Top 10 Video Games Designed To Frustrate You
#9: “Returnal” (2021)
We could have chosen pretty much any roguelike here, but we elected for a more recent entry in the genre. In “Returnal,” you play as Selene, a pilot stranded on an alien world. She soon finds she is stuck in a time loop, returning after every death, with slight variations on the world. Although an update has since allowed one, “Returnal” wasn’t designed with a save feature. This forces players to continuously play and die repeatedly to make any progress. It helps put you in Selene’s mindset, but it’s certainly a maddening one to be in.
#8: “Ninja Gaiden II” (2008)
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The “Ninja Gaiden” games have a reputation for difficulty, but we would argue that the most frustrating in the series, at least among the more modern titles, is “Ninja Gaiden II.” When you’re in a groove, slaughtering enemies in spectacular fashion, “Ninja Gaiden II” is untouchable and a ton of fun. Unfortunately, it’s far more frequent that you’re surrounded by powerful enemies on all sides that hit you before you can react or tell where they came from. It’s a hack and slash game where you’re primarily the one getting hacked and slashed.
#7: “Hotline Miami” (2012)
Imagine if “GTA: Vice City” was made by David Lynch…and it was a top-down shooter. That’s this game. And, much like Lynch’s filmography, “Hotline Miami” is difficult to understand. Gameplay sees you clear a series of levels divided into small rooms filled with enemies. Although the enemies usually die fairly easily – so do you. This makes getting through even one level a study in trial and error just discover the best way to take down each enemy, and even then, the A.I. can surprise you. “Hotline Miami” is a neon-drenched death parade for everyone involved.
#6: “VVVVVV” (2010)
A beloved indie puzzle platformer, with the most puzzling aspect being its central mechanic – reversing gravity. In fact, “VVVVVV” leans into this so heavily that you can’t even jump! By manipulating gravity, you need to traverse room after room filled with spikes and enemies. Although there are checkpoints spaced out pretty regularly, “VVVVVV” is nevertheless a very challenging and irritating experience sometimes. Thankfully, the fantastic soundtrack will keep you company while you accidentally send yourself flying to your death – again.
#5: “Super Meat Boy” (2010)
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When cooking meat, it often takes a lot of experimentation to get it just right. And “Super Meat Boy” is the same…only with a lot more buzzsaws. As a precision platformer, it requires a lot of do-overs to get each level down perfectly, with slipping, sliding, blind or dangerous jumps aplenty, and a lot of memorization of patterns. It can make you want to bash your head against the nearest wall, but executing the perfect run is that much more satisfying because of all the work you put in to make it happen.
#4: “Ghosts ‘n Goblins” Franchise (1985-)
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We honestly couldn’t choose just one - they’re all brutal! This long-running franchise has a standard set up, in which a knight must rescue a princess, only the execution is downright fiendish. In most of the games, getting hit even a few times will result in death…or running around in your underwear. Not only that, but beating the whole game sends the player back to the start of it, which you then have to complete again, but on an even harder difficulty! Talk about medieval torture.
#3: “Battle Kid: Fortress of Peril” (2010)
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A recent retro game released for the classic NES, “Battle Kid: Fortress of Peril” is a “Nintendo-hard” game made in the modern age. Although modeled somewhat after the run and gun platformers of yesteryear, “Battle Kid” also takes inspiration from deliberately unfair flash games. Getting hit once is instant death and most screens in the game feature a tough platforming puzzle or enemies that must be bypassed to progress, with the solution often a matter of key timing. This difficulty is especially noticeable on the bosses. Still if that’s your kind of game, “Battle Kid” is a fun throwback.
#2: “Souls” Franchise (2009-)
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One of the most infamous gaming franchises out there, the “Souls” games have a well-earned reputation for frustration. Checkpoints are few and far between, levels are full of enemies and pitfalls, and the bosses are massive, have particular patterns, and are guaranteed to obliterate you at least once. “Git gud” isn’t just a meme for these games – it’s a necessity. Even the most skilled players can feel discouraged though, and that’s part of the appeal. When the next challenge is finally overcome, you’ll want to praise the sun.
#1: “Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy” (2017)
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Quite possibly one of the strangest games ever made, “Getting Over It” sees players control a man in a cauldron as he uses nothing but a large hammer to propel himself up a mountain. The awkward, rotating control scheme makes making any progress a challenge, and said progression can be easily lost, since it’s not difficult to fall back down. Did we mention there are no checkpoints? All the while, creator Bennett Foddy narrates bits of commentary about frustration and tenacity. Few games have induced as many rage quits as this headscrathing hike.
