Seems can typically be deceiving, and first impressions can typically result in us committing to one thing we would have in any other case averted just like the plague. That is one in all life’s many curve balls, and the gaming trade can be able to throwing you a clumsy pitch you are not prepared for.
You will typically watch a sport trailer, create an concept of what you will get whenever you purchase the total sport, after which promptly notice that you simply’re getting greater than you bargained for.
A very good instance of that is video games with cute visuals. It will be pure to assume that these cute-looking titles would supply cozy, stress-free, and light-hearted content material, however that is not all the time the case.
Typically these cute video games have a darkish aspect, and typically, they provide surprisingly unrelentingly troublesome experiences. Should you do not consider us, take a look at these deceptively cute video games that supply extra of a problem than you would possibly assume at first look.
10
Tunic
A Deceptively Troublesome Zelda-like
We start with a sport that both positively belongs on this listing or actually does not, relying on how a lot you messed with Tunic’s accessibility settings.
Nonetheless, in case you determined to go along with the default settings, you will have discovered first hand that Tunic is a Zelda-like that pulls no punches, providing troublesome fight and punishing bosses aplenty.
It is also a sport that does not maintain your hand in any respect in the case of quest markers or explaining mechanics. Plus, the sport does not even place you within the sneakers of a personality who understands the language of the world round them, making every observe you uncover full gibberish.
At first look, this will likely look like a cute little love letter to the Zelda franchise, however beware, as a result of this cute little fox sport has some chunk.
9
Rayman
Limbless and Laborious
Should you grew up within the golden period of mascot platformers, you will doubtless have performed the unique Rayman title. It is a sport that appears like one thing out of a fever dream with surreal cartoon visuals, distinctive and fascinating ranges to navigate, and surprisingly satisfying platforming for the time.
However, by means of the facility of hindsight, those that return and play this one once more discover that it’s a notoriously onerous sport.
That is largely attributable to some slightly poor design selections the place you’ll have to be frame-perfect at occasions to keep away from harm. You’ll typically must fully guess the place platforms have been off-screen, and whenever you misplaced all of your lives, that meant you would want to start out the sport over from scratch.
Maybe it wasn’t intentional, however this cute little platformer inadvertently serves as one of many hardest ever made.
8
Tremendous Meat Boy
Put together to Meat Your Maker
Now, from an unintentionally brutal platformer to 1 that deliberately gives gamers a grueling expertise. At a look, Tremendous Meat Boy looks as if a sport lower from the identical fabric as Mario, the place you will want to finish ranges to save lots of the princess from their captor.
Nonetheless, as you routinely get massacred by buzzsaws and get crushed in large mechanisms, you will discover that this sport is not fairly as light-hearted because the mustachioed plumber’s numerous outings.
It is a sport the place you will die repeatedly within the pursuit of an ideal run, and that good run will solely come by means of full mechanical mastery. So, regardless of appearances, Tremendous Meat Boy is much from a feel-good platformer.
It is a devilishly troublesome affair, and solely probably the most expert platforming veterans will be capable to ace each stage on this indie darling.
7
Crash 4: It is About Time
N-Sane-ly Troublesome
If we’re being fully clear right here, it would not be a stretch to say that each one the Crash titles on the market are deceptively onerous, as you go in anticipating a zero-stress platformer, and find yourself getting a brutally powerful 2.5D expertise that punishes errors and asks the world of those that wish to 100% the sport.
Nonetheless, it needs to be mentioned that the newest sport, Crash Bandicoot 4: It is About Time, positively asks probably the most of gamers.
Even in case you simply wish to beat the sport, you will must beat a sequence of fairly difficult bosses, endure some lengthy sections with unforgiving checkpoints, and in addition, you will want to actually step issues as much as beat the ultimate few ranges that characterize one of many sharpest problem spikes in fashionable gaming.
And if you wish to beat all of the bonus levels, all I can say is, I pray on your sanity.
6
One other Crab’s Treasure
Disney Does Darkish Souls
Whenever you hear the time period ‘Souls-like’ you’ll be forgiven in case you instantly pictured a sport with a gritty, bleak setting, dreary visuals and a macabre story.
However One other Crab’s Treasure flips the script in the case of Souls video games, providing all the trimmings of a conventional Souls sport whereas providing a setting, storyline, and artwork fashion that feels a stone’s throw away from a Pixar manufacturing.
This title serves as a great introduction to anybody in search of to enter the cruel however truthful world of Souls-Likes, as whereas it is loads simpler than the extra established FromSoft titles, it is nonetheless a title that may be very onerous, requires an awesome understanding of the mechanics and techniques current to progress.
Plus, it has some genuinely wonderful Souls’ bosses that would give some Darkish Souls bosses a run for his or her cash. So, in brief, for one thing that appears like ‘Disney Does Darkish Souls,’ that is simply the ticket.
5
Celeste
A Mountain To Climb
On the floor, Celeste is a touching 8-Bit platformer that tells a profound story about psychological well being and the necessity to settle for ourselves for all that we’re, good and unhealthy.
Nonetheless, this message is delivered by means of the medium of one of many hardest platforming video games in fashionable gaming.
Celeste forces gamers to grasp climbing, dashing, planning their routes, and considering one step forward. As a result of in case you do not, you will fall off the mountain, or worse, get impaled on some spikes.
The ‘Help Mode’ could make this one somewhat simpler. However even nonetheless, Celeste is a cute title that may solely permit its most expert gamers to succeed in the summit.
4
Rain World
When It Rains, it Pours
Of all of the deceptively cute video games on this listing, one might argue that Rain World is probably the most inaccessible sport featured. I do know that the numerous critics who wrote this one off for that precise factor definitely would.
However because the followers of this cult traditional will let you know, this was a ‘ability problem’ as a result of in case you give this sport the effort and time it calls for, you will come out the opposite aspect having had a very wonderful expertise.
It is onerous to explain Rain World, because it’s kind of like a Metroidvania, but in addition, under no circumstances. Primarily, it is a sport all about ecosystems, and solely by means of trial and error, and a real effort to know the world round you’ll you survive on this brutally hostile world.
It is a Marmite sport for certain, however one I’d urge you to strive.
3
Hole Knight
Born of God and Void
In the case of cute mascots representing indie darlings, I do not assume they get a lot cuter than the little knight in Hole Knight.
However he is not the one factor that is cute as a button on this sport, because the hand-drawn visuals, cute bug NPCs, cute collectible grubs, and the colourful biomes inside Hallownest all lull the participant right into a false state of zen and calm.
Solely so that you can be crushed to a pulp by a sequence of unyielding bug bosses.
Hole Knight is successfully a Metroidvania Souls-Like, mixing the 2 genres to supply probably the most refined and mechanically spectacular titles in gaming.
However, those that are bought on the visuals and Chris Larkin’s soundtrack alone will discover that a variety of the content material is locked behind large ability checks that may even have some Souls veterans sweating.
So be warned, the lifetime of this little knight is much from sunshine and rainbows, particularly whenever you get to Deepnest. It nonetheless provides me the concern.
2
Do not Starve
Spoliers. You Will Starve
I discussed that many would argue that Rain World is the least accessible sport listed, however for me, that accolade completely belongs to Do not Starve, as this indie survival hit appears like a sport the place newbies merely cannot excel with out a wiki-page continually open on a second display screen.
This Tim Burton-esque title will lure many an Inquisitive gamer in to do this one on for measurement, however many will doubtless wrestle to merely survive on this unforgiving world.
It is a sport that offers you all of the instruments to succeed, however by no means tells you find out how to use them. This results in a variety of brief runs and untimely deaths, and there are solely so many occasions the informal participant will endure this earlier than they name it quits.
I do know an awesome sport is buried underneath the depth of techniques and obtuse mechanics current right here. However evidently I and plenty of different players must resign ourselves to defeat, thrown our fingers up, and mentioned, “It is not for me.”
1
Cuphead
Retro & Relentless
Lastly, we have now the sport that’s our choose of the bunch. It gives a cute and colourful vaudeville romp however equally a painstakingly troublesome run-and-gun Bullet Hell platformer extravaganza that solely probably the most expert platforming veterans will be capable to navigate with out pulling their hair out.
The retro cartoon visuals would have you ever consider that this sport could be a stroll within the park by all accounts, however that is removed from the case, as a wide range of powerful bosses like Dr. Kahl’s Robotic and King Cube show that even colourful, animated bosses can pack a punch.
That being mentioned, it is one of many extra distinctive and fascinating fashionable platformers in existence, so in case you’re up for a problem, Cuphead is definitely a sport it’s best to give a strive.
