Difficulty in games is a wholly subjective topic, as every player is different; what some may find tremendously easy, others may struggle with. While many games offer multiple difficulty options, some (such asDark Souls) omit them entirely. Overly difficult games can turn some players away, but some offer truly rewarding experiences for those that stick it out.
Even with multiple difficulty options, some games continuously challenge players from the outset. This can make them inaccessible, unforgiving, and at-times frustrating. However, open-world games often allow players to approach challenges ina non-linear fashion, and exploration can provide a welcome respite from constant challenges. Even with this approach, some of the best open-world games deliver a sharp challenge due to their high difficulty curve.
STALKER: Shadow of Chernobylisn’t necessarily the hardest game out there, but players can often bounce right off of it from the very start. Some of this can be attributed to its rough edges and increasing age, butSTALKER: Shadow of Chernobylhas a variety of systems and nuances that players need to learn before they’re able to survive in itsinterconnected open world.
STALKER: Shadow of Chernobylis a first-person open-world RPG with elements of survival horror, with a heavy dose of resource management and a variety of nasty creatures tossed in for good measure. However, these creatures aren’t the only thing trying to kill the player, and they’ll often be caught in visceral, dangerous gunfights with opposing factions. Learning how to prepare for a journey and how to maneuver during combat can take some getting used to, but this is only part of what makesSTALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl, and its sequels, so unique.
Featuring a faithfully constructed medieval setting,Kingdom Come: Deliveranceis an immersivefirst-person RPGthat takes place in a historical open world. Taking on quests and exploring its world are frequently engaging, but the game’s combat will be a deal-breaker for many players.
It’s an acquired taste, butKingdom Come: Deliverancefeatures truly challenging combat that rewards patience, skill, and strategy. Taking on multiple enemies at once is never a good idea, and over-committing to an attack is almost always punished. This unforgiving combat provides a challenge that can be inconsistent, but it delivers a rewarding system for players to learn over the course of the game.
Quiet, contemplative, and deeply unforgiving,The Long Darkisa hardcore survival gamethat puts players in a frozen wilderness and tasks them with nothing but staying alive. While players will have to deal with wild wolves and the occasional bear, wildlife is often the least of their concerns. There are a variety of ways to perish inThe Long Dark, and being injured or even killed by wildlife is just one of many ways to go.
Freezing to death, or starving, is more likely. Players may begin the game in good condition — perhaps they’ll find a stash of goods — but eventually, those goods will run out, and their condition will begin to wane. This prompts the player to go out and explore, inevitably bombarding them with more problems to solve. LearningThe Long Dark’smany intricacies takes hours of play, but its remarkably quiet world can offer a tranquil experience when everything’s going right.
Kenshiisa party-based RPGthat may not look like much on the surface, but it offers a tremendous amount of player agency and an expansive open world to explore. This world, however, is extremely hostile, and surviving in it is no small feat. It’s fairly easy to die inKenshi, with plenty of potential threats roaming the world at all times. Furthermore, the game’s busy user interface is somewhat unfriendly to newcomers.
InKenshi, players begin with control over just one character but can soon gather an entire company of characters (should they wish). Learning how to make money, do battle, build a base, and simply survive in its world takes potentially hours of gameplay. What’s more,Kenshidoesn’t hold the player’s hand, instead letting them loose in the world. While this can be frustrating at first, it’s part of what makesKenshiso rewarding — and so replayable.
FromSoftware are notorious fordeveloping games with high difficulty curves, as seen in theDark Soulsseries and perhaps more notably inSekiro: Shadows Die Twice. AlthoughDark Soulsis far from linear, much of its world is gated off, and players are carefully steered down a select few paths. In a way,Dark Soulsshares more in common with Metroidvanias than full open-world games.
One of FromSoftware’s latest video games,Elden Ring, is different; inElden Ring, players are free to explore the world in whatever order they see fit. This world is much more expansive, providing players with stretches of land to explore, dotted with landmarks and memorable locations. The world also features a variety of dungeons that vary in both difficulty and engagement. Despite this change to the formula,Elden Ringmaintains the high difficulty curve that theDark Soulsgames are known for, offering a truly challenging open-world experience.
