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What are the hardest/most difficult games on Steam?

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Feb 8, 2023

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21 Games Considered

What are the hardest/most difficult games on Steam	Price	Platforms	Genre
-- Dark Souls III	$59.99	Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Action Role-Playing
-- Hollow Knight	$14.99	Nintendo Switch, Windows, macOS, Linux	Metroidvania
-- Spelunky	$14.99	Win	Platformer / Indie / Roguelike
-- Salt and Sanctuary	$17.99	-	-
-- Super Meat Boy	$14.99	PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Android, Windows, Linux, macOS	Platformer

Dark Souls III

Top Pro

Unique experiences through exploration

The game focuses less on linearity which means that the player can go their own direction in large environments, in order to explore what appeals as the best path to them. It sees the player constantly winding around different paths that interconnect, all while holding secret passages and hidden items. There is much to discover in the game, which gives a great sense of wonder as to what will be found next. With so much to see and do in the game, depending on how one plays and where they go, their experience can be quite unique when compared to someone else's experience, who may have took a different path and found different items. Overall this makes for a game that feels personal to the player, as no two gameplay experiences are alike. See More

Top Con

Poor support for mouse+keyboard control

The default DS3 key/button bindings actually prevent full use of certain weapons by requiring the shift key to be pressed and not-pressed simultaneously. Rebinding is possible, but limited by issues like the left mouse button overriding all others and certain bindings not actually working in game (e.g. Shift+MiddleClick). See More

Tommaso Neri's Experience

i literally EAT this game! See More

Specs

Genre:Action Role-Playing

Top Pro

Can give a great feeling of accomplishment

The Dark Souls series is known for how difficult it is and Dark Souls 3 is no slouch in this area. The game is difficult and the player will die a lot. This of course can give a feeling of aggravation, but once a difficult boss is finally defeated, there is a sense of achievement that is not often found in other games. Conquering this game is a feat, one that many will relish. See More

Top Con

Some graphical pop in

No matter ones graphical settings or rig being used, the game does suffer from some pop-in when turning fast. This can be distracting when noticed, which detracts from the feeling of polish and immersion in the game. See More

VigilantHaldi's Experience

Incredibly vast area filled with creatures and bosses, along with surprises around every corner. See More

Top Pro

Good selection of classes

There are 10 total classes the player can choose from during character creation. This makes for a quite a few options for the player to pick from, giving them a sense of originality as well as a character that can fit just about anyone's playstyle. See More

Top Con

May be too depressing and dark for some

This game can feel like a weight on ones shoulders. Everything about it is dark, gloomy and depressing. Some people may not enjoy this atmosphere at all. See More

hank scoltar's Experience

Hard but great. The more you play it, the more you love it! See More

Top Pro

Fast and precise gameplay

Dark Souls 3 adds a bit of speed over its previous releases. This makes for an exciting new experience for players of the franchise as well as an overall exciting experience for new players, as it requires impeccable timing of how one can react to counter, dodge or hit an enemy. See More

Top Con

Some areas have slowdown

No matter the equipment being used, there are portions of the game (even when using the best equipment) that will see a dropped framerate. See More

Top Pro

Vast variety of equipment and spells

The equipment found in this game is quite numerous. There are many different swords, bows, spells as well as a huge selection of different armors. Weapons such as swords can each have unique abilities such as different strikes. So while one sword may have a long reaching sideways swipe, another may have a deep penetrating forward strike. These weapons can also be changed in their special abilities as the player can infuse certain crystals, to then give the weapon a magic bonus such as flame damage or frost damage. For those that prefer magical abilities there will be many NPCs to be found that can teach different spells such as pyromancer spells, miracle spells or sorcery spells. Each can be used depending on what equipment the player uses, such as staffs or talismans or chimes. Armor is also something that comes in a variety of flavors, though it cannot really be adjusted with abilities, though it can be mixed and matched in order to match with the users playstyle or look they are going for. Some armor is quite heavy and will require certain characteristics to be upgraded in order to be used. Overall, the choices the game gives the player when it comes to equipment is quite vast and can allow for really deep strategy, planning out what equipment will work for any particular situation. See More

Top Con

Open atmosphere makes for confusing paths

With the game having more of an open world feel it can be difficult to know what direction to go in. While much can be explored, there is a certain feeling of being lost that can make for a frustrating experience. See More

Top Pro

Solid controls

No matter if using a keyboard and mouse or a gamepad (or Steam controller), the controls work well and can be customized easily in the settings. This makes the controls versatile as they can be customized to fit any type of player and their preferred control scheme. See More

Top Con

Designed to work better with Intel CPU

The game can only take advantage of up to 4 cores of a CPU, meaning those using AMD CPUs (which tend to have 8 cores) will only be able to use half of their cores for the game. This will make for a poorer experience if using an AMD CPU. See More

Top Pro

Fast load times

The load times in the game can vary, depending on if the user has an HDD or an SSD, but even when using an HHD the games load times are under 10 seconds, with the majority taking under 6. See More

Top Pro

Great combat system

The combat in Dark Souls 3 asks you to understand how each enemy moves, what are the weak spots in those movements and exploit them. To exploit enemy moves, you'll have to know how your equipped weapon behaves as they have wildly different behaviors and timings. There are different kinds of melee and ranged weapons as well as spells. You'll have to choose the right tool for the job. Additionally, positioning in a fight is important as attacking from behind will be more effective than attacking from the front. All elements combined, DS3 offers a deep combat system that's satisfying to master. See More

Top Pro

Fixed issues found in previous titles

The first game in the series had some issues with roll direction, the second had issues with a boring layout and forgettable bosses. This being the third game in the series takes the best out of the previous two and combines them into a cohesive experience. Everything is polished to improve the game. Bigger and better bosses, skillful level design, omni-directional rolling and all weapons have a special ability. See More

Top Pro

Save points in the game are easy to find

There are a lot of bonfires (where the player can save) scattered around the game. This makes it easy to save before death, which is a big help for many, due to how difficult the game can be. See More

Top Pro

Customizable HUD

The heads up display in the game can be turned on or off as well as set to a new third setting where the HUD adjusts itself automatically to only show what is important at the particular time of play. See More

Top Pro

Worthwhile equipment combinability

Any and all equipment in the game can be useful at some point of gameplay. The players is not penalized for wanting to use particular equipment for looks over usefulness, as all equipment is useful in some way. This greatly opens up how one can combine the equipment they find as the player is not held back by equipment not being as useful as the rest. See More

Top Pro

Appealing graphics that illustrate a dark and interesting world

The design of said graphics makes for a world so in depth it is quite a site to behold. Everything in the game feels and looks like it belongs and only serves to further flesh out this dark mystery of a world. The game definitely takes advantage of better hardware over the previous titles and it shows, the game looks really good. See More

Top Pro

Unpredictable boss fights

The boss battles will see the boss shift their strategies and attacks often, making for a battle that will react to how the player is fighting as well as constantly change in order to keep the player on their toes, which makes for challenging battles. See More

Hollow Knight

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Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre:Metroidvania

Co-Op:Single Player

Spelunky

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Top Pro

Quick sessions so you can play in short bursts

Being that Spelunky is at its heart a roguelike, the gameplay sessions can tend to be quick as the player will die quite often. This makes for something that can be played in quick bursts throughout the day. The convenient saving also lends to this as a game that is still ongoing can be quickly saved in order to be picked up at a later time. See More

Top Con

Difficult to the point of frustration

Spelunky is pretty difficult and some could say abusive, but with practice and a desire for masochism the game can be mastered. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Platformer / Indie / Roguelike

Co-Op:4 Player Couch

Controller Support:Full

Top Pro

Provides an interesting challenge by heavily relying on increasing your skill

Spelunky gives the player everything needed to succeed from the start so it is only when the players skills get better will they advance. See More

Top Pro

Expanded gameplay through mods to improve replayability

Ranging from Mega Man to Metroid, there are a ton of great mods for Spelunky, all of which make for a new experience in the game which vastly expands the replayability. See More

Salt and Sanctuary

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Top Pro

Creed mechanic keeps subsequent playthroughs interesting

There is a feature in the game called "creeds" that allows you to ally with a faction of NPCs. You can only ally one creed at a time, giving you access to their unique perks, items, quest givers, and access to fast travel points. All of this offers just enough variety to keep subsequent playthroughs interesting. See More

Top Con

May be too niche

The setting of the game is quite dark and may be draining to spend any significant amount of time in the world. The gameplay itself can be quite difficult as well, which means this may not be the game for everyone. See More

Top Pro

You can make a character that fits your playstyle

Your character has a large skill tree with many branching paths. It contains most abilities you see in a fantasy game, including spells, martial arts moves, and many others. This means you can make a fast mage, a bulky fighter, a mix of the two, or whatever fits your playstyle, making it a more enjoyable experience as a whole. See More

Top Con

Difficult to know where you are

There is no map in the game, which is exacerbated by the fact that this is a 2D title. In 2D there is basically no way to tell where you are in relation to where you want to go other than from memory. This can be troublesome if it has been a few days since you last played, as you now need to remember where you need to go and where you have been and how that all relates to where you are now, all without being able to see anything other than what is immediately in front of you on the screen. See More

Top Pro

Immersive storytelling through exploration

Salt and Sanctuary doesn't tell you much in terms of story, so it's up to you to explore and figure it out. You can do it by talking to NPCs, reading item descriptions, and observing the environment. You'll piece the story together bit by bit, filling in the gaps with your imagination. This makes it feel like you're truly exploring the world of Salt and Sanctuary, finding out what interests you, without having exposition constantly thrown at you. See More

Top Pro

Risk reward gameplay

The player throughout the game is always earning salt when defeating enemies. This salt is used to purchase upgrades and items in the game, so the more you have the more you can purchase. The thing is though that you can lose all of the salt you have collected if you die, and being that this is a difficult game, you will die a lot. The risk reward mechanic in this that you can either push on with low health, venturing into the unknown and possible death, but if you die, you will lose your money. This choice can be tough to make, but will constantly be on your mind, which elevates the risk of play. See More

Top Pro

Interesting perk mechanic

There is a feature in the game called "creeds" that allows on to sign up for one creed at a time. These creeds will give you access to certain specific perks such as building out their sanctuary (of which each creed has one) where you can customize vendors of items, find new quest givers and access fast travel points. All of this offers a level of customization that can give the player advantages in the game. See More

Top Pro

Huge selection of upgrades

The player earns salt by killing enemies in the game. This salt can then be used to purchase upgrades and new abilities for their character on a large spherical grid. This grid has many branching paths that cover just about any skill or ability one can think of for a dark fantasy game. Want to branch off into magical abilities, you are free to do so. Similarly, you can branch off into more of a fighter build. You can even create a hybrid build of fighting and magic to suit you. There is no limit to the choices you can make, which allows for a game that is highly customizable to fit anyone's playstyle. See More

Top Pro

Good use of metroidvania level design

Metroidvania genre games tend to lock portions of the game behind elements that can not be traversed until a certain item or skill is earned. This makes for a world that requires a lot of backtracking and familiarity, meaning the player needs to keep track of all the areas they have already explored. Once a certain item or skill is found that will allow the player to get past what was once a road block, new areas can then be explored and the story can be advanced. The mechanic of this used to be to save space while elongating a game, but now is used as a way to get the player to feel connected and familiar with the world. There is also a pleasure to be found once new areas can be unlocked as it gives a sense of satisfaction that you are progressing past a point that you never knew when it would be unlocked. See More

Top Pro

Exploration based gameplay

The player does not start with much in items or story. It is up to the player to explore and figure out little by little what is going on in the game. This makes for an adventure that the player can be immersed in by filling in any gaps with their own imagination, which in turn allows the player to be invested. See More

Top Pro

Deep combat

While this is a 2D platforming game, the combat is actually quite diverse, depending on what equipment one is using (and there is quite a lot of equipment). Players have a light and hard attack that each can be charged. They can also be combined to create combos, with some that may even result in some juggling of enemies. Being that this is in 2D, the controls for the combat is quite responsive and there is a good bit of verticality (since there is no third plane to worry about) thanks to the level layout and jump mechanics. All of this combines to make for some deep combat that is enjoyable through customization, speed and level design. See More

Super Meat Boy

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Top Pro

Unique visual style

As is typical of Ed McMillen's games, it looks like nothing else out there. The art style is 2D based but heavily unique with a vector graphics cartoony look. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Platformer

Top Pro

Large number of levels

This is not a game you are going to complete in an afternoon. With 240 levels scattered across 7 worlds there is a lot to play in the game. See More

Top Pro

Forgivingly tight controls

The addition of a "run" button adds a lot of depth to levels, keeping the run-jump-repeat loop more interesting. The characters have acceleration as well, which demands finesse. See More

Top Pro

Play through iteration is fast

When you die, you spawn quickly to try again. Many games draw out the death, and have to reload. Super Meat Boy immediately re-spawns you so you waste no time. See More

Nioh

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Top Pro

Fast-paced, intense combat

Nioh is a very fast-paced game, which also rewards awareness and patience. The combat in it is all about dodging, countering enemy attacks, and looking for openings. You will quickly regret any hasty decisions (like fighting three demon Samurai out in the open) since they'll most likely lead to your death. It also features some very intense boss fights that further expand upon this core concept. The fights are much longer and requires you to focus the entire time. Nothing beats the sense of accomplishment when you finally beat a giant mythical demon. See More

Top Con

The story isn't particularly good or meaningful

Nioh has kind of a throwaway story. You won't fall in love with any characters, and nothing that happens will shock or awe you. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mostly Positive

Genre:Action-RPG

Co-Op:2 Player Online

Top Pro

Rewarding exploration

Exploring in Nioh feels worthwhile since it helps you find new equipment and rare materials. This will help progress your character, allowing you to defeat enemies in fewer hits and giving you a smoother playthrough overall. It's also very exciting to accidentally stumble upon secret areas. See More

Top Con

Punishing difficulty for beginners of the genre

Nioh, like any other Souls-like title, has a very brutal entry difficulty. If you're new to the Souls-like genre, you'll have to get used to a lot of the mechanics, dodging, and, most importantly, dying. This can be the source of extreme frustration for the first ten hours or so, which causes a lot of players to quit during that time. If you can get over this initial hurdle, you'll finally start enjoying the game. The acquired skills will also carry over to other games in the same genre. See More

Surgeon Simulator

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Top Pro

Purposefully difficult controls create slapstick humor

In the game the player controls the movements, rotation, raised/lowered stated of the surgeons hand as well as each finger separately. It's purposefully difficult to control the movements of the hand well. The difficulty of controlling actions creates lots of opportunities for slapstick. See More

Top Con

Can get frustrating

While lack of accuracy of the controls is the main draw of the game it can at times get unnecessarily frustrating. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Top Pro

Rewarding exploration based gameplay

There is not much in the way of hand holding in the game as many situations can be passed more easily once the payer understands the ins and outs of the game. Things like a green serum not being explained that it helps with a patient bleeding will only be discovered through trial and error, which in the end is rewarding to finally learn all of the mechanics of the game. See More

Celeste

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Top Pro

"B side" collectibles for those who crave a deeper challenge

In each level, there is a single hidden cassette tape, often in a hard to reach area. The platforms in these areas move to the beat of the level's soundtrack, and have to be correctly navigated to reach the tape. Similar to how old school cassettes tapes had two sides, collecting this tape will unlock the "B side" of each level. This presents the player with a much more challenging version of the level, adding new jumps, traps, and dangers. These remixed levels are extremely difficult and will provide a challenge for even the most seasoned platforming veteran. So if you've beaten the base game, and crave even more of a challenge, you will be pleased with this feature. See More

Top Con

You'll die a lot

Although dying in this game helps to reinforce the game's overall theme of never giving up in the face of a challenge, this can be a turn off to some players. Missing the same jumps and landing on the same spike traps constantly can only happen so many times before it becomes frustrating more than fun. See More

Specs

Genre:Platformer

Top Pro

The theme of overcoming anxiety and depression is tied into the gameplay

The game reinforces the attitude of never giving up, even in the face of a seemingly impossible challenge or self-doubt, and does this by tying this heartfelt theme into the gameplay itself. As Madeline sets out to scale to the top of the mountain, she will encounter a lot of depression, anxiety and self-doubt along the way, which literally manifests into an alternative version of herself simply called "Part of Me". A part of ourselves many of us are all too familiar with. During the more challenging parts of the game, this other self will appear to taunt, belittle, and even chase Madeline around telling her she's not good enough, and she'll never reach the top. She'll be a constant source of doubt throughout the duration of the game. But, after every player death, failure, and missed jump, the game will gently remind the player to "Keep going. You've got this!" and "You're learning!" along with other inspiring messages that encourage you to push past the doubt, and keep trying until you beat each challenging level. See More

Top Con

Wind mechanic can be unfair

During one level, there is wind that pushes and blows you around, but it doesn't always work in your favor. It may send you hurtling off a steep drop right into a spike trap or ruin your carefully timed midair dash. It's very random which way it'll decide to move you, and can therefore feel unfair at times. See More

Top Pro

Frequent checkpoints keep the game moving along

Checkpoints are encountered quite often, so when you inevitably die, you won't have to replay a huge portion of the level. This helps to keep the frustration to a minimum when tackling a particularly tricky section of a level, and lets you practice the part that's giving you trouble rather than making you replay the entire level. See More

Top Pro

The platforming consistently adds new movement mechanics

The platforming definitely isn't stale and consistently adds new movement mechanics to keep things feeling fresh throughout your run. Glowing red orbs will send you flying in a certain direction, jump pads will blast you high into the air, and diamonds will give you an extra dash in mid air. Jumping, bouncing, and climbing around the various levels just feels fluid and fun with all these extra goodies that are seemingly endless and continually add flavor into the platforming aspect. There's a lot of "oh, that's cool!" moments when playing and discovering something new for the first time such as using a group of diamonds to chain a jump that's not only fun to watch, but fun to perform. See More

Top Pro

Great variation in level mechanics to keep players on their toes

Each level features its own environmental hazard, which means players will have to adjust their strategies from time to time. One level is filled with winds that shift, sometimes assisting you across wide gaps and at other times stopping your progression forward or causing you to miss jumps. Another is shrouded in darkness with the area only illuminated when you're in mid-jump. Regardless of the hazard at play, they all add an extra level of challenge to keep players on their toes, even if they're seasoned platforming veterans. See More

Top Pro

Optional assist mode for players who aren't good with platforming

For those who may not be so good at the platforming aspect of the game, Celeste offers an assist mode which allows players of all skill levels to experience the game in full. During gameplay, there are a few on-demand options available to do things such as become invincible (avoid spike traps and enemies), extend the air dash (jump further), and even slow the whole game down in 10% intervals. This is a great addition that makes the game accessible for all skill levels, and it's completely optional so that players who want the full challenge don't have to use it. See More

DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin

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Top Pro

Excellent boss battles

There are many iconic boss battles throughout the game that make for some of the most difficult moments to be played. But once finally defeating a boss the feeling of accomplishment is well worth it. See More

Top Con

Difficulty that requires a lot of time and patience

To be honest, difficult is a nice way of putting it, this game can destroy ones will to live. It is not even worth counting how many times one dies, as it will be in the hundreds if not thousands. Only through patience and sure determination will many reach the ending of the game. So much time is needed in order to replay many areas and bosses over and over in order to learn the exact timing and what moves to use that not many people can spare it. This is not a game for casual players, that is for sure. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Action Role-Playing

Top Pro

Expansive fantasy settings

Dark Souls II offers a wide variety of locales to explore, all within a fantasy setting. The amount of differing locations does give a feeling of lack of cohesion though but does have the benefit of locations that are wildly different from each other, which can be refreshing at times. See More

Top Pro

Branching gameplay with plenty of choices

The branching gameplay within Dark Souls II makes for not only a great way to tailor each adventure to each player keeping everyones experiences unique, but also a reprieve from many difficult points in the game. If one area has become to tough or something has the payer stuck from advancing further, an alternate path in the game can be taken to wholly different areas. This allows for a multitude of options on how to level up as well as well as many different options in finding and equipping that found gear. See More

Top Pro

Slow and deliberate fighting with reward/risk mechanics

Each enemy encounter needs to be calculated and precisely timed, as any mistake will most likely mean death. An added level of complexity to this equation is enemies that can be ignored but will then gang up on the player once a boss is beaten. This creates a risk/reward scenario that the player needs to weigh with a lot of thought. See More

Top Pro

New lighting system

Before the original Dark Souls II was released the developer had shown off a lighting system where areas were pitch black and a torch was necessary to see. This was eventually removed before the release. Now with the release of the DX11 version, DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin is able to actually have this lighting system working on par with what was shown of years ago pre-release. Many areas will now be completely dark and in order to traverse them the player will need to use a torch to see and light static torches throughout the level to keep it lit. This will then allow the player to go through the level without the aid of the torch in order to battle all enemies that lay within. this overhauled lighting system creates a whole new play mechanic that will force players to tackle levels in a completely different manner than the original game. See More

Crypt of the NecroDancer

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Top Pro

Unique gameplay

Crypt of the NecroDancer is a dungeon crawler that is also a rhythm game. Your character can move, attack, and use special abilities only to the beat of a level's music. This means you have to split your attention between listening to the music and watching enemy movements. If you miss a beat your character won't do anything, but your enemies still get to move and attack. While the enemies are bound by the same rules as you, they won't ever miss the beat. Fortunately enough, they're always bound to a rhythm, so learning an enemy's rhythm is the key to defeating them. As a result, the gameplay stands out in both the roguelike and rhythm game genre. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Co-Op:2 Player Local

Controller Support:Full

Octodad: Dadliest Catch

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Top Pro

Humorous story

The premise of the game allows for many humorous situations in where an octopus is trying to hide in a human world. An outlandish story that sees the main character get into many different every day situations that would normally be mundane made pretty hilarious due to the situation at hand, hide in plain site. See More

Top Con

Gameplay can be easy

While the outlandish story that surrounds the game is great too often the gameplay itself is on the easier side. So for those that are looking for a challenge may not find it in this game. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Top Pro

Good variety to the gameplay

Each situation that the player takes part in is varied in looks and tasks, ranging from making coffee to mowing the lawn, the gameplay stays fresh throughout the whole game thanks to the differences found in each section. See More

Bayonetta

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Top Pro

Unique enemy designs with angels that defy typical conventions

Angels in Bayonetta are far from how they are depicted in pop culture. Despite their bright glow and the religious music that you hear when they're introduced, they're hunched over, lumbering when they walk and fight in battle. They're designed in ways that definitely make them look like Bayonetta's enemies instead of entities that we're supposed to side with. The larger, gargantuan angelic bosses appear otherwordly and incomprehensible like Lovecraftian creatures, They're quite the sight to behold and make for interesting boss fights with cool set pieces, like Bayonetta surfing on a wooden plank as she fights a huge angel in the middle of an ocean. See More

Top Con

On-rails sections can be frustrating

There will be a few times where you'll play through retro-inspired sequences where you race down a highway on a motorcycle, or shoot missiles at enemies from an airship. You have to handle quick time event button presses on the motorcycle and deal with a bunch of enemies firing at you on the ship. These sequences are a huge change from the normal combat, and if you're not good at them, you may find yourself getting frustrated. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Top Pro

Excellent ports

Bayonetta was originally released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 back in 2009, but the PC version comes with improved graphics, 4K support and excellent performance. On the Nintendo Switch, you'll also get to enjoy the game at 60 FPS, though at a lower 720p resolution compared to the PC version. See More

Top Con

Locked at 60 frames per second on PC

Action sequences are locked at 60FPS which means that you can not go above that framerate regardless of your PC's capabilities. See More

Top Pro

Bayonetta herself is unconventional and entertaining

Bayonetta is a character who exudes confidence and charm, and every aspect of the game's mechanics and design fits with her personality. She's over eight feet tall, wears a skin-tight suit that's actually made of her magical hair, and always fights with style and finesse. When you do a double jump, a butterfly's wings appear over her back, and when you use any type of long weapon like a lance, you can have her pole dance and quickly fire her guns in all directions. Since she's a sadistic character, her finisher moves are called Torture Attacks. After accumulating enough magic points through normal attacks, you can make Bayonetta conjure one of many types of medieval torture devices. She'll trap enemies inside and send blood everywhere, or she'll whip their backs with a flourish, doing more damage as you mash the button prompt on the screen. Healing and buff items, instead of the usual potions, are different-flavored lollipops like the one that Bayonetta likes to keep in her mouth during some cutscenes. Upgrades to her jumping ability are also beyond the norm, letting you transform her into a black panther to run faster and jump higher. Overall, Bayonetta is independent and likes to have a good time, never missing an opportunity to strike a pose or dance in between pummeling and whipping her enemies into submission. If you see Bayonetta's sexualized moves and portrayal as the game's way of parodying other media, then you'll probably find her over-the-top presentation more entertaining than offensive. See More

Top Con

The story is nonsensical

While Bayonetta has some intriguing lore involving witches battling against a puritanical religion, you won't get to learn much about it. The storytelling is a mess, with sudden changes that don't make sense, and underdeveloped characters that the game expects you to care about. As long as you go in without taking the story and presentation all that seriously, you'll still be able to have a good time. See More

Top Pro

Fun and complex gameplay

Bayonetta excels in its combat, going above and beyond to entertain the player with the scale of its gigantic, angelic enemies and the depth of its gameplay. The tutorial teaches you the bare basics of punching and kicking, and then it's up to you to experiment with inputs and find the best combos to keep up the pain. Even on normal difficulty, the game can seem punishing for newcomers, but there are lots of skills you can pick up on to make things smoother. There's a ton of depth to the combat, especially in how you have the potential to keep up limitless combos with punches, kicks, and gunfire. When you hold down your buttons, Bayonetta will freeze her punching or kicking pose while firing the guns from her heels or in her hands. In the middle of that pose, you can dodge offset an incoming attack and initiate Witch Time, which rewards you by making enemies move at a snail's pace while you get more hits in than you normally could. In other situations where you're surrounded by enemies and need some crowd control, you can have Bayonetta do some handstands while she fires her guns. Each new weapon you acquire, whether it's a katana or a huge lance you pick up from a downed enemy, gives you a whole new set of combos to master. There's an incredible variety in the gameplay for you to play around with, whether it's with new weapons or Bayonetta's punches, kicks, and guns. You'll constantly find new ways to enjoy the combat as you play through the game, keeping things fresh from start to finish. See More

Lords Of The Fallen

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Top Pro

Easier than the Souls series

Lords of the Fallen has been pretty much modeled after the Dark Souls series with gameplay that is very similar. Though with LotF, the gameplay is a bit easier, with enemies not being as excruciatingly as tough. While the easier gameplay does make Lords of the Fallen more accessible, it is still a difficult game in it's own right. See More

Top Con

Last half of the game can be too easy

In the second half of Lords of the Fallen the player is able to accrue runes that allow for stat boosts, making the game arguably a lot easier that the first half. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mixed

Top Pro

Arcade like combat

The combat in Lords of the Fallen is a bit arcade like in that it plays like a hack and slash more so than a tense combat parrying game. This makes for an easier to get into game. See More

Top Con

Flat story

The story in Lords Of The Fallen never really explains much to the player, leaving the player feeling a bit disconnected from the game, not really caring about the characters or their outcome. See More

Top Pro

Risk/reward loot system

There is a risk reward loot system within Lords of the Fallen in where the player, the further they progress without saving, the better loot they will receive as drops. So depending on when the player wants to save can create a very tense situation when having not saved in over an hour and running low on health. It runs the risk of losing all of the players progress since last saved all for the hope of better items. See More

Top Con

Frame rate issues and crashing

Lords of the Fallen has suffered from frame rate issues and crashing since it's release. Various patches have been released to address these issues but they still remain to be an issue. See More

Top Pro

Highly detailed graphics

Lords Of The Fallen features some very gorgeous graphics, something that really sets it apart from the game it takes its inspiration from. See More

Dandara

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Top Pro

Rewarding boss fights

The boss fights are exciting and fast paced battles that will put your mastery of the wall jumping movement system to the test. One particular fight has temporary platforms that spawn out of thin air, so you never know where they're going to appear. This requires some on the fly thinking as you'll not only be paying attention to the platforms, but also dodging the boss' projectiles and his minions. You'll have to be precise in your jumping and shooting. Every boss fight incorporates the fun wall jumping flawlessly and defeating each one feels like a true accomplishment. See More

Top Con

Major difficulty spikes

Dandara is a challenging game as it is, but there are some pretty sharp difficultly spikes in some areas that feel a little too punishing. This can be frustrating to some players who felt like they were making progress, only to hit these roadblocks. See More

Specs

Genre:Platformer, Metroidvania

Top Pro

Great balance between movement and combat

While you do have a gun, it takes several seconds to stop, charge up, and shoot. This means whenever you want to dispatch an enemy, you'll have to stop moving completely for several seconds. It's not as easy as it sounds, since oftentimes dodging projectiles, working around moving platforms, and finding a safe spot requires some planning ahead. Sometimes, it may be better to just keep moving rather than killing every enemy in sight. As a result, Dandara's combat provides a balance and unique challenge not often seen in "run and gun" style platformers. See More

Top Con

Save points are scarce

Killing enemies awards salt which can be used to increase your health pool and upgrade your stats. However, you can only use salt at camps (save points) which are few and far between. Additionally, having to replay large sections of content and losing experience every time you die makes the game lose some of it's fun. See More

Top Pro

Fun gameplay thanks to unique wall jumping mechanic

Rather than running and jumping, all movement in Dandara is done through a unique wall jumping mechanic. This unique jumping is the heart of the game and what sets it apart from other platformers. You can jump to any wall, ceiling, or floor within reach, often bouncing among them in rapid succession like a ninja. The mechanic itself is simple, just aim and jump. However, this movement style makes shooting at enemies, dodging projectiles, or navigating each room a fun, unique challenge that isn't seen in other platformers. See More

Top Con

Map is hard to use

The camera rotates when entering new rooms/areas, however the map doesn't rotate to reflect this. As a result, it's hard to tell which direction you need to go in. The static map feel a bit useless at times. See More

Devil May Cry HD Collection

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Top Pro

Great bargain for its price with three games in one

For three games in a single collection, $29.99 USD at launch is a steal. Completing all of the games will take you about 30 hours, plus more time if you search around for all of the hidden secrets. If you don't want to pay the usual full retail price for a new game, there's a lot of value here for your money. See More

Top Con

Latest HD release adds nothing new over the previous one

This is the exact same version of the HD collection released for the previous generation, offering nothing new. If you already played the collection on the PS3 or Xbox 360, then the most you'll have to look forward to is earning trophies and achievements again. If you wanted something extra with this latest re-release, you'll sadly be disappointed. See More

Specs

Genre:Action, Hack-and-Slash

Top Pro

Dark and tense atmosphere

The haunted locations in the games are dark and moody, giving you a tense feeling as you explore the levels. Shadows and unlit areas are stark in how dark they are, with the interiors of old style stone buildings lit only by torches or moonlight. Satanic-looking statues and archaic architecture are everywhere in the old, haunted mansions you'll explore. Demonic enemies and bosses will jump out at you from nowhere for sudden battles, forcing you to quickly react and strike back. The atmosphere can be downright creepy, but the dark mood and tense settings are really well-done, fitting perfectly with the devil-hunting themes of the games. See More

Top Con

Annoying camera issues

The fixed camera angles shift in strange, frustrating ways as they try to keep up with your perspective. As you walk through a level, the camera will suddenly change from one point, for example, to somewhere right behind you. You're presumably still making Dante go in one direction, but the camera won't give you a few seconds to adjust your controls, forcing you to go in some other direction while the camera shifts wildly around to follow you. It's an antiquated design decision that showed up a lot during the PlayStation 2 era, making the games feel dated in this day and age. See More

Top Pro

The iconic protagonist Dante is witty and entertaining

Dante is an iconic character because of how clever and stylish he is, both in cutscenes and in combat. He's laid-back and has an air of confidence as he quips with witty one-liners during story moments. His combat style is slick and cool, with flashy animations with his swords and dual guns, and he loves showing off his moves during cutscenes. The opening scene of Devil May Cry 3 shows Dante slinging his dual guns at a group of monsters while he keeps a slice of pizza in his mouth, pulling off over-the-top kicks and acrobatics while he jams to a rock song on a nearby jukebox. He's such a cool guy that it's easy to like him and get invested in his story. See More

Top Con

Devil May Cry 2 isn't as strong as the other games

Devil May Cry 2 is the weakest game in the trilogy, with combat, exploration, and a story that doesn't have the same quality as the other two games. Fighting against enemies and bosses feels bland and generic with almost no skill required to beat them. Running around the open city is also boring since it's way too linear and doesn't have the same tense atmosphere as the haunted locations from Devil May Cry 1 and 3. The story is pretty horrible as well, mainly because of the bad characters and terrible writing. It's so awful that Devil May Cry 3 basically carries on with its story and characters as if the second game never existed. There's always a chance that you'll enjoy Devil May Cry 2, but it has so many problems going for it that it's hard to praise or recommend. See More

Top Pro

Challenging boss fights

Bosses can be pretty tough, not only in how much damage they'll deal to you, but also the obstacles they throw at you to keep you on your toes. Their combat style is smartly matched with their design, including the ways they use their limbs or the environment to catch you off guard. One boss fight is against a lava-filled tarantula that swipes at you with its giant legs and makes spurts of lava shoot up from the ground underneath you. Another one is a giant bird that flaps its huge wings to blow you back, jumps up to the sky out of your view, and then swoops down to crush you beneath its feet. You'll have to react quickly to avoid taking too much damage, all the while finding windows to attack and bring the bosses down. See More

Top Pro

Flashy and satisfying hack-and-slash combat

The combat in the Devil May Cry games has awesome animations, plenty of combos to master, and a helpful rating system that displays after each battle to let you know how well you did. Armed with swords and dual guns, you'll hack enemies into the air, and slash or shoot at them with cool-looking animations as blood gushes out from their bodies. Pulling off a chain of combos against an enemy not only looks great, but it feels satisfying to lock them in place while you slice away at them and maintain the upper-hand. The ratings you get after each fight will give you a grade based on your speed and finesse for pure validation. New players can get away with button-mashing on the easier difficulties without caring about the rating, but more hardcore action game veterans could use the ratings to see where they can improve their play. The battle system as a whole is incredible for anyone looking for action-packed fights with either button-mashing or smart combos. See More

Mount Your Friends

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Top Pro

Easy to pick up

The simplicity of the main game makes it easy for anyone to grasp the concept in seconds - people know very quickly whether they will like it or not. See More

Top Con

Keyboard controls do not work as well as controller

Being that the game was originally designed for consoles the controls work best with a controller. The keyboard controls feel a bit off and are more difficult. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Top Pro

Good amount of content for price

Coming in at $4.99 there is actually quite a few modes of play as well as local multiplayer, not to mention a character editor. For the price there is actually a good bit to do in the game making for a nice amount of longevity. See More

Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition

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Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Action Role-Playing

Co-Op:2 Player Online

Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice

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Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

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