6 Hardest Japanese Open-World RPGs, Ranked

Updated on June 26, 2026, by Mark Sammut: I've updated this article by swapping out a couple of the easier games (Dragon's Dogma 2 and Infinite Wealth) and rewriting the intro.

Open-world RPGs aren't that common to begin with, and they become almost nonexistent if we limit the selection to projects by Japanese developers. If we take things a step further and focus solely on hard open-world RPGs, the lineup becomes slimmer and dominated by a single game: Elden Ring. Is that really the only game that qualifies?

Well, the answer is actually "no," and Japan has given the world a few genuinely difficult games that combine these two genres. Games like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth can be a bit challenging at times, but the upcoming RPGs can genuinely be marketed on their difficulty.

We are counting all RPGs made by Japanese developers, so not just JRPGs.

1 Elden Ring & Shadow of the Erdtree

You Can Become OP, But You Must Walk A Long And Punishing Road

Elden Ring is almost certainly the first Japanese open-world RPG that came to mind for everyone when they saw this article's title, especially since it belongs to a subgenre widely recognized as one of the hardest in modern gaming. Although more accessible than some of FromSoftware's other games, Elden Ring still retains the developer's trademark difficulty, and some bosses arguably lean into "unfair" territory.

Players can create their character, choose a class, and then hone their build to become anything they want, from a close-range warrior to a ranged mage. Even with two other players in co-op, Elden Ring constantly throws out obstacles designed to wreck your confidence. It's a game that demands patience, precision, and a lot of grinding to raise those stats before you can overcome its toughest challenges.

The "Shadow of the Erdtree" expansion is even harder than the base content, to the point of just being frustrating at times.

2 Monster Hunter Wilds

Die, Craft, Repeat

Monster Hunter Wilds is the most accessible entry in the mainline Monster Hunter series for newbies to get into. However, that’s based on a sliding scale from “hard” to “unfair” because the learning curve for these games is steep.

Players can create their character and cat companion, known as a Palico, and choose one of fourteen weapons to wield in action combat, and mastering that weapon is a critical part of having success on the game's toughest hunts. This time around, players can hire AI-based human companions, which can make some early monster hunts less difficult. However, midway through is when the real game begins, and that’s when the true merit of players will be tested. Just a few hits from these colossal titans can send players back to camp empty-handed.

MH Wilds is only borderline open-world, but we decided to make an exception.

3 Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

Uneven Main Campaign Followed By A Really Fun And Challenging Endgame

Both Dragon's Dogma and its sequel start pretty difficult but get significantly easier as things progress, and players eventually become so powerful that they can demolish bosses without any problems. While we still have to wait to see if Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen greatly ramps up the challenge, its predecessor's expansion certainly raised the bar in terms of difficulty.

Pushing past the base content, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen comes to life when players travel to Bitterblack Isle, an endgame section that will test and humble max-level players. Instead of open fields, you must contend with claustrophobic corridors, relentless bosses, and stat checks that demand perfect party optimization. Also, Dark Arisen's Hard Mode significantly ramps up the difficulty, and it would probably rank first, even above Elden Ring​​​​​.

4 Rise Of The Ronin

Open-World Ninja Gaiden

Rise of the Ronin was made by Team Ninja, a developer known for their brutal action and, most of all, their challenging Ninja Gaiden series. While this open-world samurai game does have difficulty options, the base level and harder difficulty modes are just as challenging as the Ninja Gaiden games.

Players will have to stay on their toes and learn how to parry enemy attacks if they wish to survive. As a loot-based RPG, there are ways to get ahead, but it does require some exploring to get the best stuff, and with exploration comes lots of danger.

5 Metal Max Xeno: Reborn

A Post-Apocalyptic Open-World RPG

Time for a more niche game; Metal Max Xeno might be the only open-world RPG to receive a remake on the same console as its vanilla version. Initially released on the PS4 and Vita in 2018, a remake, Metal Max Xeno: Reborn, came out just two years later and also launched on other systems like the Switch and PC. As a series, Metal Max has been around since the early '90s, even if it never quite managed to garner a huge international following.

On the surface, Metal Max Xeno: Reborn might seem like a low-budget throwback, but don't mistake its presentation for a casual experience. Reborn is an incredibly punishing game that emphasizes resource management and vehicle customization, with the latter being particularly challenging since optimization is so important. If you aren't careful, you can easily be wiped out in seconds.

6 Nioh 3

An Easy Team Ninja Game Is Still Pretty Difficult

Team Ninja's games seem to be getting progressively easier, but they still pack a relatively strong punch, especially for newcomers who haven't spent the last decade playing through every single release. Nioh 3's difficulty will be influenced by a player's familiarity with both Souls-like games and Team Ninja's recent resume; however, regardless of a player's experience, they will likely come to grips with the gameplay loop pretty quickly.

Nioh 3 is considerably easier than both of its predecessors and Rise of the Ronin, largely thanks to a dual-build system that lets you flip between a powerful samurai and a speedy ninja with a single button. While the main dungeons are still quite difficult, the open-world sections can become trivial since it is very simple to become over-leveled.

Despite lowering the barrier to entry, Nioh 3 is still a Team Ninja game that frequently throws out hard-as-heck boss fights that serve as skill checks. It might not happen as often as the developer's other titles, but it still happens.