Collectibles, cheats, modifiers, achievements and alternate endings are just a handful of devices used to create a sense of “replay value” in modern video games. Once upon a time, when arcades were afire with flashing lights amid a chiptune chorus, most of these concepts didn’t exist. Though they’re admittedly a little before my time, it isn’t hard to imagine the joy players would get out of classics such as Pac-Man, Tetris, and Space Invaders despite having to play the same sequences over and over. As long as there was a high score to beat, that was all the replay value this older generation needed.
For better or worse, things are dramatically different today. Although a handful of games slip the net each year, the majority are tagged with a mandatory bells and whistles designed for the second playthrough and beyond. Some, like Uncharted 4’s modifiers, allow players to distort subsequent playthroughs in weird and creative ways. However, many fall into that same rut, building themselves around a checklist of hidden objects and challenges used to unlock trophies and achievements. To be fair, Uncharted 4 has these as well, and we’re at a strange point now where these padding techniques are almost impossible to avoid amongst today’s constant barrage of games.
There are some developers that manage to strike a good balance, but it’s no easy feat to pull off, making their product fresh and engaging enough to warrant subsequent playthroughs in the first place. After all, the last thing a studio wants is for fans to label their game as “too short” or lacking in content. That said, the concept of replay value is starting to mean less to me as the years go by. I still love to get my money’s worth when paying top whack for new releases, yet I can rarely find the time and/or motivation to go back to them once the credits start to roll. Of course, that excludes games which have a multiplayer component.
With my backlog only getting worse over time, I can no longer boot up a game I’ve already completed without feeling the urge to swap it for one I haven’t. Uncharted 4 is the latest victim to what some might see as irrational behaviour. Having sunk a few hours into my second run, I was torn away by an unfinished copy of The Evil Within. It’s a much weaker game in comparison, yet knowing that I’ve yet to beat it made it more appealing to my mind.
It seems that many of the team share my predicament when it comes to actively replaying video games. In short, we often find ourselves strapped for time. Aside from Bubble Bobble, Tuffcub will only go back to certain games if they’ve been remastered on newer systems, like the recent Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls remasters.
Providing an appropriate meme Dave only replays a select number of personal favourites. These include classics such as Streets of Rage 2 and Gunstar Heroes, which he usually goes back to every year. Among them are slightly longer games from his childhood including Final Fantasy VII and a suite of Mario games.
Nostalgia has had a similar impact on Kris. For him, the Sonic franchise is entrenched firmly within his heart, older Sonic titles making a regular appearance. Local multiplayer titles also seem to find their way back off the shelf, especially the Mario Kart series and Soul Calibur II.
In recent memory, the only game Aran has gone back to is Journey when it launched on PlayStation 4. Like many of us, he uses his own spare time carefully, seeking out new experiences instead of simply digging up old ones.
How about you, dear reader? Tell us if you’re the kind of player who will play through a game several times in a row, hunting for every last collectable, or if you’ll only revisit something truly special from your childhood?
Sad Panda
At the start of the article I was thinking that I’m not the replay type, then you think about it a bit.
I’m a huge retro game fan and go back to games like Space Harrier, Bubble Bobble, Mario World and Golden Axe time and time again. The only redeeming feature of the Wii was the Virtual Console.
Then I look more recently, I’ve logged more than 2000 hours across the Borderlands franchise, multiple play through a on different characters across PC and Console.
In the current Gen I’ve an unhealthy Destiny addiction that sees me replaying the same content every week. I’m looking forward to my second play through of Doom already and I’ve not finished it the first time yet.
So I guess I am a replay gamer after all.
blast71
Rarely for me. If I enjoyed the game, I’ll take a look at the trophy list and see if it’s do-able (no grinding multi-player) for the platinum. Cod ghosts is the last game I replayed to get the awkward trophies, and that was mainly because of the brilliant extinction mode. I’m enjoying borderlands 2 with Avengerr, so will replay that to clear-up the trophies. Although the “open wide” shotgun challenge is pissing me off because it’s a right grind.
Avenger
That and Jimmy Jenkins, and spike traps, and enemies which send us flying of the edge of a map, and flying enemies which won’t bugger off. WHY DO WE PLAY THIS GAME??? :-)
blast71
Because we’re masochists ;)
TSBonyman
I will play Uncharted 4 again but possibly not for a year after i’ve completed it, story-based games need that break to make the replay feel fresh imo. It will get added to my replay list, along with the other Uncharted games, Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls, The Last of Us, Tomb Raider reboot (and no doubt RotTR also), Until Dawn, The Order, Journey, Flower etc. etc.
Not that i will be replaying them all annually or anything like that but those are examples of games which engaged me enough that i wanted to play them again. Some of those i’ve replayed numerous times and some are waiting patiently for their time to come around again.
And i’ve just picked up the Uncharted remaster collection so i’ll be starting all over again with that at some point.
JR.
I used to replay games over and over and over again. I completed the original Ratchet and Clank games (1-3) at least 30 times each. Same with Uncharted (1-2). Tomb Raider (20+). Most games until the middle of the PS3 lifecycle. Then I just started liking too many games so I didn’t have as much time to spend replaying my favourites. Trophies also have an effect because once I’ve 100% the trophy list I don’t feel inclined to play it anymore.
I traded in Uncharted 4 at the weekend after 2 playthroughs. I thought it was an incredible one-time experience but it didn’t have the same ‘feel’ or replay factor as the first 2.
Uncharted 1 and 2 were both light-hearted adventures but the third started to shift toward a heavier tone. The fourth goes all the way and as a result I didn’t find it as fun as the earlier games. Knowing it was the last one and having been told it was the ‘darkest’ instalment, I felt less excited and more sad/anxious/afraid that it might not end well. I don’t think that’s a bad thing exactly, it’s just different.
tonyyeb
I’d play Red Dead Redemption if they re-released it for PS4. But that is the only game on my list to replay.
Steelhead
I rarely replay games. Partly due to lack of time, but primarily as I like to search out new experiences rather than retread old ones.
For the same reason I rarely go for multiplayer games and quickly tire of series that I feel refuse to inovate. I havent played a call of duty or assassins creed in years.
gazzagb
I have a big enough problem just completing games the first time, let alone replaying them! My attention span is terrible, I really wish I could improve it (mostly for other doing stuff) but I can honestly say there’s only a handful of games that I’ve completed again.
Andrewww
The older I get the less I replay games. Back in the early days of last-gen, I completed the first Uncharted several times, first before it had trophies, then probably twice to clear everything, and I’ve enjoyed that. But, while I’ve platinumed every Uncharted so far, it’s unlikely to happen this time around, simply because there’s so many other things to do, play, etc., and time got more precious.
The last game I’ve played thtough more than once was Alien:Isolation, and I’m highly likely to go back to that some time, as it’s my all time favourite game.