The 10 through 7 slots of our selection of the Top Ten Games for Hardcore Gamers, focused on endurance and attitude, pushing the gamer to their physical and intellectual limits. These next three games are also tests of commitment and endurance.
7.
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW – 2006, PSP (Also on other platforms)
It may seem a cop-out to include a game that just has to be tediously challenging because… wrestling game. In fact the 2006 version of WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW was well received and praised for the quality and amount of content — so much so that the game can keep you occupied for hundreds of hours.
The PSP version included all of the content of the PS2 version, in fact even more content, and this seems to have taxed the capabilities of the system so much so that when loading a custom character into a match a warning was displayed about the long load times. Site contributor Rob, says that the load times were up to four minutes, requiring patience in addition to the general level of hardcoreness required to complete every aspect of WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2006.
6.
Gran Turismo 2 – 1999 Playstation 2
Gran Turismo 2 (and really you could substitute many of the series entries here) requires of the player the same maniacal dedication to the game of that of its creator Kazunori Yamauchi. If you are to complete the game, howlongtobeat.com says it will take a mere 100 to 207 hours, which lines up with the 200+ hours site co-founder Phil Fogg put into the game. Some legendary Gran Turismo gamers have reverted to the rubber-band trick, which has nothing to do with low level AI found in Mario Kart, but the actual use of rubber bands to steer and maintain acceleration during bathroom breaks.
If you are to dedicate yourself to the task of completing Gran Turismo 2 in the 21st century, your sensibilities will not be too offended, though if you find the vasoline-on-fishbowl quality graphics to be too offensive you can track down the Bleemcast disc mod of the game and play it on the SEGA Dreamcast.
5.
DOTA 2 - 2013 PC, Mac, Linux
When a legendary game developer like Valve (lets face it, they were once legendary for the games they released, now they are only legendary in the sense that the idea of them releasing new games is pure fiction) brings out a game that is free, and on their monopolistic and ubiquitous game store, it is natural to think it is going to be a mega hit designed for the masses. In fact, it’s a game that has such a steep learning curve, occupied by the least welcoming people on the planet, that only the most hardcore of gamer would consider getting involved.
Though if you do (and according to the premise of this list to maintain your credentials as a hardcore gamer, you must), you will be rewarded with a world of play that is as complex and intuitive as it is addicting, engaging, and life threatening with multiple deaths attributed to the game.