Games are way to easy nowadays, i put Witcher on Death March just to make it feel like i wasnt some super powered savior of the world like almost every game does now adays. either have an option for harder difficulties or do NG+ modes like Souls/Bloodborne

scrub

No they don't. I like challenges and that Is what makes games like the Dark Soul series and Bloodborne so good. Newbies and casuals do not apply.

Completely disagree, the developers should be allowed to give us the experience they intend.

What r u? A casul?

Joke aside, I strongly disagree. I got frustrated by Demon's Souls back at the time, but Bloodborne made me go back to the series and completed DeS and DS1. They have a nice spot on my favorite games list.

I find that some games that don't have a difficulty choice or slider tend to be a little bit more balanced than others.

Do I think all games need a difficulty slider? No.

Ummmm nope. Games are designed to how developers want them to be. No one has the right to say this and that should be in or out. Let the devs do what they think is best for their game. Don't like it?? Don't buy it.

Edit: fixed errors.

"And no, 'get good' is not a valid"

Yes it is. If you suck at something you need to get good instead of whining. Most games offer no challenge nowadays and even the so called "hard modes" do little more than make the player take more damage while enemies take less.

The Souls franchise isn't designed around casuals so if they can't handle it then tough.

If a game is so hard that it is no more fun but frustration then it is a game that was not well designed.

Every game should have difficulty option.

No, not really, No.

If the creators didn't intend to have a difficulty setting in their game, then why force it? This article's just like those damn feminists imposing their bullshit ideologies into gaming. Just let the creators do their thing, and if you don't like, don't buy it!

Father Gascoigne is laughing.

I don't mind difficulty settings, I put mine on normal because I feel that's what the devs intended the game to be. However, I'd be more on the side of there being no difficulty settings; if the game is designed by the devs to be challenging it should be, that is the game.

Can we just have one series that is just all round hard. Not only that if Bloodborne or even the Souls series in general had an easy setting they would not be known for what there best at, they would just be another open world developer that walks you through the game. Most open world games today walk you through the whole game and nothing is hard anymore.

In Bloodborne they made it a point to not give you an objective list, not give you a GPS, not give you a map on screen, a save feature where you make a decision there is no going back, you stick with it.

I will say this, after playing this series now I find other open world games easy now. "Oh, you messed up, you can go back by selecting one of your last six save files." "Is everything okay for you now?"

The are no consequences in open world games anymore, its all walks in the park. From Software atleast gives us a chellenge. If Dark Souls 3 turns out to be a forgiving game, I'm dissapointed. I'm ready to die and From Software keep doing what your doing.

Don't care ,.. as long as it does not inherently affect design,.. and usually it does,.. so no

Easy mode and Souls games are incompatible. Just imagine how utterly broken PvP would be if an easy mode ever makes it to a Souls game.

The game isn't even that hard. All it takes is patience and practice.
Learn how to play the game before stating such a ridiculous comment.

In my opinion, every game with difficulty options has the difficulty they wished everyone would play it on, and then several easier difficulty settings. Bloodborne especially shouldn't gave s
Difficulty settings. It would break the game. Also, if you thought dark souls and bloodborne were hard, play demon's souls. When you die in that game you can't summon others, AND you lose half your health unless you use a ring. That gives you a quarter of your health back

People are not turned down by the difficulty of the Souls game. They are turned down by the tedious checkpoint and death system. For some people it is just no fun to go through the same 10-30 min section just to fight the same boss you died to. It does not make the game more challenging, it just drags the game lenght and waste your time. The slow combat and the fast stamina drain while you sprint also makes it just not fun to die and do the same thing over again.

I agree that a game should punish you for dying. But the way Souls game punish you is just stupid and waste a lot of time.

Also, the writer should have used other games as references to compare them to, because the numbers for people who beat games is surprisingly low. People usually don't finish a game they've started. For example, I remember looking at the trophy stats for assassin's creed 4 after I had beaten it, and only a few more people had finished it. Only 70% or so of people had completed the first sequence.

Git gud

It should be a standard for gaming.

Wow, these comments. I agree, not because I think hard games should be made easy, but because some people are better at games than others. I'm not skillful enough to play uncharted on crushing. For my skill level, normal is like hard and hard is like crushing. Easy is what I enjoy uncharted on because I'm not the best at aiming or timing sometimes. For you, dark souls might be very challenging. For me, it's very very very challenging, I only made it halfway through. For some people, it's too challenging to enjoy. They'll never beat it.
That's my opinion.

Yeah, no.

Games should be a reflection of their creators artistic vision. If that vision doesn't have an "Easy" mode then it doesn't have an easy mode.

Nope, if you're having trouble beating a game you need to get better at it. Simple as that

No they shouldn't. STFU.

No just no. Most games have difficulty settings, fair enough. Ultimately its down to the developer to decide surely. Games like Bloodborne, Dark Souls etc are targetting a specific audience, Fromsoft know this and budget accordingly. Why should people who appreciate these type of games be deprived for the sake of 'casuals'. Answer is they shouldn't. Don't really see how an easy mode could be implemented anyhow, the game is based around its difficulty, having an easy mode would make the game almost pointless.

Tbh I couldn't see many casuals buying any Souls type game really, even by accident.

Yes, but only for chrusing hard games like BloodBorne is.
Why? In that way is it possible for casuals to play and learn to love the game, and not have to skip it cous it is to dificult.. So yes for chrusing games it is a good option.

Classic case of needs to git gud..

For those who can't get gud/handle a challenging game, how about implementing an Easy option for every game but limit the length of the game, e.g. Golden Axe. On easy setting, the game ends at Rom or The One Reborn.

It depends on the game but I love Bloodborne the way it is,when you get stomped you get determined to learn your mistake & eventually overcome your obstacle which feels rewarding!

no they shouldn't. if games like the souls series or bloodborne are too difficult for the author, then perhaps he should either:

A) not play those games.

or

B) get better at them.

and besides, there's always the option to go co-op in the souls games if you're *really* having difficulty getting past something.

I like when games let you choose the difficulty and you are rewarded more the harder you choose. For example Kid Icarus and Gran Turismo.

Somebody missed the point of a challenging game

The new generation of Gamers are the worst. Cry because of graphics, now cry about difficulty. If you grew up in the PS & Sega days you would've probably quit gaming all together.

Wow, these comments sure are derp.

I agree that if adding difficulty options may change the way the game is designed it no longer becomes a simple issue, HOWEVER if a developer can implement easier and/or harder modes without affecting existing modes, there is NO rationalization for opposing those extra modes.

If your having difficulty realizing it may very well be possible for Bloodborne and dark souls to include easier modes without compromising the existing difficulty, perhaps you should research zero sum games and how you have no justification for claiming this is one without citing developers explicitly explaining why implementing more modes would be problematic.

To reference one of the above commenters who claim this is akin to letting a player cheat in a basketball game cause it's too hard, no, in no way does this have to be like that. That affects the other players too. Like the author said, if it's harmless, include more options. Options are good.

And by the way, if you're telling others to "git gud" , you're saying less skilled gamers are at a less desirable skill level, and that not being able to experience something they paid for (arbitrarily) is their fault. In other wards, your boasting that you're good at video games, which, to say at least, speak a lot of your character. To actually think that getting good at video games is something a casual gamer should do, that being a good gamer is somehow better than not, is simply pathetic. So, yeah, to all those who have married the phrase "git gud" with pride, you're bragging about being good at video games............... Yeah.

This f*cking nonsense is the same sh*t idiot Christians pull on the gay marriage debate, that somehow gays having the choice to marry somehow affects them. Don't act like you have the knowledge of game development to know adding in more options compromises existing modes.

Oh, and ya gotta LOVE the irony of some of you. "NOOO these games shouldn't have easier difficulties, go somewhere else!!!!!!!" And then immediately "God I hate how all these new games are so easy. Why don't they have harder difficulties?". It's the same argument morons. Guess what? Diablo 3 was made to be easy. Don't like it? Fuck off.

See the problem my friends?
Yeah, let's not get pissy because others want to play with our toys, hmm?

There is no valid reason why Bloodborne or Souls Games should not have an easy mode. As long as I still have the possibility to play Souls games with its ordinary established challenging difficutly I really don't see any problem why others should not have the option to play the game with easier conditions. Does it affect me how other people play a game? No!!! So I really see no sane point why someone should be against that other people have the option to play a game with easy mode.

Souls games are not hard they are just annoying.

Don't the average video game have a difficulty setting anyway?

i was thinking they all need to be more difficult

Video Games Safe Space Option 2016

Sometimes I feel that way because of how terrible I tend to be at the Souls games, but I realize it's my problem for not having enough skill/practice. If I want an easy time, I'll play an easier game.

I don't understand all the "git gud" elitism. What if the "normal" Bloodborne experience was 100% the same on normal or hard, but there was a mode IN ESSENTIALLY A SINGLE PLAYER GAME to allow people to experience the art and design that went into the game? It doesn't affect your enjoyment one single bit. It broadens the appeal of the game and increases profits, so it is good for the art and the business side.

Game difficulty in single player (or cooperatively multiplayer) games is not a zero sum ordeal. Competitive multiplayer games are completely different.

I'm a lifelong gamer who plays some games on hard (Civilization, Fire Emblem, XCOM, The Witcher, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, etc) but I really am not good at Bloodborne but thought the design and world were great. I would buy it if there was a difficulty slider. I cannot be the only customer they lost because of this and only the sorriest, saddest humans ever wouldn't have bought such a cool game just because it let some people enjoy it on an easier setting.

prob been said before here but devs should make the game what ever way they see fit. you want an easy mode make your own game. don't force your ideas into others creations

The popularity of From Software's Souls games (and Bloodborne) immediately proves this article wrong.

I agree with the exception of souls games. That is the challenge, being able to say you beat it and then again on new game plus

No. Bloodborne shouldn't have a difficulty option (Or any souls game). Getting that Platinum trophy meant the world to me BECAUSE it was HARD. And Sony sending me a Platinum earners Bloodborne theme was the icing. :D

Git gud casul.

NO game should have a difficulty option.

Imo a game should be set at an optimal difficulty for enjoyment. Then you can add harder side missions/objectives for those that want an extra challenge.

Look, if there was a difficulty option in Souls/BB and you just cranked it down to "casul mode"/"game plays it self" it would no longer be a Souls/BB game.

The whole point of the game is to persevere when the odds are stacked against you, to be smart about your engagements and to sometimes think outside the box, if a boss kills you say twice you're obviously doing something wrong and need to change your approach.

Try to observe and memorize the moveset of the enemy instead of bitching about the game being to hard when you obviously only have yourself to blame.

The funny thing is that Souls/BB are the games I've raged the least at because I couldn't ever really blame the game because it's fair.

And if that sound too harsh or if you don't feel you have neither the patience nor the fortitude to handle that then understand that these games are NOT made for YOU.

Understand that humans are individuals and not some collective hive mind. While some games try to appease as many as possible others focus on a specific target audience.

Yeah I disagree with the article.

How do you even manage difficulty.

What if the easiest difficulty of a particular game is still difficult to the player.

I think developers should make the game they want to make in their vision without any pressures such as the need to include difficulty options.

They really shouldn't. If a game is meant to be hard, let it be hard. Nintendo rarely offers difficulty in their games and are fairly easy until you do the side challenges (Champion Road, anyone?). The Souls games are well known for their difficulty. Compromise is not necessary because if a game is always hard, a market has been established and an expectation is created. The only benefit I see to changing difficulties is making the games harder. I always play on the hardest settings because it takes longer to beat and I enjoy the challenge.

Beating games everyone is afraid to play is pretty much the gamer's equivalent to losing your virginity.

Let these games make men (or women) of you.

Most developers are already too lazy to balance their games, multiple difficulties would effect that even further.

Imo the best and most balanced platformer of all time isn't Rondo of Blood, but the remake Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles. The sections in Rondo of Blood that were both too easy and too hard have been modified for the game to be difficult but perfectly balanced. Unfortunately you have people like many of the game journalists that reviewed the game(Eurogamer for example) and gamers that suck at video games and bashed the game for requiring pixel perfect jumps(far from it.)

It's my favorite platformer, but I'm no pro. If I can get through every level in the game without getting hit once, then clearly it's well enough designed to get through the game with reasonable difficulty if you're going through it as a platformer fan.

If the game is to hard for you keep trying, or quit, easy mode might as well be watch a youtube video of watch someone else playing mode

Not allowing a gamer to choose for themself is anti consumer period. Bloodborne would have only benefitted as it would have sold more copies. Inclusive policies benefit more than exclusive policies here. Not difficult enough? Turn it up. Too difficult or intimidating? Turn it down. Everybody wins

Thats like saying all games should have a pg13 type settting to allow lil kids to play them. There is a reason some games dont have a difficulty setting, doing so would diminish and change the vision of the game (Example an easy mode on souls games smh).

This is a great example of how everyone is allowed an opinion but that opinion can still be wrong.

No, not all games need a difficulty setting. If you consider games to be art, which I hope everyone does, then it is still a story and experience that is being told to you by the creators of the game and sometimes, many times, the difficulty of the game is a part of that story and experience.

that's kinda true. when i was a kid I found myself f*cked by ffix, even if it was one of my childhood fav. games. Only like 4 years ago, i was able to finish it (unfortunally on an emulator) because i practice hard to "dig" RPGs. Hell, I bought FFXIII-2 just because it had an FF on the name, and untill now i still can't beat the end because the system of XIII is damn stupid to get! There are games that come too easy too, i don't play it over an year, but i don't remember GTAV to have a dificulty option (and it should)!

H-E-L-L N-O!

Not only do I disagree, I take the complete opposite view. Video games should have no difficulty setting at all. When I begin a new game, I don't want to be confronted with a choice to turn up or down a setting that can fundamentally change the overall experience. For one, I haven't played the game yet, how do I know what settings would work best for me? Why should I be burdened with the choice? I want to play the game as the developer envisioned, challenging or not. Honestly, there is something quite satisfying with starting a new game and not being asked about difficulty.

i agree but that wont ever happen because you have to many gamers that would complain about games being to hard. there are way to many cry baby gamers out there. most new gamers would never survive the good old nes games. games back then were built to kick your ass.

Not all games are accesible to everyones skill level and that is fine by me. Go play something else?

Just no. Games create a unique experience. If you make it too easy you take away from that experience. SC2 is a good example. On casual it's like playing with cheats and some missions that are designed to be really tense lose impact. I don't have anything against options but if it's the designers choice to only have one difficulty then that's totally fine.

Nope!

I love the souls series, and games that challenge the person. And usually Id grab my pitchfork and tell the writer to f off. However, I love the souls series so much I feel bad that people are focusing on the "difficulty" (come on guys, its not that hard) and ignoring how amazing the story/lore, characters, bosses, npc's are.

Demons souls hooked me because of how amazing its world is (boletaria is still one of the best places ever created in my opinion), would be a shame that people couldnt experience that. Writing that I realized that some difficulty is needed to "experience" the feel of the game.....so in conclusion I confused myself and dont know how to feel about adding difficulty to every game. Ill just go purist for a bit and say "enjoy the game the way the director intended I guess?"

I dont know about Demon Souls and Dark Souls, because I havent played them yet, but Bloodborne has difficulty settings and its measured in the form of Insight you have. The more insight, the harder it gets.

I Disagree.

I never played a Soul's game before. I am not a great gamer. After suffering and suffering through Bloodborne, I am so grateful that I had to work hard for everything. None of this easy bullcrap. I feel that I am a better gamer now. I really got my money's worth and I am more familiar with the Dualshock 4 controller because I had to get used to it. I appreciate this game so much more than others. Yes, it is frustrating, but that is part of it. Gotta learn and get better. If you can't handle it, then go play Pac-Man, whimp.

:P :o

Do you even FromSoftware bruh?

no, because then it's like the developers are apologizing for their vision.

Although I havent played BB yet (its next on my list) this discussion reminds me of the earlier resident evil games. The fact that if you dont pay attention you die; and deaths are actually meaningful changes the way you experience the game.

So adding an "easy mode" means that people will be able to access the game, but it also means that they will not experience the game the way it's intended (i.e., dieing a lot and being on the edge of your seat, instead of laid-back). Which would also hurt the overall reception of the game (since tension adds immensely to these types of games).

They absolutely should. I am reading a lot of bragging about how "easy" games are. How "I turn the difficulty as high as possible". Or the worst "If a game is too hard for you, don't play!". What gives you the right to arbitrarily say that someone who wants to experience the story and atmosphere of a game, but lacks the skill should not be able to share the experience? Nothing, there are too many people who confuse the difficulty of a game with quality. If you find games too easy make up one of those stupid rules like, "I will only open my eyes for 10 second of a minute and play the game with my eyes closed the rest of the time!". Games should have easier difficulties so those who want an easier experience can have it. If YOU want to play on hard, fine, the option to play easy for someone else takes NOTHING away from you. You are literally trying to dictate how or whether someone else should play a game. That said, extra hard difficulties should also be present for those who want them. The topic is not "Games should ONLY have an easy mode", it is saying that more options should be present. None of you have any business telling people that YOUR way of play is right, nor do you have the authority.

I thought it was Sony's final say as they own the ip....who the hell knows? The only game that is stuck at 1080p... 30 frames... and one platform out of all the from games, and arguably one of the very best. Very unfortunate Sony and/or fromsoft is being like this with the title.

They can simply just remaster the game for ps5 and PC, make millions of sales, have fans very happy and all would be fantastic lol.

I actually dont want From working on a remake of BB on their own without some other studio taking care of the technical/graphical presentation. Great studio in terms of lore building, art direction, combat systems. Absolutely terrible when it comes to technical expertise.