Difficulty
The Small But Important Change 'Celeste' Made to Its Celebrated Assist Mode
When someone pointed out the game's description "felt othering," the developer not only listened, but made them part of the creative process.
Where There Is Dark Souls Discourse, There Is Waypoint Radio
Don't worry, we only spend...an hour...talking about it. We really constrained ourselves this time.
We've Always Made Our Own Easy Modes. 'Sekiro' Is No Exception
Games have, forever and ever, been about pushing back on the designer’s intent, sometimes at their encouragement, sometimes in spite of it.
How a Horror Game About Death Expanded Its Audience By Letting Them Live
For some players, 'Outlast 2' was too frustrating to be fun, and so the developers spent nearly a year trying to fix it for them.
Why The Very Hard 'Celeste' is Perfectly Fine With You Breaking Its Rules
After the release of 'Cuphead,' designer Matt Thorson wondered if there was a way to make his challenging game more accessible.
Why, Two Years Later, Sci-Fi Horror 'Soma' Is Nerfing Its Monsters
'SOMA,' a terrific and terrifying tale from the developers of 'Amensia: The Dark Descent,' is becoming a different game.
What Happens When the World Says Your Game Is Too Difficult
The developers of 'Outlast 2' wanted to make a tough game, but soon realized they'd made a mistake.