They should have an "old school" mode for these short shooter games and what not.

Have it like old days where you have like 3 lives or maybe even just one. you can't save and if you die or loose all 3 of your lives then game over and start from begining. People would love it, and its not like it would be hard to impliment it as a bonus mode.

Nobody likes dying. (well very few)

Games have been getting steadily easier for 20 straight years. That's not entirely a bad thing either - a lot of the old games were hard for all the wrong reasons (poor controls, frustrating gameplay, forced memorization sections, etc.) Party of appealing to a wider audience means making games that normal people (ie those who don't spend all their time gaming) can enjoy.

I applaud games with multiple difficulty levels for those who want more challenge. That's a good way to accomodate those of different skill levels. (Forcing everyone to play through the game on Easy/Normal the first time through is TERRIBLE design. If I buy the game, I should have the right to get my ass kicked right away!)

I like progressivly harder games (Zelda) for current consoles, but I have alot of classics and I really liked the original Metroid and Kid Icarus wich were very hard games. So I guess it goes with time.

Force Unleashed was to forgiving though.

Mario Galaxy is much easier than Super Mario 64 because except for comets, when you die, you don't have to start the level all over again.

Games aren't built to eat quarters anymore. You should be able to complete them. Why would developers want to punish their customer. There are a few exceptions but I don't think I would have any arguments over the fact that those games are really upmarket and thus niche.

I like that it makes a larger portion of games actually beatable by the average and removes the need to reload when you mess up, however it's nice when there's some incentive to not die constantly, like reduced exp., respawned enemies, minor loss of gold/items.

i totally hate that!!! I totally agree with the Battlefield BC reference. Really no downside to dying.

There needs to be a balance though, it can't be forever between checkpoints like Rainbow Six Vegas 1, and the old SOCOM ones, but not as easy as Battlefield.

While most people don't like this stuff (it's too hardcore), there's definitely an audience for it. I'd always play Diablo 2 hardcore with friends, and the risk of death (if characters die, they're dead, permenantly) really added to the excitement. Ah, I can recall all my high level deaths, good times...

Has anyone ever played Soul Reaver? I don't think you can really die in that game, you only shift into the shadow realm, and if you run out of energy after that, you just get returned to the start.

It kinda makes sense though, I mean, he already died, was turning into an immortal vampire, and then was killed AGAIN. I mean, he's already a ghost of an undead creature, how are you supposed to kill him AGAIN?