Windows what difficulty

I usually leave the default difficulty setting (unless it's Easy by default I'll increase it). If too easy, I'll put up the difficulty. No point playing a game if it's not a challenge.

 

Max Payne really annoyed me - why the hell did I have to play through the whole game on easy (normal?) before I was allowed to try a harder difficulty. Bah.

Once I've completed a game it's normally a long time before I want to play through it again.

 

Max Payne 2 was really good, if slightly annoying on normal

 

Don't get me wrong - great cinematic game, but would have liked to feel like i was actually pushed a bit more - rather than just wandering through blasting stuff.

On a similar note, the whole quick save thing can be annoying - if you can save before walking round every corner then where's the risk? Equally Splinter Cell's "checkpoint" system can get on my nerves when you have to repeatedly do the same Lengthy section just to get killed at the end.

I think Hitman got it just right - allow you to save at any time, but limit the number of saves per level - really gave them some value. Sneaking round on the hardest difficulty with only 3 saves really meant you'd try to "just get past this bit" before using them. I also found myself going back through a level I'd just completed to try and achieve the "silent assassin" rating.