Difficulty
Ongoing coverage on Difficulty.
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PS5 "bullet ballet" game Saros gets a big update to make it both easier and harder
The PlayStation 5 'bullet ballet' game Saros has received a significant Zenith update aimed at improving accessibility and replayability. New features include a boss-rush mode, New Game Plus, adjustable slow-motion, and new difficulty modifiers, addressing player feedback while maintaining the game's core challenge.
Dragon's Dogma 2 Dark Arisen is kicking players' butts, and they're loving it: "The new DLC is…
Players are finding the new Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen expansion to be significantly challenging, with many reporting being easily defeated by enemies even at high levels. Despite the difficulty, players express enjoyment and satisfaction with the expansion's tough combat and increased tension, praising it as everything they wanted.
Sovereign Tower Review
Sovereign Tower offers in-depth character development that is a high point of the experience. However, the game is noted as being a bit too easy overall, with a surprising instance of a fully armored knight being defeated by rats.
Don't worry if you're struggling in human form in The Blood of Dawnwalker - "it should be harder" playing that way
Game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz explains that The Blood of Dawnwalker is intentionally designed to be harder when playing as a human during the day compared to a vampire at night. This disparity is a core design choice to offer varied gameplay experiences and narrative possibilities, with human form offering unique witchcraft abilities and multiple ending paths.
Once upon a time The Blood of Dawnwalker's timer mechanic was a lot tougher, and it's because of all those pre-release complaints that it was made easier
The Blood of Dawnwalker director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz revealed that the game's timer mechanic was made less restrictive due to pre-release player complaints. While the prologue retained its original difficulty, the main game was rebalanced to provide more player buffer, a decision the author of this article finds disappointing.
'Players got better than we expected': Monster Hunter Wilds DLC director says Capcom is retuning its difficulty standards for the expansion's endgame
Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance director Takuro Hiraoka stated that Capcom is re-evaluating its difficulty standards for the upcoming expansion's endgame. He explained that the base game's difficulty was intentionally set lower to avoid alienating new players, but the player base proved more skilled than anticipated. The team aims to balance the expansion to satisfy both new and veteran players seeking challenging endgame content.
I'm two weeks into The Blood of Dawnwalker and may have already damned my soul – is that good?
Two weeks into The Blood of Dawnwalker, the author is embracing the game's vampiric themes and challenging 'Duelist' difficulty. The narrative has hooked them with its moral quandaries, particularly concerning the use of vampiric powers and their potential spiritual cost, setting up a compelling penultimate week.
Monster Hunter Wilds upcoming expansion, Ascendance, reveals an infamous returning monster - and it looks like it'll address the difficulty complaints
Capcom has revealed that the infamous Elder Dragon Teostra will return in the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds expansion, Ascendance. The trailer showcases Teostra's enhanced blast and charging attacks, suggesting a more challenging fight. The expansion also introduces the 'Boost Bracer' mechanic to help players counter aggressive threats, and promises general gameplay improvements like faster weapon swapping and out-of-tent equipment changes, which will also be applied to the base game.
Splatoon Raiders: 5 Habits Veterans Must Unlearn
This article advises veteran Splatoon players on habits to unlearn when approaching Splatoon Raiders, a new looter-shooter with RPG elements. It highlights key differences in mechanics like sub-weapons (gadgets), the value of losses for progression, the strategic importance of inking, and the role of the Bot Buddy, suggesting these changes offer a deep and fresh experience.
Soulslikes demoner kräver en ängels tålamod
This article discusses the demanding nature of Soulslike games, drawing parallels between their challenges and martial arts competitions. It argues that the difficulty in games like Dark Souls and Elden Ring is not unfair but a tool for player growth, requiring patience and strategic adaptation rather than relying on character builds. The piece suggests that the emphasis on patience and learning from failure in Soulslikes offers valuable life lessons.
Gravity Storm v3.0 Update is OUT news
The game Gravity Storm has received a significant update, version 3.0, which includes new levels, enemies, bosses, and music, alongside tweaks to existing levels for increased length and challenge. The update also introduces UI improvements, faster vertical acceleration for players and enemies, and adds new achievements and leaderboards, with a price increase to $9.99. Old save files from version 2 are not compatible, but Steam achievements are retained, except for one specific achievement.
10 Years Later, This is Still the Hardest Platinum Trophy I’ve Ever Earned
This article reflects on a specific platinum trophy earned ten years ago, identifying it as the most challenging achievement the author has ever obtained. The piece focuses on the enduring difficulty and the personal significance of this particular gaming accomplishment.
Ranked: The 10 Most Punishing Games the ’90s Ever Produced
This article ranks the 10 most punishing games released in the 1990s, highlighting titles that were intentionally designed to be extremely difficult. Games like Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Contra: Hard Corps, and Battletoads are discussed for their brutal challenges, with some difficulty attributed to business models rather than pure design.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book devs comment on the game’s difficulty
The development team behind Yoshi and the Mysterious Book discussed the game's difficulty, revealing that Yoshi originally could take damage. They decided to remove this mechanic to preserve the player's sense of agency and encourage exploration rather than penalize risk-taking. The team focused on maintaining player interest in investigating the game's creatures and world.
The most deranged videogame challenge run I've seen: A no-hit playthrough of the 'Unfair' difficulty in a…
YouTuber Davey Gunface has completed a no-hit playthrough of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous on its 'Unfair' difficulty. This feat is particularly remarkable given the game's heavy reliance on dice rolls, stats, and RNG, which typically make no-hit runs more suited to action games. The challenge involved navigating extreme difficulty spikes and complex buildcrafting over a 100+ hour playthrough.
Inspired by Dark Souls, former Destiny lead fought to add super tough enemies to the start of the game
Former Destiny world design lead Niles Sankey revealed that the placement of high-level 'skull health bar knights' in the game's Cosmodrome area was inspired by the challenging enemy encounters in Dark Souls. Sankey had to advocate for these enemies to remain in the game, as some developers considered them bugs due to their high difficulty.
EverQuest Legends’ latest stream previews instancing and difficulty
EverQuest Legends' latest stream detailed instancing and difficulty systems, clarifying that loot drops are tied to difficulty level rather than solo or multiplayer instances. Players can expect to manage instance charges and charges, with some zones restricting UI access for raid targets. The developers aim for both gear and tactics to be viable approaches to overcoming challenges.
Respawn Monday #001: Abiotic Factor, Marathon Runs, and the Outward 2 Beta — Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & Guides
The author discusses recent gaming experiences, including the survival game Abiotic Factor on PC Game Pass, its retro visuals, and engaging crafting mechanics. They also detail playing the extraction shooter Marathon with new friends, preparing for Season 2's wipe, and covering the Outward 2 beta, noting its deliberate difficulty and lack of handholding.
R-Type Dimensions III Review 💥
R-Type Dimensions III is a challenging remake of the shoot 'em up classic R-Type III: The Third Lightning, featuring 3D visuals and intricate stage design. While the game's difficulty can be maddening, an infinite mode allows for practice, and options like 2D visuals, a CRT filter, and a 2-player co-op mode add significant value. The remake also includes both original and rearranged soundtracks and leaderboards for competitive play.
MMO Hype Train: Is it smart or foolish for upcoming MMOs to embrace hardcore attitudes?
This article discusses the trend of upcoming MMORPGs embracing hardcore design philosophies, questioning whether this approach is wise or foolish. While some games like Embers Adrift and Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen have adopted more challenging mechanics, their success has been limited. The author notes the appeal of difficult games like Dark Souls but questions if there's enough demand for entire MMORPGs to be built around such a premise, especially given the inherent risks in the current market.