Poll: What difficulty level do you usually play on?

[Laura.]

I play medium, then I judge the game for difficulty. If the game has sex scenes I choose the hardest setting just incase you get more nudity if you choose harder settings.

Nudity in harder settings.

That's what she said.

Well, yes. Nudity usually increases... ummm... hard levels, right?

I'm amazed (and glad) there hasn't been any "I play hardcore insane always because the other difficulty levels are for pussies".

 

[EricKINGS]

Medium, then hard, then insane(so i can rip hair out again, and again, and again).

 

[SimuLord]

I'm amazed (and glad) there hasn't been any "I play hardcore insane always because the other difficulty levels are for pussies".

Give 'em time, the trolls are probably off fellating themselves and/or playing on easy (then they're gonna come on here and claim they beat their games on Ultra-Hard without breaking a sweat, losing a life, taking damage, whatever...)

 

[EricKINGS]

I'll typically start a game on hard because I like a challenge. If I don't get my butt kicked from time to time, I know that I'm not playing on a hard enough setting. For the second playthrough, I'll typically bump it up a notch to a higher setting. That being said, I hate when the "hard" setting on a game simply gives enemies more health, rather than a more sophisticated AI; if I see that, then I won't feel too bad about taking it down to medium.

I always play on easy first, then, depending on my interest in the game, I do it again on harder difficulties.

Most proud of reaching the Sniper Ambush in CoD 4 on Hardened, and beating Wanted: Weapons of Fate on all three.

Try beating the ferris wheel part of CoD on Veteran (or Mile High Club for that matter). That is a lesson in perseverance.

Truer words have not been said.

 

[Artemis923]

I always try to start on Hard, but I always enjoyed taking punishment from games.

That's why I play Ninja Gaiden and Contra. XD

 

[Darkrain11]

Usually start on hard to force myself to think when playing the game. I just finished Prototype on Normal mode to unlock Hard mode and now I actually have to use tactics instead of bull rushing through enemies or else face being asploded by a barrage of missiles and bullets.

 

[Doomdiver]

Medium, but I'm slowly trying to shift myself onto hard. It's a few years ago now since I've played any game on easy.

 

[Asymptote Angel]

Typically Normal/Medium. My gamer skillz are usually sufficient to get me through the game with a reasonable challenge level, and I rarely get bored. If a game is balls-out awesome and I wasn't overwhelmed on the normal difficulty, I will play it through again on Hard (BioShock, Mass Effect, Prototype).

Guitar Hero II (my first music game) was the only game where I properly went through the whole progression of Easy to Medium to Hard to Expert. I play GH3 on Hard because Expert is ridiculous, but I can handle most other music games on Expert and do reasonably well.

 

[Slayer_2]

I start on easy, change it if necessary, then play again on harder difficulties if the game is good enough to warrent it.

 

[Deleric]

I usually do normal, then I do the hardest difficulty for that obvious achievement that comes with it.

In the words of Carl from ATHF: "Alright, I wanna start slow on this before I completely dominate it."

 

[DuncanRR]

With games that actually give me that option, easy. Occasionally bump it up to medium if the easy setting presents little to no challenge, but I'm not exactly the most hardcore gamer in the world.

 

[Kontar]

I usually play on hard. Most games are a great fun challenge at that difficulty, some are a bit easy (in my opinion) on hard, and others are rediculously difficult, if that is the case and I can not make any head way I will turn it down. But I always try the game out for the first time on hard.

 

[A random person]

Medium. I just play with the middle difficulty, especially since it's what the developers originally made the game for.

 

[Mr C]

I generally start on easy, if it's bores me senseless (like Halo) I'll switch to Normal. I play on harder settings when finished to get my monies worth. The only time I don't do this is if the game is not fun because of its difficulty. I finished Halo 1&2 on Legendary but couldn't be bothered with the 3rd, it was just irritating.

I find them irritating if I think the game's 'cheating'. In Halo I'm a genetically enhanced super-human with solid armour and a rechargeable shield and enemy fire takes me out quicker than some dipshit marine with a papier mache flak jacket - it totally takes me out of the game. On the other hand CoD4 was great on the hardest setting, no matter how many times I died I felt I was 'almost there', the joy of doing that bloody plane level on the hardest setting is the source of my most cherished Xbox achievement!

 

[carpenteria]

Probably best described as "medium rare" - Like my steak.

More specifically, mostly on medium or normal, but some games that i'm unfamiliar with (or are just plain brutal, not as common these days mind you) I may take the smooth road instead.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Generally Normal. It's rare that my experience with a game is improved if it becomes more difficult, though Gears of War did provide a notable exception.

 

[Neosage]

I just play on hard first time through, then go onto insane/nightmare or whatever. If a games too easy I find it boring.

 

[The Anti Noob]

I will play any given difficulty, but usually I just work my way up the ladder. I'll play through the entire game on normal, and if i feel confident in my abilities, i'll move on up, and lather rinse repeat. I'm generally very good at games so I can usually get to the top difficulty without much problem. I'm not super with shooters, but with RPG's and platformers, It's a piece of cake.

 

[Shepard's Shadow]

I go w/ the hardest difficulty setting. I like the challenge.

 

[Nu-Hir]

I start on whatever the default difficulty is. Then after I beat the game, I'll move up.