20 Video Game Hard Modes For True Masochists

God Hand is a cult classic beat ‘em up, best known for its insane list of over-the-top combos and an even more insane difficulty system that only a true masochist would love.

Unlike other games, which let you pick a difficulty setting, God Hand features built-in dynamic scaling that adjusts the challenge based on your performance. In the bottom left corner of the screen, there is a Difficulty Level bar, which is divided into three different difficulty types. The bar fills up the longer you keep fighting without getting hit, and the fuller it is, the more insane your opponents become.

The first two levels increase the hostile’s damage while reducing your own, but the third difficulty level, called the “Die” difficulty, turns them into the ultimate menaces, capable of killing you in just two hits while also being far more aggressive and numerous.

In a fast-paced game like God Hand, taking on a single tough opponent can take a lot of skill and reflexes, but when you’re swarmed by an entire army of them, it becomes a true gauntlet of suffering.