_lNsUgO2.jpg?width=1920&height=1920&fit=bounds&quality=70&format=jpg&auto=webp#){kind=tracking}
All PEAK game difficulties, explained
PEAK is a difficult game. Although its first two difficulties are relatively simple once you learn the game's mechanics, later options can pose a challenge. They go beyond changes to your stamina, adding some unexpected twists that require specific strategies to counter. Table of contents All PEAK difficulty options Tenderfoot Peak Ascent 1 Ascent 2 Ascent 3 Ascent 4 Ascent 5 Ascent 6 Ascent 7 All PEAK difficulty options When you first start playing PEAK, you'll have two difficulty options to choose from. After completing the game on its default difficulty, you'll unlock a third option, with subsequent settings available afterwards. Let's check out each difficulty option, including its unlock requirements and features. Tenderfoot Screenshot by Destructoid Climbing takes less stamina. Hunger grows more slowly. No time limit. PEAK's first difficulty, Tenderfoot, is easier than the game's default option in every way. It's ideal for new players who are trying to learn the game. However, you won't be able to unlock any new difficulties with this one. Peak Screenshot by Destructoid The game's default difficulty. You won't receive any major buffs, nerfs, or challenges with the game's default difficulty, Peak. If you want to unlock more difficulties, this is the one you need to choose and complete. If you'd like to check out some tips on beating Peak difficulty and unlocking your first Ascent, check out our complete PEAK level guide, including some tips on how to complete them. Ascent 1 Image via Landfall and Aggro Crab Complete "Peak" difficulty to unlock Ascent 1 Increased fall damage. It's much easier to take fall damage. After completing PEAK on its Peak difficulty, you'll unlock Ascent 1, which makes falls much more lethal. While the previous two difficulties have some leniency with how far you can fall before taking damage, this one will punish you even if you have a slight tumble or jump off a ledge that's just a little too high. Watch your step during this one. From this point forward, every Ascent will include the debuffs of the previous option. If you haven't yet, start taking advantage of PEAK's items, especially legendary options, as these can completely change the outcome of your playthroughs. Ascent 2 Screenshot by Destructoid Complete "Ascent 1" difficulty to unlock Ascent 2 All previous difficulty effects. You'll become hungry faster. Ascent 2 focuses on hunger. As you travel through each level, your hunger will drain much faster, requiring you to eat more food to manage your stamina. Ascent 3 Screenshot by Destructoid Complete "Ascent 2" difficulty to unlock Ascent 3 All previous difficulty effects. Every item you pick up will have increased weight. The next option is Ascent 3, which focuses on item weight. On top of more fall damage and hunger debuffs, any item you carry will have increased weight, limiting your stamina much more than usual. Ascent 4 Screenshot by Destructoid Complete "Ascent 3" difficulty to unlock Ascent 4 All previous difficulty effects. Flares no longer spawn at The Peak, requiring you to pick one up at the Shore's crash site, inside luggage, or at campfires. Ascent 4 is unique. This time, the flares that normally appear at the game's end won't be there anymore, requiring you to either pick one up at the Shore's plane crash site or find out throughout your travels. Without it, you won't be able to finish this part of PEAK's story, preventing you from unlocking additional difficulty options. Ascent 5 Screenshot by Destructoid Complete "Ascent 4" difficulty to unlock Ascent 5 All previous difficulty effects. You'll become cold during the night. If you didn't like the cold effects of Alpine, you won't like this Ascent. In this difficulty, you'll also receive cold debuffs during the night, regardless of your level. Combining this with previous effects makes it extremely difficult to manage your stamina, even if you're constantly picking up food and traversal gear. Don't worry: it'll only get more challenging from here. Ascent 6 Image via Landfall and Aggro Crab Complete "Ascent 5" difficulty to unlock Ascent 6 All previous difficulty effects. You'll lose more stamina while climbing. The penultimate difficulty option in PEAK is Ascent 6. Alongside every previous effect stacking, you'll now have to deal with the struggles of increased stamina consumption while climbing. Considering most of this game involves climbing up mountains, this makes for an especially tricky situation if you run out of rope, can't access any vines and chains, or have a particularly steep wall to climb. Ascent 7 Complete "Ascent 6" difficulty to unlock Ascent 7 All previous difficulty effects. Permadeath mode. Once you're down, you're gone until the run ends. PEAK's final challenge is to unlock and complete Ascent 7. There are no new debuffs impacting your stamina in
PEAK is a difficult game. Although its first two difficulties are relatively simple once you learn the game's mechanics, later options can pose a challenge. They go beyond changes to your stamina, adding some unexpected twists that require specific strategies to counter.
Table of contents
All PEAK difficulty options
When you first start playing PEAK, you'll have two difficulty options to choose from. After completing the game on its default difficulty, you'll unlock a third option, with subsequent settings available afterwards.
Let's check out each difficulty option, including its unlock requirements and features.
Tenderfoot
- Climbing takes less stamina.
- Hunger grows more slowly.
- No time limit.
PEAK's first difficulty, Tenderfoot, is easier than the game's default option in every way. It's ideal for new players who are trying to learn the game. However, you won't be able to unlock any new difficulties with this one.
Peak
- The game's default difficulty.
You won't receive any major buffs, nerfs, or challenges with the game's default difficulty, Peak. If you want to unlock more difficulties, this is the one you need to choose and complete.
If you'd like to check out some tips on beating Peak difficulty and unlocking your first Ascent, check out our complete PEAK level guide, including some tips on how to complete them.
Ascent 1
- Complete "Peak" difficulty to unlock Ascent 1
- Increased fall damage.
- It's much easier to take fall damage.
After completing PEAK on its Peak difficulty, you'll unlock Ascent 1, which makes falls much more lethal. While the previous two difficulties have some leniency with how far you can fall before taking damage, this one will punish you even if you have a slight tumble or jump off a ledge that's just a little too high. Watch your step during this one.
From this point forward, every Ascent will include the debuffs of the previous option. If you haven't yet, start taking advantage of PEAK's items, especially legendary options, as these can completely change the outcome of your playthroughs.
Ascent 2
- Complete "Ascent 1" difficulty to unlock Ascent 2
- All previous difficulty effects.
- You'll become hungry faster.
Ascent 2 focuses on hunger. As you travel through each level, your hunger will drain much faster, requiring you to eat more food to manage your stamina.
Ascent 3
- Complete "Ascent 2" difficulty to unlock Ascent 3
- All previous difficulty effects.
- Every item you pick up will have increased weight.
The next option is Ascent 3, which focuses on item weight. On top of more fall damage and hunger debuffs, any item you carry will have increased weight, limiting your stamina much more than usual.
Ascent 4
- Complete "Ascent 3" difficulty to unlock Ascent 4
- All previous difficulty effects.
- Flares no longer spawn at The Peak, requiring you to pick one up at the Shore's crash site, inside luggage, or at campfires.
Ascent 4 is unique. This time, the flares that normally appear at the game's end won't be there anymore, requiring you to either pick one up at the Shore's plane crash site or find out throughout your travels. Without it, you won't be able to finish this part of PEAK's story, preventing you from unlocking additional difficulty options.
Ascent 5
- Complete "Ascent 4" difficulty to unlock Ascent 5
- All previous difficulty effects.
- You'll become cold during the night.
If you didn't like the cold effects of Alpine, you won't like this Ascent. In this difficulty, you'll also receive cold debuffs during the night, regardless of your level. Combining this with previous effects makes it extremely difficult to manage your stamina, even if you're constantly picking up food and traversal gear. Don't worry: it'll only get more challenging from here.
Ascent 6
- Complete "Ascent 5" difficulty to unlock Ascent 6
- All previous difficulty effects.
- You'll lose more stamina while climbing.
The penultimate difficulty option in PEAK is Ascent 6. Alongside every previous effect stacking, you'll now have to deal with the struggles of increased stamina consumption while climbing. Considering most of this game involves climbing up mountains, this makes for an especially tricky situation if you run out of rope, can't access any vines and chains, or have a particularly steep wall to climb.
Ascent 7
- Complete "Ascent 6" difficulty to unlock Ascent 7
- All previous difficulty effects.
- Permadeath mode. Once you're down, you're gone until the run ends.
PEAK's final challenge is to unlock and complete Ascent 7. There are no new debuffs impacting your stamina in this one. Instead, it's a permadeath mode. If you fall at any point during your run, your teammates won't be able to revive you, forcing you to spectate until everyone else passes or until they reach the very end.
The post All PEAK game difficulties, explained appeared first on Destructoid.
