54
submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

Edit 2: got a notification about Cronos: The New Dawn as I was launching Steam and decided to go for it. So far... holy hell, yep! Soo much yep! Just, uuh... turn off ray-tracing...

Edit: thanks so much to everyone who chimed in, there are some awesome recs in this thread! Also, really sorry to hear so many of you can relate to such games, good thing we have'em!

I apologise if I missed anyone's comment.

OP: So, going through It™ again and my mood's really gloomy. Anyone got any good recommendations to go with my mood?

To specify, PC-only, and I'm mostly asking for atmosphere, though some mechanical goodness will not go unappreciated. Thinking of stuff like Observer, Silent Hill, Darkwood, Arx Fatalis, Fallout: NV, Bloodborne, Dark Souls, Elden Ring, etc. Played most of these except Bloodborne, gathering the patience to deal with emulation.

Edit: oh, and if the story'll shred my soul to pieces, all the better! Hit me with your best shot!

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top new old
[-] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Hollow Knight (more so than Silksong tbh)

Night in the Woods (not the same vibe as the games you mentioned but absolutely a “had a bad day” vibe)

[-] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

I immediately thought of NitW too!

[-] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

Hollow Knight looks absolutely gorgeous, but I'm intimidated by it:))

Night in the Woods is on my list, likewise looks gorgeous, and from the few things I've heard about it, it sounds deeply thoughtful!

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

These are basically ancient, but if you want to feel like crap.

  • The walking dead, from telltale
  • spec ops the line
  • this war of mine
  • papers please
[-] [email protected] 0 points 21 hours ago

Thank you! Have'em all in my library, I really should check my backlog...

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago
[-] [email protected] 0 points 21 hours ago

I have it in my library, but I'm scared of it=)) A friend of mine played it and cried his ass off, and he really isn't someone who does a lot of crying!:))

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

The long dark is a harsh winter survival game with a gloomy story (dlc). https://store.steampowered.com/app/305620/The_Long_Dark/

[-] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago

For both rich atmosphere and unique game mechanics, you could do a lot worse than Return of the Obra Dinn.

If you're unfamiliar, the presentation evokes early PC (or Mac, more specifically) black and white "1 bit" games, but real time 3d. This already is very distinctive, but the gameplay also sets it apart.

You are an insurance investigator with a magic pocket watch which allows you to travel back to the moment in time that someone expired, if you find their corpse. From these brief flashes (and by cross-referencing the ship manifest) you piece together what happened to all the crew and passengers on the ships ill-fated voyage, before it's baffling reemergence years after the fact.

[-] [email protected] 0 points 21 hours ago

Oh, I've known about this one, been avoiding Grim Beard's review of it since it came out=)) This one looks so artful that I need to be in the right state of mind, otherwise I'd do it a disservice.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

Have you played journey? It's great in my opinion the music and visuals bringe up every time I play it the end he sequence has made me cry in a few occasions.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

Nooo, it's another one I forgot!:O Thank you, I loved the concept when first hearing about it!

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago
[-] [email protected] 0 points 21 hours ago

Well, I could do a replay, but I'm trying to find something new. Awesome game, though!

[-] [email protected] 18 points 2 days ago

I'm reluctant to suggest What Remains of Edith Finch.

It will shred you.

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] [email protected] 5 points 2 days ago

STALKER, it's story may not wreck you but the monolith will.

If you want to be kicked in the dick play the anomaly mod, pretty sure it's free and doesn't require the games.

[-] [email protected] 0 points 21 hours ago

Ooh, played them all, repeatedly! Have a second run of 2 ongoing, but these are closer to comfort games to me. Playng STALKER or Vew Vegas feels like coming home:))

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

You have so many great recommendations so i am gonna add more.

Gulf Club Nostalgia/Wasteland: when depression hits hard why not hit it harder with a tale of nostalgia for a world we have not yet lost.
Simple golf game but the radio station is... A lot.

To the Moon: the whole series is just what if all we could give those dying the happiness of a lie implanted in their memories and what can we provide for those still living who dont get it so easy?

Among the Sleep: just a 2 year old kid and your mom has gone missing and the world is so scary in the dark.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

Ooh, boy, thank you! Yep, all of these sound like they could fit, the golf one especially when the Dip comes!

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago
[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

The rest of that series is like that too.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Dear Esther and Kentucky route zero for the music and atmosphere, elden ring for the atmosphere and challenge. Something with an engaging story planescape torment & torment tides of numenera.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 20 hours ago

All are at least on my radar, Elden Ring and Planescape: Torment are old friends of mine at this point. Thank you!

[-] [email protected] 10 points 2 days ago

I've heard Spiritfarer is quite emotional.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

Ooh, and it looks so sweet and wholesome!❤️ Thank you, will give it a whirl!

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

It is. Its also maybe not the best game to play when you're struggling. I played it when I lost a close family member and I became a wreck for weeks

It helped me process the loss, but it drew all of my emotions out in the process

[-] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

Well, that's what I'm looking for, honestly. Trying to burn the hurt out in a way, and it's easier to process when in a context where such issues are analysed.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago

Oh boy, this is a game that absolutely ripped my heart out. I've never been great at saying goodbye, I did everything I could before the first goodbye and then I quit. I loved the game, but it hits me in a strange soft spot.

Brothers is kinda similar to provide a recommendation.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago

Peripeteia- Dark cyberpunk imsim. Obviously inspired by GitS and deus ex. I’d consider it pretty dark and pessimistic but lots of fun to play around in and explore the different ways you have to solve a problem.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

This one's also giving me heavy E.Y.E. vibes, I love that! Definitely gonna check it out, thank you!

[-] [email protected] 10 points 2 days ago

It doesn't have much of a pre-defined story to it, but I would say Project Zomboid is pretty moody and has a lot of gameplay depth.

[-] [email protected] 0 points 22 hours ago

Really does look moody, and I love the strategy bits! Thanks, definitely wishlisted!

[-] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago

Outer Wilds. Best game ever made. Stick with it.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

I've had this one installed for over a year now, but I'm scared of it:)) Same happened with SIGNALIS, can't explain it.

[-] [email protected] 12 points 2 days ago
load more comments (4 replies)
[-] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

Subnautica works for me on days like these. It's atmosphere, the clever design of how to explore more of the story and the constant danger. I also really like the ending, but I won't say more about that, cause spoilers.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

I love the idea behind Subnautica, but my thalassophobia still gets the better of me:)) They made that aspect of it perfectly:))

[-] [email protected] 12 points 2 days ago

How about The Long Dark? A struggle to survive in a cold, dead world. The atmosphere is superb and I think it pairs well with a melancholy mood. Sorry to hear you're dealing with crap.

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] [email protected] 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Sunless Sea is moody, gloomy, weird and beautiful. Music is hauntingly disturbing and nostalgic at the same time. It’s a weird mix of roguelike, trading&combat sim that’s heavy on choose your own adventure narratives while exploring lots of unique locations.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2025
54 points (96.6% liked)

Games

21318 readers
163 users here now

Video game news oriented community. No NanoUFO is not a bot :)

Posts.

  1. News oriented content (general reviews, previews or retrospectives allowed).
  2. Broad discussion posts (preferably not only about a specific game).
  3. No humor/memes etc..
  4. No affiliate links
  5. No advertising.
  6. No clickbait, editorialized, sensational titles. State the game in question in the title. No all caps.
  7. No self promotion.
  8. No duplicate posts, newer post will be deleted unless there is more discussion in one of the posts.
  9. No politics.

Comments.

  1. No personal attacks.
  2. Obey instance rules.
  3. No low effort comments(one or two words, emoji etc..)
  4. Please use spoiler tags for spoilers.

My goal is just to have a community where people can go and see what new game news is out for the day and comment on it.

Other communities:

Beehaw.org gaming

Lemmy.ml gaming

lemmy.ca pcgaming

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS