I really really like what Bungie did with Crota hard, and I know that may be in contrast to a lot of people.

It's sort of had what I've always wanted out of Destiny, and that is a challenge in which you have to scrounge together a solution using the resources that you have and use them creatively. For instance: you can't regenerate health. Big problem. So what do you do? Well, you can use Red Death, Surros, or various armors that regenerate health on orb pickup. Every class has a super that can have some form of healing as an optional perk. So there isn't one cut and dry solution, but you have a choice as to what fits your situation and playstyle. Don't have Red Death or want to keep that slot open for Gjallarhorn? Then use a helmet and grab orbs. Don't have that? Pop your super.

How do you deal with the boomers? Creative titan bubble placement? Have another character pull their aggro? You have options.

I felt like this raid really was a true test of how well you know the game inside and out, rather than Vault of Glass which while great, had a hard mode that was just harder because the enemies were higher level.

I found I was using abilities I never used, and armors I haven;t worn in a long time. I'd like more of that, where each challenge is unique and requires something different than just maxing out your sniper of choice or Gjallarhorn.

I completely agree in terms of the design of this raid. I've complained about the hard-mode Crota battle, but all my complaints are based around the random and fatal bugs that seem far too common. Our run last night was a testament to how great this battle can be when not crippled by bugs.

All this talk in the forums about how Completing hard mode is soooo expensive because you need a million heavy ammo synth in order to complete it, is just...annoying. I say that knowing full well that I might be one of those players that may need maxed heavy ammo on every run to have a chance, but hard mode doesn't need it, there are other ways, other strategies.

People complained when hard mode came out that bungie added "nothing to change it up". But they did, because my taking away health and making the enemies harder, on THIS particular map, with these enemies, and that object, new and better strategies are required/feasible. And as you pointed out, there are multiple viable ones. Where as on normal mode there was one strategy that worked well enough that no one really bothered finding anything different.

I think it's a testament to map and objective design that making enemies harder actually changes the way you approach the map and objectives, instead of just needing more bullets and it taking a tiny bit longer.

I feel like the Crota encounter meets that mark, but the other three encounters are essentially identical to normal mode but with bigger numbers.

I fully expected hard mode abyss to have no lamps at all.

I thought the bridge would have added difficulty, like also having oracles to kill or something.

And Ir'Yut I thought maybe the balconies would be closed off or something.

Is there any hope for casual players who want to give hard mode a try? I don't have the time to grind for weeks and weeks to build up an arsenal of weapons and armor to give myself the choices that it sounds like you need to contribute efficiently.