There are a lot of different versions of 'hard mode' in gaming. Some of them make enemies more powerful, some of them make the player super weak, and some of them kill off a character for good if they die. Sometimes, hard mode is a frustrating barrier between the player and the story that doesn't improve the gameplay.

Then there are fantastic games where the hardest difficulty is the best way to play. These games leverage their mechanics to do more than pump up the health of enemies or turn the player into a glass cannon. Instead, they change core mechanics to make the game more challenging instead of just harder.

Related: Resident Evil 7's Madhouse Difficulty Is How It Should Be Played

Below are some of the best hard modes in gaming, the kind that will make players grin from the challenge instead of feeling like they're getting cheated.

Alien Isolation - Nightmare

The player shooting the flamethrower at the xenomorph in the vents in Alien: Isolation

Alien Isolation's 'Nightmare' difficulty is for players looking for a legitimate horror experience. The Alien Isolation's flamethrower trivializes the Alien on lower difficulties. On Nightmare, fuel is so scarce that the flamethrower can only be used as a last resort instead of a crutch, so it doesn't take away from the horror.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Maddening

Fire Emblem Three Houses Cindered Shadows Review DLC

The maddening mode in best units in each Fire Emblem house.

The Last of Us 2 - Survivor

Abby's arm holding a bloodied hammer in The Last of Us Part II

Naughty Dog's The Last of Us's tragic narrative of survival and revenge, where every brutal tactic is needed to reach the end credits. With a heavy emphasis on stealth and creativity, playing with scarce resources makes the combat in The Last of Us shine.

Fallout - Survival

Fallout 1 The Vault Dweller

Survival difficulty in Fallout 4's Survival Mode is the best way to get a proper wasteland experience.

All of the games above offer intense experiences where players will squeeze the most out of the game by playing on a harder difficulty. Not every game as a terrific hard mode, and it's never wrong to turn down the punishment for the sake of fun. Still, cranking up the difficulty on any of the games mentioned here is going to show off the best version of that game.

Related: How Hard Ghost of Tsushima Is (& What The Difficulty Settings Are)