Many games are all about surpassing major challenges against all the odds to emerge victorious. It's this compelling loop that helps players enjoy an immense sense of satisfaction as they achieve these victories and become kings in their own right. However, failing to get past a certain combat encounter or timed challenge usually leads to a player's demise, which is the complete opposite of satisfying.
As gaming has evolved, more and more titles have tried to make the player's death as painless and unsatisfying as possible. Most games just revert to an old checkpoint without a very long wait, which can be pretty satisfying in its own right. However, certain games still make the act of death somewhat meaningful via various unique mechanics that force players to be as careful as possible so that they don't have to suffer an untimely demise and be penalized.
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6 The Fire Emblem Series
The strategic gameplay of Fire Emblem became a massive hit ever since the launch of its first game on Western shores. The riveting political stories in these titles coupled with tough yet satisfying gameplay loops have turned these titles into some of the most coveted games on Nintendo consoles.
Players need to be incredibly smart about the manner in which they deploy their troops in Fire Emblem. A single tactical mistake can lead to a unit being mobbed by enemy attacks until they're down for the count... and in this game, any unit with zero HP dies for real, which can make for a rather tough time if players lose out on a high-level unit and have no replacements to cover their tracks.
5 Dark Souls
FromSoftware was a relatively small studio before the launch of Dark Souls, a title that launched them to superstardom. The game bucked all AAA norms by punishing players for not paying attention, especially when it came to losing their lives. If the Chosen Undead's HP is depleted in Dark Souls, then they lose all their hard-earned Souls.
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Players just have one chance to head back to the point where they died and get their Souls back. Dying again means that players have lost their hard-earned Souls for good, which can be a crushing experience. As a result, players are encouraged to be smart in combat and not take too many risks that can be punished easily!
4 Wildermyth
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One of the more unique strategy games that fans can check out, Wildermyth is a game that takes procedurally generated narratives to a whole new level. There are many story-focused campaigns that players can check out in this game, but these adventures are littered with random story events that feel more lifelike than most carefully structured narrative-driven games out there.
Players can transform into other beings altogether and find a wealth of useful equipment that helps them even the odds against the invading monster force that threatens their homelands. The band of heroes that are tasked with saving the world can be taken out of commission in battle once their HP drops to 0, leading to them being maimed the first time around. While this just incurs a stat penalty that can still be dealt with, the same hero will not be able to handle another mortal blow and will lose their lives for good, preventing them from being a part of the player's legacy... unless they lose their life in the final battle, that is.
3 XCOM 2
The tactical and tough-as-nails gameplay of the XCOM reboot made it an instant hit with fans as they tried to fight back against a conquering alien force. The gameplay systems of the first game are enhanced to a whole new level in the second title, which is pretty much a perfect sequel in every department.
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The battles in XCOM 2 are extremely hard, and players need to be wary of the tactics they employ if they don't want a unit to lose their life. The game employs a permadeath system, meaning that players who lose a veteran soldier are pretty much screwed since this unit will lose their life for good.
2 Heavy Rain
David Cage games may have their fair share of problems, but most people have to admit that Heavy Rain is still an entertaining ride, if nothing else. The story may be riddled with plotholes, but the desperation of Ethan as he has to go through the Origami Killer's sick and twisted games in a bid to save his son is a heartwrenching tale in its own right.
Heavy Rain wastes no time in letting players know that deaths are permanent in this game. There are four main characters that players can control, and these characters can die over the course of the game if the player isn't great at QTEs or makes the wrong decision!
1 Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor & Shadow Of War
The Nemesis system continues to be one of the most groundbreaking things seen in gaming, giving the orcs in Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel a ton of character. These orcs have varying personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, making each combat encounter with these tough foes a blast in its own right.
The challenge isn't all that high in the two games, but lack of attentiveness and bad luck can certainly lead to Talion losing his life at the hands of one of these orcs. This can lead to many consequences, with the orc in question reaching a higher standing, becoming more powerful, and potentially becoming Talion's rival as well!