Fuk playing games on Hard (discussion)

[JUSA]

YMMV, but in my situation one of the biggest problems I have with games is dropping it due to fatigue. I can't count the games I've dropped midway.

I think part of this is this idea I planted in my head I need to play a game on hard mode in order to "play it right". Recently though, I played a notoriously hard game, and said fuk it, put it on Normal. Finished no problem. Good game too. I kind of broke it by the end, but still enjoyed it (if anyone cares: it was an old 3ds game, Devil Survivor Overclocked).

What playing on hard tends to mean: a) Need to play and understand it perfectly, b) Probably some/lot of grinding, c) Pushed to 100% it, do all the side quests... otherwise, kind forced to slog your way through many games. That may work for some game you're really into or if you have unlimited time and are enjoying every second, but for most games, that just isn't it.

I think I'll do a first playthrough Normal here on out. Play it, not worry about every side-quest, probably not grind much, won't 100% it - but just try to finish it and get some ending, hopefully not a trash one.

[PumkinPie]

I play normal, as I figure it is the experience the devs tune everything around.


Ill play easy, if its a gamepass game I only have a passing interest in to get the story and experience real quick.


I only play harder modes if the game warrants interest to expand the experience.

[MajorTendonitis]

I like going through all the campaigns on medium , then doing it again at hardest .
I’m referring to COD and Crysis though , as I doubt I could do it with Doom

[freeburn]

Just depends on how well a game balances difficulty with enjoyment

I like it to be more challenging but I don't want to play a game where I can't have fun and use resources and abilities or whatever because they are too scarce or require annoying farming/looting mechanics

On the other hand that can add to the immersion if it's a survival esque game. Like playing metro with unlimited ammo and stuff would be meh, part of the experience is the scavenging and being "loot poor"

[MikeLowrrrey]

Depends on the game. Ghost of Tsushima, Witcher 3, and Cyberpunk 2077 playing on hard is the best way to play. More fun, realistic, and challenging.


COD and Battlefield? Waste of time.

[Voidgaze]

Depends on the game. Ghost of Tsushima, Witcher 3, and Cyberpunk 2077 playing on hard is the best way to play. More fun, realistic, and challenging.


COD and Battlefield? Waste of time.

This.

Getting shot like twice is game over. That gets old, even multiplayer offers a more balanced challenge.

[freeburn]

Depends on the game. Ghost of Tsushima, Witcher 3, and Cyberpunk 2077 playing on hard is the best way to play. More fun, realistic, and challenging.


COD and Battlefield? Waste of time.

This.

Getting shot like twice is game over. That gets old, even multiplayer offers a more balanced challenge.

Yeah for real. Cod campaign on hardest is just like playing against actual aimbots lol it's not fun just punishing

[M0nsterB0y]

YMMV, but in my situation one of the biggest problems I have with games is dropping it due to fatigue. I can't count the games I've dropped midway.

I think part of this is this idea I planted in my head I need to play a game on hard mode in order to "play it right". Recently though, I played a notoriously hard game, and said fuk it, put it on Normal. Finished no problem. Good game too. I kind of broke it by the end, but still enjoyed it (if anyone cares: it was an old 3ds game, Devil Survivor Overclocked).

What playing on hard tends to mean: a) Need to play and understand it perfectly, b) Probably some/lot of grinding, c) Pushed to 100% it, do all the side quests... otherwise, kind forced to slog your way through many games. That may work for some game you're really into or if you have unlimited time and are enjoying every second, but for most games, that just isn't it.

I think I'll do a first playthrough Normal here on out. Play it, not worry about every side-quest, probably not grind much, won't 100% it - but just try to finish it and get some ending, hopefully not a trash one.

That's the problem. You're basically playing it on hard because of other people's opinions.

I play on the hardest difficulty, usually, for more immersion, therefore, more enjoyment for me. For example, The Witcher 3. On the hardest difficulty, you'd have to use your potions, actually take combat seriously, read the beastiary to know about the monster's weakness, use bombs, etc. I want to feel as close to what a Witcher would have felt like if it was real, so I play on the hardest difficulty, not because I'm conscious of other people's opinions.

I only do this on games that I really care about though. It's rare for me, but there would be games that I'm really just curious about the story so I'd play it on normal, even easy.

Once you successfully plant in your head the idea that you want to play on the hardest difficulty because you want to and because you sincerely believe that that's how'd you be able to enjoy the game, then you'll enjoy playing on hardest a lot more.

With all that said, if normal is where you wanna play, play on normal, who tf cares. it's your game, enjoy it the way you want. It's really just the FromSoftwaresexuals that are toxic and are trihards on a single player game lmao

[BearyManilowe]

My main problem with "hard" modes is that the only way they're hard is to make enemies deal more damage and have more health. Which no amount of "skill" has to do with it. You just play the same way but now your enemies are spongier. It's an inflated "challenge" and it doesn't get satisfying.

[AD117]

Depends for me. If it actually impacts AI, I like harder. If it's just larger health bars and more enemies, phuck that.

[SirFapsAIot]

I usually run normal difficulty to get a feel for the game, then run it on the next hardest difficulty.

Gears of War for example, is crazy tough on insane mode, but you can beat it if you know the game well. Resident Evil 5 on professional mode is another fun one once you've mastered the game. Some of the best fun I've had playing games.

[yabbayabba]

I always play on easy/story mode. Really not looking for a challenge, just the game experience.

[JUSA]

That's the problem. You're basically playing it on hard because of other people's opinions.

Yeah, and agree with everything else. Also agree with those pointing out a lot of it comes down to the game.

This was more of a "me" problem, though. Some games probably do want you to play them on hard, but not all of them. For me, many I should have been more relaxed.

[mgftp]

I am the exact opposite. I feel like gameplay takes a big hit on many games with lower difficulties and get great satisfaction from a challenge in games.

[JayJ350]

I don't really see the point of playing games on hard most of the time. For me gaming is just always something I do for fun in my spare time, I have no interest in trying to show off or take it too seriously. The kind of people who play games on hard seem to be the obsessive types who just game all day every day and take it way too seriously, or they're those hardcore competitive types who always have a chip on their shoulder and something to prove by the way they play video games. I'm glad I can't relate to either one to be honest, screw those obsessive and sweaty tryhards.

[JayJ350]

My main problem with "hard" modes is that the only way they're hard is to make enemies deal more damage and have more health. Which no amount of "skill" has to do with it. You just play the same way but now your enemies are spongier. It's an inflated "challenge" and it doesn't get satisfying.

Yeah that's another issue I got with hard modes, how often game devs are just lazy and cheaply make a hard mode more grindy by making the enemies damage sponges or simply giving them really cheap AI that does stupid chit for added challenge. A lot of the time it simply doesn't feel like a balanced way to play a video game and I already have a hard enough time getting through most video games as it is without making them unnecessarily grindy or frustrating.

[SirFapsAIot]

I am the exact opposite. I feel like gameplay takes a big hit on many games with lower difficulties and get great satisfaction from a challenge in games.

yeah, basically you're saying what we all know, you like it hard. (in the ass)

[MikeLowrrrey]

My main problem with "hard" modes is that the only way they're hard is to make enemies deal more damage and have more health. Which no amount of "skill" has to do with it. You just play the same way but now your enemies are spongier. It's an inflated "challenge" and it doesn't get satisfying.

Bullet sponges is just lazy design now, there's no excuse this day and age.

Sports games do basically the same thing.

Nba 2k My Career. On Hall of Fame difficulty, they dumb your teammates down while making the other team op. I was on the GS Warriors and the splash bros would go 4/19 from 3. You have to score 100pts a game to win.

[Coal Man]

Depends on the game. There are some games which make hard mode difficult by limiting the abilities you can use, limiting some freedoms, limiting ammo etc to the point where it kinda becomes a chore.

I don't want unlimited ammo while playing a horror game but there's ways to balance ammo that reward good strategy, shooting skills and cycling weapons without having me run past a bunch of enemies. I wanna shoot some enemies not play a hiding simulator

[Coal Man]

My main problem with "hard" modes is that the only way they're hard is to make enemies deal more damage and have more health. Which no amount of "skill" has to do with it. You just play the same way but now your enemies are spongier. It's an inflated "challenge" and it doesn't get satisfying.

I'll disagree somewhat with this. Takes more skill to survive 5 mins against a boss than 1 minute. The longer a fight goes means you're better able to really understand the fundamentals, strats, moves etc to deal with all that pressure whereas in 1 minute it's easier to get lucky. That's why in competitive games they do a best of 3,5,7 etc because with more matches you'll have a better chance of separating degrees of skill vs luck.

That being said I would also like if Hard mode improves enemy AI or even gives them extra properties or new abilities. That makes it even more fun for me.

[Mulloway69]

Depends on the game and gameplay e.g. I played BG3 on hard becasue I wanted to enjoy. Some games are just boring/full of chit tier filler and you want to smash it out and get it done so playing on hard is not appealing.

[LtGoose]

I disagree. Hard Mode first every time. My bros and I usually get the same games and it's a race to see who can beat it first on the hardest difficulty.

I also want the games I play to be worth my time. I don't want to fly thru a $70 game. I want the challenge. I will agree that not all Hard modes are created equal.

No homo of course

[BearyManilowe]

I'll disagree somewhat with this. Takes more skill to survive 5 mins against a boss than 1 minute. The longer a fight goes means you're better able to really understand the fundamentals, strats, moves etc to deal with all that pressure whereas in 1 minute it's easier to get lucky. That's why in competitive games they do a best of 3,5,7 etc because with more matches you'll have a better chance of separating degrees of skill vs luck.

That being said I would also like if Hard mode improves enemy AI or even gives them extra properties or new abilities. That makes it even more fun for me.

I can agree somewhat, but when you figure out that bosses moveset and attack chain in 45 seconds, the last 4 minutes and 15 seconds becomes more of a chore than fun. And then you get to 4 minutes and 49 seconds and your controller has a sticky trigger or something so your dodge roll doesn't get input, you die because of the artificially inflated damage and have to do the same 5 minutes (and probably watch that awful cut scene intro) again.

It just gets tedious to me. Like you said I'd rather have new abilities or improved AI. Even in tactics games, on harder difficulties they just increase damage done to your units by like 150%, they don't change anything about the AI or the enemy tactics. It's just lazy. Some devs do it better than others though.

[ohiostate124]

Depends on the game. If I’m not really enjoying the gameplay but want to see the story, I’ll put it on easy. Something like FF7 Remake though was more fun on hard once the combat is really clicking with you.