Hard difficulty is the second difficultly down from the hardest. Thankfully, you don’t need to play on Impossible. Simply start a new campaign on Hard and play all the way through without starting a new game or anything such as that.
Here are some general tips for Hard:
-
Cover isn’t much in this game but you can still use it wisely.
-
Use lean as much as possible around corners. It can be the difference between life and death.
-
Never cook or just throw grenades, use the impact function.
-
Your best friend is the Adrenaline ability, which makes you invincible for a set period of time.
-
Near the end of the game your Pulse Wave will be upgraded to instantly kill any Target in the vicinity.
-
The best guns to use are the KALUKA and MEVDAK when inside Target bases.
-
Outside of Target bases you will want to use the KALUKA and MINIMI.
-
Always aim for the head.
-
Keep a great distance between you and the enemy.
-
The Target heavies will be a pain because they can also activate adrenaline and be invulnerable for a short period of time. They have red and black armor.
-
There are a couple places with infinite respawn, but they are not difficult to pass.
Here's a quick run-down of the weapons and what you should and shouldn't use:
-
SUPER90 - You should avoid using the shotgun as on Hard you will want to stay as far away from people as you can.
-
MP7 - Really good SMG around the beginning but you should stop using it as you advance. It's still a good weapon though.
-
G36 - One of the best guns in the game. You'll get it in the second mission (the demo mission) and you should use it as your primary with the MP7 as your secondary.
-
P226 - The silenced pistol is good for headshots and precision kills but you will want something in this game that can rip through stuff.
-
TAVOR - This gun rocks because it is very good for long distance engagements. It's great for Hard until you get the next gun.
-
KALUKA - This gun owns. It's the Target's primary assault rifle and it shreds like a boss! Use this beast as much as you can. You first get it during the second Target base and must be equipped from a weapons cache.
-
KRISS - This gun is like the MP7 but better. I avoided it though because I mainly used TAVOR and G36.
-
CQB.45 - Avoid this crap at all costs. It's like a magnum but it sucks for Hard. It's very slow, has huge recoil, and just sucks.
-
MEVDAK - Sort of like a big-ass shotgun and grenade launcher combined. Use this thing all you can near the end of the game.
-
MINIMI - The last gun you get and easily the best "normal" weapon. It shreds with no problem and is very powerful and has high ammo capacity.
Now here are some specific locations in the game that could give you difficulty:
Beginning of the Ore Mine - I was stuck here for a few minutes because I kept rushing in. Take this part slow and stay back.
First encounter with Target troopers - when the doors close behind you take either the left or right stairs down and activate adrenaline. Now go to the far back under the stairs and get behind the pillar right by the stairs and take them out from here.
After scanning weapons crates - right after scanning them you will get ambushed by ten guys or so. To the left there is an open shipping crate type thing, so go inside it and camp behind it, take out everyone slow and steady from here.
Defusing bombs - before each of the three defuses plant mines around everywhere and then once they begin getting near you and hitting you, activate adrenaline.
First Boss encounter - refer to A very bad feeling
Hallway with Target snipers - this hallway was a pain but I just slowly took them out from a distance, as well as went through the left door along the hall to flank them. There is an infinite spawn at the end of this hallway also.
Hacking computer in first Asia level - I planted all my mines and waited beside the computer behind a beige cabinet, then ran out and hit 
on the computer through the wall outside.
First locator thing in second Asia level - I hit it and then high tailed it to the end of the pier if you go out the window to the right of it.
Ambush at end of second Asia level - after the cut-scene ends, run straight and down the stairs, shred or grenade the wall still directly in front of you, then turn left, hit the switch, wait for the door to open, and run in. You don't have to kill a single Target trooper.
Doors to Med Bay - abuse MEVDAK and adrenaline, should be no problem.
Data terminal room after Encryption Key - do what you did for the first encounter with Target troopers but plant mines all around the stairs, and shoot through the stairs because the majority of the enemies come from here.
Working towards Target base in docks area - take the first part, killing all the enemies, very slowly. In the next area, after it tells you to get to the Nexus, just run through the buildings on the right and head straight to the door, then kill the enemies from behind inside the tunnel.
Deactivating the core things - take each room slow, there are four and they go in a circle, be prepared, more enemies spawn after each one you deactivate.
Area before entering Nexus - there are TONS of enemies here, and snipers, you just have to take it very slow and use the pulse wave/airstrike to clear them out.
Hallway with open middle area before Datacore room - I had to use adrenaline to run to the end of the hall and enter the room that leads to the Datacore room. There are way too many enemies and they can shoot through walls like crazy here.
Datacore room - refer to Military intelligence
Escaping Target Nexus before detonation - simply activate adrenaline and haul some ass.
Final boss - refer to Sleep when I'm dead
)
.
.
.
.
to kill enemies with your knife.
. This should land you on the top of the tunnel and then outside the map.
and let the enemies walk into them.
to throw impact grenades and kill enemies with no trouble at all.
