How to Cheese? A Comprehensive Guide to Playing it Smart
Cheesing, in the context of video games and strategy, is exploiting specific game mechanics, glitches, or easily repeatable strategies for an unintended and disproportionately advantageous outcome, often bypassing skillful gameplay and reducing the difficulty of a challenge.
Understanding the Essence of Cheesing
Cheesing isn’t about playing fair, it’s about playing smart (or at least perceived to be). It’s the art of leveraging game rules and limitations to achieve a desired result with minimal effort or risk. While often frowned upon in competitive circles, cheesing can be a satisfying way to overcome difficult obstacles, speedrun games, or simply have a bit of fun subverting the developer’s intended experience.
The Spectrum of Cheesing: From Glitches to Strategies
Cheesing isn’t always a clear-cut case. It exists on a spectrum:
- Exploiting Glitches: Utilizing unintended bugs in the game’s code to gain an advantage. This could range from clipping through walls to duplicating items.
- Overpowered Strategies: Employing game mechanics or character builds that are exceptionally strong relative to their difficulty of execution.
- Repetitive Tactics: Using simple, repeatable actions that, while not inherently unfair, circumvent complex gameplay mechanics.
- Environmental Manipulation: Exploiting specific environmental features (e.g., narrow chokepoints, easily climbable ledges) to control enemy movement or gain an advantageous position.
Why Do People Cheese? The Motivations Behind the Method
The reasons for engaging in cheesing are varied and often depend on the individual player:
- Overcoming Difficulty: To defeat challenging bosses or complete difficult levels without relying solely on skill.
- Saving Time: Speedrunning or efficiently farming resources.
- Achieving Completion: Obtaining achievements or unlocking content that might otherwise be too difficult to acquire.
- Having Fun: Some players simply enjoy the sense of ingenuity and rebellion that comes with subverting the game’s intended design.
The Process of Cheesing: Identifying and Implementing Strategies
Finding and implementing effective cheese strategies requires a combination of observation, experimentation, and community knowledge:
- Observe: Pay attention to enemy behaviors, map layouts, and character abilities.
- Experiment: Try different combinations of skills, items, and environmental interactions.
- Research: Utilize online forums, video tutorials, and community guides to discover existing cheese strategies.
- Adapt: Modify existing strategies to suit your specific character build, equipment, and play style.
Common Mistakes When Cheesing
Cheesing isn’t always foolproof, and there are several common mistakes to avoid:
- Relying Too Heavily on Unreliable Glitches: Patches can quickly render glitches useless.
- Ignoring Risk: Some cheese strategies expose you to unexpected dangers.
- Overlooking Alternatives: Sometimes, a more skillful approach is ultimately more efficient or rewarding.
- Ignoring Updates: Game patches can change enemy AI or map layouts, rendering cheese strategies ineffective or even harmful.
Ethical Considerations: When is Cheesing Acceptable?
The “ethics” of cheesing are subjective and often debated. Generally, it’s considered acceptable in single-player games or cooperative modes where all players are aware and consenting. However, in competitive multiplayer games, exploiting glitches or unfair advantages is often viewed negatively and can even result in bans.
| Context | Acceptability Level |
|---|---|
| Single-player | High |
| Cooperative Play | Medium to High |
| Competitive Play | Low |
FAQs: Your Deep Dive into Cheesing
What is the difference between a cheese strategy and a legitimate strategy?
A legitimate strategy relies on skillful execution of the game’s intended mechanics and balanced gameplay. A cheese strategy, on the other hand, exploits unintended imbalances or glitches to gain an unfair advantage. The line can be blurry, but the key is whether the strategy feels like it’s breaking the rules or simply playing them well.
How can I find the best cheese strategies for a specific game?
Online communities, such as Reddit forums, YouTube channels, and game-specific wikis, are excellent resources for discovering cheese strategies. Search for videos or guides that specifically mention “cheese,” “exploit,” or “easy win” tactics for your game of choice.
Are cheese strategies always patched out of games?
Not always. Some cheese strategies are considered harmless or even entertaining by developers, and they may choose to leave them in the game. However, significant glitches or exploits that negatively impact gameplay are usually patched out in subsequent updates.
What are the risks of using cheese strategies?
The primary risk is that the strategy will be patched out of the game. Additionally, relying solely on cheese can hinder your ability to develop core skills and adapt to different challenges. Some cheeses can also leave you in awkward positions and get you killed.
Is cheesing considered cheating?
It depends on the context and the specific strategy. In single-player games, it’s generally not considered cheating, as you’re only affecting your own experience. However, in competitive multiplayer games, exploiting glitches or using unauthorized third-party tools is often considered cheating and can lead to penalties.
How do I avoid getting caught cheesing in online games?
Avoid using obvious glitches or exploits that are widely known and reported. If you’re unsure whether a strategy is acceptable, err on the side of caution and avoid using it in competitive settings. Maintain a low profile and don’t brag about your exploits.
What are some examples of famous cheese strategies in video games?
The Wall of Flesh cheese in Terraria, where players create a long bridge across the Underworld to make the boss encounter trivial, is a classic example. The Invincibility Glitch in Super Mario Bros. using specific warp zones also stands out. Other examples include exploiting the AI in Dark Souls to make enemies fall off cliffs.
Can cheesing make a game less enjoyable?
Yes, it can. Over-reliance on cheese can diminish the sense of accomplishment and make the game feel less challenging. It’s important to strike a balance between using cheese to overcome obstacles and developing your skills to enjoy the core gameplay.
Does cheesing always involve glitches?
No. Cheesing can also involve exploiting game mechanics or AI behaviors without relying on actual glitches. For example, repeatedly using a specific skill or item combination that is disproportionately effective.
How can I tell if a strategy is a cheese or just a good strategy?
A good strategy utilizes the game’s intended mechanics in a skillful and creative way. A cheese strategy, conversely, relies on exploiting flaws or unintended consequences of those mechanics. If it feels like you’re breaking the rules or bypassing the intended challenge, it’s probably a cheese.
What’s the difference between speedrunning and cheesing?
While there is significant overlap, speedrunning aims to complete a game as quickly as possible using any means necessary, including glitches and exploits. Cheesing can be a component of speedrunning, but it’s more broadly about making specific challenges easier, not necessarily completing the entire game quickly.
Is cheesing ever seen as a positive thing in the gaming community?
Sometimes. In certain contexts, such as cooperative play or speedrunning, cheesing can be seen as clever, creative, and even entertaining. It can also be a way for players with disabilities to overcome challenges that would otherwise be insurmountable. However, in competitive settings, it’s generally viewed negatively.