I know you're not addressing me, but I've got to say that I did not, and I never will. I hate that game, as well as all games like it, with a passion.

Personally I really hate the bright, shiny, colorful and (geez) the CURVES that characterize the sci-fi style today. I always have been, and always will be partial to such designs that fueled Alien, Syndicate, System Shock, Bioshock, and Blade Runner.

I'm happy to see that Syndicate is finally getting another sequel (even though it's an FPS) but from what little I've seen of it I'm disappointed that they've "modernized" the original cyberpunk style. I worry that if a sequel to System Shock 2 is ever made that they will do the same thing to it.


These games were not dark, they just used lots and lots of shadow effects. When I think of dark, I think dystopian and gritty.


Portal isn't trying to be realistic, and I like it's whimsical, comical take on science fiction. Truth be told, I hadn't even thought of its setting as "science fiction" until you mentioned it just now.

bad news. Bioshock games are pretty much successor of the System Shock.

Spiritual successors. Big difference.

Some other games with dirty look are probably the two Riddick games:

And Chrome:

Or what about some more up to date games like Starcraft 2:

or Rage:


I actually like both, the dirty and the bright and clean styles and I especially love it if things are mixed together. An nice example is for example Gotham in the new Batman movies, where there is on one side lots of high tech and nice and clean buildings and on the other hand some poor areas which are extremely dirty.