Replayability in Games

sarumite

With a lot of people regularly commenting on their backlog, especially in the current "beat a game from your backlog this february" I am just wondering how important is replayability in games.

I have started replaying God of War 3 again on a higher difficulty. I decided to throw it in after watching the vids for GOW:Ascension. I bought it on release and played through it once and then put it back on the shelf. Generally I don't replay games that much, however I am finding I am really enjoying replay GOW3 and in somes ways its a different, more relaxed experience. Maybe it is that I feel like I need to complete a game first time around, whereas now the second time around that 'pressure' is not there.

I am wondering if in the urge to clear my backlog, I discounts games I have already played eventhough they offer good experiences when replayed.

balkieb2002

The only games I replayed since I've completed them was GOW 1 + 2 which I completed originally on the PS2 but wanted to replay them on PS3 before I started GOD 3.

I actually don't think I've replayed a game I've completed this generation which is a terrible thing to say. There were some that I really wanted to replay such as completing a game as a good guy then replaying as bad guy such as Mass Effect or Infamous but I just kept moving onto the next shinier new game.

Maybe once I have a control of the backlog then I can get around to replaying some of the above.

TPD

I've replayed Mass Effect 1 and 2 last year, in preparation for the third being released. Also I've replayed Fable 1 five or six times, usually around christmas. Didn't play that this year though. Mario 64 I've played through a few times.

With my backlog I'm trying to avoid games I've played already. It's not as if they're going anywhere.

cloud493

Trophies give me all the incentive I need to replay a game. Like right now I'm trying to get all the trophies off sonic adventure 2 on PSN, so there's quite a bit to get on with.
And its a game I really like I'l just replay it whenever I feel like it.

Josey Wales

Replayability in a game hasn't been a consideration for me since the days of the Mega Drive and SNES. Back then if I got three of four games in a year I was lucky so the games that I did have I would want them to be replayable. Thinking back I must have beaten Streets of Rage 2 an unholy amount of times, both single player and co-op. The same is true of Super Mario World and Sonic.

As I got older and was able to afford to buy my own games then this became less of an issue. There isn't a single game in the current generation that I have replayed. I started Uncharted 2 again and Mass Effect 1 but never finished a second time.

I suppose maybe the Mario games like New Super Mario Bros. Wii I have replayed a few times with friends.

Grimebox

Josey Wales wrote: »

Replayability in a game hasn't been a consideration for me since the days of the Mega Drive and SNES. Back then if I got three of four games in a year I was lucky so the games that I did have I would want them to be replayable. Thinking back I must have beaten Streets of Rage 2 an unholy amount of times, both single player and co-op. The same is true of Super Mario World and Sonic.

As I got older and was able to afford to buy my own games then this became less of an issue. There isn't a single game in the current generation that I have replayed. I started Uncharted 2 again and Mass Effect 1 but never finished a second time.

I suppose maybe the Mario games like New Super Mario Bros. Wii I have replayed a few times with friends.

Yes I would consider you to be extremely lucky to get 3-4 games a year growing up :eek:

My old reliables recently would be: Portal, Braid, Chrono Trigger and Counter-Strike (mulitplayer so can't really count that)

GarH

I love replaying games that give you a choice of being a nice guy and help everyone, or be a complete psycho and kill everything that moves.
The first game for me with this choice was KOTOR.
Currently it's Dishonoured. First time i played it, I massacred everything that moved . Now I'm playing while trying to not kill anything.

shanered

Final fantasy 7 a classic that i enjoyed replaying

ionapaul

I don't replay games usually - I doubt that I've replayed more than 10 games in the last 15 years of gaming, though definitely replayed more in the years before that as had far fewer games to choose from! The last game I remember replaying was Bastion, as I knew running through it again would only take a few hours. Played through Half Life 2, HL2 Episode One and HL2 Episode Two a few years ago for the second time. Oh, also played through Portal twice since it came out, and plan to go through Portal 2 again sometime soon.

I'm currently playing Dark Souls and have to smile seeing so many people posting about NG+ and NG++, the game is lengthy enough in my experience so there will be zero chance I'll have the time to play it once I've cleared it for the first time. What this usually means for me is that I need to pack as much action as possible into my one-and-only play through of games; I ploughed 140 hours into my Skyrim experience in an effort to complete almost all of the unique quests, completed all of the Borderlands side quests as I knew I wouldn't be coming back to that game for a second play through, etc...

quarryman

I don't have the attention span to replay games. However there a couple of exceptions:

The Halo Series. Play them through once on Normal, then again on Legendary.

Oblivion. I enjoying starting a new character and replaying completely differently.

Certain strategies, do these even count? Civ 4/5. Sup Com FA (enjoying a binge on this atm).

CastorTroy

I've replayed games with alternate paths that I enjoy. Like Infamous 1 and 2 and James Cameron's Avatar.

Also played Prince of Persia Sands of Time recently for the second time. Plan on replaying the other 2 in the trilogy as well.

Want to replay the Metroid trilogy after picking it up for the Wii. And started on Resident Evil(this time as Chris before playing the rest of the series for the first time)

Grimebox

ionapaul wrote: »

I don't replay games usually - I doubt that I've replayed more than 10 games in the last 15 years of gaming, though definitely replayed more in the years before that as had far fewer games to choose from! The last game I remember replaying was Bastion, as I knew running through it again would only take a few hours. Played through Half Life 2, HL2 Episode One and HL2 Episode Two a few years ago for the second time. Oh, also played through Portal twice since it came out, and plan to go through Portal 2 again sometime soon.

I'm currently playing Dark Souls and have to smile seeing so many people posting about NG+ and NG++, the game is lengthy enough in my experience so there will be zero chance I'll have the time to play it once I've cleared it for the first time. What this usually means for me is that I need to pack as much action as possible into my one-and-only play through of games; I ploughed 140 hours into my Skyrim experience in an effort to complete almost all of the unique quests, completed all of the Borderlands side quests as I knew I wouldn't be coming back to that game for a second play through, etc...

Dark Souls forces you to replay every part of the game as your going through it anyway

penev10

I always like to think I'll replay certain games but with so many good games and so little time.......

Mr E

Don't forget the Borderlands 2 effect. So much content, good DLC and a challenging New Game+ mode. I've played feck all else since it came out. I'm coming up to the 4 day mark (about 96 hours logged). I know others here are way past that too.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

i replay just about every game I liked... because I liked them

replayed two of the stalker games 4-5 times each with various mods. playing soldier of fortune 1 atm and loving it just as much now as I did back then. i've played blood umpteen times and will probably give it another bash after soldier of fortune. company of heroes, world in conflict, red alert, age of empires.. all have had many replays and likely will have many more.


really don't understand the mindset behind playing a game once, liking it... and then never playing it again.

tok9

I'm after clearing down on my backlog a bit now so I've a bit more freedom I find.

While I'm still playing through new games, I've started and am planning on finishing all of the MGS HD Collection and MGS4. (Even though I'm not too bothered about trophies in general, I'm happy to see them added)

Along with that I've already replayed Borderlands 2 and I'll get into Dark Souls again pretty soon.

In terms of games I'd like to re play, I'd love to give the Uncharted series another playthrough after finishing Golden Abyss but I traded them all in

Absoluvely

RollerCoaster Tycoon

Potential-Monke

Have replayed a good few games, the Uncharted Series, inFamous 1 & 2, God of War 1, 2 & 3, Enslaved, Half Life 1, 2, Ep1 & Ep2 (and plan on playing through them again soon), loads of games really.

If a game is good enough, i'll play through it again. If it's not, i won't. Have every intention of playing through the Mass Effect Series a second time, this time with Renegade options.

johnny_ultimate

I don't consider replayability or (as IGN say) 'lasting appeal' a major point of consideration. A game is a heavy time commitment - I can rewatch a favourite film in two hours, but some of my favourite games would require several days of my life to sit through again. Even short games can lose some of their impact when revisited - and I don't think that's a slight on the game or anything. The first go around is generally enough. So for me games I replay are an exception, and in the rare cases when I do sit through a game again I'd tend to hope a good few years have elapsed in the interim.

A few exceptions, of course. I replayed Bayonetta the second I was finished on hard mode - and that was great, because the whole thing gets remixed and allows you to really engage with the magnificent combat system that the normal mode is basically a 'tutorial' for. I only played a bit of NG+ in Dark Souls, but will probably go back one of these months - there's still many secrets hidden in its depth despite my initial fifty hour commitment. And I'm playing Virtue's Last Reward at the moment, which impressively designs the whole game and story around you replaying segments and making different decisions. It works brilliantly, except when you have to sit through that map screen again

Apolloyon

Well in fairness, I haven't completed that many. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 just to get both sides of the story. I'm on my third run of Bioshock. I find that game very addictive. I've already played on Normal and Easy, so trying Hard now. I've completed (the main part and most of the side missions in) Arkham City and I am on the +1. I suppose that counts as a second run through. Oh and Resistance: Fall of Man. I'm on my second run through of that. I think I'm enjoying it more the second time. It was my first FPS on the PS3 and I was a total rookie. Some games are just more fun to run through again when you're in a different place/time has passed. You get to see how far (or not!) you've come.

Magill

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

i replay just about every game I liked... because I liked them

replayed two of the stalker games 4-5 times each with various mods. playing soldier of fortune 1 atm and loving it just as much now as I did back then. i've played blood umpteen times and will probably give it another bash after soldier of fortune. company of heroes, world in conflict, red alert, age of empires.. all have had many replays and likely will have many more.


really don't understand the mindset behind playing a game once, liking it... and then never playing it again.

Probably because people don't have time to play every game they liked more than once ?

I haven't really fully replayed a game since my n64/PS2 days (With the exception of darksouls, but replaying it doesn't really count imo :P), when i actually had **** tons of time. Atm i've got a backlog of about 30 apparently good games on steam to get through !

Grimebox

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

i replay just about every game I liked... because I liked them

replayed two of the stalker games 4-5 times each with various mods. playing soldier of fortune 1 atm and loving it just as much now as I did back then. i've played blood umpteen times and will probably give it another bash after soldier of fortune. company of heroes, world in conflict, red alert, age of empires.. all have had many replays and likely will have many more.


really don't understand the mindset behind playing a game once, liking it... and then never playing it again.

Get a job you bum. I got one and now I'm miserable, you have to be miserable too

noodler

Apart from Dark Souls I haven't completed a game twice this gen.

Just haven't got the time.

Baglog of games and limit time means that I generally find starting something new to be a more attractive prospect to replaying.

Pushtrak

I've always been one to revisit things I enjoy, be it games, tv shows, movies or books. To me, it is no stranger than with music, but I don't need to add it to the list above. Of course people revisit music, and to me, of course I revisit the other stuff. It would want to be pretty bad for me to not want to replay a game. Generally, those are games I wouldn't want to play in the first place.

Take RPGs, like of this generation, the Mass Effect trilogy, the Fallout games, Elder Scrolls, Alpha Protocol, and then the JRPGs. I've replayed Eternal Sonata, Lost Odyssey, Tales of Vesperia. I actually have been wanting to do a replay of Infinite Undiscovery but the time committment I'd need for that is more than I have right now. Will do in a couple of years.

I actually have been wanting to go back and play Final Fantasy VIII for the last couple of months but the only way I'll be able to get that is when I have the PS3 somewhere I can get online and buy it from PSN. I guess I'm different to lots of people on this, I love to re-enjoy old stuff. Though I do avoid the pitfall of only doing that. I know people who stick to 2 or 3 tv shows and 2 or 3 game franchises and that's that. Not me. Couldn't do that.

I'm looking forward to Deadly Premonition Director's Cut coming to PS3 in a couple of months. I wouldn't rebuy it if it weren't for the extra stuff in the PS3 version, as I'd still have the 360 version.

Edit: I haven't had time to really play much the last couple of months to get around to game the first time. I made an exception in the last 3 weeks, where I played Graces F and Ni No Kuni, but I hardly think I'll play much now till I don't even know when. It'll be few and far between, I guess except some splurges where I make time.

shanered

SimCity never gets old for me either!

Agricola

I have replayed games where there is the option to play it a different way / with a different character. But regularly it never gets beyond the intention to replay them stage. The problem is there are just too many good releases that I want to play. And considering Im someone who rarely gets a game when it comes out, and usually only play titles 6 months down the road, I still have a backlog of stuff to contend with.

But whenever a game comes along that is just so good on so many levels that you want to restart it the moment you see the credits, (Batman AC comes to mind) then I would do that more often than not.

Mr.Saturn

cloud493 wrote: »

Trophies give me all the incentive I need to replay a game. Like right now I'm trying to get all the trophies off sonic adventure 2 on PSN, so there's quite a bit to get on with.
And its a game I really like I'l just replay it whenever I feel like it.

Sorry for the off-topic query, but how do you get through those Knuckles and Rouge fetch-quests on SA2 without hating yourself for purchasing the game in the first place?

The only times I really dig into replaying stuff would with the 1st party Nintendo titles, the likes of DKCR or SMG 1+2 offering almost enough 'new' content post-game to justify the fact it's: A) Never coming down in price, and Nintendo's 1st party releases tend to be so intermittent.

Retr0gamer

I've too many games to bother replaying them. I play it, finish it and put it back on the shelf. I really don't care if a game is just good for one playthrough as long as it's good.

Lordhogo

Difficulty is my main incentive to replay most games for myself as I find the jump from normal to hard makes a fair difference and makes the game feel fresh again since it almost always has to be played in a different way.

Last replay I remember well was Arkham City. Finished it over a few weeks and decided to try new game+. Next day find out someone I know is willing to buy the game for a high price as long as he gets it tomorrow. End up powering through the three quarters of the game I had left just so I would be satisfied I did it before selling it off. Was a brutal affair to say the least.

Been meaning to play through both Portal and HL2 again with the directors commentary on, anyone know if it's decent?

tok9

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I've too many games to bother replaying them. I play it, finish it and put it back on the shelf. I really don't care if a game is just good for one playthrough as long as it's good.

I find that a bit surprising for someone like you retro, as I regularly see you discuss how a game has aged so I assumed you actually did do a good bit of replaying.

Retr0gamer

tok9 wrote: »

I find that a bit surprising for someone like you retro, as I regularly see you discuss how a game has aged so I assumed you actually did do a good bit of replaying.

Not in the last 2 or 3 years, I just can't afford to with such a backlog. If I do I'd throw something on for a quick play but I'd maybe play a half hour of it or else be playing stuff for a laugh at a retro games night. And then sometimes I'm just late to the party and end up playing a game a few years after everyone else finished. Never had a SNES so when I finally got to play the DKC games I wasn't impressed and when I finally got around to the first Mass Effect game it hasn't held up as well in some areas as the reviews at the time would have you believe.

Then again I'm replaying Chrono Trigger in it's DS incarnation. Hypocrisy!

Grimebox

Lordhogo wrote: »

Difficulty is my main incentive to replay most games for myself as I find the jump from normal to hard makes a fair difference and makes the game feel fresh again since it almost always has to be played in a different way.

Last replay I remember well was Arkham City. Finished it over a few weeks and decided to try new game+. Next day find out someone I know is willing to buy the game for a high price as long as he gets it tomorrow. End up powering through the three quarters of the game I had left just so I would be satisfied I did it before selling it off. Was a brutal affair to say the least.

Been meaning to play through both Portal and HL2 again with the directors commentary on, anyone know if it's decent?

I played L4D2 and I think Portal with the directors commentary. It's absolutely fantastic imo. Absolutely nothing in those games happen by accident

hooradiation

sarumite wrote: »

I am just wondering how important is replayability in games.

Not even a little bit important.