10 Games Where You Turn Death Into Strategy

It’s never fun to lose in a video game, and it’s especially annoying when you’re stuck on a difficult boss. When that happens, players often turn to online guides or videos for help. Some might even resort to cheats or glitches – like finding ways to earn extra money or experience points in role-playing games – just to get past a tough spot.

Some games offer a unique twist: the ability to cleverly use death to your advantage. While uncommon, these games are a great find for players who enjoy strategic challenges. They can be difficult, but the most satisfying gaming experiences often require effort and thought.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

The Cocoon Strategy

Many consider *Hollow Knight: Silksong* to be a very challenging game, but there’s a helpful strategy for defeating bosses. When Hornet dies, she leaves behind a Cocoon and any Rosaries (the game’s currency) she’s collected. Players can recover their lost Rosaries and replenish their Silk meter – used for healing and special attacks – by destroying the Cocoon.

This item can be a lifesaver during boss fights. Players can use it as a backup plan to regain Silk if their health gets low. If they fail and restart the fight, they can break the item when they’re in a tough spot.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

The Trick Is In The Name

Unlike other recent FromSoftware games, *Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice* doesn’t let you level up your character through traditional RPG systems. Instead, you improve your abilities by finding better equipment and utilizing the game’s unique mechanics.

Players can instantly revive after being defeated. Smart gamers can use this to their benefit by pretending to be out of the fight, then surprising their attacker with a counterattack or escaping to rethink their approach.

Hades

Entering God Mode

Hades is a challenging but rewarding roguelike game, and it offers options to make it easier for players who need it. A feature called God Mode protects players from damage, starting with a 20% reduction. This protection increases with each death, effectively making players more resilient over time. While players *could* repeatedly die to become very strong, it’s more enjoyable to actually play the game and progress.

Castle Crashers

Keep Up The Rhythm

I still think *Castle Crashers* is one of the best beat ’em ups from the 2000s, and honestly, it holds up really well even now. You can play it solo, or team up with up to three friends to smash through tons of enemies with a bunch of different characters. It’s a blast!

When playing with others, if a teammate goes down, you can bring them back to life using a quick mini-game. Aiming for the heart during the revival will give them extra health. If you’re critically low on health, you can intentionally go down and let your teammates revive you for a boost.

Borderlands 4

One Last Chance

Since the very first game, the *Borderlands* series has featured a unique second-chance system that returns in *Borderlands 4*. When a player’s health drops to zero, they enter ‘Fight For Your Life’ mode. If they can defeat an enemy during this time, they’ll regain partial health and continue playing. Skilled players can even intentionally take damage to activate this mode, allowing them to quickly heal by defeating an enemy.

Super Time Force

Time Bandits

Super Time Force is a fast-paced 2D action game similar to Contra, but with a unique time-bending mechanic. When your character dies, a ghostly echo of their previous actions remains. You can then rewind time and bring in another character to fight alongside this echo, effectively creating a team. This adds a layer of strategy, as skillful players can use their own deaths to set up traps and overcome enemies – it’s more than just running and shooting!

Final Fantasy 9

Born To Die

Many *Final Fantasy* games feature spells that let a character trade their life to either heal allies or unleash powerful attacks. A great example appears in *Final Fantasy 9* with the protagonist, Zidane. Later in the game, Zidane learns the Sacrifice ability, allowing him to restore the health and magical points of his entire party by intentionally ending his own life – a tactic that can be very helpful in certain situations.

Hotel Barcelona

The Phantom Strikes

I’m so excited about *Hotel Barcelona*! It’s a new game from two of my favorite creators, Suda51 and Swery65. It’s a 2D roguelike where you‘re stuck inside this crazy hotel and the only way out is to beat all the bad guys haunting it. Sounds awesome!

When a player dies, they create a Phantom based on their previous game. Improving certain skills makes these automatically-playing Phantoms more powerful, encouraging players to strategically plan their deaths to build up a strong Phantom team for tackling bosses in future runs.

Disgaea: Hour Of Darkness

Reincarnate And Become Stronger

The *Disgaea* games are tactical RPGs with a unique system tied to character death. Though it goes by different names in each game, players can use a court system to enact laws, including one that allows characters to be reincarnated. This means a character, like one at level 20 in *Disgaea: Hour of Darkness*, will essentially die and be reborn at level 1, but with boosted stats reflecting their previous level.

Valkyrie Profile: Covenant Of The Plume

Power Up Before You Die

Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume is a challenging tactical RPG, known for its difficulty. However, players can simplify the experience by utilizing a key game mechanic. The protagonist, Wylfred, can use the Destiny Plume to significantly boost an ally’s power, though this comes at the cost of that ally’s life. This creates a strategic choice: embrace a tougher challenge, or make the game easier by sacrificing characters who won’t return.

2025-10-16 02:07