Summary
Free-form exploration and accessible mechanics are common qualities in open-world titles, but there are also a variety of open-world games that feature difficult gameplay. Some hide their difficulty to ease players into the game. Others, however, are immediately tough.
These games feature gameplay that rarely holds the player’s hand and are often unforgiving experiences. Each of these titles challenges players in unique ways, but all of them are difficult from the very start.
Among Soulslikes,Elden Ringis on the easier side, but for newcomers to the Soulslike formula and purely from an open-world game perspective, it will be an immediately difficult experience. Its steep learning curve, abundance of dangerous enemies, and unforgiving gameplay loop reward methodical play and punish mistakes with the utmost brutality. However, there’s fun to be had in learning its systems and in overcoming its challenging bosses.
Elden Ring’scombat is fluid and expressive, allowing players to tackle enemies and bosses in myriad ways. Furthermore, the RPG character progression allows for plenty of customization that allows players to approach the game from several angles, making for a rewarding experience.
From the very start,Battle Brothersprovides brutal, violentturn-based combaton unforgiving battlefields. There’s little mercy in the game’s world, and even those who receive it are often left with permanent injuries. This can be disheartening, but players who take the time to learn the intricacies of its combat will find it a rewarding experience in the long term.
The deep character progression present inBattle Brothers’RPG systems can be particularly rewarding, offering up myriad perks that each offer their own unique boons. Combining these perks can be particularly fun, especially as most have an immediate and obvious impact on combat encounters.
Blood Westis an open-world FPS that combines a Wild West setting with eldritch horror.The horror elementsblend nicely with the game’s unforgiving difficulty, offering up combat encounters that reward stealth and caution over reckless aggression.
What makesBlood Westparticularly unforgiving is its unique punishments for death; whenever players bite the dust inBlood West, they’re often punished further with “soul flaws”, stacking debuffs that offer a negative gameplay loop. These can be avoided, but learning how to deal with them does make the game more inaccessible at first.
An emphasis on hardcore survival mechanics makesThe Long Darka particularly punishing experience.The Long Dark’sopen-world exploration gives players a great deal of freedom in how they approach survival, but at first, it can be dangerous to trek across its landscapes.
The Long Dark’senvironments are hand-crafted, so players need to learn their ins and outs in order to scavenge effectively. Furthermore,The Long Darkdoes little to hold the player’s hand, tasking them with finding their own way in its freezing landscape.
Offering hardcore simulation ina zombie apocalypse setting,Project Zomboidis a dark and unforgiving experience that spares no expense in making the player’s life difficult. From starvation and dehydration to temperature and disease,Project Zomboidis heavily simulated and, as a result, immediately difficult.
The abundance of undead shambling through the streets and countryside of its open-world environments only makesProject Zomboidmore difficult. While the most immediate concern will be food and supplies, players will soon find themselves having to contend with hordes of undead. Just one bite from these monsters results in death, which makesProject Zomboidparticularly unforgiving.
Rain World’sseries of interconnected rooms may seem minimalist, but exploring is an experience that’s both difficult and rewarding thanks to a simulated ecosystem. This ecosystem cares little for the player’s survival, and it can be difficult to learn how to overcome the overwhelming odds it presents.
In the game, players must scavenge for food as they prepare for hibernation in order to avoid deadly rainfall. The abundance of predators that stalk its environments makes this particularly difficult, especially at first. As a result,Rain Worldcan take a little patienceto enjoy at first.
Slow-burning RPG progression, a busy user interface, and a dangerous world makeKenshian experience that’s immediately difficult. There’slittle in the way of forgivenessin and aroundKenshi’svarious environments, with plenty of ways to die and very few ways to get ahead.
Even the simple act of traveling from point A to B can be deadly inKenshi; wandering mobs, aggressive creatures, and even starvation. Eyes must be peeled, care must be taken; the reckless are rarely, if ever, rewarded inKenshi.
Fans of traditional roguelikes may have a better chance of survival inCaves of Qud. However, its hardcore gameplay and dangerousscience-fantasy worldwill more than likely provide a meaningful challenge for most players.
This challenge is immediate. In fact,Caves of Qudgets less difficult as players gain a deeper understanding of its world and systems. Though challenges are often present, knowing how to react in any given situation dramatically increases a player’s chances of survival. Furthermore, althoughQudcan be inaccessible, permanent death is optional, allowing newcomers to more easily enjoy the experience.
