Why is a Hard game "hardcore"?

[Valkyria00]

Mise said:

Valkyria00 said:

Some people like having challenges and play on Hard Mode or whatever thats FINE. But dont say that a normal game isnt hardcore because its not making you throw your remote at the TV, restart a level, or piss you off.

I can agree with that.

While beating (unfairly) hard games can be - and mostly is - rewarding, you don't always want to go through the hassle of playing a two-hour scenario over and over again because of a split-second mistake. This crutch in video game design originally came from the arcades, persisted thru the nineties and is still present in gaming - partially because it's really easy to extend playtime just by making a ridiculously hard game, and partially because some people are twisted enough to actually prefer games like that (myself included, to an extent).

There are plenty of games that are considered "hardcore" and can be beaten by anyone without too much trouble. Some of the notable examples include the first Metal Gear Solid, Bioshock all Final Fantasy games after 5. I'm also tempted to include every shooter made in the last five years, but I haven't really played them all that much so I won't.

Enough with the rambling. I'm trying to say that a hard game is most likely a gamer's game, but a high difficulty isn't a prerequisite for a "hardcore" game.

Agreed.