It's standard practice for a game to have a tutorial or at least a nice, easy section that gives players time to learn the controls and gameplay mechanics in a safe environment. That's not the case with the games on this list, however, as they all choose to throw players into the deep end of unforgiving difficulty right from the start and force them to learn how to survive the hard way.
When executed poorly, this “sink or swim” style of gameplay design can frustrate players right off the bat and sometimes cause them to quit the game within minutes. When done right, though, it can deliver an experience that is immersive and captivating from the word go, drawing players into its world and never letting them go, thanks to its brutal yet rewarding and sometimes addictive challenge.
blood borne
From the descent of software to Lovecraftian horror
First, but not last, from the software games on this list, blood borne It was a risky venture for the Japanese studio, due to its gothic Victorian-era setting that is in stark contrast to high medieval fantasy. Demon spirits, Dark spiritsand Dark Souls 2.
Like the three games mentioned above – and now expected from the “Soul-like” genre they're known as a part of today – blood borne It doesn't hold the player's hand, and ensures that they must adapt to the game's mechanics and world in order to survive. in blood bornewho In the case, survival, as an opponent, requires an aggressive play style, due to the ability to recover health when hitting an opponent, among other changes. blood borne An exciting new challenge for those who jumped from the previous one spirits Games.
Cuphead
Don't let the cartoon-y aesthetic fool you
Cuphead
9/10
- issued
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September 29, 2017
Cuphead Inspired by cartoons from the golden age of American animation, it was destined to be a success for its amazing visuals and animation. Thankfully, the gameplay didn't just disappoint, but blew away players with excellent boss design and run-and-gun gameplay.
Don't let the visuals fool you, though, as Cuphead Delivers a punishing challenge straight from the jump that requires players to learn the ins and outs of each boss and stage before they have a chance to progress.
Hades
Roguelike royalty
Hades
10/10
- issued
-
September 17, 2020
The roguelike genre rarely holds players' hands, forcing them to fight, die, and learn from their mistakes. Hades This is a great example of that, although there are upgrade opportunities along the way, it is the player's experience in the game that will be most important in their bloody and brutal climb to Mount Olympus.
There are countless roguelike and roguelite games that could make this list, but for the sake of variety and interest to ensure only the best and most difficult qualify, this is one of two on the list.
Sekiro: Shadows die twice
Learn to try cute or die
The second of three From Software games on this list, Sekiro: Shadows die twiceLike blood borne Before this, there was a break from the norm for the Japanese studio. Sekiro It stands out from the company's other similar games as it ditches most of the RPG mechanics from previous games and features a combat system centered around parrying.
This new combat system removes much of the “cheesing” that players can do to progress in other Souls-like games, as it forces players to fight their enemies in battles that are won and lost through sheer skill. That doesn't mean the bosses don't have a few tricks up their sleeves, but the players might, too, since they are shinobi, not ninja, after all, and the tombs are full of those who fought with honor.
Celeste
Precision platforming at its most accurate
Celeste It is a precision platformer with the word “Precision” in bold, underlined twice, and highlighted in red, from the start, players must jump, grab, dodge, and climb with extreme precision to progress from screen to screen while climbing Mount Celeste.
Thankfully, this list features a quick restart inspired by a game that will soon appear, ensuring that, while challenging, the game will never get frustrating, as players can pick up where they left off, leaving plenty of room for experimentation and exploration to find the game's many hidden secrets.
return
An unforgettable AAA Roguelike experience
return stood out in 2021 and still stands today as one of the few big-budget roguelike games out there, thanks to its excellent use of adaptive triggers and haptic feedback on the PlayStation 5 remote.
The big-budget flashy visuals and the fact that it was published by Sony led some gamers to believe it. returnCompared to other roguelike games, the difficulty would be lower, but this was definitely not the case, because return Ensures any mistakes are penalized and players must win an area before they are put back.
Super Meat Boy
A pioneer of the indie gaming challenge
Super Meat Boy was one of the most influential video games of 2010, thanks to helping consumers believe that indie games could be just as fun as big-budget releases, and also for taking away the life system.
At a time when many games, especially platformers, gave players a set of lives and would punish them with significant progress loss if they died too many times, Super Meat Boy Decided to offer unlimited restarts to players at generous checkpoints. This approach has previously been dismissed as making things too easy, but that is definitely not the case Super Meat BoyThat ramps the difficulty through the roof to compensate, providing a tough but fair challenge where progress must be earned through blood – lots of blood – even as the end of the level appears to be near.
Alden Ring
One of gaming's best and most brutal open worlds
For those who have completed Alden Ring With so many times or hours of watched content about a stunningly well-designed world to learn all its secrets, it can be easy to forget just how terrifying The Lands Between is on the first playthrough.
Recommended levels for certain bosses, or best builds, in progress, without knowing a single thing about the map Alden Ring is a challenge that requires patience, skill, and a willingness to experiment with countless weapons, armor, tools, summons, and more. The game only gets harder as it progresses, leading to an end-game challenge that is brutally difficult the first time you take on any level.
