The Hardest Strategy Games

These are the 54 hardest strategy games as rated by the How Difficult Is It community, ordered from most to least punishing. The Age of Decadence leads the list at 8.5/10, ahead of Dragon Blaze and Fire Emblem: Thracia 776. Every score is averaged from real player votes, and a game needs at least five ratings to qualify.

Game	Release Year	Rating	Weighted Rating	Number of Ratings
The Age of Decadence	2015	8.5	8.3	12
Dragon Blaze	2000	8.5	8.2	13
Fire Emblem: Thracia 776	1999	8.5	8.2	13
Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup	2006	8.4	8.2	15
FTL: Faster Than Light	2012	8.3	8.1	19
Caves of Qud	2015	8.2	8.0	13
Jupiter Hell	2021	8.2	7.9	13
Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest	2015	8.2	7.9	6
ADOM: Ancient Domains of Mystery	2015	8.1	7.9	11
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous	2021	8.0	7.8	20
Gothic II	2002	8.0	7.8	14
The Last Remnant	2008	8.0	7.8	18
Darkest Dungeon	2015	7.9	7.7	34
Cogmind	2017	7.8	7.6	12
Slay the Spire II	2025	7.7	7.5	7
Final Fantasy Tactics	1997	7.6	7.4	14
One Step From Eden	2020	7.6	7.4	14
Rift Wizard 2	2024	7.6	7.4	12
Darkest Dungeon II	2021	7.4	7.3	7
Rift Wizard	2021	7.5	7.3	12
Icewind Dale	2000	7.4	7.2	19
Soulash 2	2023	7.3	7.1	10
Blue Prince	0	7.0	6.8	16
Pillars of Eternity	2015	7.0	6.8	21
Monster Train 2	2025	7.0	6.7	15
Slay the Spire	2019	6.7	6.5	28
StarCraft	1998	6.6	6.4	5
Baldur's Gate 3	2020	6.5	6.2	41
Atomicrops	2020	6.0	5.8	11
Against the Storm	2021	5.9	5.8	18
Ascend to Zero	2024	5.9	5.6	14
Golden Krone Hotel	2016	5.6	5.4	11
Tangledeep	2018	5.5	5.3	11
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante	2021	5.6	5.3	9
Breath of Fire II	1994	5.5	5.3	15
Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter	2002	5.5	5.3	13
Patapon	2007	5.5	5.2	30
Mass Effect 3	2012	5.4	5.2	8
Tabletop Tavern	2026	5.3	5.0	11
Loop Hero	2021	5.2	5.0	17
Balatro	2024	5.2	5.0	23
Diablo	1996	5.1	4.9	10
Void Bastards	2019	5.0	4.8	11
Carnival Hunt	0	5.0	4.8	9
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King	2004	4.5	4.3	21
Pokémon Omega Ruby	2014	4.1	3.9	11
Pokémon Alpha Sapphire	2014	4.0	3.8	10
Pokémon Sun	2016	3.6	3.5	11
Copa City	2025	3.6	3.4	11
Pokémon Moon	2016	3.6	3.4	11
World of Goo	2008	3.6	3.4	5
Rack and Slay	2024	3.6	3.3	5
Stardew Valley	2016	2.0	1.9	24
Cookie Clicker	2013	1.8	1.7	12

Hardest games by genre

RPGs Platformers Indie Games Shooters Puzzle Games Turn-Based Strategy Games Hack-and-Slash & Beat 'em Ups Arcade Games Simulators Strategy Games

Hardest games by era

2020s 2010s 2000s 1990s 1980s

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Difficulty Rankings

Find the most difficult, or the easiest, games as rated by players. Games must have at least 5 difficulty ratings to be ranked.

Game	Release Year	Rating	Weighted Rating	Number of Ratings