Is Warcraft in the Dark Fantasy category?

[ParanoiD84]

To be fair, almost all alien races in Warhammer 40k would try to wipe out humanity too. The only exceptions are the Eldar... and they enslave the humans they come across, which ain't exactly good.

I like this as a example just how much the imperium cares about xeno races even those living under an Imperial protectorate during the great crusade.

The Adarnian were a Xenos species that were discovered by the Imperium, during the Great Crusade

However they were decreed to be harmless and were allowed to live under an Imperial protectorate[. Unfortunately for the Adarnian, though, their genetic makeup was soon discovered to have miraculous restorative effects on Humans, when their bodies were rendered down to a fluid. This elixir, which was injected into the bloodstream, became the last resort for Humans, when all other Rejuvenats had failed and the Adarnian were soon harvested to extinction

Also the last transmission from another xeno race The Diasporex before being wiped out.

"We only wished to be left alone"

[Orby]

okay.. I had no idea there were this many categories, can you give an explanation to each? I know some are sort of self explanatory, but it would be helpful nonetheless.

I couldn't do it justice. Some are pretty self explanatory and specific.

But a site to help you.
https://thoughtsonfantasy.com/2015/1...sy-sub-genres/

[KOUNTERPARTS]

There certainly are some elements of dark fantasy, specifically gloomy tones and supernatural horror, but itself is not a dark fantasy game.

[Beloren]

Dark Fantasy tends to have depressing, psycological and as the name says, "Dark" topics.
Warcraft is whatever the writers feels like to add to theirs Tolkien or High fantasy frame. Sometimes cosmic, sometimes belic (pirates, pre-columbian, chinese). It's not dark if the Hero saves the world at the end of the day. Which I don't dislike. Hell, the only reason it kept me hooked for this many years is the setting that WC3 placed.

But times aren't dark only when a saviour doesn't happen.. it's dark because of what happens during the period of time

It's nihilistic when no saviour happens that's like super dark .. but the level of darkness is high in warcraft. Psychological darkness is not the only darkness.. maybe many fantasy fans have just become too accustomed to the darkness that darkness doesn't seem that dark unless it's really horrific.. as writers and entertainers strive harder and harder to shock, horrify and dramatize their works as it is usually considered popular.

But make no mistake, just because Warcraft doesn't show the psychological depth of what happens in its universe, it actually doesn't really visit or explain properly anything or the consequences and effects of anything that goes on.. But it does let you know what is going on, and that is pretty dark nearly all the time.

And it's not that it is in isolated instances or a fixed period like LotR, the terror is constant.

[vsb]

It was in vanilla. Not anymore.

[Arrashi]

Warcraft isn't dark, its dim and thats a big difference.

[loras]

It was in vanilla. Not anymore.

Later installments, notably WotLK, were far darker.

[Dead Moose Fandango]

Go play Drakengarde and/or NiER. That's dark fantasy. Warcraft is a medium at the "best" of times.

[Beloren]

If they produced an Arthas origin movie it'd be considered dark. A lot of the themes in earcraft are pretty dark, its about war culture... but people like to keep their cartoon tinted glasses on

This is what I'm seeing too. CAn you imagine if this was real life, it would be very dark.. nothing to play at.

[huth]

Later installments, notably WotLK, were far darker.

WotLK may have had dark graphics, but storywise, it wasn't really very dark.

[Beloren]

Warhammer 40k isn't dark because humanity is fighting for its survival (like LotR); it's dark because the thing humanity fights to protect isn't really worth protecting or fighting for. The struggles of humanity in 40k are completely futile for the most part.

It's like a fantasy right from the pit of hell. if i was a demon that hated humanity, this would be my wet dream fantasy for them. Obviously I can't get rid of them, so they'd have to endure, but it would be with the most amount of misfortune, suffering, under the most miserable conditions, with plenty capacity for all the most negative emotion is possible, and the barest minimum of light to keep some of them going while i get off on all the pointless needless suffering.

That is top level darkness, however you put it, it may not be as psychologically dark as better written pieces, but it's very dark. Warcraft isn't that dark, but that's not to say it's over the threshold, it has plenty dark, just not that bad.

[loras]

WotLK may have had dark graphics, but storywise, it wasn't really very dark.

Indeed?
Torture, mind controlling mage gestapo, desperate trolls turning on their own, gore and evil in many forms.... it makes Vanilla seem positively quaint.

[bloodmoth13]

Modern Warcraft is a children's book compared to the stuff even the default setting of D&D's, Forgotten Realms, goes into when you go outside of the basic, cookie cutter adventures. Modern Warcraft is about what's cool and family-safe these days; it's medieval marvel.

Earlier Warcraft lore was a lot darker, but it certainly isn't anymore.

If we are honest though there is a LOT of horrific stuff in the warcraft universe, its just presented in a fun way so it doesnt feel dark.
For example, orcs enslaving and sacrificing draenie to power the dark portal is pretty fucking dark, but its so damn colorful and spectacular it doesnt feel that way. The horror is watching a light show of magic fly around and some corpses fade away.

Some of the stories are genuinely dark, kids eating their families in the plaguelands, but then you see the ghoul named timmy you chuckle and kill him for lewt.

demon hunters training is dark, but it seems more like exposition to justify their edgy attitudes than genuine horror.

Narratively i'd say its pretty dark, we are currently working with people who stitch corpses together to create abominations and other people who torture naughty behaviour out of people for eternity while preparing to defeat a giant bald person who runs a giant torture dungeon.

Its a dark story told in a light way. Torture fun for the whole family.

[GR8GODZILLAGOD]

Yeah, dark fantasy doesn't just mean dark subject matter, it includes atmosphere and tone as well, often times a horrific one. Warcraft has covered plenty of darker and more serious subject matters, it just hasn't backed it up as well with its atmosphere and tone as much as it would need.

[starstationprofm]

Eh, people make jokes about how "grimdark" Warhammer is, but the tone wasn't on the horribleness and tragedy of it all (not counting the stupid end times shenagains because GW were idiots). Warhammer (fantasy and 40k) have a lot of dark stuff, but for the most part the stories are about standing up to that dark stuff and persevering. Yes, the Imperium of Man is horribly, horribly outnumbered, but so long as the spirit of the Emperor can come back as the Child, there is still hope, so we will keep fightingl

Warhammer is definitely dark. Even the Imperium that you praise as the good guys employ Slavery, Servitors and Arco Flagellants are terrifying violations of human life, the Psyker daily sacrifice is fucked up, Hive Worlds are utter Hell and no matter what you do you probably end up in the Warp where Daemons chomp your soul.

40K is absolutely dark. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, no joy or hope. Even if the Emperor came back he would still be a complete tyrant with no regard for your rights.

[huth]

Warhammer is definitely dark. Even the Imperium that you praise as the good guys employ Slavery, Servitors and Arco Flagellants are terrifying violations of human life, the Psyker daily sacrifice is fucked up, Hive Worlds are utter Hell and no matter what you do you probably end up in the Warp where Daemons chomp your soul.

40K is absolutely dark. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, no joy or hope. Even if the Emperor came back he would still be a complete tyrant with no regard for your rights.

No, no. There is a light at the tunnel. And it's rapidly coming closer.

[starstationprofm]

No, no. There is a light at the tunnel. And it's rapidly coming closer.

GW is never ending the story of 40K, the light is just a carrot. It'll always be a grimdark status quo of struggling against the dying light.

Even if all the other 'good' Primarchs came back ( and that's a big if ) the Imperium would still be sieged on every side. The Emperor himself coming back to 'life' would not ensure victory.

And even if it did, the good guys are the ones violating human rights on a level that would make Hitler blush and when they were winning in 30K they were trying to exterminate all non humans

[Maljinwo]

40K is absolutely dark. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, no joy or hope..

You just need more dakka

[huth]

GW is never ending the story of 40K, the light is just a carrot. It'll always be a grimdark status quo of struggling against the dying light.

Even if all the other 'good' Primarchs came back ( and that's a big if ) the Imperium would still be sieged on every side.

Think a moment about what the light moving means.

[starstationprofm]

Think a moment about what the light moving means.

It could mean 1000 things, you were very vague. Based on current developments it seems that another Primarch ( probably Lion ) will return. But even if they all did, even if the Emperor returned, humanity is still fucked by having way too many enemies.

The Tyranids, the Orks, Chaos, Nekrons are all Imperium level threats.