Games That Reward Thinking Over Fast Reflexes

Button mashing can sometimes get you far, especially if you only really need to focus on a few specific inputs. Get good enough and your reflexes will be incredible. However, some games will push players to the limit where even fast reflexes can’t save you. In fact, it is often better to take a moment to think about your next move rather than just reacting quickly.

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This can mean being smarter than the enemies you want to face off against, and tackling different challenges in a creative fashion. So which games reward you the most for playing it slow?

10

Dark Souls 2

The Most Challenging Souls Game

Every Dark Souls game rewards players for learning the enemy movements before engaging. However, none relies on it more than Dark Souls 2. This is because the enemy placement can get you swarmed even if you have the fastest reflexes in the world.

If you try to run past enemies or make quick swipes, you’ll soon find yourself getting hit from all sides. This can be incredibly frustrating, since enemies stop spawning after you’ve defeated them a couple of times. So thinking before engaging will result in fewer souls wasted and easier progression.

9

Baldur’s Gate 3

Take Your Time To Set Up A Stage

Many RPGs have real-time combat and require you to pull up menus in the middle of a fight. What makes Baldur’s Gate 3 so special is not just that it gives each character a turn, but you get full control of where a fight will take place.

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You can play around with the field by moving obstacles such as barrels around, creating barricades and angles to make a fight easier. It’s this creative thinking that makes fights just as interesting as trying to figure out what your dialogue and interactions will lead to.

8

Civilization 7

The Ultimate Simulator

If any game makes you think harder than ever before, it’s Civilization 7. Everything from the speed of progression to solving issues with other civilizations, it all relies on your own decision-making skills.

Where do you want to place your settlement? What advancements do you want to invest in first? What kind of victory do you hope to achieve? Every decision drastically changes what you have available to continue growing your civilization. So playing it slow and reviewing your plan is optimal. No rushing here.

7

Resident Evil HD

Shoot Every Zombie Or Let Them Live?

If you’re playing the original Resident Evil games, you’ll need some fast reflexes if you want to avoid zombies that catch you in a tight corner. However, the game mostly revolves around planning your route and conserving your ammunition.

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In fact, many enemies can be avoided entirely if you learn their movements or know how often you’re going to be passing through. Some enemies won’t even spawn unless you enter from a specific door. Kill too many zombies too quickly, and you’ll end up with Crimson Heads running around. Play it smart, and even bosses will fall to your excessive ammo.

6

The Talos Principle

Puzzles And AI

You’ll need at least some reflexes to evade a few obstacles along the way. However, The Talos Principle mostly requires you to use your brain to progress. As you travel through the virtual landscape as an A.I., there are puzzles you need to complete before you are allowed to continue.

The Talos Principle gives you some freedom as to which puzzles you want to tackle first. This gives you a bit more leeway if you find some puzzles more challenging than you expected. Take your time and use your head. Completing a few extra challenges will also reward you with a different ending.

5

Project Zomboid

Can You Keep Calm Under Pressure?

Systems

Released

November 8, 2013

Developer(s)

The Indie Stone

Publisher(s)

The Indie Stone

ESRB

m

There are hundreds of zombies swarming the streets as the dead come back to life. However, Project Zomboid isn’t about killing them but surviving the apocalypse. Scavenging for supplies requires care and tact if you want to grab what you need and go.

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Your reflexes might help you spot a few threats before they get too close. Ultimately, it will be how well you can think of an escape route while being chased by hordes of the undead that will determine if you live or not. Keep a level head, and what you can achieve is limitless.

4

The Room

Puzzles Galore And Hours To Figure It All Out

If you enjoy puzzles and love having all the time that you need to solve them, then The Room fits the bill. This is the first game in the series that has you trying to unlock a mysterious box. While the first layer of the box is simple enough, the puzzles only get more complex as you get through different layers of the container.

Twist knobs, turn keys, and discover hidden compartments that open up new segments of the box. Every puzzle has a unique presentation which only makes them more engaging to keep solving.

3

Hitman World Of Assassination

Be A Creative Hitman

It would be easy if you could just snap your mouse, hit a target, and go home. This is not the case in Hitman: World of Assassination. While you have targets that you ultimately need to do away with, how you take care of the job is up to you.

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It’s fun to have options, and these action games let you try your hand at stealth.

Blend into the crowd, find a way to get close, then take down your target. You can do this with your weapons or find a more creative way to take care of them without raising suspicions.

2

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Make Every Bullet Count

If you’re used to quickscoping in multiplayer games, then this will have you doing the opposite. Sniper Elite: Resistance requires you to play it slow and steady. This means taking your time to reach the area where your targets will be passing through and taking your shot.

Getting to your target can be tricky. Sometimes you will need to wait for sounds to be loud enough to mask your shot. Other times, you can take care of multiple enemies with only one bullet. Learning the enemy behavior is integral whether you want to take some down or find a way to avoid them.

1

Crypt Of The Necrodancer

No Rushing Into Dungeons

With flashing lights and enemies moving closer to you, your first instinct might be to quickly get out of the way. This is not optimal since you need to move to the same rhythm of the music. Luckily, the monsters in the dungeon have to do so too, and they have patterns you can learn.

You’re not just trying to take down enemies through fast reflexes and quick dodges. You need to predict enemy movement based on the beat and the patterns they exhibit before you walk up to them.

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