History Main / BlackoutBasement

* ''VideoGame/LegoDimensions'': Played with. At one point in [[Series/DoctorWho "A Dalektable Adventure"]], you enter a base which has the lights going on and off. But that's not the problem- it's that the base is filled with Weeping Angels, and since they can only move if no one's looking at them...

* In ''VideoGame/{{Tattletail}}'' you have a flashlight to see if the basement gets dark, but it goes out quickly and you have to shake it to light it up again. Mama Tattletail can also put out your flashlight when she's nearby, so you sometimes have to make your way around in near pitch darkness.

* In ''VideoGame/MetroLastLight'', most places where [[ElectromagneticGhosts an anomaly known as the Darkness]] is present. It disables Artyom's headlamp and NightVisionGoggles, forcing him to either '''a)''' use his lighter's flame to illuminate the way and possibly light up torches and candles along the path, or '''b)''' if he has a gun with a night vision scope, navigate while aiming the gun, a slow walk with a very restricted field of view. It's intended to slow down the gameplay pace and create tension, and [[NothingIsScarier nothing happening while it's in effect is no comfort]].

* In ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami2WrongNumber'', ''Seizure'' takes place within a dimly-lit strip club. [[TheCartel The Colombians]] inhabiting the club wear black and pink, making them hard to see. [[ThatOneLevel The level is widely considered frustrating as a result]].

* In ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami2WrongNumber'', ''Seizure'' takes place within a dimly-lit strip club. [[TheCartel The Columbians]] inhabiting the club wear black and pink. [[ThatOneLevel Frustration tends to ensue]].

** In ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami2WrongNumber'', ''Seizure'' takes place within a dimly-lit strip club. [[TheCartel The Columbians]] inhabiting the club wear black and pink. [[ThatOneLevel Frustration tends to ensue]].

* ''VideoGame/JazzJackRabbit'': The planet of Lagunicus in Episode C contains a pair of beach/underwater themed stages. The deeper the character swims, the darker it gets. There are arrows pointing the direction he has to take and TNT can be used to light up the place for a second.

* ''VideoGame/StarFox'':

* ''VideoGame/FindingNemo'' suffers from this ''depending from the console you play on'', due to how each system handle the game's lighting engine, with the general conclusion being that the Gamecube version has no idea how to properly render the environment. Regardless of which version you play, the stages "Mask Search", "Minefield", and "Whale Chase" are unnecessarily dark to the point where ''you can only see your character model''.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' games:

** In ''VideoGame/SonicShuffle'', in a mini-game called "Great Escape", the characters are in a maze atop a roof, which is completely dark, save for a spotlight hovering over it. To find their way to an escape rocket, they must carefully navigate the maze, making sure not to fall into any pits that send them back to start. There are four switches in the maze, which turn the light on when stepped on, and turn it off when stepped off.

* ''VideoGame/ShantaeAndThePiratesCurse'': The Pumpkin Fields becomes this near the end of the game [[spoiler:when the Pirate Master takes over Sequin Land Palace and covers the island in darkness]]. All you could see in the area are silhouettes [[spoiler:that initially hide the fact that the early game enemies had been replaced with late game ones]].

* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdysseyVBeyondTheMyth'': The hidden west portion of 13F in Fetid Necropolis grants a very limited visibility due to the dark mist spewed by the Zombie Dragon. While the mist vanishes after the party characters walk a few steps, the monster will spew the mist again shortly afterwards. The darkness is so severe that, whenever RandomEncounters ensue during its effect, all party characters will get the Blindness ailment since the first turn, forcing one of them to use an ailment-removing skill or item to cure it. Also, the mist is highly flammable, so if an enemy or party character uses a fire-based attack, it will ignite the mist and burn ''everybody'', potentially killing the weakest or most vulnerable. Once the Zombie Dragon is finally met in person, it's not recommended to initiate the boss battle until the mist vanishes.

* ''VideoGame/DensetsuNoStafy'':
** The Deep Sea can get quite dark. Thankfully, Starfy can hit Lytes to make it easier to see.
** One section of the Sea of Sky is a different variant of this; the room is normally pitch-black, but occasional flashes of lightning from Crabolt will illuminate it. You have to make your way around the room using the lightning to guide you.

* A common trope in many haunted mazes to prevent guests from seeing the entire room and allowing the actors to hide in darkness. An interesting example was used by [[Ride/UniversalStudios Universal Orlando]]'s Theatre/HalloweenHorrorNights, where Terror Mines in 2005 and Film/ThePeopleUnderTheStairs: Under Construction in 2006 had very little lighting (yes, even compared to other houses) and instead handed out helmet lights to every 5th person to light the way; the lights would strobe, change color, or simply turn off when tripped by sensors throughout the house. Unfortunately, this meant that 4/5 of the guests would often be left blind when their light person ran too far ahead and left them behind.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'': This starts and is most prevalent in Level 4 of the first quest, where nearly every room is pitch black. However, Level 5 is a close runner-up. In later dungeons, it becomes more of a random gimmick. The Blue and Red Candle (as well as the Magic Wand, once you've found the Magic Book to upgrade it) can light up the entire room, but it goes pitch black again should you leave.

* ''VideoGame/{{Blood}} II: The Chosen'' has [[DownTheDrain Love Canal]], which is rife with very dark sections full of BottomlessPits. Being conservative with the TenSecondFlashlight is essential, although [[MuzzleFlashlight firing a few shots (or even better, flares)]] can make enough light to navigate by in a pinch.

->'''Luigi''': How are we going to find the Princess with the power going out?\\
'''Mario''': Maybe there's a switch in one of the rooms. Remind me to check.
-->-- ''VideoGame/HotelMario''

* In ''VideoGame/RootsOfPacha'', some of the sections of the cave system are so dark, you can't use any other tool but your torch to light your way through. There are several empty torches dotted inside that you can light up permanently.

* ''VideoGame/WarioWareMegaPartyGames'': In All For One, one player is trying to play microgames on a Game Boy Advance, only for a power outage to occur that covers the room in darkness that covers the screen. The other players have to use flashlights to move a circle of light around the screen so the solo player can see what they're doing.

** ''VideoGame/MarioParty'':
*** ''VideoGame/MarioParty1'': In the minigame Pedal Power, the solo player is in a dark basement mounting a pedaling gizmo while Big Boo is behind. The player has to grant energy to the generator in order to lighten up the room and drive Big Boo away.
*** ''VideoGame/MarioParty2'': The minigame Lights Out has three characters carrying huge light bulbs being menaced by the one carrying a huge mallet in a dark area.
*** ''VideoGame/MarioParty4'': A one-versus-three mini-game called "Candlelight Flight" features one player carrying a candle and the three others carrying squirt guns. The three players must extinguish the one player's candle, but the wetter the candle gets, the harder it is for the three players to see it.
*** ''VideoGame/MarioParty6'' has two minigames set in very dark areas. The first is Light Up My Night, which puts two dueling characters in a deep-dark outdoors hall in the midst of a forest at late night. Each character carries a torch lit by a chimney, and has to light up five candles before the other player does (there are nine candles, so a tie isn't possible). The other minigame is Dark 'n' Crispy, where all characters are trapped in a barely-lighted vault with Bowser harassing them. The only sources of light are four luminous orbs in the walls and the stage lights keeping track of the characters. Bowser, who is purposedly in the dark, exhales fire to attempt to eliminate the players during 30 seconds. Whoever survives during that time will avoid his punishment.
*** ''VideoGame/MarioPartyAdvance'': The minigame Tank-Down has two dueling characters drive tanks to battle against each other in a dark cave where visibility is limited. Instead of cannonballs, the tanks' cannons use large boxing gloves as ammunition for offense. Due to the darkness, each player has to stay alert of their surroundings, as they only have 5 HP each. Whoever has their health depleted first loses and renders the other player victorious (the cave will also be fully illuminated by then).
*** ''VideoGame/MarioParty10'': Murky Maze is a 2-vs.-2 minigame taking place in a dark maze. Before the minigame starts, a spotlight will move around the maze to give players a general idea of the layout. Each player is given a Glow Block that illuminates a small portion of the maze around them, and the objective is to meet up with your partner before the opposing team does.
*** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioParty'': The Co-op minigame Fireplace Race takes place in a pitch-black room with only a fireplace for illumination. Four players must work together to use torches lit by the fireplace to light all 30 candles in the room as quickly as possible. Occasionally, the room will be momentarily illuminated by lightning strikes.
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime'': There are areas where the babies navigate dangerous mazes in dark zones with special lightblocks that keep going out. The safe rails are so narrow that even if you memorize the layout, you probably won't get far without the lights on.
** ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'': Underwhere Road. Once you've gotten Bowser back into your party, he can use his flame breath on the lanterns hanging on the walls to illuminate the entire screen. The lanterns will go out after a short while, however, requiring you to keep lighting more as you continue onward.

* The ''VideoGame/TraumaCenter'' series have in the dark operations. You get your assistant to hold a flashlight on a specific area so you can see, but the batteries eventually die and your replacement light sources get worse and worse until all you have is a camera flash that only gives you a second to see where everything is.

* Night missions in flight simulators such as ''F/A-18 Hornet''. If you turn the brightness up, it becomes HollywoodDarkness.