Typically, an RPG begins straightforward, making you assume you are in for an off-the-cuff expertise, after which out of nowhere, you may discover the sport stabbing you with a sharp, hard-to-overcome issue spike.
It may be startling and might even flip some gamers off of video games totally, however then there are the joys seekers who like to see a problem in an in any other case breezy expertise.
These RPGs do not appear too exhausting on the floor however home among the craziest issue spikes in any online game. RPGs are the guiltiest of genres, so let’s get into it.
10
Black Fantasy: Wukong
Not a Souls Like, Or So We Thought
Black Fantasy: Wukong is among the greatest video games of 2024 and one of many strangest experiences on the market. Initially, the sport feels extremely linear and small, with little story and nothing however repetitive fight encounters to push you ahead.
That modifications in a rush as the sport opens up more and more as you progress, altering from small areas to sprawling Labrynthian areas with tons of secrets and techniques and aspect quests to discover.
The massive issue spike is available in Chapter 2. In Chapter 1, you might be mowing down all the pieces in sight, taking down bosses in a single or two tries at most, after which the ultimate battle of Chapter 1 takes place to jack up the issue, however nothing prepares you for what’s ready in Chapter 2.
The Tiger Vanguard, Yellow Wind Sage, and different bosses there’ll drive you utterly mad. Your reflexes and ability level allocation must be as much as par otherwise you’ll be retrying these fights repeatedly.
It will get crazier from there, with the following chapters upping the ante even additional.
They introduce fights with complicated mechanics, unstable hitboxes, and different rising moments of nonsense to get you to throw your controller out the window. It is all very rewarding, although, so it is price pushing by means of in case you can deal with the warmth.
9
Ultimate Fantasy 10
I Hate You Seymour And For Good Cause
Ultimate Fantasy 10 is a beloved traditional, but when there’s one factor that stands out, it is the wild issue that takes place within the latter half of the sport.
The battle that encapsulates this greatest is the combat towards the enduring and painfully tough Seymour Flux. This battle is so twisted that it would not make sense the primary time you play it.
Standing results are being thrown each which approach, the boss’s HP is totally nuts, and you will find your occasion being one-shotted each different flip in case you’re not cautious.
If this looks as if an outlier, it is not, because the boss fights begin to get much more difficult from there, with Yunalesca and among the remaining bosses being extremely robust.
You would possibly count on a little bit of a problem from early 2000s JRPGs, however even with a sound technique and well-leveled occasion, it is exhausting to deal with simply how tough this recreation turns into, and that is with out even mentioning the assorted aspect quests you’ll be able to go on that result in fights with monsters with the HP into the thousands and thousands.
It is an important recreation, however be prepared for a harsh actuality verify in its second half.
8
Divinity: Unique Sin 2
So A lot Fireplace. It Feels Like It Will not Finish
Divinity: Unique Sin 2 is a large RPG that means that you can play within the fashion and the best way you need, however that freedom would not come low-cost.
The start of the sport is decently robust, however the actual issue spike comes from the Oil Slug combat in Act 2. Whereas it is a enjoyable combat, you might be tasked with combating oil slugs in an area continually on hearth.
It is a hilarious and brutally robust battle as all the pieces in sight is burning, and that you must work out a method to survive whereas taking out the enemies inflicting the hearth within the first place.
This combat was hellish in each approach, forcing you to make use of your setting, gear, and thoughts to beat it. It is among the hardest and most memorable moments within the 80+-hour recreation.
7
Sekiro
Genichiro Ended Many Playthroughs
Okay, so Sekiro is a tricky recreation in its personal proper. We all know this, however most bosses and challenges will be overcome with cautious preparation and tight reflexes.
That each one modifications when you face Genichiro for the primary time. This combat on the roof of a temple is called the litmus check in Sekiro, which challenges all the pieces you’ve got realized till that time.
The problem spike right here is past perception, particularly while you’ve already conquered such foes as Woman Butterfly.
The combat is blazing quick, with Genichiro supplying you with barely any room to breathe, and all of it will get extra attempting in his second type, which forces you to grasp the artwork of lightning deflect, which is a clumsy method to drag off.
The worst half is that when you’ve got gained, you understand that the true challenges of the sport have solely simply begun.
6
Ultimate Fantasy 16
The DLCs Have been Brutal For A Sport That Began On Simple
Ultimate Fantasy 16 is among the best video games I’ve ever performed, plain and easy. The primary bosses provide you with checkpoints all through the fights that refill your whole potions and gadgets to verify nothing ever will get too tough.
Whereas it is pleasing sufficient as a recreation, this lack of issue for the massive fights was irritating, and it diminished these gargantuan enemies that had been speculated to strike worry into you.
That each one modified when the Rising Tides DLC arrived, in addition to the Echoes of the Fallen.
First, the Echoes of the Fallen DLC introduces the primary tremendous boss of the sport, with a fierce showdown towards the enduring boss Omega that’s extremely lengthy, has bullet hell segments, and requires a wholesome heaping of potions to maintain you wholesome.
That problem comes out of nowhere, however the Leviathan combat takes the cake right here.
The ultimate combat of the Rising Tides DLC towards Leviathan begins straightforward sufficient, however the midpoint of the battle has a ridiculous DPS verify that’s utterly off-brand in comparison with the remainder of the sport and never solely produces an instant-fail state, however even offers you a singular cutscene the place a terrifying tidal wave swallows you and the world.
Determining the proper sequence to assault right here is difficult, however the loopy variety of projectiles coming at you is difficult to dodge, too, and in case you get hit, you’ll take fewer hits.
So, in brief, it’s a straightforward recreation general however has among the hardest, most brutal DLC fights you may probably come throughout in gaming.
5
Tales of Come up
We Did not Count on What Occurs With Ganabelt
On the floor, Tales of Come up appears to be like like a joyful, lighthearted journey. However in case you dig a bit deeper, it is about slavery, existentialism, and at last having the ability to really feel ache, so let’s throw that notion out the window.
To accompany the mature themes, there’s a super issue spike about 10 hours into the sport. The boss, Ganabelt, has an infinite build-up, and the combat would not disappoint.
This combat is excessive visually and mechanically, and holding observe of what’s occurring on display screen is as robust a job as any.
Ganabelt has arena-wide assaults that require you to interrupt him out of his assault animation to outlive or DPS checks, and his well being pool is gigantic.
Except you come prepared with many well being and CP potions, this combat will blow you away difficulty-wise.
The remainder of the sport has related spikes for every boss, with the ultimate stretch of the sport being a singular and sadistic model of brutal design that nearly calls for you buy the sport’s DLC gadgets or decrease the brutality, which is affordable, however it’s what it’s.
4
Xenogears
Existence is Futile Thanks To Deus
Xenogears is a traditional for its story and epic scale, however there comes a degree within the recreation the place it is virtually unplayable in case you do not put together correctly.
That time is the ultimate boss, Deus. Sure, remaining bosses are speculated to be robust, however Deus presents a problem that does not make sense. See, your huge robotic automobiles referred to as Gears want gas to work.
At this level within the recreation, there’s a save level earlier than the ultimate combat, after which, an enormous multi-phase combat performs out that requires your whole occasion to take part.
Your entire occasion means all of your Gears, and, probably, you have not developed everybody as most gamers decide favorites, so your harm will not be nice. You may even have a restricted quantity of gas; if you do not have sufficient, it is curtains on your Xenogears journey.
Suppose you could have earlier saves earlier than the ultimate dungeon. In that case, you’ll be able to return and get this gas, however that is a lot progress misplaced, and it is a irritating, sudden, remaining issue spike created from rushed recreation design reasonably than a tough combat.
3
Darkest Dungeon
Hope You Like Despair As a result of There Is Loads
Darkest Dungeon was a breath of recent air when launched in 2016, nevertheless it was additionally a recreation with one of many craziest issue spikes round.
The sport begins off straightforward sufficient, taking your group of adventurers by means of numerous dungeons to search out treasure and combat bosses, however the issue spike comes shortly after you’ve got accomplished the opening missions.
Because the missions get tougher, your crew might rapidly begin turning on one another, your heroes might get wired, and generally, they could simply have a coronary heart assault and die. That is proper, in a online game, your characters can simply drop useless from a coronary heart assault, by no means to return. Enjoyable, proper?
In fact, there are methods to mitigate this, however that features choosing up victories over enemies all through the dungeons, which solely get more and more tougher. If that does not sound exhausting sufficient, generally, your heroes will merely refuse to assault. They are going to refuse to obey the assault command, and if that occurs, effectively, that is simply life in Darkest Dungeon.
One explicit issue spike comes from a witch boss generally known as the Hag, the place she cooks your occasion one after the other in her cauldron, not permitting herself to be attacked except you wish to kill your crew. This combat drew a specific ire in a recreation that rapidly reveals its merciless face.
2
Misplaced Odyssey
How Exhausting Can An Electrical Eel be to defeat?
Misplaced Odyssey is a traditional JRPG, and plenty of contemplate it the true Ultimate Fantasy 13.
The combat in query is called Bogimoray and this combat is completely brutal in each approach. It is a number of phases, it is early within the recreation, and primarily requires you to search out an merchandise that’s obscurely hidden within the space prior, and it comes after an unskippable story scene.
With that enjoyable medley in thoughts, you are tasked with killing off two gigantic monster eels that feed off bug companions. The combat is sensible in its creativity however a nightmare in its execution.
The bugs cost up the Bogimorays, and after they cost absolutely, they unleash an assault that usually one-shots everybody except you are extremely ready with protecting and therapeutic magic.
I revisited this one just lately, and regardless of understanding the best way to beat it, Bogimoray was an absolute ache to get by means of. Contemplating how breezy many of the recreation’s challenges really feel after and earlier than it, it is fairly the outlier.
1
Elden Ring
Put your silly ambitions to relaxation
Elden Ring is a tough recreation, nevertheless it offers you a wealth of choices to negate that issue, such because the Mimic Tear, having the ability to summon mates or strangers to assist, and creating completely damaged builds to take down the horrors of this world.
That issue hits a spike early on within the type of now-legendary boss Margit. At this level within the recreation, you probably haven’t any excellent summons, and your means to summon mates is probably going in low provide.
That leaves you, presumably a Jellyfish and your low-level rubbish gear, versus a boss that neatly warns you to place these silly ambitions to relaxation.
Margit introduces the participant to the brutal, delayed, and near-infinite seeming combos that the remainder of the bosses will make use of, and that introduction is tough.
Margit is so overpowered, shredding your well being in mere seconds, and has short- and long-range assault choices that make you nowhere secure on the battlefield.
You can see your self scrambling all through this combat in a comparatively small area. Regardless of Margit seeming giant, he strikes so quick that you will barely be capable of get distance earlier than he unleashes his subsequent assault.
Different fights within the recreation are arguably more durable (Malenia), however within the early hours, Margit has change into probably the most legendary issue spikes within the historical past of gaming, and for that, he takes the primary spot.
