Bleak

Other (objects, etc.) theme

Presents a bleak world for the player to explore, one that seems sad, hopeless, depressing, or otherwise where things are or go wrong all the time and getting them right is nigh impossible or come with heavy price.

108

games

platforms

Alternate names: Grim
Name variations: cheerless, hopeless, grimdark

Disciples II: Dark Prophecy

WIN 2002-01-24

The Suffering

WIN 2004-06-08

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver

PS1 1999-07-31

Demon's Souls

PS3 2009-02

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

WIN 1996

The Suffering: Ties That Bind

XBOX 2005-09

DOS 1996-08-31

OCS 1994

PS2 2004-03-08

WIN 1997-09-30

WIN 1996-12

LIN 2012-05-05

Related:
* Serious
* Dark
* Autumnal
* Dystopian
* Cyberpunk
* Desolate
* Overcast

Generally the purpose is to create a sad, hopeless setting that hopefully gives the player some level of helplessness.

Commonly an autumnal setting is also used.

Parent group

Literary mood

Games by year

The first Bleak video game was released on August 12, 1992.

Electronic Arts, Midway Games and Konami published most of these games.

Platforms

Windows		42
Linux		17
Mac OS X		7
PS3		5
MS-DOS		4
Xbox		4
X360		4
PS		4
PS2		3
Mac OS Classic		3
N64		1
Amiga AGA		1
Amiga		1
PS Vita		1
PS4		1
Pandora		1
Switch		1
Dreamcast		1
Atari ST		1
GP2X		1
Wii		1
Mega Drive		1
Nintendo DS		1
Saturn		1
BeOS		1

Most common companies

Electronic Arts	6
Midway Games	5
Konami	4
Superflat Games	4
GT Interactive	3
Eidos	3
3909	3
Deep Silver	3
Strategy First	3
11 bit studios	3
THQ	2
Blizzard	2
Namco Bandai	2
Nordic Games	2
Introversion Software	2