Have you ever wondered which might be the most difficult game to ever exist? To answer this question, we have here a complete Guide to Hardest Games to Play where we discuss which game you should play to challenge yourself in 2023.
For the most part, crowning one game the title of Hardest Game isn’t quite suitable because some players might find a specific game harder, while others consider it easier to play. Soon, as time progresses the gamers get used to a game and find the shortcuts that make it seem easier.
Still, the true Most Difficult Games to play are the ones that do not slave to time and managed to carry the title of being Challenging to gamers again and again.
Below we have an amazing guide to let you know all about these Hardest Games to Play in 2023. So, without wasting any more time explaining the subject, let’s get started with the Guide itself.
Action/Role Playing Hardest Games
Demon Souls – The Hardest Game to ever exist
It isn’t a secret anymore that Soul Series like Dark Souls are termed the Hardest Games of all time. But rarely do people know that it was Demon Souls that started it all and is still considered the Most Difficult Game.
This game even makes Dark Souls and Elden Ring look like babies because even in 2023, gamers are challenged by this game. You might ask about the reason for it having more difficulty.
Well, in Demon Souls you are not privileged with as much Bonfire and they are far off from Bosses or enemies that are going to destroy you completely. Besides this, unlike the Dark Souls, it has very few items to replenish your health and each enemy you face is vulnerable to something.
So, you will have to be very conscious and knowledgeable about your equipment choices in the game. Did I forget to mention that there are not as many shortcuts as well? As we all know that other Dark Souls are known for their speed runs, where skilled players take various shortcuts to complete the game, that isn’t the case with Demon Souls. All in one, you are not sure what will come in your path or where that path will lead you.
Platform
- Demon Souls 1 for PS3
- Demon Souls Remake for PS5
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is the latest entry in the Dark Souls series and many players consider it to be extremely difficult. Therefore, we had to put it way up in the list of the Hardest Games to Play. You might even give us backlash for putting Elden Ring above other Dark Souls games, but honestly, the Open World system in Elden Ring speaks for itself.
For the most part, Elden Ring has more Bonfires and shortcuts to either killing bosses or through multiple enemies, but what makes it among the Most Challenging Games is its unpredictability. You basically are in an open-world game where enemies can pop off from somewhere and kill you.
There are some popular areas like Castle Morne and Ainsel River where you can test this thing out for yourself if you are looking for a Challenging game. Another thing that is strange about Elden Ring is that you have dual boss fights that are one on one, which makes the boss system quite frustrating.
Overall Elden Ring has pretty solid graphics unlike Dark Souls 1, 2, and even Demon Souls. The only thing that is a bit closer to its remarkable graphics is Dark Souls 3, which is not as hard compared to other Dark Souls games.
Elden Ring is a relatively new game in contrast to other Souls Games, so new players are surely going to tune in. If you are looking for a hand to help you get started with Elden Ring, here is an amazing Beginners Guide to Elden Ring from VULKK
Platform
- Available on PS5, Ps4, Xbox X/S, Xbox One, and Windows
Blood Borne
Here comes the most loved game by Console Players and also considered one of the leading Hardest Games of all time for Console Gamers. PC gamers are used to playing some Difficult games, but when it comes to Console gaming, it’s more about enjoying your time, rather than Challenging yourself.
So, Blood Bourne is made by none other than “From Software” who developed Dark Souls, Demon Souls, and Elden Ring. That isn’t all to them because other Difficult Games made by them are going to be on our list.
Blood Bourne is not a new game, rather it has been some time since it was released in 2015 and took the Gaming Community by storm. We PC Gamers are drooling over Blood Bourne, looking at its incredible gaming clips on YouTube because it is a Console Exclusive game.
Unlike the Dark Souls, here you have a mixture between Swords and Guns, while a bit of Versatility can be seen here in the combat system. You don’t have those Bonfires here to save you every time, rather it is more tilted towards an aggressive approach, where you have to dive deep into them and fight your way to a saving point.
Everything is the same here like that Stamina-based play in Dark Souls. While the Soul Series game gives shivers, Blood Bourne is more on the haunting side that you will find horrifying to play at night.
Platform
- Available on PS4
Dark Souls (From 1 to 3)
You saw this coming long before we even started with the Guide itself. Dark Souls is also one of the most famous games made by “From Software”. It all started with Demon Souls led to Dark Souls 1 and at the end, it led to Dark Souls 3.
Some of the new gamers don’t even know this but Elden Ring is actually after Dark Souls 3 and between both, there is a Remake of Demon Souls which wasn’t that famous.
So, every Soul-like game started from here and led to a generation of games that were focused on mainly suffering. The bosses are the highlight of Dark Souls that makes it competitive. Dark Souls 1 was the hardest of all three, while Dark Souls 2 didn’t receive recognition and finally Dark Souls 3 was a bit less fierce but had an amazing storyline and graphics.
If you are looking to get started with either of the three we would genuinely tell you to play the Dark Souls 1 Remake which is always on the list of the Hardest Games to Play.
Same as before, there are Bonfires where you rest, there are dangerous enemies which mostly one-hit you, everything requires stamina and you start off with low HP. Things can’t go more dangerous than that.
The real thing that made Dark Souls 1 Famous was its Depth, as in 2023 gamers have new discoveries, shortcuts, and various things that are out of this Universe. There is just too much for anyone to explore the game completely and that is the fun part.
Platform
- All available on PS4, Xbox One, PC/Windows
- Dark Souls 1 Remastered also available on Switch
Sakiro Shadow Die Twice
“From Software” completely dominated the Hardest Games of all time list, as we have here another one of their masterpieces known as Sakiro; Shadow Die Twice. It’s not like you haven’t heard of this beauty and it’s surely not the last time you will hear about From Software.
Everything is perfect here, starting off from the movement, the storyline, the ninja/samurai style play, combat and you name it. Yet, one thing that amazes everyone even more, How the heck did From Software make a game like Sakiro tough? Some might even say it’s the Most Difficult one from From Software.
Just like Elden Ring, Demon Souls, and Dark Souls, you will have to be extremely patient here. But the difference is in combat, where you will have to be agile and play with quick reflexes. In simple means, you will have to become aggressive, while maintaining the concepts of Souls games.
There isn’t a Stamina restriction here and neither are you using a Shield to block attacks, rather you parry and block with your own sword. There are other crazy things in the game that make it stand out in the genre of Hardest Games of all time.
If you loved our Hardest Games of all time Guide, you can check out our 7 Best Video Games in 2021 Guide. Trust us, you won’t regret checking it out.
Platform
- Available on PS4, Xbox One, Windows, and Stadia (Google)
Indie/Platform Hardest Games
Super Meatboy
At first glance, Super Meat Boy is one of the simplest and basic games ever. You can’t even guess it’s made in 2010. But it doesn’t matter what is outside, but rather what’s inside.
Super Meat Boy, just as the name suggests is a Meat Square-type “boy”, who is running around obstacles with that meaty leftovers all around. There are traps, puzzles, and exceptionally hard ways to reach the destination.
As easy as it might sound, even the Gurus of Puzzle Games had to try several times before they could actually clear an obstacle. Are you ready for the surprise here? Being the Hardest Game to ever bless the Indie games genre, Super Meat Boy gives you a Dark Version after you actually finish the game. Good luck with that!
Did you ever try to Challenge your Brain and play some of the Hardest Puzzle Games out there? Well, you can check out an amazing List of the Hardest Puzzle Games from Gamerant.
Platform
- Available on Android, Switch, PS4, Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox 360, Wii, PS Vita,
Cup Head
Cup Head is a really unique game in the Indie Genre that also comes with a run and gun mechanism. Yes, it’s much better to play with a friend because it’s basically made for duos, but you can enjoy it as well solo.
It is made by MDHR Studio and has old-era, black-and-white type graphics. Somehow it resembles the cartoons that were first made in the early 1900s, but don’t let the game fool you.
There is amazing music that is similar to cartoons and charming visuals, yet it is included in the Hardest Games to Play, and let us tell you why?
First of all, there are levels that are hard to finish, you will have to keep shooting and keep moving, while the enemies try to punish you. There are phases to a fight and with each, the difficulty increases. So, you do need a lot of precision and focus to dominate the levels.
Go for Expert Mode if you are looking to Challenge yourself.
Platform
- Available on Switch, PS4, Windows, Mac, and Xbox One
Celeste
This game might be a unique and strange pick at this spot but if you are looking for the Hardest Games of all time, you will come by Celeste because of how insecure this game is.
Here you are playing as a little girl, who has a mental health issue and creates fictional things. The graphics are quite strange here, as the whole game is pixel made which gives it insecurity.
People who play this might get the appearance of an easy game because of those pixels, but you will have to pass through traps, obstacles, and various other things to reach the mountaintop. You can’t make any mistake here, as it will put you back into your spot.
Platform
- Available on Switch, PS4, Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, and Stadia (Google)
Indie/Rogue-like Hardest Games
Hades
Ah, the perfect mixture of fun, danger, gameplay, and storyline. You simply can’t go wrong with Hades because it has every aspect of a great game. Even if you have a low-end Gaming PC, you can play this game without having to sell your Kidney.
Here you are playing a character named Zagreus, who is actually the son of Hades. In search of his mother, he is looking to escape from hell (Tartarus). The fun part here is that when you die, you don’t respawn from a checkpoint, but rather from the complete beginning. Look who’s laughing now!
Another crazy thing about Hades is that things always change around and there is everything on a random basis, while the game is also a lot of fun because of those funny dialogues. Besides being the Hardest Game, it is also considered one of the Best Games of all time.
Looking more into the Best Games? You can check out an amazing Guide from Business Insider here.
Platform
- Available on Switch, PS5, Windows, Mac, Xbox One, and PS4
Darkest Dungeon
An Old-School type of game that is so cruel that we have to put it in as considered one of the Most Difficult Games to ever exist. There are a lot of things you will have to worry about here like your Sanity, your Health, and your Stress Level.
As stress increases the character starts to lose his mind and you start having effects on the negative side. If healing is worth something in Dark Souls, here it means nothing and you are nearly always broke here.
All in one, you are not doing well in the game because it’s actually a path that leads you to something bad like enemies turn to corpses that hunt you and you can’t attack them. It doesn’t seem fair, doesn’t it?
Platform
- Available on Android, iOS, Switch, PS4, Windows, Mac, Linux, and Xbox One
There is a new game out recently by the name of Victoria 3. It is considered one of the most challenging Strategic Games out there. Check out our Victoria 3 Review to find out whether it is worth your time or not.
Bonus
Ghosts n Goblins
If you somehow stayed with us and reached this stage, congratulations. For your cooperation, we have here a Bonus Game that is as old as the gaming industry itself. This game is called Ghosts n Goblins and it’s for those who are lovers of old-school games that started it all.
You can complete this whole game in one hour, but the beauty of this game is you won’t. The enemies have a strange type of movement and respawning that kind of gets you every time. There is a timer that has a ticking sound and messes with your brain, but that is not all. There are a lot of things that you will cry over and even leave the progressiveness of Dark Souls to dust.
If you are a lover of Old-School Hardest Games, you can check out this amazing Hardest NES Games of All Time Guide from Den of Geeks
Final Verdict
Well, that is all to the Hardest Games to bless the Gaming Community. You might have noticed that mostly the games are from “From Software” like Elden Ring, Demon Souls, and Dark Souls. Honestly, that is not our fault because the developers are so good at making the Hardest Games to Play, while also maintaining the perfect gameplay to enjoy. Still, we managed to list a few more from other developers and various Genres.
So, keep enjoying the Most Difficult games out there and keep challenging yourself. Make sure to give a comment down below on your thoughts about these games.
