I ALWAYS play games on the 'easy' setting.....

[viranimus]

Actually I would like to say, that I do play alot on easy or normal. And like some people I like the easy route in RPG type games that are story driven because difficulty tends to mess up the flow of the story arcs.

However, and this is something thats bothered me for a while. I recently realized that in a lot of cases games have changed to the point that its really become pointless to play on anything but easy. Ive been playing games since the early 80s and I have faced down some of the hardest challenges known in gaming and saw them through. I know I can basically take any game and with a degree of patience handle it on its hardest difficulty. But why should I?

Its truly been a long time since ive seen any true reason to even bother with anything other than easy as a difficulty. Achievement points dont really give me much of a reason to bother. But i remember back in the silver age of the Snes days, there was frequently alot of reason to go for harder difficulties, such as unlockables, or differing endings. Actual differences in the experience acted as the reward for going through the work, nowadays it seems like those things are truly fading into the past. Sure you may get a few perks here and there for the extra work nowadays, but it seems more like a risk vs reward scenario where more often than not the ends really doesnt justify the means.

Thats just my opinion, take it for what its worth. Nothing.

 

[Z(ombie)fan]

"If you enjoy frustration, I would exprss concern for your mental stability."
-Me, in response to even remotely difficult games.

ALso why I hate multiplayer. If the server is active enough, you'll die. ALOT.

 

[Eggsnham]

I go for normal most of the time, then when I get used to the game, I amp up the difficulty.

 

[Latino Gamer]

It depends on intention for me.
Games like No More Heroes and the first Metal Gear Solid, which I immediately loved and knew I'd play multiple times I play on normal first and then on the hardest setting.

If it's an old game or something I really just want to legitimately see the ending to, then I'll play on the easiest setting. Why not? Unless, of course, you need to play on harder to see a complete ending...

Of course fighting games I usually begin on whatever the default difficulty is. I'll turn it down easier if it helps me unlock extra characters quicker and, once everything is unlocked, gradually play on harder difficulties until I'm at the hardest. If I've had a bad day, I'll play a fighting game I'm good at and put it on easy to take it out on the computer.

 

[evilartist]

I never play on Easy. I play Hard on first-person shooters, due to my near-lifetime of experience with that genre (also applies to third-person shooters like Gears and Crackdown). I'll play Normal on other genres, though.

 

[TrogzTheTroll]

Following on from the 'Games that you have to play on easy setting' post, I am not scared to admit that I always play games on the easiest setting.

I get my enjoyment from playing the game, progressing through it and seeing how it develops, and then finishing it and moving on the the next game. And I hate getting stuck somewhere and becoming frustrated with a game because I can't work something out or get past a certain section.

Does anyone else out there also usually play on 'easy' settings......?

Dont play for a challange... so usualy yes

 

[XoXoButterflyXoXo]

I set it on the hardest difficult, if I can't play it on that I keep setting it down until I can play xD

 

[Insomniaku]

It depends, something like a Bioware game, where I'm in it for the story, characters, etc ya I have no problem playing on easy but something as mind-numbing as Halo, I HAVE to put it on hard just so I don't fall asleep... however there are instances where we as gamers are stripped of items, upgrades etc if we play on easy, or on the other hand are rewarded when we play on hard, or we don't have a choice at all; these factors all effect how I choose my difficulty

 

[Rayansaki]

I usually play Normal on most games, except for Hack&Slashers where I usually can handle hard just great. Also some RPGs/Beat Em Ups, it usually depends on the style of the combat, if with the right amount of skill every or most attacks can be dodged in the game, I will pick Hard.

I can also handle Legendary on FIFA games since 08, so I've been using it ever since.

As for racing games, Easy it is.

But difficulty doesn't affect my experience too much, I don't mind a great game being too easy or too hard, as long as it's still a great game (Assassin's Creed <-> Demon's Souls)

 

[Bananafoam]

I agree with you, and always play on the easy setting, but maybe later try to challenge after beating it by playing it on harder difficulty later, less it was indeed to hard.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

I usually go to normal or an equivalent. Dragon Age I set to easy so I wouldn't have to try extremely hard to play through it. Left4Dead, back when I did play it, I usually stayed with advanced or expert, and the pre-Project 8 (minus Project 8 on normal xbox) I played on the hardest difficulties to make it a challenge...

 

[Dr. Feel Good]

I typically play on easy, 'cause I'm lame like that.
I've probably only beaten a few Call Of Duty (4,5 and 6) missions on aything higher than Recruit. ):

 

[Valksy]

I usually just play whatever the default setting is and think about changing it later if (when) I hit my skill limit. I will be the first to say that I don't have great reflexes any more and my temper runs way too hot so for the sake of seeing a game to the end (and not wrecking controllers) I will turn the difficulty down if I have to.

 

[joshuaayt]

I only play easy for RTS games; I am so bad at those I usually lose anyway.
I mean, it verges on pathetic, how bad I am at RTS's

 

[EHKOS]

I always play on easy, and for the same reason. I'm sure I COULD beat it on normal eventually but I'd rather have fun and not have it seem like a chore.

 

[randomize4]

It really depends on the game. If there are achievements/trophies for completing the game on hard(most FPS and adventure games), then I will do that for sure. There are some games where I just want to watch the story and not worry about getting stuck on a hard part (mainly RPGs), then I will start on normal and bump it down to easy if necessary. For any other game, I will start on normal or easy, then go up in difficulty if I need more of a challenge.

 

[War Penguin]

I always play on normal. But if it's too easy, I'll adjust it to hard. If it's too hard, I'll adjust it to easy. But in normal, it's not too hard to get frustrated but gives you enough of a challenge. It just feels... normal.

 

[Omnific One]

I stay on normal most of the time. I'll only stray to the hardest if I'm bored with rolling through it. But I always want games at a level that doesn't frustrate me. I play to relax, not get annoyed.

 

[soapyshooter]

I play on normal. It just seems...normal.