10 Hardest Action RPGs of All Time, Ranked

When it comes to RPGs, action RPGs are the most well-loved type. Instead of turn-based battles, these games focus on fast-paced, real-time combat. This often means they play like first- or third-person shooter games, similar to titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Diablo IV, but with a wider selection of weapons and abilities.

While both Cyberpunk 2077 and Diablo IV can be challenging, they aren’t the most difficult action RPGs out there. Games like Demon’s Souls and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite are far more demanding and truly test players’ skills.

Elden Ring Is Barely for Beginners

In Elden Ring, the story unfolds in the Lands Between, a realm governed by powerful demigods. Their mother, Queen Marika, broke the Elden Ring, vanished, and sparked a war among her children, each vying for the shattered pieces. Players take on the role of a Tarnished, tasked with collecting these fragments and resolving the conflict.

The creators at FromSoftware wanted the game to be easy for new players to pick up. But even though it’s accessible, enemies can surprise you with their strategies, making battles surprisingly difficult. Plus, dying means losing almost everything you’ve collected, including important resources called runes.

Ys: The Oath in Felghana Isn’t a Healing Experience

Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a reimagining of the classic game Ys III: Wanderers from Ys. It follows Adol Christin and his companion Dogi as they initially set out for Felghana, but are unexpectedly guided to Redmont by a strange fortune-teller. They quickly discover that Redmont is a far more dangerous place than they anticipated.

Considering this is a remake, Ys: The Oath of Felghana is still a challenging action RPG. What makes it especially difficult is that you can’t heal during fights, turning every battle into a high-stakes struggle for survival.

Shadow Tower Abyss Will Send Players Into One

Shadow Tower Abyss is a dungeon-crawling RPG. Players explore the depths of the Shadow Tower, battling frightening monsters as they journey through its labyrinthine passages.

The original Shadow Tower offered a polished and challenging experience, but Shadow Tower Abyss reveals why it never left Japan. While defeated enemies stay gone, players can’t get back essential items needed to defeat the game’s toughest bosses.

Vagrant Story Is Too Risky

The game Vagrant Story is set in the kingdom of Valendia, specifically the city of Leá Monde, which is experiencing a civil war. The story follows Ashley Riot, who arrives in Leá Monde to uncover a connection between a dangerous cult and those in power. He soon discovers that this connection is far more significant than he initially thought.

The game is challenging, pushing players to their limits. This difficulty largely comes from its Risk system. When you attack enemies nearby, a Risk meter increases. If the meter fills up, your attacks become less accurate, and you become vulnerable to being defeated with a single hit.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite Brings Players Together in Misery

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is a game for handheld devices and builds upon the gameplay of Monster Hunter Freedom 2. Like its predecessor, it challenges players and their teams to hunt down incredibly powerful monsters.

At first, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite might appear similar to Monster Hunter Freedom 2. However, it introduces new challenges that require greater accuracy. Players will need to be very precise with their attacks, considering even the smallest details of where they hit the monster.

Path of Exile Expects More From Players

Path of Exile is set in a grim and fantastical world where people possess supernatural powers. Players take on the role of the Exile, a character who must confront the corrupt Templars, particularly the High Templars Dominus and Avarius, who have misused their abilities for far too long.

Getting into Path of Exile, a free-to-play action RPG, can be really overwhelming. If you don’t pick a good character class and skills at the start, you’ll face a tough and lengthy progression. Plus, the game’s economy is based on trading items directly instead of using money, which makes getting the gear you need quite difficult.

Nioh 2 Suppresses Stamina

Nioh 2 takes place in a magical take on Japan’s Sengoku period. You play as Hidechiyo, a unique character who is both human and yōkai – a supernatural being. This gives him the ability to transform into anything he needs, which is crucial as he fights to defend his village from the conflicts of the era.

This will make it difficult for players to understand how to effectively fight enemies. But even more problematic, players will discover that their stamina – essential for combat – can be unpredictably limited, altering how quickly it recovers.

Bloodborne Jettisons Any Sense of Self-Defense

Bloodborne takes place in the desolate city of Yharnam, mostly abandoned when the game begins. You play as a Hunter exploring the ruined streets, discovering that the few remaining citizens have become terrifying creatures. The Hunter’s ultimate goal is to find a way to stop the bloodborne disease that caused this transformation.

The game is incredibly challenging, and offers virtually no ways to protect yourself. Players will need to perfectly time their dodges and attacks, but even then, things can still go wrong.

Lies of P Is Deceptively Hard

The game Lies of P reimagines the story of Pinocchio, but instead of a wooden puppet, the main character is a robot who wants to become a real boy. Like the original tale, he’s fiercely loyal to Geppetto, though Geppetto doesn’t appear to feel the same way.

Despite its playful and sometimes gloomy atmosphere, this game is surprisingly challenging. The enemies move in unpredictable ways, making it difficult to consistently hit them. Plus, some attacks are unavoidable, which can be really frustrating for new players.

Demon’s Souls Is Demonic

In Demon’s Souls, whether you play the original 2009 game or the 2020 remake, you arrive in the gloomy kingdom of Boletaria. Your goal is to defeat the evil supernatural powers that have plunged the kingdom into darkness, and ultimately stop the Old One, who is the source of Boletaria’s troubles.

The game is notoriously difficult, largely due to its limited save points. Players need to save frequently to avoid losing significant progress. What’s more, the game actively gets harder with each failure, potentially making Demon’s Souls unplayably challenging for some.

2026-06-08 01:47