Is it just me or are PC games harder than Console games?

I've only recently started getting into PC gaming and I'm finding that PC games are harder. For example I run through the Campaign for Bad Company 2 on Hard for the 360 in about 6 hours, where as on the PC I'm having trouble on the first Mission. Another example Mass Effect 2, I beat the story many time on Insanity, but on the PC I died over 20 times on Mordin's mission (I can't wait 'til the Collector Ship).

I was just wondering is this me or are PC games just hard?

Only difference I would understand there being is the controls. Therefore I suggest just plugging in a controller.

Shouldn't be harder in itself, sure it is not because you are not used to the controls?

No

I've only recently started getting into PC gaming and I'm finding that PC games are harder. For example I run through the Campaign for Bad Company 2 on Hard for the 360 in about 6 hours, where as on the PC I'm having trouble on the first Mission. Another example Mass Effect 2, I beat the story many time on Insanity, but on the PC I died over 20 times on Mordin's mission (I can't wait 'til the Collector Ship).

I was just wondering is this me or are PC games just hard?

I agree with

@Klei said:

No auto-aim.

No auto-aim.

Unfamiliar controls will mess with anyone the most more than anything. Your playing the same games, so by stating that you have difficulty on the PC suggests your not use to the mouse and keyboard yet.

I know people who have had the same problem in reverse when trying to play FPS on console, as they have been PC gamers throughout life.

With practice you'll get used to new controls, its just a slippery slope is all.

Console games generally have a good amount of aim-assist because dual analogue controls are imprecise. A mouse is much more accurate though, so there is no need for assisted aiming. At least for those who are used to it. Once you get used to the mouse controls it shouldn't really be an issue.

I don't think so, but if you haven't really played the PC in a while the fast and twitchy nature of a mouse would be difficult to get used to.

@Buzzkill: I bought BF BC 2 off the sale yesterday.

From my experience, console games are unable to be sophisticated and truly challenging, because of hardware limitations and a poor input device with few buttons, and thus difficulty in console games means the game becomes more frustrating and pressuring (hence the popular "threw my controller at the TV" line). 
Whereas in PC games, there's infinite hardware freedom to develop all kinds of sophisticated challenging games, you're able to master those games and become skilled using a precise mouse and a 100-key keyboard, and thus PC games can be actually difficult to overcome and master.

Just because a game has auto assist does not mean that you have to use it.  
 
Anyway, some people have the skill to be good at both types of controls and then others just have to make do.  Then there are the snobs.

@ahmad_metallic: Please tell me you have an IQ below 80. Either that or your brain is in perpetual oxygen starvation.

And to the rest of the PC-tards. BC2 on console doesn't have auto aim.

@Klei said:

No auto-aim.

Yes quick-save.

@ahmad_metallic: Please tell me you have an IQ below 80. Either that or your brain is in perpetual oxygen starvation.

@ahmad_metallic: Please tell me you have an IQ below 80. Either that or your brain is in perpetual oxygen starvation.

And to the rest of the PC-tards. BC2 on comsole doesn't have auto aim.

Demons Souls.

From my experience, console games are unable to be sophisticated and truly challenging, because of hardware limitations and a poor input device with few buttons, and thus difficulty in console games means the game becomes more frustrating and pressuring (hence the popular "threw my controller at the TV" line). Whereas in PC games, there's infinite hardware freedom to develop all kinds of sophisticated challenging games, you're able to master those games and become skilled using a precise mouse and a 100-key keyboard, and thus PC games can be actually difficult to overcome and master.

You people realize that someone whos experienced with a controller will perform as well on a console as someone whos experienced with a keyboard on PC. There's very little difference.

I don't think they are harder necessarily, their are more hard PC exclusives then on console for sure. I had the same problem when I started PC gaming, first game I went to play was Mass Effect 2 and I thought it was harder then hell but after about a few hours I got so used to mouse and keyboard that I was playing on insanity like it was nothing. (Not literally but it was a lot easier then when I tried on console). Once you get used to a mouse and keyboard you will probably find most games (especially ones like Bad Company 2 that control fantastic with a mouse and keyboard) easier then console.

TURN YO MOUSE ACCELERATION OFF
 
One of my friends kept badgering on about that to me, so I did it, and it actually helps somewhat.

From my experience, console games are unable to be sophisticated and truly challenging, because of hardware limitations and a poor input device with few buttons, and thus difficulty in console games means the game becomes more frustrating and pressuring (hence the popular "threw my controller at the TV" line). Whereas in PC games, there's infinite hardware freedom to develop all kinds of sophisticated challenging games, you're able to master those games and become skilled using a precise mouse and a 100-key keyboard, and thus PC games can be actually difficult to overcome and master.

Nah

To be honest most PC games epically exclusives are catered more for a older audience it would be funny to see a top COD player play CS forget that there's no regenerative health hell there's no health packs I would imagine alot rage quitting lol.

If you just started, then it's probably that you are still getting used to the controls. I'm a PC gamer and I find console shooters ridiculously hard because playing with a controller is maddening for me. Shooters are almost unplayable for me on consoles, even on easy, because trying to aim a cross hair with thumbsticks is next to impossible for me. I always feel like it's ether moving so slowly the target moves to the other side of the map before I can get my crosshair on it, or it's moving around so fast that I can't aim it where I want it.

I don't know if its the case with these titles, but the console versions some games must reduce the number of enemies active in the game at any one time because of memory constraints. (See Dragon Age)

@Krisgebis said:

@ahmad_metallic: Please tell me you have an IQ below 80. Either that or your brain is in perpetual oxygen starvation.

Nope, he's just an idiot sometimes.

I mainly think this is in FPS games.
And that is mainly duo to the controls.
People will generally be more skilled aiming with a mouse the non a console.
I am not dishing the consoles, I just think there is way more difference in ability to aim and turn. (tuening mostly cause yo ureally can't turn fast on a console)
 
With other games.. mabye unoptimized controles.. but i doubt that would be much.

You people realize that someone whos experienced with a controller will perform as well on a console as someone whos experienced with a keyboard on PC. There's very little difference.

Not at all.

There isn't any change in difficulty across platforms for most games.  You're just not used to mouse and keyboard yet.

@Mikemcn said:

You people realize that someone whos experienced with a controller will perform as well on a console as someone whos experienced with a keyboard on PC. There's very little difference.

The ShadowRun guys didn't seem to think so. Regardless of the game's overall quality, they hindered PC players while giving console players an impractical amount of assists. Both kinds of players seemed evenly matched, but from what I remember the PC players felt so hindered they didn't bother playing for too long.

Also see Quake III: Arena on the Dreamcast, where people who plugged in a keyboard could easily overwhelm players using a controller.

As for the general schism in difficulty between PC and Console games, I think it's a matter of control differences. I've played a few games on both console and PC (RE5, Hydrophobia, Left 4 Dead, etc) and haven't noticed anything significant. Though I remember the original Crysis, a PC exclusive, being much harder than Crysis 2, a game designed with both audiences in mind.

You people realize that someone whos experienced with a controller will perform as well on a console as someone whos experienced with a keyboard on PC. There's very little difference.

You people realize that someone whos experienced with a controller will perform as well on a console as someone whos experienced with a keyboard on PC. There's very little difference.

One game that was easiar on the 360 than Pc was HL episode 2. It was the driving I believe, especially at the end. Otherwise I prefer Pc gaming.

not harder, just a higher skill ceiling potential

@Paperlink: I actually started hooking up a 360 controller when playing Shadowrun on PC because I was able to manage everything easier. My aim was poorer, but I was able to manage everything else much better. PC controls are still very left hand heavy. In other words, unless you have a ton of buttons on your mouse, your left hand has to preform many more functions than your right hand does. Console controls are more balanced.

In regards to the OP, I actually played Black Ops single player on console and then PC right after. I was convinced that I was going to blow through the PC version since I really noticed immediately how good my aim was in contrast. But honestly, while my aim was better, it seemed very similar to the console as far as how well I was playing. When I upped the difficulty from Hardened to Veteran, I was struggling on the exact same parts. So on that game, the difficulty scaled very evenly.

I'm new to PC gaming also and the biggest issue I have right is still getting use to the controls in action games.  

No aim-assist.

@ericdrum: The left-hand right-hand thing is something you get used to as you play more PC games. I had trouble with crouching using the Ctrl key when I first played PC shooters. That sounds like I'm apologizing for a poor layout, but keep in mind a lot of people also have to get used to controllers when they first start using them. Non-gamers can't seem to get a handle on using both analog sticks at once.

Im surprised no one mentioned action games. PC port action games where you need to press the middle mouse button for a medium attack combo? FUCKING RIDICULOUS. 
 
That makes me sad sometimes as a PC gamer.

auto-aim or aim-assist make shooters quite a bit easier on consoles. also console shooters move slower because of the imprecise thumbstick controls.

driving is much better with a console controller though.

some console games just give up and punt, giving you lock-on targeting.

someone already mentioned the memory limitations putting a limit to onscreen enemy count (Dragon Age Origins).

Demons Souls is a bad example. It isn't all that hard. The only difficulty is the poor controls & console controller input. Beyond that it's all pattern memorization and the patterns don't get all that difficult.

Overall I wouldn't say PC games are more difficult. There is just a much wider range of difficulty in PC games. There are some that are insanely brutal and unforgiving and there are some that are as easy as a typical console game.

EDIT: big push in high $$ console games to make them more "cinematic experiences" where even a slightly retarded spider monkey can finish them with around 500 "achievement" points. Not helping the case for good console games.

no, i don't think so. it might because of auto-aim is on the consoles to help. two sticks aren't great compared to a mouse and keyboard.

@ahmad_metallic: Please tell me you have an IQ below 80. Either that or your brain is in perpetual oxygen starvation.

And to the rest of the PC-tards. BC2 on console doesn't have auto aim.

Well , only in a few occasions I presume (DAO) but must of the times they are similar or at least I never had trouble readjusting to a controler/mouse keyboard. Altho obviously i RTS the game would be less of a hassle with a mouse than a controler. But a fighting game on a keyboard???? Ugh better not think about that

@PeasForFees said:

@Krisgebis said:

@ahmad_metallic: Please tell me you have an IQ below 80. Either that or your brain is in perpetual oxygen starvation.

Nope, he's just an idiot sometimes.

Almost always he's an idiot.