If you play a low difficulty, do you ever feel ashamed?

[karloss01]

the lowest i ever play is Normal. and unless the archievments for completing it on both normal and easy don't ding, then i play easy just to get it out of the way (dead space is a good example).

 

[MLionheart]

I've no problem playing a few games on the lowest difficulty. Sometimes I just want to have a nice breeze through a game.
I just recently completed Bioshock 2 on easy because the first time I tried playing it I felt that it shouldn't have existed. I felt Bioshock had a pretty satisfying climax and returning to Rapture seemed to be for the sake of popping out a sequel. I also just wanted fun gameplay and a story and couldn't be arsed with anything higher.
On any replay of Mass Effect and Dragon Age: Origins I always go for the easist because I mainly just doing it for specific saves to transfer over.

 

[emissary666]

I play on the difficulty that I enjoy the most, and that difficulty varies from game to game. I used to play L4D on Expert, back when I played everyday, but now I only play Advanced. However, I always start on easy in strategy games, shortly before getting my ass kicked by the weakest AI. Recently I have begun to start on Normal and then change the difficulty. However, no matter how hard the game is, I always play on a setting that does not withhold gameplay content

 

[Klarinette]

I never game to impress, so absolutely not. Besides, games are less fun when you constantly die/fail when you're still sort of new to it.

 

[zerobudgetgamer]

I always play on Normal mode unless I can proceed to steamroll through it, in which case I'll bump it up bit by bit. However, I've never played any game on the absolute Hardest setting, but that could be because I've never been interested in a game long enough to want to. Most games I replay get played maybe once every 2-5 years, and by then I typically forget enough about the game that the story feels somewhat fresh, that I can view it through new eyes, and most importantly that I don't know exactly what's coming every second of every minute of gameplay.

 

[soulfire130]

No. I will play a game on easy first then play on a harder mode.

 

[Carbonyl]

Playing on easier settings means I get to plow through bunches of enemies and that is thoroughly cathartic, especially after 6 hours of homework. I love easy settings, they make me happy.

 

[Spawny0908]

Nope! I play on the easiest mode and I don't give a shit what others say about that. I'm not here for a challenge, I'm here for some fun.

Amen brother! I'm here to have fun, if I want a challenge then I'll move it up but I usually play easy.

 

[YukaTakeuchiFan]

I tend to stick to "normal" for my first playthrough in most games. I will happily kick the difficulty either down a notch if I'm getting my ass kicked so much that it's started to get really frustrating, or up a notch if I feel like I'm doing a lot better than I should be, or have beaten the game.

Though I must say that there is always something to be said for, just for the hell of it, jumping way out of your comfort zone (in either direction) from time to time just to laugh at the results. After all, it didn't get much easier than turning on Invisibility in Goldeneye, then wandering around and shooting absolutely every guard in Russia in the ass just to watch them jump in pain- but DAMN was it fun to do!

 

[DYin01]

EASY MODO?

Yeah I really cant play a game on easy, since it throws all tactical choices and tense gameplay out the window in favour of moving from point to point obliterating everything with no effort at all. I can understand kids, old people, non-gamers ect use easy, but anybody who is capable of a harder difficulty and plays on easy is cutting their experience of the game significantly.

-snip-

Well, this, really.

Playing games on Easy usually makes it unnecesary to go beyond the most basic strategy. Why sneak around an enemy compound taking out enemies one by one with great patience and care when you can run in with your handgun and murder everyone to death?

 

[FPSMadPaul]

I always tend to go for the harder difficulty and end up missing most of the dramatic moments through dying. It's a really stupid thing to do but it's habit at this point.

 

[joecool5000]

I tend to play on easy first just for the story and then If i liked it again in a higher difficulty

What he said.

 

[Deadman Walkin]

I play easy if I want the story or just want to have fun. I rarely play on a hard difficulty, I am just not that hardcore anymore

 

[Ross Craig]

no because I'll play it on easy to get used to the controls and know what's going on and after that if I liked it and could be bothered to play it again I'll attempt a harder difficulty

 

[aprildog18]

I would feel ashamed if I died every other second on a low difficulty, but other than that...I don't care. It's fun to just play it for the story and for achievements and what not.

 

[Farther than stars]

Well, I always play on medium anyway, it being the best of both worlds (it's challenging and you don't have to be a neurotic gamer to get anywhere). But I don't get why you should be ashamed for playing it on a lower difficulty. What it basically boils down to is your ability to push a sequence of buttons in the correct order, not exactly the most prized "skill" on Earth. What matters to me is that you're just having fun.

 

[hermes]

No, I play the game for the experience, not for the challenge. If the game doesn't let me change difficulty in midgame I will play most of them in easy, otherwise I might be frustrated afterwards and never finish it.

 

[Korzack]

Not at all - it's the best chance I get of been able to see the plotline the devs created, seeing all the tricks I paid for, understanding the mechanics better, and just getting the most content I can - if I want more challenge, that's what further replays are for

 

[Spineyguy]

I play games to have fun, as (I presume) do most people, a frustrating game is not fun, plain and simple. The sense of achievement that comes from beating a Megaman game is great, but it's worth remembering that that feeling lasts about half an hour whereas you probably spent at least four hours hating yourself for not making that jump for the fiftieth time.

Having to play a game on Easy in order to have fun is an indicator of poor workmanship on the part of the developers, as is having to play on Hard.

If I am expected to enjoy a game it should be accessible in the beginning, challenging at the end, and have a higher difficulty to encourage replay. Ideally a game should have a ranking system for multiplayer based on the stats attained during matches, so noobs aren't driven off by the no-lifers who play 24/7.

Best example of this that I can find is actually Mariokart, it's fun, it has higher levels which add speed and item power for the more hardcore gamer, but does not make you feel obligated to play the higher difficulties if you are not inclined to, and you are placed alongside people of a similar skill-level in multiplayer.

 

[dancinginfernal]

Nope. I usually play the low difficulties so I can enjoy the story.

If I want a challenge, I'll go straight for the highest possible.