“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.

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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)

The post The Punished Podcast: Episode 19 – Video Game Difficulty appeared first on The Punished Backlog.