Brutal difficulty might not seem like the most appealing aspect in a video game. But when difficulty is combined with precise gameplay mechanism and an enhanced sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, it’s precisely what the masochist in you will enjoy. And I am talking 50-shades-esque pain/pleasure trade-off! Well, not really, but you get the point.
So here are some the toughest video games that can still be enjoyed today. We won’t be talking about the good old 8 bit titles. I know they were all tough, but kins these won’t be able to relate. And we here at Gaming Central always cater to the kids.
Ah, anyways, read on if you enjoy punishment as much as Anastasia does!
Dark Souls
From Software’s highly acclaimed Dark Souls hit shelves and antagonised gamers for hours on end. The dark fantasy game encourages exploration and deviation from all set paths, but punishes as fiercely as it rewards. Notoriously challenging at every turn, with enemies shockingly eager to maim and bosses finishing players in as few as two hits, Dark Souls is a game that expects you to fail time and time again, but rewards perseverance and teaches patience like no other.
Watch out for loot chests that’ll devour you whole! Yes, not all that shines is gold. A lesson for the kids. And when you’re done picking up your entrails off Blighttown, be sure to check out Dark Souls 2. The fun continues there!
S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl
A gruelling survival experience, S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl tested players’ ability to fend for themselves in a radiation zone with limited armour, ammunition and rations. Set in a fictitious universe in which a second meltdown occurs at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant nearly 20 years after the first, the game features various mutated animals, humans and changes in the laws of physics, all affecting the player’s experience and how they continue to survive in the open world.
The original designs for the game included a necessity of sleep and rest, but the potential downward slope of hunger, radiation poisoning and bleeding seemingly proved tough enough without the addition.
Ninja Gaiden
The first game in a 3D reinvention of the 1988 platformer, Ninja Gaiden was so hard that many gamers found themselves struggling to defeat its super powerful first boss. A blistering hack and slash affair with a spicy, devilishly difficult twist; timing precise attacks in combination with a vast amount of blocking and parrying was the only way to progress through Ninja Gaiden’s levels.
Bloodborne
The latest from From Software, Bloodborne doles out punishment in a similar manner as before. What’s missing is the shield! Yes, the game does away with the shield. What it adds though is a faster fighting mechanism, which rewards the player for taking risks and staying on the offensive. It’s a bold move by From Software and pays of in an ultimately satisfying way. If you ever wanted a challenge that just completely grips your mind and keeps pushing you on, Bloodborne is the right place to come to.
Oh, and you can’t pause the game. So don’t expect to be able to catch your breath during boss fights. Expect to die though. There are no pause buttons in life. Deal with it. Yet another valuable lesson for the kids!
ArmA 3
Hyper-realistic military simulation shooter, ArmA 3 is set in 2035. NATO forces deployed to islands of the Aegean Sea are trying to hold off a massive CSAT’s offensive from the east. During the singleplayer campaign, the player takes on the role of a US Army soldier, Corporal Ben Kerry. Initially, the player must survive on his own after friendly forces are defeated in a failed NATO operation.
The intense realism of the game simply equates to: get shot; die. The focus on simulation certainly makes ArmA 3 a more challenging example of the modern military FPS.
Titan Souls
Taking inspirations from games like Dark Souls and Shadow Of The Colossus, Titan Souls features numerous unique and tough bosses. That’s it! You only fight the amazing and gigantic bosses as you progress through the game.
With brutally tough difficulty and bosses that transform and evolve as the fight progresses, you are hard pressed to keep moving and improvising. Oh, and you just have a bow and arrow to fight with. Just one arrow. Which you have to retrieve after firing. Good luck!
Catherine
Catherine isn’t like other video games. It isn’t about saving the world, rescuing a princess, or slaughtering scores of nameless troops. It is, instead, about a regular guy in over his head. That guy is Vincent, a soft-spoken man so afraid of confrontation that he refuses to take control of events that change the course of his life. During the day, Vincent’s attempts to make sense of his romantic entanglements lead to fear and desperation. At night, that desperation translates to cruel nightmares in which Vincent scrambles up an increasingly complex tower of emotions.
Both Catherine’s story and gameplay are so stimulating that they allow you to share in Vincent’s increasing alarm as he struggles to find balance in his life–and to stay alive in his terrifying dreams. The game’s difficulty can prove daunting, and scattered camera and control quirks sometimes hinder the fun. But if you’ve got the right amount of courage and stamina, Catherine rewards you with an unusual experience you aren’t apt to forget.
Enjoy juggling two love interests during the day and having nightmares about being overwhelmed or getting caught during the night. Good times!
Farcry 2
In Far Cry 2‘s chaotic world of mercenaries, gunrunners, and armed militias, you’ll find yourself dropped into a dizzying web of shady clients and paper-thin alliances. All manner of names and faces are introduced during the course of the storyline, but the real star isn’t anyone brandishing a smuggled weapon in search of blood diamonds; it’s the daunting and awe-inspiring 50-square kilometers of African landscape that make up the game’s open-world setting.
Aside from providing the opportunity to soak up an amazing sunset, Far Cry 2’s free-roaming terrain brilliantly harmonizes with the first-person combat. The diverse landscape and myriad environmental factors work alongside a wide assortment of weaponry to give you tremendous freedom to approach each mission. With weapons taking damage over time to the point of coming apart during gunfights, and the main character (you) having malaria, with the risk of collapsing in the heat, this is the most fun survival adventure you’ll play!
Super Meat Boy
It’s impossible to point to just one element that makes Super Meat Boy such an extraordinary game. From the intense-though-always-fair difficulty and the inspired level design, to the pinpoint controls and catchy soundtrack, all of the different aspects converge into something that is truly outstanding.
When you hear stories of the unrepentant dangers that stand in your path, it’s easy to get intimidated by such a daunting prospect. But don’t be. The beauty of Super Meat Boy is that it always plays within the rules, and the smooth difficulty curve gives you plenty of time to become acquainted with everything before the true tests are unleashed. Death is always just one misstep away in Super Meat Boy, but the rush of winning is so supremely rewarding that you won’t be able to tear yourself away.
Liked the games in the list? Have any more that we missed out? Let us know in the comments below. For more news and reviews, keep checking back Gaming Central.
