The hardest video game openings and brutal game intros spotlight 10 merciless titles that test players before the real adventure begins.
In the vast landscape of video games, difficulty has long been a subject of debate. Some players crave a challenge, while others prefer a more relaxed experience. However, there exists a subset of games that greet players not with a gentle tutorial, but with a swift and merciless beatdown. These titles, often celebrated for their rewarding gameplay and deep mechanics, are infamous for their brutal openings. As of 2026, the following ten games remain quintessential examples of how to make a first impression that hurts. From souls-likes to action RPGs, each one tests the player's resolve from the very first moment.
10. Nier Automata: You Can't Save Yourself
Nier Automata is a fantastic game that takes players on a jaw-dropping journey across a devastated planet Earth, seeking to end the seemingly never-ending war between aliens and humans. What starts as a straightforward plot quickly takes tons of twists and turns, resulting in one of the best stories gaming has to offer. The problem is that many players may never even get to that point due to how tough the opening is.
The mission tasks players with taking on aliens via a bullet hell in mech form, then sets them on the ground to do the same until they face a massive boss. This entire section lasts around 40 minutes, and for first-timers, the controls are likely not fully understood. Even if they are, one brutal feature makes it frustrating: players cannot save. Not once. Saving gets unlocked after the opening sequence. It's a stylistic choice that makes sense in context, but makes playing through it a nerve-wracking slog once players realize there are no checkpoints. The smart move is to put it on easy mode and switch out once saving is unlocked.
9. Dark Souls: You Died
Dark Souls is one of the most important games of the past 20 years, and it made its mark by introducing an unwavering difficulty that players could not get enough of. That steep difficulty starts quite early. The game begins with the player in an asylum, and from there, they are introduced to the harsh world of Dark Souls.
The first boss is meant not to be fought but rather sprinted past, due to the player being so ill-equipped. Once past it and after collecting some weapons and armor, players can take him on the real way, but that doesn't help much, as this boss can still destroy them with a single hit if they're not careful. Of course, this is only the tutorial level. Immediately following it, the true opening level of Undead Burg tortures players with enemies jumping out of dark corners, bombs being thrown, archers everywhere, and just general misery. Dark Souls is a great game, but it makes players hate it before they love it.
.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2)
8. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon: Mech Souls
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon throws players into the fire from the start, and its opening area is a true test of survival. Immediately, they learn that healing is at a premium and that they will be badly outnumbered in almost every conflict. They are also unable to customize their AC to the fullest, stuck with an opening loadout and having to figure it out to the best of their ability.
The mission is straightforward but can grind players down in a hurry, culminating with the brutal HC Helicopter fight. This fight is a painful reminder of what's to come, and without a guide to figure out the trick, players will be left bashing their head against it over and over. It's an overwhelming fight scale-wise to start off, and the borderline bullet hell gives constant headaches, drains repair kits instantly, and forces dodging as if life depended on it far before any real grasp on the controls. Of course, the game gets more difficult, but this is one of the more brutal openings in FromSoftware's repertoire.
7. Lies of P: The Terrible Price of Lying
Lies of P makes its mark immediately with striking graphics, an intriguing world, and fantastic combat, but perhaps what stands out most is the immediate difficulty. As soon as players exit the carriage, the world is a very dangerous place. Puppets have gone rampant, and players are far from the offensive force they will soon become.
Learning parry timing in Lies of P is a trial and error sequence, and even late in the game, players can still be guessing when the best time to defend versus parry is. At the start, it's downright unforgiving. Players struggle with the most basic enemies early on, but the real issue comes with the first boss. The Parade Master is a tour de force that players are simply not ready for, whether it's his massively damaging attacks, random gibberish being yelled, or his unrelenting movement. Players cannot level up early on either, so they are stuck with the starting stats of P until completing the opening area and reaching Hotel Krat. Complaints about the demo being so difficult eventually led to the nerfing of many bosses. Tread lightly, young puppet, these streets are fraught with danger.
6. Dragon's Dogma: No Training Wheels Here
Dragon's Dogma is a unique game and a cult classic, and part of the reason is the absolute brutality when players first start. The tutorial level is easy enough due to being overpowered, but once thrown into the present day, it's a rough go. As soon as players step into the wilderness, goblins and wolves hound them, and immediately, it's clear they are not up to the task.
Players are not much of a damage sponge to start, and their pawn won't help much either. They are also fighting enemies that have no real leveling system, so what is fought early on is the same as what is fought late in the game, health and power-wise. It makes progression felt, but in the opening moments, expect to die, and die again, and revive the pawn a lot as well.
5. Baldur's Gate 3: This World Is Not Kind
Baldur's Gate 3 was the breakout hit in 2023, and it dragged in players who aren't familiar with CRPGs or D&D. This was great, but it also included a massive learning curve. As soon as the ship crashes and players find themselves alone in a foreign land, they will have a very rough time.
While there are objective markers, the freedom to wander can be overwhelming, and for those who like to look at their new surroundings, they might find themselves running into quite a bit of trouble. Wander into the church? Get wrecked. Decide to forgo getting Gale early on? Good luck fighting anything ranged. Players are also disturbingly low on healing items, so they'll likely be unable to heal after any encounters they survive, and if they lose a party member in battle, that member might be gone for a while until the camp is set up for revival. It teaches conservatism early on, but many won't find that easy, and their wishes for a grand adventure may lead to a premature death more times than not.
4. Kingdom Come: Deliverance: You Suck At Swordplay
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a unique game that merges survival elements with RPG gameplay to create an experience unlike any other. When players first start up, though, it's about as brutal as it gets. The reason is that they are terrible at combat. That's not to say the player is bad at it, but the character, Henry, is garbage at swordplay. He has no clue what he's doing, and neither does the player.
Eventually, players learn from a Quartermaster and pick up much-needed techniques, but early on, they get obliterated by anything they fight. One-on-one fights are incredibly tough, requiring beyond precise timing, and real fear sets in whenever a bandit tries to fight. If players gather the courage to face one or more people at once? Say goodnight, seriously, they won't stand a chance, and unless they have a ton of arrows on hand, they'll likely fall in no time. The progression is the best part, though, because by the end, players will be plowing through soldiers and spitting on one-on-one encounters, no matter who it is.
3. Unicorn Overlord: Being a General Is Not Easy
Unicorn Overlord is a throwback to the Ogre Battle series, and it does not pull any punches early on. At the start, players are thrown into the world and expected to grow an army to avenge a fallen mother. That army starts incredibly weak and small, and players are immediately tasked with learning the ins and outs of the gambit system. Failing to come to grips with it results in a lot of lost time.
The toughest part of the early going is learning how to set up troops. Players might think sending them all into battle simultaneously is the way to go, but they'll quickly burn out stamina and be left with nobody to defend the base, leading to a lost battle more often than not. Vanillaware decided to reinvent a lost genre with this game, and players have to learn it if they want to survive this excellent game.
2. Returnal: Your Loop Is Pain
Returnal is based around the idea of living a loop. Each time, players get a little stronger, a little better equipped, and ultimately a little more prepared. The beginning area, though, is an absolute smack in the face. Guns suck, there are no abilities, and there is no real grasp on what to do or what's supposed to happen.
Enemies pop up all over the place, zapping from a distance or mauling up close, and there's no solace in checkpoints anywhere. It's also a labyrinth of an area, with very few obvious routes to actually get to where players need to go. Even if they manage to fight through the early challenges, the first boss will destroy them, and unless they're some kind of wunderkind, there is very little chance of surviving that fight. It's a brutal introduction to what becomes a very good game, but it makes players contemplate whether they have the willpower to push through.
1. Ninja Gaiden: You're Expected to be Great
Ninja Gaiden is, in many ways, the start of the souls-like genre. It has all the hallmarks but focuses more on the action side of gameplay. The first game in the reboot of the series welcomes players by immediately kicking their ass and making no apologies. They'll barely have a grasp on the controls before ninjas are ripping them to pieces in the opening level, and that's before even getting to the first boss.
Hope you love the game over screen, because it's going to be a best friend in the early going. The series made a name for itself with its difficulty, but at least subsequent games give a few more tools to play with. With the first game, it's the player and their sword, and that's it. Good luck. Even if they get through it relatively unscathed, Master Murai is waiting as the first boss and is a brutal introduction to the rest of the game. Steel yourselves; this is one bumpy ride.
Summary of Brutal Openings
| Game | Key Opening Challenge |
|---|---|
| Nier Automata | No saving for 40 minutes, bullet hell |
| Dark Souls | Asylum Demon, Undead Burg ambushes |
| Armored Core 6 | HC Helicopter, limited healing |
| Lies of P | Parade Master, no leveling early |
| Dragon's Dogma | Weak start, tough enemies |
| Baldur's Gate 3 | Low resources, overwhelming freedom |
| Kingdom Come: Deliverance | Henry's terrible swordplay |
| Unicorn Overlord | Complex gambit system, weak army |
| Returnal | No checkpoints, brutal first boss |
| Ninja Gaiden | Relentless ninjas, Master Murai |
These ten games demonstrate that a difficult opening can be a rite of passage, a test of skill, and a memorable introduction to a world that demands respect. In 2026, they remain shining examples of how to challenge players from the very first second. 💀⚔️🎮
COMMENTS