I usually play on easy initially, just to see if I like the game and see the sights. If I do like it, I'll move on and play at a harder difficulty. If I don't like it, well, I probably won't play it again.

I almost never play on easy. It's typically too easy, and I find that in a lot of games, certain options, outcomes, and levels aren't available on the easiest modes.

Typically, I'll play on the harder levels because I enjoy the challenge. FPS I have to play on the most difficult level. I'm very adamant about not cheating, though I do own a gameshark.

If a game holds my attention longer than four or five hours, I'll usually finish it with 100% completion, and I'll do it without cheating. However, if I get bored with the game, or the unlockables require absurdly repetitive play, then I'll go ahead and crack out the gameshark to see what I would have missed -- I have too many games I like that I haven't finished to screw around with a game I don't like.

All that said, there are those days when I come home and I just want to play something, but I don't really want to think much about it or even be challenged. That's when I'll load up the easy levels, use the cheats, use the gameshark, whatever. Sometimes you just need to feel like a God among mortals, you know what I mean?

I'm easy.

I usually start by playing the hardest difficulty. Then you learn to play at that difficulty. I have beaten halo on legendary, and when I play on easy, I can literally run thru entire maps without stopping, and with no regard to strategy.

If it forces you to beat it at a low difficulty before picking a harder one (Max Payne), then I don't bother.

i usually go for normal except on wrestling games which i choose the hardest setting

usually easy since i dont really like to waste time on 1 player games doing stuff over and over cause its too hard for me...if i was more of a hardcore gamer, yeah but i'm more of a casual party 2-4 player gamer.

now a days I usually start off with easy and well usually play through the game once and i'm done with it...only on rare occasions will I actually go back and play the same game on a harder difficulty...once upon a time I woulda sat there and actually finish a game like shinobi but today...no way, no time, no patience.

Yeah, this was probably my first game where I had to restart the game on an easier difficulty level because I couldn't beat normal. One of these days I will.

I always use normal, if I really enjoyed it I'll play it on hard some just to see what it's like.

Hey man, it's been awhile. Thanks for this writeup. Saved me some typing.

All I will add is that playing on easy or normal means you are going to play a game through, see most of the secrets, unlock or find all the weapons and creatures or areas. Then many people apparently are not going to play it through again. I know that only a few will be played much more than once. Your skill level will usually climb quickly on the harder setting. Why not get the most you can the first time?