Whenever I start a game, I ALWAYS choose normal difficulty. If I feel the game can be better, I then choose hard. If there's an insane reason to play extreme, like unlocking a bodysuit costume, I'll definitely do it. After all that, when I just want to relax and play the game without me throwing the controller to the floor, so I just choose easy.

I always play the hardest mode allowed first just going through the game focusing on the story, second play through , easy to complete any additional challenges with less resistance.

Damn it , you made me  spray my coffee when I read your reply .

Usually I choose normal for my first play through. But recently I played God of War 1, and I had to lower the difficulty on a boss fight I struggled big time with.. Had many problems in that game, died a LOT. Not after turning to easy though.

After that I played God of War 2, and started on Normal. To my surprise I hadn't nearly as hard a time as when I played the first, GoW2 is much, much easier! In a good way, combat feels much easier but puzzles were harder (and difficulty settings doesn't change that). I enjoyed GoW2 a lot more than the first.

Usually I go with normal mode, but if I'm used to the franchise I sometimes go with the hardest setting.

I always start on the hardest difficulty or the one before, depends on the genre of game I am playing. I like to push my gaming abilities to the limits. Go hard or go home.

Normal and sometimes hard. I never do easy. Games are boring on easy and there's no sense of accomplishment after finishing an easy game.

I'll always play normal on my first playthrough and the hardest difficulty on any playthrough after.

Normal of course. Do I look abnormal to you?

Well now that you brought it up...