One of the many things we’ve been doing on our run up to finishing The Gunstringer has been working out new and interesting ways to play the game. There are some helpful ones for non-gamers (“No-Fail Mode”), some really interesting options (like our commentary modes), and some that you’ll find out the details of later (“Meatstringer”), but the one I’m most excited to see people’s reactions to is “Hardcore Mode”. 

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By default, the game is balanced to be fun for everyone to play through. There’s a general challenge for everyone, and you can die if you screw things up a lot, but it’s generally fair. The “Hardcore Mode” modifier is anything but fair.

Hardcore Mode is for those people who think that games can only be fun when the game abuses them. When you turn that on, you’re opting in to being treated to the meanest Kinect experience ever committed to disc.

You thought guys shooting at you wasn’t a challenge? BAM. How about when they shoot three or more bullets for every bullet they’d usually shoot, and shoot them faster.

You thought dodging boulders was manageable? KAPOW. Boulders and traps in places you’ve never seen before.

Survivng the vengeance trail just fine? NOT ANY MORE. You lose double health, and it never regenerates.

Think that sounds easy?

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Do it on an entire game runthrough. Also, if you die, your punishment involves returning to the dashboard and restarting the game.

I look forward to the wailing of tweets and gnashing of teeth from those of you brave enough to attempt Hardcore Mode once the game comes out.