In terms of difficulty, there are games of every stripe, from Elmo's Alphabet Adventure to Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. There are games with high learning curves, like Final Fatasy Tactics, and games where chance alone determines victory.

Some people lack the time to invest in difficult games, or play games only to enjoy the story or characters, and are frustrated by challenging systems. Others love a good challenge. Among those, some prefer an intellectual approach, as in Zelda: Twilight Princess, and some get a thrill from a game in which the cards are stacked entirely against them, as in Baroque.

So, Mene, what kind of experience are you looking for, in terms of difficulty? And what makes a game difficult to begin with?

What's the hardest game you've ever played, but liked anyway? Conversely, which one's the game (or games) you never finished because it was too hard?

Answer any or all, and ask your own questions, too. There is so much to discuss across every genre. Let's get to it, gamers!

I like when action games incorporate puzzles.
Like in the classic and new LoZ games.
Figuring them out is my favorite part,
especially some of the harder ones.
'Cause then I feel smart afterwards. xD

And one of the hardest games I've ever played,
is Resident Evil 4.
Not 'cause of the puzzles or gameplay,
but I'm scared super easily
and the fact that anything could pop out at any moment
made it very hard for me to play. xD
Oh, and there was another game for the N64 that I never finished.
I can't remember what it was called exactly,
but It involved chameleons.
It was a platformer, basically,
but I could never get past level
with the giant cookie and candy people.
It was a weird game. e.e

I, too, like a good puzzle. Particularly in the 3D Zelda games, difficulty is related much more closely to strategy than it is to upgrades (or stats, which are effectively nonexistent aside from health). In Twilight Princess I always get that "smart" feeling after finally finishing a dungeon, but I actually find the process pretty stressful. A feeling not of enjoyment, but of accomplishment. It's not the kind of game I'd play more than once.

I've never played any survival horror games, for the very reason you mentioned. I hate being scared, and refuse to pay 50 bucks for it. XDD

And that does sound like a weird game. Although candy people reminds me of this really old action/adventure game for the Mac that had cookie and candy people in the later levels. I think there was a toothpaste gun involved? In any case I never beat it because of the candy people. Candy people are evil, apparently.

I can never seem to focus on a game long enough to play a tougher setting.
I go for it's default setting or a hard.

I'm really bad at the game Jericho, it isn't really that hard, but I'm bad with the camera view/gun scope; and it's pretty freaky at some parts so I have to have someone with me when I play it. I'm a pansy like that. Same with the Silent Hill games.. >>

Well I'm into RPG's and Adventure games so the hardest thing I'm looking for is a few puzzles in a dungeon or something. I'm not real into challenging bosses that can kill me in a single swipe.

The hardest game I've played, and haven't beaten, is Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. I just suck at tactics games so much, and I hate letting people die. If someone gets killed in a level, I feel I have to do it over again and make sure they don't die. It's rather annoying. I bought a guidebook and I still can't beat it.

I basically never play games on hard mode. I suck badly enough on normal difficulty. D:

i always good for easy or medium, never hard!! tryed guitar hero on expert once.... epic fail

Well.. There is Ninja Gaiden....I couldn't get past the first boss QQ.....
MSG... Not past first area realy.. But that was when I was like 7.

LoZ games can be pretty hard... Like when you put the game down for a month and can't remember what's going.

And there have been a number of RPGs where I get to the Last boss with out knowing I can't turn around, Heal, Save.. And the thing kills me, And I loss 4hrs or play......

I prefer games that don't require too difficult challenges or puzzles because I play to relax and unwind most of the time. Nothing too boring but if a game makes you think so much that your head hurts, I end up stopping and playing something else. That or do something else entirely.

It pretty much depends on a person, I think. Some I know would choose a challenging game to play because that's why they bought the game in the first place.

One of the frustratingly tough games made when video game companies had no idea of a difficulty curve AT ALL was Earthbound 0 for the NES.

I mean, one area, you were fighting puffles or something, and the next area was filled with giant silver wolves, in packs of 3. x_x I trained for many hours in the puffle area, but I never got strong enough to survive in the next area. So I stopped playing. :|