180°

Where Has All The Difficulty Gone?

Video games just aren’t as difficult as they used to be. Games from back in the NES days are considered some of the hardest video games of all time. Many NES games used the "lives system", making gamers start the game over if they lost all their lives. Games have progressively been including features that make the adventure easier to finish...

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pixeljumpers.com
NYC_Gamer5691d ago (Edited 5691d ago )

most games are on the easy side now days

darkcharizard5690d ago

At least for Mario & DK series, it's due to the save points scattered around almost everywhere. Just look at SMB3! It's huge, and there are no save points. Then look at NSMB Wii. It's about the same size, but two save points are in every world! The value & difficulty of the game would have been much more if the save points were removed, imo.

As for GTA, I think it's doing fine; just a bit overrated, that's all.

mantisimo5690d ago

Anyone played "Manic Miner" on the zx spectrum (play it online as a java game)

I smashed my spectrum up with my 12 year old hands (I think I even bit it)if you used your lives even on the last level, you had to start right back at the beginning.

It is Brutal. Think you're hardcore give that game a try.(Brilliant early game by the way, just very very hard).

-SIXAXIS-5690d ago

@mantisimo: Holy crap, that game's hard.

Commander_TK5690d ago

Demon's Souls, Wipeout HD, Killzone 2 on Elite and then we'll talk

Reibooi5690d ago

Where has all the Difficulty gone?

Demon souls and Ninja Gaiden ate it all up!!!

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Dorwrath5690d ago

I have to agree with you there. Games back then were way harder than games nowadays.

thorstein5690d ago

Demon's Souls: Frustratingly, unforgivingly difficult. But quite rewarding.

Matthew945690d ago

demons souls is still easy in comparison

JoySticksFTW5690d ago (Edited 5690d ago )

DS is easy-ish depending how you play it

Melee is definitely harder than Mage or Ranged attacker with the proper equipment and stats

Then of course there's how patient and cautious you are. Run around trying to hack and slash will get you killed in under a minute if you aren't experienced with the game.

But yeah, the first time through (and maybe even the first new game +)is a bit of a rude awakening if you're used to easy hand-holding games

EDIT:

On second thought, you can't even pause Demon's Souls. If you don't have a safe spot to rest and real life interferes, it's "Oh well. Sucks to be you" time.

And if you're wearing flesh, you better hope you don't get invaded in your "safe" spot. lol!

Mahr5690d ago

"Demon's Souls... unforgivingly difficult"

Untrue. That game gives the player those shortcuts that act as pseudo-checkpoints in each stage. In the context of a lot of those older games, that is very forgiving.

Imagine if every three times you died in Demon's Souls, you lost all your save data and had to restart not just the level but the entire game from the very beginning. That would be unforgiving.

comp_ali5690d ago

if you want to secure more sales then you have to attract noobs too .

gtamike5690d ago

ninja gaiden sigma 2 team missions, good luck completing them all

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majdees5691d ago

And the growing number of casuals is the problem.

ER-AM5691d ago (Edited 5691d ago )

Publishers got tired of people bitching that games were too hard, and because they were so hard they weren't being finished. This translates into negative word of mouth, which harms sales. It has nothing to do with casuals, it has to deal with publishers wanting to reach the greatest audience possible by not alienating potential consumers by making the games too "hard".

majdees5690d ago

"publishers wanting to reach the greatest audience possible by not alienating potential customers"

My point is absolutely true then. Isn't reaching the greatest audience possible is appealing more to the casuals??

Darkstorn5690d ago (Edited 5690d ago )

@ER-AM-

Casuals are the growing market, not the hardcore. Publishers mandate that developers decrease difficulty because it makes games more accessible to the growing market (aka casuals and so-called 'moderate' gamers).

jessupj5690d ago

Exactly, the skilless casuals whine because the game is too hard, not the hardcore gamers. Hence, it's the casuals that are the problem.

Count5690d ago

Even the hardcore whine about gaming difficulty.

What kind of image do you have of hardcore gamers?

comp_ali5690d ago

The greates number of audience are casual , you proved it yourselves.

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Count5690d ago (Edited 5690d ago )

Yes, let's blame every gaming problem on the supposed casuals.

This is becoming another form of discrimination.

tunaks15690d ago

"And the growing number of casuals is the problem."
LOL, that doesn't explain why most games (sans Demon Souls) on the PS3 and 360 are pieces of cake compared to the offerings on the NES/SNES days.

Jay5205691d ago

Demon's Souls. That is all.

MrAwesome5690d ago

If a game is to hard it's not enjoyable if its to easy
its not so enjoyable but still more enjoyable than
to hard.

dizzleK5690d ago (Edited 5690d ago )

games back then weren't harder, just designed with an "arcade" mindset. i.e. timers, 3 lives, no continues, 1 hit kills, etc.

games just seem easier because devs killed off those features that were holdovers from the arcade days.

Darkstorn5690d ago

Good point. The whole idea of regenerative health, etc. has certainly changed the entire gaming mindset. It's entirely possible that the decrease in difficulty is an illusion as the medium evolves.

Show all comments (59)
40°

Interview: Groovin’ On a New Donkey Kong Country Tribute Album

Mega Mixtape has some good grooves coming in, and Gamerhub UK talks more with them.

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gamerhub.co.uk
42d ago
50°

Red Dead Redemption Hits 3.3 Million Netflix Downloads on Mobile

Red Dead Redemption hits 3.3 million Netflix downloads on mobile, underscoring how subscription access drives reach over paid sales.

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4scarrsgaming.com
Christopher46d ago

More like people don't play these type of games on their phone normally and don't try them out. Not like the places where people do play these games haven't crushed those numbers easily.

How many people actually played more than an hour of the game or came close to finishing it on mobile is the real question. If people aren't playing the games to a point that is purposeful, then why try when a subscription that is behind a streaming service isn't a sign of success but just curiosity.

VenomUK44d ago

What if Netflix becomes ‘the Netflix of gaming?!’

Alek8343d ago

I downloaded it because I already have a Netflix sub.
I am not going to buy it for $40 or whatever it costs on Google Play.

I tried it out and will be sticking to the PC version, but it's not bad.

Having said that, this is the issues I see vs the PC version:
1. Greatly reduced texture resolution.
2. Massive downgrade ALL lighting quality (this includes water, shadows, etc).
3. Stutter and heat. Prolonged play leads to both.
On the plus side, we have:
4. This thing is like 6GB vs the 12 on Steam.

Great way to try the game, but not the best way to play it.

darthv7246d ago

Perhaps Netflix will make a RDR series now that ST is done with.

Lionsguard44d ago

A Netflix version of RDR?... Oh boy... I can't wait... /s

TheColbertinator44d ago

They should build a production that includes members behind the True Grit remake and Hell on Wheels from AMC. Both were perfect for wild west vibes.

gold_drake44d ago

but i doubt people ACTUALLY played it on smartphone vs tried it out.

120°

Rockstar Says Red Dead Redemption Xbox 360 Upgrade Needs More Time

Rockstar says the free upgrade issue affecting Red Dead Redemption Xbox 360 owners requires more time to resolve, with another update expected within five days.

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twistedvoxel.com
Minute Man 72178d ago

Another free update...good to know but I don't own a series X

Petebloodyonion77d ago

I’m not sure what the exact issue is. I had no trouble getting the free update—you basically get the new game for free if you have the 360 version in your digital library. Maybe the problem is related to owning or not owning the Undead DLC expansion.

Hypertension14077d ago (Edited 77d ago )

Yea I think thats what it is. I also own the game but not the expansion, and im unable to download the update.