Asking for a friend, does changing the difficulty level mid game because you realize you’re not as good at combat as you thought you were super lame or totally acceptable?
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It's totally acceptable nobody should ever care about what difficulty you play on. Some people with too much time on their hands like to gatekeep that's it
I played all of Ghost of Tsushima on lethal, but I'm the kensai duel I turned it down to the easiest difficulty after losing a bunch of times. No point being frustrated or unhappy with a game set the diff wherever feels right, change it as often as you need.
You lose a lot getting old, but one thing I gained was the understanding that most people are idiots and their opinions don’t matter. Me, I change the difficulties to individual battles if I feel lazy, because nobody else knows or should care. My game, my choices, right? Your life, your call.
Acceptable. I start on normal and change to easy in the second half or third third.
It’s not always about difficulty. In Horizon Forbidden West for instance the fights would get too long. I got how it all works, just having to do it for longer isn’t necessarily more entertaining.
Totally acceptable. If the game allows you to change difficultly mid-game, why not?
Get past the tricky bit (after you've giving it your best shot) and ramp it back up.
Or just breeze through the game on Easy and enjoy all the content in less time.
As soon as I stop having fun I make a change, it’s not lame at all. Depends on the game too. Some games I care more than others, but often I’ll turn the difficulty down then maybe push it back up after a tough encounter
When I played Jedi Fallen Order, I found myself in rue verge of quitting because its difficulty calibration was whack. I’m glad I ultimately concluded that pride in game difficulty was balderdash because that game ended up one of my favorite Star Wars stories bar none.
The best games don’t penalize you for changing the difficulty up *or* down during gameplay. I used to play all my games on normal or harder, now I see the value in Easy and Story Mode. Games are supposed to be a respite from the stresses of real life, not to compound them.
Obviously it's fine. People love gatekeeping. The only time it's "wrong" is if you are trying to prove to anyone but yourself that you were able to naturally overcome the difficult parts.
Whatever makes the game more fun. In most cases, the harder difficulties just up enemy health or make the game more grindy. I've reached a point in life where I no longer have patience for that.
You can always up the difficulty again if it gets too easy.
I don't worry about what other gamers do when playing games, for me they are a fun entertainment not a life and death struggle to complete stuff in a so called 'purest way'. I put Horizon on Story mode difficulty and loved it. Starting on default and lowering as needed to keep playing makes sense.
Most important thing about playing a game is enjoyment. Grind away at that super hard boss fight if you’re enjoying the challenge. If you’re at the point you’re thinking about quitting the game put the difficulty down. No shame in it. Enjoying it is the most important part
Totally agree!
There are also a few instances when you have to increase difficulty cuz you got awsome equip or whatever and smashing through lvls and bosses isn't fun anymore...
It's a video game, it's there for entertainment, as a distraction, to be enjoyed and make you happy.
If a game is too difficult and is stopping that joy? Then of course turn it down. I've done it in the past with no shame. Sometimes you just wanna enjoy the story and progress.
Not something I do because I'm stubborn and self-loathing, but at the end of the day it's your game that you paid for with your money, so if that's what you need to do to enjoy it then that's your right init
That’s why the settings are there in the first place. :)
Fine tune them for maximum enjoyment; allocate yourself the most engaging level of challenge just as you’d use the amount of condiments that taste best to you.
I like playing games on easy mode because that's my "have fun and chill" time. If people want hard-core, go for it! Me? Ima relaxing with hot chocolate and cookies! 😁
Totally acceptable. Games are supposed to be fun, not frustrating and depressing. I never understood those people who insist that you haven’t really played a game unless you played it on super hard mode and died every 12 seconds. But if they like it, good. You don’t have to.
The point is to enjoy the game if combat makes it frustrating and less enjoyable then definitely change the settings everyone who tells you otherwise is a dingus
Totally acceptable. Especially if I'm more focused on the story than combat. You can always go back to change the difficulty when you're up for a challenge. It's not like anyone's watching me play either lol
I think it's totally fine. It's only lame if you decided to do a challenge run and abandon the restriction mid game. F.e. if I decide to do a level 1 run in kingdom hearts 2 but unequip the no exp skill mid run because it's to hard, it would kind of defeat the point
if the game difficulty isnt making you have the gamepro 5.0 score face, change that shit! if your goal is to become a gameslord and destroy all games on hardest difficulty, you must walk the 3 hour long boss encounter path
Totally acceptable. It's nice to give yourself a challenge but I feel completing the game in general is a lot more fun than maybe not finishing it because you're not having fun and just being stressed.
No unacceptable, you dishonour yourself and your family if you lower the difficulty mid game . You either power through the game at the present level like a true warrior or start over from scratch at a lower level.
Totally acceptable. When you learn more and get comfy then up the difficulty again or save the expereince for another playtrough. There are very few games these days that gate content behind difficulty without explicitly stating that. Difficulty settings are for curating an expereince!
100% accepted. Hitting pitch perfect timed button pressing is boring. The strategy of choosing which tactics you will you use is much more the game in video game to me. Bullet sponge enemies are so boring.
It's acceptable, but also why should anyone give a fuck about being lame anyway? Especially for something like this, where the goal is explicitly to have fun? The world is on fire, and we all need a bit of leisure more than ever before. No reason to frustrate yourself just to "be cool".
I think it depends on what u play games for. I play to decompress and have fun!! I like a bit of a challenge and can have fun getting stronger or better to beat something. but as soon as it stops being fun, I tweak the difficulty. I don't have the time or energy to get worn out or angry bc of a game
in smt3 nocturne i intentionally drop difficulty to merciful just to grind faster lol
it's your game, your device, play however you want. typically when it becomes problematic for me is when people try to be someone they are not or when other players are being actively (& negatively) affected
nothing lame about playing the difficulty that helps you have the most fun. whether that's the hardest difficulty, atory mode or in-between. if you are having fun playing a game you enjoy, how can you be lame?
Gaming is about enjoying the experience. If slamming yourself into a challenge over and over isn't fun, there's no reason to force yourself. Some people are into that, but not everyone, and that's fine.
Easy difficulty is there for a reason, and there's no shame in using it.
I agree with you , some games are not just hard but they tend to waste your time with meaningless grind, cheat is okay as long as it doesn't ruin the experience for you.
Definitely acceptable. If you ain't have fun or relaxing it's not gaming anymore. If you get anxiety or stressed about it why would you want to do that to yourself.
I would say one's supposed to have as much fun as it makes sense for oneself, so adjusting difficulty is obviously ok (both up and down). After all, it's your gaming session, your gaming experience and (most important) your time.
Perfectly acceptable. Not everyone wants or needs a challenge from something that is supposed to be fun and relaxing. If it's too difficult and it's stressing you out, what is the point?
Totally acceptable. Gaming is for fun. If the fun is mastering the combat on the hardest difficulty, great. If it’s full story mode or anywhere in between, also great. And you can change at any time the game allows. Great.
Gaming is about having fun. The only people that care about what difficulty others play on are insecure about their own ability. Play at whatever level of difficulty makes it fun for YOU.
I understand why some games don't have it, but I usually can't STAND when games don't let you adjust difficulty mid-playthrough.
I always end up lowering difficulty if enemies are boringly spongy (shooters like Wolfenstein) or raise it in action games when enemies die too fast for combat sauce.
Turn it down, turn it up. If there is an option to tweak anything, do it. If you think any adjustment will increase the fun you are having there is no shame in it. Just don't cheat other people.
Frankly acceptable. At the end of the day, you're there to enjoy the game. If the difficulty is that much of a hurdle to said enjoyable and you can change it, yeah sure.
That said, Soulsborne fans, please don't crucify me. (I did finished DS1, DS2, Sekiro, Elden Ring if it mattered)
We are all (presumably) grown-ass adults, and that means there’s only so much time available for games. Why spend that being frustrated when you could be having fun instead?
Simple answer is that you’re spending your time- why would you care what anyone else thinks, other than maybe a loved one who’s gaming with you. Your time, your way to spend it. If you choose to challenge yourself go for it. If not, literally no one will know/care.
Tell your friend, that my friend, said that your friend, would be super lame. My friend also says that your friend should just “get gud”. Also, my friend would like five dollars or whatever loose change youhaveImean- from your friend…has.
Acceptable. If you're not having fun, there's nothing to sweat over if you just want to enjoy the game, curate you're own experience thats why its there 😎
Games are for enjoyment 💕 if you would enjoy playing more at a lower difficulty lever, then please do that!! I play on the lowest level of most games because I enjoy the story elements more than combat more often than not!
not only is it acceptable, it's downright recommended. You're supposed to have fun, if you don't feel like what you're doing is enjoyable at its current difficulty, tone it down, have some fun
I usually enjoy playing games at a higher difficulty but life…can’t enjoy getting my butt handed to me like I used to. Just let me get through the story so I can get to work on time.
I do it all the time, especially after a few deaths and it's not a game I can grind (i.e. RPG). My backlog is long enough, I need to keep things moving!
Games are supposed to be fun. I hold that if it's not fun, changing settings to make it fun again is totally valid. Life is to short to play games that just add stress or feel like a second job.
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sorry not sorry nier automata
It’s not always about difficulty. In Horizon Forbidden West for instance the fights would get too long. I got how it all works, just having to do it for longer isn’t necessarily more entertaining.
Get past the tricky bit (after you've giving it your best shot) and ramp it back up.
Or just breeze through the game on Easy and enjoy all the content in less time.
You can always up the difficulty again if it gets too easy.
There are also a few instances when you have to increase difficulty cuz you got awsome equip or whatever and smashing through lvls and bosses isn't fun anymore...
It's a video game, it's there for entertainment, as a distraction, to be enjoyed and make you happy.
If a game is too difficult and is stopping that joy? Then of course turn it down. I've done it in the past with no shame. Sometimes you just wanna enjoy the story and progress.
Playing for competition? Verboten AF.
Playing for enjoyment? No brainer. Absolutely.
Fine tune them for maximum enjoyment; allocate yourself the most engaging level of challenge just as you’d use the amount of condiments that taste best to you.
Me on the other hand is a stubborn mofo (souls games are my favorite games) so I usually keep it as it is.
it's your game, your device, play however you want. typically when it becomes problematic for me is when people try to be someone they are not or when other players are being actively (& negatively) affected
Easy difficulty is there for a reason, and there's no shame in using it.
I did it during half life, infinite wealth, and a few other games
Usually I do the hardest experience possible, but I also will just cheat if I’m not having fun because something is too hard
The worst is when a game makes you do tedious things just to unlock the next section.
Number one rule: have fun
One second I'm one-shotting all the monsters near me, and the next I'm not making a dent in the boss and die 3 turns in.
If my enjoyment of a game depends on me looking lame af, I'm [insert lame equivalent here]
I always end up lowering difficulty if enemies are boringly spongy (shooters like Wolfenstein) or raise it in action games when enemies die too fast for combat sauce.
Nothing else matters.
That said, Soulsborne fans, please don't crucify me. (I did finished DS1, DS2, Sekiro, Elden Ring if it mattered)
The game instantly went from teeth-gnashingly frustrating to.. erm.. fun.
So yes, go for it.
Life is short and games are meant for enjoyment.