Poll: What's Your Deal With Easy Mode

[zombiejoe]

As of late, there are only a few games that I'll play easy mode on. For the most part I play on normal, and if it's a game that I don't expect to play again, I'll usually pick hard first.

I'm fine with people using easy mode, but for me there should be a sense of challenge. Something that games do that movies and books can not is have you facing the challenges that the hero is supposed to face. And where's the fun if the hero doesn't have some difficulty succeeding, right?

 

[Trull]

Depends on the game; and how bullcrap some of their "challenges" are. Most of the time, I find harder difficulties mean "fight an AI that knows where you are from the beginning", and I play a game to have fun, not to get killed for no good reason.

That's what multiplayer is for.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

For most games I'll play through on easy. I'm mostly shameless when it comes to that kind of thing since I play games to have fun more than anything. There are some games though that just aren't as fun on easier difficulty settings like Gradius III or...well any Schmup really. Also puzzle games and horror games...much better on normal or higher difficulty.

 

[Bat Vader]

I mainly play video games for their stories so I usually play on Easy just to see the story and do everything. The very few times I play on a higher difficulty are if it unlocks a new ending, item, weapon, ETC.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I will generally play on whatever the default is. I find most "hard" modes to be garbage with the actual difficulty increased through cheap methods instead of honest ones. I also find "easy" modes to be sleep inducing, especially in more story oriented experiences. When something is too easy it just makes the story fall apart as none of the tension or struggle presented in the storyline is existent in actual play.

As for the existence of easy modes.. I don't really care for the most part unless it goes against the entire design of the game itself. I'd much rather a developer spend their limited resources creating the experience they want to create instead of spending time/money/etc. trying to make the game for everyone, even if that means it's going to end up an experience I don't personally enjoy.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I don't use it unless I'm playing with my girlfriend. She can't handle anything over easy mode. But hey, it's about having fun, right?

 

[Funyahns]

Easy mode doesn't bother me and I have never even considered it. Its a good thing though for people who need it. If someone is having so much trouble with a game and easy mode makes it enjoyable for them then more power to them. Another persons single player game is not going to effect me. Its not some kind of competition.

 

[RevRaptor]

I've never seen a problem with easy mode, some people actually need it and those that don't can easily just play on hard. I don't really see how it hurts a game to have an easy option.

Usually I play on normal or hard but it really depends on the game some just flow better in easy mode and I always pick easy for rpgs. Hard mode just equals more grinding to level up, as I'm playing to experience the story it just makes sense to pick the less grindy option.

 

[Sectan]

I'll usually always start at the hardest difficulty. When it's a game that gives you a lot of options to deal with enemies it's made redundant when you can just click spam or trigger spam your way to victory. I'm not against easy modes for different players, but it does change what the game's all about.

 

[LackofCertainty]

One game that I like to bring up when talking about difficulty is Red Faction: Guerilla.

Red Faction: Guerilla was a game that fair number of reviewers suggested that people should play on easy, but when you turn it down to easy it undermined the game. It makes your character not fit into the story, because you never feel lik e you're being over-matched by an oppresive military. It removes a lot of the tension, and also eliminates the need to get creative with the destructible environment.

Why is everyone so afraid of the military if some jag-off with a hammer can kill an entire army's worth of soldiers by himself without even getting bloody?

On the other hand, when you play that game on higher difficulties, your character feels like he's outmatched. You're not some bullet sponge deity, you're a guy who's fighting the military with improvised weaponry. You start using dirty creative tactics to get every little advantage you can.

The military keeps killing you before you can save the hostages? Try driving a truck through the wall, loading up the hostages, and driving off again before the military knows what hit them.

Obviously, this doesn't hold true for every game, but it's something to keep in mind. Red Faction: Guerilla is more fun when your character is weaker, because it forces you to engage with the fun part of the game. (the destructible environment)

 

[WindKnight]

I don't as a rule use easy mode, unless I'm after an achievement with some rather insane conditions that playing in easy would, well, make less nightmarish.

As far as I'm concerned, everybody should be able to play the game at what level they feel comfortable. Challenge for those who wantit, a breeze for those who don't.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I play on easy. I don't have the time to fail missions.

 

[Sparox]

I mostly play on Normal or Hard, except for Dragon Age.. I played that on Easy.. couldn't get behind the whole strategic combat thing.. ;~;

 

[llubtoille]

I always play on easy mode, even a game like skyrim that I've sunk over 500hrs into, I'll still set it to easy,
I'm in it to be entertained and have fun, challenges simply don't interest me.

I actually preferred mass effect 1 over mass effect two in part for this reason,
I found myself dying all too often on ME2 'casual' mode to be enjoyable,
whereas while ME1 combat may arguably be more dull (as though cover shooting is 'fun'), the fights were a breeze and over quick enough, which allowed me to get on with the story faster.

 

[Saelune]

Its all about your goals. Having fun is what matters. Though harder difficulties mean greater bragging rights, but beating a game on easy still means you beat it. I default to normal, but there have been exceptions. I played Dragon Age on easy, since I found the combat tedious. Had way more fun on easy.

 

[kickyourass]

Well the way I see it, easy difficulties aren't for you or me, they're meant as a way to give gamers who are new, less experienced or just not very skilled, a way into the game so they can enjoy it as well.
You may not find Easy mode very interesting but for for someone else who's struggling with the game the option to go into "Impossible to lose if you have two working hands" mode can be a chance for them to actually gauge whether or not they like or a chance to actually learn how to play the game cause now they're not dying every 2 seconds.

 

[FinalHeart95]

Depends. I suck at fighters, so playing on easy IS a challenge for me.

 

[Skops]

Honestly, if a game like Dark Souls gets an easy mode, I hope they take the Mega Man 10 approach where it's almost insulting.

 

[WaysideMaze]

I usually go for normal, but sometimes I just want the story, so I'll pop it into easy.

Sometimes I'm just bad at a game, so I'll drop the difficulty.