With patch 1.0.1.4, Bungie reduced the difficulty of a number of Destiny's story missions by removing elite enemies from their Heroic versions - an optional difficulty which ratchets up damage dealt and taken to the detriment of Guardian faces. Despite its intent to allow newer players to party with the big leagues, this is still a problematic change. Those missions were successfully completed in their allegedly overly difficult forms, meaning the right strategy and level of skill and gear would lead those same new players to victory - and a damn satisfying victory, at that. And considering how high Destiny's Vault of Glass has set the bar, the game has no business talking about early accessibility. This is representative of a growing trend among games. Those missions were nerfed for the same reason several Dark Souls 2 bosses were dumbed down; it's all about meeting hardcore and casual audiences halfway. Coincidentally, this is also the reason more and more modern games are distinctly lacking in teeth, even on their highest difficulty. What were we talking about? Oh right, challenge. Make us cry, 343.
A freelance games writer, you say? Typically battling his current RPG addiction and ceaseless perfectionism? A fan of horror but too big a sissy to play for more than a couple of hours? Spends far too much time on JRPGs and gets way too angry with card games?
Well that doesn't sound anything like me.
