8 Hardest RPGs To 100%: Pro Completionist Guide (March 2026)

What are the hardest RPGs to 100% complete? The most challenging RPGs to fully complete are Dark Souls 3, Final Fantasy X, The Witcher 3, Skyrim, Monster Hunter World, Elden Ring, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, and Stardew Valley, each requiring hundreds of hours and extraordinary dedication to achieve every achievement, collect all items, and complete all content.

After spending over 3,000 hours attempting to 100% complete various RPGs throughout my gaming career, I’ve learned that some games are designed to test not just your skill, but your patience, dedication, and sometimes even your sanity. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share my personal experiences with the most punishing RPGs to fully complete, including the strategies I’ve developed and the mistakes that cost me hundreds of hours.

RPG Title	Estimated Completion Time	Difficulty Factor
Dark Souls 3	200-300 hours	Extreme combat & collectibles
Final Fantasy X	150-250 hours	Sphere Grid & Superbosses
The Witcher 3	200+ hours	Massive content & missables
Skyrim	300+ hours	Bugged quests & infinite content
Monster Hunter World	400+ hours	RNG decorations & crown hunting
Elden Ring	150-200 hours	Multiple endings & collectibles
Yakuza: Like A Dragon	150-200 hours	Minigames & completion list
Stardew Valley	200+ hours	Seasonal events & perfection

What Makes an RPG Difficult to 100% Complete?

Before diving into my rankings, let me explain what separates a challenging RPG from an impossible one. Through my completionist journey, I’ve identified five critical factors that determine true completion difficulty:

Time Investment Requirements: Some RPGs demand not just skill but an extraordinary time commitment. I’ve tracked my playtime meticulously, and the difference between beating a game and achieving 100% can be another 150-200 hours of gameplay. For gamers seeking more manageable experiences, check out our best RPGs for couples guide that focuses on accessible co-op experiences.

RNG and Luck-Based Elements: Nothing tests your patience quite like farming for a 0.5% drop rate item. I spent 47 hours hunting for a single crown in Monster Hunter World – and that was considered lucky by community standards.

Missable Content: The anxiety of potentially missing a single collectible that locks you out of 100% completion is real. I’ve restarted entire 80-hour playthroughs because I accidentally sold a unique item in Final Fantasy games.

Skill Ceilings: Some achievements require mastery that goes beyond normal gameplay. Beating every boss without taking damage in Dark Souls 3 took me months of practice and countless attempts.

8. Stardew Valley – The Deceptively Difficult Farm Sim

Don’t let the charming pixel art fool you – achieving perfection in Stardew Valley is a monumental task. I initially thought this would be a relaxing completion, but after 237 hours, I realized how wrong I was.

The main challenge isn’t difficulty but the sheer scope of requirements. You need to catch every fish (including seasonal and weather-specific ones), cook every recipe, befriend every villager to maximum hearts, and complete the entire museum collection. The legendary fish alone took me multiple in-game years to catch, as they only appear in specific seasons under specific conditions.

What really broke me was the Journey of the Prairie King arcade game. Beating it without dying for the achievement “Fector’s Challenge” required frame-perfect movements and incredible luck with power-up spawns. I spent 15 hours on this minigame alone before finally achieving it. If you’re looking for more addictive open-world experiences, Stardew Valley definitely qualifies as one that’s impossible to put down once you start pursuing perfection.

Completion Tips from My Experience:

• Plan your farm layout from day one – reorganizing later wastes valuable time
• Keep a spreadsheet tracking seasonal items to avoid missing time-sensitive content
• Save scum the arcade games – there’s no shame when RNG is this brutal

7. Yakuza: Like A Dragon – The Minigame Marathon

I love the Yakuza series, but Like A Dragon’s completion requirements tested that love. The main story is fantastic, but achieving 100% means mastering every single minigame – and there are over 20 of them.

The true completion killer is the True Final Millennium Tower, a 100-floor dungeon where enemies can one-shot your entire party even at max level. I had to grind every job to level 99 for every character, which alone took 40 hours of repetitive battles. The business management minigame requires you to reach #1 in rankings, demanding perfect strategy and significant time investment.

But nothing prepared me for Dragon Kart. This racing minigame requires first place in every race on every difficulty. The rubber-band AI is so aggressive that even perfect runs can result in last-second losses. I counted 73 attempts on the final championship before achieving victory. For more insights into challenging gaming experiences, explore our comprehensive gaming guides section.

6. Elden Ring – FromSoftware’s Open World Nightmare

As someone who’s completed every FromSoftware game, I thought I was prepared for Elden Ring. I was not. The open-world design creates unique completion challenges that go beyond the typical Souls difficulty.

Finding all 212 sites of grace without a guide is nearly impossible – I missed three in my first “complete” playthrough despite exploring for 180 hours. The game requires three full playthroughs for all endings, and you must collect every legendary weapon, spell, and incantation across a massive world where important items are hidden in obscure catacombs.

My biggest struggle was collecting all spirit ashes. Some are locked behind easily missed NPC quests that can fail if you progress too far in certain areas. I had to restart my second playthrough after accidentally progressing past Nepheli Loux’s questline, locking me out of a required spirit ash. This type of intricate completion challenge exemplifies why vampire RPGs and other complex genres often require multiple playthroughs to master.

Check out our Dark Souls 3 weapon tier list if you’re preparing for another FromSoftware challenge.

5. Monster Hunter World – The RNG Nightmare

Monster Hunter World broke me. Not because of difficulty, but because of the crown hunting and decoration farming. I’ve slain over 3,000 monsters, and I’m still missing gold crowns for completion.

Crown hunting requires you to find the smallest and largest versions of every monster. The spawn rates for these are approximately 2-3%, meaning you might hunt the same monster 50+ times before seeing the right size. I hunted Black Diablos 127 times before getting my large gold crown. That’s not an exaggeration – I kept a tally.

The decoration system is even worse. Attack Jewel+ decorations have a 0.27% drop rate from specific investigations. After 400 hours, I had exactly two. The game essentially requires you to exploit seasonal events with boosted drop rates, or you’ll never complete your build collection. This level of grinding makes Monster Hunter World one of the RPGs where items truly matter more than in most other games.

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – The Bugged Behemoth

Skyrim would be manageable if it weren’t for the bugs. I’ve attempted 100% completion four times across different platforms, and each time, at least one quest has bugged out, preventing achievement completion.

The Oblivion Walker achievement requires collecting 15 Daedric artifacts, but several can be permanently missed if you make the wrong dialogue choice. I lost the Skull of Corruption because I didn’t realize killing Erandur would prevent me from getting it. That mistake cost me a 120-hour playthrough.

Beyond bugs, the sheer scope is overwhelming. There are 273 locations to discover, hundreds of books to read, and the Thieves Guild radiant quests alone can take 30+ hours of repetitive jobs to unlock all city influence achievements. Don’t even get me started on the Legendary Dragon random spawn rates. These challenges highlight why Skyrim remains among the most ambitious yet problematic action RPGs with extensive weapon systems.

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – The Completionist’s Trap

The Witcher 3 is my favorite RPG, but completing it 100% nearly ruined it for me. The game has over 450 points of interest in the base game alone, and adding the DLCs pushes the completion time well over 200 hours.

The Gwent card collection is particularly frustrating. Several cards are missable during specific quests, and if you don’t win them from NPCs before certain story points, they’re gone forever. I missed one card during the party at Kaer Trolde and had to replay 40 hours to get it.

Death March difficulty requires perfect preparation and understanding of enemy patterns. The early game is brutally difficult – I died to the Griffin boss 23 times before finally developing a strategy using Quen and precise dodge timing. For those looking for best co-op RPGs for couples, maybe skip this one unless you both enjoy suffering. The game’s complexity also exemplifies the depth found in turn-based JRPGs with meaningful player choice.

2. Final Fantasy X – The Sphere Grid Nightmare

Final Fantasy X’s completion requirements are absurd. Maxing every character’s sphere grid, defeating all Dark Aeons and Penance, completing the monster arena, and dodging 200 lightning bolts in a row – it’s designed to break you.

The lightning dodge challenge alone took me 17 attempts. One mistake at bolt 199 means starting over. No checkpoints, no mercy. I developed a specific rhythm and muted the game because the thunder sound effect still gives me anxiety.

But the true nightmare is maxing stats. You need to farm specific monsters for sphere drops, customize equipment with specific abilities, and carefully plan your sphere grid progression. Defeating the Dark Aeons requires near-perfect stats, and Penance has 12 million HP with attacks that can instantly kill maxed characters. My successful Penance fight took 2 hours and 13 minutes of concentrated focus. This level of dedication mirrors what’s required for completing PS2 RPGs with open-world elements from the same era.

1. Dark Souls 3 – The Ultimate Completionist Challenge

Dark Souls 3 stands alone as the hardest RPG to 100% complete. It’s not just the difficulty – it’s the combination of skill requirements, collectible hunting, and covenant grinding that creates the perfect storm of completion hell.

Collecting all rings requires three full playthroughs, including NG++ where enemies deal devastating damage. You must find every ring variant, including +1 and +2 versions that only appear in higher difficulties. I missed the Wolf Ring +2 in my NG++ run and had to go to NG+++ just to collect it.

The covenant items are the real killer. Farming 30 Proof of Concord Kept from Silver Knights has a roughly 1% drop rate with maximum item discovery. I farmed for 19 hours straight to get them all. The Vertebra Shackles and Pale Tongues can be earned through PvP, but if you’re not skilled at invasions, you’re looking at another 20+ hours of farming.

The Nameless King on NG++ nearly broke my controller. His delayed attacks punish muscle memory from previous playthroughs, and one mistake means death. It took me 44 attempts to beat him without taking damage for my personal challenge run.

For detailed strategies on weapon choices, check out our comprehensive Dark Souls 3 weapon tier list – it’ll save you hours of experimentation.

Tips for Aspiring Completionists

After torturing myself with these games, here’s my advice for anyone brave enough to attempt 100% completion:

Use Multiple Save Files: I learned this the hard way. Keep backup saves before major story points to avoid missing collectibles. Cloud saves have saved me hundreds of hours of repeated content.

Follow Guides for Missables: There’s no shame in using guides for collectibles. I wasted 300+ hours across various games by missing single items and having to replay entire sections. Consider exploring co-op Metroidvania games if you want completion challenges with a friend’s help.

Join Community Discord Servers: The community knowledge for these games is invaluable. I’ve gotten help with everything from optimal farming routes to glitch workarounds that saved me dozens of hours.

Take Breaks: Burnout is real. I’ve abandoned several completion attempts by pushing too hard. Now I alternate between difficult grinds and easier content to maintain sanity.

Track Your Progress: Use spreadsheets or completion tracking apps. When you’re hunting 900 Korok Seeds in Breath of the Wild or 200+ collectibles in other RPGs, organization is essential. This approach works well for achievement hunting in games like those covered in our Black Myth Wukong achievements guide.

Is 100% Completion Worth It?

After thousands of hours pursuing digital perfection, I can say that 100% completion is simultaneously the most rewarding and frustrating gaming experience possible. The satisfaction of seeing that platinum trophy or 100% achievement score is genuine, but the journey tests your limits.

These eight RPGs represent hundreds of hours each, and I’ve completed six of them fully (still working on Monster Hunter World crowns and Skyrim’s bugged quests). Each completion taught me patience, perseverance, and the importance of taking breaks before you throw your controller through a wall.

The real value isn’t in the achievement itself but in the mastery you develop. I know these games inside and out, every secret, every strategy, every hidden path. That deep understanding enhances future playthroughs and creates lasting memories – even if some of those memories involve cursing at lightning bolts in Final Fantasy X.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which RPG takes the longest to 100% complete?

Based on my personal tracking and community data, Monster Hunter World requires the most time investment, often exceeding 400-500 hours due to RNG-heavy crown hunting and decoration farming. However, Skyrim can theoretically take longer if you include all DLC content and radiant quests, though most consider “100%” to be all achievements rather than literally every possible task.

Are any RPGs impossible to 100% complete due to bugs?

While not technically impossible, several RPGs have notorious bugs that can prevent completion. Skyrim is the worst offender – certain achievements like “Oblivion Walker” can become unobtainable if specific quests bug out. I’ve personally experienced the “Blood on the Ice” quest breaking three times across different playthroughs. Always keep multiple saves and consider PC versions where console commands can fix broken quests.

What’s the easiest “hard” RPG to 100% complete?

Surprisingly, despite its reputation, Elden Ring is the most manageable of the notoriously difficult RPGs to complete. With good planning, you can get everything in three playthroughs, and there’s less RNG than games like Monster Hunter World. The main challenge is skill-based rather than time-based, which I personally find more satisfying than grinding for random drops.

Should I attempt these games simultaneously or one at a time?

From painful experience, never attempt multiple completions simultaneously. I tried juggling Dark Souls 3 and The Witcher 3 completions and ended up burning out on both. Focus on one game, take breaks with lighter games between major grinds, and don’t start your next 100% attempt immediately after finishing one. Your mental health will thank you.

Do DLCs count toward 100% completion?

This depends on the platform and how you define completion. For achievement hunters, DLC achievements are separate from base game completion on most platforms. However, for true completionists like myself, skipping DLC content feels incomplete. The Witcher 3’s DLCs add another 50+ hours to completion time, and Dark Souls 3’s DLCs include some of the hardest bosses in the series. I always include DLC in my completion runs, but it’s really a personal choice.

For more gaming guides and tips on tackling difficult games, check out our comprehensive guides section where I share strategies for various challenging titles. Remember, the journey to 100% completion is a marathon, not a sprint – pace yourself and enjoy the mastery you develop along the way.