Enjoyment vs. Optimization

Depends. If the game is merciless and difficult, I abuse it to not take chances. But if the game isn't too punishing, I usually dial it down a bit (to try to do more special moves, for example, or to get cooler kills)

Depends on the game, but most of the time, I actively try to prevent using anything that might diminish my enjoyment of the game.
So yeah, if there is a strategy that trivializes the game and isn't really satisfying, I just ignore it. Hell, in case I'm aware there might be a balance issue with the title, I often actively take steps to gimp myself and prevent it's abuse.

Like in Prey, where I refused to use combat-related neuro-mods or make optimal choices of any kind well into the first half of the game, which resulted in the second half of the game actually being really challenging and tense, the way I suppose it was always intended to be. Had a blast with the damn thing in the end.

>>383915570
>cooler kills

I like doing this too but I usually end up dying because I concentrate more on my rad finisher idea more than what the enemy is doing