Hello dear developers. I love souls-like games. I really love them… And I really enjoyed your game!
But writing all sorts of comments and posts – that’s exactly what I really don’t like… But this time I will write anyway, and I hope you read this…
I started playing «No Rest for the Wicked» around May 2nd, either before or after (Early Access Patch Notes - The Breach Hotfix 1). I had been eyeing the game for a long time, watched videos on YouTube, and finally bought it. It was very difficult in places, the she-bear especially stuck in my memory… The game is unique, truly unique. Even with its visual style. To the artists and character designers – a special respect! I caught myself thinking about a reference to the movie «Annihilation». Cool movie – you guys have good taste =) In general, I had a very good time until the endgame, but the endgame never grabs me in any game. But the story was amazing! Please continue the storyline! Please!
But I was horrified by this developer comment, quote:
Realm Tiers (Difficulty Options) One of the bigger ideas we’re testing is the introduction of Realm Tiers—basically a difficulty system. This came out of internal discussions around how Elden Ring hit a much broader audience than previous Souls games, partly because it was more accessible. We want to give players the ability to pick a tier that feels right for them. This should make the early game less punishing for new players while still allowing more experienced folks to crank up the challenge.
Did the developer even play Elden Ring? That’s the reasonable question that immediately arises for me… Or other Souls games… Where did you see a difficulty selection there? WHERE??? There is no difficulty selection in Souls games! That’s why they are Souls games! Because there’s balance! These are the best games where the balance is honed to the smallest detail. Where it’s difficult, but every victory brings a lot of emotions and pleasure. Everyone who loves souls-likes knows this… And you developers know perfectly well, because you managed to create something incredible! I’ve completed the entire currently available storyline with all the quests. In 4 days, I managed to play almost 40 hours (39,3)… The only games that have grabbed me like this in recent years are «Elden Ring», «Black Myth Wukong» and «Dark Souls 3»…
So… Dear developers – PLEASE DON’T! Don’t introduce difficulty levels! It’s better to introduce New Game Plus. Some other modifiers in the endgame. But don’t touch the story and the balance. You’ve created a unique and truly gorgeous product… Don’t break it… Because it will be a great pity if you do… And if I misunderstood what these realm tiers are, then thank God =)
There will be tiers and options - and that’s a good thing, considering the dumbing down this game underwent in just 3 hotfixes to satiate (a bit) button mashers.
Other “souls” games could use that as well, considering “balancing” (read: always making something easier) that they went through with patches. And that includes LoP, ER - just to not look too far back.
No one is touching/changing the story. But current “balance” has been clearly aimed at diablo button mashers.
You realize that the only alternative is a single dumbed down difficulty, getting easier and easier from patch to patch ? Like other “souls” games suffered as well. Hotfixes 1-3 here were not balancing.
Either way, there are games that offer very fine in-game tuning of difficulty (e.g. Wo Long).
There are also not strictly “souls” but very skill based games such as Sifu that added difficulty levels up front as well. To game’s great effect.
So if I were you, I’d embrace it instead of repeating old, boring religious mantra.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t work like that. In 90% of games, the maximum difficulty is just x2, x3, x5, x100 and so on stats for mobs… And that’s it.. And that’s all Karl, no new mechanics, no improvements to the behavior of AI enemies, not even rewards for the player’s suffering… This, IMHO. is a fiasco.
So if I were you, I’d embrace it instead of repeating old, boring religious mantra.
And answering the previous speaker - balance is not a mantra. I love souls-likes for the subtle balance. Balance is everything! Without balance - difficulty is just numbers. And maybe I’m a ram, but you can’t convince me otherwise=)
This does not have to work that way. You can design difficulty level to be hard in interesting ways and then introduce dumbing down settings like enemies have 50% less health, 50% less attack damage, ect. The fact that 90% of games have trash difficulty levels is because they are doing this the other way around. They design game for casuals and then slap a bandaid “higher difficulty levels”.
Realm Tiers (Difficulty Options) One of the bigger ideas we’re testing is the introduction of Realm Tiers—basically a difficulty system. This came out of internal discussions around how Elden Ring hit a much broader audience than previous Souls games, partly because it was more accessible. We want to give players the ability to pick a tier that feels right for them. This should make the early game less punishing for new players while still allowing more experienced folks to crank up the challenge.
