but actually gets challenging the more you progress
I actually found it the opposite. The first time to any zone when I had to go on foot in unknown terrain was always the hardest. The second time there was always at least some left over player stuff to make things easy. The third time I'd have roads/ziplines/bridges ready and completely trivialize it all. Even more so later in the game with my exo skeletons and weapons, compared to early game where I had to actually stealth and make hard decisions about weight regarding packages vs gear I took.
That's actually my big complaint with the game. The more you play it, the less gameplay you actually get. You have to self impose challenges on yourself beyond just the extra modifiers (which are always so easy you should never skip them) to continue to have that "rugged wrestling with the terrain and nature" feel.
I still love the game, and that late game loop is incredibly relaxing regardless of how OP you become, but outside of anything with the Wind Farm* nothing in the late game holds up difficulty wise compared to the early.
*I heard the DC version added highways through the mountains and even one that reaches to the Wind Farm, which would only exacerbate my issue. Though I can't confirm any of that.
I heard the DC version added highways through the mountains and even one that reaches to the Wind Farm, which would only exacerbate my issue. Though I can't confirm any of that.
Yeah, the DC version does add highways through parts of the mountain, but the mountainous regions are still really hard to get through. Especially the parts off the grid where you can't rely on player structures to help you scale up or down the mountain.
Without giving anything away, the parts where you have to venture through the mountain, risking frostbite (which causes Sam to shiver and makes it difficult to move), and not being able to use vehicles was what really made it hard. I remember spending like an hour or two on just one mission thinking "This is actually kind of challenging" trying not to fall down the mountain or damage the cargo in the process.
You're right that some things get easier with the zip lines and whatnot, but for some missions where you're carrying fragile cargo (or cargo that requires multiple floating carriers) through BT territory and you can't use a vehicle (or doing the pizza delivery missions) it makes it a lot more challenging because of how you have to equip yourself for the terrain and potential challenges.
Especially the parts off the grid where you can't rely on player structures to help you scale up or down the mountain.
Yeah the first time into uncharted territory is always fucking terrifying. Though honestly once I had the right exo suit, and made sure to carry a few extra ladders/ropes, most mountain areas weren't too hard.
Unless the game physics took a shit and suddenly Sam slipped off something he was clearly on and fell way further than he should have due to clipping issues. Honestly the physics seem to lose a lot of their polish in the mountain zone and I noticed far more issues where gravity or friction ceased to function proper.
you can't use a vehicle
You'd be surprised at what you can manage to accomplish with a vehicle, especially in missions/zones where they very clearly intended you to not use one. I've gotten many trucks up those mountains. For as many people who complained about the vehicle physics being horrible (and they are the moment you hit rough terrain), very few of them realized that meant you could learn to abuse those physics back.
The pizza missions are never easier though. I honestly wish there were more of those simply because it did basically remove any options you had and forced you to play it the hard way.
I actually found it the opposite. The first time to any zone when I had to go on foot in unknown terrain was always the hardest. The second time there was always at least some left over player stuff to make things easy. The third time I'd have roads/ziplines/bridges ready and completely trivialize it all. Even more so later in the game with my exo skeletons and weapons, compared to early game where I had to actually stealth and make hard decisions about weight regarding packages vs gear I took.
That's actually my big complaint with the game. The more you play it, the less gameplay you actually get. You have to self impose challenges on yourself beyond just the extra modifiers (which are always so easy you should never skip them) to continue to have that "rugged wrestling with the terrain and nature" feel.
I still love the game, and that late game loop is incredibly relaxing regardless of how OP you become, but outside of anything with the Wind Farm* nothing in the late game holds up difficulty wise compared to the early.
*I heard the DC version added highways through the mountains and even one that reaches to the Wind Farm, which would only exacerbate my issue. Though I can't confirm any of that.
Yeah, the DC version does add highways through parts of the mountain, but the mountainous regions are still really hard to get through. Especially the parts off the grid where you can't rely on player structures to help you scale up or down the mountain.
Without giving anything away, the parts where you have to venture through the mountain, risking frostbite (which causes Sam to shiver and makes it difficult to move), and not being able to use vehicles was what really made it hard. I remember spending like an hour or two on just one mission thinking "This is actually kind of challenging" trying not to fall down the mountain or damage the cargo in the process.
You're right that some things get easier with the zip lines and whatnot, but for some missions where you're carrying fragile cargo (or cargo that requires multiple floating carriers) through BT territory and you can't use a vehicle (or doing the pizza delivery missions) it makes it a lot more challenging because of how you have to equip yourself for the terrain and potential challenges.
Yeah the first time into uncharted territory is always fucking terrifying. Though honestly once I had the right exo suit, and made sure to carry a few extra ladders/ropes, most mountain areas weren't too hard.
Unless the game physics took a shit and suddenly Sam slipped off something he was clearly on and fell way further than he should have due to clipping issues. Honestly the physics seem to lose a lot of their polish in the mountain zone and I noticed far more issues where gravity or friction ceased to function proper.
You'd be surprised at what you can manage to accomplish with a vehicle, especially in missions/zones where they very clearly intended you to not use one. I've gotten many trucks up those mountains. For as many people who complained about the vehicle physics being horrible (and they are the moment you hit rough terrain), very few of them realized that meant you could learn to abuse those physics back.
The pizza missions are never easier though. I honestly wish there were more of those simply because it did basically remove any options you had and forced you to play it the hard way.