I like my video games like I like my women.

Easy.

But really, misogynistic jokes aside, I'm serious. I cannot stand a video game that is difficult. And for that matter, I can't understand players who revel in games that make you work to finish a game.

I play video games to chill and relax. I don't want to have to work at it. The number one reason that I'll buy a given video game is if it has a good story (my favorite games are the God of War series, Shadow of the Colossus, Halo, etc.) I when I sit down in front of my PS2 to play, I want the experience to be more like an interactive graphic adventure, not an aggravating struggle where I have to rack my brain to figure out some puzzle or where I have to repeat the same battle 15,000 times before beating the boss (BTW, I'm awful at video games, so this may contribute to the fact that I have to play some parts 15,000 times over).

If I can play through an entire video game and only die two or three times, that sounds like a fun time to me. And for that matter, I will never go back and play the game over again on "Hard" or "God" mode. Forget that. If I'm going to play the game over again (like I have several times for God of War), I want enjoy myself. I don't want to be throwing the controller against the wall in angst.

The reason I bring this up is because I was recently scouring through "Top PS2 Games" to discover a new game that I might want to play, and I came across Okami which has been very highly reviewed, apparently. However, one criticism that the reviewer had was that it was "too easy". But for me, the moment that I heard that, I was sold. Okami supposedly has a great story, great PS2 visuals, and now I hear that it's "easy". Sounds like my kind of game. I'm going to pick it up tomorrow.

What type of gamer are you? Do you like easy or difficult games? Will you ever go back and beat it on "God Mode" just so you can add a few inches to your Gamer Penis? Not me. I play every game on "Normal" and I'm a happy camper.

 

I played Mass Effect on Casual and had a great time!

I find that I use a lot of strategy guides when I play, and that's ok by me. If I get frustrated by a game, that frustration isn't fun...

So yeah, I'm an easy gamer too.

 

Me too. I play for story, not to see how many proverbial kicks in the teeth I can get.

 

I only play shoters in Hard Mode, so... If a game isn't challenging, it's not fun for me (unless it has a really **** great story).

 

I usually play my games on normal and then after I beat it once, I use cheat/god mode and play and the hardest setting.

 

I always play on normal, I might do hard if there are good unlocks but rarely.

And I powergame the **** out of RPGs so I never have to worry about fighting.

 

yeah, I really look for a great story and experience. while some challenge is fun, too much is a major turn off.

oh, and I have the same tastes in video games.

 

How YOU doin'?

 

I can't get no satisfaction unless I complete Minesweeper on Expert.

 

Guides and Codes are but a click away...any game can be rendered down to it's base triggers by a walkthrough...no game should prove difficult if you don't want it to be.

My personal satisfaction has always come from games where I can attempt things the original makers never intended...why I love games with mods and plugins.

But yes, I played KOTOR because of story, not because I love real-looking turnbased combat or was obsessed with juicing my saber to the nines.

I'm also the guy, when we are playing my games...who always watches the cutscenes.

Except when they get lame and longwinded and repetitive or just obnoxious.

Metal Gear Solid 3 was ruined because the cut scenes were a crime against sane people.

 

MGS3's cut-sequences were a joy. Although I might be saying that because of all the 'gratifying' shots of Eva and her body parts.
I can say that they are a joy even more since playing Dirge of Cerberus.

 

I don't really have a preference for difficulty. The downside about really hard games is that they don't have much replay value because after you beat them you'll never wanna put yourself through that again.

 

After defeating a challenging boss, mission, campaign etc... I feel good. But if a game continues to be challenging/frustrating at every step of the way then it starts to lose its appeal. Storyline and visuals are definitely one of the main reasons we all play videogames. A videogame needs a combination of good storyline, visuals, cut scenes, level design, characters, creative fun strategy, puzzles blah blah blah...

I wouldn't want to play a videogame where I would just walk over everything. It sounds nice, but it would get boring. I think people who cheat (as a first quick alternative), use guides almost every step of the way says something about their personality. They might be the kind of people who avoid challenges, lack creativity and innovation, slackers, or cut corners in real life and from what I have seen, it is usually the case. Or they might just be an ultimate noob.

 

I generally like easier games, especially on the first playthrough. With Bioshock I played through on easy because I wanted to finish it quick as I rented it.

One of the most frustrating things was on HL Episode 3, the game is overall very fun, but the last level was very frustrating, but when I finally beat it, it was like I had just climbed Everest.

I liked Portal's challenges because while they were hard, the initial gameplay wasn't, and I would be thinking about how to solve the puzzles in RL, and then when I finally figured out a way to beat a certain level, it was awesome.

 

Ninja Gaiden 6-2.

The NES version.

Ouch.

 

I usually lean towards easy, especially on the first play-through. I want to know the whole game, not necessarily as fast as I can but as well as I can. And the awesome moments of a game are rarely diminished by either difficulty setting - it doesn't matter how many shots I need. If it looks pretty and goes kablooey and I did it, that's great.

I'm not sure I ever played a game that was really inherently difficult. Unless multiplayer counts, because I suck

 

Jake at Telltale games responded to a request to "make Sam & Max episodes harder" thus;

I agree 100%

 

World 7 isn't that hard, except for that one water level with all the jellies.

 

Exactly. And, you see, sometimes the difficulty/playability balance can be so grossly weighted against having any fun that I actually lose track of what the hell the story is about and why I am even completing objective A or B. My most recent example of this was Prince of Persia: Warrior Within. The game got so frustrating, and I was forced to continually replay sections over and over that I forgot the whole story arc and forgot what my motivation was for jumping across this spiked pit for the 800th time.

God of War is the one game I've played that has struck the balance nearly perfectly. It's not easy. It's even quite difficult in some parts. But just when things looked the most dire and I'd be on the brink of death, I'd always pull through, complete the section, and immediately find a checkpoint. That way, it was always deeply satisfying, yet never frustrating. That game was (and still is when I replay it) one of my favorite gaming experiences ever.

 

Old-school shooters. Favorites? Ones you absolutely ****ing hate? For me, it depends.

I've always loved old-school shooters, and if I didn't already own it, right now I think I'd murder a nun for a DS and a copy of Contra 4.

I'd totally wound a nun for Contra 1 to come out for the Wii Virtual Console.

I'd punch a nun for VC prices to go down.

I'd throw a rock at a nun because I was dumb enough to download Alien Soldier after loving the **** out of Gunstar Heroes and Ikaruga.

I'd pull a Highlander and make nuns extremely uncomfortable just to find out the good stuff out there.

And I have nothing against nuns. I think.

 

Agreed. Though really, it also depends on what you want out of the game to begin with. If you want easy or moderately easy, then you probably shouldn't play games that are extremely time consuming and difficult. Since your goal is to relax. If you're goal is to get the blood flowing and the heart pumping, you need the hard games. The ones where your hands cramp up from gripping the controller. Your palms sweat. And you get so ******* mad that you fling your controller away in disgust.

I know "Fester's Quest". My friend had it. I played it a few times, but never got into it like he did. Definately challenging which made up for so-so graphics and plot.

Truer words were never spoken. Or written as the case may be. "Ghostbusters II" was another hard one. You know it's difficult if it takes a year to beat. My friend went that long and he usually beat games within a month or two.

[image=http://www.nerf-herders-anonymous.net/images/ClancyBrown_Highlander.jpg]

"Nuns. No sense of humor."

 

If I don't get hopelessly stuck at least a few times per game, I don't feel like I'm getting my money's worth.

I'm currently hopelessly stuck at the oil refinery entrance in Rainbow Six Vegas 2 on realistic. The L-shaped area contains about 20 guys versus me, and the second half of the "L" is locked down by a machine gun turret. I glanced at a walkthrough, but I think it was just for reassurance that someone got through it, because it didn't offer any real advice. I got to this part on normal, became hopelessly stuck, then restarted the game on realistic for extra practice before tackling that section again.

I consider that to be a good, fair, challenge. As long as the difficulty isn't the result of some arbitrary, unfair advantage the developers tossed in there just to lengthen or difficultify the game, a glitch, or some less-than-working-properly gameplay element, I'll take any challenge; however, as soon as I deem it "cheap" then I'll lower the difficulty to pass the area or put the game down.

Mech Assault 2 contained a section that was "cheap." A literal never-ending-stream of robot-spiders jumped on you and initiated the "hacking" mini-game you had to perform correctly or die while at the same time you were being attacked by other enemies that you couldn't shoot at because you were constantly stuck in the stupid mini-game. You would then die from damage you avoid or do anything about. That is the most unfairly difficult section of any game I can think of.

 

...Anally?

 

I wholeheartedly agree with the opening post. Kingdom Hearts II is the greatest video game in a decade (maybe more), and it had hardly any challenge in it at all.

What I don't understand is why the majority of developers don't cater to both minds on the matter. This is why God of War is so awesome, because it's one of the few games that does just that. The easiest difficulty level is rarely challenging (I'm looking at you, ****ing spikes in the Underworld), but when you crank it up to God Mode... forget it, absolutely impossible (I can't even get past the first mini-boss on that thing).