When does a good challenge become an unfair slog?

A challenge can come in many forms. From learning a new language to pushing yourself just that little bit harder at the gym, it serves as a way to test your abilities and provide insight into where you are at this current moment. Video games are no different. But one question that is often asked is this. When does a game go from a good challenge to an unfair, controller-breaking annoyance?

But what makes a fair challenge? There are several elements that separate just right from completely impossible:

Clear Objectives and Consistent Rules – Players should always understand what is expected of them and how to achieve their goals. This provides the player with a clear purpose to work towards and allows them to develop their strategy to best complete that goal. Consistent rules allow for fairness and predictability and also help players in putting together their strategy to accomplish the objective.

Fair Competition – The game should push towards as close to an even playing field as possible to ensure everyone has an equal chance to win.

Adequate Resources and Tools – The player must be given access to the resources and tools needed to win. This is to say the player must be able to earn the means to succeed whether that be gold to buy new weapons and health items or a chance to kill enemies to get XP to improve their character.

Opportunity to Succeed – This point leans on the previous in that the player must be given a realistic opportunity to succeed with the resources that is provided to them. Why this is crucial is that the player it provides motivation to improve and keeps the player engaged with the game. If you put someone into a situation where victory was impossible, why would they want to continue?

Now this is by no means a complete list, but these are just some of the attributes that must be taken into consideration when designing and later supporting a game. There is another attribute that must also be considered and that is the target audience. Who is playing my game? Is it designed more as a casual or hardcore experience? This can also assist in zeroing in molding your game to provide a better and more fine-tuned experience

The way I usually determine if it provides that balance between being too hard or too easy is if it gives me that urge, that desire, to try it just one more time. A game that is too easy doesn’t really provide that excitement that comes with surpassing an obstacle while one that is too hard will just result in the player giving up and not playing further. But when you hit that balance, it is indescribable. I remember playing Elden Ring (another game I need to finish) for the first time. The first boss I went up against was Margit, the Fell Omen. I still remember losing…and losing…and losing again. But at no point did I feel as though the game was being unfair, just that I wasn’t good enough. So, I kept trying. Until the time came when I dealt that final blow and to say I was happy was an understatement.

That’s what a fair challenge should be. It should push you. When you lose, it shouldn’t be because of poor game design but instead because you just weren’t good enough. Your failed attempt should be on YOUR mistakes, not because of the game itself.