What's YOUR Difficulty of choice? (truth time)

[leveskikesko]

I'm really amazed at gamers these days. It seems like they're all trying to prove themselves as worthy in the games they play. Whether it be in finishing a game in 1 day or getting meaningless achievements.

So I was wondering what difficulty do you guys go for?

I myself always pick normal. I assume the developer wanted me to play the game on that mode. There are some games that I will switch to hard when I get the sense the developer wanted to make the game too accessible though.

[Calamityuponthee]

FPS games I always play on the hardest. Especially Call of Duty. Every year I torture myself through veteran, but it's so satisfying in the end.

Other games it depends. Ninja Gaiden games I can only play on normal, they kick my ass all day otherwise.

[Z_meista]

normal

[SpazX]

Normal, unless it's some kind of game I've never played before, then easy. I also pick easy when I just don't want to do something that requires work.

[GuardianE]

Depends on the genre.

Shooters (Call of Duty, Gears, Halo):
Normal first (unless playing Co-op, where we pick Hard).
Hardest difficulty next (if I like it).

Action games (Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, God of War):
Hard first.
Hardest difficulty next (if I like it).

RPGs (both Japanese and Western):
Normal first.
Typically it stops there, unless there's something I'm striving for.

[Doc Bacca]

I play on normal. Sometimes on short games or on shooters after I beat it on normal, I'll go back and play through it again on hard.
I don't have the skills to play most action and fighting games on hard, at least not competitively.

[Draekon]

I generally play through first on normal since half the time you can't pick the highest difficulty unless you beat the game once to begin with. Then if I find the game good enough, I'll go through it a second time on the hardest difficulty or if there are special circumstances involved.

With co-op, I prefer to do at least hard. However most of my real life friends are a bunch of weaklings and they seem to usually want to do it on easy and I have to fight for at least normal. If it's a later run though, I can often con them into choosing the highest difficulty without too much trouble, especially if there are achievements involved in that difficulty.

[RedvsBlue]

I primarily play games for the story so primarily its easy or medium difficulty for me.

[lokizz]

hard. normal is never enough of a challenge for me anymore. and if the game has a harder level of difficulty after you beat hard and i enjoyed the game i go for that next. i like the challenge and most games are easy enough to beat after another go through since you know enemy patterns and item placement you can better conserve things and of course win.

[ninja dog]

FPS - normal or hard ( but not the highest settings. once I start getting head shotted off screen the second I step out of cover, I turn it down.)

DMC/NG/God of War - I replay these constantly and try to unlock the hardest difficulties.

everything else- normal

[FloodsAreUponUS]

DMC/NG/God of War - I replay these constantly and try to unlock the hardest difficulties.


ninja dog

[BlueWingX]

I used to play normal first, then go up from there. Nowadays, I find I'll pick easy more often, just to be able to play through for the fun and to get a feel for the game. Later I'll go back and kick up the difficulty.

[skinsfan56la]

Very easy to easy. I just like to beat the game quickly and move on to another game without any hassles.

[GuardianE]

ninja dog

I bet that pink ribbon looked so cute on Ryu's arm. ;)

[Thomas96]

Normal... I'm not trying to frustrate myself.

[shadowrep]

always normal then if i LOVE it i go for hard and extreme after the playthrough ALSO NEVER EASY i like my games with a lil challenge even if i wanna get through story

[detectiveconan16]

Easy, most of the time. Considering how much I suck at games.

[leveskikesko]

http://students.washington.edu/lzone/easymode233.jpg

sorry, had to....

[YoshiFan1]

Easy usually, I don't have patience to keep dying in a game and I have such a huge backlog, I want to finish it as soon as possible. Other games I just can't finish them unless it is on easy. Ninja Gaiden on XBox for example, I had enough trouble finishing the game on Ninja Dog mode, I can't imagine how impossible normal mode is.

There are excpetions though, DDR for example I play on the most difficult or 2nd most difficult levels for songs.

[GuardianE]

sorry, had to....

lmao, I love that picture. I'd make it my avatar if people could read it that small.

Reminds me of this:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2005/20050304h.jpg

[PhrostByte]

Easy. Unless it's a game I know I'll do ok at. I usually turn fighting games up to mid-well when I play 1-player mode.

[bardockkun]

Always normal for first time in games. After that move on up to the next highest difficulty or if doing it co-op, go for the highest one.

[depascal22]

Normal and then on to the next game.

[Malik112099]

Normal.

[DrFoo]

Normal... I'm not trying to frustrate myself.
Yeah me too. Although there are some games I'll play on the hardest settings like Gears of War or Left 4 Dead. On hardcore/advanced those two are still too easy.

[BigD63]

I typically play on normal unless it is a game that abnormally hard like DMC3 for example.

[laaj]

Like few others have posted it varies by genre.

FPS - Normal
Action RPG - Easy
Turn based RPG - Hard
Strategy RPG - Normal
Racer - Hard
Adventure - Hard
Shmups - Hard
RTS - Easy
Turn based strategy - Hard
Platformer - Normal

Achievements and finding every single secret in games doesn't do it for me at all. Guess I don't have OCD for games but I do for other things.

[FroMann]

Start with Normal, play normal again, then play on hard mode.

On games like Tekken I tend to play on Ultra hard when I play against easy A.I. and play on hard mode when playing against harder A.I.

[Rig]

Always the highest unlocked difficulty level. I'm serious.

It actually really annoys me when a game forces you to play through on hard to unlock "Super/Extra/Intense Hard". I usually don't want to play through the game twice, but I want to experience the hardest difficulty level.

[G33]

Depending on the genre, either normal or hard. Never the hardest on the 1st playthrough, as I like to enjoy my games.

[Danimal]

Normal. Usually that means there's at least some challenge, but not so much to make it frustrating. With the small amount of time I have to play games, I don't want to be spending 2 hours trying to get through one level.

Also, I'm old. The whole hand-eye coordination thing ain't what it used to be. :oldman:

[Viperx116]

Normal. When is a game is too hard it's just frustrating to play. I think Okami has the perfect setting.

[QiG]

Normal should be just about right. I don't have time to die constantly and start over. Games should be fun and entertaining, not torture. Games can be easy like R&C:ToD while still being fun, but I find the Lego games beyond easy and not even worth my time.

Sometimes turning up difficulty just makes the AI seem cheap and overbearing. I like Ninja Gaiden Sigma but its hard because if you're not blocking you're getting your ass kicked. The difficulty should be in the act itself like SotC.

[tholly]

Normal. I don't have time to play the same level 600 times trying to pass an ultra pointless spot just to advance the game.

If I really, really like the game, I might play it again on a harder level.

[dmaul1114]

I play most everything just on the default (normal) difficulty. Occasionally a shooter I'll replay on harder difficulties--i.e. played through Gears of War 1 and Hardcore and Insane, Gears 2 on hardcore (and plan to play through on insane. But that's rare, I usually just play on normal and don't touch the single player again. And in general I hate hard games with lot of dying and trial and error, so games like Gears that I want to replay on harder levels are few and far between. I hate skill based games like Ninja Gaiden etc. Just not fun for me since I play games to relax mainly.

Some games I'll occasionally play on lower difficulty--but usually only for something like Oblivion where it's a difficulty slider. I put that a 2 or 3 clicks to the left since I don't play RPGs for challenge but just to relax and explore the world, do quests etc.

[Rei no Otaku]

Normal for me as well. I just don't have time nowadays to deal with harder difficulties.

[silent h3ro]

I used to always play my games on the hardest difficulty but it is too time consuming and frustrating for most games. I start on normal difficulty on most games now.

[mer71]

For the most part, normal.

[hostyl1]

If it's a game I bought, I almost always play default/normal/medium. The exceptions are:
GH/RB - I played GH2 on easy first (first GH game I played) now I play all of them on medium and on certain song hard.
Sports games - I play one below the highest diff when I play the AI, top level against friends.

However, if I rent a story driven game, I sometimes play on easy just to get through the story.

[Doomed]

For most games, normal. It depends though. Hideo Kojima is an asshole and I played through METAL GEAR SOLID on easy (very easy? I hope not, but I think I might have. :oops:) and I'm currently going through METAL GEAR SOLID 2 on easy. DDR, for some songs heavy, but look at the step charts for Cartoon Heroes, Waka Laka, or Witch Doctor on heavy and you'll know those people are evil. TimeSplitters 2 and FP, normal for most of it, but a few levels here and there are really difficult. I've beat TS2 on normal with a friend, and I beat 3/4 of TS:FP on normal too.

Also, games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl that I don't suck at, I'll have to go through on higher difficulties to unlock characters and stages.

[Thongsy]

I usually start off on normal, and adjust the difficulty if it's either too easy or too hard. I play games to enjoy the story and for fun. It is not fun if I'm just always dying over and over on one section.

[LegendK7ll3r]

I start out on normal most of the time, beat the game once, and the move upto the hardest.

Except for Quantum of Solace, for some reason, I decided to start it on the hardest difficulty. I beat it without much of a problem, just a few trial and error spots. Since then, I've actually been starting on the hardest (like WaW). If it's too hard, I'll revert back to normal, and try it again on the hardest after I beat the game on normal or whatever.

For games like Rock Band, I only do Expert. Expert Drums, Expert Guitar, Expert Bass, and if I did vocals, I'd do them n Expert as-well (and I'd fail at those, but can do everything else on Expert).

[cochesecochese]

Normal on most games. If the game controls like buttah baby then I play on the hardest mode possible. God Hand on Hard + playing through at Level Die + no Kick Me sign drops? Yes please.

I'll also play on Hard or Very Hard if it unlocks something cool.

[Rocky071]

I'll start and play through a game on normal. These days I occasionally cheat and put it on easy, because I really don't have that much time. Usually I like to play on the "average" setting and bump it up if the game draws me in. PES however, I always play on minimum professional level. I will start a game on a harder setting if it makes a good ending or better game play experience available, but I will struggle to bring myself to beat a game multiple times just to unlock the "best ending" (Valkyrie Profile, I'm looking at you)

[Allnatural]

Depends. Action games (beat-em-ups, FPSs), usually easy. Normal for RPGs and adventure/platformers. Shmups I play on normal or hard.

[PhrostByte]

I'll start and play through a game on normal. These days I occasionally cheat and put it on easy, because I really don't have that much time. Usually I like to play on the "average" setting and bump it up if the game draws me in. PES however, I always play on minimum professional level. I will start a game on a harder setting if it makes a good ending or better game play experience available, but I will struggle to bring myself to beat a game multiple times just to unlock the "best ending" (Valkyrie Profile, I'm looking at you)

I like that avatar.

[blitz6speed]

Easy first time, hardest possible 2nd time for achievments/trophies if i liked the game. Examples of this are Gears 1 & 2, Uncharted, etc. Any guitar game i play on normal since you cannot unlock all the songs on easy and i get 5 stars 95% of the time on normal anyway.

[carpwrist]

Okay, if we have to come out with the truth, I do play survival horrors on easy. I just didn't have the nerves to go through Dead Space on anything tougher than Easy mode. Oddly enough I didn't feel like a bitch.

I think because I play all my RTS and FPS games on Hard mode I deserve a break.

[greyzieoriental]

FPS - normal and up
Fighting Games - normal
Most other games - Very easy to normal

Depends on the game, I enjoy games more if I don't have to replay the same spots over and over again.
I don't have the time to be frustrated anymore. I prefer to beat the game and move onto another game.
If I like the game enough and the achievements are there I'll beat it on the highest difficulty, mostly with FPS.

[Link927]

Most genres on normal and if I enjoyed it enough to replay, it could go higher if its avaliable. Sometimes, I'll also attempt "No Healing Items" or something like that on a playthrough if Im looking for that much of a challenge.

The only game type of games where I start on the hardest difficulty are some FPS, especially Call of Duty.I always figured if you were going to get shot with a small burst of bullets, your character should go down. What really irks me are some friends of mine who think they're better than everyone else because they can run up to the enemy and shoot them point blank while taking two clips with min damage.

[KaneRobot]

FPS games, usually one level above "normal" (Hard/Heroic/whatever)
Rhythm games (ie Rock Band) - one level above normal (Hard)
Everything else - usually normal

[DrunkTigerWoods]

Usually normal or hard, sometimes make it more difficult for achievements. I never played a game that was so challenging that I had to play it on easy.

[tokitoki50]

I generally go for normal on my first run through of a game, and then ramp it up to hard. On Halo 3 I went through on Heroic, and now I'm starting to get back into so Co-op legendary.

For games like Rock Band, I play guitar on expert, drums on hard/expert (I can do just about any song on hard but only about half on expert), and vocals on hard/expert.

[funjoe]

Almost always normal, with the exception of the Guitar Hero and Rock Band games, which for me are just boring if played at a level below Hard. Not because I'm great at them, but the tracks move so slowly on Medium I don't even get the illusion I'm playing a song.

[farfus]

I always go for normal, if i beat it fairly easily may try for higher, but im pretty much a normal kinda guy ;p.....

[Javery]

I usually play through on Normal and if I like it enough to play again I'll up the difficulty.

[willardhaven]

Normal, if I'm winning too easily (KH2) I up the difficulty.

If I beat it and can't get enough, it's hard mode for sure.

[Jest]

Easy/medium the first time through a game, always. If I find it too frustrating I'll quit and come back in a few weeks starting on Easy. After beating on another play through I'll always try the next hardest or hardest.

[chronodev]

Normal, unless its a game I've played a lot before and want some challenge, in which case i'll go to hard.

[DarkNessBear]

Depends, if its an FPS (and I know I'm not getting into anything with a compelling story) I'll play on Hard, it also lengthens the game and makes it more awarding (especially COD). If its a game that I want to experience i'll play on Normal... Pretty much only hardcore shooters where the whole point is to kick ass (Gears, COD, Halo ect.) I'll play hard. Everything else is normal... I'm playing Farcry 2 on normal.

[captainfrizo]

I always start on normal and adjust difficulty as needed.

[Mr. Beef]

Normal, then I make adjustments. For fighters, I leave it at default, then once I get used to mechanics, bump it straight to max.

[ratzombie]

FPS - Normal or Hard.
Everything else - Normal

I play through normal, and if I really liked the game I'll try playing it on a harder difficulty setting.

[rlse9]

I play basically all games on normal. The exceptions are Madden/NCAA football which I play on hard and music games which I also play on hard. Like a lot of people here I'm more frustrated by excessive difficulty than getting anything out of it.

[xDARKx Knight]

Play on normal and then the second time round if i want to play the game again i have it on the highest setting.

It seems most people have the same plan as everyone else lol.

[exelica]

I always start on normal and adjust difficulty as needed.
same here

[blueshinra]

Capcom action games - Easy
RPGs with adjustable difficulty - Normal and/or Hard (final boss in FE9 was cheap in Hard, though)
DDR - Light/Basic, but gradually easing myself into Standard/Difficult
Just about everything else - Normal

[under_scorer]

I'll admit, I recently went through a phase of trying to prove myself during gaming. Now my difficulty settings go as follows:
War-style FPS (Halo, CoD): hard (or in halo's case: heroic), would play on the hardest difficulty if I like the game enough
Horror shooter: medium/normal
RPG: normal
Guitar Hero/Rock Band: hardest and/or hard

I want to play games more for the story than the action (especially for RPGs and story based horror) so I usually play normal now.

[SNAKE EYES EX]

It really depends on the game for me. I tend to play FPS games on the highest difficulty, but I often play adventure games on normal. If it's a game I want to speed through I might pick easy, but that's rare.