We can all agree that the thrill of completing a game in Hard Mode is unmatched. Sure, it takes hours of practice and countless deaths, but seeing those credits roll after completing a hellish game mode for those sweet bragging rights is worth it.
Although these games are easy to complete and fun too on normal difficulties, their hardcore modes are the opposite, designed to deliver an unforgiving experience that will break you again and again. You might even start hating the game and never boot it again.
Games like Doom Eternal and Wolfenstein take hours of practice, skill, and flawless gameplay to make it to the end. It takes months or even years to achieve this kind of playstyle, and mastery like this is reserved for the truly obsessed.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Hardcore Mode Update
You won’t believe it, but the recently released Hardcore Mode for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is even harsher than the one for the first game.
From the get-go, you’ll have to pick 3 negative perks, like: frequent hunger, sleepwalking, or more stamina drain, which stay with you for the rest of the playthrough, along with zero HUD Assist, enemies that will flank you, and zero on-screen markers when fighting.
It also removes hints and fast travel in the name of realism and immersion, which is fun once you memorize all the signs and landmarks on the map.
Minecraft
Hardcore Survival Variant
I find Minecraft to be a very cozy game. Building homes in Creative is fun and relaxing, but even when playing survival, it’s approachable, since you can respawn and don’t have to do a whole lot of planning.
But Survival’s Hardcore mode is a different deal, and I suggest planning your every move. A careless fall, an exploding creeper, or even a baby zombie can ruin 100 hours of progression because the mode has permadeath, meaning you can’t just respawn and take your stuff back, and the difficulty is locked to “HARD”.
The mode requires constant awareness of your surroundings, planning, and preparation if you plan on making it past the first couple of nights.
God of War 2018
“Give Me God of War”
On normal, God of War 2018 is a cinematic masterpiece. It’s simple, digestible, and pretty forgiving, but the “Give Me God of War” setting is truly unforgiving, best left to those who have the endurance of a Greek god.
Along with the traditional buffed-up enemies and limited resources, the mode features a very cool but brutal mechanic, where enemies can level up mid-fight and regenerate health.
This wouldn’t be much of a problem if the enemies weren’t as aggressive and had more health than normal, but that’s exactly what makes every encounter a true test of your skills.
Bosses that give you a hard time in normal mode are nightmares in this, but the satisfaction of completing the mode is worth it.
Outlast
Insane Difficulty
Outlast is one of those games I just can’t bring myself to replay. It’s just that scary, even on its normal difficulty, but the devs decided to crank the madness in their Insane Mode.
So to start, there are no checkpoints in the mode. One wrong move can ruin your progression, and you’ll have to start from the beginning. To make it worse, the batteries are scarce, and the enemies hit harder, meaning you’ll keep coming back to the asylum until you leave no room for errors.
As you progress further in each run, the fear of chases becomes 10 times more terrifying, making this mode a perfect fit for such a game.
* Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus remains as is.
Mein Leben Mode
Typically, you operate as a lone wolf inWolfenstein…aggressively fighting to reach the finale with a weapon in each hand, but the “Mein Leben” difficulty setting can swiftly bring you down to earth.That’s the main reason why you should play the game on the easiest setting.
This is essentially a souped-up edition of “I am Death Incarnate,” the game’s second-hardest setting, but with a single, devastating addition: Permadeath. This means no saving, no retries, and requires potentially hours of perfect play if you intend to complete it.
A single instance of bad luck, like an enemy grenade, can wipe out hours of progress.This is very probable, especially considering the increased difficulty posed by stronger and more numerous enemies.
Ending this misery requires a significant investment of time, unwavering patience, and countless attempts to master all the necessary skills.
* Uncharted: A Compilation Featuring Nathan Drake * The Nathan Drake Collection: An Uncharted Saga * Uncharted: All of Nathan Drake’s Adventures in One Package
Brutal Difficulty
While the fighting is enjoyable inUnchartedIt’s not a game you can breeze through without much effort or skill; in fact, Brutal Mode is the polar opposite of that.
You have to beat the game on “Crushing” mode first, which is tough enough, but “Brutal” mode is on an entirely different plane of difficulty.Your adversaries are lethal, capable of taking you down with just a few shots, or even a single one. Not only are they aggressive, but their aim is also incredibly precise., coupled with a severely restricted ammunition supply.
Aiming for corners and landing exclusively headshots is the key to victory, perfectly capturing the essence of what you’re about to experience.
Dead Space 2
Hard Core Mode
Dead Space 2on edge, yet just and impartial.fun game on normal difficulties. You don’t have to worry about resources or saves, but its Hard Core mode is not that forgiving.
It has all the usual stuff: Buffed enemies, scarce resources, and no checkpoints, but it does have one unique thing: it gives the players only three manual saves throughout the run.
You can’t save after every chapter, or else there won’t be any left in the end, and at the same time, even if you save wisely, one wrong move can cause death, sending you back to that save, which might have been several chapters ago.
This presents the highest level of difficulty, often demanding numerous tries to discover the ideal placement for a successful recovery.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
NG+ Hard Mode
Final Fantasy VII Remake’s hard mode unlocks after completing the game once, and it’s merciful enough to let you keep all your equipment through the new game+, but even that doesn’t make it any easier.
Hard Mode completely strips away the ability to use items, meaning no potions, no Phoenix Down or Turbo Ether, no nothing, and if this wasn’t enough, the MP doesn’t regenerate after battles, forcing you to manage between chapters.
All of that with the harder enemies with more health, which makes your New Game+ absolutely essential to have.
In contrast, the normal difficulty is much easier and more forgiving, leaving Hard Mode for the strong-willed gamers.
Doom Eternal
Ultra Nightmare Mode
Definitely one of the hardest modes to complete, Doom’s Ultra Nightmare Mode is the true test of skill.
The mode features permadeath and buffed-up enemies, which make you constantly sweat for chainsaw kills, while also maintaining distance, or else one or two hits will end hours of your progress.
It takes insane skill to even make it past the first few chapters, because of how aggressive enemies are and how often they hit you like a train.
It’s a perfect mode to play if you want a real challenge, which will take your insanity and hundreds of hours to master.
The Evil Within
AKUMU
If you truly want to put yourself through an unforgivable experience, which I am sure most will quit after the first few minutes, then try the Evil Within’s “Akumu” difficulty.
The easier difficulties are not a breeze, that’s for sure, but you can still get by even if you are not a veteran gamer, but Akumu is in its own league.
Faster, more damage-dealing enemies, along with more traps and scarce resources, make the mode already pretty difficult, but the devs decided to add the one-hit death rule, which means if your character gets hit by anything, even if it’s a trap, he will die, and you’ll have to end up back at one of the long distance checkpoints.
It gets so annoying, most gamers quit after the second mission. It requires serious skill and practice to be able to end the mode.
