Simple question, what difficulty level do you recommend for a pleasant experience with Vanquish. I ask because I've heard mixed messages from those who have played the game, some have had a blast but it's simply frustrated others. 

@TrueEnglishGent said:

Simple question, what difficulty level do you recommend for a pleasant experience with Vanquish. I ask because I've heard mixed messages from those who have played the game, some have had a blast but it's simply frustrated others.

Dunno what I played at. Usually the hardest setting available. Regardless, if you aren't already a four-finger-stance shoulderbutton player, Vanquish is the perfect excuse to becoming one. I've done it for Vanquish, and I'd never go back. It's so much better, once your hand stops cramping up.

I don't usually play games on hard.

But play Vanquish on Hard.

I'm tempted to say go for normal if you're looking for a pleasant experience, but that game just feels like it's meant to be played on hard. I'd try normal first, and if you're blasting through everything, go for hard. Either way you should have a great time playing it.

I'm tempted to say go for normal if you're looking for a pleasant experience, but that game just feels like it's meant to be played on hard. I'd try normal first, and if you're blasting through everything, go for hard. Either way you should have a great time playing it.

@TrueEnglishGent said:

@JTB123 said:

I'm tempted to say go for normal if you're looking for a pleasant experience, but that game just feels like it's meant to be played on hard. I'd try normal first, and if you're blasting through everything, go for hard. Either way you should have a great time playing it.

Probably the best option. Is there an option to change difficulty mid-game?

Yeah you can change mid-game (however you may have to restart the current chapter again to do it - and you might lose your weapon upgrading) - I know I did that. I started on Normal but once I realised I wasn't having any fun with it because I am bad at shooters to begin with and this game requires you to be quick and use each moment/weapon to its best effectiveness then I think I lowered it to casual (not the auto one where it shoots for you, I still cared more about the gameplay than the story; just didn't want to add another game to my collection which I don't finish as it takes too long and I get bored and move on to another game).

What I liked though was quickly finishing the game on a low setting and then going back to specific battles/levels and bumping it at God Hard level to try and beat it (this way I didn't get the annoyance of having to replay it each time and feel like it was holding back progress - it made losing fun).

Clearly the answer is God Hard; one gets the most enjoyment from playing the hardest 3rd person shooter in existence.

I played on the default and had quite a good time w/ Vanquish. I'm just not that well steeped in spazzy score attack games, so I went the easier route...however, I kind of regretted not going vet difficulty b/c that's what I do for most games. So start off on hard, but tone down the difficulty if you're having trouble. Have fun...when Vanquish cooks, it really cooks!

Did you have to revive a 2 month-old topic just to say that?

I`ll happily do some mouth do mouth on this 4 month dead topic just to call you a douchebag..

Oh and I`ll be playing thru on Hard, thanks all.

Hard is a stiff challenge without being frustrating. If you have played third person shooters before, normal may be a little too easy. God Hard is no fun in my opinion

@Fredchuckdave said:

Clearly the answer is God Hard; one gets the most enjoyment from playing the hardest 3rd person shooter in existence.

That honestly just ruins the game for me, you have to spent so much time in cover that it defeats the point of Vanquish.

@Liquidus: You do have to beat the game on normal first, also slide-dodging negates most of the need for continuous cover usage (it's still there but not predominant). Tactical Challenges are tuned to be extremely difficult yet vaguely doable, GH is just a method of torture and pain.

@Fredchuckdave:I never found God Hand enjoyable at all. The Tactical Challenges on the other hand are the right kind of difficult and I love them. My proudest trophy ever was when I beat Challenge #6.

I am playing through on hard and it.. well I get killed enough and God Hard just sounds like I might as well just play meatboy and complete all the dark worlds again.

I thought it was hard enough on Normal. The challenge rooms are really cool, if you like hard games then check out those as you unlock them.
 
The main thing about Vanquish is that it took me a while to figure out how to actually have fun with it. The mechanics take a while to grow on you, and I think playing it on Hard would make that even more frustrating.

@Liquidus: *brofist* I imagine if God Hard had a trophy/achievement you'd feel differently about it. God Hard is tough and somewhat tedious but it isn't like NGS2 where they just toss hundreds upon hundreds of normal enemies at you and it takes fucking forever (as opposed to something like Bayonetta if you don't use lollipops on Infinite Climax or what have you)

Not entirely surprised the topic was revived, the game is now free on PS+ and thanks to this topic and IGN's rating I'll be downloading it tonight.

Will probably start on normal then adjust later if I get bored. I hear the story isn't much good so gotta make sure I enjoy the fighting.

I played it on the hardest and let me tell you, some of the bosses were amazingly hard. Maybe play through it on normal to begin with, it's not a very long game.

When in doubt always play on the hardest difficulty.