It's been a weird few years for Microsoft's Xbox brand. Off to a rough start with the abysmal Xbox One announcement back in 2013, the ship has since been righted, and, with projects like Xbox Game Pass and xCloud looking to totally change the game, the future of Microsoft's gaming division looks bright.
That said, consoles, cloud gaming services, and monthly subscription models would be nothing were it not for the games, and, though they're somewhat few and far between on the platform—particularly when it comes to exclusives—we're here to celebrate the ten most infamously difficult titles to release on the Xbox One in 2019.
10 The Surge 2
The followup to 2017's cult classic soulslike The Surge, German developers Deck 13 kicked things into overdrive and produced one of the most difficult action/adventure titles to not bear the Dark Souls name in quite some time.
Set against the backdrop of a society destroyed by nanomachines in the far-flung future, The Surge 2 innovates by placing a huge emphasis on loot and armor. While all the trappings of typical soulslike combat are present here, this title changes things up by allowing players to dismember their enemies by targeting specific limbs. They can then appropriate the amputated armor for their own purposes. It's far more in-depth than that, but it's a refined, truly difficult twist on a winning formula.
9 Metro Exodus
Though initially marred by its publisher's controversial deal with Epic Games, Metro Exodus was one of the most grotesquely beautiful gaming experiences of 2019. A continuation of the Metro saga, which originally began as an adaptation of a Russian novel series, Exodus is a bold, semi-open world take on the survival horror-centric gameplay of its predecessors.
It may not feature the dank tunnels of the Moscow subway system, but Exodus stays true to its roots, and, on the harder difficulties, employs a sense of realism only paralleled in some military simulation titles. It's by no means unbeatable, but every bullet counts in Metro Exodus, and it's certainly no walk in the park.
8 Ashen
We're technically breaking our own rules here, as Ashen was actually released in December of 2018, but, with the Xbox One's release schedule so sparse, you'll have to forgive us.
As unpopular as continually comparing games to Dark Souls has become, Ashen bold-facedly cribs most of its mechanics from that iconic trilogy. Its major difference, however, comes from its Breath of the Wild-esque visuals. It also features a co-op system which feels like the inverse of the Dark Souls invasion system.
As expected from the genre, Ashen is a difficult experience. Though not as broad in scope as some of its competitors, it'll take new players a good while to come to grips with the game's expectations.
7 Phoenix Point
Though it's technically not available on the Xbox One quite yet, it is available on PC via Xbox Game Pass, so we'll—perhaps reluctantly—count it here.
The brainchild of X-COM series creator Julian Gollop, Phoenix Point is a spiritual successor to the long-running tactical RTS franchise. Though it differs in many ways from its inspiration, the gameplay is, on the whole, relatively similar, though it does away with the streamlined combat seen in other games.
As a result, Phoenix Point can be exceedingly difficult and suffers from some strange balance issues. There's a ton of micromanaging to be done, and it can be challenging at best and overwhelming at worst.
6 Resident Evil 2
One of the most celebrated remakes of all time, Capcom's new rendition of Resident Evil 2 successfully combines the refined control schemes of the modern era with the raw horror of the original PS1 release.
While it can be a challenge on any difficulty setting, RE 2 is particularly brutal on hardcore. Every bullet will count, and triumphing against Mr. X, William Birkin, and the zombie hoards will require patience, wits, and not an insignificant amount of bravery.
It's the sort of experience most thought we would never again see when Resident Evil 6 released back in 2012, and, with a remake of RE 3 coming in April, the future looks bright for Capcom's beloved franchise.
5 Remnant: From The Ashes
In short, Remnant: From the Ashes is Dark Souls with guns, and, though we'd like to say that it rises beyond that tired comparison, it does surprisingly little to deviate from the traditional formula given the new weapon paradigm.
Well, that's not exactly true; there's more of a focus on range and accuracy, as one might expect from a third-person shooter. Remnant also allows for co-op pairs and trios, easing the burden somewhat. However, it also introduces randomized loot and environments, ensuring that players can never let their guard down. While not quite as demanding as similar titles, Remnant: From the Ashes was easily on the most difficult games to appear on the Xbox One in 2019.
4 Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Spearheaded by veteran Castlevania developer Koji Igarashi, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a spiritual successor to the series which approaches near lawsuit-levels of similarity. In particular, it borrows from 1997's Symphony of the Night quite heavily, though that title often serves as the basis for most Metroidvania games.
Customization is the name of the game here, as there are enough weapons and outfits to overwhelm a Fandom blog. Additionally, though it isn't likely to overwhelm genre veterans, it's a suitably challenging endeavor. It's fairly loyal to the fan-favorite PS1 Castlevania title and plays a bit like a game of that era, adding tot he difficulty and learning curve.
3 Void Bastards
A rogue-lite title which plays a bit like a first-person version of FTL, Void Bastards is a tough-as-nails experience which is as punishing as it is hilarious. With a cartoony art style and a survival horror-esque emphasis on resource management, it's equal parts engaging and nerve-wracking.
Tasked with scavenging through a never-ending parade of derelict space crafts in order to repair the hyperspace drive of your space ship/prison colony, Void Bastards asks players to think fast and aim true while ensuring that they have enough gear to survive the transit to the next spacecraft. It's challenging, but it's the sort of game that'll have some saying "just one more run" until four in the morning.
2 Hunt: Showdown
With tactical shooters like Escape from Tarkov and Rainbow Six: Siege earning so much attention, it's a bit of a shame that Crytek's Hunt: Showdown has, for the most part, gone under the radar.
Set in the Louisiana Bayou during the dawn of the 20th century, Hunt: Showdown tasks groups of players with tracking down a supernatural boss and evacuating with their bounty token. The catch, however, is that as many as six other teams will be out to kill you and reap the rewards. A pulse-pounding, horrifically intense multiplayer FPS title, Hunt: Showdown is unapologetically hardcore.
1 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Well, obviously. Perhaps one of the hardest games of the decade—let alone the past year—has to be From Software's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. An outright brutal evolution of the Dark Souls formula, Sekiro was tough enough to throw even hardcore soulslike veterans for a loop.
With an emphasis on blocking rather than evading and a new risk/reward mechanic which allows players to rise again after an initial death, Sekiro feels like the culmination of everything the developers have learned over the past ten years. Unforgiving and rage-inducing, this game will have nearly every player throwing at least one controller through a window.