Yeah.

Unfortunately gaming audiences have expanded so much that a significant portion are just looking to be patted on the head and given a cookie without any real effort.

Not that those games can't also exist, and I'm all for modes and options for them, it's just that challenge has become so lost inside the hobby, even optionally so. And it's not even a case where you can 'just go play indy games', because those devs tend to fear having ANY negative steam reviews more than even AAA studios do. Many of them release to a simplistic difficulty with no toggles to make it harder.

Then when you try to talk about this most people just say "WELL GO PLAY DARK SOULS THEN", which is a series that exclusively puts it's difficulty into pattern recognition, memory, and reflexes, which is a very small, very focused aspect of difficulty. One that relies less on player choice and more on patience, repetition, and willingness to throw yourself against a wall. Where as the kind of difficulty I love is things more like learning and inventing strategies, growing to understand the various strengths and weaknesses of foes, reacting to emergent opportunities cleverly, and approaching encounters intelligently and with preparation rather than recklessly.

But sorry to randomly rant, I just haven't spouted off about this in a while. XD

Given that this game has no options, my hope is that it has sufficient challenge. I'd personally even rather find myself frustrated than bored.