Poll: What's Your Deal With Easy Mode

[MammothBlade]

(Traditional) Easy mode isn't meant for most people. It's there for those who are - don't take offence - physically/mentally handicapped or of a low frustration tolerance. And I respect that, good for them, they have an equal chance to enjoy the story and experiences of the game. I only pick on people who are clearly average players but cop-out below their skill level, because they want all the positive feedback and little of the effort. It just doesn't provide enough challenge, it's not supposed to for most people. It does not encourage personal growth or stimulation, it doesn't provide any resistance to the player, and therefore it's boring.

 

[In Search of Username]

Depends if the challenge of the game is contributing to the fun I have playing it. With Dark Souls, I wouldn't play an easy mode even if there was one, and I don't play easy mode in The Witcher either - because in those games the difficulty is a big part of the fun. Other games though, I think easy mode is the best way to experience them - a good example is Max Payne 3, in which if I play on a harder difficulty I always end up hiding in cover taking potshots and not jumping around in slow-motion like the game is meant to be played. I know I'll happily sacrifice the difficulty if it means getting the opportunity to use the fun features of the game that would end up getting me killed pretty quickly on normal mode.

 

[Doom972]

I used it when I was a kid and not a very competent gamer. Once I became competent, easy mode started to bore me. As far as I'm concerned, easy mode is the gamer's training wheels.

I don't use it, but don't mind games giving players the option.

 

[Luminous_Umbra]

It really depends on the game and "easy" the easy mode actually is.
Example: Skyrim on easy is absolutely boring. Just...no...

I will say this though. If being difficult is inherently part of the game, if the high difficulty is part of what makes it what it is, an easy mode should not be added.

Also, there are some forms of easy mode that need to disappear. (I'm looking at you, Nintendo Super Guide)

 

[Virgilthepagan]

Dark Souls fan here, as with so many others in the thread, I think it depends heavily on the game is, and what kind of experience they want to create. Personally I'm much happier when a game like Dark Souls or XCOM challenges me to improve and adapt to its world, rather than holding my hand for the entire play through.

 

[Luminous_Umbra]

Dark Souls fan here, as with so many others in the thread, I think it depends heavily on the game is, and what kind of experience they want to create. Personally I'm much happier when a game like Dark Souls or XCOM challenges me to improve and adapt to its world, rather than holding my hand for the entire play through.

Exactly what I was trying to say. Games like Dark Souls are, at least to me, different from most games. They aren't something you can brute-force through and expect to win. They demand that you learn from your mistakes and think things through.

 

[Abomination]

I like playing on easy, I like playing on hard, I like options.

I should be able to tailor a game to MY desires, a game shouldn't force me to tailor my desires to the game.

A game should work to entertain me, I shouldn't have to work a game to entertain myself.

 

[Sack of Cheese]

I tend to play the games on harder difficulties first to prove it to myself I could do it. If the game is entertaining I'll go back on easier difficulty, just to enjoy massacring AI opponents and experience the story again.

 

[scorptatious]

As a kid, I would always play on the easiest setting if given the option. I liked to experience the world and stories within games and I got easily frustrated.

As I got older of course, I moved on up to playing on Normal and, if I was feeling brave, the Hard difficulty settings.

As for having the option, I have no problems with it. Fact is, there are people who aren't as skilled as gaming as I am. And I feel there's no shame in starting on an easier setting to get the feel of a game down or if you wanted to experience the story or the game's setting.

 

[Kaymish]

it is good to have an easy mode in games especially story games since i play them for the story and if i hit a point where i am constantly stuck the story doesn't advance and i get frustrated easily how can you have fun if you are constantly challenged and cant enjoy the story

that said there is a place for hard mode too you can get into some epic desperate battles that are equally fun as enjoying the story

i know APB doesn't have a difficulty slider since its full PVP but some of the best battles have been against teams just as good or better than me

 

[w9496]

I don't mind easy mode after my experience with Dragon Age: Origins. I seriously could not get anything done after a few hours, so I had to switch it to casual mode. I actually had way more fun than if I were too take 50-60 hours and throw them away just to beat the game on normal.

 

[wulf3n]

I've never really understood the position people have against an easy mode. With Issues like portrayal of the main character I can see how that would affect people as it's unavoidable, but an easy mode is simply there for those who want to use it, it's entirely optional and completely avoidable.

 

[Agent357]

Butbutbut how can you inflate your ego if you don't beat everything on the Big Manly Men Difficulty for Big Manly Men[sup]TM[/sup]?!?

I mean, everyone knows that if you play on Bro, Do You Even Lift? you're just a big dumb babby who shouldn't be playing games!

I am going to design a game and these are going to be the names of the difficulties. Thank you shrekfan246 (and Based God).

OT: I use easy mode when attempting to let my parents or sisters play. I haven't played anything lower than "Normal" in years.

 

[Diddy_Mao]

Depends on the game. I use Gamefly for titles I'm curious about but don't care enough to play multiple times. So anything like that I just slap it on easy mode play the game watch the ending and then send it packing with a $2.00 tip for cab fare.

Games I actually plan on keeping around for long term play I'll stick to standard or hard difficulty, occasionally playing on easy if I just want to wind down and disctract myself for an hour or so.

 

[skywolfblue]

I typically play on normal, but often switch games to easy mode if I get stuck on something.

I'm very glad easy modes exist. And I think all games should have an "easy" "normal" "hard" difficulty.

 

[Abomination]

Butbutbut how can you inflate your ego if you don't beat everything on the Big Manly Men Difficulty for Big Manly Men[sup]TM[/sup]?!?

I mean, everyone knows that if you play on Bro, Do You Even Lift? you're just a big dumb babby who shouldn't be playing games!

I am going to design a game and these are going to be the names of the difficulties. Thank you shrekfan246 (and Based God).

OT: I use easy mode when attempting to let my parents or sisters play. I haven't played anything lower than "Normal" in years.

On a side note I have been playing Rift lately and the community has a fun little phrase for those who raid:
"Bro, do you even Rift?"

It did get a good chuckle out of me.

 

[GOWONZU]

I'm all open to having a challenge, but sometimes i just feel like crushing my NPC opposition in games, and that is bloody good fun, I don't understand people who say that there's no fun if there's no challenge. Some people like to play games to relax and having an Easy Mode is perfect for that

 

[EyeReaper]

I use easy mode on a lot of games that branch, So that i can see every aspect of the story.
Like Mass Effect, for example. On my first play through, I'll go for either the hardest or the slightly-under-the hardest difficulty, beat it, then the rest of my playhroughs will be on easy, just to see what i missed.
What i don't like is the "easy mode mockery" (I'm looking at you, Twisted Metal 2)

 

[Daniel Ferguson]

I use easy mode because I have shit reflexes, always have, probably always will. I try to not let the hard-mode-champions get to me.

 

[Raggedstar]

Only time I tend to use easy mode for a typical playthrough is when I'm playing a game of a genre I can't play very well (which would usually be shooters). Otherwise I'm a typical "normal first" kind of gal and I work up from there. If it's a game, genre, or franchise I know well (like Ratchet and Clank) I'll crank the sucker up to as high as I can or would give myself certain handicaps. For handicaps, as an example I'll say that in all Ratchet and Clank games I've done no armor runs as well as no armor + highest difficulty runs for ones that had difficulty scales (and for those wondering, it gets to the point where nearly everything can kill you in 1-3 shots from tiny scrubs to bosses...so it ain't bloody easy, that's for sure). With armor and any difficulty below hard, the games are pretty tame.

Regarding shooters, yes, certain shooters are challenging for me even in easy mode (I'll want fruit punch for my sippy-cup, please). I save-scummed the hell out of Black Mesa. I'm not used to the control layouts and the lack of mobility (as well as the first person perspective) as I've been playing mostly platformers for the last decade. It was a huge shock that I don't think a lot of people appreciate. I wouldn't have even bothered playing Black Mesa, Spec Ops: The Line, or any of the Bioshocks without an easy mode (ok, Bioshock 1 was pathetically unchallenging on easy, but I was dying so much in normal that I ran out of supplies and couldn't keep up with the enemies without dying a million times. Stopped being fun). Though I did manage to get through The Last Of Us on normal (as the first shooter I played on anything higher than easy). Felt the burn, but very satisfying. Almost tempted to try survivor and see what shenanigans I can get into.