PSP: Killzone - There’s a big mech boss at the end of the 2nd or 3rd world. There’s a small platform you fight it on, with a few lockers (well, they look like lockers) to hide behind. Hide behind the lockers more than a few seconds and the mech will destroy them. Ok, the mech has a cannon turret that rips you to shreds in seconds. And two shoulder mounted rocket launchers, apparently with unlimited ammunition. And some side hatches that toss out grenades. And a top hatch that releases tiny spider bombs, and if you aren’t far enough away when you kill these, they’ll take you out in the explosion. And your best weapons (rocket launchers and frag grenades) are very limited (3-4 of each IIRC). I did eventually beat him, but that was one of the most insane bosses.
Genesis/Amiga: Shadow of the Beast I grew up thinking the Brits were either insanely good at video games or incredibly sadistic gluttons for punishment. Psygnosis made some of the most difficult games I’ve ever played, and SotB was a prime example. The first area (down the tree stump) wasn’t too bad once you knew where to go and got the timing down. The next area (outdoors) was much more difficult, but still passable. Then you got to the castle. I never, ever got past the castle. I eventually found a cheat code that gave you unlimited life, and explored the castle. Past the castle is an outdoor area that’s even harder, then the last area is just freaking impossible. Seriously, I haven’t seen a game with cheap hits like this since Ghouls 'N Ghosts. I honestly don’t think it’s possible to get past the final area without cheating, even assuming you made it there with full health and lives.
PC: Lionheart - Lionheart is one of those games that starts off well, then goes downhill, but you’ve invested so much time in it that you feel bound to finish it. At first, it was great. Kind of similar to Baldurs Gate, tons of quests, lots to explore, etc. Once you get through the first 1/3 or 1/4 of the game, the quests just dry up, and the game becomes an endless series of dull, tedious combat. Ok, I said, I made it this far, I might as well go ahead and finish it. Get to the final area, and it’s loaded with deadly archers that are on platforms you can’t easily get to. You basically have to run a gauntlet past them to get up to the platforms where they are. Problem is, I didn’t invest in the skill which would protect me from them, I’d need to level up 3-4 times to do so, and there was basically nothing else left to kill at this point. I couldn’t reload since I’d have to go back too far. Ironically, the game basically increased the monsters level according to yours, so if I was a lower level I probably could’ve got past them. But they were just too powerful, and I wound up tossing my cd in disgust.
PC: Arx Fatalis - Great game, until the end, when you have to fight these insane supercharged cult members that have taken over the town. I tried every strategy I read about or could think of. After some 30 attempts I managed to kill one of them out of sheer luck. But they were just too fast and too powerful. I tried every buff, damage spell, slow, everything I had. In desperation, I even tried the cheat codes. Nada. What sucks is I really liked this game. It had (for the time) decent graphics, an interesting story, a lot of humor (at one point you have to sneak into an orc or goblin chiefs room while he’s on the toilet), and was a lot of fun. These “turbo” enemies made it impossible to finish the game, and I never got past it.
I had a big ol dose of fed-up and Youtubed the ending.
