What is Grimdark Fantasy?
Written by Beren Goguen
From the pulpy Sword and Sorcery of Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian to the steampunk world of Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, fantasy comes in several distinct flavors – some light, some dark.
If you prefer your fantasy served black with plenty of gloom and a generous splash of viscera, look no further than grimdark.
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Before the term “grimdark” hit popular culture sometime in the last couple decades, we just had “dark fantasy,” a subgenre that stands apart from traditional “high fantasy” like Tolkien’s timeless Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The most widely known example of dark fantasy is the world created by George R.R. Martin in his A Song of Fire and Ice novels, thanks largely to the contentious HBO series based on his work. (Martin’s books were popular before the show, but he has since become the most well-known fantasy author after Tolkein, despite still not having completed the series).
But there are many other excellent novels, films, and games in the dark fantasy genre, including:
The First Law series by Joe Abercombie
The Dark Tower series by Stephen King
The Secret of NIMH (1982 film)
The Crow (1994 film)
The Dark Souls Trilogy (video game series)
But what about grimdark? Is that something different?
Well, this is where it gets murky…
“The darker the night, the brighter the stars.”
–Fyodor Dostoevsky
How is Grimdark Different from Dark Fantasy?
You might argue that grimdark and dark fantasy are basically the same thing, but I would place grimdark into a distinct subcategory.
It’s dark fantasy… only darker.
To clarify, Grimdark settings often share some commonalities:
A brutal, corrupted, and horrific world where the line between good and evil is constantly blurred (dystopia).
Flawed and unreliable protagonists that don't fit into the typical “good guy” box (antiheros).
Immensely evil villains or bizarre entities that often don’t adhere to common tropes.
Nightmarish and vile monsters.
Body horror (a.k.a. biological horror) and psychological horror (insanity, madness, etc.).
An over-arching sense of hopelessness offset by dark humor. The world is on a runaway train to hell, but dammit, we can still crack a few jokes before it all comes crashing down.
It’s important to note that the grimdark genre also includes science fiction, like the popular Warhammer 40,000 universe, which may have actually spawned the term. Other examples of grimdark science fiction include Annihilation (2018) and the slow-burn thriller Under the Skin (2013).
The biggest distinction that makes something grimdark is the violence and horror. The Dark Crystal (1982) is widely considered to be dark fantasy but is probably not grimdark (it’s rated PG).
Grimdark films are usually rated R.
Constantine (2005) is a solid example of grimdark fantasy in a modern setting, while Solomon Kane (2009) is a good example of late-medieval grimdark fantasy, as is The Witcher series of video games (and yes, the Netflix series).
In my humble opinion, one of the best examples of grimdark fantasy ever created is the video game Bloodborne (2015). Nothing is darker or grimmer than getting your ass eviscerated over and over by undead abominations, mutated beasts, and nightmarish Lovecraftian horrors. And yet you can’t help but come crawling back for more because it’s so much fun. Not only does the protagonist face the constant threat of death and dismemberment, they may also lose their sanity (via frenzy) in the face of unimaginable cosmic horror.
Is Grimdark the Same as Horror?
Although it frequently includes horror elements, grimdark is not horror.
But the two aren’t mutually exclusive, either. It’s more like a spectrum.
Another excellent example of grimdark fantasy is Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), a beautiful but extremely dark R-rated masterpiece by Guillermo del Toro. It’s not quite horror, but it’s much darker than your typical dark fantasy.
Meanwhile, Halloween (1978) and Friday the 13th (1980) and are just horror. There is no fantasy element.
The Thing (1982) is horror also, but if John Carpenter had made it a little less gross and set in the middle ages, it could qualify as grimdark.
Great flick, by the way.
Why Do We Love Grimdark?
It may be obvious, but the real world is a pretty grim place for a lot of people, especially in developing countries and war-town regions like Ukraine and Palestine. And the future could be even more grim depending on how our species handles big challenges like climate change and the next global pandemic (or maybe the first zombie apocalypse).
When you consider everything humanity is up against, it makes sense that we gravitate toward fantasy stories that reflect the complex challenges we actually face. It’s never a simple matter of good guys vs. bad guys.
Don’t get me wrong: I love Tolkien’s epic high fantasy trilogy and it will always hold a special place on my shelf, but there is something compelling about stories and games where the characters face horrors far worse than we can imagine.
Grimdark reminds us that it could always be worse. We should always appreciate how good we have it.
More is Better
To be clear, I’m not arguing that one sub-genre is better than another. It’s all great.
But I would love to see even more grimdark movies, video games, and Dungeons and Dragons adventures. In fact, I’ve recently co-created and published a Lovecraftian DnD one-shot called The Colour Out of Space. You can find it on Dungeon Matters.
Looking to make your own game more grim and dark?
Check out the Poise and Mania System.
Finally, stay tuned for more info on the upcoming grimdark adventure Alice in Wunderland.
