20 Video Games That You Beat After Months of Trying
Some video games are so challenging they make you question your skills, sanity, and sometimes your entire life’s purpose. These aren’t your casual weekend playthroughs; these are the titles that made you grind for months, mastering every mechanic and memorizing every enemy pattern. Here are 20 video games that pushed us all to our limits and made that final victory all the sweeter.
1. Dark Souls: Prepare to Cry
Dark Souls didn’t just test your reflexes; it tested your patience, endurance, and emotional stability. Every boss felt like a personal vendetta, every death a lesson learned the hard way. The joy of finally beating Ornstein and Smough after countless tries? Pure bliss. By the end, you weren’t just a player; you were a battle-hardened warrior.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Master Mode Madness
Sure, Breath of the Wild was stunning, but throw in Master Mode, and suddenly every Bokoblin is a nightmare. Enemies regenerate health, hit like trucks, and hunt you in packs. Ganon feels like a vacation compared to the random Lynels lurking around. It’s beautiful, but it’s brutal.
3. Cuphead: A Cartoonishly Hard Challenge
Don’t let the charming 1930s art style fool you—Cuphead is a gauntlet of frustration. Each boss battle feels like a perfectly choreographed dance where one misstep means doom. The precision required to dodge attacks while landing your own is punishingly addictive. Beating the Devil himself after months of retries? Utterly euphoric.
4. Elden Ring: Open World, Endless Death
FromSoftware turned up the difficulty dial with Elden Ring, offering an expansive world filled with horrors. The freedom to explore comes at a cost: stumbling into a boss fight you’re wildly unprepared for. Margit, Radahn, and Malenia are just a few names that might haunt your dreams. Months later, you’ve beaten it—and you’ve earned bragging rights.
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5. Bloodborne: Gothic Torture at Its Finest
Bloodborne doesn’t hold your hand—it breaks it. The fast-paced combat and grotesque enemies make for a relentless experience. Father Gascoigne alone could keep you stuck for weeks. Finally conquering the nightmare and emerging victorious feels like earning a PhD in pain.
6. Super Meat Boy: The Definition of Precision
This indie gem doesn’t just challenge you; it mocks you. Every level demands pixel-perfect precision, with saw blades and spikes waiting for any misstep. The instant respawns make it addictive, even as you fail hundreds of times. Months later, beating the game feels like a badge of honor.
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7. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – Timing is Everything
Sekiro took FromSoftware’s difficulty formula and added a parry system that’s as unforgiving as it is satisfying. Bosses like Genichiro and the Demon of Hatred turn combat into a deadly rhythm game. Mastering the mechanics feels impossible—until it doesn’t. That moment of victory is pure adrenaline.
8. Hollow Knight: Bugs, Bosses, and Brutality
Hollow Knight lures you in with gorgeous visuals and an atmospheric world, only to crush your soul with its difficulty. The sprawling map is confusing, the enemies relentless, and the bosses unforgettable. Getting to the true ending feels like a Herculean feat—but it’s worth every tear.
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9. Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Old-School Agony
Retro gamers know the pain of Ghosts ‘n Goblins. You get two hits—two!—and then it’s game over. To add insult to injury, you have to beat the game twice to see the real ending. Months of memorizing patterns finally pay off, but at what cost to your sanity?
10. Monster Hunter: World – The Grind is Real
Taking down Elder Dragons in Monster Hunter: World isn’t just about skill—it’s about preparation. Crafting the right gear, learning monster patterns, and mastering your weapon take time. Each successful hunt feels like a small miracle, especially after countless failures. That final Nergigante takedown? Chef’s kiss.
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11. Ninja Gaiden (2004): Ninjas Don’t Play Fair
This is the game that separates casuals from hardcore gamers. The combat is lightning-fast, the enemies relentless, and the bosses utterly unforgiving. Even basic encounters can leave you wrecked. Beating this game isn’t just an achievement—it’s a rite of passage.
12. Celeste: A Platforming Everest
Celeste is as much about emotional growth as it is about precision platforming. Every screen is a meticulously crafted challenge that requires flawless timing and persistence. The mountain is steep, but reaching the summit is a deeply rewarding experience. Madeline’s journey feels personal, even as you rack up thousands of deaths.
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13. Contra: The Code Wasn’t Enough
The Konami Code gave you 30 lives, but in Contra, that barely felt like enough. This side-scrolling shooter throws enemies, bullets, and bosses at you non-stop. Mastering the game without cheats? Months of muscle memory and perseverance.
14. Final Fantasy Tactics: Strategy Meets Insanity
The story is incredible, but Final Fantasy Tactics is no walk in the park. Battles require careful planning, perfect placement, and a little bit of luck. Wiegraf alone could take weeks to defeat. By the time you finish, you feel like a tactical genius.
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15. DOOM Eternal: Speed, Guns, and Mayhem
DOOM Eternal isn’t just fast-paced—it’s an all-out assault on your senses. The constant juggling of weapons, health, and movement feels impossible at first. Months of practice later, you’re ripping and tearing through demons like a metalhead virtuoso.
16. XCOM 2: The Enemy Always Wins
Strategy games rarely feel this punishing. XCOM 2 doesn’t just test your tactics; it forces you to adapt as everything falls apart. Losing soldiers you’ve trained for hours is a gut punch, but success tastes even sweeter after months of learning the ropes.
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17. The Witness: Puzzles on Steroids
The Witness isn’t about combat; it’s about puzzles—fiendishly difficult puzzles. Solving some of the late-game mysteries takes weeks of trial and error, not to mention existential questioning. Completing it feels like solving a Rubik’s cube while blindfolded.
18. God of War (2018): Valkyrie Vendetta
While the main story isn’t too punishing, the Valkyries are another story. These optional bosses push your skills and reflexes to the limit. Sigrun, the Queen of the Valkyries, is a gauntlet of frustration. Months of retries later, victory feels like lifting Mjölnir itself.
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19. Red Dead Redemption 2: 100% Completion Club
Beating the story is one thing; achieving 100% completion is another. Hunting legendary animals, tracking every treasure, and mastering every challenge takes dedication. Months of immersive gameplay later, you’re not just a cowboy—you’re a legend.
20. Tetris: The Never-Ending Nightmare
Simple? Yes. Easy? Absolutely not. Tetris becomes a relentless challenge as the speed ramps up, testing reflexes and foresight. Reaching the fabled Level 20 or higher is a testament to your perseverance. Months of stacking blocks later, you’ll see falling shapes in your dreams.
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