The Hardest Game Ever (2023)

Developer: AIAdev, Cupflow Studios
Publisher: AIAdev
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Adventure, Indie, Free To Play
Rating: 3.9 of 5, 360 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 34 minutes
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like this

How it feels

A tense and punishing precision platformer where every jump requires careful timing and mastery.

precision platformerdifficultchallengingpunishingatmosphericimmersivefree to playindie

What players say

Players agree the difficulty comes from slippery, janky controls and off hitboxes rather than clever level design, making it more frustrating than challenging. Resetting all progress on death adds to the pain, though respawns are quick and the art style is praised. A few mention better hard platformers like Celeste or The Empanada Protocol.

Screenshots

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.