We all love a challenging game ever now and then. That’s what got us into video games in the first place – that rewarding feeling when you finally overcome a tough-as-nails boss, or complete a particularly arduous level.
However, some games refuse to hold the hands of the uninitiated. These games provide a challenge that makes hardcore fans out of some, and discouraged gamers out of many.
The following titles are among the hardest video games for newcomers to play, either by virtue of their insane difficulty curve, their community or their complete lack of guidance.
The Hardest Video Games for Newcomers to Play
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Dota 2
MOBAs are notoriously unforgiving towards newcomers, and Dota 2 is no different. Featuring a daunting, massive learning curve, Dota 2 requires you to have a basic understanding of each of its 110 heroes in order to at least progress past "noob" level. After overcoming that hurdle, you've then got to try your hand at mastering the game which, considering it's populated by gamers who will wipe the floor with you time and time again, is no small feat.
If you want to have even the slightest chance of holding your own in Dota 2, your best bet is to sift through the many online tutorials before even thinking about dipping your toe in the deep end.
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Demon's Souls and Dark Souls
Going into Demon's Souls and its spiritual successor Dark Souls with no knowledge of death being one of their crucial game mechanics would be a torturous experience.
Both games refuse to hold the player's hand, and rightly so - their difficulty knowingly mirrors old-school classics such as Ghosts 'n' Goblins and the Castlevania series, only in a 3D setting. They require the player to know that they're going to be in for a long and gruelling ride before playing, otherwise they can be more than a little alienating for the modern gamer who's grown accustomed to being led through a barrage of tutorials. To the uninitiated, Demon's and Dark Souls would seem insurmountable. To the initiated, that's all part of the fun.
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League of Legends
Another MOBA, League of Legends is not only difficult for newbies to penetrate in terms of its gameplay, but it's also populated by a particularly toxic community, which even LoL players themselves recognise.
With its reporting system being frequently abused and insults flying around left, right and centre from player to player, newcomers should prepare themselves for a lot of griefing and a LOT of harrassment.
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All Sports Games
Back in the day the sport game genre was one of the easiest to delve into, even if you didn't have a knowledge of the actual sport. Games like FIFA Soccer, NBA Live, NHL and Madden were all playable even if you didn't know what a midfielder, quarterback or point guard was.
Nowadays things are very different. As sports games now place more importance in being simulations for existing fans of each sport rather than pick up 'n' play arcadey games for the masses to enjoy, you're now required to have a knowledge of the sport if you wish to play its game. EA Sports games in particular feature a bazillion different modes and game types that are almost indecipherable for newcomers to each series, which will inevitably lead you to scratch your head in frustration before you've even played the game.
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StarCraft 2
Newcomers can still expect to have a lot of fun in StarCraft 2's campaign, but when it comes to its multiplayer that's a whole 'nother story.
Arguably the most popular game played on a professional level, StarCraft 2 is one of the biggest eSports games out there, and that is exactly why it's so unforgiving towards those just starting out.
Developer Blizzard made the game more lenient to newcomers with the 'Heart of the Swarm' expansion, but at its core StarCraft 2 is still a game that demands your time and patience if you are to stand a chance of being able to hang with its community.
