Steamworld Heist has five difficulties, so you should get quite a challenge from the higher ones. The game punishes you super hard for fucking up too, which s totally fair in a game with very minimal RNG involved. My favorite SRPG on the 3DS.

Black Ops 3 has a one shot kill difficulty and all the enemies have hitscan guns

Modern Ys games can get rough on the highest difficulties, although that may be because I don't like to grind and would rather just fight the bosses and none of the small monsters so bosses take like 5 times longer to beat than they would in boss rush mode. SMT: Devil Survivor is probably the hardest srpg I've played in the "you gotta use all your resources to the fullest" way. You've probably played it though so I got nothing.

Sayonara Umihara Kawase is the hardest game that I've encountered on a current-gen console. It's much harder than it looks.

Also, the final boss of Drakengard 3 is absurdly difficult, though the rest of the game isn't too bad.

>>335106504
Unfortunately I can't help you with that, but since you like hard games and SRPGs, could you name any good and challenging SRPGs you've played already? So far the best I've found have been Fire Emblem 5 and Front Mission 5 but they're quite easy. SMT: Devil Survivor Overclocked is a good SRPG on the 3ds but again, it's pretty easy. I can't think of a single console SRPG that is actually hard and isn't just complete garbage.

>>335106504
If anything, Intelligent Systems's own Project Steam was criticised for being way too hard and unforgiving

>>335110331
I was thinking of buying STEAM, is it balanced hard or bullshit hard?

>>335110527
There's no actual leveling up at all, all stats are fixed, so take that as you will.

>>335110150
SRPGs typically aren't very difficult, unfortunately. If all you're really concerned with is finding a good challenge, I would look elsewhere.

That said, some of them do have interesting mechanics and at least require some semblance of tactics and careful positioning in order to succeed. The best I've encountered are Yggdra Union, Gungnir, and Wild Arms XF.

>>335110694
That sounds kinda boring.

>>335111724
I think it depends on how it's executed, it's different from IS's usual FE by the sound of it but I can easily see it being done decently.

>>335111724
You do unlock new weapons and steampacks at least, but nothing is ever a straight upgrade over anything, each equippable has a use and a drawback.

Natural Doctrine is pretty fun