New Vegas: Is Hardcore Mode Worth It?

[Wolfenbarg]

Now I'm not talking about the little achievement that the game gives you for beating the game in hardcore mode. I already know that that isn't worth it because I'm not a whore for grinding achievements or any other throwaway game stats. What I want to know is whether or not it makes the gameplay experience more fulfilling at all. It sounds like it can take roleplaying to the absolute max, but it also sounds like it could be a whole lot more trouble than it's worth. What are your opinions? Who has tried it and finished the game? Who has tried it and decided that it wasn't worth the effort?

 

[The Shade]

About to start my hardcore playthrough - I'll let you know when (if) I finish it.

 

[LinkSwitch]

Yeah, I've done it.

And imo, it's only really worth it if you're the type of person who thoroughly enjoys getting ALL of the achievements...

I mean, I had to take a break for a couple of weeks while playing HC mode because playing the game started feeling like a bit of a chore. And I'm pretty sure a game isn't meant to feel like that.. lol

 

[tippy2k2]

It's kind of a weak mode in my opinion. Unless my game is broken, you need to eat once per day (if that), drink about twice per day, and sleep about one hour per 2-3 days. There's so much water and food lying around that you never really have to worry about it. Something special is supposed to happen at the end of the game though (which I haven't gotten to), so we'll see if it was worth it.

 

[Kortney]

It's something that sounds fun before you start it. Then after 30 minutes I turn it off.

Maybe it will be up your alley though. It just annoyed me.

 

[Pain Is Inevitable]

Hardcore mode does make combat a bit more challenging, but having to drink/eat/sleep can get REALLY monotonous in the length since you'll usually never have to worry about running out of any of it, you just have to remember to go into your inventory and click them every now and then.

 

[TheTurtleMan]

I beat the game on hard core mode but to be honest, I only did it for the achievement. I don't really feel the need to test my manliness in fallout games because I don't think that's what makes them fun. The hardcore playthrough was a speed run for me because I wanted to get it out of the way in about four hours. Of course I've already played through the game about five times prior and I knew a lot about the quests already.

 

[Mittens The Kitten]

the part about renewing broken limbs only with doctor bags was fun though, the bags are hard to come by and some broken limbs are worse than others so it added a layer of strategy to the game, especially since the broken limbs can be avoided by effectiveness in combat.

 

[Master Kuja]

No, it's fucking monotonous towards the end of the game and it really does not add any challenge whatsoever. My first playthrough was hardcore and it really is not as immersive as you think having to search for water, food, a doctor's bag and a couple stimpaks just to see you through, it's more god damn flow breaking than anything else and really added nothing to the game for me aside from making really long journeys even longer by forcing me to stop in and clear out buildings with precious little ammo to find a filthy toilet to drink from.

I tried it, finished the game, got the achievement and found myself thinking it was really, really not worth the effort, and nothing like it was cracked up to be initially. You don't even get anything cool for it in a new game, it's not even bragging rights really because it's piss easy to deal with.

 

[TerranReaper]

It really doesn't provide much challenge to what I think is fairly easy. It's just somewhat annoying since you have to open up the inventory to eat/drink and sleep every now and then.

 

[Danceofmasks]

Why won't it let me hotkey my food/drink, damnit ... I have a keyboard. Let me use it.

 

[James13v]

Definitely. It made the game better than fallout 3 for me, more immersive I think (have only played hc mode on NV so dont have a comparison of normal NV). After a while you don't even notice it because ou tend to stock up as second nature just as you would with ammo/ you come across enough in the wastes just randomly that it's not a problem.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Not really. Hardcore mode does not really apply any significant penalties to anything that you do. Getting food and water and sleep is trivial and rarely mattered. The systems make the game more of a hassle to play and nothing more. The health related portions actually do a fair amount to improve the game but the having weight to ammunition makes the simple act of looting fairly annoying. Because many of the crafting components have a significant weight (if you're dealing with a significant amount), it makes a player even less likely to explore this option.

 

[deonte9109]

I finished it on Hardcore and there wasnt that much of a difference between standard play. Yeah I had to remmeber to keep food and water on me at all times but really the only challenge was that your health didnt instantly regenerate so you just have to be careful to not put yourself right in the middle of a Deathclaw nest. Other than that it was pretty easy for the most part I forgot I even had it until I was told I had to drink water.

 

[MoNKeyYy]

I like it myself, but it's a system that's basically made for me. If you're like me and you constantly are filling uo your inventory and selling and stuff and managing your inventory then it gives the game a more interesting dynamic by making it so that you have to carry around water, food, doctor's bags (for limbs) and ammunition (because it has weight). It also diversifies the strategy element a little bit by making it so that you have to concious of whether having the extra ammo type is worth it, whether having special ammo is worth it, whether using a doctors bag now is the best choice, etc etc. I love harcore mode personally but again, it's basically custom made for people like me.

 

[Internet Kraken]

Like people have said, outside of combat Hardcore mode really isn't challenging. However, I don't see that as a reason to not use it. To me it's the way the game should be. It always bugged me in Fallout 3 how the entire plot revolves around getting pure water, and yet your character never needs a drop of it. It does add to the immersion when my character isn't immune to hunger and thirst. As for the combat, broken limbs can sometimes be really annoying as doctor's bags are pretty rare. But, that just adds to the difficulty. At the end of the day it doesn't feel unfair, and it doesn't make the game brutally hard either.

I'd say use it. If you don't like it, just turn it off.

One thing that bugged me though is that the "special reward" was an achievement. Achievements are not special rewards.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

What I want to know is whether or not it makes the gameplay experience more fulfilling at all.

NO>

Not at all.

Here's why:

Loading screens.

New Vegas on hardcore is only mildly more challenging, but a hundred times more tedious. You constantly have to return to towns/storage areas to get food/water/Doctor's bags and it is excruciating.

I spend enough time in NV watching long ass loading screens on Normal mode, Hardcore was like fucking torture.

 

[Omikron009]

It's really fun, but it's not actually as difficult as you might imagine. Food is quite common, and water isn't very hard to come by either. The only significant bother I found on my hardcore playthrough was when I had to wait for something to happen, because I'd always be on the brink of death from starvation and thirst if I waited for too long.

 

[Lawnmooer]

Well, I recently got FO:NV (For Xmas) and started my first playthrough on hardcore mode since I wanted it to be different than my 10+ runs through on FO3 on very hard difficulty.

So far I like it, it's a nice change having to worry about carrying food, water, medical supplies and looking around for the nearest source of water and doctor.