I've never, ever been one to replay games. The act isn't completely foreign to me — three immediate playthroughs of The Last of Us: Part II, I'm looking at you — but I'm almost always looking ahead to what's next after rolling credits. That is unless the Platinum Trophy is somewhat achievable, of course. I generally feel like I'm retreading old ground if I return to a game sometime later as most of its story beats come back to me and gameplay feels familiar, to the point where it's a detriment. I get the impression I'm wasting my time by replaying an older title when there are many new games released every week on PlayStation platforms, so much so that it sort of confuses me when I hear about someone doing so.
The most bizarre thing of all though is that I actually understand it, to a point, because I have reckoned with this allure so many times. Let's take last night, for example, when I decided it would be a good idea to start playing Fallout 3. Having already played the Bethesda RPG back in 2008 (it was one of the first games I ever pre-ordered), I had a fun few hours taking a trip down memory lane escaping Vault 101, exploring the open world, and visiting Megaton. I originally booted the game up on my Xbox Series X (sorry) with the intention of seeing the game through to its conclusion, but shortly after powering down the console following my play session, I questioned why I was doing it at all. This happens to me all the time — I'll decide to try and replay an old game, enjoy it for an evening, and then promptly question why I was playing it in the first place. I can't even begin to count how many times I've gone through this thought process.
It was all the recent Bethesda chatter that fuelled my decision to try and replay the publisher's classics, but before the day is even done, I've thrown the idea out the window. Maybe it's my indecisiveness and a mental problem unique to me, or maybe there are others amongst the Push Square community who feel the same. Even if I know the newer title isn't anywhere near as good, I'd much rather be playing it instead of returning to a game that has already taken me through its motions. That even goes for experiences where player choice allows the narrative to be taken in different directions.
This hesitancy is then extrapolated when the friends and colleagues around me are managing it without issue. RPG obsessive deputy editor Robert Ramsey is currently working through his second playthrough of Yakuza: Like a Dragon on PS5 — I couldn't even manage one, but that's another topic. And that's a 50+ hour game! I just cannot wrap my head around why you would want to invest so much time into a title you've already seen through to completion instead of checking out something new. Yeah, we are in the middle of a PS5 release drought, but there are still enough games hitting the PlayStation Store each week and titles you probably passed on the first time around to find something new to play. This isn't a dig at Ramsey or anything, it's just an example of an approach to playing games I can't identify with.
Help me work out whether this line of thinking is exclusive to me or not. I very rarely replay games, and when I decide to do so, I'm reminded of why I don't. Experiencing the same questlines and narratives I've already seen through to their conclusions, I very quickly lose interest and question why I thought it was a good idea in the first place. The problem is that I guarantee you I'll find myself in the very same predicament a few months down the line when I'm struggling to find something new to play. So, share your own experiences to aid me in understanding why someone would opt to replay a game over trying something new. Why do you replay games?
How often do you replay games and why do you do it? Are you looking for a quick dose of nostalgia or do you plan to finish the game once more? Place your vote in our poll and expand on your thoughts in the comments below.
Comments 151
If it's a game that leaves a profound impression or impact on me it's probably going to be played more than once
Hence I have created a religion around the hit RPG Shin Megami Tensei Devil Survivor for the Nintendo DS and 3DS family of systems
Some games are just so good they are absolutely worth a replay. Same goes for films, tv shows, books, albums etc.
It's an interesting topic. For me, I only replay games that I really love. I played through Mass Effect 2 maybe 10+ times on PS3. Not an especially long game, but to me, I'd rather replay a favourite than playing something just because it's new.
I wouldn't say I'm an especially picky gamer, but for me personally, there are just some games that hit on a different level. The Witcher 3, Persona 5 Royal, Journey, Pokemon Crystal, to name a few. Games that resonated me from the very first time I played them — something that makes them timeless, and I enjoy them just as much on subsequent playthroughs, even if they're HUGE games.
Hard to put into words, but hopefully that makes sense!
In the same way I rewatch movies or TV shows, if I enjoy it enough then I’ll go through it again. I’ve played Silent Hill 2 many many times and would do it again. Ace Attorney I’ve played the series about 4 or 5 times too. Same with Final Fantasy VII. Sometimes I just can’t be arsed starting something new.
Oh and there's something to be said for mastering a game as well. I know people who replay one or two Resident Evil games once every month or so. They just blast through them, like it's a regular fixture. They're so familiar with those games but that kind of becomes the appeal. I suppose speed running or challenge runs tie into this type of mindset as well.
Again, interesting topic.
I think it depends on the amount of backlog you have too. As a video game reviewer, of course you're always looking ahead. I mentioned it before in another article but it took me gaining a massive backlog to understand reviewers' gripes about massive open world games.
For me personally, I don't replay games that much these days either. But I have a couple where I'll be playing a new game, and it's like... A voice in the back of my brain that's like, "Remember how much fun you had playing that?" Specifically Digimon World Next Order and Skyrim, and I end up going back to it. I'm not sure there's a logical reason for it.
EDIT: Between those two and other games I can't think of at the moment that I'll replay, they've gotta be games that give me different experiences when I replay them. So Digimon, I can have various partners as I play through the story. Skyrim, I can play as whatever class or faction that I please, etc.
It's not often I replay games from the last couple of generations but I play older games all the time because they're fun to play and often relatively short. Many modern games are often story heavy so those I'm much less likely to replay but if its a game I enjoy playing I'm more than happy to do so again. I've replayed the recent Resident Evil 2 about 15 times and the original much more than that and others like Silent Hill 2 and plenty from the 90's
I only ever replay RPGs because I can approach the game differently the next time I play it.
I’m a sucker for nostalgia and comforting games. So replaying older games just brings backs memories and feels a bit more natural to play through since I know most of what’s going to happen. Obviously I still want to play through new experiences, but sometimes I just want to relax and play through a “comfort food” type game.
It also helps that some games offer near limitless ways to replay them, like Pokémon. Each time I play I always have a different team and sometimes I even change the rules a bit. Quite a lot of fun.
Because games never come out finished nowadays!!
You need to replay a game months after release to experience it the way was meant to be played in most cases (unless multiplayer)
title might as well have been ''why do you platinum games'' and my answer is the same. Some games I just can't get enough of.
Plenty, I've probably replayed old games more than play new ones in the past 5 years to be honest. Like the Switch's lineup is mostly old ports and I take the port releases as a chance to replay the games.
I've only replayed 2 games in my life - The Last of Us remastered and God of War 4. Only played them again as I loved the experiences so much and had forgotten a lot of what had happened.
Part of the reason why I never usually replay games is that after a certain amount of time the mechanics and graphics get so outdated I have no desire to go back.
Mostly though I can justify spending another 1hr 30mins to rewatch a movie I loved (especially if it's in the background), but not another 15+ hours replaying a game which requires my full attention.
Thank you for the interesting topic. I am one of those folks that almost never replays a game. I usually spend a lot of time with one game at a time, wring every last drop out of it if I like it, and then never touch it again even if it is great. I can only think of twice in the last decade I have gone back to a game that I already played, and both times was to finish new content I did not get to the first time: I replayed Last of Us (because I had never gotten to the excellent Left Behind DLC) and Bioshock (Becuase I had never played Bioshock 2, and PS Plus offered the opportunity).
There are multiple reasons for this. The main one is: I play games very deliberately, I have limited time for gaming, and there is a lot I want to play. I also have a more quirky reason: I am usually drawn to open world games with some choice, and once I have made those choices I kind of feel like that individual story is complete and I don't want to mess it up by making different choices. I know that is odd, but I can't shake the feeling when it comes to games like Witcher 3, which is my favorite game of last generation, but that I probably won't touch ever again.
Fantastic topic. I very rarely replay games, but I rewatch classic films all the time. I'm sure some of it is the difference in the time investment, and some it the lure of the next shiny new thing. It's kind of interesting to revisit a piece of media that you connected with at a younger age and see how your reactions to it change.
However, to contradict myself, I'm a sucker for classic game collections and happily revisit those types of games all the time. I've probably played some version of Pac Man on every Sony system I've owned, and will happily plunk down the asking price for whatever Namco Museum makes its way to PS5.
If it's a game that I absolutely love, I will definitely replay it. I've replayed Batman: Arkham City, Titanfall 2, What Remains of Edith Finch, Super Mario Odyssey, Radiata Stories, and Kingdom Hearts II countless times. KH2, in particular, is something I've replayed at least once a year for the past 15 years.
It depends on the game. If it's a 90 hour long JRPG, I feel less inclined to replay because I saw everything and that was that.
I just hit 5,000 hours in Dark Souls 2 on my PC since its release in 2014. One reason I replay it so much is a) I regularly speed run to beat my personal times, and b) there is just that much variety in what you can do with your character builds, so the experience rarely feels stale.
Generally, if I'm replaying a game, it's because I like something about the experience and it feels good to see the sights or hear the sounds and music again. Hell, I just rewatched the old Transformers movie last week, felt just as exciting as the first time when I was a wee one LOL
One reason I rarely buy new games, is because they are bloody expensive, and I don't like blowing money on a potential dud. Time is limited, so if I know I'm gonna have a good time by replaying something I love, vs. experimenting with a new game that will be potentially disappointing, I almost always go with replays.
NINJA APPROVED
For me personally, I play retro games like shmups which are quick fix and enjoyable to play over and over. Love games today, but the problem is some games are a chore and become a grind. So once your done your done.
Hmmm...I don't....especially if I get platinum in a game, I'm usually done with it. This is why I hate when DLC comes out after I'm done investing in the title.
If we're counting things like Smash Brothers or Street Fighter, Mario Kart etc...that's the only thing I replay, gameplay-focused titles.
@Axelay71 You play Shmups? Ever heard of a game called Axelay? You might like it XD
I play games for the story. If I love the story and want to experience it again I will. I am about to do my fourth playthrough TLOU2.
I replay games quite often. There have been plenty of times I find new things on a subsequent play-through.
This is one of the reasons that subscription-based gaming isn't a great fit for me.
I think the only game I've ever replayed was Unchartered 1, when the Unchartered collection came out on PS4 and I went through the whole series all in one go.
Some updates might make me go back and finish off the game, but I will almost never replay a game from the start/ new game +.
I couldn't even bring myself to pick up RuneScape again when they brought out Old School RS which I grew up on. Hell even I even started OG Pokemon's on emulators but just got bored within an hour.
I do not
I rather use my time and money playing something new. Especially if the game is story based and I already know how it will end.
Even if with better graphics or can now play on the Go - still just the same thing. Why I also never buy remakes of games I have finished.
For me, I replay games whether they have good story with great characters (Uncharted 2, Ghost Trick), a good gameplay loop (Dark souls, dragon's dogma), or even both. Although sometimes I replay games just for the art direction and immersive atmosphere, like horror games or indie games with a unique look, no matter how "meh" the gameplay is.
Hard to answer really, there's alot I'd like to replay like witcher 3, some if the Tales games,AC's, Ff's but my problem is I just can't move onto the next area without the current been completed 100%, so games like witcher and assassins creed kill me🤭
I replay games when I enjoy the story, the same way I'd rewatch a movie or TV show. Or games that are special to me in some way.
I just recently replayed the Danganronpa series, and others like my favourite Final Fantasy games and the original Metal Gear Solid I've played more times than I can count.
I think this is easier to understand for older people. When I was a kid you'd go months sometimes without a big game coming out, or one being available since it usually meant waiting for a birthday or Christmas. These days it's definitely more rare to replay games since today good games come out faster than I can play them.
There's many games I'd love to replay and often think about but it's unlikely I will because of how huge my backlog is.
Pretty much every year I end up replaying Kingdom Hearts series. That's 5 different games actually. And then Mario and Pokémon are also series I always go back to another run.
It doesn't really stop at gaming, though. I read the Harry Potter books 5 or 6 times already. I watched My Neighbor Totoro quite a few times since it's a childhood favorite of mine.
I guess some people enjoy repeating what's special to them, while others prefer to always experience something new.
I voted that I never replay games, but by this I mean after I’ve fully finished them. For example, I’m playing the Yakuza series currently, and each games requires at least 2 playthroughs for the platinum, but I don’t consider that replaying the game as I’m going for something new. I’m replaying the story true (although skipping past the cutscenes) but on a higher difficulty and with a previously unreachable goal in mind.
Once I’ve got the plat for them I delete them from the hard drive and will never even consider playing them again. I’ve completely drained them of anything new and I’d much rather play a new game to experience new things and test myself against new challenges.
I kind of don’t get why people don’t realise that every game played again is also a game never played, because time is finite. Perhaps one has to reach a certain age before feeling that. It was the case for me.
The only game to break this pattern in the last couple of decades is Astro Bot rescue Mission, which for me is the greatest platformer since Mario 64 with the most amazing moment to moment experience. That is the exception though.
No I'm the same. It's very rare for me to replay old games. But let's talk more about xbox.🙃
I never replay any games, there is no reason to do that for me. Why to repeat the same, invest time and energy and get the same, what I already experienced? There is a ton of new games... Even when I really love the game, when is finished, I give it immediately to someone, because I really don't need it anymore...
I rarely replay games now, my backlog is just too big, I like to collect platinum for the games I love though
If the plat is good of course, like transistor, god of war, nier automata, etc.
Xbox Series X?! For shame.
🤦
Only kidding but yeah, I replay games and sometimes it's because I can't afford new ones and sometimes it's because I'd rather replay something great than play something new but probably inferior.
Last year I replayed Red Dead Redemption 2 as one playthrough is certainly not enough. Currently I'm repaying Horizon Zero Dawn and having as much fun with it second time round. Questioning why anyone would replay a game they love us as bizarre as questioning why you'd reread a favourite book.
I don't get this article at all, it's yet another example of today's society where people feel the need to try and keep up with what's 'in' and trending high on social media.
Of course many games out there encourage second or more playthroughs, whether that's to see a different outcome, start with a brand new character build or simply to try and get that elusive Platinum trophy.
And sometimes it's because a game is too damned good to merely play once.
I always have an old game on the go. I play an old game whilst playing new releases. This helps to add some variety to my gaming time. I also replay older games on higher difficulties, go for 100% completion or other ways in which the game has yet more to offer.
I personally don't understand why people play a game once for £40 and then don't touch it again.
Soulsborne games are worth replaying. Can’t think of anything else tho.
I have started Fallout 3 the same number of times as the game is in the series... The second time I got about 75% through it, the third about 50%, the first time I just messed about. I wanna finish it but have the same problem, don't like retreading old ground. I have a rule that I replay HD version like Jak HD trilogy or Spyro Reignited (full on remakes) but that's all I do now since my backlog has grown big. Also, I have replayed Mario and the first 3 gens of Pokemon about 3 times. I also replayed RE2 Remake twice for Leon's scenario and Claire's Scnario B, if that counts?
As boring an answer as it may be, with 2 manic little boys I just don’t have the time to replay games - if a platinum requires a full on second play-through then no chance. I get limited game time and I use it to get through as many different games as I can. Now if they’d just make it legal to sell the kids on eBay....
I only own games that I want to replay. Everything else gets resold or rented. I only made the mistake of selling a game I should have kept once...Skies of Arcadia Legends. So much regret. Curse you past me!
Really depends on the game for me. For example, I can't even tell how many times I've beat FF VIII, or the first MGS for the PS1, but for recent games (ie : last and current gen) it's not really something I do often. Unless it's for an achievable Platinum Trophy (Miles Morales, etc) or something that I truly loved. But back in the day I did use to replay games quite more often than I do now. I remember having a friendly competition with my brother during the weekends, we'd time each other to see who could beat MGS faster.
Once I beat a game, I'm done with it (99% of the time). There are too many great games out there, and my backlog is too big to waste time playing a game over again. Variety is the spice of life. Live in the now.
@BloodNinja yes mate one of my favourite shooters ever:)
Why does one play the same game again? Why does one watch the same movie again? Or read the same book again? Or listen to the same album again? Because they are good, that is why.
Our play styles sound very familiar. I rarely play through a game more than once as they bore me once I reach the conclusion.
It’s that way for me playing SNES games I played 25 years ago. I boot them up and it may as well have been the day I quit. It’s the, been there done that feeling.
Hell I’m that way right now, I can’t wait to play all the newest titles. I can’t wait for Ratchet and Clank, Horizon and God of War.
I almost despise GTA Online. I played for a year or so on and off with a buddy and have had 0 desire to touch it again and hearing it’s getting updated vs GTA6 making the news is extremely disappointing.........hell, we should be waiting on GTA 7 by this point.
Edit: I’ve been reading through the comments and I’m definitely different than most of these guys. There is more be guy up above that says he has put in over 5000 hours in Dark Souls, playing ANY game that long would make me want to die.
I would say the same reason people revisit old shows or listen to old songs, it's their favorite or entertaining or both.
I rarely replay games. I think it's because games are a lot of work, and although there are dozens of games I would like to experience again they take a long time and oftem have not aged well. But i don't think the desire of replaying games is any different than researching a TV show, movie or rereading a book. Maybe you want to experience it again with a fresh perspective? Maybe you just love the characters? Maybe it's the nostalgia of the time in your lift you played it the first time? They're all valid reasons.
I've replayed Deus Ex three times, Fallout 3 twice. These are some of my all time favorite games and I can see myself replaying both at least a couple more times. I want to return to the fiction, eventhough both games have A LOT of jank.
But I also want to pose another question: why so we play competitive MP games when it is largely the same experience over and over again? I don't think that experience is totally different (other than the social aspect).
Because if a game was wonderful the first time around, it'll be fun again when revisiting it. Admittedly I've not been replaying games much recently just because there's too many unplayed games I'd like to try.
@Axelay71 The music that came out of that game was stunning, and amazing considering the hardware it ran on! It's easily one of the best shooters available, I recommend it to all my friends that play shmups.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrWp4taT4yI&list=PLACBAB356CA642844&index=6&ab_channel=SNESMD16-OST
Easily the best song, SO GOOD
NINJA APPROVED
Grand theft auto is my most replay series.its crazy how many times i replay them .and when i do replay them i always find something new that i didn't see the first time.plus its addictive just like god of war.word up son
I would like to replay games but because of a huge backlog and time which is scarcer nowadays it's almost not possible. I would love to play some games again but then I think yeah but I have to finish that first which results in not wanting to play the game I should finish first pfff
The most replayed games of mine are the Mass Effect trilogy, Dragon Age Origins, KOTOR 1, FF9 & Dishonored
I don't replay games like I used to now that I buy more games than when my parents bought them for me lol. Nowadays, I prefer to get to all the new experiences I haven't played yet as fast as I can. But occasionally, I'll replay any old game that comes to mind, on the side along with any new game I'm playing. And it's literally just because I remember how fun it was
Or if a game needs multiple playthroughs to get the plat, then I'll play it again right then and there to get it. That's pretty much it
I don't often replay games and when I do it's short ones like Resident Evil titles.
There's plenty I'd like to experience again but I try to stay disciplined to trying new ones and working through the backlog.
Funny that Liam mentioned Fallout 3. I enjoyed FO3 a lot (years ago) and I started FO4 a few months ago. It felt like I was replaying FO3, so similar the early game is. So I actually abandoned it, just felt like repeating the same experience. No doubt I missed out on some good stuff later in FO4, so will try again one day.
I guess you've never watched a movie twice either
I've only replayed games that i can go though with different play styles, such as Fallout 3, Dragon Age, etc
Played Oblivion loads, wish they had trophy patch for it, i would have gone back to it again.
And also for trophy purposes, if i'm going for the plat.
Playing through linear games such as Uncharted are pointless to me, like you say too many more games to play.
Games that can be different everytime are worth it.
@deathaxe Yes, I means replay games lol
I never replay games. Life is to short.
It really does depend on the game for me. I tend to live in these worlds and milk a lot out of my time with them so I am generally a one and done type of gamer though there are exceptions to every rule.
As long as I feel there is something to glean from the experience, I can enjoy replaying a game. This doesn’t happen particularly often though.
The question this article is getting at sounds to me more like, “what is your motivation for playing games?” That is a personal question and there is no shame in each individual approach. This comments thread is a treasure trove of excellent perspectives. Interesting topic!
I only replay games that are designed to be replayed, but those games are my favorite. Diablo, Nioh, and Monster Hunter World are some games that come to mind as having excellent replay value based on their character progression models. I never replay games that are based primarily on story.
Generally, I play a game once to its completion. That being said, there are numerous games I have played through because I have them on a different platform - either same generation (like PS4 and XB1 versions) or multi-generational (like remasters/remakes, enhanced BC games etc).
Last gen, I replayed games like Tomb Raider, Uncharted 1, 2, 3 etc because they offered a tangible upgrade over my first play through. I also replayed through games like the Witcher 3 and both DLC's, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Mass Effect: Andromeda etc too because I owned these on both Xbox and PS4.
Part of the reason I didn't mind replaying these over just replaying a game like God of War or Horizon: Zero Dawn for example is because those games also come with a 'new' set of Trophies/Achievements to go for. The big appeal of enhanced BC games is the way they look and/or play now. It just makes the game a lot more enjoyable to play.
I must admit, that I do tend to play 'new' (at least new to me - even if the game is old) rather than play something I have already beaten once. I don't tend to replay games with multiple endings because I make the decision I think I would the first time. I got the ending that my decisions dictate and tend to make the same decisions again because that's how I think I (or my character) would decide. I don't need to see what impact decisions I wouldn't make end up doing.
There is always so much in my backlog that I could play for years without replaying anything. That being said, some games were 'great' and much better than anything I have in my backlog - with 'enhancements' (better visuals, performance and/or loading times), trophy/achievements to get etc there are times when I want something 'familiar' but improved and/or something to play for more than I want something 'new'.
I’ve replayed some games 30-40 times. Maybe more... usually the single player ones with great plot/gameplay.
I’ve even watched other people playing old games on YouTube. And I have loads of game soundtracks, which I listen to regularly.
To me, it’s no different than watching my favourite movies again and again.
But I do know people who won’t even watch a movie more than once... never understood it.
I can definitely see myself replaying quite a few PS4 games on the PS5 (when I get one). Especially if they have new trophy lists.
@BloodNinja totally agree mate, the snes is still amazing to me, and Axelay. Check out Macross on the snes another fantastic game, stunning visuals and sound.
I usually replay games when I run into a apathy wall while playing a new game and I don’t wanna start something else from my backlog. I just end up combing through my trophy list looking for the achievable platinum.
@TheFrenchiestFry Are those games on Switch?
I replay games when I want to go back to the world or story that I loved so much. I don't know how many times I've returned to Hyrule, it's a wonderful place.
@Col_McCafferty I understand where you are coming from but wanted to shed light on why some of us don’t want to replay games.
For me, I very rarely replay games. I think The Lion King on the Sega Master System when I was 6yrs old and Final Fantasy VII in my teens is the exception.
Every other game, including Horizon Zero Dawn and Zelda Breath of the Wild which I consider two of my favourites of all time I wouldn’t think of restarting again. (On the latter, my kids playing them in front of me is enough to give me that nostalgic kick and I get to run around on their saves to show them things occasionally).
I’m also the same with books and movies. As a child and teenager I always rewatched/replayed/reread things, but as an adult I just don’t have the time.
I’m not trying to keep up with the trends. I play old games that I’ve not played before (or started and never finished) or I play current games that I want to play. I’ve only got one platinum in my adult life (HZD) and don’t aim to get any others unless the game fully captures me like that game did and I didn’t want the experience to end. But once the credits rolled and I had the platinum I felt like my time with the game came to an end. And just so you know, my play through of that game took about 6 months as I mixed other games in while playing it to spread it longer in my memory and also because I have limited play time.
We are all different. Some have the time to put 50 hours a week into games. I have about 10. And those hours are spent on the games I want to play, most of the time I’m playing something 2-3 years old as I never play games on release and I take it at my own pace. If I’m not feeling a game I won’t finish it and don’t feel bad about that either.
I think I would like to replay some games again, the three I have mentioned for sure, but there are also far too many games that’s want to play but I haven’t played, and likely won’t play, because I don’t have the time to play them all.
i generally don't replay games, though i never get rid of them. i'll sometimes replay if it's for an achievable platinum (last of us 2, miles morales) and it's not too long (i struggle to persist once through games that are excessively long). sometimes, i even go months not playing anything, rather than replay old games.
slightly different angle is that sometimes i will try to go back to a game i didn't finish for one reason or another and give it another go.. but this almost always gives the same impression as the article's. for example, a few months ago i tried to go back to mass effect: andromeda.. basically thought it was s*** at the time of its release, but wondered maybe if i'd been a bit harsh on it and revisit it. it was a mistake, 90 mins later, i'm questioning my sanity.. it's still dreadful.
Back in the 90s I used to replay games many, many times. Fast forward to now and I rarely do, though I often wish that I did. There's always something new worth playing, which is why I tend not to go back. I always think of the mythical point in the future when the backlog will be clear and I'll go back to some favourites.
The exception is Doom which I must have completed 100s of times since the 90s. I did a run of episode 1 just last week.
Great topic and I agree with it 100%! I've never replayed a game. Once I finish it I put it on the shelf where it sits and collects dust (unless it has a multiplayer feature that I like). I've tried to replay some of my favorites, but after an hour or two I just get bored. Weird because I rewatch my favorite tv shows and movies all the time, sometimes daily! Just doesn't make sense to me to replay something I've already invested a ton of time into.
Because my memory sucks! To be fair, I have to really like a game to replay it, and its always a year or two after first playing it.
Me replaying games tends to be rare and isolated to a certain series of games I get attached to.
Final Fantasy, Metal.Gear, Silent Hill, GTA all series of games I have replayed a few times.
These days I do that much less but thats down to free time.
Sometimes for nostalgia.
Usually for trophies.
Another reason I'm replaying games? I have to!
I don't have a PS5 yet so there are games I currently own (Final Fantasy VII, Control) that I won't play on my base PS4. There are games out there I want to buy (AC Valhalla, Cyberpunk) that again I'm waiting to play on PS5.
Plus, what amazing games have come out this year that are actually must play? None spring to mind so maybe some people prefer new stuff for the sake of it but I prefer the known over the unknown. Also, I don't have unlimited funds so when I buy a game it has to be something I believe I'll truly enjoy rather than just take a punt on something.
And lastly, replaying a game, rereading a book (Lord of the Rings for me, maybe a dozen times....at least), watching a TV series again, sometimes you can get more out of the experience second time round.
I don't think there's any right or wrong way to go about things but I don't think people that replay games should be poorly judged nor seen as strange. It's obviously a lot more common practice than some might think.
Some great games are mental drugs. There are few games that brings me addiction.
Diablo, Diablo 2, Diablo 3, Final Fight, Golden Axe, Xcom 1, Xcom 2, Painkiller and Guitar Hero/Rockband.
These games literally my drug. Every month I have so intense need to play one of these I can almost taste their colors on tip of my tongue, memories flash in my brain, hands are shaking in need of it. It is kind of mind torture if I cannot sit and play it immediately. I replay games just to see those flashing lights again and to feel that fear of enemies in them.
edit: Of course Guitar Hero and Rockband I replay because I love music.
@Axelay71 Definitely, thanks!
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I rarely replay games. Some of the best ones I will replay years later if I have the time. I've done this with some Final Fantasy games, the Uncharted series, Spider-Man, God Of War and maybe a few others.
I'm also aware that there people replaying some games on a regular basis and I find it a little curious
My god where do I start??? Mass effect trilogy + all dlc dragon age as well at least 6 playthroughs. dishonored keep trying to do high chaos then keep ninja-ING my way through ghost n clean handing it. Resi2+3 remake gotta get them s+ ranks dead space 1n2 prob 4 or 5 runs. Witcher 3 my m8 takes piss outta me every time he sees my profile playing witcher 3 Just done original splinter cell again, dark souls, bloodborne, sekiro the surge and nioh feels like every day with my morning brew n cig 🤫🤫 what else..... Assassins Creed entire series from 1 to the newest every year Dad of War twice xcom ew +2 just can't help it sum games just need 2 be replayed love that feeling when ya spot something you missed or forgot haha 😂😂
When I was a kid I would replay games 2 or 3 times and still have time for new ones. I think I played Uncharted trilogy some 6 or 7 times.
Nowadays it's impossible. Even games I love like Ghost of Tsushima, Tlou 2, are hard to replay, cause I don't have time for that + new releases. Nowadays I replay games before a sequel comes out or something like that
I don’t understand this either. I will replay if I never finished. If it’s been a long time from starting to picking it back up, I will probably start at beginning again. However, I have never replayed a game that I finished.
I don’t consider arcade games as replaying them. They are meant to be played over and over. So fighting games or anything in the like is not a replay.
I'll replay a game if there is another platinum to be had in a remaster or upgrade. Other than that ff7 and san andreas are the only games i've replayed often.
It's resident evil's 25th anniversary so I am replaying the original trilogy on livestream. I love the series and would happily replay these games any time apart from 6
If we're honest, only a quarter of the games we play are truly "good" on a level that they're an important experience to us for whatever reason. I don't mean "TLoU emotional roller coaster" important, I mean just important for whatever reason. Most games just aren't worth replay. Truthfully most of them aren't worth a first play, but they're fun throwaway fun. But really good ones that wow us or make us think or are just such intoxicating fun are worth replaying. If FFVII weren't worth replaying we wouldn't have a "new" remake of it. Same with Demon's Souls. Fallout 3 is unique in many ways, it's worth revisiting that. Many RPGs fall into that category, and sometimes just a great feeling game to play like R&C PS4 or the Doom games is worth it. And of course, for the Nintendo fans, Nintendo knows that we all want to play the same games every 6 years for 30 years, at full price each time..... And Kudos to you, Liam for being brave enough to admit playing anything on XSX on this site, let alone officially. If you need witness protection, well, we understand.
For some reason I often replay the longest games with the biggest worlds. Just finished AC Origins again after whizzing through just the story on new game plus. It's a bit rubbish doing it that way.
If I replay a game again it’s mostly because a new version has come out with a new trophy list. I’ve played South Park: The Stick of Truth on both the PS3 and PS4 for example.
Sometimes I replay games (mainly old favorites) but it has certainly lessened overall.
Back when I was younger I could only get so many games a year so I had to play the same games over and over. These days I'm only limited by time (and sometimes just wanting to do other stuff)
I enjoy having a basically infinite backlog of games, even if a lot of new games aren't really doing it for me as much anymore it seems like there is basically an endless suply of obscure JRPGs and stuff on systems like the SNES, PS1, PS2, DS & PC just today I found out about a game called Stella Deus on the PS2 and that one looks like I would really like
Every now and then I replay ALL Castlevania (metroidvania) games. Why? Because they are the best games in the damn world!
The have I replayed the most... The order 1886. No shame whatsoever!
My most played games of the past year are all games I replayed.
It’s the reason people eat the same food over and over or watch the same movies multiple times. There’s only so much available that’s going to interest the average person they’ll always gravitate back to what they like best 🤷
Currently I mainly play single player story games, so don't have time or inclination to replay. I'm currently playing Witcher 3 and certainly see the potential to replay, if I ever had lots of free time. Same with TLOU on another difficulty level. Tangentially, I'd love to play old PS1 games that I've played and been have since been redone, like RE 1, 2 and 3.. and I plan to do so!
You've kinda answered your own question here.
You've already admitted to replaying TLOU2 three times. Why bother with the second and third run if you have already experienced it?, because you enjoyed it.
There's more to unpack here. Games by design are repetitive, repeat the same gameplay loop over and over. MP games will see players play the game maps and modes repeated for years. Speed runners will play the same game endlessly on repeat for months. There's also a know psychological effect where rewatching a show, or replaying a game, can have a relaxing affect on a human. Because you know the outcome, because it's familiar, it's considered safe and is a great way to destress. We really could write entire essays about this subject.
For me, it's the whole "Even if I know the newer title isn't anywhere near as good" line that gets me. I'd rather play something that excites me, or that I really enjoy, even if it is for the 100th time. It's when I get a new game that doesn't excite me that has me question "why am I even doing this?" why waste time on something not fun, just because it's new?
This weekend, Push Square posted an article about about Cory Barlog not knowing what he was doing during God Of War 2 production and linked the making of the doc along with it. Fast forward a few days later and I’m almost done playing it on my PS5 thru PSNow. This experience has reminded of how incredibly epic that game was at the time and still is, gameplay wise. It does makes me want a modern remake tho.
It completely depends on the game, the first time I played the last of us was the only time until I finished TLOU2, the story was so good in the first one I just didn’t feel like I ever had to do it again. The sequel gave me the bug for it and I went back to play the original, and it was amazing to go back through the lens of someone who has grown 7 years.
Something like Skyrim or fallout 3 though, the general paths are the same but I’ve been back to those games so many times and every time I’ve gone back it’s felt new because you can choose so many different ways to play.
It's about nostalgia as much as anything, especially when the games are older like NES, SNES, era. They take me back in time to better days. There are a lot of games you can play over and make different decisions too. And there are a few games I loved so much I bought them for different systems. Getting all the achievements again is fun for me too.
Hi there fellow gamers.
Very interesting topic indeed.
I actualy replay games fairly often. Why? Because I enjoyed them so much, that I just had to had another go, either to experience the awesome combat, or the phenomenal soundtrack or the amazing level design or the engrossing storytelling that captivated me the first time and still does.
Just to give some examples:
And so on. But I do have some examples of games I´ve only played once, maybe because I didn´t like them as much or because I got so emotional by them that i just can´t go trough it again.
Some examples of games I could only finish once:
Sure, maybe I´m a old(35 years old) sentimental fool, but MGS is still my number one favourite franchise and Solid Snake is also my favourite videogame character and seeing his last big mission unfold and ending was........ Quite something indeed.
Hope I was able to get my reasons to come trough.
Cheers, stay safe and happy gaming to us all
I have nothing against replaying games, there are plenty I want to experience again. However, for me it's just a matter of limited time, and I'd generally rather use that time to experience something new.
I definitely replay games all the time, often for a variety of reasons. Ranging from them being games I enjoyed enough to replay to wanting to give a game that didn't grab me another chance. With retro games, they weren't generally made to be completed a single time. They were meant to be played over and over again until you got good at them. With modern games I admit there's less incentive to replay many of them (time investment being one reason) but I still replay many of those as well. With games today having so much added content via patches it's not unusual for me to jump back into a game to check out what changed. Games like RE2 Remake are obviously meant to be replayed while something like The Last of Us doesn't offer as many incentives to replay it. Sometimes you invest so much time into a game that you become extremely skilled at it or familiar with it. I often replay games during a new release drought or while waiting anxiously on something to come out. Sometimes I'll try out new strategies or just do things differently on another playthrough. I've replayed Persona 5 about 3 times now and I'll often try new things to make the game more challenging or see what new ways I can find to break the difficulty. Maybe try out other party members.
With backlogs and everything though I get why some gamers don't replay things. Some people don't mind dumping hours and hours into a game they've already beaten and some would rather play something else, and that's fine. I'm constantly looking to try out new games as well, but sometimes it's nice to pick and play a familiar game.
I have pretty much the same experience as you, Liam. I think trophies have something to do with it - I'm used to getting rewards and there are none for a second playthrough. When I'm "done"with most games, I'm done with them (though I do like to collect physical copies).
However, I recently replayed Demon's Souls because I was excited for the remake, and I'm currently replaying Horizon: Zero Dawn. Horizon has some good DLC I've never played, but I'm still playing the whole thing. As far as I can tell, these two games have one major thing in common - the second-to-second combat gameplay is extremely engaging and organic. They're just fun to play!
Games with relatively bland combat/gameplay would not be appealing to replay. I can't imagine replaying an Assassin's Creed, for example, because I might as well play a newer one if I wanted that gameplay experience.
Years ago I remember someone at IGN (was it Greg Miller?) said they played Super Mario 1 every week. I thought "that is super weird."
Some games, especially with RPG elements are worth going through again with a different character build and a different approach.
The only games I replay from time to time are some 16 bit and GBA favorites.
Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Zero Mission, A Link to the Past.
Other than those 4, I don’t really replay games all that much. I am replaying Breath of the Wild but that’s the first 3D game I’ve really replayed in a long time. Not since New Vegas when I did four back to back play throughs.
Why do i replay games? Well its like why i drink beer, sleep till noon sometimes, eat burgers and fries, watch Soprano reruns, ect, ect, ect. Simply because i wish to do so.
The only games I have ever played multiple times to through are streets of rage, golden axe and the last of us. I'm holding out for a ps5 upgrade for a second last of us 2 playthrough. I couldn't bear to sell rd2 when I finished it but equally, now I can't imagine replying it. When the gta v and mass effect remasters drop, I could see myself playing them.
While playing Fallout 4 I often felt like I was replaying Fallout 3...
It's hard enough keeping up with all the new games that come out, I wouldn't make time to play games I've already finished before.
Maybe when I retire lol
You know, i often think about this. I used to replay games all of the time back on my mega drive - all the way through to the PS2 era. Games were either shorter and lent themselves to being replayed or there were a number of other reasons:
1. Time. I am now married with kids. I dont have time to play games the way i used to. Back in the day i would play all day, giving me more opportunities to replay titles
2. Money. In the past, i didnt have money to spend on new releases, so i would replay old games until i was gifted, or could borrow, a new one
3. There were not as many games in the past as there are now, meabing my embarrassing backlog didnt exist back then. And without the internet, there was less temptation to pick up the next big release before spoilers leaked out etc.
Now its very rare i replay a game. It has to be something special (Persona 5) or i need to be mopping up some left over trophies for the platinum. I resent feeling forced to replay a game though. I was very unimpressed by the trophy on Miles Morales which required the game be beaten on new game plus!
Honestly, whilst i would like to revisit some games on my shelf, my backlog is just too long, that i feel like i am missing the opportunity to shrink that pile if i am replaying a game.
Most replays I do are typically because I missed something. At present, I have returned to Yakuza 0 the other day to finish up the completition list and consequently the platinum trophy (Batting and Climax battles, I can see stopping me from that), then I will be replaying the story on Legend difficulty. Currently at 96%.
Outside of unfinished business, I typically replay games that I hold dear to me. Zelda games like the N64 titles and a Link to the Past get replayed purely because I enjoy them so much that I find it relaxing for the most part. Other games I return to on a whim, normally because something causes me to remember specific moments from the game. Then I guess I get all nostalgic for thise previous experiences.
I’m currently playing Black Ops 3 lol so it’s safe to say I go back and replay games.
I havent replayed games a lot lately because i dont have too much spare time.
@Rob_230 Same here i hate too play a game a second time for a trophy so i most of the time i wont bother or i really have too like the game.
It's simple; same way you might feel it's a waste of time to replay games it's the same way I feel it's a waste of time playing a new inferior game instead of replaying a classic one for the 5th time. There's been a lot of times instead of buying new games I just REbought classics like Dishonored DE, BioShock Collection, Skyrim etc.
I used to replay games all the time, but now I struggle too. When I was a kid I didn't have that many games (lies I just had more time, the pool of games I had was indeed smaller than I do now but looking back it was a lot)
My current backlog is sitting at 30 with a bunch of new games I'm looking forward too as well. Combine that with finishing my Masters it will be a long time before I get caught up.
I just restarted Skyrim when I have a backlog longer than my unsent christmas card list
This article is my sentiments exactly. I hardly ever replay games because I feel a draw to continue to try the mountains of new games out there. I had to set a specific goal this year to play some of my old favorites again because I feel the pressure to do so.
So far I’ve replayed Uncharted Drake’s Fortune, which I hadn’t played since early PS3. It was really fun, and I do see some of the allure. I’m going to finish replaying 2 & 3. I’ll probably replay the Mass Effect games when the PS4 edition releases. Also considering replay of the MGS series. But it’s not my natural inclination to play games again
As a general rule No. I will for some for trophies or added free content at a later date. Sometimes I will play through a game 2-3 time while i am playing it like all w characters on Cyberpunk 2077. I don't count that as replaying because I never stopped playing it.
I also play quite a few remasters and remakes I don't think of that as replaying a game. Most of them are stand alone games with a new trophy list. I have 3,000 hours in No Mans Sky, I go back to it every time a new patch comes out with added content.
It usually takes 5 - 10 years before I'm interested in picking a game back up after fully experiencing it. Although I'm usually too invested in new experiences to bother.
Not entirely sure why I don't just buy all of my games physically and re-sell them after beating them, given my gaming habits.
I tend to replay games like diablo 3 which are pretty much never ending (they just get harder),nex machina,resogun...any games with local 2 player (fifa,pga2k21)..any single player games where a platinum is within my realistic range will get replayed..my main issue is time constraints being a key worker and in full time and overtime conditions,the golf course about to re-open (yay) and rediscovering my bass guitar again after a long hiatus...where do i start?
I will sometimes finish a game then pick it up and play straight afterwards (TLOU, Hollow Knight and lots more). Sometimes games are made to be replayed in a lot of ways. Sometimes it is nostalgia. I loved going back to Gun last year on the 360 and I replay Super Metroid yearly on different platforms.
It is the same with films. I'll happily rewatch a film several times. Often there are different things to appreciate.
I think the media (no offense) and FOMO culture is what makes it seem weird. We have to be on the new big thing all the time and don't necessarily appreciate what laid the path before it.
That said, I'm weird. I don't see the appeal of MP games that people put thousands of hours into. Give me a bit of SMB3 any time.
I am one of those folks who finds games that they really like and plays them to death. I put about 2000 hours into both Oblivion and Skyrim, almost the same into Fallout 3. I also play live service games, so must have put enormous amounts of time into Destiny 1 & 2 and ESO. Am currently on my 4th character running through Dark Souls Remastered, which I picked up in the sale recently. So, yeah, I'm a serial replayer
I hardly ever replay games these days, when I was younger and couldn't afford to go out and buy what I wanted I did more. Interestingly though I do replay Zelda (Link to the Past) Pilot Wings & Super Mario World on the Switch every now and then but that is purely nostalgia. Unless a game I like requires a second playthrough for the platinum I don't bother these days, the backlog is too big and so many great games keep coming out I struggle for the time to go backwards.
Does it count as replaying when you play the game again but have a different character to do it with? I'm thinking RPGs where you create a new character with different abilities and you choose some different game decisions and NPC interactions?
@Rudy_Manchego I completely agree, got to play what's trending, what's being hyped as the Next Big Thing (usually a multiplayer game though), what has just came out. Replaying a game, even a great game? What's the point in that!
The irony is there gave a few on here, including the writers, bemoaning what a quiet year it has been, how few actual essential titles have been released. It's not as if every week a AAA masterpiece or Indie gem comes out. Why not replay something you loved first time round?
Nobody's saying you have to just replay games (at some point you played it for the first time after all) and forget new experiences, it's good to mix up both.
Again, there's no right or wrong way to play. It's up to you what you prefer. Please don't make out though that replaying a favourite game is weird, to me it's more weird that someone wouldn't.
I almost never replay games once I'm done with them for good. There's so much out there I want to play, and I complete everything I start to boot. Simply not enough time to look back and reiterate instead of trying out new things.
More than the lack of time, I just don't get that much out of experiencing the same things again. The only times when I replay stuff is when it comes to beloved games I hadn't touched in a decade or more. Tales of Symphonia, the Zelda franchise and some Fire Emblem games. That's about it.
Fromsoftware.
Enough said.
By the time I reach the end of most games, I am desperate to try something new. This is mainly due to not having much time to game and it takes me ages to finish a game, so i'm dying to try something else. However, there's quite a few games i'd happily play several times. FF7, FF9, Dying Light, The Elder Scrolls games, Detroit Become Human, to name a few. Most of these are because they have great storylines and are great games, games like D:BH have multiple choices and will chance the game significantly based on decisions, so i'm not playing the same game twice.
I would very unlikely play a platformer again once i've completed it. Unless it is to 100% it.
I am likely goiong to replay Fallout 4 or Skyrim soon as well, if they eventually get 60FPS on PS5. I would play them on the xbox but I already own both on PS and looking to get rid of gamepass (for the reason mentioned in the first sentence, I don't have time to play often, so we're talking 1 game in a month maybe longer, so game pass is a bit of a waste of money for me)
@ShogunRok I have to agree with Journey. That’s such a masterpiece for me that I have replayed it at least 40 times since it’s original release and I still get goosebump in the big finale.
I rarely ever sit through cut scenes, let alone replay a game if I've finished it (which isn't very often)!
There's not enough hours in the day to replay stuff again. Same with films or TV shows. So much new content every 5 minutes, I can't rewatch stuff.
@Col_McCafferty Yes it's actually weird to me if you don't replay games when games these days have different playstyles, different story paths depending on decisions and different endings. I pray Devs NEVER see comments and articles like these and dumb games down back to the 90s when games were so linear, straightforward and extremely short there was no point replaying.
@Col_McCafferty I fully agree and there are some titles that are almost evergreen too. BOTW, Hollow Knight, Skyrim, any From Soft game all have loyal communities and still get good views etc. I think more should be done to reflect on great past games and review the history. Retro gaming has never been more popular.
I mostly replay if trophies or platnium requiers it. Or sometimes nostalgia and this combined with great gunplay and action like the uncharted series. Oh and also if it’s great games as mentioned and they’re being remastered.
A lot of people here have never played VtmB and it shows 😉
To be slightly more serious, some games just have a mood that I enjoy hanging out in. Often it'll be the music or the animation style, or dialogue. Having a story that responds to your choices helps too, but I'm starting to think that's less important than I used to think, as there are countless games that look on paper like I'd enjoy a replay, but bore me quickly.
This is a great topic! I thought I would replay games all the time so I bought (luckily on sale) some of the best games TLoU, GoW, HZD, Uncharted4, MGSV but found out I dont really enjoy replaying them.
I totally loved all of them but replaying seem like a speed run with motivation lacking. When there is a boring passage i tend to quit and never come back again.
Knowing this I don't really want to buy games again but only get PS+ and wait for great titles to be added. And as I recently saw with FF7 or Control, even new titles can be added without waiting for too long.
I often reply series before the newest games comes out like lets say Assassins Creed though i didnt last year before Valhalla that reminds me i should really get though Odyssey at some point. Also i am currently replying resident Evil 7 biohazard before Resident Evil Village hits.
I Also like to reply games on certain video game days like The Last Of Us Outbreak day or Mass Effect N7 days.
Generally, single player, offline RPGs make up the bulk of my gaming time. A lot of the time, I'll buy a game at release, play it through as I would with my own personality making the choices, and complete it. And then a year later, I'll buy all of the DLC, and do a second playthrough making all of the "best" choices to get the best ending, often as a different character the second time through.
And of course there's the fact that there are fewer and fewer games I like being made these days, so I get bored and need to replay other ones.
@ShogunRok you need to also get your soapbox out questioning Why folk like @LiamCroft also repeatedly replay the same gameplay loop of Online multiplayers for hours like CoD Warzone 😆
@TheArt I'm surprised it took someone this long to bring the point up! Warzone may always have the same map, but the loot and players are different every time. I thoroughly enjoy that aspect — it does feel like a slightly different match every time.
It's the nostalgia and the sheer enjoyment of replaying favourite games from younger days for me. (and the occasional challenge of trying to Platinum them)
Dishonored series
Bioshock series
The Witcher 3
GTA IV
Arkham series
Currently on my second playthrough of RDR2!
Ghosts of Tsushima next
I replay games all the time because I always find something new, I always learn something more about myself and why I love them. You can't take everything in on a first playthrough (same goes for reading books or watching movies/TV shows). There are elements of foreshadowing you don't catch, references you don't recognizes, thematic cohesion that you don't quite notice on a first playthrough, without the benefit of hindsight.
But there's more to it than that. Here are some logical reasons why some people would enjoy replaying games:
1) Player choice. Not just dialogue and story choices, but even just gameplay choices. Challenge runs, switch up your game style, speed-running, going for a perfect run, or just trying new options in games that give you tons of options that you can't fully explore in a single playthrough.
2) Analysis. For story, gameplay, world design, level design, game design, and more, if you are interested in learning about a craft, analyzing an existing work is a really good exercise. And you can't learn everything about it and fully understand it from just a single once-through.
3) You just love it. You don't get sick of it, you don't get tired of it. Revisiting this story or this experience is like spending time with your best friends, with your favorite family members, with the people you love most in the places you love most. It's comfort food, or it's a guilty pleasure, or it's a profound, powerful experience that moves you every single time without fail. There are games, books, movies, shows like that for everyone. Some have a lot, some have just one, but there's something that hits that note for everyone.
4) It's cheaper! Trying to keep up with new games, only ever playing new games, that gets freaking expensive. Replaying is the frugal option
Not saying the author SHOULD replay games or enjoy it. But understanding why others enjoy things that you don't, or why they behave or live in ways that you don't, can be really instructive and broaden your view and perspective of the world, so I always love to explore why people are different from me. I hope these explanations make sense to those who aren't big replayers.
I am playing read dead 2 again, there is a ton of stuff I missed on. My first play through. I would be embarrassed to say how many times I’ve played bioshocks trilogy
@nessisonett Silent Hill 2. What an experience.
@deathaxe it's one of them games I keep getting recommended to play and it ticks all the boxes. I'm 75% total completion through RDR2 this time around so it won't be long until I'm slicing people up left right and centre!
@Mayhemlikeme I totally relate to the bioshock replays. Would you kindly re-install the trilogy
@LiamCroft So you see. It's the same thing with games these days, different playstyles and story paths offering different playthroughs. You're missing A LOT with just one playthrough.
ive only ever replayed one game and thats TLoU only because part 2 was due out so i wanted to refresh myself with #1.
I replay old games more than I play new ones if I'm honest.
Not that I don't love a new game, don't get me wrong, but there are a couple of reasons for it I think:
Reason 1 is the simplest: time. My current job is exceptionally demanding and I, an all-or-nothing obsessive, am arse deep in it at pretty much all times. Even when I'm not there I'm still checking my emails, or Trello, or getting pestered to Zoom. This same obsessiveness is why I can't let myself get invested in new games right now - back in those hazy days of 2011 I quit a job to play Skyrim because it sucked me in so hard. It was a ***** job, but still x_x I'm 10 years older now and my job is no longer *****, not saying I'll do that again, but I really can't promise myself that I won't spend one too many nights up too late, or that my work won't suffer for it.
Secondly, and honestly this is a bit difficult to admit: old games are, I genuinely think, the closest feeling I will ever get to going "home". My actual home was not a place I will ever get sentimental about for reasons. I managed to pull together enough money for a secondhand PS2 and a handful of games as a teenager and those same few old games played on repeat were my escape. I was living in my head, entirely absorbed by them, ignoring the ***** fire happening around me. I wasn't much better off in my 20's as you might imagine - such teens generally do not set a person up with a great starting salary - so I did it again, PS3 this time. Sometimes, when life gets unpleasant again now, and I just need some comfort, some familiarity, to go on autopilot for a bit, whatever you want to call it, I don't call my mother, she's a dick. I don't have a partner - I'm a dick. On goes Oblivion, Mass Effect, Shadow Hearts, Final Fantasy 10, etc. I've given up on chastising myself for being a weirdo at this point, it's just what works.
I only replay a game if new story content has been added (FF7R Intergrade or TLOU Remastered), if I've never beaten the story before, or if the Platinum is easy enough to achieve thru a second QUICKER playthrough.
@playthedangame yeah, it's exactly that.
I mostly agree that it's the "finding out what's next' that drives me through games - and books, and series - so once I know the answer, the drive is pretty much gone. But sometimes it was so good I feel like it would be a waste to only experience it once. Have you ever re-read a book and been like "OH WOW! I never realised [this thing] the first time, because I didn't know (XYZ) at the time and wasn't looking for it. But now I see it!"? Well same thing. (For me, at least.)
@RaZieLDaNtE YES! MGS III <3
Also, more time than I care on Streets of Rage 2 (and now 4). But I don't think arcade-type games count! (At least, that's what I'm telling myself)
My double playthrough list is short though.
(I didn't have a PS3, hence the massive gap! Haha)
Great topic @_liaam__
I used to replay games all the time when I was a kid and at college as well. However, now I'm an adult and I can buy new games whenever I want, I rarely (if ever) replay any games.
There's too many new and amazing games coming out all the time to waste the few hours I get each week to play an old one.
I've replayed quite a number of games a ridiculous amount of times. Like DMC series, at least a few of them over 10 playthroughs (DMC3, DMC5, DmC).
Most of the Visceral games about 6 playthroughs or more, it just depends, some can just quick that I just immediately want to go back and do it all over again.
@superUNIT9 Hi there friend.
MGS3 is my favourite MGS game right after MGS1.
Such an amazing game. Love the setting and the Boss fights.
Funny story, the very first time I played the game I had to travel for a week or so and left the game just when I was fighting The End. Imagine my surprised pikachu face when the game says to Snake that my opponent died from old age. I literally laughed my face off when that happened.
Then the second time, I killed him using a sniper when he was on the wheelchair. And I laughed again. I only fought him the right way on my third time. I love that game so much.
And that ending man..... Gosebumps all over.
The Streets of Rage series are some of the very best arcade classic games I´ve played for hours and hours on my Sega Megadrive(Genesis)
And I really like ST4 on PC. It´s so good. I just wish they would have given us the newer versions of Max and Shiva. And maybe some new characters, like that cop lady. I actually thought she would be an unblockable character. Oh well.
Cheers, stay safe and have a good one
I regularly return to my favourite games, I still play through Devil May Cry 1 (the first game I ever completed on PS2!) and Resident Evil 4. Uncharted 1-4 get regular playthroughs too and I still have a Gameboy Advance I often use! To me returning to my favourite games is comforting, like hanging out with old friends.
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