Punishing FPS Games That Trust You to Figure Things Out

First-person shooter games are rarely relaxing. While they might not always be as graphic as games like Doom, you can expect constant action and lots of enemies. Often, you’ll also have to navigate complex levels or complete challenging tasks. These games usually require more than just shooting; they demand strategy and skill.

As a fan, I’ve noticed some games in this genre really throw you in the deep end! They’ll introduce totally new ways of moving or completely unique gameplay mechanics, which can be super confusing at first. Then, on top of that, a lot of these games are just fast. You barely have time to learn the ropes before you’re thrown into the action, so you just have to jump in and learn as you go!

6. Devil Daggers

A Devilishly Difficult Time

Devil Daggers is a challenging arena shooter where a single hit means instant death, making it difficult for new players. The game’s unsettling look and the constant onslaught of enemies create a truly intense experience, but you’ll steadily get better as you play.

This game features a unique character who shoots projectiles with their hands instead of using guns, which fits the dark and unsettling world. The enemies you face get increasingly bizarre, but you’ll learn how they behave as you play. Don’t expect much help from a tutorial, though – you’ll mostly learn by trial and error. New players will likely find themselves starting a game, struggling to survive, dying, and then trying again, slowly improving with each run. But sticking with it and developing your strategy is the key to becoming a skilled player. If you enjoy the game, you’ll find it’s very addictive.

5. Anger Foot

Just Kick Down The Door And Steam Into The Action

Some games are considerate and don’t overwhelm players with long tutorials. Instead, they offer a brief explanation of the controls, just enough to get you started. Cuphead does this well, and Anger Foot follows a similar approach: you’re thrown into chaotic action, so it’s helpful to at least understand the basic controls first.

The game starts with clear instructions and shows you how to defeat enemies using the environment. It subtly teaches you to be aware of your surroundings, as there’s no minimap to rely on. After this initial guidance, you’re left to figure things out on your own while battling waves of enemies, including strange bosses like Pizza Pig. The controls are straightforward, but mastering how to use them effectively in each situation is up to you. Like many games, success here often comes down to aggressive, fast-paced action.

4. Doom 2016

Secrets Aplenty

The new Doom game, like the original, relentlessly throws terrifying enemies at you. As you progress, the demons become more numerous and diverse, often attacking in mixed groups. This forces you to quickly decide which enemies to eliminate first. A Baron of Hell, for example, can quickly destroy you if you’re focused on something else, and you can’t afford to ignore a charging Pinky. The best strategy constantly changes, depending on the situation, your available ammo, and the weapon upgrades you’ve found.

Sometimes, it’s smart to quickly stun a larger enemy so you can eliminate some of the weaker ones. Or, if you have enough fuel, you can rush in and use your chainsaw on a key target. Mastering these “Doom instincts” takes time, practice, and often, learning from mistakes. What Doom excels at is giving players lots of weapons and abilities and letting them figure out what works best in different situations. The game’s large levels are also packed with hidden secrets, and you’ll need to pay close attention to find them, especially if you haven’t upgraded your ability to detect them. You might even spot a secret in plain view, but figuring out how to reach it can be a challenge.

3. Escape From Tarkov

One Of The Harshest Worlds In The Genre

I’ve been playing a lot of different shooters lately, and it’s wild how different they can be. Some, like Anger Foot, are all about crazy, over-the-top action and hilarious ragdoll effects. But Escape From Tarkov is a whole other beast. It’s super realistic and gritty, set in a really intense conflict in Russia. It’s not just about shooting; it’s a full-on survival game. You constantly have to worry about staying fed and hydrated, which means taking breaks just to eat and drink. And the health system is seriously detailed – getting shot in the leg actually feels like it impacts how you move and fight. It’s brutal, but that’s part of what makes it so engaging.

A proper tutorial wasn’t available until the game’s 1.0 release, and even now, it’s not enough to fully teach players how to play. Becoming skilled in a challenging game like Escape From Tarkov requires hands-on experience – learning the weapons, game modes, and maps through practice and experimentation.

2. Post Void

Don’t Question It, Just Run And Gun

Both Post Void and Anger Foot are incredibly chaotic and fast-paced games that throw you into the action. However, Post Void has a unique health system: you carry a skull totem that constantly loses energy. If the totem runs out, the game ends. Like Anger Foot, it encourages extremely aggressive gameplay – you have to quickly defeat enemies to survive and progress through the short levels, essentially extending your life by fighting your way forward.

The game guides you briefly with on-screen prompts, explaining the core mechanics, then lets you figure things out on your own. You’ll likely fail a few times, but each attempt helps you learn which upgrades are most effective and how to improve your speed.

1. Ultrakill

Building On The Basics

Most games now need to teach players the basics, since traditional instruction manuals are rare. While tutorials usually cover just enough to begin, the difference between how a new player and an expert approach a level can be huge – especially when you consider speedrunners who master every trick. This is especially true for Ultrakill. Even in its short tutorial, the game quickly introduces core mechanics like gaining health from blood, wall jumping, and other essential movement and survival skills.

But there’s a lot more to Ultrakill than meets the eye. The game emphasizes fast movement and skillful play, but doesn’t explicitly teach you advanced techniques. Learning things like rocket jumping and bunny hopping can drastically improve your performance and change how you play, though it does require practice and dedication.

2026-01-07 02:38