I don't remember it being this good

[chromewarriorXIII]

I recently replayed Tales of Symphonia after playing at least 2 years ago. When I beat it that's what went through my mind. "Wow, I remember it being good but not this good!" In fact it's probably become my favorite game now (but that's for another discussion).

So Escapists, were there ever times where you played a game and enjoyed it, and then played it again after a while and enjoyed it even more? What game was it and what do you think made it so good that second time around?

For me it was because when I originally played it I didn't understand everything as well as I did this time. I wish I had forgotten more things though because that ruined some of the surprises.

 

[StBishop]

Final Fantasy X-2. Shaaaadup. It's not that bad.

I think it was my willingness to accept the combat system and the fact that I'd actually touched a real woman when I played it the second time around.

 

[necromanzer52]

Assassin's creed. Much better the second time round.

 

[wrecker77]

Team fortress 2. Oh god what a change. Obviously for the better.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

Most Final Fantasy games. I remember growing i hated them because of the turn-based combat. However after many people persuading me I've realized they're not that bad.

 

[Radeonx]

Halo 2 and Halo 3.
Like everyone else, I thought Halo: Combat Evolved was by far the best in the series, but after playing through 2 and 3 a few times, I realized that they were all even, if not 2 or 3 being the best in the series.

 

[MasterKirov]

I've experianced the exact reverse recently with Yu Gi Oh: Duelists of the Roses. The main reason I enjoyed it when I was younger was the fact that it didn't play like a regular game - it was much closer to a Turn Based Tactical Game than a Card Game.

Naturally, having a PS2 and having to rebuild the collection, this was a priority...until it kept continously locking up. With no patches or anything to fix it (made in the days before the PS2 went online), I ended up trading it back in. The one bug had ruined it for me.

More towards the topic title, I would nominate the entire UFO trilogy. When I was 18, I thought only Aftershock as being any good. Having replayed the entire trilogy recently, I can safely conclude that Aftermath was the best one - it was dark, had a easier difficulty curve and the main bad guys of the game were not pansie pushovers...unless you do what I did and hotkeyed the save and load buttons so you end up with level 27 guys with Heroic Strength, Enhanced Heavy Armour and Gatling Guns galore ^_^

 

[Rarhnor]

Yes. With the exact same game...huh?

I replayed Symphonia just a week ago. I enjoyed it very much. It's both challenging and a positive narrative experience, more so, than I remember being it during my first playthrough a year ago. The only difference is, that it IS my no.1 game.

 

[Akihiko]

Funnily enough. I had the opposite experience with Tales of Symphonia. I remembered it being amazing, but when I replayed it after playing Abyss, I found it to be good, but not that good.

I remember playing through Lost Odyssey again straight after I completed it, and enjoyed it much more, due to being able to spend more time reading the dialogue, etc, due to this time playing it in bulk, and not playing it in very short bursts over a month period, meaning you forgot some dialogue by the time you get to the next dialogue.

 

[tehweave]

Strangely enough, Pokemon Blue and Red. I skipped over the "missingo" cheat and basically just grinded everything and had a lot more fun. I liked the battle system better, and it made me remember how good old games can be. Then I played gold and silver and continued the process.

 

[The Procrastinated End]

I hated Fallout 3 the first time I played it but then a month or so later I played it again and went sandbox happy

 

[Estocavio]

Assassin's creed. Much better the second time round.

This - The main thing is that in Part 1 it was actually slightly challenging sometimes, rather than you being the ultimate noble harbinger of death with oversized shoulders and a bad taste in clothing, even for the period.

 

[hurfdurp]

I almost never replay games, with the exception of RE 4 and 5 (I don't really give them time to age though). If anything, I'm always let down by a second playthrough of anything.

 

[Ryank1908]

Monster Hunter on the PSP and also, strangely, Metal Gear Acid. Played them both and at the age I bought them, just didn't really appreciate them. Now, I'm a massive MH fanboy, and I think MGA was one of my favourite games on the PSP.

 

[V TheSystem V]

I don't have that with games as such, but films I have it a lot. Toy Story 1 and 2 are two major examples, as is Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

 

[Tattaglia]

X3 Terran Conflict. I must have restarted that game at least four times before I fell in love with it.

First playthrough - "It's so slooooow..."
*discovered SETA*
Second playthrough - "Pirates, taste justi- where the fuck are my guns?" *explodes*
*realised I didn't have guns*
Third playthrough - "It'll take FOREVER to get millions of credits."
*discovers Universe Trader*
Fourth playthrough - "Now where should I put my next space station..."

 

[Captain Epic]

I was about 10 when I first played Zelda: Twilight Princess. It was way to slow for me and I never knew what I was supposed to do. However when I finished it I loved it.

 

[BeautyandStupid]

I do the exact same thing with the same game to be honest, Tales of Symphonia is my favourite game of all time.

I occasionally replay games like bayonetta and gears of war, and they're always better a second or third time round, mainly because you get much better at them so they become less frustrating.

 

[KwaggaDan]

Assassin's creed. Much better the second time round.

This - The main thing is that in Part 1 it was actually slightly challenging sometimes, rather than you being the ultimate noble harbinger of death with oversized shoulders and a bad taste in clothing, even for the period.

You forgot the ability to dive into water from giant towers without dying, or the ability to hide under bridges to avoid chasing guards...

 

[Dfskelleton]

I got Gears of War, and when I first played it in 2006 it was "meh" and I never finished it. I got to the part with the lambent wretches, but that's it. But, in 2008, when Gears 2 was coming out and there was a bunch of hype about it, I played the 1st game again, except all the way through. I then thought "Wow! This is awesome!"