Just one thinking of the hardest games ever created, and a number of relentless boss fights, brain-twisting puzzles, and punishing mechanics flash within one’s mind. It’s called the “World’s Hardest Game”; this is not just a title you earn unless you’ve dared to take up the hardest challenge that the gaming world has in store. These are the games made for the fearless, whereby such skills, patience, and sanity are taken to their absolute breaking point when one plays them. This is a list containing everything, from defining what actually makes the game unforgiving, deceptively charming platforms, dark atmospheric worlds, and so much more. These games deserve a rightful place in the pantheon of brutality.

Just when you thought you’d seen it all, now we show you the final exam: a game so unforgiving that only the most relentless players will survive. Buckle up; it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

8. Celeste

People may remember Celeste for the great, inspiring story, but in this game, your skills are really put to the test by the platforming mechanics. You will be guiding Madeline up a treacherously trap-ridden, spiky, and impossible-to-jump mountain with pinpoint precision. Celeste is one of those great but very punishing experiences because every level feels like a triumph when you finally finish it.

7. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

From the same minds that brought the world Dark Souls, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice redefines what a tough game is. Rather than harkening back to its Soulsborne legacy and Dark Souls-style gameplay, Sekiro instead centers its gameplay around timing, reflexes, and the art of the sword. A ruthlessly punishing combat system ensures the tiniest error sees a player learning and adapting upon each encounter. With relentless enemies and unforgiving bosses, Sekiro is a game that commands respect.

6. Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is a pretty but deadly Metroidvania that sucks players into the world of exploration and danger. It is filled with quite charming enemies, tricky platforming, and seriously demanding boss battles. It’s hardly going to be an easy ride to travel through the labyrinthine world of Hallownest, so Hollow Knight comes across as a recommendation for those who like it tough.

5. Bloodborne

This is the city of Yharnam, knitted with terrors on every corner until something only the most fearless hunters can surmount. An action RPG with fast-paced combat and mercilessly strict difficulty, Bloodborne also threatens death at every turn. Its Gothic atmosphere and terrifying foes promise experiences more punishing than thrilling. Mastery of Bloodborne speaks volumes in the gaming community.

4. Lies of P

With gameplay inspired by the story of Pinocchio, Lies of P is a modern-day challenge and one of the toughest games out there. With an original combat system, elegant controls, and a cruel world, the Lies of P will always be demanding strategic thinking by its players before acting with velocity—where it gets difficult. It doesn’t hold your hand; it is unforgiving, one deadly puzzle, full of both focus and precision.

3. Dark Souls

The game that started it all, Dark Souls, is often touted as one of the hardest games ever devised. The combat and level design, both brutal and extraordinarily complex, have put standards against which all other hard games will be gauged. Every boss fight is a trial of wills, and every fight with everyday enemies is almost a sure death sentence. Dark Souls isn’t really a game; it’s an act of hazing for gamers.

2. Elden Ring

The latest entry in the Soulsborne series, Elden Ring, takes all the things that made the prior games hard and dials them up yet another notch. With an enormous open world, intricate lore, and punishing enemies, mistakes are hardly acceptable. Some bosses in this game were literally designed to be the hardest to see, needing full mastery of every aspect of combat just to survive.

Elden Ring proves one thing: FromSoftware can make games that are just as brutal as they are brilliant.

Honorable Mentions

Super Meat Boy is a platformer that really tests your reflexes and patience. It’s a kind of title where a single minor mistake can prove to be horrifically costly. They are meant to be taking just seconds to get through, but those are death traps—razor-sharp precision—for those seconds.

Nioh 2 just throws at players a world replete with demons. The game combines brutal Soulslike difficulties in games with deeply crafted combat systems. Boasting punishing bosses and deep machinery, it reduces the chances of beating the game to but the most skilled and determined of players.

1. Demon’s Souls (PS5 Remake)

Number One, we come to the very game that defines brutal difficulty. Pretty much the first blueprint behind the whole Soulsborne genre, and its PS5 remake means to challenge a new batch of gamers. The world is atmospheric, the combat gameplay is ruthless, and the game is merciless in difficulty; it pretty much qualifies as a perfect test of skill. They never made games; they were hardcore, pinnacle engineers in their class.

If you’re looking for the hardest game in the world, Demon’s Souls is it. Thanks for putting up with our list of the hardest games ever made. Easy games aren’t your thing; certainly these will burden you to the grind. For more gaming stuff, do follow our website, Instagram, and YouTube channel for the latest updates and gameplay tidbits. Happiest gaming!