10 Cruel Difficulty Modes You Can't Handle

As incredible as BioShock Infinite is, it's not known for being an especially hard game. However, if fans want to make this game an almost impossible feat to beat, they can thanks to the addition of the controller-breaking 1999 Mode.

Unlocked by either completing the game or by entering the famous Konami code, this setting is described in the game as a “hardcore mode…for the best of the best”. Irrational Games’ creative director Ken Levine has likewise warned of the perils that players will face if they chose to play it, stating that this mode isn't for the average player.

Taking its name from the year System Shock released, 1999 Mode is a homage to the biting challenge of old-school games. Alongside the increased damage output of enemies and the decreased amount of pain protagonist Booker can receive, this mode makes a handful of tweaks to ensure it's as tricky as possible.

The navigation arrow and auto-aim are removed, ammo is reduced, and respawning now costs more money. And when players can’t afford the $100 it costs to revive, they’re sent back to the main menu.

More than a just a harder difficulty setting, 1999 mode is like playing a completely different game.