It has come to my attention on Twitter of late that a segment of gamers are angry at Death Stranding getting a “very-easy mode” which lets people enjoy the story without having to go through certain elements. I’ve seen it in other places for the past few months about how “games shouldn’t have difficulty ratings as it takes away from the overall enjoyment”. I had to ask myself… how?
I think some people are forgetting that every human is a unique individual that enjoys things differently, I personally love normal difficulty, it’s a balanced bridge between, oh it’s a bit of a challenge, but also let’s me take in the design of the video game and work that has gone into it. I know some people who like easier modes so that the game doesn’t become frustrating and they can just coast through and enjoy every aspect with ease, and that’s perfectly okay. I know of others who like the hardest modes who love a challenge and want to feel a sense of accomplishment when they’ve finally completed it and then earned a Platinum trophy. That is perfectly okay to as that person enjoyed it. What part of that is taking enjoyment out of it?
Another reason I think having difficulty options is a wonderful idea is that in 2019 more and more accessibility options are being added for disabled gamers which let’s them enjoy it to the fullest. Some disabled people might need a very easy option due to their disability. Such games as Skyrim, Fallout 4, Metro Exodus, Crash Team Racing, Spider-Man and so much more have difficulty options which makes it much more accessible to younger gamers, older gamers, people with different preferences than those who prefer a much bigger challenge. Having accessibility in this day and age is such a great thing, to have people feel like they’re options are included is brilliant.
I’ve seen the defences and read through them I tried my best to empathise, I’ve seen such things as mentioned earlier, taking the enjoyment out of games, lazy development, making it so people can’t face challenges in real life because in games they choose the easy way out. I can’t say I agree with any of it. Games are for enjoyment, an escape from real life, having options makes it so more people can enjoy it. Another positive is the more the game sells if it’s accessible which means possibly more sequels, bigger games.
I am not at all saying that disabled gamers can’t play super-hard challenging video games, never would I make that assumption or comment. It’s the same with children, seniors, and adults, we all have different skill levels. I will always feel that adding accessibility to those who do feel that hard mode is too much no matter what personal background is a positive and fantastic thing because while some have adapted amazing ways to pull off some incredible stuff, accessibility is always a welcome package.
In the end this article is just my opinion and I don’t mean any offence or anything. I’d love to hear yours! If you have anything to say, please get in touch or leave a comment down in the comment section below.
Nerdy Bird Games 