Poll: What's Your Deal With Easy Mode

[Sehnsucht Engel]

I usually play on normal the first playthrough, but if I end up in a situation where I can't get past anyway I'd switch to easy. There's also games which I play more for the story or the characters, and I don't care about the difficulty in those. I've not played through a saints row game on any other difficulty than hardcore, since the first one. I like being challenged in those. Same with some platform games where you need to collect things, and I can spend a lot of time just trying to get one of those even if it's difficult.

Sometimes I use easy, sometimes I enjoy a challenge. It depends on the game.

 

[AD-Stu]

Depends very much on the game. If it's a game that's focussed almost exclusively on the gameplay (driving games are the most common ones that fall into that category for me) then yeah, I feel like I'd be cheating myself if I don't at least play it on normal difficulty.

But if story is the major focus I've got no problem dropping the difficult so I can just get on with enjoying the game. In Dragon Age: Origins, for example, the moment I realised that combat was largely just a dull grind that was going to literally add dozens of hours to an already lengthy playthrough, I dropped that sucker right down to easy mode so I could get on with the stuff I was actually enjoying in the game.

 

[shootthebandit]

I almost always play any and all games on their easiest available difficulty setting.I like to enjoy the story in games and i do not want challenging gameplay to become an annyonce or hindrance in me enjoying the plot of the game.I am clearly in the minority here as most gamers either prefer to play on normal or hard.

i kinda agree. i tend to play on the second easiest mode as the very easiest tends to be a bit too forgiving that it is no longer a challenge. i will play on hard mode if it limits my HUD or increases enemy AI or perhaps gives me something that will make it more enjoyable or challenging. however if it just serves the purpose of throwing more enemies at me or gives me stupidly low health then its just infuriating and no longer fun or challenging

hitman does difficulties quite well. the guards change routes and tend to always watch certain important locations on higher difficulties which means you need to be a bit more intelligent in how you get past them and you need to take advantage of very small gaps rather than just throwing a load more guards at you or making them omnipotent and omniscient

 

[Naeras]

I rarely play on low difficulties, but I have no problems with low difficulties being present in games. If other people want to use them, that's fine, though.

If I do play on lower difficulties, it's usually because the gameplay isn't very interesting in the first place. Single player campaigns in most RTSes and fighting games are good examples of this.

 

[Tohru_Readman]

Don't see a problem with easy mode. I tend to stick with normal and maybe jump up to hard on a second play through depending on the game. Having a easy mode can be good thing for new players, or even a more experience player if you're having a bit of trouble.

For games like Dark Souls/Demon Souls most people buying it will expected to die and die again.

 

[kasperbbs]

If i like the game then i will play it on medium/hard, but if i just want to finish it as fast as possible so i havent completely wasted my money then i will probably do it on easy.

 

[Scott Rothman]

Easy mode isn't for me. I will typically play on the default setting or on hard. It definitely has a place though, specifically for people that want to experience all of the game's content but might not be skilled enough to trudge through the game's harder sections.

 

[soulfire130]

I use easy mode to enjoy the story then use the harder difficulties to enjoy the challenges. I just never liked it when they mix.

 

[Ascarus]

So what do you all think? How do you feel about easy mode in games?

they are single player games. if someone wants to play on easy, who cares? same goes for someone who wants to use every and all available cheat codes they come across in single player games. who cares? it is their game and they can enjoy it however they hell they want.

and on consoles you bet i play on easy. after 30 years of using a mouse and keyboard i simply don't have the finger dexterity to manipulate the PS3 controller with enough precision to survive most games. move with this, aim with that, shoot with this, zoom with that ... fuck that shit.

edit (added): I also enjoy and chuckle at the implied disparity when people refer to it as "easy mode".

 

[dave1004]

I grew up where there was no "Easy" mode. There was "Beat it, or die trying. Probably the latter." Nowadays, I usually make my first run on whatever "Hard" would be classified as, and if I can't handle it, I re-roll and go on "Normal".

I play video games for a challenge. I don't play them if they're like an interactive movie.

 

[crazygameguy4ever]

I usually start games on easy mode till I get the hold of it and then try a harder mode.

 

[Kotaro]

Most games, I play on the lowest difficulty my first time through, so I can get a feel for the game. If I liked the game, I'll crank up the difficulty on a second run. There are exceptions to this, though:
Like, "Dust: An Elysian Tail" was pretty easy even on its highest difficulty setting. Or any of the "Touhou" games: I love them, but I can only hope to have a chance of beating them on Easy.

 

[DyqstARD]

I've been slowly leaning towards max difficulty recently thanks to some Scottish guy i've been watching on youtube, but it used to be Easy 100% when it was available.

 

[zombiejoe]

As of late, there are only a few games that I'll play easy mode on. For the most part I play on normal, and if it's a game that I don't expect to play again, I'll usually pick hard first.

I'm fine with people using easy mode, but for me there should be a sense of challenge. Something that games do that movies and books can not is have you facing the challenges that the hero is supposed to face. And where's the fun if the hero doesn't have some difficulty succeeding, right?

 

[Trull]

Depends on the game; and how bullcrap some of their "challenges" are. Most of the time, I find harder difficulties mean "fight an AI that knows where you are from the beginning", and I play a game to have fun, not to get killed for no good reason.

That's what multiplayer is for.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

For most games I'll play through on easy. I'm mostly shameless when it comes to that kind of thing since I play games to have fun more than anything. There are some games though that just aren't as fun on easier difficulty settings like Gradius III or...well any Schmup really. Also puzzle games and horror games...much better on normal or higher difficulty.

 

[Bat Vader]

I mainly play video games for their stories so I usually play on Easy just to see the story and do everything. The very few times I play on a higher difficulty are if it unlocks a new ending, item, weapon, ETC.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I will generally play on whatever the default is. I find most "hard" modes to be garbage with the actual difficulty increased through cheap methods instead of honest ones. I also find "easy" modes to be sleep inducing, especially in more story oriented experiences. When something is too easy it just makes the story fall apart as none of the tension or struggle presented in the storyline is existent in actual play.

As for the existence of easy modes.. I don't really care for the most part unless it goes against the entire design of the game itself. I'd much rather a developer spend their limited resources creating the experience they want to create instead of spending time/money/etc. trying to make the game for everyone, even if that means it's going to end up an experience I don't personally enjoy.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I don't use it unless I'm playing with my girlfriend. She can't handle anything over easy mode. But hey, it's about having fun, right?

 

[Funyahns]

Easy mode doesn't bother me and I have never even considered it. Its a good thing though for people who need it. If someone is having so much trouble with a game and easy mode makes it enjoyable for them then more power to them. Another persons single player game is not going to effect me. Its not some kind of competition.