God Mode: the paradox of a game.

I've been playing a bit more of Mercenaries for the PS2 recently and I just finished up the first ACE mission. So far, this game is a BLAST to play, mind the pun. However, I must admit I used a few cheats to help me through, mainly the $1 million dollars cheat (I used this multiple times) to get enough funding for massive airstrikes and the like, as well as the enable all weapons and vehicles cheat. I didn't want to activate the infinite health mode, since it did give a warning this might affect game play and save data.

I must admit that it was very fun to blast through with the Anti Air Launcher (basically your BFG type Rocket Launcher that can take down a bunker or high rise apartment with only one round), but after a while, it became mindless running and rampaging. There was no longer the feel of danger because my weapons were so overpowered. What was once a very dangerous threat of the T-52 North Korean tank turned into a play thing and I was basically Godzilla. This is where I find it get's rather paradoxial, is that you want to be able to get better weapons and the like, and you want your character to be stronger as well, but then once you attain that position (usually with cheats) then it becomes almost a joke to play the game and looses its value.

What experiences have you had that made the game turn unxpectedly unfun due to God mode? This could be because you don't need any more strategies to get through, nor do you feel any "gaming pride" for the tasks that you undergo doing what was once a very difficult mission.

Other games that I've felt like this are GTA: San Andreas and most first person shooters.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I think this is one of the reasons why I like how most RPGs don't have real "GOD MODE" cheats that make your character at like level 9999 or some ridicious thing. From what I know, most, if not all, FF games do not have cheats, which is a good thing, because I'd hate for XII to be reduced to CAST ULTIMA, next enemy, ULTIMA again. etc.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

You're still playing fair game in my books if you can get the weapons and the equipment through normal conventions, ie earning it through side quests. Sure the Celestial weapons in FFX slayed most enemies in one slice with over 30000 some damage, but it was a pain to get them, and working for them made it more so satisfying.

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by Summonmaster

In FFX, I consider getting Magus Sisters to be the part where you can mow through the game unfairly (not counting secrets). You didn't have to save up for the Delta Attack overdrive, since Sandy's Razzia quickly starts to do 99999 damage by itself. It wasn't overly hard, although I guess you had to look at a faq to not miss any of the requirements.

You know, I've been wanting to get that last set of Aeons, but the requirements make the Anima aeon look so easy. What I didn't like about FFX was seriously where was the challenge after the Sanctuary keeper? The Omega weapon was joke, since I had had anima on double overdrive (Yuna's and Anima at max). The Jeckt boss, despite bad ass looking, was also a joke once you got anima and your celestial weapons. It sort of lost the "OH SH-" feeling when you can almost squish them like a bug.

regarding a very powerful monster in FFXII, according to youtube:

There is an EXTREMELY powerful monster with what I hear is over 50,000,000 HP and the battle lasts for about 6 to 9 hours, IF you are pretty much maxed out stats

the name of the monster:

I think it's Yazmat, and I'm really thinking this might be one of the first monsters that give me a run for my money.

Speaking of RPG bosses, I found the Bloodbane of Valkyrie Profile extremely fun to play against, since he was the toughest boss, amd I'm glad I sweated it out, because of me winning the chances are less, and that's what makes it interesting. Basically it's like watching a hockey game or any sports game. If you've got professionals that play in the national team vs some junior high shcool team, gee I wonder which is going to win. >_>

Originally Posted by Solis

I find MMORPGs suffer from this issue, although in a different way. It seems like for the entire game, you try to get the highest levels, the best skills, the most powerful equipment, and complete as many quests as possible.

Perhaps this is why I play single player RPGS where at least there is an end. Now its also a double edged sword once you beat it, because now you're wondering to yourself what you've just done for the last 100 or so hours, yet if you don't beat it, it seems all your effort was in vain. I can sort of see how the "wandering around aimlessly" when you get to level 100 in a MMORPG feels like now.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?