So, I've played games before. I have some experience under my belt, so I decided to start the game on Zealot, the hardest difficulty available at the start because it said that ammo would be scarce and I figure I will be frightened a lot more if I dread an enemies contact.
 
So it was all going good, playing through chapter one messing dudes up with my feat, fists, pointy pole and plasma cutter, no one was able to get near me. Then I get to the area where you get stasis and I totally fuck up at shooting the frozen necromorph, he thaws and then dashes. Before I can say "Holy fuck!" I am dead on the ground. One hit. Full-to-mostly-full health (hard to say, it looked full but I could have been mistaken). At first I thought that it was because of the basic suit and that it had no armour but when I did get the first real suit it says it has only 5% armour. So yeah, that can't really change much, can it?
 
I'm gonna keep on space truckin' an' see how long I last. My question to all y'all is: Are you playing on Zealot? Hows it going for you on your difficulty of choice? Still scary? Would less ammo, health and stupid strong enemies make it scarier?

Zealot sounds like a new game + difficulty. Like veteran in Mass Effect.

There is still one more difficulty that is locked. I was gonna make that my new game+ if it lets me, but now that I think about it, How do you make it harder then it is already?

Zealot as well.  I'm on chapter 6 I believe.  I can see some instances where it seems they just throw more enemies at you in order to make it harder.  I'm at a part filled with a bunch of big crates with those raptor-esque monsters all around.  The area seems rather broken tbh.  I'm having to run back to an area where the monsters won't attack you...they'll charge at you and then run away once you go past a certain point.  I kill one raptor thingy and it gets replaced by another.  I killed 5 so far and each time one dies it gets replaced by another.  I'm not sure if it is just infinitely respawning them or not since I keep running back to safety.  One hit deaths are pretty lame from these guys.
 
Other than that part the game has been immensely easily than the hardest difficulty in Dead Space 1.  I remember being completely out of ammo a couple of instances during that game...even near the beginning and literally having to fist fight necromorphs.  Having rechargable statis and the ability to impale them with objects makes it much easier.

I'm at chapter ten. 
  

" Zealot sounds like a new game + difficulty. Like veteran in Mass Effect. "

" Zealot sounds like a new game + difficulty. Like veteran in Mass Effect. "

So is zealot the difficulty you will get an extra achievement/trophy for when you start out with it? So its now or never? Kinda harsch.

Then I get to the area where you get stasis and I totally fuck up at shooting the frozen necromorph, he thaws and then dashes. Before I can say "Holy fuck!" I am dead on the ground. One hit. Full-to-mostly-full health   

so if you dont get an achievement for starting the game on Zealot...I wonder if you can just get it for beating Hardcore.  Because it says Hardcore unlocks if you beat the game on any difficulty.  That way you can just beat the game on easy and max weapons/armor out and then play through hardcore.
 
Of course this is the pansy way to go about it which I chose not to do.  I'd rather challenge myself although I always find some portions of games on the highest difficulty are more-so cheap rather than challenging.

As with most survival horror games, I feel like playing them on the hardest difficulty from the outset is the best way to do it because you actually have to worry about surviving. If killing all of the necromorphs was super easy, then the game would lose some (if not all) of its tension.  
 
I beat the game on Zealot last night, and I'll probably dive in and play it once on new game + on casual or something just for kicks and then I'll try it on hardcore. Hardcore seems pretty crazy though...

" There is still one more difficulty that is locked. I was gonna make that my new game+ if it lets me, but now that I think about it, How do you make it harder then it is already? "

" Zealot sounds like a new game + difficulty. Like veteran in Mass Effect. "

I just beat it on zealot earlier today and there were parts where I just had to bang my head against the wall to get through but it's definitely possible.   
 
It's really intense when you see 6 guys in front of you and as you pull the trigger, realize you have no ammo. 

" @blacklabeldomm said:

" Zealot sounds like a new game + difficulty. Like veteran in Mass Effect. "

Veteran was piss - was the difficulty I started out on. I think you mean Hardcore? The one below Insanity. "

" @Sasran said:

" There is still one more difficulty that is locked. I was gonna make that my new game+ if it lets me, but now that I think about it, How do you make it harder then it is already? "

HARDCORE MODE. You start off from scratch, no new game+, less ammo, enemies are tougher.....oh and to make it a bit more tough you only get 3 saves and no checkpoints! "

" I just beat it on zealot earlier today and there were parts where I just had to bang my head against the wall to get through but it's definitely possible.    It's really intense when you see 6 guys in front of you and as you pull the trigger, realize you have no ammo.  "

" @Sasran said:

" There is still one more difficulty that is locked. I was gonna make that my new game+ if it lets me, but now that I think about it, How do you make it harder then it is already? "

HARDCORE MODE. You start off from scratch, no new game+, less ammo, enemies are tougher.....oh and to make it a bit more tough you only get 3 saves and no checkpoints! "

So I am in the middle of chapter 13 and I am not getting enough ammo to deal with guys, it is starting to piss me off. 
 
On the note Hardcore is seeming more  and more retarded.

you know sometimes I think that Issac needs biotic power or some attack or explosive drones or incinerate & cryo just like Shepard in mass effect. it will be little easier to get through zealot, or hardcore level. 

" So I am in the middle of chapter 13 and I am not getting enough ammo to deal with guys, it is starting to piss me off.  On the note Hardcore is seeming more  and more retarded. "