Thread 1541439

Recently I eavesdropped on a discussion at my library between a bunch of guys with one of them saying how things being “Dark and Gritty” or “edgy” is dead and that’s apparently not a good thing because this shows how oversensitive people are and they cannot handle things being different or serious or even LOOK cool without some plebbitor calling it cringe.
He's probably dead wrong but in the back of my mind I find that the word “edgy” has lost its meaning. I remember playing the ENTIRE DMC series just to see if the 2013 reboot was as edgy as people say it is. If you remember that one Daria episode saying that edginess is just shallow attempts at looking cool and dark and mature by people who don’t know any better, that was what I was expecting…and after playing through it and the DLC, I was immediately disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, the story is BORING but 2013!Dante is NOT some edgelord like everyone else says he is, at WORSE he’s just asocial and cynical, but he’s just a more serious and subdued version of Canon!Dante, to ME at least. The director of that game (don’t remember his name, don’t care either way) compared him to Tyler Durden. He’s fucking wrong, at WORSE he’s more like Christian Bale’s character in the Machinist, but that’s it.
This made me come to the realization that being edgy is A – trying WAY too hard to look mature and cool and reeks of being insincere and insecure, or B – just a buzzword used by people with shit taste and a large platform to invalidate something because they hate how cool or dark they THINK it is, kind of like how twitter freaks will use “media literacy” to shit on a person’s opinion
As such, I have come up with a list in no particular order of games that people have (rightfully or wrongfully) called “Edgy” which I will add in the next post. I would like whoever sees this to give me a game that is usually seen as “edgy” and tell me whether or not it’s true or BULLSHIT

What I’ve gathered in no particular order. Keep in mind I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, it’s just what I’ve been told
Gears of War series
Prototype 1 and 2
The DMC series, especially the 2013 reboot
Gungrave
Manhunt 1 and 2
Blood II (not sure about 1)
BMX XXX
Condemned: Criminal Origins and Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Dante’s Inferno
Dark from 2013
Dead Rising 2
Drake of the 99 Dragons
Fallout Brotherhood of Steel
Homefront (not sure about Revolution)
Jak 2
Chaos Legion
Def Jam Fight for NY and Def Jam Vendetta
Final Fight Streetwise
Bionic Commando 2009
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Roadkill 2003
Shadow the Hedgehog (usually the BIGGEST example of this; haven’t played it)
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne Lucifer's Call
Star Wars: The Forced Unleashed 1 and II
Swords of Destiny
The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning and The Eternal Night
Twisted Metal Black and the 2012 reboot
Vexx
Nano Breaker
Ninja Gaiden 2005 and 3 (not sure about 2)
Painkiller
dirt origin of the species
The Chronicles of Riddick Escape from Butcher Bay and Assault on Dark Athena
Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2
Hatred (video game)
Dirge of Cerberus Final Fantasy VII
Extermination 2001
Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City
The Saw Video Game and Saw 2: Flesh and Bone
Shadows of the Damned
The Darkness
The Punisher for the PS2
The Sniper 2 from like 2002
Tomb Raider The Angel of Darkness
True Crime Streets of LA
Unholy Night The Darkness Hunter
Urban Reign
Vampire Rain
WET (2009)
Bomberman Act Zero
The Suffering
F.E.A.R. 1, 2 and especially 3 given the criticisms of the Point Man in that game

Whats the request?

>>1541442
>what's the request
Tell me if the games ARE edgy or it's bullshit, and give me ACTUAL edgy games. Sorry for the large post, I couldn't explain it any other way

>>1541443
LonaRPG

>>1541459
>LonaRPG
Is it edgy or not? 'cuz what little I've seen of this thing shows the creator REALLY needs to get a girlfriend lol

>>1541443
>give me ACTUAL edgy games

Manhunt 1/2 (edgy enough to get banned in a ton of countries)

I don't see postal in that list.

>>1541439 (OP)
Lots of games nowadays have zero blood in them.

In Tyranny you can kill a baby. Pillars of Eternity has pretty dark themes too.

This thread belong on /v/, btw.

>>1541781
Also Mask of The betrayer is pretty edgy. Lot of Obsidian stuff is edgy.

>>1541781
>This thread belong on /v/, btw.
I was kind of tempted to put it there. Just checked back to see if people responded, so...I'll put this here later if this goes nowhere but for now, lay it on me

>>1541779
>Lots of games nowadays have zero blood in them.
So what the guy said at the library was TRUE, huh? This has been in the back of my mind with the whole Collective Shout thing...

>>1541779
And arachnophobia mode.

>>1541867
>arachnophobia mode.
What's that?

>>1541439 (OP)
>but in the back of my mind I find that the word “edgy” has lost its meaning
I feel like edgy is like a 14 year old using a dark Nietzsche quote to seem cool and deep or something. You could make the case that autists and women mean something entirely different when they use the word because their inferior brains are wired different so you have like regular edgy and retard egdy if that makes sense.
As for my answer Final Fantasy XVI? It's FF trying to be GoT (I only watched a let's play of like the first 20 minutes, but the dialogue tries so hard to be dark and well edgy I suppose to appeal to retarded western fans. (the game was directed by the same guy that did XIV:ARR which is like the game all the mentally ill trannies autists and female "gamers" play ROFLMAO

>>1541916
>to seem cool and deep or something
Yeah, the way you described it is what I always assumed but now it could mean ANYTHING that isn't safe and same-y, which is why I wanted to post this here.
I remember making a thread way back when of ACTUALLY cool and stylish and "deep" games. Got quite the list, wish I saved it, PDF, Desuarchive or otherwise. But I've always noticed some people will just call anything edgy if it is anything BUT something like, I dunno, Steven Universe or Owl House or the She-Ra Reboot (you mentioned Trannie Autists and Girl Gamers) and even that is questionable, as some chick called the blonde guy from the Owl House an edgy white boy.

Not sure how true it is but I'll post this here. This link and the comment by chdonga could explain it better than I ever could:
https://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/1536588

>>1541883
Special mode for people afraid of spiders, one game turns them into spiders and another turns them into green blobs.

>>1542109
Yeah I looked this up and a LOT of people say this is basically cowardice, making it easier for them in games that are supposed to be challenges. I was looking at this whole anime tourism problem and I feel like it started, believe it or not, with video games, accommodating things and bending the knee for people who don't play video games or aren't very good at it, lol

>>1541439 (OP)
What kind of edgy? Games like cruelty squad would apply, but then again, might not

>>1541439 (OP)
Edgy has lost all its meaning. Punisher MAX has "edgy" moments but it's one of the best comics ever. I suppose you could call The Crow "edgy" but it's great. Feels like nowadays one smidgen of darkness is enough to get your thing labeled as edgy.

>>1542238
But adding onto this I guess Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines could be called edgy but it's a masterpiece, just like many things that get unfairly labeled that way. I guess nowadays The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is considered edgy but I haven't played it

>>1542238
>>1542239
>Feels like nowadays one smidgen of darkness is enough to get your thing labeled as edgy.
This is why I wanted to make this thread to see if what that guy at the library said was true. There's this nagging feeling he might be but I just think it's the broader internet's feeling of conforming to blandness, like anything that's unique or popular makes you cringe, edginess be damned.

>>1541441
Shadow the Hedgehog isn't really edgy, nor Shadow although most people think because of his design and mannerism.

He's just like that because of all the events that he's gone thru. Shit that made him short-tempered and brooding, but he's still genuine and is able to care and feel; he's just a deeper character than people seem to interpret him as.

And onto the game itself, the game is great but it definitely doesn't belong in this category, at the end of the day the true ending is about Shadow putting his past behind and moving on from all the hate and confusion he used to live with. Also it has a lot of comedy and silly moments, the only edgy things here are probably the gunplay (since it's rare within Sonic games) and the Black Arms aliens.

Unrelated to the post, but by far the edgiest Sonic character would either be Scourge or Infinite, he's dark and sadistic in nature, takes meticulous care in crafting his theatrics and choosing his responses. While Scourge on the other hand was literally a rapist and an asshole to mobians in general (this is probably the furthest Sega ever got to something so inappropiate).

So if you want a piece of Sonic that is truly edgy, then you should probably look thru the comics, I guess Fleetway Super Sonic could be considered edgy too but he was just a maniac, didn't really think straight.

>>1542249
Yeah, I'm just gonna put this here. It's that Newgrounds comment I mentioned earlier that sums up what you said PERFECTLY

>>1541443
The postal series

>>1542256
>The postal series
>>1541773
>I don't see postal in that list.
I'm going to assume two mean the FIRST postal game and not black and white the whole series because the rest of the games from there get really, REALLY goofy IMO

>>1542254
Yep, that honestly takes the comment I stated and generalizes it, it's nice to read and see that other people see things the same way you do.

>>1542270
>Yep, that honestly takes the comment I stated and generalizes it
There you go
>it's nice to read and see that other people see things the same way you do

well the truth is not REALLY what I believe. What I believe personally is what we consider good or bad art is not REALLY because it is good or bad art, it's because the people with the most money, the most connections, and the ones holding the knife SAY it is, like if you don't like what we like or hate what we hate, you're not INTELLIGENT enough for it, you have shit in art.

We're talking about edgy media here but it kind of goes both ways. This is a personal story of mine so take from this what you will: I remember being in a local comic shop with some friends and there was a group talking about Madhouse anime. One of them mentioned Black Lagoon and I said I wasn't a fan. He immediately exploded and said I was a sissy who probably would prefer slice of life anime...despite the fact I never said WHY I didn't like Black Lagoon. My friends defended me on this but I was just sitting there thinking "Sheesh, who hurt YOU buddy?"

It goes both ways. I genuinely think people shitting on edgy...whatever is not REALLY because it is edgy. Why? Beats the shit out of me. I just think it's the popular thing to do and you get a lot of clout doing so, like a hive mind man.

Sorry if this is rambling but I was thinking back to what that guy said at the library and how this is probably because people don't want to be "uncomfortable"...and by "uncomfortable", I THINK he means "they are the tastemakers now, so they don't want to consume shit they don't like." But who's to say, really?

>>1542271
>like if you don't like what we like or hate what we hate, you're not INTELLIGENT enough for it, you have shit in art
Shit TASTE in art, sorry

>>1541781
>In Tyranny you can kill a baby. Pillars of Eternity has pretty dark themes too.
>>1541782
>Also Mask of The betrayer is pretty edgy. Lot of Obsidian stuff is edgy.

I decided to give these a look. They don't LOOK "edgy" to me...but honest I feel like in terms of appearance, edgy is like modern urban dark fantasy, like stuff you'd see in the Crow taken to the extreme or Black Butler in modern day times if that makes sense

>>1542371
Edgy means provocative, breaking taboos.

>>1542375
>provocative, breaking taboos
And that's a bad thing? I mean if you're desperate for attention or shallow, I get it but the conversation thus far shows edgy in GENERAL = bad

>>1542376
Edgy use to be a positive word, but then zoomer low T levels made them start associating it with cringe.

>>1542379
>Edgy use to be a positive word, but then zoomer low T levels made them start associating it with cringe.
I see. I mean that Daria episode would beg to differ but then again I think back to what that guy at the library said, that the death of things being dark, gritty or edgy shows how oversensitive people are and they cannot handle things being different or serious or even LOOK cool without some plebbitor calling it cringe. I remember some discussions about how people hate pathos and irony in media these days and I'm starting to believe all of this is true

>>1542379
>Edgy use to be a positive word, but then zoomer low T levels made them start associating it with cringe.
Do people still say 2 edgy 4 me even? Haven't heard this in ages.

>>1542507
>Do people still say 2 edgy 4 me even
Not as far as I'm aware. Last I heard something similar was with the D4VD stuff going on right now, someone literally said "Ew, this guy is cringe" when talking about his research on nihilism and romanticism and what have you.

Make of that what you will

>>1541439 (OP)
Imo, edgy media is any media that tries to depict themes, events or individuals that would go against the moral principles of the average Joe in a juvenile and campy fashion. I'd also say that the meaning of edgy, in the sense of how people use it, has also evolved with the change in people's sensibilities, with more ironic or self-aware media gaining prominence.

In that sense, it's bit of an overcorrection that began in the 2010s after the dominance of dark and gritty anti-hero media of the 90s and 00s. There is also the fact that people have been desensitized to lot of it, with what used to pass off as shocking in the past being fairly pedestrian now.

Libtardism can't exist without pussification of the masses. watch this:

https://dn721805.ca.archive.org/0/items/zn_20201010/Ernst%20J%C3%BCnger%20%26%20Progressive%20Hysteria-B_5qqggW6tA.mp4

>>1543191
>would go against the moral principles of the average Joe in a juvenile and campy fashion.
This is what one of the other anons said and that's what I originally thought. Like this is a 13-year-old's idea of deep or shocking.
>with more ironic or self-aware media gaining prominence
I don't know if that's really a good thing.
>There is also the fact that people have been desensitized to lot of it, with what used to pass off as shocking in the past being fairly pedestrian now.
Basically shock fatigue, I guess. Interesting

>>1543191
>what used to pass off as shocking in the past being fairly pedestrian now.
this is very much false. just watch any video on youtube about Beyond Citadel game, the game is not disturbing at all but people act like ti's the most shocking thing ever and the dev has been harassed because of it. gore use to be 4chan culture, but now zoomers who have overrun us can't handle it and try to pass it off as reddit.

>>1543197
>just watch any video on youtube about Beyond Citadel game, the game is not disturbing at all but people act like ti's the most shocking thing ever and the dev has been harassed because of it.
So it's a mixed bag then? You're either an oversensitive crybaby who can't handle being uncomfortable, or this stuff is old hat...or maybe we should bring back unironic edgy content and fuck what everyone else thinks? I think with what you said about Beyond Citadel, a lot of people who don't have a large platform are NOT gonna deal with this shit.

>>1541464
Not >>1541459 but I would not call it edgy. I would however definitely call it dark and gritty. Honestly you can't get much darker than this game.

>>1543409
>LonaRPG
>I would not call it edgy
>definitely call it dark and gritty
So once again, it seems people really cannot tell the difference between dark and gritty and "edgy" stuff...or maybe there IS no difference and people just want everything to be light and fluffy? Nothing wrong with that but I think back to what the guy at the library said and yeah, maybe any time someone tries to make something serious it's going to be LAUGHED AT for that reason alone

>>1543464
>it seems people really cannot tell the difference between dark and gritty and "edgy" stuff.
What are you going on about? Personally, I agree with what your guy at the library said.
Why do you think YOUR definition of edgy is the correct one? Words meanings evolve with time, and for me "edgy" means emo Sasuke-level of cringe. Define what you call "edgy" then, you genius.

>>1543498
>Define what you call "edgy" then, you genius.
To make a long story short, a VERY shallow attempt at looking serious, mature and badass
>Personally, I agree with what your guy at the library said.
I'm starting to as well.

Honestly, I don't want this /wsr/ to be me having a philosophical awakening with myself. I just wanted people showing me ACTUAL examples of what most people think of as edgy. I already gave games I thought were edgy, they were the second post, and I wanted to be proven wrong...and I have, and I start to realize the word means nothing except to shit on it for the sake of being a contrarian.

>>1541439 (OP)
>>1541443
I have only known one edgy game my whole life. The name's Hatred.

https://youtu.be/ytdEYapPXdY

>>1543790
>I have only known one edgy game my whole life. The name's Hatred.

That was on the list. WHY do you think it's edgy, and why have you not experienced any other, 'cuz I was under the impression that there were quite a lot

>>1543795
its mindless in its cause from what ive heard; its just a game about killing as many innocent people and causing general strife. its also like the second game to received an AO ESRB rating for non-sexual reasons

>>1543824
>its mindless in its cause from what ive heard; its just a game about killing as many innocent people and causing general strife
Yes, exactly. THIS game is what I believe(d) would qualify as "edgy" due to the fact that it's very quite shallow. Being dark and serious is one thing, but if there's nothing to justify it, if there's nothing there, THEN it becomes edgy due to the shallowness, just the surface elements.

However, as this thread has pointed out many, many, MANY times, people don't seem to realize this and believe that dark and serious automatically equals "edgy"...when it's not, but then again, this thread was spurred by someone IRL saying the exact same thing and it looks like his fears have been realized

>>1543795
>list
I didnt read others.
>why you think
MC mindset.
>why have you
I don't play many games. Tales of Symphonia Chronicles: Dawn of the New World is also edgy, but childish.

>>1543949
>Tales of Symphonia Chronicles: Dawn of the New World is also edgy, but childish
To me at least, edgy and childish are the same thing, hence why this thread exists.
I'm curious why you think they're two separate things because this thread shows that people are kind of...mixed on its definition

>>1544017
>>1544017
>>1544017
>edgy and childish are the same thing
Is Bob the Builder edgy?

>>1541439 (OP)
Postal 2
Serious Sam

>>1546447
>Postal 2
>Serious Sam
I've played both, or at least some of it. Compared to Postal 1, 2 is HELLA goofy. Serious Sam is...maybe I'm confusing it with Serious Sam 2 but Serious Sam isn't really all that "serious", lol

Practically anything revolving around the concept of kegare can be pretty edgy for westerners. Evenicle for example, but there are always more conventional approaches like aforementioned Lona and Sinisistar.

>>1546746
>Practically anything revolving around the concept of kegare
>Kegare (穢れ) is a Japanese term for spiritual contamination, defilement, or impurity
>Evenicle, LonaRPG, Sinisistar
Care to explain?

>>1546793
Crucial aspect required for understanding, is that despite often being translated closely to "sin", kegare state can be acquired through no fault of your own. Any contact with death, birth or sexual/bodily fluids can technically impose a kegare state on you, which naturally includes being raped or just sprayed with wrong stuff as well.

In Evenicle in particular, kegare is not just some abstract idea, but has an actually tangible manifestation in reality: offender is physically branded with a mark of outlaw and cursed for all remaining life with accelerated deterioration of all possessions, inability to grow food or establish livestock, essentially forced into robbing to provide for himself, no longer a part of human society or even considered a human being anymore.

Now you should be able to put two and two together.

>>1541441
damn shadow is cool in this picture!

>>1547394
>damn shadow is cool in this picture!
Would you expect anything from Keanu?


...in all seriousness, say that to someone on a public forum. Hell, say this to someone who isn't me and see what happens. Watch the cringe zombies rip to shreds for even tolerating this, it seems.

>>1541441
Morimiya Middle School Shooting

It's very niche, but as the title implies, it's a game with the premise of shooting up a middle school, that includes schoolmates, staff, and cops.

It takes place in an alt history version of Japan where gun rights is the same as in the USA, so you also have the NRA and stuff in Japan. It's more of an excuse for the plot to work. The protag is given the backstory of dad leaving her and mom comitting suicide, so she's all alone and depressed.

The premise is very taboo but the way some people treat it is like some forbidden media. Your mileage may vary especially if you're American, but it feels like it's more controversial due to how the topic rarely gets tackled in a video game. The actual execution isn't too far off from the violence you can already enact with the likes of Postal and Hatred, and some might argue it's a little less brutal visually since it is presented in a chibi RPGMaker style look.

It's also highlighted for pretty much pushing RPGMaker, creating a shooter with some realistic elements that isn't just run and gun.

>>1547490
>School Shooting
I don't understand why school shootings are seen as edgy these days. If they show up completely out of nowhere, that's one thing but shooting up safe areas is still a big issue...but apparently if you put them in at all, even with tact, black and white it's edgy and cringe, no exceptions it seems

>>1541441
the DMC series is not edgy at all, it's just a meme
Actually edgy games: Postal series, Fear and Hunger serie, Black Souls, Demon Roots, VNs like Saya no Uta or Euphoria, or Muramasa, Lisa the Painful, Nier/Drakengard serie: all have an edgy brutal and crude atmosphere
Soulslikes are not edgy in the "provocative bnreaking taboos" sense and I would rather say they're quite honest and down to earth but have a dark atmosphere and i dont know if it goes into your definition of edgy (DS3 and Bloodborne are the most edgy for that) and Metroid or Blasphemous as well, but they are not edgy per se but you rather feel really powerful and edgy playing them I guess
Shin Megami Tensei should be actually edgy in the way you mean it but I haven't played it so I don't know

>>1547666
>i dont know if it goes into your definition of edgy
I don't really know what edgy is anymore. I just think people hate anything serious. Look up at a newgrounds comment I found and that, to me at least, is validation for the guy at the library crashing out