Some gamers gravitate towards upbeat or relaxing titles to decompress after a long day. Others take a more demanding route to blow off steam, pursuing challenging games as a means of cathartic release.
Difficulty boils down to personal preferences and sheer gaming experience, but certain titles and franchises have built quite a reputation for being wildly tough to beat. In turn, defeating that all-mighty final boss after a string of dispiriting reruns feels intensely gratifying.
So, if you’re looking to up the ante, here are some ruthless games worth exploring to try your hardest.
Ninja Gaiden
Many NES titles have left a strong mark on an entire generation of gamers for their exceedingly challenging nature. Games like Capcom’s Ghosts ‘n Goblins and Core’s Rick Dangerous may even have traumatized 80s kids for how unpredictable and frustrating they could be. Released in the late 1980s, Ninja Gaiden is one such fearful beast to tackle.
Loosely moulded after its arcade namesake, Tecmo’s retro-futuristic action-platformer does not beat around the bush when it comes to punishing players through hordes of aggressive enemies, making every attempt at a pacifist speedrun all the more impressive.
At once insanely unfair and incredibly rewarding, this hack n’ slash classic introduced elements that would become hallmark features of the entire genre, including magical combat abilities and cinematic cutscenes.
While many spiritual successors opted to ease the difficulty over time, the series never strayed from its hard-as-hell formula. Coming out in 2008, Ninja Gaiden II drowns players in a swarm of enemies, even on normal difficulty. The Master Ninja mode props up the brutality, spicing things up with unrelenting assaults from all directions.
Cuphead
Developed by Canadian siblings Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, Cuphead is a run-and-gun game inspired by classic animated pictures from the golden age of Hollywood.
From its 1930s aesthetic to its jazzy soundtrack, everything about this indie gem bears a delightfully nostalgic print. Even the rubber hose design of anthropomorphic brothers Cuphead and Mugman feels harmless enough, if a tiny bit naïve.
Yet, these cartoonish looks are nothing if not misleading. Contrary to notoriously difficult entries like Dark Souls, whose unforgiving deaths are never insurmountable as they allow players to pick up right where they left off, Cuphead comes down hard on the slightest mistake.
Getting hit three times results in an immediate game over, and enemies do not shy away from throwing everything they’ve got at you.
While the game forces you to think quickly, the smallest miscalculation or hesitation can be your downfall. As you learn the hard way how to identify enemy patterns and moves, the feeling of triumphant victory that comes with beating a tough boss is beyond compare.
Hades
Next up is another indie hit that kicks off stupidly hard before gamers learn to win against the odds. This roguelike action RPG casts players in the role of Zagreus, son of Hades. The prince of the underworld is trying to escape Tartarus and reunite with his mother in the mortal world.
While Greek deities and illustrious Olympians come to his aid throughout his perilous odyssey, Zagreus still faces relentless challenges. Every time the prince dies, you need to restart from the outset.
As the game progresses, the difficulty curve gets more manageable unless you go the hardcore way and pick the Hell mode to make each run nearly impossible. Conversely, the God mode allows for a more relaxed experience, making Zagreus stronger after each failed attempt.
Players seeking a respite from repeated setbacks have other Greek-inspired titles to explore, from open-world adventures like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey to strategy games like Age of Mythology.
Even iGaming developers put a mythological spin on several casino games. Online platforms feature free slots like Gates of Hades or Hades’ Inferno. Thousands more options await gamers with a thing for video slots and 3D slots running on both mobile and PC.
Newcomers registering an account can often snatch enticing bonuses, including free spins. No-deposit offers and cashback deals also allow users to switch to real-money slots with less financial risk.
Looking to prove your worth on a console or PC? The above titles are some of the hardest in the gaming medium. Classics like Elden Ring, Dark Souls, or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice are strong contenders all the same.
The upcoming release of Hades II in early access and Penny Blood: Hellbound shows the challenging roguelite genre has much to offer still.
