Reader Discussion: What's Your Preferred Difficulty Setting?

With Dark Souls II on store shelves (and in the hands of those brave enough), the conversation once again turns to difficulty. Are you typically an extreme challenge fiend or do your prefer easier sailing?

The Souls series tempts players that typically play on lower difficulties, because it is considered to be fair. Has succeeding in one of these titles whet your appetite for more intense challenge from other titles?

Do you typically start on “easy” or “normal” and ramp up, or do you go straight for maximum pain? Do you see games as a progression through difficulty and play multiple times, or do you finish once without looking back? Let us know in the comments.