What I found fascinating, in some of the mods already available, is how many were created to make the game HARDER. I had a tough time in a few spots on medium difficulty. Maybe hard isn't hard enough? I had plenty of fun and challenge, but it was my first time through. I can't wait to be all juggernaut and experienced on hard mode, see what it can throw at me.
First time I played on easy, 2nd time on normal. I'm in act IV and don't see much difference regarding the difficulty. I don't think it's the difficulty and the tougher enemies which may take more gaming time but more how intensive and detailed you want to explore the world, talk to different poeple, take side quests and... 
experiement with alchemy. I didn't use alchemy very much on my first game play and on my current game play I'm not really in need of potions but... there arose some kind of addiction to collect ingredients, brewing potions on Rubedo, Albedo or Nigredo base, which... eventually takes me much more time then fighting issues ;D
experiement with alchemy. I didn't use alchemy very much on my first game play and on my current game play I'm not really in need of potions but... there arose some kind of addiction to collect ingredients, brewing potions on Rubedo, Albedo or Nigredo base, which... eventually takes me much more time then fighting issues ;Dthere are still visual and sound cues on hard for the sword chains but there not nearly as visible as the gawdy flaming sword. I'm on my second play through right now on hard (played on normal for the first) because I wanted a bit more challenge and to see if actualy using potions makes that much of a diference in gameplay and IMHO it really does. In normal mode you will probably need to buff up on potions for boss fights but for normal combat it realy isnt needed. On easy you dont even really need more than a swallow potion for boss fights and a few cat potions for entering caves and crypts. If you want the total game experience I would sugest hard mode because you will need to use alot more stratagy and potions to get through the game. you cant just run into most fights sword swingin and expect to come out alive, if you do it will be just barely. and on hard even the basic potions some times wont be enough, you will need to learn what ingredients to keep and what you can live without because your inventory space will become more of an issue with all the herbs you will need to keep on hand in order to put together the good potions with the matching sub-components. relying on the game to auto-choose your ingredients also tends to get in the way of completing some contracts because if you dont manualy choose which herbs to use you may accidently use up an ingredient for one of yoru contracts and have to go back out and collect them again. I actualy learned this last lesson the hard way. I accidently used up some of my archispore roots making a couple of postions and had to go out and wander around the swamp for a solid hour befor I found a new spawn of the darned things so that I could complete the contract.
My first play through was on easy, just because I didn't know what to expect. I very rarely needed potions, and usually then I just downed a Swallow and was fine. For the tougher boss fights at the end I was very happy to have (gah forget the name) the potion that limits stun and knockdown.Easy may have been a bit too easy. the second time through on normal. Some of the 'regular' enemies at the end were tougher and managed to cause me some minor struggling. The Javed fight was easier this time around though, but mainly because of story-line differences. I definitely needed the potions more at normal level.I haven't played on hard yet.I was pretty happy with Normal difficulty, but to be honest the last fight or two still feels too easy. I dont know why the last boss or 2 come across as being some of the easier bosses, but it kind of sucks.
The final boss fights might be a bit easy, but I think they fit in with Geralt's recovery process throughout the game. Before his memory loss he was "....an already legendary monster slayer. Your reputation was hard earned...." to quote the manual. As he recovers his powers his legendary status returns and he is a formidable opponent. Bosses beware!PS The potion that increases resistance to Stun and Knockdown is Willow.Motemeal said: