Modern games often offer a range of difficulty settings, but older games, like those on the original PlayStation, didn’t. They were simply challenging, and success depended entirely on the player’s skill and determination. There were no in-game hints, online guides, or video walkthroughs to help. While many associate the phrase “Git Gud” with Dark Souls, the idea of overcoming challenges through personal skill actually began in the 1990s with those early, unforgiving games.
If you enjoy a good challenge, the PlayStation has a fantastic selection of older, notoriously difficult games. You’ll find tough titles across many different genres and franchises – some of the most challenging games ever made!
If you can still play classic PlayStation 1 games and want a real challenge, here are a few recommendations.
10. Valkyrie Profile
Valhalla Is Nowhere To Be Found
Released near the end of the PlayStation 1’s lifespan in 2000, Valkyrie Profile stands out as a truly unique JRPG. It’s widely considered one of the best, but also one of the most challenging, due to its intentionally unclear direction – players are often left unsure of where to go or what to do next.
You can adjust the difficulty level, but choosing anything below Normal will limit your experience and isn’t recommended if you want to fully enjoy the game.
You’ll generally be able to handle the dungeons you encounter, but occasionally you’ll stumble into areas that are far too difficult and suffer a quick defeat. Playing without a guide can also cause you to miss out on valuable characters, making your team weaker, and the game’s many systems can be quite complex to figure out on your own.
To succeed in this game, you’ll need to become skilled at fighting, carefully explore your surroundings, and make smart choices about which items to use. It’s a challenging experience, but a rewarding one if you’re up for the difficulty.
9. Vagrant Story
Fighting The Combat
One of the biggest challenges in *Vagrant Story* is its combat system. It’s incredibly complex and poorly explained, often requiring players to consult online guides to understand how it works. There’s a huge amount to keep track of, including risk levels, different weapon types, combos, crafting, various damage types, and a unique system where weapons become more effective the more you use them against certain enemies. It’s a game with a truly overwhelming level of depth.
Vagrant Story was remarkably innovative for its time, both in how it played and the story it told. However, it’s not an easy game to get into. The first few hours can be quite frustrating, as you’ll find it difficult to deal damage, you’re very vulnerable to attacks, and it’s unclear which weapons are effective against enemies.
This game remains one of the most original and enjoyable RPGs available, though it does have a bit of a learning curve.
8. Fear Effect
Cel Shaded Hell
As a fan, I always thought Fear Effect was a really cool take on the whole Resident Evil vibe – super stylish with all the neon! But let me tell you, it’s *hard*. Seriously, it’s a brutally difficult game. You’re constantly on the edge of failure because you can’t take much damage, the controls are a bit clunky, and those stealth sections? Forget about it – they’re super unforgiving. You really have to be prepared for a challenge!
The game really shines with its beautiful graphics, excellent voice acting, and immersive atmosphere, but unfortunately, it’s incredibly difficult to play. The outdated controls, reminiscent of the mid-90s, and poorly designed stealth sections lead to frustratingly quick game overs. Ultimately, it feels like the game relies too heavily on its style without offering a solid gameplay experience.
This game requires patience. It’s less about skill and more about making smart decisions. A single mistake – like a bad roll or wasting ammo – can quickly lead to failure. It’s definitely a game you learn from, and it stands out as one of the more interesting horror titles on the PlayStation 1.
7. Final Fantasy Tactics
The Bumps In the Road
Although *Final Fantasy Tactics* has a charming appearance, it’s a surprisingly mature game with a complex story and demanding gameplay. Mastering the game requires careful management of your team – you’ll need to constantly optimize their equipment, formations, and items just to succeed.
The game starts off simple, but the boss fights get surprisingly difficult, with sudden jumps in challenge that are hard to anticipate. One fight, in particular, is so tough it can effectively halt your progress unless you’re specifically prepared.
The battle against Wiegraf is notoriously difficult, often forcing players to start the game over if they lose. It’s considered unbalanced because it begins with a challenging one-on-one fight, and even if you survive that, you’ll face another, even more powerful form that can quickly defeat your team. It’s a surprise encounter, and you absolutely need Ramza to be fully prepared to have any chance of winning. Unlike other tough fights, you can’t simply gain levels to become stronger beforehand.
6. Koudelka
The Dark Breeds Horror
Koudelka plays a lot like Resident Evil, but with turn-based combat, and it does so effectively. The battles start out simple, but become challenging fairly quickly. The combat uses a grid system where controlling the battlefield and limiting enemy movement are key to success.
Okay, so the boss fights? They’re tough. Like, really tough. The difficulty jumps up suddenly, and you can get wrecked if you’re not ready. I’m used to strategy games where I can hang back and react, but this game doesn’t let you do that. You’re stuck in tight spaces, and it’s basically a frantic fight for survival against increasingly scary enemies. You *have* to be on your A-game the whole time!
The game also features puzzles that can be really confusing, and some hidden mechanics are difficult to figure out on your own. For example, there’s an item that helps you survive the final boss, but you’d probably need a guide to even know it exists.
5. King’s Field II
The Birth Of The Soul
Wondering where the original Dark Souls got its start? It all began with the King’s Field series. While the first game didn’t reach a global audience, the second one did – and for good reason. King’s Field is incredibly challenging, just like the modern Souls games we know and love.
You experience the game from an outside perspective, exploring dungeons and battling terrifying enemies – just like in the Souls series. What makes this game especially challenging is the speed difference between you and your opponents. Enemies attack incredibly quickly, while your movements feel sluggish in comparison.
Okay, so King’s Field II is *hard*. Like, really hard. But sometimes it feels less challenging and more just… unfair. The game design isn’t always great, honestly. Everything feels stacked against you, and the controls are pretty clunky. It’s super difficult to be accurate with your attacks when things feel so sluggish, and that just makes the already tough battles incredibly frustrating. It’s tough, sure, but not always in a fun way.
4. Armored Core
Mecha Chaos
The original *Armored Core* arrived during a surge in popularity for giant robot (mecha) anime around the globe. FromSoftware created the game hoping to capitalize on this trend, and while it launched a long-running and successful franchise, it was also notoriously challenging.
The biggest problem was the controls. Even though you’re piloting a giant, walking tank, controlling it felt clunky and confusing, not powerful like a tank should. Using the shoulder buttons for aiming felt especially awkward, especially with how fast-paced the gameplay was.
The game features some really challenging battles, and often, the biggest hurdle isn’t the enemies themselves, but the controls. Even if you master the somewhat awkward control scheme, the fights remain incredibly difficult. You’ll constantly need to adapt your character’s abilities and figure out which weapons are most effective, all while dealing with a lot of on-screen action, making for a truly demanding experience.
3. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
The Undead World
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver was a major breakthrough for the series, which had a few earlier games. It was the first game to fully utilize 3D graphics and really elevated the franchise. I recall playing it when it first came out, and although I was captivated by the game’s world and atmosphere, I found the combat and puzzles quite confusing.
The combat in Soul Reaver is challenging, typical of action games from the 1990s. But it’s more than just difficult – many fights are designed like puzzles. You can’t just overpower enemies; you need to cleverly use your surroundings. You’re vulnerable, and facing truly terrifying creatures, so you’ll often have to trick them into environmental hazards like spikes and traps, or use specific items to defeat them.
As a fan, I can tell you the boss fights are seriously challenging! It’s not just about whittling down their health. You really have to *study* what’s happening around you to find openings and weaknesses. Honestly, it can be super frustrating because it’s not always obvious what you’re supposed to do. You end up feeling like you’re hitting a wall until you finally ‘get it’!
2. Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
Navigating The Shadows
When Metal Gear Solid blew everyone away in ’98, Tenchu was the game that tried to go head-to-head with it – it even came out pretty close to the same time, which probably hurt its chances. Honestly, though, this game was *hard*. Like, seriously tough. You really had to master stealth, use all your gadgets – I loved tossing out poisoned rice to distract guards – and have lightning-fast reactions to get through the fights. It demanded a lot, but it was super rewarding when you finally pulled it off.
Okay, so playing as Rikimaru is totally different than something like Sekiro. You really have to focus on being sneaky because you’re not meant to just charge in and fight. Enemies notice each other quickly, so if you mess up even a little bit, you’ll either be scrambling to escape or staring at the ‘game over’ screen. It’s all about avoiding fights when you can!
This game is challenging and incredibly well-made, but it requires patience. Players weren’t quite prepared for it, as the stealth genre was still very new at the time.
1. Driver
Can You Even Finish the Tutorial?
Driver is a standout game on the original PlayStation. You play as a getaway driver who’s secretly an undercover police officer. The game lives up to its name – it’s not just about speed. You really have to be a skilled driver to evade the police, and that means mastering a variety of tricky driving techniques.
You’ll get to show off these skills in the first level, which is surprisingly the most challenging part of the game. It’s known for being incredibly difficult, and many players struggle to complete it. The reason is that you’ll need to demonstrate a good understanding of driving through various maneuvers. While it starts simple, it quickly becomes tough, and the game doesn’t always clearly indicate when you’ve succeeded.
Back in the day, there weren’t any patches to fix things, so if you got stuck or a mission didn’t work, you were kind of at the mercy of the game! You either hoped it would *eventually* recognize you’d done what it wanted, or you just started a new game. And honestly, the driving was tough! Some missions needed really precise control, and let me tell you, driving through those city streets in 1999 felt *nothing* like the smooth handling we’re used to in modern games. It was a real challenge!
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2025-10-10 16:42