[Suggestion] Ultra Hardcore Mode
I reckon to add to quality of life that you should add a ultra-hardcore mode that kicks in and can be unlocked once you hit level 50. Where you either increase the spawn rate of high level creatures or make some special animals that are extra vicious.
Make it an unlockable too like you can click it when you drop into the game once you have passed level 50
Comments: 26
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22 Dec, '24
ГеоргийHighlighted comment
At the very least, it would be nice to add a hardcore mode to the open world. There, this option is generally blocked, and the game is already super easy. -
15 Dec, '21
Marcel MergedI am level 21 and have been level 21 for about 15 levels now. Currently I have no friends who play Icarus so I am stuck playing solo. At lower levels the death penalty is fine but as you progress around level 18+ the death penalty is huge and stifles exploration and play, when you get past 50% xp you just don't want to go anywhere or do anything and you just sit around your base mining rocks and chopping down trees and ripping up shrubbery which you then just throw on the ground to free up inventory space.
I got 90% of the way to level 22 and went out to get some Oxite. While walking back to base I got wrecked by a bear that I think spawned in nearby because I hadn't heard it and came to the realisation that I am really not enjoying the game solo and want to change my recommendation to "not recommended" and go back to playing Valheim with all my friends.
This game needs to fix the huge xp on death loss to a partial or add in a fun mode with no xp loss on death and a hardcore mode -
15 Dec, '21
Alex MergedI also had a hard time with bears when I first encountered them. Now they seem like trivial things. when you hear a bear roar just go stealth mode until you see it first. Should have no problems killing it.
I am now like level 48 without even trying, I don't even know when I get my levels. Just killing wildlife mostly, I think.
In the desert, you can get a level in like 10 minutes if you really want to, so xp is not an issue.
Also, there are only a few areas where bears spawn, if you have a hard time with them, just avoid those areas when you don't want to loose exp. -
17 Dec, '21
Legionsx Mergedi know the developers probably feel this way inside... but are trying to appeal to the masses. I can relate. However, I think leaning into the hardcore more will be good in the long run. That's why DAYZ is still played by so many people after so many years. The feeling of hardcore mode makes everything feel so much more important. I would really like this game to lean more into the "one life to live" mentality. This will greatly eliminate the "boredom" of being immortal. AKA DAYZ.
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08 Apr, '22
Candyman13 MergedI like the idea of risking your character and losing your build. However it's a lot to lose and insurance doesn't seem risky enough some how. What if you died and your prospect could be taken by a new character of the same level except you do not get to choose any talents or tech tree blueprints. It would be like taking over as someone else essentially. I think that would be very engaging for hardcore players. Not too risky yet risky enough that you don't want to die.
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09 Apr, '22
Roberts Merged"I think that would be very engaging for hardcore players. Not too risky yet risky enough that you don't want to die."
what did i just read?
no, it wont...
hence you go hard hardcore for a reason... you died? better call your friends...
cant handle that? go plain hard... or easy hardcore lol -
02 Feb, '24
bopodIf it's just frequent wildlife encounters you can try outpost on highest difficulty. Polar bears and packs of snow kitties coming to kiss you every time you open a window.
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14 May, '24
Ryzer MergedWould it be possible to have more options above Hard in Open World?
Once we reach tier 3/4 everything becomes very "easy"!
And even at the beginning of the game on Hard, the danger effect does not exist.
--Please add more difficulty choices to the game--
With more brutal storms, more violent, powerful and smart animals, etc.
NOTE- I'm not talking about permanent death, that's another concept of difficulty, but rather about amplifying Hard 3 to 4,5,6x to what's in the game.
-Easy, Normal, Hard, "Brutal and Insane"?
Please, this game needs this. -
15 May, '24
Kodie Collings MergedYou'll be pleased to know that the game runner "Dean" wants this and the dev team have mentioned this in their livestream that they would like to make a "real hard mode"
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17 May, '24
teslanz MergedCan we keep our same bases and just respawn into this mode with our existing bases still intact from what was normal that became easy ( it wasnt a tier thing it was a change to suit first gamers I guess.) But Kodie Collings, I and Ryzer are asking for the same thing really. And it is pleasing to hear that its a maybe. But can we take our old normal world with us as normal became easy real easy and you can tell when mere fists will down a bear. So having gone from epic intense sport and pursuit and stalking to make it past or to hunt to basically a big easy beat up to get where you want. No challenge. Can we have the option to respawn our saved games in a higher level mode. I mean the predators, they are the only change needed. Bring back that which made ICARUS always remembered,,on the edge of our seats.
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20 May, '24
Corné van den Bosch MergedI'd be absolutely up for this!
Experience and skill makes even Hard mode into a rather easy run... -
21 May, '24
Elissa - Producer System"[SUGGESTION] Hardcode mode" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2024-05-19), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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21 May, '24
Elissa - Producer System"Fun mode Vs Hardcore mode." (suggested by <Hidden> on 2021-12-15), including upvotes (2) and comments (1), was merged into this suggestion.
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21 May, '24
Elissa - Producer System"Hardcore Death Option" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2022-04-08), including upvotes (1) and comments (2), was merged into this suggestion.
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21 May, '24
Elissa - Producer System"More Hardcore" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2021-12-17), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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21 May, '24
Elissa - Producer System"[Suggestion] More Hard difficulty options please." (suggested by <Hidden> on 2024-05-14), including upvotes (3) and comments (1), was merged into this suggestion.
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30 Nov, '24
PSIONYCplease bring back permadeath on ultra hardcore mode .... everything is easy if you can just respawn
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04 Apr, '25
SevA lot of great ideas in this thread. Ultra-hard, hardcore mode in open world. I'd like to see some hardcore open world options which amp things up by locking the prospector into the session (no leveling in another game session!), forcing a lv 0 start, and locking out workshop items completely. Maybe give some spicy exotic farming bonuses for the trouble.
Clearly, these ultra-hard, hardcore mode characters would need separate stat tracking for challenging the devs... -
27 Aug, '25
Ben N.Please...I do like the ramp up idea. If there is someone with tier 2 on the planet, increase rate and aggression, tier 3 increase their health, teir 4 bring out the big bads.
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12 Apr
Matt MergedWould a Hardcore or Hard modifier for longer or more dangerous storms be something worth looking into?
like a storm that lasts days? or storms that are actually dangerous? Permanent storm? Hurricane/Cyclone?
As I feel like they really aren't that big of a hinderance or any trouble asides from not been able to see during any sort of sand storm.
Maybe they gradually get longer and worse the longer you're planet side?
Originally I thought they were meant to be bad and scary due to the failed terraforming and during Beta they actually were terrifying but now not so much. -
15 Apr
Elissa - Producer System"increased storm time" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2026-04-12), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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15 Apr
Revlis Flux MergedFrom start up menu, have a hardcore mode menu option.
Key Features:
Operates much like original game release mechanics, u die, that character is Dead, no longer usable.
Each Character made from this menu would have NO access to Ren/Exotics/Workshop items-unlocks or mission completions from regular game menu and/or other characters made in same hardcore menu. The character has to start from scratch as if you just downloaded and started the game.
When start Character creation, 3 options available. Regular, hard, and hardcore- with same game modifiers as regular game. Once selected, all missions are set for that character. Regardless of which of the 3 options selected, when Character dies, its no long a playable character.
Once any Character from this menu dies, all Ren/Exotics get transferred to main game balance with a multiplier dependent how many missions completed/difficulty selected.
Optional thoughts:
If you some how manage to get thru all mission -
16 Apr
Elissa - Producer System"Hardcore Mode Upgrade/Come back: kinda like minecraft version... ish" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2026-04-15), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.