# Give me a series (or longer game) to replay! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 15, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476 "2009-05-15T00:31:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/1 "2009-05-15T00:31:40Z")
A couple months ago ([superfluous information]I think around March, but it doesn’t really matter[/si]) I replayed Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG in release order. A few months before that (around the Mother 3 fan translation) I played all of the Mother games. One thing I realized is a really like playing games in a series back to back. I’m also fond of longer games (I just got done finishing Twilight Princess again about a week ago). I need some ideas of games to replay. I may even keep a small journal here to keep me interested (and make this a more interactive discussion of random games than a list). I really am just doing this for my own amusement and need help deciding, but meh, something like that gives me something else to do and makes me keep my commitment to beating it (I’m notorious for getting to the last dungeon and quitting and then regretting it later). Anyway, by series I mean games with that are grouped together or naturally related, not just a title share. Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask would be a series, there’s no chance in hell I’m replaying ALL the Zeldas in immediate order (er… again). Likewise “the original Sonics” would be a series as would “the Sonic Adventure Series” but not “the Sonic series.” Obviously the crux here is that I said replay and you don’t know what I’ve played, just throw stuff out there and I’ll shoot it down if necessary (I’ll immediately shoot down some popular ones I’m not going to do below). Series/Games I’m currently considering and could be swayed either way: Metroid Prime series Half-life series (except for the HL1 expansions, never got them and I’m not too keen on playing them) Donkey Kong 64 Series/Games I’ve recently done: Zelda: Twilight Princess All Mario RPGs Banjo-Kazooie Things you shouldn’t suggest (because I’m a cheap bastard and won’t pay for them/I’ve not yet played them): Halo Metal Gear Solid So any recommendations (or a tiebreaker vote between Half-life, Metroid, and DK)? ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/2 "2009-05-15T01:01:13Z")
Max Payne and Max Payne 2 ---
**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:** [May 15, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/3 "2009-05-15T01:16:01Z")
Why not go for some classics? Zork (nine main line games and another half dozen or so closely related ones) Ultima (fifteen in continuity games with two expansion packs plus two side games and an MMO) Wasteland (just five games but there’s a new one recently released) Monkey Island (four games) King’s Quest (eight games) Wizardry (I don’t even know how to count Wiz 2 and 3; are they sequels or expansion packs?) And for you D&D fans there’s only nine games in the Gold Box series plus Hillsfar if you want to overpower your characters between Pool of Radiance and Curse of the Azure Bonds. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/4 "2009-05-15T01:32:15Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > Max Payne and Max Payne 2 Never heard of it (and judging by the wikipedia entry, this signifies I have been living under a rock), either way I’m not sure about going for those right now. > [@Just\_Some\_Guy](#): > > Why not go for some classics? > > Zork (nine main line games and another half dozen or so closely related ones) > Ultima (fifteen in continuity games with two expansion packs plus two side games and an MMO) > Wasteland (just five games but there’s a new one recently released) > Monkey Island (four games) > King’s Quest (eight games) > Wizardry (I don’t even know how to count Wiz 2 and 3; are they sequels or expansion packs?) > And for you D&D fans there’s only nine games in the Gold Box series plus Hillsfar if you want to overpower your characters between Pool of Radiance and Curse of the Azure Bonds. Played Zork in its various incarnations to death and back, I’ll do it again someday, after I don’t have them memorized anymore. Never much liked Ultima. Wasteland is… okay, not something I’d care to revisit. Recently did Monkey Island and King’s Quest (well, 4 of them at least) didn’t think we’d go this far back\* so I didn’t list them. Wizardry… meh And even as a D&D fan I’ve never liked the Gold Box series (blasphemy I know). Really, not trying to shoot down all the ideas immediately but these first two posts were just kind of unlucky in terms of contents. \*Well, okay, these games aren’t exactly ancient, but I don’t recall as much from the computer from that era since I was rather little so I didn’t think about the possibility of non-console titles from that period. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/5 "2009-05-15T02:08:38Z")
Deus Ex (phenomenal game) and Deus Ex: Invisible War (not a bad game, but an extremely disappointing followup to the original) The Myst series (which has it’s good points and bad points) 7th Guest/11th Hour (Not bad games, but I thought they were overrated.) Bard’s Tale (again, not bad games, but overrated) Phantasmagoria (never played, so can’t comment) Fatal Frame (only played the first, which, aside from the ghost of the monk–which ranks up there with the worst repetitive random encounter ever conceived in a game that was not a JRPG–was a good game) ---
**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:** [May 15, 2009, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/6 "2009-05-15T07:22:14Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > Fatal Frame (only played the first, which, aside from the ghost of the monk–which ranks up there with the worst repetitive random encounter ever conceived in a game that was not a JRPG–was a good game) You owe it to yourself, Hoopy Frood, to get the other two. They’ve got my vote for the most atmospheric horror games out there. Oh, another few suggestion then… How about instead of a game series a company retrospective? With something like id you can go through: Dangerous Dave Commander Keen (at least episodes 1 and 4 since the two trilogies stand apart) Curse of the Catacombs Wolf 3d and/or Spear of Destiny Doom series Quake series (Okay, technically Dave and Catacombs are just Carmack rather than id but since Dave lead to Keen and Catacombs to Wolfenstein I think it would be notable to play them.) My personal selection for something like that would be Blue Sky/Looking Glass and they’d be especially notable since Thief 4 was just announced. Just sticking to their 3D computer games you have: Ultima Underworld 1 & 2 System Shock 1 & 2 Flight Unlimited 1 & 2 Terra Nova Thief 1 & 2 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/7 "2009-05-15T12:33:39Z")
Have you played Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy? It’s just a stand alone game, but it’s reasonably long and highly underrated. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/8 "2009-05-15T13:19:44Z")
> [@Just\_Some\_Guy](#): > > Why not go for some classics? > > Monkey Island (four games) Don’t you mean three games? Depending on what you like: Gabriel Knight series(Three games, though the third has some issues, despite a really compelling main puzzle). Journeyman project(Time Travel based. Three games, though the first one is no where as good as the sequels). Seconded: Max Payne 1 and 2. A must for anyone who likes action/shooters. Almost everything is done right. System Shock 1+2. The Half Life series is pretty good. Blue shift would be the only expansion I’d say go ahead a skip, but opposing force is pretty good. The Fallout series(except Tactics). Thief 1+2(3 only if you really like the series). ---
**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:** [May 15, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/9 "2009-05-15T21:38:45Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > Don’t you mean three games? Secret, Secret 2, Curse, Escape. That’s four. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/10 "2009-05-16T01:07:29Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > Seconded: > > Max Payne 1 and 2. A must for anyone who likes action/shooters. Almost everything is done right. > > System Shock 1+2. > > The Half Life series is pretty good. Blue shift would be the only expansion I’d say go ahead a skip, but opposing force is pretty good. > > The Fallout series(except Tactics). > > Thief 1+2(3 only if you really like the series). Oooh System Shock, that’s been on my To Do list for a while, I’ll add that. (And Fallout Tactics wasn’t THAT bad, certainly not deserving of the vitriol it can work up in people sometimes). ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_Keen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Commander\_Keen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Keen)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/11 "2009-05-16T01:48:26Z")
> [@Just\_Some\_Guy](#): > > Commander Keen (at least episodes 1 and 4 since the two trilogies stand apart) Yes ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/12 "2009-05-16T03:39:30Z")
Alright, I think I’m doing Commander Keen (which I’ve actually never played, but Steam has the whole thing for 5 bucks, and I like the art style), then Half-life/2 (with the expansions, they were also cheaper than I expected). I’ll probably do Metroid after that and then maybe System Shock. I’m open to more suggestions though. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/13 "2009-05-16T03:49:24Z")
I’d say yes to the Metroid Series (if you’re feeling brave, do them all, not jsut the Prime series.) If you want to go in “story order,” you’d go: Metroid (or Metroid Zero Mission) (for the NES (or GBA)) Metroid Prime series (1 (GC), then Hunters (Nintendo DS) 2 (GC), then 3 (Wii), natch) Metroid 2 (regular Gameboy) Super Metroid (SNES) Metroid Fusion (GBA) I really hope they make another Metroid for the DS, and make it more like Super Metroid/Fusion/Zero Mission. They’ve done side-scrolling games like that before on the DS (the Castlevania games.) The first-person view didn’t work well (IMO) on the smaller screen and cruddier graphics capabilities of the DS. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/14 "2009-05-16T04:12:32Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I’d say yes to the Metroid Series (if you’re feeling brave, do them all, not jsut the Prime series.) If you want to go in “story order,” you’d go: > > Metroid (or Metroid Zero Mission) (for the NES (or GBA)) > Metroid Prime series (1 (GC), then Hunters (Nintendo DS) 2 (GC), then 3 (Wii), natch) > Metroid 2 (regular Gameboy) > Super Metroid (SNES) > Metroid Fusion (GBA) > > I really hope they make another Metroid for the DS, and make it more like Super Metroid/Fusion/Zero Mission. They’ve done side-scrolling games like that before on the DS (the Castlevania games.) The first-person view didn’t work well (IMO) on the smaller screen and cruddier graphics capabilities of the DS. I never actually got through Hunters, it’s sort of a dis-continuity thing (“it never happened!”) I just can’t play it. I also don’t have access to Metroid 2 (I know, I know, it’s not that hard to _cough_ find it, but still). ETA: Anyway, Commander Keen is pretty good, the floatiness of the jumping controls annoys me a little bit, but it’s playable. (One question though, do I need a translation guide to read the Galactic alphabet or is that an upgrade in the game?) ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_Keen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Commander\_Keen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Keen)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/15 "2009-05-16T04:40:26Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > (One question though, do I need a translation guide to read the Galactic alphabet or is that an upgrade in the game?) There’s never an upgrade that automatically translates the SGA for you, but once you’ve deciphered it, it can lead to some funny messages. It’s not necessary to beat the games though. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/16 "2009-05-16T06:24:01Z")
X-Com 1 and X-Com 2: Terror from the Deep (if you can beat TFTD… let me know. I’ve tried and tried, but DAMMIT that game is hard and unfair at times). There’s also an X-Com 3, but I don’t acknowledge its existence. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/17 "2009-05-16T09:18:54Z")
Ever played Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2? 1 is really good, but they messed up the 2nd one a bit. Still a good game, just not as great as the first one. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/18 "2009-05-16T09:40:25Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Ever played Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2? > > 1 is really good, but they messed up the 2nd one a bit. Still a good game, just not as great as the first one. My friend gave me one, but for some reason or another a slew of installation bugs never actually allowed me to play it. I’ve played 2 and thought it was pretty good (if a bit easy after a while, I blame my crippling\* obsession with finishing sidequests). - Yes, crippling. I’ve actually quit games because a sidequest was so annoying. I never beat Phantom Hourglass (at the last dungeon) because I wanted all the Golden Ship Parts so much. And quit out at chapter 2 of Assassins Creed because of the flag inanity. I’m getting better at ignoring inconsequential stuff that offers no real story exposition or reward though (it requires peeking into strategy guides now and again, but meh). I actually restarted NWN2 because I found out I missed Ore veins in chapter 1 (I completely excuse my use of ore vein lists as not cheating, even if most of them are bleedingly obvious). ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/19 "2009-05-16T10:12:59Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > My friend gave me one, but for some reason or another a slew of installation bugs never actually allowed me to play it. I’ve played 2 and thought it was pretty good (if a bit easy after a while, I blame my crippling\* obsession with finishing sidequests). Weird. I’ve never had a problem with either of them. And they supposedly shortened the second one, which made it a bit worse in my mind. ---
**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:** [May 16, 2009, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476/20 "2009-05-16T11:18:07Z")
> [@Ro0sh](#): > > X-Com 1 and X-Com 2: Terror from the Deep (if you can beat TFTD… let me know. I’ve tried and tried, but DAMMIT that game is hard and unfair at times). There’s also an X-Com 3, but I don’t acknowledge its existence. I’ve done it. It requires patience and far too much free time more than anything else. Those multi-map missions are nightmarishly long. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-a-series-or-longer-game-to-replay/496476.md?page=2)