History Main / EarlyGameHell

* ''LaMulana'', which is already a vicious game, suffers from this big time. The game opens with your pathetically weak character, armed with a single clumsy weapon, running around a confusing jungle. How do you get into the ruins? What's the best item to buy with the few coins you can find? ''How do you save?'' It doesn't let up after you get into the Guidance Gate, which, at first glance, is filled with nasty traps and unclear puzzles. Veterans know to make a beeline for the [[WarpWhistle Grail]], but new players will suffer until they figure out the game's general train of logic.

** ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 1}}'' falls under this as well, to a lesser extent. Since encounters don't scale to your level, you can run right into a pack of radscorpions right out of the Vault and get slaughtered. The game doesn't give you much to go on, so you're probably gonna end up wandering the wasteland aimlessly until you stumble upon something to go upon.

* On a first playthrough, ''LaMulana'' gets this big time. You can't do anything except jump around, whip, and die. You can't even ''read''. Going in blind usually means a lot of jumping around the jungle section, getting knocked around by birds and snakes, until you stumble across the solutions to the puzzles or check a walkthrough. Even then, exploring the temple is inconvenient, difficult, and almost pointless until you get the Glyph Reader, the [[WarpWhistle chalice]], and a [[HeartContainer Life Jewel]] or two. It's not until you solve most of the puzzles in the Guidance Gate that the game really starts opening up.

* On a first playthrough, ''LaMulana'' gets this big time. You can't do anything except jump around, whip, and die. You can't even ''read''. Going in blind usually means a lot of jumping around the jungle section, getting knocked around by birds and snakes, until you stumble across the solutions to the puzzles or check a walkthrough. Even then, exploring the temple is inconvenient without the [[WarpWhistle grail]], confusing without the Glyph Reader, and difficult without Life Jewels or better weapons.

* ''{{Fallout 2}}'' has the publisher required Temple of Trials tutorial era. In a game that otherwise encourages multiple paths and non-violent solutions, this area has one and only the "boss" of the area can be reasoned with (the ants can't), if your character is anything other than an melee/unarmed fighter (you have no firearms here), 2/3 of your attacks will miss, and may fail to kill the enemy even when they do hit. Further, there is a very limited number of healing items (and the ones that are present have side effects that make you even less accurate) with no resting ability.
** ''{{Fallout 1}}'' falls under this as well, to a lesser extent. Since encounters don't scale to your level, you can run right into a pack of radscorpions right out of the Vault and get slaughtered. The game doesn't give you much to go on, so you're probably gonna end up wandering the wasteland aimlessly until you stumble upon something to go upon.

* As soon as the game gives control to the player, ResidentEvil2 throws zombies at you in nearly every direction from the very start. If playing on normal, you won't have enough ammunition to fight them all, forcing you to run. The controls have a definite learning curve to them; expect to die a lot in the early stages (if not the very first screen) if you're not well accustomed to "tank-like" movement.

SuperTrope of EarlyBirdBoss, and often overlaps with SchizophrenicDifficulty.

* Both ''BatenKaitos'' games suffer from this to various extents. The battle systems are quite complex and are not beginner friendly. Just to add to that, the first game makes you spend a long time with only Kalas in your party, which slows battles to an absolute crawl. The prequel is a little better in this regard.

* ''Game/MegaMan'' games get easier as you go on because you can acquire new weapons and upgrades.

* Both ''BatenKaitos'' games suffer from this to various extents. The battle systems are quite complex and can be bewildering if you don't have a manual. Just to add to that, the first game makes you spend a long time with only Kalas in your party, which slows battles to an absolute crawl. The prequel is a little better in this regard.
** Regarding ''Origins'', it's practically a slideshow of different types of Early Game Hell. You've got a short section with no party members other than Sagi, a nasty EarlyBirdBoss, several scenes [[GetOnWithItAlready where nothing particularly interesting happens]], and almost no strategic options in battle. The good news is that none of these sections last particularly long (although you can get hung up on [[EarlyBirdBoss Giacomo]] for a while). Once you meet [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Quaestor Verus]], the game gets infinitely better.

** Regarding ''Origins'', it's practically a slideshow of different types of Early Game Hell. You've got a short section where you're split up from Guillo, a nasty EarlyBirdBoss, a severe lack of attack and healing options, and several scenes [[GetOnWithItAlready where nothing particularly interesting happens]]. The good news is that none of these sections last particularly long (although you can get hung up on [[EarlyBirdBoss Giacomo]] for a while). Once you meet [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Quaestor Verus]], the game gets infinitely better.

* MassEffect2 is like this in NewGamePlus, since the enemies are scaled to your level, but your weapons are stripped of all upgrades. The first mission after the intro is especially difficult, since you're restricted to the default weapon loadout.

** Regarding ''Origins'', it's practically a slideshow of different types of Early Game Hell. You've got a short section where you're split up from Guillo, a nasty EarlyBirdBoss, a severe lack of attack and healing options, and several scenes where nothing particularly interesting happens. The good news is that none of these sections last particularly long (although you can get hung up on [[EarlyBirdBoss Giacomo]] for a while). Once you meet [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Quaestor Verus]], the game gets infinitely better.

* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey'', [[NintendoHard an already hellish game]], makes the early game hard even by its own sick standards. Patching up party members and replacing your [[EscapeRope Warp Wire]] [[PerpetualPoverty takes up all the money you earned getting the injuries]], giving you no cash for even basic equipment. Running into FOEs means an instant game over. Skill-heavy characters like mages and healers become TheLoad, with severely limited TP making them unable to do anything more than dink away with daggers for ScratchDamage.

* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey'', an already hellish game, makes the early game hard even by its own sick standards. Healers don't have the TP to fix more than 3 heals off, patching up party members and replacing your Warp Wire [[PerpetualPoverty takes up all the money you earned getting the injuries]], giving you no room for even basic equipment. Running into FOEs in the beginning of the game is an instant game over, where as by the middle and especially the end, you'll be challenging them on your own for their rare drops.

** HumanRevolution's first level has Jensen fight against Spec Ops soldiers without any augmentations, including HUD, health meter and radar. It's not impossible but very easy to die if you botch a shot or get detected.

* ''EtrianOdyssey'', an already hellish game, makes the early game hard even by its own sick standards. Healers don't have the TP to fix more than 3 heals off, patching up party members and replacing your Warp Wire [[PerpetualPoverty takes up all the money you earned getting the injuries]], giving you no room for even basic equipment. Running into FOEs in the beginning of the game is an instant game over, where as by the middle and especially the end, you'll be challenging them on your own for their rare drops.

** Regarding ''Origins'', it's practically a slideshow of different types of Early Game Hell. You've got a short section where you're split up from Guillo, a nasty EarlyBirdBoss, a severe lack of attack options, and several scenes where nothing particularly interesting happens. The good news is that none of these sections last particularly long (although you can get hung up on [[EarlyBirdBoss Giacomo]] for a while). Once you meet [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Quaestor Verus]], the game gets infinitely better.