Summary
Unlike a lot of developers,Crystal Dynamicsisn’t exactly known for developing one or two specific series of games. Instead, they’ve worked on a multitude of titles over the years, to the point where their catalog of developed games is a huge mashup of drastically different titles, though in recent years they’ve tended to steer more intothe action-adventure genrethan anything else.
With that being said, Crystal Dynamics' output of games has drastically increased in recent years, with them putting out some amazing titles that have become renowned for their visuals, gameplay, and in some cases, their overall challenge. None of their games have been considered too unfair or unforgiving, but there’s still been a select few that players have noted for being particularly difficult to fully complete.
The third and final game in the “Legends” reboot,Tomb Raider: Underworldwas met with a lot of praise from fans and critics alike when it was released thanks to its gameplay variety, excellent story, and compelling cast of characters. However, another factor a lot of longtime fans of the series appreciated was howUnderworldseemed to be trying to replicatethe brutal difficulty that the earlier games had become known for, without going too over the top in its overall challenge in the process.
One way the developers achieved this was by incorporating far more puzzles into the core gameplay loop, some of which are often considered to be among the hardest in the entire series, such as the Shiva statue puzzle and stone calendar riddle. Though the camera is also now a lot more focused and responsive than it was previously, the aggressive enemy types still ensure the combat always feels intense and exciting, leading to plenty of memorable encounters that stand out for their heightened difficulty.
AlthoughTomb Raider: Anniversaryisa remake of the first game in the series, it does still introduce a few new mechanics that help make the overall experience a little more forgiving than its counterpart. Despite this, the level design has remained more or less the same, and as anyone who’s played the original will know all too well, these areas can be an absolute nightmare to navigate, especially when they’re packed full of lava pits and arrow traps.
Because the combat is also a lot easier to control compared to previous games, Crystal Dynamics compensated for this by making all the enemies a lot more durable, including the gigantic T-rex who shows up at the beginning. Thankfully, Lara is given more than enough tools to make it through the game in one piece, butTomb Raider: Anniversarystill puts up a pretty formidable challenge, just like with the original.
Pandemonium 2’spsychedelic aestheticand 2.5D platforming gameplay come together to create a game that is truly unique in its presentation, but also quite tricky in how it plays. Because each of the levels is very otherworldly and bizarre in their presentation, it can make it quite hard to stay focused on actually moving between platforms, and the awkward camera angles don’t help to make things any easier.
When booting up the game, players will be able to choose between either Nikki or Fargus, with the two playing very differently, both having areas where they excel and falter. For example, while Nikki is adept at taking out enemies from afar with her fireballs, she ultimately can’t stay alive for too long when taking damage. Meanwhile, Fargus does possess the ability to become briefly invincible, but killing enemies is a much harder task for him. Therefore, there’s always a drawback to the characters that heightens the difficulty, making for a difficult platforming experience overall.
It seems Crystal Dynamics paid close attention tothe enormous success ofSonic R, which was released in 1997, and decided to try their hand at creating an on-foot racing game in the form ofMad Dash Racing. The game contains plenty of unique gimmicks and mechanics that set it apart, such as how each character in the game is assigned to a specific class, these being Bashers, Dashers, Gliders, and Bosses.
Throughout a race, there will be certain obstacles and environmental hazards that only certain classes can move through, which on paper, sounds like an interesting and unique mechanic, but it does end up making it hard to get ahead through skill alone. For example, while one track will feature plenty of breakable objects which gives a large advantage to the Bashers, others offer the Gliders plenty of room to cruise their way to victory. This gimmicky gameplay means every race is unpredictable and makes it hard to naturally improve since everyone has their advantages in a race.
Akuji the Heartlessis often touted as being a hidden gem of the original PlayStation which didn’t receive quite as much attention as it probably deserved. While the third-person action-adventure gameplay wasn’t anything new by the time the game was released, the inventive level design and large enemy variety helped to make the game stand out from its peers, along with its downright brutal difficulty, which usually presented itself in the form of combat and puzzles.
While Akuji himself does possess a small and nifty blade that will deal a minimal amount of damage with each swipe, what makes the encounters in this game so challenging is just how merciless the enemies are with their attacks. Whether it’s a cloaked grim reaper flailing a massive scythe the players' way, or a room of giant fireflies constantly picking away at Akuji’s health bar, the enemies in this game aren’t to be taken lightly, and when paired with the myriad ofhead-scratching puzzles, it’s no wonder why the game is often considered so hard to beat.
After proving their worth in the action-adventure and platforming genres, Crystal Dynamics decided to dip into another genre that was gradually growing immensely popular during the early 2000s, that being the FPS.Project Snowblindwas therefore the developers' first venture into the shooter realm. While the game was unique for the time in how much freedom it granted the player in terms of decision-making, it’s also designed in a way where the first few hours can be absolutely brutal and quite off-putting for many people.
The reason for this is that the protagonist, Nathan, starts with none of his augmentations and a lackluster arsenal of weapons, meaning it’s all too easy to get gunned down by enemies with barely any way to fight back. Running straight from A to B can also end up being a pretty bad idea since the game encourages players to search every inch of their environment to scavenge any precious ammunition or health packs. Otherwise, it won’t be long before a Game Over shows up on the screen.
1Whiplash
GameFAQs Difficulty Rating: 3.29
Whiplashrevolves around a pair of timid animals,Spanx and Redmond, who must try to escape the devious Genron corporation. The only problem is that these two unlikely frenemies have been chained together, meaning players must take control of Spanx and can use Redmond to reach certain areas where Spanx can’t get to, alongside also using him as a weapon. The general gameplay loop isn’t too hard to get used to, but players are heavily advised to avoid combat as much as possible since the two protagonists don’t exactly fare well when squaring off against more than a single enemy at a time.
Many of the areas are also incredibly large and open-ended, making it easy to get lost and quite difficult at times to find a specific button or device that is required to progress with the rest of the game.Whiplashis far from an impossible game, and it’s still a ton of fun to jump into, especially with its timeless humor and lovable characters, but it’s fair to say that it certainly doesn’t pull any of its punches.
