Unexpectedly hard games

[J T]

Really? The multiplayer in that series is basically interactions with the spirits of the thousands of slain warriors who died before you. That kind of sets my expectation for the difficulty in the "high" zone.

[Soldier Blue]

Really? The multiplayer in that series is basically interactions with the spirits of the thousands of slain warriors who died before you. That kind of sets my expectation for the difficulty in the "high" zone.

Just my opinion. Not everyone's going to agree and that's fine.

Xenosaga
Awesome game and I remember it having some really tough boss battles that took me more than a few tries.

[nullPointer]

Super meat boy. I spent half an hour trying to do the second hurdle on one stage the other night, got cold sweats and rage quit. I am destined never to get beyond 68% dark world.

I considered posting this exact thing. I had heard this game was difficult, but to me it's pretty much game ruining difficult. The difficulty in Super Meat Boy is like it's sole defining mechanic, and not in a good way.

In another thread there was some discussion of Cave Story as being an indie game that everyone fawned over but in reality was not all that great. For me that game is Super Meat Boy. In addition to some undeserved hype, I also object to way it uses the term "Old School Difficulty" as a shorthand way of saying "we couldn't be bothered to address balancing our level design, so please enjoy this festering heap of frustration that looks like it released in 1992."

(Also ... did I mention I suck at Super Meat Boy?)

[BoneSnapDeez]

I think people who play Super Mario Bros. for the first time in the modern era find it more difficult than they expected. Little room for error in that game.

[MrPopo]

Odin Sphere is a surprisingly difficult game, though probably for all the wrong reasons. The game pushes the PS2 beyond its capabilities leading to some massive lag in places and the gorgeous animations are sometimes gorgeously long animations which leave you getting hit because you were still doing an attack that you can't cancel out of. And there's a few "fuck you" boss battles in there, like Belial + Wizard.

[J T]

I eventually quit Odin Sphere because I couldn't handle the slow down. It's a shame because it's such a pretty game, and it started off so fun.

[horseyhorsey]

Super meat boy. I spent half an hour trying to do the second hurdle on one stage the other night, got cold sweats and rage quit. I am destined never to get beyond 68% dark world.

I considered posting this exact thing. I had heard this game was difficult, but to me it's pretty much game ruining difficult. The difficulty in Super Meat Boy is like it's sole defining mechanic, and not in a good way.

In another thread there was some discussion of Cave Story as being an indie game that everyone fawned over but in reality was not all that great. For me that game is Super Meat Boy. In addition to some undeserved hype, I also object to way it uses the term "Old School Difficulty" as a shorthand way of saying "we couldn't be bothered to address balancing our level design, so please enjoy this festering heap of frustration that looks like it released in 1992."

(Also ... did I mention I suck at Super Meat Boy?)

In fairness, I have completed 100% light world, so for it to become so mind frazzlingly difficult at ~70% dark world (that's around 3/4 the whole game), is not that unfair. And although I discovered the game late, so missed the hype train, I absolutely love it (ok, love-hate it). The difficulty never feels like a battle with the controls. It's more like a battle with your own imprecision. I think that's what gives it the true old school feel. The challenge on each stage is the same every single time. Every death is my mistake, and I always identify that mistake. Right down to slowing a fraction too early, or jumping a fraction too long. The mistakes are always simple and costly. But understanding them doesn't necessarily make it any easier to overcome them next time. Or the next fifty times after that!

[Soldier Blue]

Brain Lord (SNES). Game is hard as hell

[Exhuminator]

Dark Souls / Yes, really.

I didn't mean that Dark Souls isn't a hard game. I meant "did you really not know that Dark Souls is a hard game?" That's its core championed aspect. I don't understand how you could not have known that going in.

[Snatch1414]

Dark Souls

Really?

Yes, really. There's no question it is one of the most frustratingly difficult games I have ever played, and I would say even unexpectedly so.

I don't like how the game gives you a false sense of security and then BOOM all of your built up soul points are gone because of some cheap death and you are sent to the last bonfire. I hate that level up system so much. Two particular stages that I hated were Sens Fortress and Anor Londo. In those two stages I can't tell you how many countless countless times I died. It made me come to the crushing realization that, "Hey, this isn't fun anymore and isn't what I look for in a game."

After I cleared Anor Londo I vowed I never want to play this game again. Yes the game has some gorgeous scenery, but to me, it's not worth it.

I agree. Admittedly I'm probably not that great at video games but I can enjoy a ballbuster if I know what it is going in and can enjoy slowly progressing bit by bit, but this game was a little ridiculous to me. Just hard for the sake of being hard, i.e. "let's put four fireball-throwing skeletons here instead of two regular ones like any other game would do. Oh, and make the player have to climb a cliff side to get to them while they shoot projectiles." This I wouldn't even mind if it weren't for the fact that the combat controls just aren't that good. I understand they want them to feel hefty since you're in a suit of armor, but if you're going to make the game exceptionally hard let me move around and really see what I can do.

Not for me. Beautiful, well made games though.