Summary
- RPGs like STALKER: Clear Sky and Fear & Hunger offer challenging exploration, where death is a natural part of gameplay.
- Combat in games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Divinity: Original Sin 2 instills fear and require careful planning.
- FromSoftware's Elden Ring features awe-inspiring but dangerous world exploration, creating a tense experience.
Most players love role-playing games for the sense of progression these games allow them to enjoy. This is mainly enjoyed by exploring areas and figuring out the best way to get from point A to point B.
8 Best Grimdark RPGs, Ranked
Grimdark fantasy RPGs take the Tolkien-esque magic and monsters of high fantasy and place them in a brutal and unforgiving world.
However, some RPGs ensure that the simple act of exploring can be a particularly nerve-wracking experience. This is especially true in the case of some hard-as-nails role-playing games where players must often think twice before venturing too far off the beaten path unprepared.
STALKER: Clear Sky
The Toughest Game in the STALKER Series, Which Says a Lot
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
- Released
- September 15, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- GSC Game World
- Publisher(s)
- GSC Game World, Deep Silver
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The fact that many people consider Clear Sky to be the hardest STALKER game around is proof of just how challenging this title is. From the very moment they're dropped into this unforgiving world, players will die over and over again before they can even figure out how to make progress.
Once the world finally opens up, players will enjoy a STALKER game with some of the most intense firefights in the series. Exploration should be done with great care, and there's nothing wrong with retreating to safety if players are hurt, on the verge of being overencumbered, or both.
UnderRail
Veering Off the Beaten Path Will Almost Always Lead to Death
UnderRail
- Released
- December 18, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Fans of old-school CRPGs like the original Fallout games will love what UnderRail brings to the table. That being said, it really does personify its old-school sensibilities with some of the most challenging combat encounters fans can take on, which will punish unoptimized builds.
This is why players must do their research on this game and make sure not to veer away from the intended path. UnderRail is brutal, and biting off more than players can chew will lead to them being mobbed by a group of vicious enemies in no time.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Combat is Deadly and Players Aren't Safe From it, Even if They Fast Travel
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Released
- February 13, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Kingdom Come: Deliverance prides itself on having an incredible open world that is full of stuff to do. However, if Henry is far from the combat whiz he can turn into with proper guidance and training, then players should be wary of exploring the many locations in this game.
FromSoftware: Hardest Beast Soulsborne Bosses, Ranked
FromSoftware's Soulsborne games are known for their difficult boss fights. The following eight animalistic beasts are among their toughest.
This is because combat is deadly and saves are limited, meaning that players can lose out on valuable progress if they end up getting into an encounter against multiple foes. Even fast travel isn't all that safe, since Henry can be ambushed by enemies during his travels, causing players to tear their hair out in frustration if they die and lose a ton of progress.
Fear & Hunger
Every Step is Stressful in This Hard-as-Nails RPG
Fear & Hunger
- Released
- December 11, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
One of the hardest, most stressful RPGs of all time, Fear & Hunger will beat it into players that death is just a natural part of the gameplay loop. From the moment they get torn apart by wolves, it's clear that survival is not guaranteed in this hard-as-nails RPG.
Once players enter the game's intricate dungeon, they'll realize that the game has just started showing its true hand. Trying to fight the most basic enemies is a horrifying ordeal that will have players dread every step they take in this dark world.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Combat is So Challenging That Every Encounter Will Instill a Sense of Dread in Players
Divinity: Original Sin 2
- Released
- September 14, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the hardest CRPGs players can get their hands on, with the addition of Physical and Magical Armor forcing players to optimize the growth of every character and making them specialize in a particular vertical. This is a must if players don't want to be mobbed by enemies early on.
Fort Joy is especially brutal, since players don't have the equipment they need to protect themselves against enemy attacks and status effects. This makes exploration nerve-wracking in the early game. Although things become more manageable in the later acts, the final chapter of the game brings this nightmare back because of the sudden difficulty spike and a major event that has lasting consequences on a player's ideal party makeup.
Elden Ring
The Open World Design Encourages Exploration but is Fraught With Danger
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
It's only a given that a FromSoftware open-world game would feature exploration that's awe-inspiring and deadly in equal measure. This is why Elden Ring can be daunting to get into for fans, even though the world's relentless distractions mean that players will get strong as long as they muster their courage and tackle the many challenges in sight.
8 Open-World Games Where Exploration Is Exhausting, Ranked
These open-world games are a blast to play, but trying to explore the map in full can leave players weary.
Even then, the latter half of the game features a massive difficulty spike that makes exploration dangerous again (especially for players who didn't level up their Vigor too much). However, this is all part of the learning experience, and players will love how strong their character gets as they manage to obliterate anything and everything standing in their way.
Fallout: New Vegas
Dying to Cazadors and Radscorpions is Something New Players Are Bound to Experience
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
From the moment players take the short route from Goodsprings to New Vegas, they'll realize just how hostile this world is. The Cazadors are no joke and will suck them dry in no time, while the Radscorpions aren't all that easy to handle, either.
It's the game's subtle way of telling players to take the long route to New Vegas, encountering many towns and completing their major quests to get stronger. Even then, areas like the quarry full of Deathclaws will make it clear that players must be wary of exploring this world — if they don't want to be flattened to a pulp.
Bloodborne
A Terrifying Action Game Where Exploration Can Be Very Tense
Bloodborne
- Released
- March 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Bloodborne is considered by some to be one of the hardest FromSoftware games, with the game's exploration soaked in layers of gothic and Lovecraftian horror to make things more unnerving. This will make it challenging to explore a world full of nightmarish creatures, enemy ambushes, and environmental hazards that will take them out in a flash.
Players can't switch off for a single moment, since lowering their guard might just be the moment when a werewolf drops down from a wall above. Thankfully, the world of Bloodborne is so captivating that players love mastering the combat and making slow yet steady progress in this gorgeous world.
16 Best Open-World FPS Games, Ranked
The FPS and open-world genres are two of gaming's most popular. Put them together, and you've got a serious recipe for success.