No replay value?

[AC Medina]

I was recently going through a thread that discussed games with great replay value, and I had a thought: what about games with *no* replay value? Now, I don't mean bad games, or games you personally didn't like and therefore wouldn't want to play again, I mean games that you actually enjoyed, but for whatever reason left you completely satisfied after one full playthrough and never really motivated you to pick it up again.

Which, I guess, leads me to two additional questions:

1. Can any game be considered great (or, at least, very good) if it doesn't make you want to play over and over?

2. Could there be a place in the gaming world for games that (this is going to sound weird, bear with me) cannot be played again once you finish it? What I mean is, a game that attempts to be a singular narrative and gameplay experience that the player shouldn't be able to...dilute, so to speak, with multiple playthroughs.

 

[AkJay]

The game I've played once and never touched again is Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

 

[Baron Von Evil Satan]

I played Arkham Asylum through once, that was it. It was great fun though.

 

[TheSeventhLoneWolf]

Borderlands. Loved it, can't grind it again.

 

[Julianking93]

The only games I've played willingly more than once immediately after beating it was MGS2, Majora's Mask, MGS3, Devil May Cry, Demon's Souls and Castlevania: Lament of Innocence.

 

[theultimateend]

I was recently going through a thread that discussed games with great replay value, and I had a thought: what about games with *no* replay value? Now, I don't mean bad games, or games you personally didn't liked and therefore wouldn't want to play again, I mean games that you actually enjoyed, but for whatever reason left you completely satisfied after one full playthrough and never really motivated you to pick it up again.

Which, I guess, leads me to two additional questions:

1. Can any game be considered great (or, at least, very good) if it doesn't make you want to play over and over?

2. Could there be a place in the gaming world for games that (this is going to sound weird, bear with me) cannot be played again once you finish it? What I mean is, a game that attempts to be a singular narrative and gameplay experience that the player shouldn't be able to...dilute, so to speak, with multiple playthroughs.

1) Sure. I don't have any examples at all. But sure.

2) I'm pretty sure games that give you no incentive to ever play them again are called "EA Games". But then again I am kind of biased these days against basically all mega gaming companies. They all hurt me. Yeah I know I sound like a pussy, but at least I'm willing to acknowledge it .

Generally speaking if I really like a game I'll play it at least twice. However lately I've had more a theme of "Only playing to see if it ever gets better." Which I have to say, I understand why divorce rates are so high, because no matter how long you play on these things never seem to get better .

Metal Gear Solid 4 has absolutely no replay value, in fact, I tried to replay it and it sucked so hard.

There you go. The only MGS I beat and didn't play again. I liked it. So there is the example for your first question.

 

[Dragon_of_red]

All games have replay value, just play it once, leave it for like a year or two the nreplay it and it will feel fresh again...

But Too Human is one, i tried playing through it again with a different class, i still ended up pretty much doing the exact same thing, with a lot more dying since the class was weaker in that aspect.

 

[AC Medina]

I don't know, a part of me thinks it's kind of awesome if a game leaves you feeling: "Damn...I wouldn't wanna go through that again."

I guess I'm trying to suggest that a lack of replay value can be a good thing.

 

[Kasawd]

I didn't really ever feel the need to re-play Hedz.

Oh, yeah, Hedz. Those were good days.

 

[Icecoldcynic]

Replay value isn't THE most important factor for my enjoyment of a game. I can still enjoy a game even though I only intend to play it through once.

 

[FungTheDestroy]

inFamous, The Darkness, Shadow of the Colossus, LittleBigPlanet, and Prince of Persia

All games I really enjoyed, but with the exception of some trophy grinding, I could not go through them again. I can't explain, but I was satisfied with finishing each game and had no need for any kind of second playthrough, or a sequel.

Fallout 3 is a different beast. First time around I completely looted everything, and payed so much attention to building up my character, that I could not go through that all again. I just got the platinum trophy and put away the game forever, or until I get the DLC or GOTY edition


Someone explain to me replay value, or just length of game in general, and how it is a positive to the game. How is the ability to spend 100s of hours, or play it tens of time, good? To be honest, I only want a game that I need to play once to enjoy, and for that experience to be about 10 hours at the most. Maybe a second playthrough to catch the little bits at the beginning that foreshadow, but nothing more than that.

This is because a game really only adds gameplay mechanics for the first hour. After that they are all repeated constantly for hours, with only the disconnected background drama evolving.

If you need to play a game for hundreds of hours, it sounds like you're unsatisfied constantly, and should get a new game.

 

[Moosebomber]

Borderlands.

Also GTA games. Usually you give up when a mission pisses you off and the only reason you beat it the first time is because you wanted to beat the game. And because many missions suck and that bores you.

 

[Jodah]

See I'm kinda in the middle. With RPGs and such I often get half way through then restart once I learn the game mechanics sometimes multiple times. However, once I beat it I can't go back most of the time. Possibly because I can't stand the first half anymore since I've played through it so many times. If I never seen Duncan in Ostagar again it will be too soon...

 

[Aura Guardian]

No Replay value?
I got two.

One for being very bad-Shadow of the Colossus.
One for being good, but nothing else-Tales of Symphonia

 

[AC Medina]

See I'm kinda in the middle. With RPGs and such I often get half way through then restart once I learn the game mechanics sometimes multiple times. However, once I beat it I can't go back most of the time. Possibly because I can't stand the first half anymore since I've played through it so many times. If I never seen Duncan in Ostagar again it will be too soon...

That's funny, I also tend to restart my RPGs, but more towards the end, when the game begins to wind down and (if it's a a good game) I sort of get a little sad that it's all going to be over soon. So I start over, play it in a more thorough way, and try to squeeze every last drop out of it before actually finishing it.

 

[FROGGEman2]

I can't... just can't replay Batman: Arkham Asylum, even though I thought it was pure win.

 

[lostclause]

Bioshock and Assassin's Creed. Both games with great stories which are (to a degree) let down by their gameplay. Once you've gone through the story once there's not much to come back for (unless you want to get the diaries in Bioshock). Prey is one which is similar but probably has more replay value than the other two (haven't gone through it again yet but I might sometime).

 

[MiracleOfSound]

One for being very bad-Shadow of the Colossus.

While I would hardly call Shadow Of The Colossus bad, I will never play through it again because it was so damn frustrating and difficult it made me swear, whine and hiss.

I don't want to put my poor flatmates through that again.

 

[AC Medina]

It looks like Borderlands, MGS4 and Arkham Asylum are dominating the "Loved It But Can't Do It Again" discussion; they've each been mentioned twice.

I haven't played any of the three...anybody wanna take a shot at briefly explaining why they're one-and-done games?


edit: Shadow of the Colossus mentioned a few times too, but the "frustratingly difficult" explanation would seem to suffice.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I can't... just can't replay Batman: Arkham Asylum, even though I thought it was pure win.

I feel the same way, I've started up two new games since finishing it and both times ended up getting bored after the Bane fight and quitting.

The game I've played once and never touched again is Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

I remember at a few points in that game thinking 'My God I am NEVER playing this fucking game again after I beat it...'

It had quite the ability to induce rage. Jabu Jabu's belly... shudder.