Video Games: The (over-priced) Expansion

[Durckad]

Disagree. Some games are meant to be replayed, others are like delicate flowers and are only good for one initial period of time.* Usually that's because the game mechanics themselves aren't great, and the story loses something once you know how it goes. Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite are great examples of this, as are various adventure-style games like the Amnesia series.

Other times its because the game is such a challenge to either beat or (more likely) get 100%, that you don't want to lose the sense of accomplishment by going through it again; particularly if the story isn't so great. For me, this is games like Dues Ex: HR and the Assassins Creed series.

In fact, if I don't replay a game its usually because of one of those two reasons and not because the game itself isn't very good/great (although that's mostly because if its not at least good, I stop playing before beating it).

*I'm bad at metaphors.

Agree to disagree then.

All of my favorite games are ones that I've gone back and played multiple times, even games that aren't 100% perfect or have an aspect that doesn't really measure up to the rest of the game (Planescape: Torment I'm looking at you!).

I wouldn't have minded replaying FO3 at one time, but New Vegas took care of that itch. Going back and replaying FO3 now with its unkillable NPCs and linear-as-hell storyline would be very difficult. Hell, I'm just closing down my one and only playthrough of Skyrim (about 110 hours down, Dragonborn completed, almost finished with Dawnguard) and I know I'll never replay it again as the limitations compared to NV are really annoying. With NV you can play in a completely different way three or four times through the game and get completely different quests and endings, which adds a lot of replayability.

Well, IMO at least, a game doesn't need to offer completely different ways to play to still be replayable. I've played through Half-Life 1 and 2 several times and they're pretty linear games, they're just fun enough to experience multiple times.

[Werthead]

Well, IMO at least, a game doesn't need to offer completely different ways to play to still be replayable. I've played through Half-Life 1 and 2 several times and they're pretty linear games, they're just fun enough to experience multiple times.

Those games - especially the second - do have quite a few easter eggs that are easier to spot the second time through. These expand on the backstory quite a lot: the only time the important 'Seven Hour War' is even mentioned in HL2 is if you stand in front a certain noticeboard in Black Mesa East, and you only find out how long has passed between the two games (10 years) if you wait for 2-3 minutes to watch Dr. Kleiner's full PA in Episode 1. You can pick those up first time through, but I think most people are focused on the gameplay.

Also HL1 and 2 are 12 hour games or so at best. To go back and replay 90+ hours of FO3, I need much greater motivation ;)