Whether they’re pressed for time or just don’t want to deal with difficult enemies, sometimes players will find ways to make games easier by adjusting their settings or simply cheating. While these tactics may help players complete games faster, some video games won’t let them off so easily if they’re caught doing this.
Trying to hack the game or simply choosing easy mode can have dire, often hilarious consequences in certain video games. These titles make fun of players who aren’t up for experiencing the game as it’s meant to be played or for failing too many times during challenging missions.
Postal 2
Players who are familiar with Postal 2 know that it’s a violent and controversial game that follows the story of “The Postal Dude.” He must walk around town and complete mundane tasks like taking out the trash, going to the mall, and getting milk from the store. He’s goaded and mocked by annoying NPCs into committing violent actions, but it’s up to the player to decide how they want to respond.
Postal 2 makes fun of players who decide to play on the easy mode by turning all of the NPCs’ guns into shovels, which also means there’s no way to use a gun since no ammo ever drops. Players who enter cheat codes are also mocked. The text “Cheats are enabled. Hope you're happy.” will appear on the screen if players enter more than one cheat code, mocking gamers who opt for the easiest mode.
Undertale
Undertale is a popular 2D RPG that thrusts players into a mysterious underground location. Players have to navigate the map and fight iconic Undertale bosses like Undyne to find their way back to the surface. There are several possible endings depending on the choices the players make, but only one end is reserved for cheaters.
Players who try to manipulate the game’s code will end up in an awkward conversation with Sans the Skeleton. He’ll act confused at first, saying he’s not sure how or why players got this ending. After telling players they should try and the team to report this glitch, he drops the act and simply says “you’re a dirty hacker” before abruptly ending the game. If players want to see any of the more satisfying real endings, they have to start all over again and play fairly.
The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile
The side-scrolling beat ‘em up game The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile lets players control the titular Dishwasher and his stepsister, Yuki, as they battle hordes of enemies in an unforgiving frozen landscape. The game is known for its well-designed monsters who can be challenging to defeat for even the most seasoned players.
If players die enough times in the game, it will present them with the option of lowering the difficulty to something called “Pretty Princess Difficulty.” In this mode, enemies can’t damage the player and become much easier to defeat. The worst part is that instead of the game’s usual bloody battles, players’ attacks result in enemies bleeding cartoonish neon hearts and glitters, which mocks the player by turning a normally violent game into a "safe" experience with inoffensive imagery.
Grand Theft Auto V
The GTA V still has secrets and cheat codes, it’s not as lenient on players who attempt to cheat in its online version.
If players aren’t outright permabanned for cheating, the game could gift them a Dunce Cap that can’t be unequipped, forcing them to wear their shame in front of other s. Other players may find that they don’t get the cap, but are instead blown up as soon as they enter their vehicle as punishment for their attempted deception.
Wolfenstein: The New Order
Wolfenstein: The New Order is the seventh main installment in the Wolfenstein series. Players take on the role of war veteran William "B.J." Blazkowicz who must shoot through hordes of Nazis and prevent them from taking over the world.
The difficulty selection screen of The New Order presents some unusual settings. The equivalent of the easy and very easy modes are labeled “Don’t hurt me” and “Can I play, daddy?” The easiest mode changes William’s avatar on the screen, adding a baby’s bonnet and pacifier, as well as a ridiculous expression that makes him look like a child that’s about to cry.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
best games in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, but it’s also one of the most challenging open-world titles. Players control the iconic Venom Snake as he stealthily takes down the enemies who murdered his crew and almost killed him in Ground Zeroes.
Players who die too many times will receive an unexpected gift from the game in the form of a hilarious chicken hat. It drastically lowers the difficulty level, rendering the protagonist almost invisible. This makes it easier to sneak past enemies and complete missions, but it’s also a ridiculous hat that makes it hard to take the game seriously, especially once players realize that Venom still wears it during dramatic cutscenes.
Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck's Revenge
Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck's Revenge continues the story of the lovable pirate, Guybrush Threepwood, who travels to the Caribbean in search of treasure. It’s a point-and-click puzzle and adventure game that tasks players with using the tools around the world to progress.
The game doesn’t hold players’ hands and features puzzles that can be difficult to solve, which is what its prequel, The Secret of Monkey Island was often criticized for. In response to this, developers added a “Monkey 2 Lite” mode to the sequel, which is described on the game’s packaging as an easier mode for “beginners and magazine reviews.” Choosing to play in this mode doesn’t mean there will be hints for puzzles, instead, the game automatically solves everything, leaving players with little to do but walk around and watch the cutscenes.
Slender: The Arrival
Slender: The Arrival is a terrifying survival horror game that thrusts players into dark abandoned locations. Players are only given a flashlight to navigate these houses, forests, and mines, which means the only option is to run when Slender Man arrives.
Players who attempt to cheat by exploiting bugs and out-of-bounds zones to avoid the monster will be greeted with a dark void. As they fall through the darkness, the words “Not even a bug will save you from me” appear on the screen. The worst part is that the screen begins to seemingly glitch before Slender Man himself appears in a terrifying jump scare that will definitely discourage players from cheating in the future.
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter
The remake of the popular classic FPS, Serious Sam: The First Encounter features the same gory combat and endless waves of powerful enemies that can be challenging for even the most skilled players. The brutal minions of Mental won’t go down easy, and it’ll take thousands of bullets to navigate ancient Egypt to take down these forces.
Players who can’t take the onslaught of furious enemies can choose to lower the difficulty to “Tourist” mode. This comes with a hilarious price, however, as instead of the signature blood and gore with each kill, monsters explode and turn into sparkles, stars, and flowers instead. Defeating waves of enemies isn’t as satisfying when the screen is full of neon flowers and stars instead of blood and corpses.
Ninja Gaiden Black
In Ninja Gaiden Black, the developers acknowledge the franchise's notorious difficulty by making fun of players who die more than three times. The game asks the question “Do you wish to abandon the way of the Ninja?” – players who say yes will automatically be shown a cutscene where their companion Ayane details how disappointed she is. The difficulty level called “Ninja Dog” significantly weakens enemies and grants players more items, but it also forces Ryu to wear a purple ribbon on his wrist and listen to Ayane’s disapproval throughout the game.