Difficulty: Optional vs Forced

Do you know Dark Souls? Those games revered to be the hardest of the hardest ever been? They are mostly as hard as you want them to be. They CAN be hard, don't get me wrong. But they can also be a walk in the park using some builds or summons.

So, I was wondering...

How many of the things that make new gens so "easy" are optional, which are forced, and how many are just literally better designed systems (controls, interactions, etc) that can't be avoided, but can't help but make things easier than their dated counterparts?

If there are many optional ones, we can just not use them, upping the challenge (just like in DS).

I personally only played Tri's generation, and now Wilds, so I'll be oblivious to a lot of changes, but I'll start listing some stuff I have noticed.

I'll update this post listing each one, if we cooperate. Let's find a way for hardcore gamers, and collect forced features that could become optional for people that want more of a challenge (or less clutter, you damned scoutflies).

• Seikret

  • Usage: Optional
  • Autopilot: Optional
  • Weapon swap: Optional
  • Save: Optional
  • Item usage while riding: Optional
  • Seikret-only rutes: Forced

• Focus Mode

  • Usage: Optional
  • Focus strike: Optional
  • Fast wound popping: Optional

• Slinger

  • Item gathering: Optional (mostly)
  • Quick item gathering selection: Optional

• Restocking

  • On mission: Optional

• Abilities

  • Decorations: Optional
  • Talismans: Optional
  • Mantles: Optional

• Monster Tracking

  • Instant permanent autotracking: Forced

• NPC Hunters/Palico

  • Usage: Optional
  • Special monster interactions: Optional

• Navigation

  • Scoutflies: Forced

• Hitboxes

  • Fairer hitboxes: Forced (Uth Duna showed how fun having absurd hitboxes for difficulty's sake is)

• Camera

  • Better control: Forced (no more +/- 45° for up/down)