I am making my way through Yakuza series right now and while playing 5 I realized that I am not that invested into the game’s combat, so I turned it to easy and that just streamlined the combat so much for me. I would recommend to maybe try Yakuza 0 on normal at first and then just switch it to easy if you feel like the gameplay might be dragging on.
I think easy game modes take away what a great game makes a great game.
But a lot of people are coming to gaming from traditional media where there is no interaction. A lot of those people like the narratives in games, but don’t love beating a challenge. A lot of those people are tired from long days at work and do not get joy from eking out a win. To them, it feels like a chore, and they didn’t get into this to do chores. They got into it to get away from the stress of the world.
(EDIT: Forgot to mention, this is also why Let’s Play youtubes are popular. I know a guy who doesn’t game at all but has watched full playthroughs of things like Firewatch.)
If you get enjoyment from great game mechanics, more power to you. However, that doesn’t mean those game mechanics are less impactful in story driven games where the gaming is “easier.”
My partner didn’t play games at all until those old Walking Dead games by Telltale came out. They were like a TV show, and she started playing them… because it was like “playing” one of her favorite shows at the time. I literally chose them to introduce her to gaming because it was more like a TV show than a game.
She recently finished Baldur’s Gate 3 on normal and its her favorite game now. So games with easy difficulty levels can also help people who have never gamed before be able to get into it and eventually love the more difficult challenge.
But a lot of people are coming to gaming from traditional media where there is no interaction. A lot of those people like the narratives in games, but don’t love beating a challenge. A lot of those people are tired from long days at work and do not get joy from eking out a win. To them, it feels like a chore, and they didn’t get into this to do chores. They got into it to get away from the stress of the world.
That’s exactly what I’m saying. People like you describe don’t want to play the game. There is nothing wrong with that, i just explained when easy mode makes sense or when I recommend it. In this case, people who don’t want to play the game (as intended), can use easy mode.
If you get enjoyment from great game mechanics, more power to you. However, that doesn’t mean those game mechanics are less impactful in story driven games where the gaming is “easier.”
As I said, it depends on the implementation of an easy mode. Some easy modes are bad and ruin the actual gaming experience. In some other cases its actually very well thought out and the game mechanics are supportive in such an easy mode.
In general a situation like with your partner to introduce into gaming is a special case. There are lot of games designed to be easy or adaptive. But the OP here isn’t new to gaming, its a different situation. I was looking from a perspective who plays games.
People like you describe don’t want to play the game
I think this is part of the problem I have.
Are they still pressing buttons and making input? Yes.
Thus, they’re still playing the game.
If you want to sound less judgmental, stop saying they’re not “playing” it or that “they don’t want to play it” just because they’re not “playing it the way I think is right.”
If you really think its okay, accept that when they are still pressing buttons and interacting with the game, they are still functionally playing the game. Not playing the game is watching a Let’s Play.
It’s a pointless distinction rooted in treating people who want an easy mode as “lesser” because “they don’t want to actually play the game.” Sorry, sick of hearing it worded this way.
