Suggest me a challenging game.

[krazykidd]

First off i will like to say that this is NOT a rant that games are too easy, nor that i am supperior or whatever some people like to conjure up in their minds.

Now i'm looking for a game with some genuine challenge, something somewhat difficult that would entertaining , and challenge skill and mind. Iv'e played so many video games that alot of things don't even require me think too hard. I don't mean games like VVVVV and super meatboy and IWBTG (which i have finished ) because those aren't challenging as much as it is trial and error / timing / dumb luck. Also refrain from things like CoD 4 on veteran difficulty , which is challenging i will admit , but mostly because the computer cheats ( SPAM FRAG GRANADES FTW ! ). I'm just looking for something that cannot just be breezed through.
Any game genre suggestion is welcome EXCEPT RTS , oh god i desprise RTS ( although if you have a REALLY REALLY good RTS thats almost no one can dislike go ahead and suggest it ). So put your heads together and suggest some challenging games ( let's see if we can get a list of all the hard games out there .

EDIT: Consoles i have : PC , Xbox 360 , Wii , N64 , PS2 , PS1 , DS , PSP , and a NES

Edit 2 : I already have catherine, im playing on normal and i am at the final stage, i plan on tacleing hard mode when i finish it, but yeah it was challenging AND fun.

 

[AyreonMaiden]

Catherine, on ANY difficulty. Easy will kill you too, guaranteed.

It's a hard game because it's a frantic puzzler with many different solutions for its levels. It lacks the mathematical rigidness of, say, Portal, where once you know where the portals go, you just know it forever and the next playthrough will be easy unless you forget it.

There are many different techniques, tips and tricks that you learn in-game for climbing up the wall effectively, and you'll be in later levels, learning about them and realizing "Oh! I could have done this 5 levels back and it would have been easy..."

It's not an artificial challenge. This is the real deal.

 

[Justanothergamer300]

Catherine, on ANY difficulty.
It's not an artificial challenge. This is the real deal.

The bit about Catherine is true I'm playing on easy and it's killed me plenty of times

 

[The Madman]

The STALKER games on the PC are pretty damned challenging at times, especially on the higher difficulties. One of those games I regularly quick-save while playing just because with it's semi-randomized environments and surprisingly good AI you can never be sure what's around each corner.

Another game I've been playing recently is Dark Messiah of Might & Magic and honestly, it might just be too difficult for me at times. I figured 'hey, I've played this game before even if it may have been years ago, why not play through on hard difficulty this time as a stealth specialist? I should be fine!'... ouch. I'm nearing the end of the game now, but damn has it been tough at points. And hard isn't even the highest difficulty, hell, it's only the second option of three, the middle option. If someone has genuinely beaten this game without exploits or cheats on its hardest difficulty I'd be damned impressed.

And I know you say no RTS but have you considered Starcraft 2? I mean if you're looking for a challenging online environment and arena you can't get much more competitive than SC2's online component. Campaign is pretty good as well, especially if you strive to get the individual level achievements which often add a new dimension to the scenario and yet another layer of difficulty. Still not everyone's cup o tea!

 

[StraightToHeck]

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for XBLA

very unforgiving

 

[Jegsimmons]

Stalker, Any halo game on legendary with all skulls, and the one everyone forgets...Contra 3.

 

[infohippie]

STALKER. Any of the three games, really. It's beautiful and desolate, and certainly challenging. But download the graphical update for whichever one you play, it looks so much better. The graphic upgrades are named something like "STALKER Complete 2009" or "Call of Pripyat Complete".

EDIT: Damn, ninja'd twice in just a few minutes.

 

[Azure Sky]

Let me see...

Dark Cloud [PS2] Would have to give a mention to one of my favorite games on the system, by no means hard, but no walk in the park either.

Cave Story [PC/Wii] An epic old style platformer who's difficulty curve can catch people by surprise. PC version is freeware I believe.

.Hack// Volumes 1-4 [PS2] My other PS2 favorite, a multi-volumed, save transferring RPG saga. This one may be beyond most peoples ability to obtain though, it can be quite unforgiving.

=3

 

[Kohake]

I kind ahate when people talk about "hard" games because what a challenging game does is test your skills, but there are so many diffrnet kinds of skills. Diggint through a brick wall with a spoon is fairly hard but it's not very impressive and it's boring as hell.

I have actually been working on a game of my own in game maker and it was pretty bloody hard. I had to make it easier so that my friends, who are avid games, could get through it. I could ge through it ven on the hardest versioun due to all my testing but even for me it took quite a bunch of tries. It's not trial and error either. All obsticles are in plane sight and you can plan ahead so you know what to do. It was also mentally challenign because some challnges looked impossible but you had to figure out how time the jumps and stuff. I'm sure the game would take you at least 3 hours, possibly more depenfing on the version and your skill.(though I assume you're pretty good)

The game was almost finished and I was just going back replacing some place-holder graphics, butt hen my HDD crashed and the game is gone. I've easily spent over 100h working on it. I might be able to find an older version that I sent to a friend, but don't count on it.

 

[Skops]

- Super Meat Boy!

It's challenging, loads of content, and you won't even get rage cause it's just plain fun.

- Mega Man Anniversery Collection.

ALL 8 CLASSIC MEGA MAN GAMES.

- Mega Man 9

Just outright hard. Some say 10 is harder, but that's just not true, 10 has an easy mode. 10 is only just as challenging as MM9 on HARD Mode.

 

[infohippie]

Super Meat Boy!

It's challenging, loads of content, and you won't even get rage cause it's just plain fun.

Did you read the OP? He specifically said not games like Super Meat Boy.

 

[xXCrocmonXx]

Digimon World 2 (Playstation) will break your ass because you're playing it. I've never been able to finish it because it tends to set you up in situations where you're screwed and say "Either leave now or we're just going to get meaner things to kill you." Plus the dungeon hazards in the domains were rather temperamental, often times ignoring that you had detection methods and boning you like it was your honeymoon.

Also, I'd suggest going for the Brass Balls achievement on Bioshock. I never got it. If you turn off Vita-Chambers (recent patch for it adds the functionality iirc), you can run through the game. However, deaths with no Vita-Chamber access in-game will take you to the title screen. It is also one of those games that likes to bone you like it's your honeymoon whenever you make a bad decision.

IF you want an arcade game, I'll suggest the new Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 XBLA port. It has regular duels of Magic games, and also has a challenge mode where you're stuck in a one-turn clock and have to win it in that turn in order to win. Very skill-demanding. However, there are other ports if you're more for STEAM setups.

EDIT: I can attest to the .hack// Volumes of Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, and Quarantine are all really brutal games, highly skill intensive, and have very interesting stories.

 

[Skops]

Super Meat Boy!

It's challenging, loads of content, and you won't even get rage cause it's just plain fun.

Did you read the OP? He specifically said not games like Super Meat Boy.

My bad. I tend to skip over things like that if they are not properly capitalised.

 

[Turigamot]

Dragon Quest 7.

 

[krazykidd]

I actually have Catherine, im playing it on normal , and im at the last stage :/ , but yeah that was fun and challenging, im going for hard mode tomorrow if i finish it

 

[khoax123]

From the looks of it u seem to like puzzle games so i suggest

Electric box free flash game (puzzle engineering type game)
Crazy machines (same as above but not free)
Amnesia (scariest game i played soo far with puzzle elements)
Portal advance maps

i would suggest portal 2 but it was made to be easy, well wait until that free DLC comes out with advance maps and more levels still waiting Valve....
For people who don't believe me that portal was meant to be easy, play single player again with developers commentary

 

[TrevHead]

Serious Sam HD, Painkiller, Quake 2 PC without overusing the autosave feature

If you like M&K FPS games these are very fast and skill based, kinda like modern online FPS games

Dunno if you will enjoy them but the whole retro arcade genres like shmups are based on challenge. Try to beat the game without continueing and getting the best score. Jamestown on steam and Deathsmiles on 360 are good places to start.

Also check out Sin and Punishment 2 on Wii. Ninja Gaiden on Xbox / Ps3 and Shinobi on Ps2

 

[mireko]

Maybe I'm not very hardcore, but I found Bayonetta on the 360 to be quite challenging without being cheap at all. Beating the highest difficulty setting was extremely satisfying as well.

There are also games like Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (Lucifer's Call in PAL regions), Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2 and perhaps also Persona 3 for the PS2. Hard mode (whenever available) on those games is a genuine challenge. Hell, Persona 4 is fairly tough on expert.

Some of the dungeon crawlers for the DS (Strange Journey, The Dark Spire, Etrian Odyssey, etc) are supposed to be amazing and difficult in equal measure, though I don't own a DS and can't test.

Also: Keep your eyes peeled for Dark Souls this October.