# Does anyone really replay games? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 13, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770 "2008-10-13T20:15:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Pithy\_Moniker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8dc957/32.png) [@Pithy\_Moniker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithy_Moniker)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/21 "2008-10-13T22:38:05Z")
Sure do. I decided to go back and replay all of the Final Fantasy games in order late last year. It took me the better part of 10 months to finish but it was loads of fun. It probably saved me a couple hundred bucks in new games. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/22 "2008-10-13T23:30:07Z")
Yes. But not at the moment. A lot of the time, I’ll get about halfway through the game (or to the final boss), and get distracted by something for a while. When I get back to it, I find it’s easier to restart than try to relearn the game while halfway through it. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/23 "2008-10-13T23:33:36Z")
I’ve never stopped playing Civilisation II or the original Colonisation. They’re replayable in extremis. ---
**Author:** ![Pollux\_Oil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@Pollux\_Oil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pollux_Oil)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/24 "2008-10-13T23:42:38Z")
Replayability for me is high in older games. NES and SNES games that can be beaten in one sitting usually get replayed once every few months. Mega Man games, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games, Super Mario Bros games, etc. Games that are humorous usually get a lot of replayability, much like watching a comedy movie over again or seeing a stand-up routine, I’ll find jokes I didn’t laugh as hard at before, or still be amused by funny parts of the game. Sam and Max Hit the Road, Day of the Tentacle, basically most LucasArts point-and-click adventure games fall under this heading, despite the fact I usually remember what I’m supposed to do for everything. More modern games, I will usually replay if there is good story behind it. As somebody else said, like watching a movie it’s just fun to re-experience the story. Good boss battles or epic sequences are usually a hook for replayability. If there are frustrating sequences, it will usually lower my replaying enthusiasm. I’ll look at a game and go “I want to replay this, but…I remember having to do _that_ and it’s such a pain in the as…maybe later.” Kingdom Hearts 2 is a prime example of this. I love the game, but the 3-4 hour tutorial at the beginning of the game always makes me hesitant to replay it. Multiplayer games get the most replayability, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/25 "2008-10-14T00:42:08Z")
I’m not even an avid gamer (especially as compared to some of you pros), but I’ve played Max Payne and GTA3 multiple times. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/26 "2008-10-14T01:12:49Z")
Yes ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/27 "2008-10-14T01:16:40Z")
> [@Pithy\_Moniker](#): > > Sure do. I decided to go back and replay all of the Final Fantasy games in order late last year. It took me the better part of 10 months to finish but it was loads of fun. It probably saved me a couple hundred bucks in new games. Oh, wow. I’m doing that now. I only just started though. I finished FF I in 13:31, and am now working on FF 2. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/28 "2008-10-14T01:20:31Z")
RPGs will be different is you pick a different type party to start. Whether you are a fighter, mage,sorcerer or thief changes everything. It is like a new game. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/29 "2008-10-14T01:26:36Z")
I almost assiduously avoid any games which have anything resembling a linear plot (even if it is a Mario-ish arcade game with a linear path-well especially those). Just about everything I own is a simulation (Silent Hunter, Nascar Racing 2003) or strategy-based (Civilization, Heroes of Might and Magic), or an occasional shooter. I simply dislike being forced down predetermined path where I really have no choice in the matter in a plot I don’t give a sh\*t about at all, and among other things I have to solve a bunch of contrived “puzzles” which are thrown at me. I prefer that the strategic/tactical choices that I am faced with derive organically from the gaming experience (do I pass that backmarker before the next chicane at Le Mans, do I declare war on Montezuma before he gets his grubby little hands on War Elephants). I’ve been playing the original Unreal Tournament for 6 years now, and with all the hilarious mods I’ve added to it over the years it likely will stay on my hard drive for a good long time, but I have very little interest in the likes of Half-Life or Halo (unless were talking about Counterstrike at a LAN). ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/30 "2008-10-14T01:42:24Z")
I love replaying games. A tiny part of me is actually sad right now, because there are so many games I _haven’t_ played before competing for my time, that it feels like it’s been just a bit too long since I’ve replayed some of my favorites. I sincerely hope that by the time I retire someone has invented the Perfect All Systems Emulator so that I can pull out random SNES and PS1 games and play them again and again on my 3D holovision projector. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/31 "2008-10-14T02:39:21Z")
> [@Pithy\_Moniker](#): > > Sure do. I decided to go back and replay all of the Final Fantasy games in order late last year. It took me the better part of 10 months to finish but it was loads of fun. It probably saved me a couple hundred bucks in new games. [smartass]You finished FFXI? That’s pretty hardcore! :p[/smartass] Besides Warcraft3, I don’t replay games too often. There are so many quality games that I haven’t played yet! The exception to this is ‘Toejam & Earl’ for the Sega Genesis (and now on the Wii virtual console. squeeee!) The replay value in that game is staggering. It’s a very simple game but every time I play it something hilarious happens or I figure out some new trick. It’s even got a killer co-op mode. The sad thing is nobody really knows about this game ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/32 "2008-10-14T03:07:20Z")
Yep. But I play strategy games and RPGs almost exclusively - like 98%. And I’m just finicky enough that there is never some huge backlog of new games for me to play. ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/33 "2008-10-14T03:18:27Z")
Our daughter plays _every_ video game several times (it seems like, anyway - she just corrected me and says it’s not every single one but most of them). She’s really into RPGs. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/34 "2008-10-14T03:23:38Z")
I replayed everything when I was a kid. These days I’m about as likely to replay a game as I am to rewatch a movie or reread a book, which is to say it’s pretty much not happening. There is just too much to get to in one lifetime to be revisiting things I’ve already enjoyed. Last game I replayed was Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic back in 2003, because I wanted to go dark side after I beat it as a boy scout. Before that it had been years since I’d replayed a game, and it’ll probably be years still before I do it again. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/35 "2008-10-14T03:26:58Z")
> [@Roland\_Orzabal](#): > > When it comes to single-player games, I’ve always considered “replayability” to be G-rated shorthand for “fuck-around potential”. > > … > > Granted, there are other factors that can contribute to replay value – multiplayer, say, or the “addictive” element of a puzzle game – but when it comes to single-player titles, the word “replayability” is, to me, synonymous with how much fucking around can be done. Bingo. Once I’ve beaten it, the question becomes "Can I beat it using only archers? Can I beat it mining no gold? Can I beat it using priests? Can I beat it without sniping? Can I beat it with nothing but my pistol? Can I beat it without using any guns except the ones I take off people I kill with my knife? Can I get on top of that building and snipe people? Once I’ve done that, can I snipe them with my pistol? How big an army is _really_ necessary to beat that mission? On the flip side, how big an army can I possibly build? What happens if I give my Sim a toaster next to a wicker chair? Can I roleplay this character into the most badass one available if I fight with him exclusively, leaving my protagonist a mewling child? Can I beat it taking 0 losses? Fucking around is the primary point of games. Plotlines, graphics, and the actual programmer’s idea of what’s a challenge is meaningless. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/36 "2008-10-14T09:38:44Z")
Considering I mostly play strategy games and simulations, there are some games I replay a lot. I’ve played the Football Manager series since it was Championship Manager 98/99 and have quite a lot of games on most of the iterations. Same thing with all the Civilizations and the old Colonization. One game that sticks out, though, is Pirates Gold! That game still kicks ass! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/37 "2008-10-14T10:45:50Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Bingo. Once I’ve beaten it, the question becomes "Can I beat it using only archers? Can I beat it mining no gold? Can I beat it using priests? Can I beat it without sniping? Can I beat it with nothing but my pistol? Can I beat it without using any guns except the ones I take off people I kill with my knife? Can I get on top of that building and snipe people? Once I’ve done that, can I snipe them with my pistol? How big an army is _really_ necessary to beat that mission? On the flip side, how big an army can I possibly build? What happens if I give my Sim a toaster next to a wicker chair? Can I roleplay this character into the most badass one available if I fight with him exclusively, leaving my protagonist a mewling child? Can I beat it taking 0 losses? This reminds me, I had a fun experience doing this in Knights of the Old Republic. Your character starts out as a newb Republic soldier or “scoundrel”, and you level up maybe 7 levels before (this is really not a spoiler here) you start training as a Jedi. So at the end of the game, you’re something like a level 7 soldier, level 13 Jedi. Since you have to go ahead and intentionally level up the character each time, this left me wondering whether I could just delay leveling until I became a Jedi, then sink all of that experience into getting more and better Jedi skills. It turns out as part of the tutorial you have to level once or you can’t progress, but otherwise if you’re careful and rely on your NPC buddy/buddies to do a lot of the tough action, you can pull it off. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/38 "2008-10-14T10:54:07Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > Besides Warcraft3, I don’t replay games too often. There are so many quality games that I haven’t played yet! The exception to this is ‘Toejam & Earl’ for the Sega Genesis (and now on the Wii virtual console. squeeee!) > > The replay value in that game is staggering. It’s a very simple game but every time I play it something hilarious happens or I figure out some new trick. It’s even got a killer co-op mode. The sad thing is nobody really knows about this game ☹ Nobody knows of one of the most popular Genesis games? It is one of the coolest Rogue-likes ever created and it was very popular on release and certainly not forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/39 "2008-10-14T12:26:41Z")
Its hit or miss for me. I replayed the hell out of Far Cry and Crysis, but couldnt bring myself to replay 70 levels of WoW after i had ground out one 70. I also couldnt bring myself to play through Half Life 2 again, but Portal i’ve played through 5 times now. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770/40 "2008-10-14T15:09:00Z")
I played through Chrono Cross at least 3 times, Chrono Trigger at least 10, I think. When I was younger I used to practice getting perfects (no live lost) for Streets of Rage 3, Golden Axe 3 and Golden Axe 2. If you considering killing the big D in Hell difficulty as ‘completing’, yeah, I have been replaying Diablo II a couple of times for different character builds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-really-replay-games/467770.md?page=3)