(image pulled from giantbomb.com)
Some games have gotten hard and I mean damn hard. Objectively there was a time when games could be challenging but nothing like the challenge of games like Dark Souls. These games take a lot of time and a lot of practice and some people are complaining that this is stopping them from getting to experience content that other skilled or time devoted players get to experience.
While there isn't a great article on where cheat codes went, an old Reddit thread give some insight as to where cheat codes disappeared to. Wikipedia also backs this up with references to older magazine articles where programmers have said they used cheat codes for debugging. With the advent of the current programs used to develop video games like Unity and Unreal Engine, there isn't a need to put these in anymore. You have the ability to quickly click on a sprite and change an attribute or play through certain parts of a level. This means when you are testing your levels you can have infinite health and infinite bullets. The need for cheats is just not there.
In light of all these games coming out with increased difficulty maybe it's about time to bring cheat codes back. If people don't want an easy mode then a hidden way for people who really need help around a troubling boss that can be turned on and off might just be what the doctor ordered. A health cheat and a damage cheat might go a long way for those who need it.
I know some people are thinking why can't they just make an easy mode. There are a few reasons but one reason is that even an easy mode for some gamers is too difficult in places. There is also the fact that some people really like games for their difficulty and adding a quick access to an easier mode takes away from the game. I am not sure why it's just their complaint. While cheats would be something like an easy mode it will visually hide it from people and will only be searched out by those looking for aid. It's about the visuals.
It might be difficult for something like level skipping to be implemented in a modern game but something like a button combination or a hidden console wouldn't be too insane to implement. It would go a long way to help more casual and low skill players out. It would also allow the elitists to feel better because the others only accomplished their goals through cheating. It's a win-win situation and if games are going to be walking down the path of ever harder difficulties, maybe its time to bring back the cheat code.
Of course, I would never use them...it's for a friend.
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