Stressful games.

[Worgen]

So Evolve just went free to play and while I've enjoyed playing it again, since it is fun. It is also one of the most stressful games I've ever played, to the point where I no longer want to bother starting it up.

It's just feels like your doomed no mater what roll you play before you start it up. If your a hunter it feels like the monster can just take you out, if your the monster it feels like you will die against a team (despite the fact I usually win as the monster).

What are some games you want to like but just stress you out too much to play?

 

[Casual Shinji]

Don't Starve

I really like this game... I just wish it would like me. The visuals and mechanics are terrific, but every second you don't spend optimally feels wasted, and the game makes you feel that wasted time in the harshed way.

I wish there was an option to play this game without randomly generated maps, so I could atleast familiarize myself with the surroundings, and not be completely in the dark when I get killed and need to start from scratch.

 

[Sonmi]

Any good rogue-lite or roguelike will make you feel stressed, it's one of the things I enjoy about them.

Also, close matches in fighting games have the tendency to unnerve me to the point where I start stress-sweating, and it pretty much smells like death.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Weirdly, Stardew Valley can be stressful if you can't get into the right mood. Constantly managing time, resources, space, stamina, money, community center upgrades... if you go into the game with the 'maximum efficiency' mindset, it can all become overwhelming very fast. You need to really relax and be willing to let things go to get the most out of the game.

EDIT:

As Sonmi mentioned, roguelikes can be stressful. Binding of Isaac, Convoy, and FTL can all be infuriating and blood pressure raising if you get a stream of multiple bad luck games.

EDIT EDIT: Oh, another one - Space Food Truck. An absurdly fun game, but as you near the end of any run, the game starts cranking all you're problems up to 11. And worst of all, sometimes you know turns in advance that you're doomed, but you have to play through in the hopes that something good will happen. Those last few turns can be quite stressful.

 

[Worgen]

Any game where ultimate precision and timing is required, i.e. Competitive fighting games and RTS are great examples.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Super Hexagon. Just... Super Hexagon. It speaks for itself. That game makes me break out in cold sweats just thinking about it.

To a lesser degree Super Metroid did this to me. Barely knowing where I am, barely knowing where to go, having to nuke every pixel of wall and floor to find ways to progress. Man that shit makes me high-strung.

Naturally, every roguelite counts as well. From Enter The Gungeon to FTL, etc etc.

A special mention goes to a few boardgames, namely Dead Of Winter and Pandemic. Pandemic I managed to get a grip on with a group of folks I often play with, but Dead Of Winter will never not be incredibly stressful. You're always on the brink of death.

Weirdly, Stardew Valley can be stressful if you can't get into the right mood. Constantly managing time, resources, space, stamina, money, community center upgrades... if you go into the game with the 'maximum efficiency' mindset, it can all become overwhelming very fast. You need to really relax and be willing to let things go to get the most out of the game.

Good point actually, now that you mention it. It can be real Zen or make my skin crawl. Sadly it's only been the latter lately, immediately after I boot it.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

What are some games you want to like but just stress you out too much to play?

It hardly prevents me from playing it, but there is no game made that is half as stressful as FUCKING HEARTHSTONE. God...damn...piece of shit...RNG fuckery...bullshit...************...

 

[Worgen]

What are some games you want to like but just stress you out too much to play?

It hardly prevents me from playing it, but there is no game made that is half as stressful as FUCKING HEARTHSTONE. God...damn...piece of shit...RNG fuckery...bullshit...************...

Heh, hearth stone is one of those that I have no intention of ever playing but I kinda love to watch it on youtube.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Anything with permadeath like XCOM. Or certain games with breakneck action requiring flawless timing, like Bayonetta.

 

[Scarim Coral]

The current pvp I played on Guild Wars 2 has put me off from other competitive related pvp games like Overwatch and Battleborn. That blasted pvp can rise my attention/ alert by ten fold which is bad for trying to sleep (no I don't played it bear bed time but I know what it will be like).

Funny thing the lesser know pvp related game Dead Star hasn't raise my alert level high. In saying so it isn't a proper competitive game due to its flaw matchmaking system.

 

[The Purple Grape]

Trauma Centre games, no game can make me rage like some missions in that. Yes I play the Trauma Centre games and enjoy them...most fo the time. When they are not being bullshit. And fuck the Triti strain of GUILT.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Paragon, lately. Such slow movement with such speedily depleting health whereby if you don't like talking to other people to work as a team (or if they don't talk to you), no amount of slow ambling away will save your ass. There doesn't seem to be any healer class that can be of any use to the team either. I haven't ever exited that game without a sense of irrational rage and a pang of shame.

Furi. One nanosecond of distraction could be your last. Fights have an average of 6 stages of increasing aggression from each character, you can make it to the last two and then lose it all due to a lapse of concentration. Still good though.

Outlast, and its' whistleblower expansion. A run and hide horror, that should speak for itself.

Defense Grid 2, truly evil an incarnation. Not a fun experience. Well, This War of Mine isn't a fun experience, but it had a reason and intended to be sobering. DG2 has no such defense, ironically.

The last run in Dead Space 2 felt like bullshit, like antagonistic, unfair, ridiculous bullshit. I remember specifically thinking that I would have no problem trying the game on a higher difficulty, or even just again, if it weren't for that final run. Screw that invincible cheating fucknugget. Oh yeah, it only saved with minimal health too, that probably didn't help matters. But I was ready bite heads off orphans by the time the credits started to roll.

 

[Saelune]

Currently Mount and Blade...since I am trying to support a claimant to the Swadian Throne. Basically supporting claimants is hard mode, but I am too stubborn to start a new character.

 

[Denamic]

Star Craft 2. I've played many competitive online games, but SC2 is on an entirely different tier of traumatising.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

any games with Zombies... Dead Rising, Dead Island, Dying Light, Sunset Overdrive.

I really don't like how those games constantly make you run around least you be attacked. The first Dead Rising is the worst, IMO, because of the fucking clock always counting down.

I might have a touch of agorphobia, cause I feel the same way when I'm out and about and surrounded by people.

 

[Bobular]

I find Overwatch stressful when playing competitive mode. I guess its the knowledge that if I screw up the rest of the team goes down with me, but rather than making me not want to play Overwatch, it just makes me want to play more, I love the feeling you get after going through a stressful game that is neck and neck throughout and then just managing to win. That is why I play online, normally I would just play single player.

 

[Hawki]

Star Craft 2. I've played many competitive online games, but SC2 is on an entirely different tier of traumatising.

This. I mean, it's rewarding, but at my best, I never got beyond silver. And that's when I'm still using hotkeys like a madman.

 

[Evil Moo]

Pretty much any competitive multiplayer game. The knowledge that I am responsible for the entertainment of someone else makes me feel under such pressure that I don't feel comfortable playing. I don't like wasting people's time and I'm certain that I would not be fun to play with or against until I put in enough hours to be competent, by which point I'd have had to slog through a lot of unpleasant interactions.

I'm not too bothered about it. I'm happy to play single player games. It is just a little disappointing when almost all the biggest games coming out these days are heavily multiplayer focused and I'll never be able to enjoy them.

Horror games are also stressful for me. I don't like jump-scares and even the prospect of one being just around the corner, even if it isn't, makes the whole experience unpleasant to me. I didn't get very far at all in Amnesia: The Dark Decent. I'd prefer to go for a slowly creeping surreal horror, perhaps focusing more on a melancholy vibe, than something that is out to scare me with the prospect of sudden threat or graphic violence.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

Outlast. It has me on edge constantly while I play it. I need a spa and a Xanax afterward.