I'd like to refer you to a few games that jump out in my memory:
Haunted House for the Atari 2600
mobygames.com/game/haunted-house
Notes - A game that you should inspect/watch gameplay videos of.
Sweet Home for the NES (Japan Only, though I think english ROM translations exist)
mobygames.com/game/nes/sweet-home
Notes - The forerunner to the Resident Evil series. Considering it was put together on the NES/Famicom, it's a classic study in game atmosphere.
Mega Man 2 for the NES
mobygames.com/game/nes/mega-man-2
Notes - Specifically, playthrough or watch a video for the "Quick Man" stage. There is a section there that is "lit" by fireflies basically... it being a Mega Man game and all, your first inclination is to shoot the sh*t out of the fireflies, but it plunges the stage into darkness around you. As Megaman walks, you see him drop down to lower platforms (that you can't see), and in one notable instance, you are led to believe that you are "walking forever" when really, you are walking against a WALL in the dark. The only way you would know it was by jumping and you "Catch" onto the higher platform.
In my mind, a light/dark platformer would be a better way to go. There are several other games that have similar areas, but by simply examining platform/wall placement, you are making the player mentally map out a level in the dark. It doesn't need to be overly complex... I wouldn't program hundreds of pits and instant death traps, but I would use the darkness as the game's primary obstacle.