Changing difficulty to Easy, possible?

[blackhawk01x]

Hello *waves*

I'm wondering: if you go into New Game Plus, if you can also "downgrade" the difficulty?

I'm trying to get through normal difficulty at the moment and making at least some process - the 1st chapter boss I even defeated on day two, even though I used all my healing items including two phoenix items.

My main problem is: I'm too bad with all this "press the button in the right moment"-stuff in games. There are these super-slow attacks from enemies which I actually at least get ~33% with perfect blocks. But anything that is fast or used by enemies out of my viewing-field... no chance for me. Even normal blocking comes in late in these situations - unless I press the button way ahead to make sure I block.
(Yes: there are people with quiet slow reaction-times who are horrible in dexerity games. I am one of them :P )

Now I'm really wondering if Easy wouldn't be better for me. While I of course try to stay in normal at least a bit longer - to the point where I just have no more chance without perfect blocking 75% of all attacks... especially when it comes to bosses, boss'like monsters *sigh* - I really wonder if, when the game over comes, you actually can start over in easy instead of being forced back into normal.

[Serafie1999AD]

You're free to choose your difficulty level whenever you start a New Game Plus. The fastest way to start one would be to sleep at an Inn until you run out of days. An NG+ is preferable to starting a fresh new game, since that way, you'll keep all the stats and garbs that you've obtained so far.

In an NG+, the fastest way to start another NG+ is to use the Crystal of Atonement in the Ark.

[blackhawk01x]

Thank you for the fast answer and the hints :)

Guess I will try normal to the point where I just can't get through anymore and then switch to easy. In worst case I guess I could try these two dlc-garbs which are said to be very op'ed and making most boss fights very easy. Though that would really the last straw to grab since I usually dislike anything dlc'like which is very unbalanced. ^^"

[KarmaTheAlligator]

Another tip: You can get garbs that increase physical or magical resistance, as well as accessories that do the same, and you can stack that to 100% to become immune to that kind of damage.

Another way is to get the Sacred Knight garb (quest after the main quest in the Wildlands), equip it with a Heavy Guard, and barely worry about perfect guarding.

[blackhawk01x]

Thanks to you aswell for the tip :)

Guess it really comes down alot, too, about choosing the right garbs. Which still is a bit complicated for me - especially when you're not spoilering yourself about what elements and such you need for enemies and bosses ^^"

Weird how many games give me alot of trouble these days when I play on normal, which is usually my first choice of difficulty. Either I'm getting worse at games or the difficulties slowly get new balancing in the games, hehe. (and seeing that Lightning Returns is already a few years old... I guess it's the first)

[Serafie1999AD]

Lightning Returns is the only game in the trilogy where many guides downright recommend playing your first game on Easy. The game isn't all that hard once you get the hang of things, but the learning curve is quite steep, and when you combine this with a time limit, the first playthrough can become quite stressful. After playing the game once on Easy, learning how things work, how to manage time etc, you should be fine on your 2nd game, and time should never become a problem for you, but on your first game, it may not be the best move to bite more than you can chew.

[markdb92]

I can say playing on normal is not worth it ie same awards as playing on easy. I only did that once to see what it was like. After your first complete playthough on hard you should have enough skills with ep gaing on kill that it turns hard mode seem your like playing on normal. Heroic guard is very handy on the final boss in blocking his I kill you moves if you manage to time it right.

[blackhawk01x]

Hrm... okay I got to the final day on normal. Most mainquest boss fights won by just using alot the overclocking ability.
Now I'm in the last dungeon and... seriously I see no light without my phys/magic immunity garbs. Is the last part of the game really supposed to force you to do 100% perfect guards or you're just seeing how your hp drops like in some omega-monster-fights? O-o

I do regret playing on normal... but I just don't want to play the whole game again. Will see if I can kinda exploit my way through the dungeon (with the garbs, I'm just too bad in reaction-times to get enough guards perfect to win otherwise) and if I cannot... will watch the ending somewhere :/
First Final Fantasy game which makes me actually think about doing that. Normally I'm fine with the storyline and avoiding optional super-bosses and such.


[edit]
Phew... was able to finish it. Thanks to the five ether I still had with me. ^^"
Amazing ending, which made my frustration to get through the game worth it.

[Serafie1999AD]

Just a quick note: time doesn't run during the final day, so there is no penalty for casting Escape on every battle.

Your game sounded like my first game of Kingdom Hearts II. I played it on Proud mode (the hardest difficulty), and there were several moments when I thought it was a bit too much. While I did eventually beat it, the battles felt more frustrating than fun, and I think I should have played my first game on Normal.

Congrats for beating LR, though! ^^

[blackhawk01x]

Thank you :]

And yeah, it's kinda weird these days. I am someone who chooses "Normal" as difficulty for the past 20 years or more. Kinda too proud to choose easy, even though some games kinda forced me into easy... I'm looking at you Ys-games! *chuckles*

Guess all these action-based battlesystem are just my problem, where I rather should choose a bit easier difficulties. I'm just too unhurried and slow for all these fast-paced systems *sigh*