7 Games You Have to Play on Hard Difficulty

Hard mode isn't for everyone, but these games are best enjoyed with a large dose of difficulty.

[attilayavuzer]

Sports Bar VR

[ArchangelMike]

Are there people out there who don't play games on hard difficulty? Ever since the advent of trophies, I can't remember starting a game on normal difficulty. Since last gen, normal has become the new 'easy mode'; and hard is the new 'normal mode'.

[Fishy Fingers]

What a bad ass (I kid).

But yes, many people do, myself included. I don't get the time I used to and I'd rather get to experience the game than spend what time I have 'grinding'. Wasn't always this way mind. Plus I haven't checked my trophies for years.

[ravinash]

I do enjoy playing a game on Hard, but yeah, these days time is short and some time you just want to get through the story so you can see how it ends.
I play TLOU on normal just to see the story and enjoyed it.
Played it again on hard and got stuck on the bit where Ellie has to take on that Bloater with that other guy.... just got stuck and there were other games I needed to play.
Still one of the best games I've ever played.

[bloop]

Fighting the bloater with Ellie and David on grounded was an absolute nightmare. If I'd done my first playthrough of TLOU on grounded difficulty I'd probably have hated the game, broken 10 controllers in the process and have a whole lot less hair than I have now. It's nice going through a game on normal first time so you can experience the story and enjoy playing it at a good pace. It's a great sense of accomplishment finishing a game on hardest difficulty, but it's never anywhere near as enjoyable to playthrough.

[P_Bomb]

Depends on the game. If hard isn't required I won't bother, the break is nice.

Some games are definitely satisfying on hard, but others aren't (hello cod:w@w grenade spam). I dont play R&C to stress over. I've got Nioh for that :p

[philm87]

I have a mate who just sucks really bad at games, but still enjoys them, so easy mode is like hard for others with him.

[game4funz]

Hence why you have to play on the difficulty above hard if you really want to play on hard.

[joab777]

I know you got downvotes, but I do the same thing, and it's not b/c I'm great at games. It's b/c normal is like a movie for most games.

And for $60, I like games to last more than 8-10 hrs.

[Yui_Suzumiya]

Easiest difficulty for me.. and I grew up in the NES era

[zeuanimals]

Yes. Play grounded if you want to test your limits in TLOU, but crushing in Uncharted is just BS. Some games are best played on lower difficulties.

You wouldn't be able to use half of the most exciting, moment to moment tactics in an Uncharted game if you played on hard, let alone Crushing. The games are great arena shooters and you need to be able to take some hits in arena shooters so you can better position yourself to dish it back, harder. Specifically in Uncharted 4, the level design encouraged you to use everything around you to get through with as much dazzle and jazz as possible. Every area had gaps, ledges, rope anchoring points, various types of cover, "sneaking grass", vantage points, etc. Some even let you use the Jeep to add in some vehicle mayhem into the combat. You'd die pretty much immediately for even trying to attempt to get to the areas needed to spice up combat. Uncharted turns into a generic cover shooter if you're not able to get out of cover to use the other parts of the environment and that's no fun.

Also, on normal, you can take some damage and heal up fairly quickly, and cover is good for taking some time to heal and kill some enemies that pose too big a threat. On hard (and crushing), you can't take as much damage and you heal a lot slower. You're pretty much stuck in cover at times due to how much easier it is to die and the fact that it takes much longer to heal.

[classic19]

I play on normal to get the lay of the land on levels and or game world.. After I beat the game I then replay at its hardest mode.. I don't want to start on the hardest mode in be stuck for days.. As the witcher3 would say prepare before every battle lol..

[FullmetalRoyale]

Yeah, that platinum was no joke. But honestly I was mostly stressed about missing a gwent card the whole time.

[classic19]

Yeah, I still haven't gotten all the cards. Iv played it through 3 times all ready.. Gotta start my games on normal tho..

[sullynathan]

Ninja Gaiden
Devil May Cry

[VJGenova]

God of war
Doom
Max payne
Tomb raider
Bioshock
Dishonored
South park stick of truth

Basically, any game with a difficulty setting. Granted doesnt mean the hardest one as some has 4 or 5 levels. But at least a step above normal.

[philm87]

Think it depends on the game. Tried it with Uncharted 3, and there was just one boss that couldn't get past. Also, Batman Arkham Knight sucks on hard difficulty when you have to face the 60 odd drones, just feels out of control. Witcher 3 I played through on the hardest difficulty, I think that enhanced the game massively as it made me actually think about using alchemy etc. rather than just breezing through without the need to use it, which I'd have done otherwise.

[VJGenova]

Witcher 3 on deathmarch is way way easier than witcher 2 on normal, nevermind hard, dark or insane. I think the kayran killed me like 70 times on my first playthrough. Letho probably killed me a similar number of times. I had no such problems in TW3.

If you haven't played TW2, I cannot recommend it more. Great game.

[philm87]

Yeah was thinking about going back and playing the first two games, bargain bin prices for them now!

[solideagle]

I can name few

1. Devil May Cry (franchise)
you will appreciate the combat more especially in DMC3

2. God of War (franchise)
some bosses are complete a**

3. Ninja Gaiden (franchise)
somewhat cheap on master ninja

4. Diablo (franchise)
I have played 3 which is good

5. Dragon's dogma
loved the combat especially Dark Arisen

6. Kingdom Hearts
not much to say than you die quickly

I dont think I have ever played a J/RPG in higher difficulty because they take so much time.

[Hoffmann]

Diablo 3.

[I_am_Batman]

Diablo 3 is the best example of a game that was ruined by low difficulty for me. Sadly you are forced to play it on low difficulty to unlock the higher difficulties meaning there is absolutely no challenge in your first playthrough at all. I remember killing Maghda in less than 5 seconds seconds with the Which Doctor.

[Goldby]

Thats what hardcore mode is for

[I_am_Batman]

@Goldby: Did hardcore mode have all the difficulties unlocked from the start? If I recall correctly it was the same as the standard mode just with perma death which would be pointless on the low difficulties anyway.

[RAM0N]

I always play the games on hard. I played uncharted 4 on the hardest difficulty on my first playtrough I don't recommend it thought.(to start at that difficulty the game I do recommend)

[game4funz]

With you on that. Doesn't help that the enemies are all over you and the infinite amount of nades they throw... Not to mention low ammo all the time.

The hardest part for me on the hardest difficulty was when you're going up the elevator with Elena... Near the end of the game.

[Kalebninja]

Playing The Last of Us on grounded mode was the first time since Kingdom Hearts 2 I fully replayed a game.

[WheatBread]

I only play games on normal/easy difficulty because I like to relax and enjoy it. Playing on hard is stressful and it pisses me off.

[franwex]

Most shooters I only play on hard.

[C-H-E-F]

I despise articles that branch 1 article into 7 pages when it can all be done on 1 page.

[vikingland1]

Yeah me too, Twinfinity is the worst offender.

[fredpinta]

shit website, it's all broken (cheatsheet)

[vikingland1]

Everybody has different skill levels, when I was younger I had better reflexes than I do now. So nowdays I play more story based games. Games like Ninja Gaiden eat my lunch. I don't get the same thrill I used to get playing hard games (Battle Toads) back in the day I would try over and over until I got through the level. Now days I don't have the reflexes or the paitence.

[joab777]

Mass effect should always be played on hardest difficulty, as should Bioshock games too.

[medman]

TLOU on Grounded mode = exceptional experience. There were tough moments, to be sure, but it never felt cheap, the way some other games highest difficulty modes can feel. The tough moments required skill and familiarity with the mechanics and weapons, it was great. I loved the relative scarcity of supplies and ammo...that scarcity definitely made it feel like a more desperate environment with real stakes for survival. Also, not having some of the hud so you had to really watch your health and weapon use and not being able to use that echo to "see" where the clickers were was phenomenal.

[feraldrgn]

Alien Isolation got irritating on Hard, you had a much smaller escape period for the alien before he noticed you, think I was 2/3rds or 1/2 way through before I had to turn it down just because of a section with 1 closet & the alien in the vicinity.

The Last of Us was amazing on Survivor, never went back to try it on Crushing though since I'd played through it twice.

Darksiders 1 was nice on Hard, a lot of games are more fun on Hard difficulty.
It tends to be the difficulty I start a game on nowadays, don't like when I have to unlock it.

[Josuey]

I agree with TLOU that game is best played on hard or survivor (survivor for me)

[game4funz]

Tip... A brick or bottle which you'll surely have lying around is very useful against clickers.

Throw one and then go in with your bat or club and smash their heads.
This works on any difficulty.... Quite sad as it makes them way too easy.

[jznrpg]

I play most games on hardest difficulty, unless it makes the game boring or stupid hard.

[lipton101]

Last of us was tough on normal. But it's amazing enough to warrant a 2nd play through, that's for sure