Are Modern Video Games Too Easy

GamersUnite looks at the necessary downgrade to the difficulty curve in games as the audience started to grow. Have we hit rock bottom with "pay to win" features like Angry Birds' Might Eagle or the Microtransactions available in Xbox One launch titles?

Why do games like Dark Souls 2 have to be considered for a niche audience?

What effect is "press start to win" having on younger gamers?

[ColonelRex]

"Are Modern Video Games Too Easy"

Play Outlast on PS4 on hard and come back and ask that question.

[Edward75]

Or demon souls... Dark souls...etc...

Still though more games now are easier, I think that is what the author was getting at, you can still find challenges, more often then not easier is the trend.

A bit of challenge is put back in those by gamer score (Xbox) and trophies (ps) , but less and less to dying in a game and having to start over, or facing a penalty. It has to be done now to reach larger audiences because of development costs. The author brought that out a bit by touching on tough indies with less costs.

I guess we will just have to get use to easier games, with hard spots for challenges popping up from time to time, or really tough games that find a niche.

[starchild]

As someone who has beat many difficult games over the years--Ninja Gaiden trilogy, Otogi, Ninja Gaiden Black, Dark Souls, etc.--I still don't want all of my games to be like that.

Games are so much more than just a challenge to me. If I simply wanted a challenge I would do logic puzzles or something like that. I think I play games, more than anything, simply to get lost in virtual worlds. I love atmosphere and storytelling in games and I place a heavy premium on those qualities. Also, if moving around and interacting with the game systems in the world is enjoyable to me I don't really care how challenging it is.

I want to experience as many of the wonderful games out there as I can. And with only so much time for gaming I don't want every game to make me die over and over again. That CAN be fun if it is done right, but there are lots of other ways for games to be fun too.

If all games were ultra challenging I would only make it through a few games a year and I would miss out on the vast majority of games the medium has to offer.

[GSKerns]

Play Outlast on hard difficulty... and then play Ghosts 'n Goblins on normal difficulty. I'll be waiting for you to get back to me on that one.

[ColonelRex]

@GSKerns:

Not saying that Outlast is harder than Ghost N Goblins. But I've actually beaten it a few times back in the day. That game requires you to memorize the whole game and trial and error. But anyway, my reasoning for mentioning "Outlast" earlier was not because I feel its the hardest game of all time, but because it is a tough game when on its hardest difficulty. By the way, no game, and I mean no game is harder than Mission Impossible on the 8-bit nes. I still cant even beat the first level on that game today.

[incendy35]

Yes, and they are too long as well. Of course this is just my opinion, but I feel many games such as Bioshock Infinite, Last of Us, Tombraider would have been much better if they had condensed the stories and gameplay elements into a tighter package. Made more difficult AI moments such as the Bird in Bioshock and got rid of all the filler easy AI that is just there to add clock time.

[Ipunchbabiesforfun]

you're crazy!! I love the Bioshock games and you can ignore most of the side stuff. Haven't played tomb raider and only some of the last of us

[incendy35]

I love it, one of my favorite series of all time! But the fighting got repetitious at times. I love all three of the games I mentioned, just saying I think they could have been better if they made the AI harder with less encounters. It would probably take longer to beat them because it would make each scene harder and more important, but it would cut down on the repetitious parts of the games.

[aLucidMind]

I don't see how Last of Us was too long, you could easily beat the story in two days. Tomb Raider in 4-5 days and Bioshock Infinite 3-5 days. Most games nowadays are very short, unless you're a completionist and even then most games can't even be stretched to last more than five days at most.

[ShaunCameron]

Tomb Raider was not that long. I beat it in 3 days.

[Ipunchbabiesforfun]

Disagree. Maybe if you play on normal, some of the harder modes in games today are craziness. The flood on Legendary? That's hard, but awesome! What's wrong with making games accessible to everyone?

[LAWSON72]

Easy? Sometimes, but if you want there are higher difficulties. I honestly think lazy implemented difficulties suck (most of the time depends on the game, eg Halo's legendary and heroic are how the game should be played especially COOP) but hey they are not always easy.
Too basic, oversimplified, lacking depth, and hand holding? Yes

[Orange Juice]

Back in the 90s I was lucky to beat a game.
TMNT nes, dick tracy, boogerman, earthworm jim, toejam & earl 1, twisted metal 1 and 2, cool spot, smash tv, killing time, zombies ate my neighbors are all harder and more frustrating than any gen7 or 8 game.
I could go on and on with extremely difficult and frustrating games. Try doing that with gen 7 and 8.

My point is that games nowadays are meant to be played and beaten by everyone so that sequels can be sold. Back then, games were meant to be played by everyone and beaten only by the most dedicated few. Devs have a completely different mentality now then they did back then.

[StockpileTom]

Boogerman... if only that kickstarter was successful lol

[starchild]

Yeah, but how is that a good thing? If the majority of people aren't even getting to experience the entirety of these works of art we call games, that's just sad.

I think with harder difficulties and achievements/trophy challenges modern games can be every bit as difficult as older games. I can beat something like the first Ninja Gaiden in something like 4 hours now and it doesn't seem hard at all.

[GSKerns]

You would be surprised in how many people beat the games they buy... since those things can be tracked now by trophies/achievements. On average most games only see about 30% of the people who played it, actually beat the game.

[ShaunCameron]

That's because the technology has advanced so much the old way of doing things are no longer practical nor even desirable.

[ramza04]

I agree for the most part. A lot of games nowadays seem to think gamers are idiots and can't figure out left from right. Gaming experiences are much more enjoyable and engaging when I have to think and figure out things for myself. This is not to say that today's games can't still be enjoyable. If it has a deep story and solid gameplay it can still be considered a good game. This all boils down to reaching the largest possible market and that includes casual gamers. It's all down to business and games are a business. I give much respect for companies that take a risk and go outside the norm by today's standards. I've been playing Dark Souls 2 since release and haven't been able to put it down.

[Hardtarget]

I found games so easy that I always plays on hard level to get a vibe of normal difficulty back. Unfortunately games like AC4 and GTA 5 didnt have any hard mode but instead came with super easy modes. Wheres the challenge in that?? Lets hope modders can fix GTA 5 on PC when it comes out.

[Sidewinder-]

Games with mature themes, but with a difficulty meant for babies.

[aLucidMind]

Would be better if the difficulties were such that AI actually improved rather than mere HP and damage boosts (along with pinpoint accuracy from unreal ranges) granted to NPCs. I wouldn't be adverse to every game having a difficulty for those who only want a story backed by a difficulty for those looking for a true challenge and a few in between.

The difficulty levels past Easy need actual difficulty. I shouldn't be able to do the same thing in the hardest difficulties that I can do on Easy with no consequence.

[Sidewinder-]

Totally agree.

I loved the way Thief and Timesplitters handled dificulty.

Like, there are more objectives and things to do in each level the higher the difficulty is, rather than the bullshit damage sponge, crackshot accuracy AI in modern games.

[WeAreLegion]

Just as difficult as they used to be. Don't look at it from one angle. Look from all angles. Contra was hard, but you can trial and error your way through it. However, with procedurally generated games, you cannot. There are just too many things to factor into this discussion. I can beat many of the older games, but I can't get anywhere near the first Crysis on hard mode.

Zelda introduced the save system. That helped. A lot! Codes helped, too. Zombies Ate My Neighbors was hard, but gave you a level code after you beat the level.

[Hicken]

By and large, games are much easier. There are some standouts, like the Souls games, but must games these days hold your hand far too much.

And gamers these days complain if the games don't do that.

[aLucidMind]

Those same gamers also complain why they can't figure out the most basic in-game puzzles without an online strategy guide. I get those that only play for a story, but difficulty levels need to have improved AI rather than cheap stat boosts for the NPCs or going "now you don't have a compass" >_<

[MeLoveRamen]

Yes most games these days are too easy with a few exceptions. Even when playing on hard most games are easy. But you won't hears me complaining too much sense that means easier trophies.

Yea I know i'm a trophy whore:(

[Dante81]

They're not "easier" at all. What makes it seem that way is all the abundant checkpoints. Most people wouldn't be happy with the Dark Souls method.

[DivineHand125]

No reason a game should be hard for the sake of being hard. To most people a game is much more enjoyable if they are wining and the only reason games of the past were so hard was because needed to make as much money as possible in the arcades.