set in a gritty version of modern-day Los Angeles—more precisely, the early 2000s.

It drops you into a secret world where a secret society of vampires rules the night. You step into the shoes of a freshly turned bloodsucker, navigating a complex maze of secret alliances and rival factions while uncovering a rich narrative full of moral ambiguity and intrigue.

In Bloodlines, you’re free to be a thug, a seducer, a diplomat, or a stealthy operative, all while feeling like you’re part of a living, breathing world where nothing is quite as it seems.

With unforgettable characters, immersive storytelling, and richly detailed environments, this game delivers an experience that lingers long after you put the controller down.

3 Darkest Dungeon

Grimdarkest

A few years ago, Darkest Dungeon took the indie scene by storm, captivating gamers and content creators with its sleek design, dark atmosphere, and innovative gameplay.

Darkest Dungeon masterfully captures the oppression and hopelessness typical of grimdark settings through its unique stress mechanic. Every dungeon expedition subjects your heroes to horrifying enemies and relentless challenges that wear down their minds and bodies.

As stress levels rise, characters may suffer severe debuffs or even die from heart attacks if the pressure becomes too much to handle.

Each expedition feels incredibly high-stakes. It’s best not to get too attached to your characters because even your top team is just one unfortunate encounter away from total annihilation.

The sequel reworked the entire gameplay loop and is pretty different from the first game but still holds the same atmosphere, and it’s worth checking out.

2 Fear and Hunger

Trigger Warnings Galore

Some games take their inspirations to the extreme, and Fear and Hunger is one of them—it doesn’t hold back. This indie title serves up a brutal cocktail of mutilation, intense sexual themes, demonology, and more, all wrapped in an atmosphere that might just keep you up at night.

It’s raw and unapologetic to the point of feeling gratuitous, yet it’s balanced by gameplay and lore that draw you in relentlessly. There’s no hand-holding here; your party can—and often does—meet a gruesome end in the most unforgiving ways, only to pull you back in to uncover even more dark secrets.

Brought to the mainstream by content creators years after release, Fear and Hunger became a cult hit, and its sequel, Fear and Hunger 2: Termina, refines the gameplay while toning down some of the more controversial elements—a welcome change in my opinion. If you have a strong stomach and plenty of patience, these games offer hours of unforgettable “WTF” moments.

1 Dark Souls

Age Of Grimdarkness

When you think of FromSoftware, almost every title fits the grimdark theme—but in my opinion, nothing captures desperation, darkness, and hopelessness quite like Dark Souls.

In this world, everything has fallen apart. Instead of being heroes who restore order, we’re forced to decide whether to keep the universe barely clinging to life or risk it all by pressing the reset button.

It’s a losing battle either way, and that bleak, relentless struggle is exactly what defines the genre.

Sure, Dark Souls is famous for its challenging combat, ingenious level design, and iconic bosses. But what sticks with everyone is its oppressive atmosphere and ruined landscapes—a constant reminder of a world gone to waste.

This mood is what makes the series unforgettable, resonating deeply with anyone who’s ever felt the weight of hopelessness.