Weak Starting RPGs You Need to Conquer

Summary

RPGs can be accessible with patience and grinding, even the hardest ones.
Games like Assassin’s Creed: Shadows and Elden Ring offer powerful but tough gameplay.
Open-world RPGs like STALKER 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles X are challenging but rewarding.

Video games known as Role-Playing Games (RPGs) can attract any kind of player due to their versatility. Some RPGs are turn-based or tactical, allowing players to strategize and plan their actions, while others are action-oriented, requiring constant alertness. Regardless of the sub-genre a player chooses, they understand that they can grow stronger by earning Experience Points (EXP) and leveling up, in most cases, though there are some variations where this isn’t always the case.

Patience and some persistence can make even the most challenging RPGs feel approachable. Yet, these games are notoriously tough right from the get-go, which might cause players to question their decision to buy them. Let’s examine these examples and assess how unjust they can be in open-world scenarios.

8. Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Lost With Her Samurai

In the latest installment of the Assassin’s Creed series, titled “Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” we are introduced to two main characters: Naoe and Yasuke, who live in feudal Japan. Following an extensive tutorial, players will find themselves immersed in a world inhabited by Naoe, a ninja. If players choose not to enable the automatic stealth kills option in settings, they may face challenges while controlling Naoe due to his stealth-focused abilities.

Players need to learn counters and stealth to avoid her being killed effortlessly. However, after several narrative encounters around the ten-hour mark, they’ll acquire control over the formidable samurai Yasuke, who is significantly stronger than Naoe, thereby balancing the situation.

7. Death Stranding

It’s A Long Hike

Following Hideo Kojima’s departure from Konami, fans were excitedly looking forward to a quality comparable to the Metal Gear series in his new project, Death Stranding. The game’s visuals and narrative certainly lived up to expectations set by Kojima’s past works, but some players found themselves confused by the gameplay mechanics. The protagonist, Sam, appears to stumble over every rock he approaches, which left many players scratching their heads.

The journey of delivering packages proves challenging due to frequent balance issues and encounters with otherworldly beings intent on harm. However, after continued effort, players will discover various means to navigate the terrain, such as roads and zip lines. Mastering these skills may take up to ten hours or longer before one truly feels empowered.

6. Elden Ring

The Tarnished? More Like The Punished

It’s entirely expected that a Soulslike game created by FromSoftware would present a challenge, as is the case with Elden Ring – their debut into the expansive realm of open-world gaming. Despite offering players more freedom to roam and progress at their own pace, it remains anything but simple.

Initially, you might face a mini-boss known as the Tree Sentinel, who can easily wipe out players with just a single attack and even pursue them relentlessly. Despite being less challenging than other Souls-like games, it’s crucial to note that mastering this game isn’t a walk in the park either.

5. The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

An All-Time Great But Surprisingly Challenging

In “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” the role-playing game (RPG) aspects are more subdued, but players have the opportunity to discover crucial items that boost their health and endurance meters. After a brief tutorial on a small island, they’re free to traverse the expansive land of Hyrule at will, making it relatively straightforward to progress through the tutorial.

As soon as the genuine open-world exploration kicks off, players could find themselves in a tricky situation if they’re unsure about their destination or path to avoid. A single blow from Simple Moblins can take down Link, and it may require considerable effort to locate protective gear and recipes for enhancing Link’s power beyond his vitality and endurance meter. This game might just be the toughest “Zelda” title ever created.

4. STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Poison Is Everywhere

In more straightforward terms: The game titled STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is known for its challenging open-world format. At the outset, players have barely anything, and despite advancing through a substantial introduction phase, it stays difficult. Ammunition is sparse, both human and mutant adversaries are tough, and there are other things that can potentially harm them as well.

In this game, players will need to stay vigilant for various environmental perils such as fissures and radioactivity. Unlike an open-world adventure, it leans more towards a simulation, where the post-apocalyptic setting seems relentless with its minute annoyances. Overcoming these challenges is miraculous yet satisfying, especially when players discover new methods for survival. However, progress may take an apocalyptically prolonged period.

3. Star Wars Outlaws

Stealth Is The Only Way

Star Wars Outlaws deviated from traditional Jedi and Sith lore, offering a unique experience by introducing expansive, open-world environments across multiple planets for exploration. As the character Kay, players found themselves with strategic options in handling situations, often relying on stealth as their primary tactic.

In the game, Kay had some tools to enhance her defensive and offensive skills slightly, but she often found herself outmatched due to being surrounded by more outlaws or Stormtroopers. The challenge lies in infiltrating numerous bases, and if a player gets caught, the game is essentially over for them. By the end of the game, players won’t feel invincible.

2. Xenoblade Chronicles X

Definitively A Letdown

In the Xenoblade Chronicles series, Xenoblade Chronicles X represented the second installment. It introduced some new elements, such as giving players the ability to tailor their character and engage online. Unlike its predecessor, which was also an open-world game, the follow-up proved more challenging because powerful enemies that exceeded player levels were prevalent throughout.

In some instances, players might manage to dash past them, but monsters frequently pursued players relentlessly, with their levels being double, triple, or even quadruple that of the player’s character. On a positive note, death won’t erase progress, but the grind can still feel aggravating in these circumstances, even in the new Nintendo Switch version, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definite Edition.

1. ZombiU

Overrun In London

Initially released as a launch title for the Wii U console, ZombiU offered an immersive, open-world experience set amidst a zombie infestation in London. What made this game stand out was its innovative approach to gameplay mechanics; players could persist in the game even after they met their in-game demise, offering a unique and engaging gaming experience.

In a nutshell, when a player dies, they reappear as a fresh survivor, tasked with locating their former character to retrieve their belongings. The game is quite challenging because death comes quickly, and starting equipment is minimal; even if you find guns, ammunition is rare. This constant cycle of dying can add an extra layer of intimidation to the gameplay.

2025-04-20 04:35