In every video game, players are usually gambling for their lives in a way. During large boss fights, players sometimes have to weigh the pros and cons of using a potion when they're about to die or praying for one more hit to kill the boss and save them. It can be a struggle to strategize, but the following games will put players in more dangerous situations than that on purpose.
These situations can range from risking everything for a reward or using a spell that has dire consequences. Be that as it may, players can gamble with their lives and risk getting a Game Over in the following titles. For some, it just makes things more exciting.
CloverPit
The Devil's Casino
Balatro was a sensation that no one could have predicted; a roguelike based on poker seemed comical, and yet it works so well. Now there are several game-based roguelikes on the market, including CloverPit, which puts players in a SAW-like trap room with a mysterious voice urging them to take a chance on the slot machine.
The goal is to win enough money and bank to advance to the next round. Gold and tickets can also unlock perks, but the main goal is to avoid falling through a trap door. It shouldn't be as scary as it is, though CloverPit can get quite intense.
Final Fantasy 7
Learning Roulette
The Final Fantasy the series has many spells and abilities where players can gamble with their life. An example comes from one of the most popular entries in the series, Final Fantasy 7, where players can learn a technique from monsters called Roulette.
When Roulette is rolled, a hand will cycle through all enemies and party members on the screen. It will kill whoever it lands on instantly. It's extremely powerful, arguably one of the most powerful abilities in the game, but it also puts the party in just as much danger as their opponents.
Spade Knight
Destroy checkpoints
Spade Knight is one of the great modern classic indie games, one that brought back the good old days of the NES. It's a challenging but well-balanced game thanks to checkpoints and merchants tied to the upgrade and equipment system that can help players along the way.
At each level, players can collect gems and money to unlock these upgrades, and one way to get a lot of money really fast is to destroy checkpoints. If players do that, they can get good rewards, but at the cost of playing with death. Dying without a checkpoint means returning to the beginning of a level, which can be beyond frustrating.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
A game of 21
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is one of the scariest entries in the long-running series, which received a surprising amount of DLC. One of the scariest was Banned Footage Vol. 2, which included a segment simply called “21”.
In this segment, players had to play a game of chance against an opponent, and if they lost the card game, they would receive a damage. Accumulate enough damage and they will eventually die. That was most SAW-like moments throughout Resident Evil universe, which provides an intense card game.
Hitman 3
Deal with Le Chiffre
Hitman 3's latest DLC episode is called the banker, and in it, Agent 47 is tasked with taking out Le Chiffre, the main villain from the 2006 film Casino Royale, the first one 007 film with Daniel Craig as James Bond. Like everyone Hitman mission, players can take out Le Chiffre in any number of different ways.
The DLC pushes players to deal out a deck of cards, and if players are caught messing with Le Chiffre too obviously, it could end badly. Playing cards is the more fun way to take him out, as players can hear some funny discussions between Le Chiffre and Agent 47, although it's safer to hide in the shadows and take out the target like a true assassin.
Borderlands 2
Here comes Krieg
Borderlands 2 added Krieg but post launch DLC as a playable character/class. As a former Psycho, Krieg is a bit unhinged when it comes to combat. Gaming fans might want to look at his Hellborn skill tree if they're in the mood to take some risks.
One of Kreig's skills is called Burn, Baby, Burn, which will increase Kreig's Burn damage, but it can also set Krieg on fire and damage him in return. Fuel the Fire is a skill that will increase the chances of lighting Krieg on fire, but doing so will increase his attack. Most of this skill tree is full of deadly examples like this, and the class as a whole is about big risks leading to big rewards.
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster
The Arcanist's Gamble
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is like a tribute to the glory days Final Fantasycomplete with jobs and crystals, and now Switch 2 owners can play it via Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster. One of the riskier jobs in the game is called Arcanist, as most of their abilities are extremely powerful but are double-edged swords.
For example, Exterminate can deal dark damage to poisoned allies and enemies, while Twilight can cause instant death to sleeping allies and enemies. With the right strategy, these skills are useful, but they are limitless when it comes to distinguishing friend from foe, and if allies are also affected by status ailments, things can go awry.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour
Beware of his evil eye
- Developer: Konami
- Publisher: Konami
- Released: 30 August 2005
- Platform: DS
Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour is a bit of an obscure game these days, but Nintendo DS fans loved it back in the day. The design and plot is quite simple, as players are simply a random Duelist competing in Seto Kaiba's latest tournament. They can explore the city, fight other duelists and win cards. If they lose, it's no big deal.
However, if players explore at night, they risk encountering Rare Hunters, such as Maximillion Pegasus, who can challenge them to a Shadow Game. If players lose, their soul is banished to the Shadow Realm, aka Game Over. It's kind of worth the risk to get better cards, but in the world Yu-Gi-Ohto be banished is a fate worse than death.
Buckshot Roulette
Deal or No Deal?
Most games of Russian roulette are played with a revolver, with one of the more notable examples being the 1978 classic, The deer hunter. Buckshot Roulette is a more intense version of the game, as players enter a creepy nightclub and encounter an entity known only as The Dealer.
The weapon in question is also a shotgun, not a revolver, and in each round players can shoot either the Dealer or themselves. Getting shot with a live round eliminates one of their (or the Dealer's) lives, while an empty round lets them take another turn. It's not as simple as pulling the trigger within a few rounds either, as players can explore, get items to help them, and more. Plus, there's a four-player mode to really shake things up. Buckshot Roulette is very cheap on Steam, coming in at just $3, so it's definitely worth a shot.
