7. Dark Souls
Dark Souls, the spiritual successor to Demon’s Souls, was a critical hit despite its obtuseness. It was not a game for the impatient or those unwilling to experiment. Enemies and bosses could take out large swaths of health if players weren’t super careful, or consistently checking around corners for surprise threats. Dying meant losing Souls, which acts as currency and experience points, and could be regained if the player could reach the place of their death. Unfortunately, all the enemies respawn in the level as well.
The game did not have traditional multiplayer either. When playing online, a player could be invaded by another player to help or hurt. If it hasn’t been made clear yet, the game expects you to die, a lot. Most mistakes can be learned by memorizing enemy patterns and strategies, while sometimes an enemy pops up out of nowhere, knocks you off a cliff, and your controller is suddenly lodged into a wall.