Bloodborne is often touted as one of the hardest games of all time. For that matter, the entire Dark Souls series is bandied as some of the hardest games ever, but Bloodborne is often seen as particularly challenging thanks to its fast-paced combat.
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That said, it's not as if Bloodborne is the be-all and end-all of difficult video games. In fact, there have been countless games released throughout the years that some may claim to be harder than Bloodborne. For example, old NES and Atari games. Most of them will have you throwing a controller in no time!
Updated December 28th, 2020 by Jack Pursey: The outpour of praise and acclaim that Bloodborne, along with the rest of the Soulsborne franchise, have received has quickly made FromSoftware one of the gaming industry's most beloved developers. The collection of games went against the grain of modern trends, ditching the ever-decreasing difficulty levels and excessive hand-holding for a punishing yet rewarding experience. The games have reminded people of why tricky video games can be so enjoyable, despite the frustration that they provide, and have players itching to challenge themselves with more tough games. To help scratch that itch, we have decided to expand this list with more difficult, but critically acclaimed games.
Updated August 11th, 2021, by Jack Pursey: The gaming industry's consistent growth over the years has meant that numerous games, from indie to AAA, are now releasing every single week. Although this is fantastic in regards to the plethora of choices available, it can make it tricky to filter through games and decide what to play. So, to help people out who are looking for some challenging games to test their skills, we've added some key details to each entry on this list and added a couple more games for good measure.
17 Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
- Release Date: September 16, 2020
- Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
- Main Story Completion Time: 10 Hours
- Best Feature: A return to the classic Crash Bandicoot corridor platforming
After over 20 years, Crash Bandicoot fans were finally treated to a sequel to the classic Crash Bandicoot: Warped. This grand return came after the success of Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy, a remake of the bandicoot's iconic PlayStation 1 platforming games. The game has given hope to fans of forgotten gaming franchises of the past and has shown just how successful a well-designed remake can be.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time returns the series to its platforming roots and doesn't lower its difficulty to appeal to younger audiences; in fact, it ramps it up significantly. Completing the main story of Crash Bandicoot is tough, but not too taxing, thanks to the new unlimited lives system. However, completing the game 100% offers one of the toughest platforming challenges of the last decade. Platinum relics, flashback tapes, hidden gems, and much, much more need to be obtained to complete the entire game, pushing the player's platforming skills to their limit.
16 Nioh 2
- Release Date: March 12, 2020
- Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows
- Main Story Completion Time: 45.5 Hours
- Best Feature: Memorable, challenging boss fights
Nioh 2 originally released on the PlayStation 4 in 2020 before coming to PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Windows in February 2021. The action role-playing game was developed by Team Ninja, who are best known for the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series; Kou Shibusawa also did development work on the game.
Nioh 2 is often compared to the soulsborne series, predominantly for its impressive boss fights, rhythmic combat, and of course, punishing difficulty. The game was very well-received by critics, exemplified by its 85 Metascore on PlayStation 4. Nioh 2 received a nomination for Best Action at the Game Awards 2020.
15 XCOM 2
- Release Date: February 5, 2016
- Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, iOS, macOS, Linux, Classic Mac OS
- Main Story Completion Time: 33 Hours
- Best Feature: Well-balanced tactical gameplay
The second entry in the rebooted XCOM franchise is one of the best modern turn-based tactics games on the market. XCOM 2's difficulty comes from several different places. Along with the often ridiculous hit percentages and A.I. that will punish even the slightest mistake; the game ditches the concept of respawning, meaning one bad mission can seriously damage a squad's overall skill and experience level.
14 Grim Fandango
- Release Date: October 30, 1998
- Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Classic Mac OS, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One
- Main Story Completion Time: 12 Hours
- Best Feature: Wonderfully voiced characters and well-written script encourages story progression
Grim Fandango is considered to be the last major title released during the point and click genre's dominant era of the 90s. As anyone who's played a LucasArts or Sierra graphic adventure will know, numerous games in the genre could take this spot.
A large reason for the plethora of tricky and obscure puzzles in games like Grim Fandango is that the publishers would often have guide books or helplines to aid players who were stuck. Players couldn't quickly bring up a YouTube walkthrough on their smartphone back in the 90s, so helplines were the only way for gamers to progress if they were stuck. This money-making idea resulted in games like Grim Fandango having a handful of puzzles with solutions that make players wonder how they were ever supposed to figure it out.
13 Contra
- Release Date: February 20, 1987
- Available Platforms: Arcade, NES/Famicom, Amstrad CPC, BlackBerry OS, CoCo, Commodore 64, J2ME, IBM PC, MS-DOS, MSX2, ZX Spectrum
- Main Story Completion Time: 1 Hour
- Best Feature: Classic run-and-gun gameplay at its best
One of the most iconic run and gun games of all time, Contra came to arcades in 1987 before porting to home consoles shortly after. As was often the case with arcade titles, Contra isn't particularly long, so Konami intentionally ramped up the difficulty to ensure that arcade gamers weren't getting too much value for their coin.
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The game can be made easier by using the recurring Konami Code, but even with the 30 additional lives, the game is still brutally difficult.
12 Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
- Release Date: September 18, 1987
- Available Platforms: Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayChoice-10, Wii U, Wii, Arcade game, Arcade video game, Nintendo 3DS
- Main Story Completion Time: 3 Hours
- Best Feature: Addicting gameplay that is simple yet engaging
One of the many iterations of the classic arcade game Punch-Out!!, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! was released in the west. The iconic boxer took the role of the Dream Fight opponent, which is filled by Super Macho Man or Mr. Dream in other versions.
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is by no means an easy game up until the final fight. However, it's safe to say that the jump in difficulty when facing the former heavyweight champion is one of the largest in gaming history.
11 The Witness
- Release Date: January 26, 2016
- Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nvidia Shield TV, Classic Mac OS, Xbox One
- Main Story Completion Time: 17.5 Hours
- Best Feature: An incredibly well-designed open world that has secrets at almost every turn.
Designed byJonathan Blow, best known for his work on 2008's Braid, 2016's The Witness throws players into a Myst inspired island. The world is filled with tricky line puzzles, providing a massive challenge.
Much like Bloodborne, the game offers little in the way of hints or in-game help. Instead, it forces players to learn each area's themes and patterns by solving increasingly difficult puzzles.
10 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Release Date: March 22, 2019
- Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, Microsoft Windows
- Main Story Completion Time: 29 Hours
- Best Feature: Fast, fluid combat that enhances the fantastic range of boss fights
Everyone wondered what FromSoftware and Hidetaka Miyazaki had up their sleeves following the conclusion of the Dark Souls series. It was Sekiro, a samurai-themed game heavily imbued with Dark Souls DNA. And while it was certainly good, many people thought that it leaned way too heavily into the whole "these games are difficult" infamy.
Many players couldn't grasp the basic swordplay mechanics, and those that could had incredible difficulty with the bosses. It was called "cheap" on more than one occasion, and many people considered it far more difficult than the Dark Souls trilogy and Bloodborne.
9 Ghosts 'N Goblins
- Release Date: July 7, 1985
- Available Platforms: Arcade, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64/16, MSX, NES, ZX Spectrum, Amiga, Atari ST, Game Boy Color, IBM PC, Virtual Console, Android, iOS
- Main Story Completion Time: 4 Hours
- Best Feature: Provides the ultimate challenge for fans of side-scrolling platformers
In many respects, Ghost 'N Goblins was the original Dark Souls. It's a platforming game that sees you playing as a knight forced to do battle with many supernatural creatures, including ghosts and goblins.
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It has a legacy for being one of the toughest games ever, as it only takes two (yes, two) hits to kill the player character. And if the player dies, they are forced all the way back to the beginning of the level. Not only that, gamers must play through the game twice in order to reach the true final boss and ending.
8 Ninja Gaiden II
- Release Date: June 3, 2008
- Available Platforms: Xbox 360
- Main Story Completion Time: 14 Hours
- Best Feature: Adrenaline-pumping hack and slash combat
Sekiro was often compared to the Ninja Gaiden series, and for good reason. Both contained a similar style, and both were relentlessly difficult. While all the Ninja Gaiden games are difficult, II is on a whole other level.
Enemies bombard the player at a relentless pace, and each deal a significant amount of damage. By the end of the game, the enemies have cannons and kill players in seconds flat, all but ensuring that no one ever finished the thing.
7 The Simpsons
- Release Date: March 4, 1991
- Available Platforms: Arcade game, Arcade video game, Xbox 360, DOS, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, PlayStation 3
- Main Story Completion Time: 52 Minutes
- Best Feature: Classic beat 'em up gameplay with the iconic Simpsons cast
The 1991 Simpsons arcade game is undoubtedly one of the greatest arcade beat-em-ups of all time. But, like all arcade games, it was designed with one objective: earn as much money as possible.
Seeing as how arcade machines earned money by players inserting coins to "continue" the game, this often meant that the game contained an artificially increased difficulty. The Simpsons was no better, as it contained hordes of enemies, all of whom deal enough damage to ensure the player's death after just a few minutes.
6 Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock
- Release Date: October 28, 2007
- Available Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Classic Mac OS
- Main Story Completion Time: 8.5 Hours
- Best Feature: Excellent range of classic songs
The great thing about the Guitar Hero series is that anyone could pick it up and play. But those who truly wanted to play and prove themselves were forced to play on expert difficulty, and it was easy to see they called it "expert."
Guitar Hero III ramped up the difficulty in an exponential way.Not only did it contain inherently challenging songs like Through the Fire and Flames and Cliffs of Dover, but the button sequencing was the most obtuse and challenging of the entire series.
5 Super Meat Boy
- Release Date: October 20, 2010
- Available Platforms: Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Nintendo Switch
- Main Story Completion Time: 10 Hours
- Best Feature: Fantastic side-scrolling gameplay that revolutionized the platforming genre
Super Meat Boy is a fantastic game, and it served as an incredible throwback to the platformers of yore. That said, it played a lot like the platformers of yore — meaning it featured obtuse game design and immense frustration.
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Unlike many platformers of the 80s and 90s, Super Meat Boy wasn't exactly difficult in a cheap sense. But it required precision and pitch-perfect timing, which not everyone has. It's certainly not for everyone, but for those looking for a challenging, throwback platformer, players could do a lot worse.
4 Cuphead
- Release Date: September 29, 2017
- Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Macintosh operating systems
- Main Story Completion Time: 10 Hours
- Best Feature: Beautiful art design inspired by the golden age of American animation
The Dark Souls series proved surprisingly popular, and as such, many developers took notice and realized that there was a market for strenuous video games. Enter Cuphead, another arduous run and gun game that has the ability to tire players out within seconds.
Many people called Cuphead cheap and unpredictable, as its approach is to bombard the player with dozens of obstacles, two of which are enough to kill them. Players have to have the reflexes of a cat to beat this thing.
3 Silver Surfer
- Release Date: November 23, 1990
- Available Platforms: Nintendo Entertainment System
- Main Story Completion Time: 49 Minutes
- Best Feature: Fantastic soundtrack
Silver Surfer released for the NES back in 1990 and instantly received a reputation for being wildly hard. It is still regarded as one the hardest video games in existence, but unlike Dark Souls, it's not really difficult in a fair and fun way. It's difficult in a "who would actually play this!?" way.
The screen is constantly scrolling forward (despite the player's actions), the Silver Surfer is relentlessly attacked with items that can kill him with one hit, and the levels are often obtusely designed to be confusing. It's cheap, it's ridiculous, and it is no fun.
2 I Wanna Be The Guy
- Release Date: October 5, 2007
- Available Platforms: Microsoft Windows
- Main Story Completion Time: 9.5 Hours'
- Best Feature: Level designs that call back to iconic games
I Wanna Be the Guy was intentionally designed to be the biggest pain in the butt in gaming history. The levels are intentionally designed to be confusing, and some even downright cheat, all in order to frustrate the player.
Items that players don't expect to kill them will, and items fly in all sorts of nonsensical directions. And yes, players die in one single hit. It requires nothing short of sheer trial and error, and that doesn't exactly make for a fun video game.
1 Battletoads
- Release Date: June 1, 1991
- Available Platforms: NES/Famicom, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Boy, Game Gear, Amiga, Amiga CD32, Xbox One
- Main Story Completion Time: 3.5 Hours
- Best Feature: Impressive art design and characters models for its time
Battletoads everything fascinating about old NES games. It is both wonderfully produced and exceptionally fun, but also incomprehensibly difficult. It's a side-scrolling game, but the gameplay is extremely fast-paced, resulting in obstacles often flying towards the player at high speed.
Platers must have both exceptionally fast reflexes and strong memory skills. At least one of the two is absolutely required to see the game through to completion.
NEXT: Ranked: The Hardest Bosses In Dark Souls
