Difficulty in video games is becoming an increasingly-discussed topic, particularly in regard to accessibility and artistic design. As it stands, there are widely-acclaimed games today that have a higher level of difficulty than most. Some players may struggle to get their teeth into these games because of their difficulty.
Obviously, some players struggle with certain games, which can't always be fixed through practice. However, some difficult games can be made far more achievable if the player has a bit of experience, knowledge, or learns specific skills that the game seeks to encourage.
10 Dark Souls Rewards Patience Above All
With difficult video games, few are more notorious than Dark Souls. Making a huge splash upon its release due to its high difficulty and deliberately-obscure objectives, the game challenges a lot of design conventions present in the RPG world. Dark Souls' difficulty is the stuff of legend, and it's considered the poster child for hard games.
However, Dark Souls, particularly the first game in the series, can be made easier by approaching it patiently. Although the game is full of hard enemies and cruel tricks, the game will be easier if the player takes things one at a time, doesn't panic, and catches their breath for a second when necessary.
9 The Binding Of Isaac Is Easier With Item Knowledge
As a procedurally-generated Roguelite, The Binding of Isaac can be as much about luck as it is about skill, especially for newer people. Players can lose runs through no fault of their own, or everything can go their way and create a far easier game than expected. One thing that will always help a player, however, is learning what each item does.
With such a wide pool of items in any version of The Blinding of Isaac, the right ones can make a player far more powerful. The wrong ones, though, can end a run immediately. By learning or googling which items do what, which ones synergize well, and which ones to avoid, a player can have a much easier time of things.
8 Divinity: Original Sin II's Combat Revolves Around A Few Fundamental Mechanics
Players of Divinity: Original Sin II, even those experienced with other console RPGs, may find themselves perishing quickly on its higher difficulties. For the most part, the game isn't unfairly stacked against the player or poorly-balanced, but it does make extensive use of a handful of mechanics that the AI starts with a much better grasp of.
For one, Original Sin II makes heavy use of 'surfaces', coating parts of the map with different elements. With their persistent damage, effects, and interactions, surfaces can have huge effects on gameplay and can end a fight in moments. In addition, crowd control is vitally important, with a variety of abilities stunning or disabling enemies but potentially doing the same to allies. Mastering these mechanics will help the player fight on even ground.
7 Monster Hunter: World's Victory Is Largely In The Planning Stages
Monster Hunter: World is best-known for its epic fights against huge monstrosities, which make up a large part of the game. It has a very in-depth combat system that a player will need to get to grips with to stand a chance in most combats. However, there is another side to its fights, and learning this will help players immensely.
Preparation is a huge part of Monster Hunter and something that is easily overlooked. However, picking the right weapon, assigning the right skills, and especially taking the right food buffs will make fights far easier. While this doesn't make Monster Hunter a cakewalk, preparation can give a player much more leeway to get to grips with a monster.
6 Total War: Warhammer II Rewards Military Fundamentals
One of the most acclaimed games in the Total War franchise, Total War: Warhammer can seem overwhelming to players. With so many radically different factions to choose from, dozens of units within those factions, and many mechanics on both the strategic and tactical layer, players may find themselves at a loss.
However, simple, reliable tactics can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Even with the different match-ups between soldiers, most units will lose a fight if they are flanked. Concentrated ranged fire can bring down the biggest threats. Even with magic and monsters shaking things up, the game leans towards tactics that have been used for millennia.
5 XCOM 2 Is A Game Of Chance Mitigation
The XCOM franchise is a notoriously difficult one, and the rebooted XCOM 2 pulls no punches. It is a ruthless game where soldiers can and will miss near-guaranteed shots, enemies will succeed in the least likely maneuvers, and the player can suffer horrific defeats from the slightest slip-ups.
However, XCOM 2 becomes easier with a slight change in perspective. Much of the game rewards mitigating any chances of failure and encourages players to only take risks when absolutely necessary. Players who stop taking unlikely shots or leaving their units in half-cover will find they have an easier time of things, even if the game is still challenging.
4 Dead Cells Is Not As Frantic As It Appears To Be
A 2D Roguelike hack-n-slash, Dead Cells is a game that can threaten to overwhelm players with what is going on. Levels are filled with enemies, many of whom can chase the player, teleport, or use other nasty tricks. Areas are also full of obstacles, including pits, spikes, and more.
However, these things tend to let the player come to them, rather than coming to the player. With Dead Cell's fast movement and large levels, it can be easy to take things at a quicker pace than the player has to. However, the player is more than free to slow things down, soften enemies up before engaging, and take obstacles at their own pace, rather than being lured into frantic gameplay.
3 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Is A Matter Of Timing And Parries
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a FromSoftware game that is radically different to their iconic Dark Souls. Sekiro is an action-stealth game rather than an action-RPG, and is built almost entirely around a very fixed style of combat. Attempting to play it like other action games, by dodging and attacking, will likely frustrate the player as they repeatedly slip-up.
Instead, Sekiro is designed around its system of parries and counter-attacks, almost rhythmic in how they're traded between opponents. It's entirely a matter of muscle memory, which some players may struggle with. Once the player internalizes the sounds, sights, and timing of parry and counter, the game becomes much more achievable and exhilarating.
2 Cuphead Is A Case Of Learning And Preparation
Cuphead is a notoriously challenging platforming-shooter game. It's comprised of boss fights interspersed with run-and-gun sections. Cuphead is known for its difficulty, as each boss has a variety of devastating attacks and each fight forces the player to pull out all the stops to achieve victory.
Two things will make a win easier to get. The player shouldn't go into boss fights expecting to win. Instead, players should memorize some of the bosses' attacks, getting the hang of avoiding or parrying them. Practice is key. In addition, the player should do the run-and-gun stages and use the rewards to buy better equipment. Doing without these things in an attempt to rush the bosses will make every fight so much harder.
1 Darkest Dungeon Rewards Resilience And Knowledge
More than just difficult, Darkest Dungeon is designed to be stressful. It has stress as an in-game mechanic, and its dungeons and combats are full of cruel mechanics that aim to ramp up the challenge and frustrate the player. However, none of the game's obstacles are insurmountable.
Accepting Darkest Dungeon's frustration is crucial. There is no actual failure state in the game, so the player can always come back from a loss as long as they can roll with the punches. In addition, the game's deceptively-complex combat system rewards players who know the characters' abilities and make full use of them in fights.