We all love our 'quality PS5 time', but sometimes 'gaming to relax' is a total lie. Instead of a peaceful night, you end up staring at a 'You Died' screen while your heart rate hits cardio levels. If you’re tired of games holding your hand and want something that actually fights back (a bit too seriously), you’re in the right place.
We’ve crunched the data from the internet's deepest corners (and honestly, a few subreddits) to find the games that are consistently hard throughout. Here are 5 games that want to see if you’ve actually got the skills to make it to the credits.
1. Sekiro : Shadows Die Twice
Why it’s a nightmare :
In most games, if a boss is kicking your teeth in, you can choose to grind some easier levels or summon a friend to carry you. Sekiro looks at those options and laughs. This happens to be a game of forced mastery. You have a sword and a prosthetic arm, and that’s it. The difficulty comes from the 'Posture' system - you can't just dodge away like a coward, you have to stand your ground and parry with rhythmic, frame-perfect timing. It’s basically Guitar Hero with katanas, and if you miss a beat, you are losing a lot more than points - you’re losing your head.
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Why it’s actually special :
There is no feeling in gaming quite like 'the click'. Once the parry rhythm finally settles into your muscle memory, you start feeling like an actual shinobi. Every victory feels 100% earned because the game didn't give you a shortcut, you got better. It turns every fight into a high-stakes, cinematic dance that is as beautiful as it is brutal.
2. Ghostrunner : Complete Edition (1 & 2)
Why it’s a nightmare :
Imagine Mirror’s Edge, but everyone has a gun, and you’re made of glass. In Ghostrunner, death is (literally) a one-hit affair. From stray bullets to a mistimed jump into a laser grid, you are ALWAYS one mistake away from death. MojoPlays describes the level design as a 'lethal puzzle' where you have to plan a perfect execution. The sequel even adds high-speed motorcycle sections that make John Wick look like a Sunday driver, demanding reflexes that most humans simply don't have.
Why it’s actually special :
The flow state is super-real in this one. When you finally get into a room - slicing through five guards, wall-running over a pit, and grappling to safety - you feel like an absolute god. The instant restarts mean you never lose momentum, which turns the 'try again' loop into almost an addiction. It’s pure, stylish adrenaline that rewards creativity and speed like nothing else on the PS5.
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3. Returnal
Why it’s a nightmare :
If the movie 'Edge of Tomorrow' ever had a game, this is what it'd look like - an endless loop of 'try again.' In this game, instead of aiming at you directly, enemies fill the air with geometric patterns. You’ll see rings of purple orbs expanding outward, or crisscrossing lines of orange light. It looks like a deadly kaleidoscope. So, you can't just hide. You have to constantly move, dash, and jump through the gaps in these patterns. It’s all about not touching the glowing stuff.
The difficulty is insane in this one, because every time you perish, you lose your weapons and progress, waking up back at your crashed ship. The Derelict Citadel has a particularly cruel spike, where the enemies are aggressive, and the environmental hazards are constant. You basically are fighting the exhaustion of having to do it over and over and over again, every time you die.
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Why it’s actually special :
It’s arguably the best showcase of the PS5’s hardware. The DualSense haptics let you feel every drop of rain and every heartbeat, making the brutal atmosphere very immersive. The mystery of the story - why Selene is trapped in this loop - is so hauntingly written that it actually motivates you to push through the pain. It’s one of those rare games where the difficulty actually makes the psychological horror feel more real.
4. Black Myth : Wukong
Why it’s a nightmare :
Don't let the 'Destined One' magic fool you, this game is a collection of over 80 boss fights. As experienced by many gamers, the difficulty often comes from massive health bars. You'll face bosses that shrink your health, freeze you in place, or fly out of reach while bombarding you with spells. There’s no map, no easy mode, and very little parrying, forcing you to rely almost entirely on perfect dodges and 'sparks' (skill points) management to survive.
Why it’s actually special :
It is a visual masterpiece. Every boss is a unique, breathtaking piece of Chinese mythology brought to life with Unreal Engine 5. The 'Transformation' mechanic (you can turn into the very bosses you've defeated), adds a layer of strategy that keeps the combat fresh. Even when it's frustrating, the world is so beautiful and the animations are so fluid that you can't help but go back for one more look at the scenery (before a giant being kills you).
5. Hollow Knight : Silksong
Why it’s a nightmare :
Now that it's finally in our hands, we can confirm the rumours: it’s actually harder than the original game. Hornet moves much faster than the Knight, which means the enemies move faster too. According to xPlayNation, the Bile Water region is where the game stops being polite. Enemies start dealing double damage right out of the gate, and the 'walk of shame' (the trek back to the boss after you die) after you lose is long enough to make you reconsider your life choices. It demands surgical precision in your platforming, one damn inch off on a jump and you’re falling into a pit of spikes that will drain your life.
Why it’s actually special :
The sense of discovery is unmatched in this game. Every corner of Pharloom is dripping with personality. While the bosses are 'tough with a capital T,' they are so well-designed that you’ll find yourself humming their theme songs while you’re walking back for your 10th attempt. It’s a massive, beautiful, and deeply thoughtful world that rewards exploration just as much as it rewards combat skill.
The Bonus Round : Nine Sols
Before we wrap up, we have to talk about Nine Sols. This is the 2D game that has been humbling PS5 players since its console launch. If you're someone who doesn't like parrying, you should stay far far away from this one. It’s a hand-drawn 'Taopunk' nightmare where the bosses will punish a single mistimed block with a full-screen combo. It’s incredibly stressful, but the ending and the emotional weight of the story make the struggle worth the broken controller(s).
OrbeatX Verdict
There’s something very refreshing about a game that respects you enough to let you fail, because that's how video games used to be back in the days - they'd keep you hooked until you'd sweat yourself into defeating the boss.
So, there you have it, the top reasons why your PS5 will be begging for mercy in 2026. From dodging bullets in Returnal to getting your posture broken in Sekiro, remember what Rocky Balboa once said: "It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"
