10 Video Games That Take A Genius To Beat

1. Dwarf Fortress

How complicated is Dwarf Fortress? There is a 238-page, fan-made, illustrated manual out there that mostly just talks about getting started with the game. That's how complicated.

Described by its developers as a game of "elaborate challenges and devastating setbacks," Dwarf Fortress is more commonly known as the most complicated video game ever made.

Its graphics are little more than basic ASCII characters that are meant to represent a large variety of items and locations, and you are given zero indication from the game as to what you are supposed to be doing with them or how to do it. What makes that even worse is that Dwarf Fortress is a roguelike, meaning that the world is randomly generated each time and that a single error can mean permanent death.

Needless to say, this makes learning the game naturally something of an issue. The upside of this world-building game is that it has enough depth to justify a lifetime of exploration. But considering that you could learn to speak three languages while playing the piano and juggling with your feet in the time it would take to get a firm grasp on what you're supposed to do, you really have to ask yourself if it's worth it.

Let us know in the comments which games made you think on a whole new level to get through them!