Replaying games?

[Dhruin]

Replayability and good RPGs probably go hand in hand but I personally don't get around to doing it all that often. I have limited time and a backlog, so unless I'm doing a review, I generally only replay a handful of classics - often years down the track.

So, how often do you replay games?

Obviously you're not too likely to replay bad games - but presumably most of us don't finish the really terrible ones.

[Konjad]

It depends on the game - some games I complete several times, some just once. But my average "score" is two-three times, I think.

[Korplem]

The only game I've replayed, recently , is Mass Effect. I found that ME has the most attainable achievements (An Xbox 360 thing) in any game that I own, so I replayed it several times in an attempt to get as many achievements as possible.

Other than that, I replayed Dead Rising a few times back in December. It's a fun game with RPG elements and multiple endings.

Hmm... I should probably shut my trap before people realize I'm turning to the dark side (360).

[woges]

Handful, I really don't have as much time and interest as I used to have.

[titus]

I usually play the gams that I liked more than once, but with a long pauze between. Started a while back with gothic3 now playing as a mage and choosing beliar. I restarted VTM bloodlines as a nosferatu this time. Both my second plays of the games and I will start The witcher again to see the other choices consequences.
SO I occassionally start the game over if it is good enough.

[blatantninja]

It depends on the game and the possibility of alternate experiences within the game.

So a game that can be replayed with a very different experience I will replay reasonably quickly so long as the game is pretty good. However, if the experience is going to be roughly the same, I'll only replay it if the game is a true classic, and usually not for a while.

[Jabberwocky]

Almost never for me. In fact many games I never even finish... I enjoy them enough to feel like I got my moneys worth, so I don't feel like I'm slighting myself really. There are a ton of games I've played that I don't intend on playing again, so I don't mention them here.

Games I've played through more than once: Gothic, Gothic II, Independance War, Indepedance War II, Freelancer, and.... that's pretty much it.

Games I have never finished but may have started over a couple of times: Morrowind, Fable, all of the Total War series.

Most games really don't captivate me enough to finish them if it starts to drag.

[titus]

I usually stop for a while than and start them again from the point I was a few months later. I did it with Gothic 3, even now with the second playthrough (but this was because of the witcher) and now I stopped the witcher for a while too. Even too I like both games, I just need a pause from them for a while

[Foss]

If the game is good enough I usually replay it after some time. Though that can be after several years.
I am normally not able to replay a game right after I have finished it. Just because I know what happens and that takes alot away from my experience.

I can also have a problem in playing an opposite chr of what I played first time, which also limits the replayability. I don't tend to play evil chrs and its hard for me to enjoy doing so. I usually play a very similar chr as my first playthrough, both skill and alignment wise.

[JemyM]

Too many games, too little time... I do not have time to replay games.

[Stanza]

I'll pick up new games when they come out, but they'll frequently sit on the shelf for months before I install and play them -- especially if it sounds like the game needs patching. Still haven't installed Kotor2.

Once I start playing a game -- at least for RPGs, which are 90+% of what I play -- I'm likely to play a few hours, start over with a different character and/or gameplay approach, play longer, start over, etc. It usually takes several abandoned chars/parties before I finish the game. Then I go back and start over again, or resume earlier saves. If I really like the game, it stays on my system for years, periodically getting replayed in part or in whole.

Thief 1 & 2 and Deus Ex 1, for example, have never been uninstalled (subjected to a couple of Microsoftian "nuke from orbits" and dead hard drives yes, but never uninstalled).

When it's late at night, and I'm exhausted after writing/debugging software all day, then going home to do more of the same for my own projects, I seldom have the mental focus to try figuring out a new game. I'd rather boot up something familiar for an hour than tackle something new.

Only if a game is really bad will it get uninstalled right away. Usually after I turn on cheats/godmode to get it over with so I can see the end. (McGee's Alice or Undrentide). It takes something really bad (HotU) for me to uninstall without finishing it, or really broken (like not being able to level-up in Devil Whiskey).

[titus]

off topic: argghh your sign, I get nightmares if I read it. That was one thing that annoyed me real hard about BG

[Grumpi]

I generally only replay a handful of classics - often years down the track.



QFT

Baldur's Gate, Torment, Arcanum

[magerette]

Handful of classics for me. I'm another one who frequently drops games in the middle and never finishes them. I do finish and replay the games that give me an experience I'm looking for, however.

It depends heavily on the type of game--I find you can replay a good action rpg or strategy game forever-- MOO2 will always have a place on my hard drive, and I still make and play maps for Heroes 3, and fire up Titan Quest occasionally.

But RPGs are different. I don't find many of them replayable, but the ones I do I seem to replay annually.(Might & Magics.) I'm doing my first Torment replay atm and enjoying it, and I look forward to replaying The Witcher when the EE comes out. Arcanum is always good for a re-visit. But that's about it. :)

[blatantninja]

Yeah, strategy games are very replayable. I think Sid Meier has sucked about 5 years of my life.

[Korplem]

Oh, yeah, I forgot about strategy games. Those get replayed quite often.

When it comes to RPGs I'd rather let them retire with dignity and live on in that wonderful world of memories in the back of my head.

P.S. Oh! Just remembered Ultima 7! That's a game that shambles around my hard drives in all of its undead glory...

[Zaleukos]

I've probably replayed most of my RPGs. The stronger story element and linearity a game has the less likely I am to replay it, while a sandbox or multiple choice path game (Morrowind, Arcanum, to some extent Baldurs Gate 2) gets quite a few replays. The opposite goes for games where a large part stays the same and the telling of a story is more important (I've only replayed Gothic 2 once, and then only because I got Night of the Raven). Having lots of character build options that really feel different can also entice me into a replay.

Strategy games are not comparable. I mainly play turn based strategy games and if they dont have replay value they simply arent good to begin with.

[Jaz]

Call me the Replayer... if I deem them classics.
I replayed my favorite games about once every three months... and since most of my favorites hail from the early- to mid-nineties, that's quite a lot.

Surprisingly, newer games just don't gain this status. Currently, I'm replaying Hexen: DK... for the umpteenth time.

[Corwin]

It's all Dte's fault, but I only replay the old classics. He mentions M&M for example and I just have to get it out again!! :)

[DarkPhantom]

I'm lucky enough to not being too picky on my genre games. Interesting enough, I usually just replay games like Silent Storm or Jagged Alliance. In RPGs, the fact that I already know the story, usually deters me from replaying them, so it usually just happens occasionally, if I haven't played them in a while.

Tycoon games are another type of games I once and again pick up and replay.

[Remus]

Occasionally, especially if i have more time in my hand.

[dteowner]

With my gaming time so scaled back compared to the good old days, about the only time I'll go back is if none of the unplayed stuff on my shelf catches my eye. Then, it's back to "safe choices" that I know I'll enjoy like Wiz8 and M&M7. About the only other reasons I'll do a replay are

1) if I never managed to complete some good game (Deus Ex)
2) if an expansion pack comes out (NWN1).

[Dantre]

I don't have time to replay a game when there are so many others I haven't played once yet. It doesn't help that I play mostly RPGs, which tend to be rather long. I always end up making difficult choices about which games I'll get. Still, I'll replay one once in a while, but it's pretty rare. Thus, I prefer a game which let me experience most if not all of it in a single playthrough.

[narpet]

I replay mostly older games that I loved, or didn't give all the attention they deserved when they were first released. As most of you know I've been on a major Might and Magic replay series lately... finishing M&M7 over a month ago... and getting close to finishing M&M8, probably this week. Then I believe that I'm going to play M&M4 and 5 together as World of Xeen. After that I plan on replaying Wizardry 8, which was by far my favorite Wizardry Game (and yes I've played them all, and finished most).

After those replays I'm going to move on to some games I haven't played yet... NWN2:MOTB, Avernum 5, and a few others.

So... my vote was that I replay most games eventually... but I qualify that to be "most games that I thought were worth the first play through".

[Guhndahb]

I chose "Occasionally, if it's good enough" because I think I replay more than just a few classics. However, I like to wait at least 5 years, if possible longer, between replays so I've forgotten at least some of the story. The only genres I replay are RPG (traditional RPGs as well as hybrids like SS1 and Deus Ex) and classic adventure games. I replay slightly more Apple ][ and DOS games than Windows era games.

Sometimes I just feel compelled. The other day someone mentioned VtM:Redemption in one of the newsbit threads on Wesp's VtM:Bloodlines patch. Well, I proceeded to make a concerted effort at finding the CDs and giving it another play.

[purpleblob]

Only BG2 and NWN2 so far.

[GothicGothicness]

I only replayed diablo 2 once ( on a harder difficulty setting ) just because I play it too relax ( not because I thought it is a good game, sometimes after I worked hard I just like to click and not have to think at all ) :P

Wizardry 8 - no limit on how many times it could be replayed, that is why it is best out of this kind of games!

Magical Broom Extreme - Great game, not an RPG

Tactics Ogre - Let us cling togheter, maybe the best game ever made! True choice and consequence, different endings, different story paths, amazing and fun gameplay, tons of characters, everyone should play it through at least twice.

[Maylander]

I generally play through a game 2-4 times immediately, unless it's a relatively bad game. I like trying out all different ways of playing games, both in terms of gameplay (casters, melee, etc) and choices (good, evil)

[drum]

I don't think likes of Civilization and MOO can be counted here. I voted "Almost never" although played Civilization Revolution to the and for about 10 times last couple of weeks.

Talking about RPGs with fair amount of story, it's same like with books or movies for me - I'd just get bored replaying. Maybe if I completely forget the storyline... I did replay Fallouts, Arcanum and Torment in 2006-2007, but that's because I prefered JRPGs in the end of 90s and didn't enjoy those titles to the fullest (actually didn't even beat Arcanum and both Fallouts to the very end at the time). And there was plenty of time after graduation, so I gave those classics another hit.

[txa1265]

Well, let's see ... I tend to replay everything that isn't crap. But I have gotten so loaded up with review stuff until recently that I had no time to replay anymore. But that us changing, fortunately, so I have started replaying as much as possible.

There are probably ~25 or so games that I have replayed more than 10 times.

[crpgnut]

I replay most games, even if I hate them. I've fired up each of the Gothics several times and I just can't get into that series. I thought 3 might change this, but it wasn't to be. I got further in that one though than the rest. Some games I play yearly, (Oblivion, MM3 and MM7) and the rest I'll play every couple of years. I'll probably tackle Kult again after I finish my HoMM5 fixation.

[blatantninja]

The hardest problem I have with replaying games is that while I love the idea of having a new experience, I tend to form emotional attachments to the NPC's in my party (assuming it's a party based game). I'm replaying BG2 right now, and though I'm trying to get a different experience (grabbed a thief from TDD mod as well as added Keldorn), I've ended up keeping Minsc, Jaheria and Arie in my party again. I might dump Minsc, he's a great tank, but my Cleric/Ranger is so buffed that I don't really have to have him if I can replace him with a decent fighter.

Then there is Jaheria and Arie. The one time I've played all the way through ToB (finished SoA several times), my love interest was Arie, so I know how that turned out. I decided I'd keep Jaheria in and romance her this time, but I just can't get myself to kick Arie out. She reminds me a bit of an ex-gf and I just can't do it! Thought I might kick Jaheria out, but after having her in every one of my other play throughs of all three part, it just doesn't feel right!

[GothicGothicness]

LOL, I also have this problem! not in BG2 but in other party based games. On top of that I am a purist so I always want to make the same choices everytime! Since there is almost always one clear WRONG choice and one clear right one. TW was a bit better but there was still a morally right choice for me for almost all the quests.

[Maylander]

Try Planescape; lots of grey choices!

[GothicGothicness]

Well, I did kind of enjoy planescape. But unfortunately, there is almost no real gameplay in it, and tons of text ( which is good but I prefer to read a book ) and it has way too many fedex quests ( go fetch Nestor's fork )

So while I did play it through once, I could never bring the energy to play it through again :( I did love the setting and many story aspects though, especially the unlocking of Da**** forgot his name :( blade , and opening fall from graces diary heeh. That mysterious cube, and the blade lady was great too. There is several planescape books to read about planescape. I think for me to replay a game it has to have both great gameplay and great story with true choices, one of them is not really enough.

[Konjad]

Da****
Dak'kon, I guess?

I replayed Planescape Torment only once. Not because it's not a great game, but because I remember too much and it's not that fun to play when you remember most of the text. I found many new things in the game when I replayed this game, so someday I will replay PST again, I'll probably find even more interesting things ;)

[coaster]

I replay games for four main reasons;

1/ there is an alternate path (eg. I've just played Jade Empire through twice, Open Palm & Closed Fist)
2/ it is simply a classic (Baldur's Gate series for me)
3/ it has been modded heavily/revised which changes the gameplay experience (eg. I played Gothic 2 again after NoTR was released; and I played Morrowind twice, with & without mods)
4/ It is a prequel and I want to play the next game in the sequence - I often replay the earlier game(s) to get in the mood (or because I'm just anally retentive that way) - eg. Heroes of Might & Magic, NWN1, even F.E.A.R.

[Maylander]

Dak'kon is one of my all time favourite NPCs! Love his dialogues, his opinions, his sidequest (unlocking his abilities) etc.

[araczynski]

never for rpg's. i play games for the stories mostly. once i know it (by finishing it), there's no fun left for me.

i do occasionally replay rts type games, namely company of heroes, but that's solely because i love the engine/action/animations/etc. that game is great with cheats :)

[GhanBuriGhan]

I would LIKE to replay more, but I hardly get through the current crop pf games I want to play with the limited time I have. So its only a few classics, like recently system shock 2 and UUW, that I occasionally replay, and even that mostly only partially.

[Dez]

I love replaying all kinds of games (mainly rpgs and shooters though). Heck some of my favourite games only got better with the second playthrough, because I knew the game dynamics better. Let alone finding new stuff, trying different things, following a different path. I almost never felt bored. I'm shocked to read that few don't even replay rpgs. I can't think of a single rpg on my shelf that I haven't replayed atleast once. Gothic for example, all the cool stuff i'd have missed... Deus ex is an other classic I've finished atleast half dozen times. Or what about fallout 2? Isn't it a game that is meant to be replayed over and over again? The most recent rpg I've replayed is witcher and it won't be the last time.

[Superguest]

I don' really replay games that often, but I like knowing that I could do things differently - even if I never try - and I feel regularly annoyed by the realization that I'm being railroaded.

[cutterjohn]

Most RPGs to me have zero re-play value as I tend to do almost all of the quests in the one playthrough as even if they DO offer branching story-lines the branching is so insignigicant as to usually make me want to replay it.

Same goes for character class variety, most games you can have a party and sample all types or have a fairly openish tree aain essentially allowing trying everything, or lastly usually only have one character type that is fun for me to play.

I'm just not interested in replaying non-open ended games, it's too much of a been there, done that already feeling in most cases. OTOH I can get hours of fun out of games like Daggerfall, Morrowind, X2, X3, etc.

[skavenhorde]

I'll replay "if it's good enough." Normally, I'll replay something after a year or so whether it is linear or not. After a year it's fresh again and I can try some different paths that I may not of tried the first time around (assuming I passed it).

[old fool]

I played the Bard's Tale twice.
Dungeon Master till I played all the way thru with one caracter.
After Wizardry 8 was released, I played it almost every day, till my computer was stolen.

[blatantninja]

I just finished playing the BG series from start to end. I have yet to play NWN MotB, despite finishing the OC. I'm debating right now between:

1) MotB, mainly because I kind of feel like I should give it a try, especially since I upgraded my machine from my OC campaign
2) Playing Icewind Dale again, but with the NPC pack mod
3) Replaying the BG series again with all different companions (many from mods) and the Longer Road mod, but I think I should wait a bit
4) Playing Ultima VII again (I keep toying with Exult)
5) Learning how to mod either BG or NWN2

I'm leaning towards either IWD or learning to mod.

I should probably give IWD2 another shot. I was bored and lost interest in it my first go through, maybe one of the NPC mods will hold my attention better.

[Kostaz]

I never REPLAY games!! I mean having replayed:
KotOR 1 :24 times (really)
KotOR 2:6 times
Gothic 2 :12 times
Gothiv 3 :3 times
Fallout 2 :3 times
Oblivion: 4 times
And every other RPG 2 times doesnt mean i replay games.I HATE REPLAYING GAMES!!!!

[Bateman]

I rarely ever finish a game. Then I reinstall them a couple of month/years later, but lose interest again after some weeks. If you call that replay ok...