Difficulty

[pkmin3033]

A common complaint amongst older fans is that Pokemon games are too easy. However, with SM this complaint was conspicuously absent, with major trainers using Z-Moves and having Pokemon with perfect IVs, the return of Black/White's diminished EXP growth rate, and the Battle Tree.

So, based on SM's difficulty, how difficult do you imagine USUM will be? Would you welcome a challenge, or would you prefer things to remain relatively easy? What would a challenge in USUM look like to you as a player?

 

[blue]

With the Exp. Share off I'd say S/M are fairly difficult games, particularly towards the end. A way they could improve in USM is by either A) bringing back the difficulty system from B2W2, or B) giving trainers more than 1-2 Pok?mon. This was a common issue throughout the whole game and it became kinda ridiculous when battling Grunts and trainers towards the end who only had 1 or 2 Pok?mon.

 

[clbgolden]

Sun and Moon surprisingly gave me quite a bit of trouble, even got a game over once. I'd love if they made it even harder (or just reintroduced diffulty setting, and with those stupid keys >~<).

 

[BlazingCobaltX]

SM were indeed surprisingly difficult... But it is very satisfying to defeat a hard game, isn't it?

The only thing I'd like is for the BW experience system to be removed, or the addition of Audino to make up for the lack of EXP gain toward the end of the game.

 

[riddlemeree]

The game was a great step-up. I didn't know about the perfect IV/EV's for the entirety of my playthrough, so I was always confused when something would survive something or hit much harder than it should. A few of the trials (particularly that Lurantis one!) would slaughter me over and over again.

However, with the BW EXP gain system and even with the EXP Share on, I would always find myself underlevelled. I don't know whether that was intentional or not, or if I just suck at Pokemon that much, but it ended up causing me to be murdered by Hau's Alolan Raichu (which was thankfully a losable battle).

But the problem with that begins to shine through at the end-game. The Elite Four had nearly 10 levels on me, which ended up forcing me to grind a lot. There aren't any good grinding places available nor any Pokemon in general, so it was a very slow process that can take someone out of the game completely. BW was balanced with its EXP system by having a lot of Audino, but in S/M there isn't much.

If they retain the same system and difficulty or decide to amp it up (which I would love), they have to make it either easier to grind or just make a huge amount of grinding not necessary at all.

On a side note, I really want more trainers to have a full team of 6 Pokemon. You'd be surprised how much that can do for the fun and gameplay :P

 

[Alexander18]

I don't like the difficulty of SM. I prefer XY and ORAS difficulty compare to this.

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I don't like the difficulty of SM. I prefer XY and ORAS difficulty compare to this.

It was easier to level up in those. But personally I like better SM's difficulty. I actually had to use the exp. share in order to avoid grinding too much xD

 

[Alexander18]

It was easier to level up in those. But personally I like better SM's difficulty. I actually had to use the exp. share in order to avoid grinding too much xD

Well i don't. There isn't any good places to train your pokemon and the experience points you get in SM is awful. To each his own.

 

[pkmin3033]

It's not really difficult persay when you have to grind more to be at a comfortable level. In terms of BW's EXP system making a return, that didn't really make SM more difficult, just more time-consuming...the challenge in SM came from the ridiculous buffs the Totem Pokemon got, which did require a little extra grinding...which just took longer because of the EXP system. But the grind itself wasn't difficult.

I didn't find SM difficult at all, but it did take me longer to finish the game, because I did have to grind a little more than usual. Levels played a more important role in the games this time, because type matchups against the Totems weren't enough...especially considering the SOS feature could wear you right now, making it a war of attrition you'd probably lose if you didn't get a quick 1/2-turn kill.

Honestly I'd like to see BW's exp system go as well, but only because I find grinding for diminishing returns to be extremely boring, and if you DON'T grind you're liable to get stomped on by the Totems breaking the game. The difficulty in SM was very artificial and I'd prefer it if USUM was more natural - by all means keep the buffs, but don't artificially extend the life of the game by requiring diminished returns grinding. The only challenge that involves is having enough patience to do it.

 

[pkmin3033]

I hope these games are harder than SM, if I'm going to be honest.

What would it take for these games to be harder than SM for you? Just curious :o

 

[CidHazard]

Anyone else hoping for BW 2 style difficulty options?

Nuzlocks are fun, but really unless your a lets player, you'll never get the full experience... not to mention you could easily just cheat.

SM's AI strategies have vastly improved and on an even ground could give you trouble. I wan't USUM to give me a harder time, have enemy pokemon EV trained or have a higher level than the base.

In a way I would want something akin GW2's Dynamic Level adjustment. Where your level and stats are limited to a certain max number to level the playing field. So the player doesn't just buldoze his way through the game.

 

[Alexander18]

I hope USUM does not become harder. These are kids games. Lets not make it unfair for the younger audience just because us older players want a challenge. Nuzlocke i find to be pointless and silly. What is the point of it? I don't understand the concept of it.

 

[pkmin3033]

The fact that these are intended to be games that are for everyone does make me think USUM won't push the boundaries too far with difficulty...or that they might even be easier, because the general consensus that I can see is that SM were more challenging than the Gen VI games.

Difficulty modes are a great idea - provided you can unlock them from the beginning, because let's face it, B2W2's requirements for unlocking Easy/Challenge mode was both stupid and pointless - but given that we've not seen it since B2W2 I somehow doubt we'll see it again. I think GF generally relies on older fans to make their own entertainment - they can't be unaware of the existing of Nuzlockes etc. When you can make your own difficulty it doesn't really need to be programmed into the game, does it?

 

[CidHazard]

^ Hey you never know. Weirder things have happened :D

I'll probably just play it with under-leveled pokemon...

 

[MegaKuriboh]

I was pretty satisfied with SM's difficulty, it was actually surprisingly difficult at times, Lurantis messed me up on both playthrough's, Wishiwashi can be hard if Alolamola shows up, Mimikyu is a pain, and then there are some tough trainers too. Hau's Raichu will mess you up if you're not prepared (he's the first trainer you can legitimately lose to and continue on the story), Nanu gave me some trouble as well as Hapu and of course Kakui, I lost to him twice the first time around.

I would like USUM to remain around the same level or maybe get a little harder than SM, but in a perfect world we'd get difficulty settings, I wanna see trainers with more Pokemon, more diverse movesets, and items, maybe trainers could even use Mega Evolutions in Challenge Mode!

Either way, SM pleased me very well after the steamroller that was XY.

 

[Alexander18]

I would like USUM to remain around the same level or maybe get a little harder than SM, but in a perfect world we'd get difficulty settings, I wanna see trainers with more Pokemon, more diverse movesets, and items, maybe trainers could even use Mega Evolutions in Challenge Mode!

Either way, SM pleased me very well after the steamroller that was XY.

No thanks. SM should not have had that difficulty. I want USUM easier. And no, XY was great games with better difficulty setting than SM.

 

[MegaKuriboh]

No thanks. SM should not have had that difficulty. I want USUM easier. And no, XY was great games with better difficulty setting than SM.

Eh, your opinion. The difficulty in XY was the biggest reason why I felt dissapointed in them, it didn't feel like a game anymore, the novelty of the game just wore off when I realized, wow the strongest trainers in this region didn't even make me break a sweat. I loved how SM balanced the EXP Share around the exp and level design, making for a much smoother but still challenging experience.

 

[pkmin3033]

I think SM would have worked without BW's exp system...they could have still made it challenging for players without making it time consuming to level up. Taking ages to level up is not challenging; you can still blitz through the entire game if you level up enough. Which I suppose is necessary, because kids need to be able to play through these games too, but honestly, if I find it boring to spend hours grinding to diminished returns, I shudder to imagine what its like for younger children with a much shorter attention span.

If they're going to reintroduce that as a thing in USUM, it really would be nice if it had three difficulty settings. Easy being along the lines of XY/ORAS, normal being what we had in SM, and Hard being that without the EXP Share...at least just in terms of levelling. And you need to be able to pick these from the start. No stupid transfer system requiring you to beat the other game first. I mean, seriously, GF, what was that even about...

 

[tokyodrift]

I think SM we're pretty difficult on their own. Though one thing I would like to see return is Challenge Mode and having it enabled without having to beat the game. I do think SM were a push in the right direction in terms of difficulty though.

 

[clbgolden]

How would a B2W2-style difficulty system work in USUM?

Genuine question, here. :o I'm not sure if having Trainers' levels increased by like, 5 or so can even be considered increasing difficulty considering grind-happy Trainers can easily overcome that, anyway...

More defined movesets? Some NPC's Pokémon only had three or less moves.