I’ve been having another go at Fallout: New Vegas. I tried my damndest to get the Project Nevada mod (a realism/hardcore difficulty mod) up and running, but after several hours, it just wouldn’t work, so I ditched it and started my game in the native Hardcore mode instead.
Unfortunately, hardcore mode isn’t all that hardcore. You have primary needs, but it’s not like, for example, DayZ, where resources are scarce and your hunger, thirst, and injury can actually be seriously threatening. When you can carry several hundred pounds of gear with you wherever you go and the entire world is littered with resources waiting to be plundered, there’s no real sense of urgency.