Support NeoGAF

[Gaiff]

We've all seen this excuse. It tends to go a little something like this; I'm a 40-year-old man with a full time job of 80 hours a week and 12 kids. I don't have much time to game so I prefer avoiding frustration and as such, I play on Easy Mode.

My question is, what game is so hard on Normal Mode that you cannot just breeze through it? Most games in Normal Mode are braindead easy so what are those challenging games that excuse a grown man playing on Easy? Games like Dark Souls and Nioh don't have difficulty levels (unless you mod them), exactly to weed out those who don't wanna bother learning and improving. God of War? In the default mode, it's fairly forgiving. It does become quite challenging on Give Me God of War, but that's the highest difficulty level and you probably shouldn't pick it as a noob. Even Ninja Gaiden Black/II, which are considered quit difficult, are only really hard games when you reach the higher difficulty levels. Ninja mode is incredibly forgiving compared to Dark Souls. Master Ninja is a different ballgame, but why would you choose that if you don't enjoy a challenge? Same for Bayonetta and Devil May Cry.

If this were the 90s, I might agree. Games like Final Fight or TMNT even on Normal could prove quite challenging but modern games on Normal Mode are almost an insult. Horizon, Uncharted, GTA (no difficulty level), Halo, DOOM, the Ori games, modern platformers, etc. None of those games are even challenging unless you up the difficulty (and even then, most still aren't).

So what are those games with a Normal Mode so challenging that they frustrate you to the point you gotta turn them down to easy?

 

[feynoob]

There is something called time constraints. Not everyone is free like you.

 

[Robb]

I feel increased difficulty in a lot of games today often mean that enemies have more health or are bullet sponges.

That’s not worth the time to me.

 

[JimmyRustler]

I had to turn down to Easy in Jedi Survivor’s final bossfight because it was just bullshit. Came close the same during two boss fights before but then just somewhat managed in the end after all.

 

[Gaiff]

There is something called time constraints. Not everyone is free like you.

Yeah, and since Normal Mode almost poses no challenge whatsoever, what time constraints are you referring to? Normal Mode is too easy to slow you down except for games that don't have a Normal Mode.

I feel increased difficulty in a lot of games today often mean that enemies have more health or are bullet sponges.

That’s not worth the time to me.

Cool, but the thread is about Normal Mode, not the higher difficulty levels.

Cuphead maybe? Returnal?

 

[Sub_Level]

FTL Faster Than Light

Normal mode is more like Hard mode. Easy mode is more like Normal mode.

 

[Danjin44]

People enjoy games for different reason, to some they care much more about experiencing story more than engaging with gameplay and thats their choice.

I only take issue when they demand ALL games carter to their needs, some game challenge is part of core experience and if you are not in to it then there are 1000 other games out there that will carter to your needs.

 

[MagnesD3]

Not everyone is good at Video Games nor should they have to be. No one should have to justify going to easy mode, that said that doesn't mean I think every game should have an Easy mode.

 

[feynoob]

Yeah, and since Normal Mode almost poses no challenge whatsoever, what time constraints are you referring to? Normal Mode is too easy to slow you down except for games that don't have a Normal Mode.

Normal mode is time consuming. Easy lets you fight less enemies and finish the game at your pace while enjoying it.

You don't have to challenge yourself to enjoy the game.

 

[Robb]

Cool, but the thread is about Normal Mode, not the higher difficulty levels.

Cuphead maybe? Returnal?

From my experience that holds for normal mode as well. I’d be more interested in higher difficulty modes in a lot of games if it changed more fundamental stuff. AI behavior/abilities/move sets.

I played Cuphead on normal, but iirc the game forces you to as you couldn’t beat the final boss unless you had beat everyone else on normal (?). Otherwise I’d probably have gone on easy.

 

[Guilty_AI]

touhou

 

[Kdad]

We've all seen this excuse. It tends to go a little something like this; I'm a 40-year-old man with a full time job of 80 hours a week and 12 kids. I don't have much time to game so I prefer avoiding frustration and as such, I play on Easy Mode.

My question is, what game is so hard on Normal Mode that you cannot just breeze through it? Most games in Normal Mode are braindead easy so what are those challenging games that excuse a grown man playing on Easy? Games like Dark Souls and Nioh don't have difficulty levels (unless you mod them), exactly to weed out those who don't wanna bother learning and improving. God of War? In the default mode, it's fairly forgiving. It does become quite challenging on Give Me God of War, but that's the highest difficulty level and you probably shouldn't pick it as a noob. Even Ninja Gaiden Black/II, which are considered quit difficult, are only really hard games when you reach the higher difficulty levels. Ninja mode is incredibly forgiving compared to Dark Souls. Master Ninja is a different ballgame, but why would you choose that if you don't enjoy a challenge? Same for Bayonetta and Devil May Cry.

If this were the 90s, I might agree. Games like Final Fight or TMNT even on Normal could prove quite challenging but modern games on Normal Mode are almost an insult. Horizon, Uncharted, GTA (no difficulty level), Halo, DOOM, the Ori games, modern platformers, etc. None of those games are even challenging unless you up the difficulty (and even then, most still aren't).

So what are those games with a Normal Mode so challenging that they frustrate you to the point you gotta turn them down to easy?

We've all seen douchenozzles that say some like I'm a gamerz pro brah and you're playing on easy is total weak sauce, get rekt you soyboy. So, what are the reasons people get worked up so much about easymode that they need to question other's age, responsibilities, manhood etc. Fellate me.

 

[winjer]

Dungeon of the Endless. Only has two modes. Easy and Normal.
Expect the easy mode is more like an normal/hard mode. And Normal mode is Very Hard mode.

 

[Well_Of_Souls]

The normal difficulty on Metro 2033 waaayyy too difficult, but Easy was way too easy.. I agree, normal difficulty is usually pretty easy, but Metro 2033 was the only game I can remember where I had to turn it down.

 

[DaleinCalgary]

You can play more games if you just play on easy and just see the story/gameplay.

Nothing wrong with this.

 

[vodka-bull]

Well people like to turn down the difficulty setting so they don‘t feel the rumble feedback when something‘s hitting them ingame on their vaginas.

 

[March Climber]

Games from the NES/SNES/Genesis and PS1/N64/Saturn generations that were still tuned to 'arcade difficulty' to make you waste as many lives as possible. This especially applies to beat em ups.

Edit: Just look at old AVGN videos to see how ridiculous some of those games were during those gens. It was hair-pulling cheapness.

 

[Fuz]

excuse

"Excuse"? Why the fuck do you care?

 

[SeraphJan]

The normal difficulty on Metro 2033 waaayyy too difficult, but Easy was way too easy.. I agree, normal difficulty is usually pretty easy, but Metro 2033 was the only game I can remember where I had to turn it down.

I've just finished Metro 2033 and Last Light recently, the game on normal is just... normal

 

[Banjo64]

Not reading that, but it’s not about difficulty OP. It’s about not having the time and not being arsed to have to grind out low tier/mid tier enemies and bosses.

 

[LostDonkey]

touhou

TINA ONLY USES HER OWN UNDERPANTS?

 

[Archaic101]

"Guys, I think I'm awesome, and it'd be great for you to help substantiate that through a hopelessly transparent exercise in self-degradation."

 

[Kilau]

I prefer no difficulty options but if the developer put baby easy or give me death modes, both are legitimate to pick and nobody should care.

 

[Fuz]

Edit: Just look at old AVGN videos to see how ridiculous some of those games were during those gens. It was hair-pulling cheapness.

Loved this one and I can proudly say that I managed to complete it on C64. And yes, that underwater section was absolutely infuriating.

 

[gothmog]

I've quit games outright rather than switch to easy for the most part. Usually I just feel like I'm not having any fun and move on.

 

[Diddy X]

Mortal Kombat 3, Easy is challenging enough so I choose that.

 

[Captain Toad]

Games from the NES/SNES/Genesis and PS1/N64/Saturn generations that were still tuned to 'arcade difficulty' to make you waste as many lives as possible. This especially applies to beat em ups.

Edit: Just look at old AVGN videos to see how ridiculous some of those games were during those gens. It was hair-pulling cheapness.

Which is why, if I'm playing these, I'm using rewind and other cheats. I want to re-live them, but not for months on end getting better (and even then, I'll probably fail).

 

[Well_Of_Souls]

I've just finished Metro 2033 and Last Light recently, the game on normal is just... normal

Oh really? Assuming you played the remasters, maybe they tweaked the difficulty, or maybe I was just having a moment...

 

[SeraphJan]

Oh really? Assuming you played the remasters, maybe they tweaked the difficulty, or maybe I was just having a moment...

I played it on PS5, I've never seen any mention that the difficulty is tweaked, maybe you meant the Spartan mode? I play the survival mode, which is the same as original.

I assume the reason you are having difficulty might be because of the weapons long reload time against extremely aggressive monsters, the breathing room is short in this game compare to other shooters. If you are going to play the sequel which is more difficult than the first game, I suggest you add laser sight and ammo capacity as the priority upgrade.

 

[Duchess]

Some games suffer from insane difficulty spikes that come out of nowhere, that warrant switching to easy mode because its as if the devs didn't play test that section properly.

(looks at Elden Beast)

 

[Filben]

Faster Than Light.

 

[DonJorginho]

What a weird thread.

Why does it bother you that some people like to play games in their own way lmao.

I love difficulty in games but not everyone does and that's totally fine, don't know what possessed you to post this pile of arrogant slop.

 

[Lupin3]

Yeah. Fuck me for playing games the way I like to play them. On dirt easy at times! My last playthrough of RE2 Remake was on assisted with infinite health and ammo.

But I watch my movies on hard, at least.

 

[Damigos]

The kind of men that have kids, a wife and 2 jobs, like me.
Though i almost always play on normal

 

[Edgelord79]

Are you one of those people who feel like getting a platinum trophy is some sort of meaningful accomplishment in life?

 

[Gaiff]

Are you one of those people who feel like getting a platinum trophy is some sort of meaningful accomplishment in life?

Yes. I take a picture and frame them. Then I put them on the wall at my mom's house right next to my siblings' university diplomas.

 

[DAHGAMING]

Who gives a shit what mode anyone plays on anyway, do girls cream over you when you let them know that your musting games on nightmare ?

 

[Jigsaah]

I wish I could contribute, but I never play games on normal mode.

 

[calistan]

I would have turned Elden Ring down to easy for the final boss, if such an option existed.

But it didn't, so I did what I do every single time any game hands me my arse - rage quit, uninstall, never go back.

 

[semiconscious]

so what are those challenging games...

It does become quite challenging...

if you don't enjoy a challenge...

could prove quite challenging...

None of those games are even challenging...

games with a Normal Mode so challenging...

op: you appear to play games because you enjoy a good challenge. not all of us play games for this reason. i play games to unwind, enjoy, explore, & be entertained. & if that involves a certain amount of combat or skill, so be it - i'll make the effort, but if that ain't enough, & if easy mode's available, yep, i'm doin' it. hell, were there an easy mode for the souls games (well, besides magic), i'd've absolutely used it...

 

[Drizzlehell]

I think I did that on Fallout 3 recently but not because it was hard but because I just wanted to save time. The enemies are just bullet sponges on normal in that game, and I found myself getting bored with how long it took me to kill a basic bandit with a hunting rifle. Difficulty balancing is so fucked in most Bethesda games. I can't remember ever having such problems with New Vegas, though, and I even remember finishing that game on hardcore mode or whatever it was called.

Much for the same reason, I will usually put the combat difficulty on easy in most computer RPGs like Planescape Torment or Dragon Age because I just don't give a fuck and I want to get through the fights with as little effort as possible because that's not what I'm there for. Fights in those games is just something to add variety to gameplay but the main draw for me is usually the story and character dialogue, and maybe tinkering with the inventory and crafting menus or whatever.

 

[Lord Panda]

FT job plus overtime, kids, wife, house-shit/chores and responsibilities, other extended family and personal responsibilities > Games.

I wish I had the time or the inclination to play games even on 'easy'. Especially with games, and the gaming industry in general, these days not respecting my goddamn time.

 

[Metnut]

God of War wasnt hard, but the enemies kept getting more spongy and it was getting annoying. After 25 hours, I was ready to just run through the main plot and finish the story. So I switched to easy to finish. Zero guilt. I really do value my time.

 

[kyussman]

"Excuse","grown man".......I think it's probably just a lot of guys don't take gaming quite as seriously as you do OP,lol.

 

[Chromium.Wings]

"Excuse","grown man".......I think it's probably just a lot of guys don't take gaming quite as seriously as you do OP,lol.

No, no it can't be that. These so called grown men must actually be wimps. There's no challenge in real life that compares to the challenge that video games provide, and these wimps can't even face a regular challenge.

Imagine calling yourself a grown man and playing video games on easy mode. Get a load of this guy.

 

[01011001]

There is something called time constraints. Not everyone is free like you.

that only works as an argument if you are reaaaaaly shit at modern games. and I think that's the whole point of this thread... which games are actually in any way challenging on normal? I personally can't name you one.

normal mode in thr vast majority of modern games basically has no challenge, it's already on the level of what Spider-Man on PS1 called Kid Mode... in fact, Spiderman on PS4 is easier on hard than Spiderman on PS1 was in kid mode imo

 

[lughnasadh123]

You know how whenever there's a discussion about how hard a game is there's always, always that one guy jumping in to say how easy it is?

This is now the dark souls of threads.

 

[IDKFA]

If somebody prefers to play their game on easy mode then so be it. Play the game on whatever difficulty you feel comfortable with.

 

[IDKFA]

There's no challenge in real life that compares to the challenge that video games provide

LMAO.

If this isn't a troll post then I've really lost faith in humanity. Imagine thinking the greatest challenge in life comes from playing video games

 

[brian0057]

FTL Faster Than Light

Normal mode is more like Hard mode. Easy mode is more like Normal mode.

If FTL isn't handing you your ass on a silver platter, you're playing it wrong.
So I also played it on Easy.