Difficulty settings coming to PixelJunk Monsters, new modes coming to Eden

by Alan Tsang { Aug 10th 2008 at 5:00PM }

Finding the PixelJunk games frustratingly difficult? You are not alone; one of the guys over at TheBBPS wrote an open e-mail to Dylan Cuthbert, executive producer at Q-games, humorously complaining that his wife finds PixelJunk Monsters just a tad bit too overwhelming and requests difficulty settings for the game. Cuthbert acknowledges his prayers, stating that an upcoming free patch to Monsters will include the ability to make the game easier, or harder, than the default setting. Altering the difficulty will disqualify you from online ranking though, for fairness' sake.

Cuthbert also hints a similar treatment in form of a new "more namby pamby" gameplay mode for PixelJunk Eden in a future expansion pack. He feels Eden's "controls are too much fun to waste on just one set of game rules." We can't wait!

[Thanks, Jim S.!]

Tags: dylan-cuthbert, pixeljunk, pixeljunk-eden, pixeljunk-monsters

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

SuperGayParade @ Aug 10th 2008 5:05PM

It's good to have Q-games~

DrunkRaba @ Aug 10th 2008 5:08PM

Thank God, the first island I do fine on other than the hard maps, on Eden I can barely beat the "easy" maps.

DrunkRaba @ Aug 10th 2008 5:10PM

by eden I mean Encore

OAKside @ Aug 10th 2008 9:50PM

Agreed! Trying to get a Rainbow (two?!) to move on early in Encore was a real PITA. Now I'm stuck or just too frustrated to continue once again. Thanks Q-Games!

Lars @ Aug 11th 2008 2:35PM

Same here, the original isle was just challenging enough to be awesomely fun. Encore is tortuously hard though.

Actually, I'd be happier if they had a checkpoint system, rather than difficulty settings. Like every 5 waves is a checkpoint and you can restart from the last checkpoint if you die or opt to.

PinchoVe @ Aug 10th 2008 7:12PM

No word on trophies then??

DeforMAKulizer @ Aug 10th 2008 5:36PM

Maybe the free patch includes Trophies... I still remember that when he teased the Monsters Trophies Patch, he said that it would include a bunch of other stuff that he wouldnt say to us at that time.... I sure hope it makes it easier... =D

Devin @ Aug 11th 2008 11:23AM

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=194487

oxyborb @ Aug 10th 2008 5:37PM

c'mon trophies! do them!!!

I will buy the expansion for PJM if you add trophies!

maroofh @ Aug 10th 2008 5:37PM

I'm guessing it's never coming to Europe then....

Jonathan Coole @ Aug 10th 2008 5:40PM

wont find caring developers like this with any other company, this is the true reason i own a ps3 =)

DeforMAKulizer @ Aug 10th 2008 5:48PM

Amen! Even Capcom and Criterion communicate with PS fans more than they do with MS fans... Sony has a strong basis in communicating with consumers... I like it =D

Vii @ Aug 10th 2008 6:01PM

While their at it why not incorporate a gamemode into Eden that allows you to control the rate of decrease for your energy. The time limit in that game really stifles the exploration and the fun factor.

Keane Maloney @ Aug 10th 2008 6:33PM

Would the trophies in monsters be retroactive?? that would suck if not... and I really really hope that this is the trophy patch..

Hotrod @ Aug 10th 2008 8:08PM

Finally! I was only able to get 3 rainbows in PixelJunk Monsters. I am immediately going to easy mode.

Gman @ Aug 11th 2008 1:20AM

I feel your pain

hhhenryhhh @ Aug 10th 2008 8:40PM

When did people become such pansies. Isn't the point of PJM to replay and replay and replay maps until you get everything right? And that ain't so hard either.

Iain @ Aug 10th 2008 10:06PM

I agree, it's not that hard and neither is Eden. I am surprised by this.

I hope it gets more people to play it but I don't see how you can complain... If you can't beat the first level it's not your type of game.

Great to here Eden is still growing:D

Fane @ Aug 11th 2008 4:15AM

No, the point is for it to be fun, not tedious.

nyuhsuk @ Aug 11th 2008 11:58AM

Tedious perhaps but that's all part of the challenge... it wouldn't make sense to have 'save points' or something like that in the middle of the stage... all or nothing~

Jack @ Aug 11th 2008 2:04PM

I disagree with your statement, Fane.

A tedious task no matter how easy or hard is still tedious.

Pixel Junk has taken the fun gameplay with a slight old school edge. With that edge, only those with skill may pass. I really like it.

I may suck ass at Eden and Monsters, but at least I know my place. One of the negative aspects of this industry as it gets bigger is they basically, dumb it down for the rest. Everyone is such a pansy these days. Just take the ass whooping the game gives you. Use it as motivation to get better.

This difficulty issue is what America's biggest problem is. "Everyone's a winner! We all get a trophy!"

Gotti @ Aug 10th 2008 9:45PM

I was enjoying Eden alot until I got pass the fifth garden. Then the levels start to get incredibly annoying. The colors went from beautiful to hurting my eyes. The world turns upside down etc, it's just plain bad.. yes bad, not hard, if I wouldn't get dizzy and feel the need to throw up I would probably not have any problems finishing the levels. I will probably never get those last trophies because I just can't be arsed to force myself through the rest of the game. I kinda regret buying it now.

dartmerc @ Aug 10th 2008 10:59PM

sounds like it's too hard for you.

Gotti @ Aug 11th 2008 12:15AM

Maybe.. We'll never know.

Gman @ Aug 11th 2008 1:19AM

Awesome, I'm a big fan of monsters and eden. Two great co-op games on the PS3 (a feature that would be welcome on more games). I especially like monsters, but I find most of the levels to be soooooo difficult, this is great news!

NipGrip @ Aug 11th 2008 1:37AM

Another minor gameplay feature I would like to see is something that shows you the coverage of all of your current towers if you hold a button. Say L1 or something.

Add me as a friend and let's compare PJE and PJM scores. PSN: NipGrip

stargateheaven @ Aug 11th 2008 4:10AM

tell me you are joking?

also. monsters is wayy too hard that it spoiled the fun for me. SO i cant wait.

Devin @ Aug 11th 2008 11:26AM

Not a bad addition I guess, but you shouldn't need to depend on that function to win though, but again nice nonetheless.

NipGrip @ Aug 11th 2008 8:41PM

Joking? Why would I be joking about something like that? You can already see the health of all towers by holding R1, no reason you shouldn't be able to see their coverage by say holding L1. It's not a big cheat tool or anything, just as much of a time saver as being able to tell a towers health without having to walk all the way over to it.

And I don't need help anyhow as I've gotten every level beat on the regular game and expansion with rainbows on all but hard. I'm now working my way up through the ranks.

Ihatebioshock @ Aug 11th 2008 8:10AM

I'm no namby pamby but seriously, it's about time, the difficultiy spikes in 'monsters are ridiculous. My better half has repeatedly tried to pass one certain level (about 2/3ds into the first island) and can not do it.. neither can I - should have had a bit more testing before release as it's good to be challenged but I think it as a bit TOO hard in places and you don't get your money's worth then.

Good news anyway, fuck online ranking I/we just want to finish the game.

OddyOh @ Aug 11th 2008 8:22AM

Cool...I never understood why game devs make their games so hard that you never get to see everything they put into it. Easy should be just that, easy...like a walk in the park. I quit playing Monsters soon after Encore came out, as the fun had literally been sucked right out. They probably didn't have enough time to test the new levels in single player mode, since it was made for all the couples who play this game...and that's cool, but wow, it left single players out to dry. I had more success controlling both gamepads myself!

Looking forward to being able to play this game again, at a decent difficulty level. And turning off online ranking is a fair trade, I just wanna see some more of the content in the game.

obtusegoose @ Aug 11th 2008 1:26PM

Huzzah! I've played the Racer Gardens level about 50 times. (still no rainbow) It's insanely hard. The "easy" Pacu Pacu level was also impossibly hard in single player mode if you didn't have the speed boost. If they add trophies that would add a lot of replay value.