Highest difficulty; Unlock or available from the get go?

If there's something that winds me up about modern day games, it's their insistence on playing through the game once to unlock the highest difficulty level. Personally I've gotten into the habit of assuming that if you don't select the highest difficulty level in a game then you miss out on a significant portion of the content. For particularly large games, knowing that I'll have to play through them twice, once on a high difficulty and again on an even higher one, literally makes me despair. I really enjoy squeezing out every ounce of content I can from a game, but to go to such lengths, especially in narrative-driven games where a second playthrough is never as enjoyable as the first, seems like more effort than it's worth. All of this could be avoided if the highest difficulty is available from the start of the game.

So, what's your take on unlocking higher difficulties, or unlocking full stop?

I dislike that higher difficulties have to be unlocked. I understand in the case of a New Game +, where a higher difficulty might well be impossible for the new character, but I still want the opportunity.

imho unlocks should be cheats, new items/enemies/dungeons/characters/etc., or silly stuff like a zombie mode (all games should have a zombie mode).

Agreed that higher difficulty with New Game Plus works, like Demon's Souls. Otherwise, I don't care for this unlocking harder difficulties crap. Like Ninja Gaiden, you have to beat the game once to unlock Mentor, and then AGAIN to unlock Master. So, you have to beat the game 3 times!

I hardly have enough time to play through games once anymore. And most of the time now, I don't even care about getting everything anymore. Few games grab me like they used to. I had to force myself to finally finish Zelda: Spirit Tracks, because otherwise it would have been the first Zelda ever that I didn't beat. Can't go ruining something like that.

Of course, if the game is only 5 hours long, unlocking a higher difficulty isn't so bad. It's the games that are 10 or more hours that are real pains.

THE JACKAL

Depends on the game, I could understand on Ninja Gaiden II because the game wasn't actually that long (minus the 5 billion death times), and to be fair to that game, you couldn't beat it on Mentor or Master Ninja without first playing the easier modes.

I always play through Base/Normal difficulty my first time anyway so I don't really have a problem with it being unlocked. Really the only one I had a real problem with was Star Ocean 3, to get Universe and 4D Difficulty you need a butt-load of trophies that require a few playthrews and that's a long game.

I feel no need to play through a game on the most difficult mode, much less on my first run through the game. It just feels like needless frustration too me. There are too many games to be played for me to feel like I have to work on a single spot an hour.

That said, I love Demon's Souls which most people think of as a very difficult game. However, the difficulty in Demon's Souls isn't arbitrary and ridiculous the way it is in most other games. I don't need a game where I have to shoot a guy in the face a dozen times to kill him and he can snipe me from across the map with a pistol for a one hit kill. That's cheap and horrible difficulty and I don't understand why anyone would want to subject themselves too it on the first playthrough.

So I'm sure that makes it obvious that I don't care about the hardest difficulties. Occasionally I may want to play through something on a much harder difficulty for a trophy or achievement for personal satisfaction, but that's after I've more than become accustomed to the controls and feel of the game.

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Originally Posted by Verma

I always play through Base/Normal difficulty my first time anyway so I don't really have a problem with it being unlocked.

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Originally Posted by dribble

Occasionally I may want to play through something on a much harder difficulty for a trophy or achievement for personal satisfaction, but that's after I've more than become accustomed to the controls and feel of the game.

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I like maxing the difficulty on my first playthrough b/c its a lot more fun to play at harder difficulties imo. I hardly ever play a second time though if a new difficulty is unlocked unless its something like dynasty warriors where I play a billion different stories.

It depends on the game really, with sequels like Halo 2 and 3 and Gears of War 2 the highest difficulty damn well better be available from the beginning. I've already played and beaten their predecessors on the highest difficulty by this point, so I'm fairly well off for the next game.

But if it's a stand alone game like Bioshock then I don't really have a problem playing through again, especially since Bioshock was very good.

I think I'd like having it available from the start. No point really in having it unlocked other than to force people to learn the game so they don't bash it once they can't figure it out on the hardest.

Speaking of Demon's Souls I just beat FlameLurker today and holy crap is this one of the best games I've played. Drinking coffee and playing Demon's Souls is like a drug unto its own.

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Originally Posted by Vermachtnis

I always play through Base/Normal difficulty my first time anyway so I don't really have a problem with it being unlocked. Really the only one I had a real problem with was Star Ocean 3, to get Universe and 4D Difficulty you need a butt-load of trophies that require a few playthrews and that's a long game.

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Yeah, as long as it's not handled like that I don't have a problem with it.

I don't mind too much though I remember some games had the lowest difficulty as an unlock (devil may cry for one) I think that whether you play the game at the highest difficulty and spend weeks, months or even years working your way through the game or spend a couple of days doing so on a lesser difficulty but getting the exact same story effect is no different you don't lose content out of difficulty settings just some people really like to be challenged in a game where others don't. I know that when playing many games I'll go through once at the normal difficulty and then work my way through on the hardest. Exceptions to this rule have been Resident Evil 5 (which required I farm for the money to get my weapons I needed infinite ammo'd), Mass effect (I done it on casual first time round, I am currently doing the same character on Hardcore difficulty) and a few others. I like to do the higher difficulties but not straight off, because sometimes on the higher difficulties the game can become a sheer slog to get through I end up relying on my grim determination to force myself not to give up and stop playing altogether examples of this were Modern Warfare 2, the last 3 levels (not mile high, you can forget that on vet) were a real pain in my ass to do which doesn't make it much fun though the sense of satisfaction I have for having done them eventually after about a weekends worth of working it out is quite profound I feel like I achieved something. However I will also admit that if there had been no achievements to help focus me on the goal of completing the challenge I wouldn't have bothered at all.

I feel I get the most out of a game on the highest difficulty, I also feel it pushes my skills to the limit thus making it more satisfying when I get past a certain boss or complete the game.

I also do it for trophies - Dead Space (which I platinumed eventually *brag*) had a trophy - Complete the game on the hardest difficulty. I did it on hard, but doing that unlocked "impossible" mode. That annoyed the hell out of me, so yes, I think it's stupid.

I see it as a cheap tactic for replay value. I don't play on them anyway, honestly. Like Yearg, I have no desire for frustration. My exception here is Professional difficulty in Resident Evil 5. It takes a lot of replaying to acquire proper equipment to survive there, so it's not just hard to be hard, it's there for people who need something to do when there's no more to do. Another reason for me playing that is just the online aspect. The mode forces heavy teamwork and prevents my partner from running amok.

I know some games, Cross Edge is a recent one that comes to mind, that literally certain things aren't available if you play on lower difficulties. I think that's stupid. Only things that should change are like, numbers of enemies and stuff, not items, longer story, or what not. Not everyone has the time to play through the games multiple times to see the super awesome secret ending. Though, I guess that's what Youtube is for these days lol

THE JACKEL

I don't want it to be locked at first. If it's so damn hard then let me get my ass handed to me until I ragequit and start on an easier difficulty level. Sometimes I play games for an hour or so to see what the difficulty is like and then quit to go up/down if need be.

the HIGHEST difficulty option is ok to be locked in the beginning in my opinion but if every other difficulty besides easy/normal is locked and you gotta beat the game to get hard difficulty, then beat hard to get pro, then beat pro to get elite and so is really frustrating. The amount of rage was legendary when I beat Dirge of Cerberus first on hard to unlock extra hard and i thought "yea, cool, extra hard, this is gonna be awesome!" and then after beating extra hard getting Extra hard + unlocked as a difficulty. So playing the same game 3 times ain't that much fun, even if it gives you a good challenge.

Definitely should be available straight away. Any unlockable modes should not be difficulties but the funny/gimmicky modes, like some of that weird :bou::bou::bou::bou: in Perfect Dark (and as MILF said, zombie mode)

I would prefer it to be available right away, largely because I usually can't bother to play the game a second time just for a higher difficulty.

I probably wouldn't use it if it was available from the start, so personally I don't mind if it's locked. Obviously some people will want it from the start though, and I see nobody really benefiting from having it locked until they've completed the game. Unlocked from the get-go seems like the more sensible alternative!

I usually play on the normal difficulty anyway but i dont really see why the difficulty level should be locked.

The only time this has really effected me was when I played Neon Genesis Evangelion for N64, to get the best ending you have to finish the game on hard but to get the hard dificulty you had to finish it on normal first...but to get normal you had to finish it on easy. So the game forced you to play through 3 times to get the actual ending which annoyed the heck out of me.

Actually what I like most is a game with NO difficulty options so I dont feel like im missing out or getting in over my head.

As others have mentioned, I feel a new game plus feature of some sort is really the only way that unlockable difficulties are ever acceptable. While certainly possible, I can't imagine trying to beat Mass Effect on Insanity with a level one character on my first play through of the game. It's certainly possible, but that would strike me as an act of masochism. I do think that the increased difficulty should be well worth it if you have to unlock it, though.

I don't like any gameplay elements having to be unlocked. Difficulty settings, characters, modes, whatever. I bought the game, I don't like having to do something I don't want to just to unlock what I wanna mess with. If unlocks are needed make them concept art or the like.

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Originally Posted by Goldenboko

Depends on the game, I could understand on Ninja Gaiden II because the game wasn't actually that long (minus the 5 billion death times), and to be fair to that game, you couldn't beat it on Mentor or Master Ninja without first playing the easier modes.

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Sure you could. It's more fair for the option to be there at the start. I felt the same way about Ninja Gaiden Black for the Xbox. I was highly irritated that I'd have to play the game on Normal mode, Hard mode, then Very Hard mode, just to unlock Master Ninja mode. It took forever to unlock! Especially considering that I didn't get to play it that often. I really would have appreciated it if I could have started Master Ninja mode from the start. When Halo 2 first came out, I was thrilled to play it on Legendary mode from the start [and I concluded that the first mission in Halo 2 is actually the hardest on that difficulty setting].

And if you're someone that's having way too much difficulty on the highest difficulty setting during your first time playing the game - the chances are, you probably haven't progressed very far into the game, and will not have to go that far back by starting over on a lower difficulty setting, so you aren't losing much time really. And if you are someone that's struggling with that difficulty setting, yet you've progressed pretty far, that may show that while you may be ripping your hair out, you're showing that you can adapt and press onward through that difficulty, and have the ability to make it through.

I will admit though, once I finally unlocked Master Ninja mode, it felt pretty damn sweet, since very few players actually get that far. And it was also quite a nice feeling to finally complete that and actually end up on the top 100 Karma score list. And don't knock me down for making a boast like that, because most of my friends haven't played Ninja Gaiden Black, and this is probably one of the few times that I can actually announce something like that and it'll actually mean something to someone.

I won't even go into how annoying it was to get to 4D difficulty in Star Ocean 3, though it's slightly different for that game since you have to play the other modes as well to get more trophies, and I was dead set on getting 95% [285/300] of the trophies to unlock Full Active Mode.