F.E.A.R., Half-Life 2, DOOM³

All of these games embody my favorite video game aesthetic. I don't know what it's called, but I absolutely adore it.
     F.E.A.R. specifically is a great example of what I'm talking about. A lot of environments in that game look like they're dead. Life hardly exists in them, and when life does find a way, it's always a symbol of decay or death. Other than that, it's all human corpses and mind-controlled replica soldiers (and Norton fucking Mapes; still pissed that Harlan got to him first).
     Half-Life 2 is another great example. In contrast to F.E.A.R., it has some form of life in nearly every level. However, all of it seems to be a shambling corpse, controlled by aliens in some way. It's a very dystopian world (obviously). That is, until the later chapters of the game, where a rebellion forms against the Combine and their Citadel is brought to the ground. Highway 17 is one of my favorite chapters in this game because of its aesthetic. "We Don't Go to Ravenholm..." is very clearly the best though, no question.
     DOOM³ doesn't really fit the aesthetic, but it's so overlapped with those other games and I don't know why. Perhaps it's because the remnants of life are sprawled throughout the grey, industrial corridors. The PDAs of fallen scientists and soldiers are stashed away in the nooks and crannies of the facilities, where a demon may be lurking. Or, maybe I just really like the lighting, who can really say.
     I think the unifying factor of all of these games is that they aren't a part of the trend of the 2000's where games were unnecessarily desaturated and grey. They have thematic reasons for the coloring and they know how to use it. They aren't chasing a trend because they set the trend and crafted some of the most unforgettable experiences in all of gaming, at least in my eyes. 

I'd love to know if there are more games with a similar aesthetic. I hear Bioshock is pretty good game, and from what I've seen it certainly leans into an art deco-ified version of what I'm talking about. Other than that, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Prey seem pretty cool. Although, Prey doesn't really fit into the aesthetic, like DOOM³; which is a funny coincidence since both games use id Tech 4.

Also, I feel like I need to name this aesthetic. So, welcome to the grand debut of the Early-to-Mid-2000's-Not-Quite-Low-Poly-but-Not-Quite-Hyper-Realistic-and-Kind-of-Spooky-and-Dark aesthetic.

Rolls right off the tongue.