Is it me, or are games getting easier?

[thefleeger]

It seems like games have lost their challenge since the release of the newest 3 systems. Not sports games so much, but we will take an example like Halo: Combat Evolved. The game was difficult on the normal setting, and on legendary it was extremely difficult to beat. Halo 2 lost some of that pizazz and became a bit easier, and by Halo 3, ODST, and Reach, I just played them on Legendary the first time around for the win, without too much difficulty. I don't believe myself to be that great at the game, as I'm not, but there is a fading difficulty curve out there developers need to look at.

I'm no sadomasochist about it, and I don't enjoy feeling like I want to break my controller, but I would like to experience a game which is challenging. One I can't get through half of it within 4 hours on the hardest difficulty the first time through (assuming you don't have to unlock the hardest difficulty).

The easiest of all games I have played these past few years is hands down Borderlands. Due to me leveling so fast just being in the sandbox going from bandit-filled community to the next.

The only games for the newer platforms I can think of which are moderately difficult was Lost Planet (the first), and Deadrising (also the first) and the COD4 on Veteran.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[PunkyMcGee]

that's due to the death of the arcade, witch point was to be hard so you put in that hard earned quarter into the slot, and another and another. but there is little point to imposable chalange any more.

 

[Harlemura]

I think ever since games weren't about stealing children's hard-begged money in arcades, they've been getting easier.
Not that I really care, I'm generally bad at games. If I can't do it after five or so attempts, I lose interest.

Also, go play Super Meat Boy. Haven't played it myself, but it's apparently a monster of a difficult game.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Well of course games are easier, there's a reason TV tropes has Nintendo Hard [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NintendoHard].

 

[thefleeger]

Try Demon's Souls's if you have a PS3.

Problem Solved.

that's due to the death of the arcade, witch point was to be hard so you put in that hard earned quarter into the slot, and another and another. but there is little point to imposable chalange any more.

That may be but I remember playing Toy Story on my Sega Genesis, and when you lost you went to the beginning. I beat it once. It was a hard game.

 

[PunkyMcGee]

Try Demon's Souls's if you have a PS3.

Problem Solved.

that's due to the death of the arcade, witch point was to be hard so you put in that hard earned quarter into the slot, and another and another. but there is little point to imposable chalange any more.

That may be but I remember playing Toy Story on my Sega Genesis, and when you lost you went to the beginning. I beat it once. It was a hard game.

i remember toy story, i got to the Doomish pizza planet level once never beat it thou i may need to pull that puppy from the attic.

also Extra Credits made a great vid talking about this. it's on this site check it out.

 

[ApeShapeDeity]

Few games these days aim for impossible completion. I remember clocking games in the arcade when I was a kid. It was a real thrill.

The reason for games not being incredibly hard these days is because studios know it makes them inaccessable to most people.

The thrill, as it were is being manufactured in via other means. However, I do believe that there is a place for that style of game mechanic... but you're unlikely to see it be a blockbuster. Infact if you look you'll still find them out there. Just don't expect the sound or graphics to blow you away. The budget isn't there.

 

[MrGalactus]

Try Demon's Souls's if you have a PS3.

Problem Solved.

That's not hard though, it's just got very cheap insta-kills everywhere.

OT: I feel it too, but I think it could be us getting used to games more, and developing our brains to prepare for what games have to challenge us with. Seriously, go play a game you haven't played since you were very young that you thought was hard as hell. It won't feel as if it's at the same difficulty.

 

[thiosk]

Yes. This trend dates way back. I first noticed it in the sequel to Command and Conquer; the whole damn game was a tutorial for the last mission-- one new unit and or mechanic per mission, with the whole mission focused on that unit or mechanic.

Its gotten worse; generally. Or is it better? Maybe I'll go play some Super Ghouls and Ghosts and decide what I like more.

 

[PunkyMcGee]

Try Demon's Souls's if you have a PS3.

Problem Solved.

That's not hard though, it's just got very cheap insta-kills everywhere.

OT: I feel it too, but I think it could be us getting used to games more, and developing our brains to prepare for what games have to challenge us with. Seriously, go play a game you haven't played since you were very young that you thought was hard as hell. It won't feel as if it's at the same difficulty.

i have and games like battletoads and Contra (without the code) are hard still.

 

[thefleeger]

Few games these days aim for impossible completion. I remember clocking games in the arcade when I was a kid. It was a real thrill.

The reason for games not being incredibly hard these days is because studios know it makes them inaccessable to most people.

The thrill, as it were is being manufactured in via other means. However, I do believe that there is a place for that style of game mechanic... but you're unlikely to see it be a blockbuster. Infact if you look you'll still find them out there. Just don't expect the sound or graphics to blow you away. The budget isn't there.

I realize there are motivations in the industry due to platform gaming, such as Nintendo seems to do with milking a title for its fan base and monetary gain until you want to use the games as frisbees. Making a game now is about pushing them out as fast as possible and making the buck, but if a studio took the time to develop something worthwhile, this wouldn't be a problem. I don't think it's the lack of accessibility, it is just the plain fact the gaming industry doesn't seem to care about the older gamers (I'm only 20), but I have played arcade, and all other systems (including the 3DO), and it's like they are aiming for the 8 year olds to play the games, not someone with an actual built mental capacity.

I know when I play a game I like to play it and have the satisfaction of beating it and remembering the game because of its difficulty. There are quite a few games you can play and beat now which you won't remember what happened in the game much because there is no brain function going on other than fazing into La La Land until it's over. It's bothersome to me.

 

[MrGalactus]

Try Demon's Souls's if you have a PS3.

Problem Solved.

That's not hard though, it's just got very cheap insta-kills everywhere.

OT: I feel it too, but I think it could be us getting used to games more, and developing our brains to prepare for what games have to challenge us with. Seriously, go play a game you haven't played since you were very young that you thought was hard as hell. It won't feel as if it's at the same difficulty.

i have and games like battletoads and Contra (without the code) are hard still.

Oh well yeah, they're arcade games, which are designed to be hard! For me it was Spyro 1. I suppose I wasn't very specific.

 

[Smooth Operator]

I think ever since games weren't about stealing children's hard-begged money in arcades, they've been getting easier.
Not that I really care, I'm generally bad at games. If I can't do it after five or so attempts, I lose interest.

And this is the perfect answers to the question.
Only a small percentage of all gamers like to be challenged, so making a game easy drastically increases the range of potential buyers.
Or in other words, there is a ton of casual gamers and they want casual games.

Being a bit more hardcore I don't like this trend because most games just slap the retard cap on and make you do button-mash and quick-time-events till your anus bleeds.

 

[thefleeger]

I think ever since games weren't about stealing children's hard-begged money in arcades, they've been getting easier.
Not that I really care, I'm generally bad at games. If I can't do it after five or so attempts, I lose interest.

And this is the perfect answers to the question.
Only a small percentage of all gamers like to be challenged, so making a game easy drastically increases the range of potential buyers.
Or in other words, there is a ton of casual gamers and they want casual games.

Being a bit more hardcore I don't like this trend because most games just slap the retard cap on and make you do button-mash and quick-time-events till your anus bleeds.

That is what I'm getting at. It drives me through the wall. Why play a game you don't want to be challenged in? Go play Wii Sports or Resort, and let the more serious of gamers get some handprints on the controller.

 

[FalloutJack]

I don't think games are easier. I think they're better designed. You see, if a game is Nintendo Hard because half of the challenge is that it's controls are bad or something...then that's not a difficulty level. That's a fault due to the gap between programming and reality. So, my friend, if you're finding games easier, it's either what I've been saying or...you're getting better at them.

 

[PunkyMcGee]

Try Demon's Souls's if you have a PS3.

Problem Solved.

That's not hard though, it's just got very cheap insta-kills everywhere.

OT: I feel it too, but I think it could be us getting used to games more, and developing our brains to prepare for what games have to challenge us with. Seriously, go play a game you haven't played since you were very young that you thought was hard as hell. It won't feel as if it's at the same difficulty.

i have and games like battletoads and Contra (without the code) are hard still.

Oh well yeah, they're arcade games, which are designed to be hard! For me it was Spyro 1. I suppose I wasn't very specific.

i should have read into it more but my excuse is that it is almost dawn and i haven't been to sleep. but i get your point. but i still can't beat any of the mega-man games and i'm almost certen that those aren't arcade games (this is also to the fact that i suck at video games)

 

[likalaruku]

Are they making games easier or are they just making more easy games? It depends on if you're taling about FPSs, RTSs & RPGs, or if you're lumping them with casual browser games, Wii/Kinect/Move games, & phone games.

 

[Jaime_Wolf]

It's just you.

While it's true that the world of quarter-eating Nintedo hard games is largely gone, it passed a while ago. In many respects, you're probably just better at games than you were before, which is sort of to be expected when you spend several years doing something for a fair amount of time.

Also, while the normal difficulty is almost certainly easier in Halo, I'm curious as to whether the perceived easiness of the later games isn't just the result of you having become so much more familiar with the games after having played all of them (though having gone back, Halo CE probably is still the hardest one).

Also, I really don't like this new cool-kid thing where you claim that everything's becoming easier and it's the fault of casual gamers and you need something more hardcore to satisfy your more refined tastes and superior abilities. I can understand that sort of logic applied to actual casual games (though I think it's stupid since they're not detracting from less casual games and a huge number of people enjoy them), but when you apply it to games that are emphatically not casual it just comes off as exactly the kind of elitist bullshit that gives gamers a bad image.

I don't think games are easier. I think they're better designed. You see, if a game is Nintendo Hard because half of the challenge is that it's controls are bad or something...then that's not a difficulty level. That's a fault due to the gap between programming and reality. So, my friend, if you're finding games easier, it's either what I've been saying or...you're getting better at them.

Pretty much this.

And if you want a hard game that illustrates the quoted point perfectly, go download IWBtG.

 

[CynicalRaver]

Also, go play Super Meat Boy. Haven't played it myself, but it's apparently a monster of a difficult game.

INDEED