Replayability

[RogerWho]

It seems to be a general consensus that if a game has more collectibles, or skills that can vary your character, or dialog choices, or some other sort of choices, then the game has more replayability than one that's more linear.

 

And I find that just weird. For me, a game to have replayability it only needs to be good. Just like I can re-watch a movie or re-read a book that doesn't change, I'll replay a game that I liked even if it's strictly linear just because I want to experience it again.

 

So I wonder why games are treated differently. Is it because they're more expensive so people want to resale them? Or do people get bored with games more easily? Or because the games are longer so if you are going to spend 20-120 hours in a game it better provide something new this time around? Or because you just like collecting stuff?

 

The only case where I personally think something 'extra' helps replayability are the Game+ modes but in that case I find that's more to the detriment to the first playthrough. I want the cool stuff from the beginning, while many games make you start with crappy weapons, crappy powers, crappy everything. Want the good stuff from the beginning? Play again in G+.

 

And then there's multiplayer... Again something I don't give a toss about but many people won't buy a game without it.

 

So, I'm curious what replayability means for different people.

Edited November 25, 2014 by RogerWho

[Algonquin Assassin]

To me "replay-ability" simply means a game I have no issue playing through again. Like watching a movie I enjoyed again and again.

[Osho]

The number of creative opportunities to replay a section of the game differently, letting you use the freedom to its fullest extent when you encounter them and act as rewarding based on how you perceived ( more non-linear factors than linear ) this possibility; so that the actual outcome isn't exactly the same ( scripted ), but they provide more varied gameplay.

Here's what I don't consider part of the "replayability":

- Collectibles

- Featuring more repetitive fetch quests

- Mini-games

- Emptiness; lack of good content relative to the scale of the game world. The detailed environments limited only to immerse the players, and no significant amount of variety of missions, and creative scenarios for you to "play out"

- Shorter single-player and more bigger, focused multiplayer.

- Hand-holding through all the unnecessary 'on screen' prompts, markers, instructions, etc.

[ClaudeSpeed1911]

I find RTS games good for Replayability.

 

Take Red Alert games for example, When I played Red Alert 2 I played the Conquast mode alot after finishing the story and It was the unpredictable enemies that made me play it more than once.

 

Some games that have a good mechanics but almost no extras may be good as well, Driver 1 had a difficult mission for me as a kid but the driving was so good that I played the game alot even now. Max Payne 3 was also a game I enjoyed alot for its shooting mechanices, Sure you can remember where every enemy is but the shooting mechanics alone makes every shootout feel different.

 

And the open word games like ElderScrolls, Fallout, GTA and other Rockstar Games are also good for replayability because of what you can do..

[kipakolonyasi]

trophies/achievements give games a lot of replay value.

[Th3MaN1]

I'm not willing to complete a game twice if it uses stupid gimmicks or techniques to stretch gameplay time. Some missions in open-world games (specifically, the one where you have to take photos in San Andreas) are clearly there for stupid reasons.

 

Now, while I can spot bad side-missions in a game straight away, I always do them. While repetitive, and sometimes bullsh*t, they offer you a reward all while increasing those minutes. I'm the kind of guy who had 90% of skills and ALL the items in Far Cry 3 done before the last batch of missions. I never go for 100% completion (only done that in GTA III) but to repeat myself, side-missions are, at least for me, always welcome.

 

Now what I don't exactly appreciate are different endings and/or ways to complete a mission. Again, more specifically, GTA V. You get the choice between 2 ways to complete the heists. That's nice, but on the other hand, it's bullsh*t that both of them are scripted as f*ck.

 

And the multiple endings; never done them. I always chose what my heart said and looked up on the other endings on Youtube. I can't imagine myself playing through an entire game again just for a few minutes of cutscenes.

[RogerWho]

GTA V is a good example of my point also... I'm currently replaying the game, but I'm basically just going to play the storyline and whatever side stuff I liked (or maybe if I find more stuff that I like). I'm not going to hunt collectibles, don't plan to do many races and will sure as hell avoid that stupid bitch that made me button-smash the run button. She can leave that stupid question mark on the map forever.

 

I've already replayed most of the heists before in their alternative versions so that doesn't help in a complete replay either. In fact I'd much rather see a couple of more missions rather than have alternative routes. Now okay those alt routes could almost count for twice as many missions but for me it would be better to just have more missions to begin with. The same goes for all those collecting, sports and whatever else quests. I'd exchange all of those plus all of the races and stunts for one more heist or a few more freaks which I could just play again in (almost) the same way I did before.

[TEoS]

Games with class systems are always fun to play through again, as long as the classes/skills/abilities interest me. Most of the games that I rack up a lot of hours on are RPGs because I enjoy toying around with different builds. I'll admit that sometimes I find creating a character is more fun than actually playing the whole game again though. I probably have about 15 Skyrim save games where I just stopped playing somewhere in Whiterun because the novelty wore off.

 

RTS games are a lot of fun to play over and over again too. Shooters are hit or miss, really depends on how fun the mechanics and game play are.

 

I'm surprised at people saying collectibles improve replay-ability. The idea of collecting hundreds of items again is extremely off-putting to me. I sometimes replay for achievements, but the game has to be pretty f*cking good.