Spoilers ahead: for the puzzle and the movies/games
This page reveals all categories and answers for this puzzle. It also discusses plot details, story endings, and other spoilers for some of the movies/games shown.
easy
Shmups with dense bullet patterns
Mushihimesama · Crimzon Clover · ZeroRanger · DoDonPachi Resurrection
medium
Asymmetric multiplayer
Dead by Daylight · Evolve · SpyParty · Crawl
hard
Reactive worlds that reward improvisation
Deus Ex: Human Revolution · Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss · Weird West · Shadows of Doubt
These games are built around spaces that react to your experiments instead of forcing one clean solution. Stealth, hacking, traversal, dialogue, simulation, and procedural systems all leave room for messy player-authored problem solving.
tricky
You command more than you directly control
Lemmings · Patapon · Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim · Pikmin 4
The trick is that each game keeps some distance between your input and the action on screen. You assign jobs, beat commands, place incentives, or direct squads, then trust a semi-autonomous group to carry the plan out.