11 Video Games That Require Hours To Master Their Mechanics
Some games are best enjoyed after hundreds of hours of confusion and punishment.
Picture this: you are sitting down to watch a movie and halfway through the viewing, the film completely stops. The screen brings up a pop quiz based on what you have watched. If you fail, you are not allowed to finish the film.
There would be pandemonium, outrage and riots in the streets if that happened (that might be a bit strong... ). Yet, in video games, this skill, knowledge and mastery of mechanics are required to fully appreciate the art in front of you.
Some games make life easy for the player, by either having a narrative-focused easy mode or mechanics that are simple to grasp. Other games, however, require a player to sink tons of hours into mastering the nuances of the mechanics, to either get the full experience or to simply get through the story.
Mastering these punishing mechanics will not only unlock the full potential of the game but make a player sharper, smarter and better equipped to handle the next challenge. Plus, being able to brag about your superior ability to your friends and the internet is just so satisfying.
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.