Choosing the right difficulty in a Doom game is crucial to the experience. It’s the difference between a ripping and tearing power fantasy and a frustrating slog through Hell (literally!). The optimal difficulty level depends entirely on your experience with first-person shooters, your appetite for challenge, and the specific Doom title you’re playing. However, as a general rule, for most players starting with “Hurt Me Plenty” is highly recommended. This difficulty provides a balanced and enjoyable experience, offering a decent challenge without becoming overwhelmingly difficult. The older Doom games are more brutal than the newer ones. The campaign allows you to change the difficulty at any time, so if you’re finding things a bit too easy or far too difficult, you can tune the experience to your liking from there.
Understanding Doom’s Difficulty Levels
Each Doom game typically features a range of difficulty settings, each affecting the game in unique ways. These usually include:
I’m Too Young to Die: The easiest setting, perfect for newcomers to first-person shooters or those who just want to enjoy the story and spectacle without much resistance. Health, armor, and ammo pick-ups are more plentiful, and enemies are less aggressive.
Hey, Not Too Rough: A step up from “I’m Too Young to Die,” offering a slightly more challenging experience but still relatively forgiving. It’s a good choice for players familiar with FPS games but new to the Doom franchise.
Hurt Me Plenty: Often considered the default difficulty, “Hurt Me Plenty” strikes a balance between challenge and enjoyment. Enemies are more aggressive and deal more damage, requiring players to utilize all their skills and resources. It’s generally the best starting point for most players.
Ultra-Violence: A significant jump in difficulty, designed for experienced FPS players who crave a serious challenge. Enemies are relentless, resources are scarcer, and strategic thinking is essential for survival.
Nightmare!: The hardest difficulty in the standard modes. Expect constant pressure, limited resources, and relentless enemies. Only recommended for seasoned Doom veterans with a mastery of the game’s mechanics. Demon AI is more aggressive.
Ultra Nightmare: Building on the Nightmare experience by adding permadeath. If you die, you have to start the entire game from the beginning. Ultra Nightmare certainly isn’t for the faint of heart, and it may sound like a near-impossible task.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Difficulty
Before diving headfirst into a particular difficulty setting, consider the following:
Your Experience with FPS Games: If you’re new to the genre, starting on “I’m Too Young to Die” or “Hey, Not Too Rough” is wise. More experienced players can confidently start on “Hurt Me Plenty” or even “Ultra-Violence.”
Your Tolerance for Frustration: Doom can be challenging, even on lower difficulties. If you tend to get easily frustrated by repeated deaths, stick to the easier settings.
Your Playstyle: Do you prefer a more relaxed, exploration-focused experience, or do you thrive on intense, adrenaline-pumping combat? Adjust the difficulty accordingly.
The Specific Doom Game: Not all Doom games are created equal. Doom Eternal, for example, is known for its more aggressive and resource-management-focused gameplay compared to Doom (2016). So, adjust your expectations and difficulty accordingly.
Doom Eternal: A Special Case
Doom Eternal significantly ramps up the difficulty compared to its predecessor. Mastering the game’s “push-forward combat” loop – chainsawing for ammo, flame belching for armor, and glory killing for health – is essential for survival, even on lower difficulties. If you’re new to Doom Eternal, start on “Hey, Not Too Rough” or even “I’m Too Young to Die” to get a feel for the mechanics before tackling “Hurt Me Plenty.”
Is it Ok to Play Doom Eternal on Easy Mode?
Yes, absolutely! There’s no shame in playing on easy mode. The most important thing is that you are having fun. Play the game on whatever difficulty level you like. Anyone who gets on your case for playing on Easy is just being an ass. Remember, video games are meant to be enjoyed, and the difficulty setting is there to tailor the experience to your preferences.
Don’t Be Afraid to Adjust
The beauty of modern Doom games is that you can change the difficulty at any time during the campaign. If you find “Hurt Me Plenty” too easy after a few levels, bump it up to “Ultra-Violence.” Conversely, if you’re struggling on “Ultra-Violence,” there’s no shame in dialing it back to “Hurt Me Plenty.” Experiment and find the setting that provides the perfect balance of challenge and enjoyment for you.
Ultimately, the “best” difficulty setting is the one that allows you to have the most fun while still feeling challenged. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Rip and tear, until it is done. You can check out more articles related to video games on the GB Times website: gbtimes.com.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
H3 1. Is Doom Eternal harder than Doom (2016)?
Yes, most players agree that Doom Eternal is more difficult than Doom (2016). Doom Eternal emphasizes resource management and aggressive, strategic combat more than Doom (2016). It throws larger hordes of enemies at the player more immediately. You need to chainsaw a lot, dash and double jump, use flame belch for armor, grenades, ice bomb, glory kills, barrels, meathook, blood punch, and exploit weak points.
H3 2. What difficulty should I play Doom (2016) on for my first playthrough?
For Doom (2016), “Hurt Me Plenty” is generally recommended for a first playthrough. It offers a good balance of challenge and enjoyment, allowing you to experience the game’s core mechanics without being overwhelmed.
H3 3. What happens if I play on “Ultra Nightmare”?
On “Ultra Nightmare,” you only get one life. If you die at any point in the game, you have to start over from the beginning. It is the hardest difficulty and meant for experienced players looking for the ultimate challenge.
H3 4. Does difficulty affect the story in Doom?
No, the difficulty setting does not affect the story in any Doom game. You can experience the entire narrative regardless of the difficulty you choose.
H3 5. Can I change the difficulty mid-game?
Yes, in most modern Doom games, you can change the difficulty setting at any time during the campaign. This allows you to adjust the challenge to your liking as you progress.
H3 6. Are there any achievements tied to difficulty?
Some Doom games may have achievements or trophies tied to completing the game on specific difficulty settings, usually the harder ones. Check the game’s achievement list for details.
H3 7. What does the difficulty setting actually change?
Difficulty settings primarily affect enemy aggressiveness, damage output, and the availability of resources (health, armor, ammo). Higher difficulties typically feature more aggressive enemies that deal more damage, while resources are scarcer. The article on gbtimes.com offers more detailed information on this.
H3 8. Is it okay to play on the easiest difficulty if I’m not good at FPS games?
Absolutely! The easiest difficulty settings are designed for players who are new to the genre or simply want a more relaxed experience. There’s no shame in enjoying the game at your own pace.
H3 9. Is Doom harder than Dark Souls?
It’s difficult to directly compare the difficulty of Doom and Dark Souls as they are different genres. Dark Souls emphasizes methodical combat, precise timing, and learning enemy patterns, while Doom focuses on fast-paced, aggressive action and resource management. Some argue that Doom Eternal would probably be far harder than Dark Souls for a new player since it’s such a complex FPS, but once you master the gameplay loop, Nightmare becomes a joke.
H3 10. What if I find “Ultra-Violence” too easy?
If you find “Ultra-Violence” too easy, then you’re ready for “Nightmare” or even “Ultra Nightmare.” These difficulties are designed to push even the most skilled Doom players to their limits.
H3 11. Should I play the original Doom games before Doom (2016) or Doom Eternal?
While not essential, playing the original Doom games can provide valuable context and appreciation for the series’ history and evolution. Start with either DOOM 1 or DOOM 2016, it’s the best way to understand what DOOM is about and the most enjoyable way to play it imo.
H3 12. Does playing on a higher difficulty unlock anything extra?
Typically, playing on a higher difficulty setting doesn’t unlock any exclusive in-game content, such as weapons or levels. However, as mentioned earlier, it may unlock achievements or trophies. The primary reward for playing on a higher difficulty is the satisfaction of overcoming a greater challenge.
