Do you ever feel like the games you’re playing aren’t testing your skills or nerves enough? There are many ways to get enjoyment out of your playing time, and for some people, facing a real challenge is surprisingly the best way to unwind properly. It could be in the storyline, the gameplay mechanics, or a tricky puzzle that blocks many players from progressing – no matter what kind of difficulty you enjoy, there’s guaranteed to be something for you out there.
Mafia II
If you’re up for a thrilling story that will take you back through history, Mafia II is one of the classics that you simply can’t ignore. At the same time, the game is notorious for some of its sections that might require a bit more creative thinking to get through. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of information on how to get over those parts on the Internet, and you can get a full Mafia 2 walkthrough to guide you through the entire game from start to finish if you feel like it. Although we’d definitely recommend trying to handle things without any external help first, as the game can be very rewarding on completion.
Dark Souls
It’s hard to go for too long without hearing the name of Dark Souls mentioned in the context of difficult games, and if you’re the type who enjoys mechanically challenging gameplay, this is something you should give a try. The difficulty in Dark Souls comes from mastering the patterns and timing of all weapons and enemies in the game, something which may sound easy at first, but turns out to be quite the grind once you really dig into it. As with the Mafia series though, the Dark Souls games have plenty of guides posted online that cover all aspects of the game, including the more advanced ones, so if you want to conquer this tall mountain, it’s up for grabs.
Spelunky
Spelunky may seem like an old-school platformer and a game that should not take too much to master, but it’s surprisingly challenging in many aspects. Much of that comes from its randomly generated nature, putting you up against something entirely new every time – it’s impossible to just learn a level by heart and repeat it as a pattern, as you’ll never see the same layout twice. It can take many hours to become skilled enough to just get through the first chapter, and the game’s difficulty curve rises sharply after that too. Be prepared for many fun hours of laughter mixed in with crying in frustration – and make sure to use a gamepad on the PC.
Not all games are about a relaxing, smooth experience – some force their players to work hard to earn their fun, and that’s just the way some like to play. It seems like the industry has been enjoying a small revolution in this regard recently, as we’ve been seeing more and more attention paid to challenging titles with complex gameplay mechanics, and hopefully this is a trend that will be preserved for a long time. There’s certainly no shortage of people to enjoy it, that’s for sure.
