10 Best Games That Don’t Treat Players Like Idiots
I don’t think it’s controversial to say that many games nowadays like to hold your hand, sometimes to a detriment. Some guidance is always welcome when you start a new game, but many titles take it too far.
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The worst offenders insult your intelligence or bombard you with agonizing tutorials you cannot skip. On the flip side, plenty of games know there’s a brain floating somewhere between your ears and expect you to use it.
With this in mind, here are some fantastic titles that require some thinking if you want to get the most out of them.
I’ve tried to keep the genres as varied as possible, so there’s something for everyone. I’ve also avoided games that are just confusing for the sake of it, as they usually cater to a specialized audience.
10 Final Fantasy XIV
The Right Amount Of Hand Holding
Final Fantasy XIV is one of the most popular MMOs on the planet, and while it throws a lot of text boxes at players, it doesn’t feel unjustified.
FFXIV is a complex game with over 20 ‘Jobs’ each with a unique moveset and optimal damage rotation. Skills for each Job are slowly unlocked as you level them up, but Square Enix’s approach to each profession is refreshingly hands-off.
The downside is you will need to do some research outside the game for the highest DPS output, but that comes with the genre territory. Once you know the basics, FFXIV lets you explore Eorzea at your own pace, which will keep both hardcore and casual players happy.
9 Escape From Tarkov
Die, Learn, Repeat
Escape From Tarkov is an intense extraction shooter with a hardcore reputation. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but once it grabs you, kiss goodbye to your free time.
That hardcore reputation is deserved, and it’s a game where most players would agree that you’re still an absolute novice, even if you’re a hundred hours deep. Still, the game isn’t obtuse; there’s just a lot to it. You’ll understand the gameplay loop within a few sessions, but it will take much longer before you come out of fights alive against other players. Weapon crafting is also delightfully intricate.
There are technically maps in the game, but they suck. You can use a third-party source, but EFT rewards knowledge and experience like no other game I’ve ever played.
8 Monster Hunter Wilds
A Capcom Flagship
Monster Hunter Wilds is the most accessible the series has ever been, but that doesn’t mean the game undermines your intelligence.
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The embodiment of ‘old school difficulty.’
As a veteran Monster Hunter player, I found it a bit frustrating that I couldn’t entirely disable the tutorials. That said, most text boxes only show up to introduce new mechanics, and they won’t appear again unless you seek them out in your Hunter Log.
Wilds is a deep game with dozens of systems woven together. Considering how complex the title is, Wilds is surprisingly hands-off at times and never interrupts the high-octane monster beatdowns with stuff you don’t need to hear.
Monster Hunter Wilds doesn’t treat players like idiots, in my opinion, but it can be tough to decipher what’s useful and what isn’t as a newbie. If that sounds like you, check out our tips and tricks guide.
7 Bloodborne
Yes, I Want A Remaster Too
You all knew a Souls-like would make the list sooner or later. While the games are notorious for their difficulty and lack of hand-holding, they are rarely obtuse for the sake of it.
Bloodborne is my favorite From Software game, hence the recommendation. The gothic city of Yharnam is an unforgiving place, and you’re left to discover everything besides the absolute basics unaided.
There are plenty of beginner traps, brutal bosses, and a generous amount of becoming hopelessly lost. That said, the difficulty ramps up at a fair pace, aside from a couple of hefty spikes.
From Software games are known for letting the player make their own mistakes. As they say, failure is the best teacher.
6 Street Fighter 6
A Hardcore Fighter Made Accessible
Once upon a time, you had to scour the deepest, darkest corners of FGC forums if you really wanted to learn how to play a fighting game. Nowadays, you have the tools to discover things for yourself.
Street Fighter 6 is an impressive fighting game with a World Tour mode that lets you interact with series legends and build your own fighter. The tutorials and training modes are some of the most in-depth and accessible I’ve ever seen in the genre. Best of all, they don’t treat you like an idiot, either.
Fighting games are hard, and Street Fighter 6 approaches that issue in a way that never undermines the player. You’re given all the tools you need to learn matchups, and it’s up to you how far you take that knowledge.
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5 Tokyo Xtreme Racer
A Classic PS2 Racer Reborn
Tokyo Xtreme Racer is a street racing fan’s dream come true, offering a refreshing ‘old school’ take on the driving genre.
Genki’s racing games are known for having in-depth car tuning mechanics, and TXR 25 is no exception. You’re heavily encouraged to tinker with your vehicle’s gear ratios, suspension, and tires. It’s possible to ruin your ride if you’re careless, but few games in the genre are as rewarding when you finally stumble across a tune that works for you.
Tokyo Xtreme Racer doesn’t do a poor job explaining what each car setting does, but it doesn’t go out of its way to tell you either. If you wish, you’re free to race around the C1 Loop in an untuned car, but there’s an ocean of customization for those willing to dive in.
4 Dragon’s Dogma 2
Let’s Get To Work, Arisen
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is an exceptional open-world RPG that can be surprisingly unforgiving.
DD2 is set against a gorgeous fantasy backdrop with a map that makes the original look comparatively small. There are many overlapping mechanics, and while everything is explained, it is easy to forget essential systems as a new player.
For example, food will begin to rot if you don’t consume it fast enough. The night is pitch black, and there isn’t even a traditional ‘fast travel’ option outside a horse-drawn cart. Combat is unforgiving, especially if you’ve not played the original, and it’s easy to feel like you’ve fallen into a hole you can’t get out of.
When you start to click with DD2, everything becomes much easier, but it can take some fumbling around before you get to that point, and the game rarely extends a helping hand.
3 The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
A Roguelite Masterclass
The Roguelite genre has exploded in popularity over recent years, and The Binding of Isaac: Repentance remains one of the most influential and beloved.
You’re left to discover almost every part of TBOI by yourself, outside of a few crudely drawn instructions painted on the basement floor. The game is mechanically simple, and part of the fun is learning what each item does.
Many items in TBOI synergize, and there are so many incredible combinations that no other game in the genre has matched it. The item pool is so overwhelming that some players even use an item-identifying mod.
That said, the mod is optional, and when you start to memorize a few things, the game becomes incredibly rewarding.
2 Hollow Knight
Defining A Genre
Hollow Knight is one of the most beloved Metroidvania’s on the market, rewarding players who explore and can adjust to new threats on the fly.
The controls are simple, and after a brief tutorial, you can explore Hallownest on your own. You’re never told what to do beyond suggestions from NPCs, and the gameplay is immediately familiar if you’ve ever played a 2D platformer.
Hollow Knight earns a special spot on the list as the rumor mill is firing on cylinders about the upcoming sequel, Silksong. If you’re ready to get lost in a beautiful, if bleak, fantasy world, I can’t recommend it enough.
1 Phasmophobia
Ghost Hunting 101
Phasmophobia is a superb horror/detective mashup where you and your friends try to identify what ghost is haunting the map with an inspired selection of ghost-hunting gadgets.
There’s a decent tutorial mode for brand-new players, but once you’ve beaten it, you’re on your own. Fortunately, the journal in your pocket tells you everything you need to know about every ghost, and it’s up to you to read through it and decipher the clues.
Unfortunately, the Journal does have a few dubious entries that bend the truth at best and flat-out lie at worst. Still, there are some impressive community-made resources you can use, and they aren’t essential unless you really want to learn the intricacies of Phasmophobia.
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