10 things only ultra difficulty gamers will understand
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Also I played Uncharted 3 for the first time on either the hardest or second hardest difficulty (I don't remember) and it was fine up until one section towards the end, that took me hours to get past.
My favorite game to play on the hardest difficulty is definitely Spider-man PS4, as it actually makes it challenging unlike the other modes. (I think it's Ultimate Difficulty, when you unlock NG+) Getting that platinum for that game and its DLCs was awesome.
Date: 2022-05-31
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Comments and reviews: 9
kdawg3484
I'm certainly not an ultra difficulty gamer, but the part about changing up controls really resonated. Lately, no matter what game I'm playing, a major key to success is to figure out a comfortable, more sensible control scheme for me as soon as possible. Once I've done that, everything often just clicks. I don't recall having to do that that much when I was younger, but now it's a systematic process I expect, much like character creation. Since I think I've been pretty sensible about some of the changes I've made, I wonder what percentage of game difficulty can be attributed to strange default control choices.
To provide an example, I recently played Bloodborne which was my first FromSoft game. Immediately, I didn't understand why O was the dodge button, because that makes you take your thumb off camera controls and the lock-on button with the right stick in the heat of battle. It just felt wrong. And that's a difficult game where I didn't need to fight the controls. What I ultimately came up with was to swamp L2 and O. That way I can always have a finger on dodge/sprint with O now being L2. I usually only need O, my gun, formerly L2, when I'm already locked on to something and baiting a riposte. The difference was night and day when it came to better movement, and now I've beaten every single part of the game.
As a final note about my example, the game does not provide in-game control swapping. I had to use a PS4 accessibility feature that swapped those two buttons on the entire system. It's not particularly awkward and easily toggled on and off with the PS button quick menu. However, as I understand it, that functionality did not exist when Bloodborne came out, so I would've been up a creek without a paddle if I was ever current with games. Also, the PS4 accessibility swapping is still very basic. You cannot, for example move three buttons around. You can only swap two between each other. I initially wanted to move L2 --> O, O --> L1, and L1 --> L2. It's not possible. (I actually prefer the current arrangement anyway) Still, I imagine a not small number of people find additional difficulty in FromSoft games from that O button being the dodge button. Having such limited options to customize controls is totally unnecessary (in both From's and PS4's case) and often really puts a pointless stumbling block when people are trying to do harder content.
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I'm certainly not an ultra difficulty gamer, but the part about changing up controls really resonated. Lately, no matter what game I'm playing, a major key to success is to figure out a comfortable, more sensible control scheme for me as soon as possible. Once I've done that, everything often just clicks. I don't recall having to do that that much when I was younger, but now it's a systematic process I expect, much like character creation. Since I think I've been pretty sensible about some of the changes I've made, I wonder what percentage of game difficulty can be attributed to strange default control choices.
To provide an example, I recently played Bloodborne which was my first FromSoft game. Immediately, I didn't understand why O was the dodge button, because that makes you take your thumb off camera controls and the lock-on button with the right stick in the heat of battle. It just felt wrong. And that's a difficult game where I didn't need to fight the controls. What I ultimately came up with was to swamp L2 and O. That way I can always have a finger on dodge/sprint with O now being L2. I usually only need O, my gun, formerly L2, when I'm already locked on to something and baiting a riposte. The difference was night and day when it came to better movement, and now I've beaten every single part of the game.
As a final note about my example, the game does not provide in-game control swapping. I had to use a PS4 accessibility feature that swapped those two buttons on the entire system. It's not particularly awkward and easily toggled on and off with the PS button quick menu. However, as I understand it, that functionality did not exist when Bloodborne came out, so I would've been up a creek without a paddle if I was ever current with games. Also, the PS4 accessibility swapping is still very basic. You cannot, for example move three buttons around. You can only swap two between each other. I initially wanted to move L2 --> O, O --> L1, and L1 --> L2. It's not possible. (I actually prefer the current arrangement anyway) Still, I imagine a not small number of people find additional difficulty in FromSoft games from that O button being the dodge button. Having such limited options to customize controls is totally unnecessary (in both From's and PS4's case) and often really puts a pointless stumbling block when people are trying to do harder content.
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BlueKnight
Playing any game, and even finishing it on the hardest difficulty. That alone is an impressive feat that requires a ton of determination! This is coming from someone who actually managed to beat all 4-Uncharted games (Lost Legacy aside) on Brutal! I liked the challenge, but it wasn't fun at times! Especially Uncharted 4's Marooned level.
I mean, just trying to start a fresh save with Hard mode on Horizon Forbidden West, and that wasn't even the highest difficulty available. And it was to the point that one screw up with the games 1st 2 or 3 machine types started presenting a big challenge after the 1st half hour or so. Don't even get me started on the arenas with that difficulty.
The 1st Lost Planet on the hardest possible difficulty is also pretty brutal to the point I never got past the half-way point. Heck, even Marvel's Spider-Man on Ultimate can be a bit of a challenge to get through on a fresh, non New Game + playthrough.
And a little unrelated, but is there any chance for a Top 10-Hardest Platformer games video?
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Playing any game, and even finishing it on the hardest difficulty. That alone is an impressive feat that requires a ton of determination! This is coming from someone who actually managed to beat all 4-Uncharted games (Lost Legacy aside) on Brutal! I liked the challenge, but it wasn't fun at times! Especially Uncharted 4's Marooned level.
I mean, just trying to start a fresh save with Hard mode on Horizon Forbidden West, and that wasn't even the highest difficulty available. And it was to the point that one screw up with the games 1st 2 or 3 machine types started presenting a big challenge after the 1st half hour or so. Don't even get me started on the arenas with that difficulty.
The 1st Lost Planet on the hardest possible difficulty is also pretty brutal to the point I never got past the half-way point. Heck, even Marvel's Spider-Man on Ultimate can be a bit of a challenge to get through on a fresh, non New Game + playthrough.
And a little unrelated, but is there any chance for a Top 10-Hardest Platformer games video?
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Cristuel
I always play on Easy first, as a way to sort of scout out the game first and to avoid unnecessary anxiety. only then do I switch to harder difficulty modes, if ever, because if I find out a game isn't worth it, then who cares. And I never understood people playing Halo on Legendary, because you're supposed to be this badass warrior, the toughest the Earth has to offer, yet you somehow manage to get killed with two shots from a plasma pistol; how ridiculous. It always ruined all immersion for me.
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I always play on Easy first, as a way to sort of scout out the game first and to avoid unnecessary anxiety. only then do I switch to harder difficulty modes, if ever, because if I find out a game isn't worth it, then who cares. And I never understood people playing Halo on Legendary, because you're supposed to be this badass warrior, the toughest the Earth has to offer, yet you somehow manage to get killed with two shots from a plasma pistol; how ridiculous. It always ruined all immersion for me.
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SlaveLaboringKid
Games don't bother with making the AI better in harder settings anymore, they just make the enemies soak more damage and deal more damage, so i don't bother with the hardest difficulties anymore, and i am dude that used play exclusively on the hardest setting s and have beaten a lot of games that most people just cant in the hardest setting like the first Far Cry, project IGI, and so on.
If you want to be gud go play multiplayer games.
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Games don't bother with making the AI better in harder settings anymore, they just make the enemies soak more damage and deal more damage, so i don't bother with the hardest difficulties anymore, and i am dude that used play exclusively on the hardest setting s and have beaten a lot of games that most people just cant in the hardest setting like the first Far Cry, project IGI, and so on.
If you want to be gud go play multiplayer games.
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TheLeetCasualGamer
Good explanation at the end. My example is my Dead Cells experience. Hell difficulty is by far the most brutal thing I've tried. A constant timer that will make more enemies spawn, enemies that aggro simply teleport to you, little margin for error, and health restoring items add to that timer.
I've checked up guides, learned every enemy, and continue to explore situations. But it's so fulfilling every little bit of progress I make.
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Good explanation at the end. My example is my Dead Cells experience. Hell difficulty is by far the most brutal thing I've tried. A constant timer that will make more enemies spawn, enemies that aggro simply teleport to you, little margin for error, and health restoring items add to that timer.
I've checked up guides, learned every enemy, and continue to explore situations. But it's so fulfilling every little bit of progress I make.
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Mike
I know it's not the highest difficulty level, but when Halo Infinite's campaign came out, I made the decision to play the game on Heroic, something I've never done before in any of the past games. It was frustrating at times, the final boss fight was the biggest test of my resolve, but I stuck to it and that feeling of accomplishment when I eventually finished that final fight was incredible and well worth the struggle.
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I know it's not the highest difficulty level, but when Halo Infinite's campaign came out, I made the decision to play the game on Heroic, something I've never done before in any of the past games. It was frustrating at times, the final boss fight was the biggest test of my resolve, but I stuck to it and that feeling of accomplishment when I eventually finished that final fight was incredible and well worth the struggle.
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Sindri
I beat Uncharted 2 on the hardest difficulty back in the day and I only managed to do it because of my deep love for the game. Not gonna like though: my love truly got tested. A buddy of mine still hasn't finished it on Normal cause he got tired of getting stomped in the section with the tank in Tenzin's village. One of the few moments I've been able to use the git gud card on him
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I beat Uncharted 2 on the hardest difficulty back in the day and I only managed to do it because of my deep love for the game. Not gonna like though: my love truly got tested. A buddy of mine still hasn't finished it on Normal cause he got tired of getting stomped in the section with the tank in Tenzin's village. One of the few moments I've been able to use the git gud card on him
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Matt
I'm sitting here looking at my Horizon Zero Dawn Steam achievements. The last 3 are beating a NG+, NG+ on Ultra Hard, and getting all the achievements. Been trying to decide if it's worth it. I mean, I'd be playing it just like you said, not worrying about the story. just crushing through the game. After the DLC and 160hrs, I kinda need a break, but I think it just might happen!
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I'm sitting here looking at my Horizon Zero Dawn Steam achievements. The last 3 are beating a NG+, NG+ on Ultra Hard, and getting all the achievements. Been trying to decide if it's worth it. I mean, I'd be playing it just like you said, not worrying about the story. just crushing through the game. After the DLC and 160hrs, I kinda need a break, but I think it just might happen!
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Balaklava
Far from a impossible veteran but beating the Valkyries in GoW4 on GMGoW made me finally understand why so many people go through this kind of pain and grind. I always thought it was a pointless ego thing, until I witnessed how addictive and fulfilling the prepping and studying in a game can be. Now I only play on the hardest and it sometimes sucks but damn I love it!
reply
Far from a impossible veteran but beating the Valkyries in GoW4 on GMGoW made me finally understand why so many people go through this kind of pain and grind. I always thought it was a pointless ego thing, until I witnessed how addictive and fulfilling the prepping and studying in a game can be. Now I only play on the hardest and it sometimes sucks but damn I love it!
reply
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