The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 19 – Video Game Difficulty

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“Git gud.” Over the past few console cycles, this has become a rallying cry for those who enjoy a good challenge in their video games. From the emergence of the Soulslike genre, to challenging roguelikes and pixel-perfect platformers, there’s no shortage of self-humiliation in which to indulge.

But are difficult video games anything new? In the latest episode of The Punished Podcast, we unpack the history of video game difficulty — from the arcade cabinet to the modern console. We also explore what makes a game challenging, whether that concept equates to “fun,” and more.

The games we discuss may be tough as nails, but this episode is easy listening. You’re in for a treat.

– David Silbert, Editor and Host

The Punished Podcast Episode 19

Note: This podcast was recorded on May 15, 2025, a few days after we covered PAX East 2025 and several weeks before the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. If it sounds like we were obsessed with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at the time … it’s because we were.

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

David Silbert | Sam Martinelli | Gary Wilson | Kei Isobe

Timestamps
  • 0:00 – 4:05: Intros + an icebreaker
  • 4:05 – 6:26: A brief history of video game difficulty
  • 6:26 – 19:16: Our personal histories with game difficulty
  • 19:16 – 42:08: Do games have to be hard to be “fun” or “good”?
  • 42:08 – 1:03:21: How will difficulty influence game genres moving forward?
  • 1:03:21 – 1:12:34: Let’s gush about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • 1:12:34 – 1:15:18: Is modular game design the future of video game difficulty?
  • 1:15:18 – 1:17:09: A quick shout-out to the “easy” side of game difficulty
  • 1:17:09 – 1:18:55: Kei talks Elden Ring as a cozy game, Bill Simmons, and Jayson Tatum
  • 1:18:55 – 1:23:08: Who Ya Got?! Difficulty Edition (Rounds 1-3)
  • 1:23:08 – 1:28:28: Halftime Interlude!!! Let’s talk Souls-likes (and Clair Obscur again)
  • 1:28:28 – 1:43:20: Who Ya Got?! Difficulty Edition (Round 4, Semi-Finals, and Final)
  • 1:43:20: Outro: Whatcha Playin’?
    • Further Reading: Games & Concepts We Discussed
    • Elden Ring (21:15) — Elden Ring Works Best When You Let Go (Sam Martinelli)
    • What is “fun”? (23:36) — GDC 2012: A Theory of Fun: 10 Years Later (Raph Koster)
    • Difficulty levels (53:40) — Should Dark Souls Have an Easy Mode? (Mark Brown, Game Maker’s Toolkit)
    • Cuphead animation (1:34:14) — Examining the Art of Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course (Anna Hickey)
    • Other great Souls-likes (1:44:07) — The First Berserker: Khazan Review (Kei Isobe)
    • Future podcast ideas (1:45:56) — The Punished Podcast Episode 18: Video Game Replays (Amanda Tien, Sam Martinelli, David Silbert)
    • Fantasy Gaming (1:46:26) — Fantasy Friday: May 2025 Waiver Wire (David Silbert et al.)
      • Song Credits
      • “Elden Ring” from Elden Ring (composed by Tsukasa Saitoh)
      • “Reach for the Summit” from Celeste (composed by Lena Raine)
      • “Une vie à t’aimer” from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (composed by Lorien Testard, sung by Alice Duport-Percier and Victor Borba)
      • “Floral Fury” from Cuphead (composed by Kristofer Maddigan)
      • “No Escape” from Hades (composed by Darren Korb)
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