The notoriously difficult PC and Xbox One game Below is getting a much easier explore mode as well as a PlayStation 4 release later this year. After a very long developmental delay, Below finally released in December of 2018. It was praised at release for its beautiful environment and haunting atmosphere, but some players felt that the title leaned far too much on its difficulty.
In Below, players are tasked with exploring the caves of a remote island. The game plays much in the same way as a traditional Rogue-like game and emphasizes quick thinking and strategizing to avoid death. The game is mostly exploration based, but exploring is entirely dependent upon the player’s ability to survive. Survival is incredibly difficult in the world of Below, and players must be capable of balancing their character’s thirst and hunger as well as mastering the rigorous combat system. The most difficult aspect of the game is avoiding death, since the title is a traditional Rogue-like and uses a permadeath system.
Rock Paper Shotgun reports Below’s new Explore mode will eliminate a lot of the elements which made the game so crushingly difficult. The hunger and thirst mechanics have been completely eliminated from this version. Likewise, instant deaths have been removed from the game, and now players can take more damage before perishing. The most effective method of removing difficulty makes it to where bonfires are now permanent checkpoints throughout the game. While some video games with permadeath work, Below’s feature seemed to mostly frustrated players. Those who still enjoy the original version’s difficulty should not be upset, though, as the original mode will still be there, it will just be renamed Survive.
The decision to reduce the difficulty is a serious change of position for the developers of Below. Creative director Kris Piotrowski has always been very adamant that difficulty is integral to Below. He once stated, “I committed pretty hard to creating an unforgiving game. I thought that difficulty was important to the experience, a big part of the theme from the start, and that’s something about the game design that I couldn’t compromise on.” Recently, Piotrowski changed his staunchly held opinion and now believes that Explore will allow those who found the game too difficult a chance to explore the game’s intriguing environment.
Extremely difficult games have been experiencing a resurgence of popularity as of late, likely because of the success of games made by From Software. After the release of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, several fans and critics began to wonder if these games should come with an easier mode for players who don’t want to die as often. No matter which side of the debate gamers fall on, the decision to allow less hardcore gamers to play Below is a good one. Maybe now more gamers will have the opportunity to experience the wondrous world of Below.
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Below can be played on PC and Xbox One and is coming to PS4 this Spring.
Source: Rock Paper Shotgun
