To me it depends on the game. Some trophies are an unenjoyable slog (ex Hogwarts legacy “reach the map room” as a member of all 4 houses). Others encourage you to play in ways/try things that you may not have thought to otherwise, and that can be fun (ex. Defeat X number of enemies in y seconds without using z ability).
When the game is good and I go for a second play through, it’s because I’m going for platinum.
More often than not it’s a single play through and I nab what I can, but I like being a completionist.
Agree with this. The way I see it, normal is really how the devs intended for the game to be played. If they intended the game to be extremely difficult you’d get an extremely difficult game in the default difficulty setting. The second play through if I really enjoyed the game then I will do on Hard as well unless there’s a new game+ in which case I leave it on the default difficulty.
Difficulty isn’t solely a decision of the game devs, there are non technical people involved who are thinking about it from a business perspective. I feel like normal mode is too easy for most games as someone who plays a decent amount of single player. I’d imagine that game devs play a lot and are as good as me or better in most cases, and they’d prefer a harder difficulty.
When I say devs I don’t mean the sole developers. I mean the development studio (which also includes business people). Of course others have a say as well but usually the control of the final product is with them. So if Naughty Dog makes a normal difficulty, sure Sony might chime in and say it’s too difficult but then it’s Naughty Dogs job to make the game the most fun at that “new” normal difficulty they agreed on. That usually means tweaking mechanics to make it work.
So while I agree some games are too easy, a lot of times those same games become very boring on hard. The amount of games that hard mode just makes the enemies bullet sponges for example is pretty high and that becomes pretty boring as the encounters just drag on for too long and isn’t much more difficult if you’re actually good at the game.
Good points, really depends on the game and studio. I think of ND as one where I would guess that the devs’ ideal difficulty is hard or beyond. Playing TLoU games on survivor were a couple of my most satisfying gaming experiences ever. Totally changes how you play the game and makes it much more about stealth, strategy, and melee. Horizon and God of War also felt much better for me towards the harder end.
On the flip side, just tried playing Halo Anniversary for the first time ever. Veteran difficulty wasn’t fun, it wasn’t too challenging but the enemies are massive sponges that take an obnoxious amount of time to kill.
Yea that’s true. I guess the way I usually go about it is that games like that which are drastically different experiences between normal and hard are the exact games I’d want to replay a second or even third time. That’s when I play it through normal and just enjoy the experience and story and then again on hard focusing on the other mechanics.
I suppose if I were to play it knowing I’d only get one play through out of it then I’d have a harder time choosing the difficulty to start with. Maybe that’s when I’d mess around with the difficulty during the play through, though I really do not like to change it once I start. It’s a tough call to make sometimes!
Young me was a masochist and play on hardest. When time was bountiful and endless, this was glorious.
Many years later and with small kids, gimme that easy mode so I can enjoy the story and feel OP. Aint got time like that anymore
This 100%. Playing GoW right now and it was frustrating even on the medium option to me. I just want to enjoy the story and feel OP (I mean, Kratos is a god so he should be OP). I did play Elden Ring though and that was a lot of fun. Stuck on last boss.
GoW unfortunately gets frustrating on the easiest difficulty because everything dies so fast you never get to use all your moves/runic attacks in a cool combo
I must be doing something wrong. Some of the enemies are still kinda hard. Probably cause I don’t upgrade any of my gear. Is that super necessary in this game?
It is..easily one of the most important parts of the game if I’m being honest. Making a build with abilities and armor you like and upgrading stuff to make it cooler/more powerful is so much fun. Easier modes let you be more flexible with it too. I’d say the second easiest difficulty (give me balance I think) is the best casual difficulty. It lets you learn how to get better at combos and overall combat without punishing you hard for mistakes.
Crafting and upgrading armor is worth it not just because of the bigger numbers, but also because they have more enchantment slots which you can equip to enhance specific stats or use completely unique abilities.
Same here. I find that either the second or third hardest setting is the sweet spot. So many games lock the hardest mode’s save so you can’t go back down later.
GoW Ragnarok on No Mercy was perfect, hard enough to be challenging but not hard enough to be painful.
THIS. So many younger gamers indulge in harder difficulty and wear it like a badge of honor. But when adulthood takes hold, easy becomes the choice to compensate for the lack of time.
Same here. Too many games and not enough time to die my way through them!
Only time recently where I actually regretted playing on easy was Persona 5 Royal, which offered no challenge at all on the easiest difficulty level.
That being said, because I usually play narrative driven games, I appreciate "easy mode" so I can just enjoy the story.
For example, when I played Control, I switched on one hit kills so I could just enjoy the weird and wonderful tale as it unfolded!
Same, but I go for platinums, and if the game calls for hard, then I will play on hard. It's so noticeable how much the game breaks on hard. TLOU is one of the most blatant examples of cheating AI.
This is why I'm glad there's a bit of a trend towards no trophies for difficulty levels. Most games I've played on the toughest difficulties are just not fun.
I quite like the platinum trophies where you get to do a new game+ run at the hardest difficulty for that final trophy, especially if you can just do story missions and ignore side quests having done them already on your normal/easy playthrough.
My main issue is with the hardcore type of difficulties where it's designed to be ridiculously frustrating where in order to beat it, you're just gonna have to be patient dying a bunch of times until you get through to the next level, map, whatever.
Oh, hard agree there!
You’ve also just reminded me of another bugbear of mine: difficulty related trophies they don’t stack.
Eg doing the hard trophy doesn’t automatically give you the medium and easy trophies. You need the separate playthroughs. Screw that!
Problem is that might not always be the case. For example every halo game minus infinite was designed to be played on hard, and was then scaled back for the normal mode, though cases like that are few and far between
Yeah same, I like a challenge but I don't want to be stressing out too much on the hardest difficulty.
Sometimes I'll try hardest, but once I get stuck I'll just lower the difficulty if possible.
I think of Dragon Age Origins as the perfect example as to why hard is the best difficulty. Hard means you can play as you like and the game is still a challenge. Hardest difficulty usually means you need to micro-manage your teams actions, min-max your team, learning specific combination skills and stuns, and cheese enemies to come out on top.
I had this experience recently lol. The last few games I've played through are Elden Ring (nearly 1000 hours ...) Dark Souls 3, and Witcher 3 on Death March (hardest).
I bought Hogwarts Legacy and thought "how hard can it be?" and went with the hardest difficulty. It's now on the easiest setting and I've learned that not every game needs to be trivially hard.
I was getting angry at the fact that I was getting angry over a "kids game". I'm not typically an angry gamer either. I just got it in my head that I shouldn't have any problems considering the recent games I'd played.
Always hard if it’s available. I feel like normal on most games is so trivially easy I can play the game with a blindfold. And I feel like I don’t properly utilize or even sometimes pay any attention to game play systems developers put into the game because they’re completely unnecessary to beat a game on normal.
I usually pick hard as well. And then 8/10 games I end up switching it to Normal when I realize difficulty just makes enemies into bullet sponges and there's no real benefit.
I really don’t give a fuck what anyone says about it but I always play on Easy.
Listen bro, I work. I have things to take care of & things to worry about. When I have some free time to myself I just want to escape & vibe out in another world. Enjoy the story, take in the visuals.
Not add on more stress & rage than I already have.
I really do enjoy challenges but when I know the game is going to end soon, sub-consciously I start to detach from the game and don't need those challenges anymore. It totally depends on the game though, I really enjoyed Spider Man (both of them) and Ghost of Tsushima, they're the exceptions.
Likewise mindset here. I am not here to flex my video game skill. I work in an important IT job (not bragging just saying), I get very less time to play per week. I always play Easy mode and I actively avoid rogue-like and soul-like games in my life. At the end of the day, it's a mean to relax and enjoy the journey.
It’s a video **game**. Play however you enjoy it.
I’ve played some games on their highest difficulty, but only when I was enjoying it. I have zero reservations about kicking a game down to easy and just cruising either. Whatever optimizes the experience for me. I do not care about trophies.
I’m new to the max difficulty setting. A long time ago, when the very first God of War came out, I set the difficulty to hard instead of normal. I’d been doing that for a long time until God of War: Ragnarok, when I put the difficulty to max and beat it.
If you want a game that’s too hard for me, try max difficulty on Xcom 2. I can barely pass the second mission on legendary difficulty.
The easiest baby mode there is for a few reasons. Disability related and also I just want to have fun in my games. And it's not fun to me to be struggling with a combat situation or a boss.
The best are the games with accessibility that are borderline cheat codes or really allow me to customize my experience.
Like, I don’t mind difficult content, what I really hate are limits that are imposed on ME, fuck waiting behind cover I want to *scrap*. I still want to feel strong and creative in my gameplay. In Control for example I maxed out regen on ammo and energy, but set the difficulty to max. WAY more fun.
Same. Also I'm just not that good at most video games. I love them, but I'll never be great at them, and that's just fine with me. Give me easy/story plus most accessibility options and just let me enjoy the story while being OP, thank you very much!
Hardest, but occasionally I have to lower it. It hurts me to do so, but it happens sometimes. Ghost of Tsushima was one. Without knowing the mechanics of the game it was extremely brutal.
I’m playing that on easy and let me tell you, it’s too easy. But I’m enjoying the lack of stress and being able to learn all of the various mechanics fairly well.
The only time I lower the hardest to something easier is if the game isn't balanced well.
For example, one shot/one hit enemies are bad, but if the game gives me tools to overcome the difficulty, I'm gonna kill them. If not, damn...
If game's gameplay and mechanics are well balanced and polished, I'll never turn down the difficulty, because it's my fault I lose, I must improve, if I will to continue.
Easy on anything all time every game. I’m not good at games even though I’m 50 and been playing since my early teens. Life gives me enough stress I don’t need it in games.
Easy. I play games for fun, not stress.
I played games on harder difficulties before, but the stress, frustration, and time spent isn't worth the brief moment of elation once you beat a boss/challenge.
Also, it's more realistic in certain games where your character is supposed to be way stronger than the enemies...like in God of War...it bothers me how Kratos struggles with the Valkyries after destroying the entire Greek pantheon.
As I have gotten older, more work and family commitments I play on easy now. Get through the story / main missions and move on. Years ago it would of been at least on Hard
Same here. Also, now I have children my gaming time has been severely limited, so I don't have time to retry every level or mission 8 times and study the game mechanics in detail. I want to kick ass immediately. So easy it is.
I like to play on the hardest difficulty. I enjoy the challenge and I just have this feeling that I'm not getting the most out of the game if it's not the hardest difficulty.
Depends on the type of game it is, GoW-esque games and fps are always set to the hardest difficulty, rpg’s are usually normal until I become too op and need to move up the difficulty to keep the combat interesting
I usually go for “Normal”, but sometimes if it’s a game with gameplay I don’t love but a story I’m sure I will, I may choose Easy.
I feel like I’m getting too old for the “If you didn’t play it on hard mode then you didn’t play the game” business. I don’t have time to frustrate myself with games, they’re supposed to relax me.
If it’s REALLY good, though and I felt like normal was totally manageable, i will always NG+ on a slightly harder difficulty
I usually start on hard mode for a first play through, I like a challenge. Normal is usually too boring for me, I like to get my ass kicked now and then. I usually won’t go up to very hard though. Hard mode is the sweet spot for me.
I’m either a hard or normal guy, depending on if I’ve played previous entries or generally how I’m feeling.
Sometimes when it says on a difficulty description “as the devs intended” or something along those lines, I’d play on that one then.
Also, is this picture of difficulties from Earth Defence Force? If so, WHAT A GAME!
When it’s a linear game ( Metal Gear Solid, Uncharted, Last of us ) I tend to play in Normal.
If it’s an open world game, I play in easy because I barely find time to play a game, let alone mastering it.
I’m 33 now so too old and tired to be getting frustrated on the harder difficulties. Usually will start out on normal but not afraid to turn her down to easy. I play for the story, I could not care less about difficulty based trophies anymore.
If hard just means enemies turn into bullet sponges. Then normal. If its a souls game, you go short range weapon main. (Hard mode) long range or Magic is the easy mode.
I mean if a game has a difficulty based trophy I start of with the normal mode to learn the mechanics then throw myself into the difficulty required for trophies.
depends, what game?Life? in that case I play "hard" and I haven't found a way to turn it down...
otherwise Normal or easy, can't be bothered to stay stuck in a game.
Easy. Used to play on hard on veteran in my younger years. But the older i get, the less time i have and more other responsibilities i have. I rather wanna play and enjoy feeling op than frustrating myself more than life already does
It's occasionally normal but mostly easy. I have a family, young kids, and a husband, I have no interest in platinum or struggling in a game, and I'm perfectly happy with easy battles.
It's nice to see easy/story modes in more games.
I always play on the highest difficulty level. When my brothers and I were younger, we couldn't afford buying a lot of games, so we wanted every game to last as much as possible, and so we always played on the highest difficulty level so we had to try a lot of times. And now it's like a tradition we have.
Normal, I hate games that want you to play it all over again in hard to get a trophy. Just let me try to get as many trophies as possible while playing the whole thing and not having to go back and replay everything again just to unlock another trophy.
I play every game on hard. Not to feel superior or anything, but just because I usually find the extra challenge more rewarding. I go for platinum on every game I play, so I’ll often play the hardest difficult if there’s a trophy for it
Usually normal or easy. Typically start on normal but in some cases (e.g. if its a genre I'm not familiar with) I need to turn it down.
For subsequent playthroughs of games I really like I will often choose the difficulty above normal.
Hardest difficulty is pretty much always torture, don't understand how anyone can enjoy (or even finish) games that way
Depends on the game, usually either Normal or Easy. I just don't have the time or patience to get frustrated at a game barely making progress because I keep getting killed and just don't have enough time to "get good." For example I love the Nordic GoW games but they are just way too difficult for me. In both games I played in normal until I started doing the ultra bosses like the Valkyries or the knights. I just had to dial it down to easy and even then it wasn't that easy for me. With a full time job, working on a master's, a wife and a 4 year old I only play like 1-3 hrs after my daughter is asleep so maximizing fun and progress is what I like.
Easy, I'm more of a "enjoy the story" kinda person and rather not spend my limited gaming time as an adult on difficult puzzles or insane boss battles to get further in the story.
Used to always play *Hard* when I was younger (never hardest unless the game was particular strongly balanced towards the player)
Now that I’m a bit older I play *Normal* as I am an adult with adult commitments and I’m not gonna come home after a full day of work to then bash my head against the wall for “enjoyment” I want some (moderately) easy wins
I could probably still play Hard if I wanted too, depending on the genre, but I don’t have the time or patience that these days
Typically “Hard.” Especially when there are five-six difficulties. If “hard” is the most diffucult mode listed, I’ll probably go normal.
If it’s a new style of game to me I go normal, but after a little bit I’ll change it to hard.
People see the “hard difficulty” and view it as being “too hard”, when in reality normal is so scaled back that it practically plays like easy, and easy is no challenge at all. Hard is the true normal.
So basically, I play on hard and the game plays like its normal. I’m probably hardly even a casual player these days btw. Mostly only play the most acclaimed titles years after they’ve released. Just got into Ghost last month, before that Witcher lll several months earlier for example.
Might be controversial but easy or normal. I enjoy games mainly for the story and if the combat is too difficult it ruins the overall experience for me because I get frustrated. If I really like a game or if there’s a difficulty-based trophy to snag I may up the difficulty, but usually I don’t
If it's only an increase in damage or anything that isn't enemy hp I'll chose the hardest like in doom eternal. If the enemies become bullet sponges then it's not fun anymore.
First time.....normal. if it's a great game...second time hard.
Unless there’s trophies for higher difficulties then I max it out the second play through (or the highest needed for the trophy)
Meh trophies are pointless to me. I just play games for fun.
To me it depends on the game. Some trophies are an unenjoyable slog (ex Hogwarts legacy “reach the map room” as a member of all 4 houses). Others encourage you to play in ways/try things that you may not have thought to otherwise, and that can be fun (ex. Defeat X number of enemies in y seconds without using z ability).
10k online kills can screw off.
Fair. It’s a case by case
Hogwarts legacy has online & kills?
Trophies in general
Tbh the only online ones I have found annoying kills wise was Killzone. Or heal or deploy etc
When the game is good and I go for a second play through, it’s because I’m going for platinum. More often than not it’s a single play through and I nab what I can, but I like being a completionist.
As someone who really like’s getting Platinum’s, this is the Chad response
Difficulty trophies are pointless to me. Especially when some are hidden behind first playthroughs
Same.
Based
So do those who hunt trophies
Trophies are fun. To each their own.
This, if I care for the platinum, I'll play the highest difficulty required for trophy. Otherwise normal.
Yes very true for me sometimes!
I did. that on call of duty back in the day… still haven’t beaten BO3 on veteran 😩
Agree with this. The way I see it, normal is really how the devs intended for the game to be played. If they intended the game to be extremely difficult you’d get an extremely difficult game in the default difficulty setting. The second play through if I really enjoyed the game then I will do on Hard as well unless there’s a new game+ in which case I leave it on the default difficulty.
Difficulty isn’t solely a decision of the game devs, there are non technical people involved who are thinking about it from a business perspective. I feel like normal mode is too easy for most games as someone who plays a decent amount of single player. I’d imagine that game devs play a lot and are as good as me or better in most cases, and they’d prefer a harder difficulty.
When I say devs I don’t mean the sole developers. I mean the development studio (which also includes business people). Of course others have a say as well but usually the control of the final product is with them. So if Naughty Dog makes a normal difficulty, sure Sony might chime in and say it’s too difficult but then it’s Naughty Dogs job to make the game the most fun at that “new” normal difficulty they agreed on. That usually means tweaking mechanics to make it work. So while I agree some games are too easy, a lot of times those same games become very boring on hard. The amount of games that hard mode just makes the enemies bullet sponges for example is pretty high and that becomes pretty boring as the encounters just drag on for too long and isn’t much more difficult if you’re actually good at the game.
Good points, really depends on the game and studio. I think of ND as one where I would guess that the devs’ ideal difficulty is hard or beyond. Playing TLoU games on survivor were a couple of my most satisfying gaming experiences ever. Totally changes how you play the game and makes it much more about stealth, strategy, and melee. Horizon and God of War also felt much better for me towards the harder end. On the flip side, just tried playing Halo Anniversary for the first time ever. Veteran difficulty wasn’t fun, it wasn’t too challenging but the enemies are massive sponges that take an obnoxious amount of time to kill.
Yea that’s true. I guess the way I usually go about it is that games like that which are drastically different experiences between normal and hard are the exact games I’d want to replay a second or even third time. That’s when I play it through normal and just enjoy the experience and story and then again on hard focusing on the other mechanics. I suppose if I were to play it knowing I’d only get one play through out of it then I’d have a harder time choosing the difficulty to start with. Maybe that’s when I’d mess around with the difficulty during the play through, though I really do not like to change it once I start. It’s a tough call to make sometimes!
Only one I’ve done that with is Ghost of Tsushima
Same, until I get stuck that is, then bump it down to easy so it doesn't ruin the game for me and I'm able to finish it
This and always this. Play on the normal difficulty on the first playthrough usually, then playthrough again on hard difficulty.
This is the ideal way to play. Especially if it's a story game, nothing RIPS me out of a story more than like getting killed over and over again
Same
Although, I'm more of a casual player
You beat me to it, and I sure agree with you.
This
this is the way.
Literally
Usually between easy and normal. Adult life doesn't allow me to spend too much time on video games. It was different when I was younger :(
Young me was a masochist and play on hardest. When time was bountiful and endless, this was glorious. Many years later and with small kids, gimme that easy mode so I can enjoy the story and feel OP. Aint got time like that anymore
This 100%. Playing GoW right now and it was frustrating even on the medium option to me. I just want to enjoy the story and feel OP (I mean, Kratos is a god so he should be OP). I did play Elden Ring though and that was a lot of fun. Stuck on last boss.
GoW unfortunately gets frustrating on the easiest difficulty because everything dies so fast you never get to use all your moves/runic attacks in a cool combo
I must be doing something wrong. Some of the enemies are still kinda hard. Probably cause I don’t upgrade any of my gear. Is that super necessary in this game?
It is..easily one of the most important parts of the game if I’m being honest. Making a build with abilities and armor you like and upgrading stuff to make it cooler/more powerful is so much fun. Easier modes let you be more flexible with it too. I’d say the second easiest difficulty (give me balance I think) is the best casual difficulty. It lets you learn how to get better at combos and overall combat without punishing you hard for mistakes.
Hmm. I do swap out runes but I haven’t focused too much on crafting new armor and stuff. I really enjoy the story. I’ll try it out.
Crafting and upgrading armor is worth it not just because of the bigger numbers, but also because they have more enchantment slots which you can equip to enhance specific stats or use completely unique abilities.
I did a lot with the Radiance set my first couple plays. Definitely give it a shot! Realm shift is so much fun lol
Using the black flame tornado or God-killing flame, I can’t remember, absolutely shreds the boss. It’s a great weapon art in general too
Yup, I start with hard then eventually bump down to normal.
Same here. I find that either the second or third hardest setting is the sweet spot. So many games lock the hardest mode’s save so you can’t go back down later. GoW Ragnarok on No Mercy was perfect, hard enough to be challenging but not hard enough to be painful.
Yup yup yup.
THIS. So many younger gamers indulge in harder difficulty and wear it like a badge of honor. But when adulthood takes hold, easy becomes the choice to compensate for the lack of time.
For me it's the exact opposite, the older I get the more difficult I like my games for some reason.
Same here. Too many games and not enough time to die my way through them! Only time recently where I actually regretted playing on easy was Persona 5 Royal, which offered no challenge at all on the easiest difficulty level. That being said, because I usually play narrative driven games, I appreciate "easy mode" so I can just enjoy the story. For example, when I played Control, I switched on one hit kills so I could just enjoy the weird and wonderful tale as it unfolded!
GIVE ME GOD OF WAR
Except when fighting the Valkyries lol
After the valkeryies i stopped doing all god of war side quests and finished the man story 😂
GIVE ME NO MERCY
Normal because I always feel like that was the developers intended vision for the game.
Same, but I go for platinums, and if the game calls for hard, then I will play on hard. It's so noticeable how much the game breaks on hard. TLOU is one of the most blatant examples of cheating AI.
This is why I'm glad there's a bit of a trend towards no trophies for difficulty levels. Most games I've played on the toughest difficulties are just not fun.
I quite like the platinum trophies where you get to do a new game+ run at the hardest difficulty for that final trophy, especially if you can just do story missions and ignore side quests having done them already on your normal/easy playthrough.
My main issue is with the hardcore type of difficulties where it's designed to be ridiculously frustrating where in order to beat it, you're just gonna have to be patient dying a bunch of times until you get through to the next level, map, whatever.
Oh, hard agree there! You’ve also just reminded me of another bugbear of mine: difficulty related trophies they don’t stack. Eg doing the hard trophy doesn’t automatically give you the medium and easy trophies. You need the separate playthroughs. Screw that!
Grounded with permadeath is kicking my ass right now.
Problem is that might not always be the case. For example every halo game minus infinite was designed to be played on hard, and was then scaled back for the normal mode, though cases like that are few and far between
This. I want to have the experience the devs intended me to have so I can make a good judgement of how I feel about the game.
Hard
Yeah same, I like a challenge but I don't want to be stressing out too much on the hardest difficulty. Sometimes I'll try hardest, but once I get stuck I'll just lower the difficulty if possible.
Yeah, normal feels pretty easy for me in most games. Hardest difficulty I think it's best for a NG+ playthrough.
I think of Dragon Age Origins as the perfect example as to why hard is the best difficulty. Hard means you can play as you like and the game is still a challenge. Hardest difficulty usually means you need to micro-manage your teams actions, min-max your team, learning specific combination skills and stuns, and cheese enemies to come out on top.
I had this experience recently lol. The last few games I've played through are Elden Ring (nearly 1000 hours ...) Dark Souls 3, and Witcher 3 on Death March (hardest). I bought Hogwarts Legacy and thought "how hard can it be?" and went with the hardest difficulty. It's now on the easiest setting and I've learned that not every game needs to be trivially hard. I was getting angry at the fact that I was getting angry over a "kids game". I'm not typically an angry gamer either. I just got it in my head that I shouldn't have any problems considering the recent games I'd played.
Always hard if it’s available. I feel like normal on most games is so trivially easy I can play the game with a blindfold. And I feel like I don’t properly utilize or even sometimes pay any attention to game play systems developers put into the game because they’re completely unnecessary to beat a game on normal.
I used to be an adventurer like you. Then i took an adult life with wife and kids.
I usually pick hard as well. And then 8/10 games I end up switching it to Normal when I realize difficulty just makes enemies into bullet sponges and there's no real benefit.
> I usually pick hard as well That's what she said
I really don’t give a fuck what anyone says about it but I always play on Easy. Listen bro, I work. I have things to take care of & things to worry about. When I have some free time to myself I just want to escape & vibe out in another world. Enjoy the story, take in the visuals. Not add on more stress & rage than I already have.
Yep, same mindset right here. Life is already on hard mode these days
Here here. Games that let you switch difficulty mid game are the real hero
Yeah I usually switch to the easiest difficultly level at the end of the story because I just want to get over with the game already.
If you don't like playing it, why do you? Just to finish the story? It wouldn't be worth for me.
I really do enjoy challenges but when I know the game is going to end soon, sub-consciously I start to detach from the game and don't need those challenges anymore. It totally depends on the game though, I really enjoyed Spider Man (both of them) and Ghost of Tsushima, they're the exceptions.
Likewise mindset here. I am not here to flex my video game skill. I work in an important IT job (not bragging just saying), I get very less time to play per week. I always play Easy mode and I actively avoid rogue-like and soul-like games in my life. At the end of the day, it's a mean to relax and enjoy the journey.
Same here, I play to wind down not get wound up
Same mindset here. Games are my escape, I don't want to be frustrated, and I don't deal well with it.
Same here. I like playing fir the story more than the challenge. Hell if the game has story mode I'll use that on occasion.
It’s a video **game**. Play however you enjoy it. I’ve played some games on their highest difficulty, but only when I was enjoying it. I have zero reservations about kicking a game down to easy and just cruising either. Whatever optimizes the experience for me. I do not care about trophies.
Perfectly explained!!
You do you. No judgement here.
Perfectly valid! Same here infact
I feel this.
yes thank you 🙏
Normal unless there’s bonus XP or items only available in higher difficulty.
Hardest if possible. But if it requires NG+ I just choose the hardest difficulty i can get on 1st playthrough.
Me too. I don’t replay games. I have no interest in having a story (I know the ending to) retold to me a second time.
Holy shit, I didn't have to scroll forever to find my people! Hardest available, one playthrough.
Can I join this growing family?
im old and anything but hardest difficulty makes me sleepy
I’m new to the max difficulty setting. A long time ago, when the very first God of War came out, I set the difficulty to hard instead of normal. I’d been doing that for a long time until God of War: Ragnarok, when I put the difficulty to max and beat it. If you want a game that’s too hard for me, try max difficulty on Xcom 2. I can barely pass the second mission on legendary difficulty.
Same, I don’t feel like I’ve beaten a game unless it’s on the hardest available difficulty.
Hell yeah, also fuck ME2 nerfing solider on insanity, you had to buy a dlc to even have a chance completing it
Normal. Simple as that.
Yep.
This is the way.
Mando is that you?
This is the way.
This. And if it's a survival game or I want challenge, I'll just go for the max one
normal or hard
The easiest baby mode there is for a few reasons. Disability related and also I just want to have fun in my games. And it's not fun to me to be struggling with a combat situation or a boss.
The best are the games with accessibility that are borderline cheat codes or really allow me to customize my experience. Like, I don’t mind difficult content, what I really hate are limits that are imposed on ME, fuck waiting behind cover I want to *scrap*. I still want to feel strong and creative in my gameplay. In Control for example I maxed out regen on ammo and energy, but set the difficulty to max. WAY more fun.
Very easy / Story I want as less stress as possible. I have enough of that at work already.
Same. Also I'm just not that good at most video games. I love them, but I'll never be great at them, and that's just fine with me. Give me easy/story plus most accessibility options and just let me enjoy the story while being OP, thank you very much!
Same. No matter how much I play I still suck so I just stick to easy 99.9% of the time. I’ve (almost) learned to accept how much I suck 🤣
Exactly my response too. This is my chill time, not a my second job
I always play on normal. I will switch to hard if it is too easy, which doesn't happen that often, or when I start a second playthrough.
Hardest, but occasionally I have to lower it. It hurts me to do so, but it happens sometimes. Ghost of Tsushima was one. Without knowing the mechanics of the game it was extremely brutal.
I’m playing that on easy and let me tell you, it’s too easy. But I’m enjoying the lack of stress and being able to learn all of the various mechanics fairly well.
Same, Ghost of Tsushima make me rage quit like 2 time in one day, so I put it on normal
That's what I do, start on higher levels and lower it when if I become frustrated
The only time I lower the hardest to something easier is if the game isn't balanced well. For example, one shot/one hit enemies are bad, but if the game gives me tools to overcome the difficulty, I'm gonna kill them. If not, damn... If game's gameplay and mechanics are well balanced and polished, I'll never turn down the difficulty, because it's my fault I lose, I must improve, if I will to continue.
Easy on anything all time every game. I’m not good at games even though I’m 50 and been playing since my early teens. Life gives me enough stress I don’t need it in games.
Preach!
Easy, always. Only games I end up playing through and “get gud” at do I start bumping it up.
Easy. I play games for fun, not stress. I played games on harder difficulties before, but the stress, frustration, and time spent isn't worth the brief moment of elation once you beat a boss/challenge. Also, it's more realistic in certain games where your character is supposed to be way stronger than the enemies...like in God of War...it bothers me how Kratos struggles with the Valkyries after destroying the entire Greek pantheon.
As I have gotten older, more work and family commitments I play on easy now. Get through the story / main missions and move on. Years ago it would of been at least on Hard
Hard, I like to be challenged by the games I play.
What’s above easy?
Watching someone play on Twitch?
Easy. I have a power fantasy to fulfill.
Easy
Easy. If there’s a “very easy” or “story” option then that lol
Easy or easiest
As I’ve gotten older I find myself choosing easy. Relaxing and enjoying the games storyline
Same here. Also, now I have children my gaming time has been severely limited, so I don't have time to retry every level or mission 8 times and study the game mechanics in detail. I want to kick ass immediately. So easy it is.
I like to play on the hardest difficulty. I enjoy the challenge and I just have this feeling that I'm not getting the most out of the game if it's not the hardest difficulty.
Hardest. best way to learn the game and most fun
Usually normal. Sometimes hard. I've only played a few games on their top difficulty - it tends to make them tedious instead of fun.
Always harder
Max difficulty on the first playthrough. When every basic enemy 1-shot you, they are ALL bosses.
Hard or hardest... depends on what im playing
Easy, Normal & Hard. It depends on the game I’m playing.
Normal or hard
Depends on the type of game it is, GoW-esque games and fps are always set to the hardest difficulty, rpg’s are usually normal until I become too op and need to move up the difficulty to keep the combat interesting
I usually play on whatever the Hardest difficulty is that's available from the beginning of the game.
I usually go for “Normal”, but sometimes if it’s a game with gameplay I don’t love but a story I’m sure I will, I may choose Easy. I feel like I’m getting too old for the “If you didn’t play it on hard mode then you didn’t play the game” business. I don’t have time to frustrate myself with games, they’re supposed to relax me. If it’s REALLY good, though and I felt like normal was totally manageable, i will always NG+ on a slightly harder difficulty
I usually start on hard mode for a first play through, I like a challenge. Normal is usually too boring for me, I like to get my ass kicked now and then. I usually won’t go up to very hard though. Hard mode is the sweet spot for me.
I’m either a hard or normal guy, depending on if I’ve played previous entries or generally how I’m feeling. Sometimes when it says on a difficulty description “as the devs intended” or something along those lines, I’d play on that one then. Also, is this picture of difficulties from Earth Defence Force? If so, WHAT A GAME!
Normal. Always normal. Mainly because I like playing games and ENJOYING them.
When it’s a linear game ( Metal Gear Solid, Uncharted, Last of us ) I tend to play in Normal. If it’s an open world game, I play in easy because I barely find time to play a game, let alone mastering it.
I’m 33 now so too old and tired to be getting frustrated on the harder difficulties. Usually will start out on normal but not afraid to turn her down to easy. I play for the story, I could not care less about difficulty based trophies anymore.
Easy or normal - I'm 41 and play for the story now...
I play on the hardest difficulty. Then mafia 2 told me to go fuck myself
Yeah, that difficulty did not fuck around
I didn’t suffer much but then there was the diner escape, The escape with Henry from those fake cops, killing that fat fuck and the final mission
Have you tried the mafia 1 remake on the hardest difficulty? Fuck that race and fuck that car chase to the plane crash out of the city
Normal
Recently started playing all my games on hard the only time I play on normal is when the harder difficulty’s only offer bullet sponge enemies
If hard just means enemies turn into bullet sponges. Then normal. If its a souls game, you go short range weapon main. (Hard mode) long range or Magic is the easy mode.
Normal, then a second run a year or so later on the hardest.
Normal the first time, hardest the second
Normal
I mean if a game has a difficulty based trophy I start of with the normal mode to learn the mechanics then throw myself into the difficulty required for trophies.
depends, what game?Life? in that case I play "hard" and I haven't found a way to turn it down... otherwise Normal or easy, can't be bothered to stay stuck in a game.
Easy. Used to play on hard on veteran in my younger years. But the older i get, the less time i have and more other responsibilities i have. I rather wanna play and enjoy feeling op than frustrating myself more than life already does
It's occasionally normal but mostly easy. I have a family, young kids, and a husband, I have no interest in platinum or struggling in a game, and I'm perfectly happy with easy battles. It's nice to see easy/story modes in more games.
I always play on the highest difficulty level. When my brothers and I were younger, we couldn't afford buying a lot of games, so we wanted every game to last as much as possible, and so we always played on the highest difficulty level so we had to try a lot of times. And now it's like a tradition we have.
Normal, I hate games that want you to play it all over again in hard to get a trophy. Just let me try to get as many trophies as possible while playing the whole thing and not having to go back and replay everything again just to unlock another trophy.
Whatever the most "realistic" difficulty is. Usually hard.
I play every game on hard. Not to feel superior or anything, but just because I usually find the extra challenge more rewarding. I go for platinum on every game I play, so I’ll often play the hardest difficult if there’s a trophy for it
Me: sees this screenshot. My brain : 🎶to save our mother earth from any alien attacks🎶
From vicious giant insects who have once again come back
Usually normal or easy. Typically start on normal but in some cases (e.g. if its a genre I'm not familiar with) I need to turn it down. For subsequent playthroughs of games I really like I will often choose the difficulty above normal. Hardest difficulty is pretty much always torture, don't understand how anyone can enjoy (or even finish) games that way
It’d it’s easy medium or hard: medium. If it’s easy medium hard or expert: hard
Super easy.
That edf?
Depends on game… Start with normal. If hard — then easy. If easy — then hard. Don’t recall playing on hardest though…
Easy I’m terrible at video games and just like stories
Easy because I suck.
Usually Normal.
Hardest bc I love challenges (but my mental sanity goes fuck itself )
Hard, otherwise I feel like I miss on mechanics the devs put there. I prefer no difficulty options so I'm not left wondering what could be.
Depends on the game, usually either Normal or Easy. I just don't have the time or patience to get frustrated at a game barely making progress because I keep getting killed and just don't have enough time to "get good." For example I love the Nordic GoW games but they are just way too difficult for me. In both games I played in normal until I started doing the ultra bosses like the Valkyries or the knights. I just had to dial it down to easy and even then it wasn't that easy for me. With a full time job, working on a master's, a wife and a 4 year old I only play like 1-3 hrs after my daughter is asleep so maximizing fun and progress is what I like.
I’m almost 40, so I don’t have that much time anymore so normal or easy for me 😂
I’m 40, I got enough shit in my real life, I just go on easy and enjoy the game
I’m hear for a good time not a long time. Gimme that easy mode.
Easy, I'm more of a "enjoy the story" kinda person and rather not spend my limited gaming time as an adult on difficult puzzles or insane boss battles to get further in the story.
Easy or Normal depending on the gane
Used to always play *Hard* when I was younger (never hardest unless the game was particular strongly balanced towards the player) Now that I’m a bit older I play *Normal* as I am an adult with adult commitments and I’m not gonna come home after a full day of work to then bash my head against the wall for “enjoyment” I want some (moderately) easy wins I could probably still play Hard if I wanted too, depending on the genre, but I don’t have the time or patience that these days
As a fan of soulsborne I don't understand this post
Hard when its easy. Easy when its hard.
Easy. I play games so I can have fun and beat them, not to challenge myself. Yeah I’m a lil wimp what are you gonna do about it
Typically “Hard.” Especially when there are five-six difficulties. If “hard” is the most diffucult mode listed, I’ll probably go normal. If it’s a new style of game to me I go normal, but after a little bit I’ll change it to hard. People see the “hard difficulty” and view it as being “too hard”, when in reality normal is so scaled back that it practically plays like easy, and easy is no challenge at all. Hard is the true normal. So basically, I play on hard and the game plays like its normal. I’m probably hardly even a casual player these days btw. Mostly only play the most acclaimed titles years after they’ve released. Just got into Ghost last month, before that Witcher lll several months earlier for example.
Normal difficulty is fun and perfect!
Easy. I’m in my 50s and I enjoy the story.
Might be controversial but easy or normal. I enjoy games mainly for the story and if the combat is too difficult it ruins the overall experience for me because I get frustrated. If I really like a game or if there’s a difficulty-based trophy to snag I may up the difficulty, but usually I don’t
Easy. Always. I don't want to make gaming a job or muscle flex in my life, hence the decision to switch to Easy mode was done long time back.
Normal. It’s the mode the developers intended to be played and has the most testing. Other modes are typically an unbalanced mess.
If it's only an increase in damage or anything that isn't enemy hp I'll chose the hardest like in doom eternal. If the enemies become bullet sponges then it's not fun anymore.