11 Video Games That Require Hours To Master Their Mechanics

11. Manual Samuel

This madcap 2D animated side-scroller gives you complete control over Sam, the brattish son of a CEO who finds himself in Hell after an unfortunate run-in with a speeding septic truck. In Hell, you strike a deal with the skate-boarding gangster, Death. All you have to do is survive a full day. Easy, right?

The caveat is that you have to consciously control every single bodily function you have. This doesn't seem like a tricky task; after all, even as I write this section, I am consciously choosing to move my fingers. But the things you do not think about - those are what will get you.

Mechanically, you have to think above moving every part of Sam's body, whilst trying to keep balance, on top of automated functions we take for granted - like blinking, breathing and not defecating yourself.

Your first few times playing through this game, you will die. Lots. In hilarious ways. The simple act of getting out of bed and getting ready for the day takes hours of practice, and that's before you have even tackled a flight of stairs (spoilers, it's NAILS). It will take a player many playthroughs before they have mastered the human body. By then, you'll become painfully aware of your own blinking.