Poll: Which difficulty setting do you prefer to play games on?

[Zhukov]

Uh... it depends on the game?

Kind of a no-brainer there.

 

[krazykidd]

Hard always hard . If the game has 3 difficulty settings i always start on hardest . If the game has more than three difficulty settings i always start on the equivalent of hard . I never play games on easy , and get bored quick on normal . Hard usually prevides me with a sufficient enough challenge for me to not get bored . Now sometimes hard is the highest difficulty setting , and i still choose it . When it's not the highet , i still choose the equivalent and work my way up . This is all on my first playthrough . I like challenge and i like difficult games . Very rarely i would start on the hardest difficulty ( like legendary on halo3) but it does happen . This is why it pisses me off when games make you unlock hardmode .

 

[Fishyash]

Depends normally. If I like the game a lot though I will always play the hardest difficulty of the game as possible. Maybe add some self imposed rules if there isn't one.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Depends on the game. Most RPGs I'll play through once on Medium difficulty to take in the story and all that jazz, then if I play through it again crank it up to the highest difficulty. Shooters are straight to hardest if it allows me too.

 

[teqrevisited]

Oddly enough I was about to start a thread on Difficulties. I just finished Deus Ex: Human Revolution for the first time on "Give me Deus Ex". I only chose it because of the way it presented itself. I wanted Deus Ex, so I put it on GMDE. Might start doing that with more games.

 

[Electric Alpaca]

My initial playthrough of a game will always be on the easiest setting available. Allows me to see everything on offer with little to no worries gameplay wise.

I'll then proceed to play on the hardest available - using the knowledge from the initial playthrough. Initially it's a steep jump, but on the whole it's served me well.

That said, Deus Ex: Human Revolution I played on the hardest setting immediately, I think at the time because I wanted a pure stealth experience - something that's rare these days.

 

[Vegosiux]

It really depends. Depends on what is more enjoyable. Sometimes, I just want to burn through and destroy everything in my sight, and kick it on the easiest setting - usually when frustrated about something unrelated.

Usually, though I prefer to play on at least middle difficulty; not because of a sesne of self-fulfilment though, but just to keep myself interested. If it's too easy it's also easily forgettable.

And of course, there's a difference between "challenging" and "just fucking with you" difficulties. Difficulty can be done "wrong", and often is...

 

[ThePS1Fan]

On my first play through I'll usually do Normal/Medium then for later play throughs I'll do a harder one.

 

[Rumpsteak]

It depends greatly on the game in question. I like to play on normal difficulty but sometimes I'll kick it up or down a notch. Take Torchlight, fantastic game but so easy on normal It's no fun at all.

 

[Richardplex]

Normal normally, with some exceptions;
Fallout/Elder scrolls games I set my own limits, such as only restoring health via food.
inFamous recommended me hard from the getgo (Thanks for the ego boost Sucker Punch)
Depending on the game I'll replay games on hard. Dragon Age is the only exception off the top of my head, because for someone spoilt by modern games, that game is unforgiving. But set the right difficulty for the player and it gives a warm feeling of accomplishment after every trash pack.

 

[Vuavu]

I mostly play on normal because I always get the feeling that it's where the developers intended it to be played on. If the game is too easy or if there's a specific achievement or story difference for playing on a harder difficulty, I just play through it again on hard

 

[DanielBrown]

It depends. Most of the time I go for the easiest, or second easiest. I don't really play games for the challenge, but for enjoyment. Don't consider pulling my hair since I can't progress further much fun.
Occasionally go for the hardest difficulties for trophies/achievements though.

 

[Random Fella]

I chose hardest
Now, I'll always play first playthrough on medium or hard
But then, once I get good, I'll play on hardest, and while doing so make it so much more fun
So, the funnest playthrough for me is the hardest difficulty one

 

[SadisticBrownie]

If there are two or more difficulties above medium, I'll go for the one just above it for first time. If not, medium it is.

 

[ManOwaRrior]

I stick with normal on my first playthrough most of the time. I assume that that's how the developer intended and balanced the game.

If I like the gameplay enough, I go for the harder settings. But too often a harder difficulty only means enemies that can take more hits and/or me having less health, which can get ridiculous fast.

 

[DementedSheep]

It depends on how hard the game seems to be and how familiar/ good I am at the genre. First play through I usually just pick the standard/medium or the next one up from it. If I?m playing the game for a 2nd time I?ll put in on the hardest difficulty (unless it really is too hard for me baldy designed)

 

[The Wykydtron]

Normal in most games. Unless there're like 5/6 difficulties then i'll probably go for the one above Normal.

Except in Devil May Cry type fighters... Then it's all easy all the time! Except maybe Bayonetta, the dodge move being a failsafe unbeatable force really makes me feel like i'll have a chance in the harder modes. Unless you dodge more than 3 times in a row of course. Then you're fucked XD

It really annoys me in DMC HD you can't have the easy enemies without the easy controls. I want to learn my moves not have them forced upon me game! I enjoy learning how to beat that first boss (Stinger to the face flip away, Stinger to the face flip away) without the game going "hey 'tard here's a badass combo you can have by randomly mashing the attack button!"

And i'm not sure what to think of them changing enemies between modes either. DMC as an example again. One cool looking black mist panther thing on Normal is replaced by a few random ghosts on Easy. Wow game thanks for making me wonder whether i'm missing out on some awesome boss monsters!

 

[The Wykydtron]

Which ever genre I am playing is what determines this. I will always play survival horror games on the hardest difficulty because I feel like I have to. I want the game to punish me for every mistake I make. I am looking at you Dead Space 2 on Hardcore. You really feel like you accomplished something by beating that all the way through.

It's always the explosive suicide guys that got me in all my failed attempts at Hardcore... Fuck those guys man. That or the laundry room towards the start. Always unexpectedly difficult that room is.

Going for that chapter 4/5 first save always gets me killed, i would definitely fuck up the Stabby Machine at the end too. That thing terrifies me