When the end credits roll on most games, I’m done. Doesn’t matter if it features new game plus or alternate storylines. My border collie of a brain is itching for a new obstacle course to conquer. Thus, I usually search the Microsoft or Sony store for a new title. But once in a great while, I select the option to do it all over again. My question is: why?
What makes one title re-play worthy as opposed to the hundreds of one-playthrough stands I’ve had with so many games? I suppose that makes me a bit gaming promiscuous. Naughty me, lol. So, those precious few that earn a second go, or even a third, what mystique do they have that the basic b!tch games do not?
Expert World-building
The first thing I do when I start a new story game is put my headphones on and lose myself in the opening cutscene. Or at least I hope to. And if I get that rush of excitement from the beginning, I then say a little prayer that the gameplay will keep me immersed in a rich, well-constructed, detailed world.
Fallout 4 executes world-building exceptionally well. Every time I play it, I feel as though I really am in a post-nuclear world, scrounging for resources, struggling to decide on the right allies (which for me is alway the Minutemen, hands down), and desperate to unravel the kidnapping of my son.
Bad a$$ combat systems
Another quality I cherish in a game is a combat system that makes me feel like a bada$$. I’m not one in real life, I know this about myself. So it’s nice, when i take up the controller, to leave behind the limitations of my scrawny, banged up body. To become a warrior and to have a combat system that is challenging, but not super complicated.
I had so much fun combining samurai and ninja fighting techniques in Ghost of Tsushima. The stand-offs alone thrilled me, but add in all the combos and dodges and acrobatics, the combat left me breathless. Not to mention the cinematic beauty of the world. But even without the vibrant colors and drifting dust sparkles, I would have played it over and over for the fighting alone.
Real choices
Combat and open worlds aside, I also love games with a more telltale vibe. Making choices that really matter compels me to complete multiple playthroughs. Especially when character lives are on the line.
I’ve played all four of The Dark Pictures Anthology games. And each one I’ve played at least twice. Little Hope and The Man from Medan, I played more than that just trying to keep everyone alive. Knowing that one misstep can have disastrous consequences adds delicious tension to a title.
Challenge and mayhem
A lot of shmups these days are easy to walk through. It’s rare for me to die in a shoot out. I’m not bragging about my gaming skills. Trust me, in platformers and games with hand-to-hand combat, odds are my character will meet with some mishaps. But especially in a shooter, I want to be challenged. I want it to be hard to clear the level, but not so difficult I want to throw my controller and cry in the corner.
Much to my delight, in Shadow Warrior 3, I had to play. Actually concentrate on what I was doing. Manage my ammo, choose the right weapon for the right enemy. And there were so many enemies. Though the writing was clever and the story kinda cute, it was the onslaught of enemies of ever increasing difficulty that kept me engaged and made me want to ride the roller coaster again.
Incredible weapons, armor, and loot
It’s a fact that humans respond best to positive incentives. And I’m a sucker for swag. I mean who doesn’t like bling? Some games outshine the rest when it comes to earning loot. Armor, weapons, special abilities, perks for complete sets. Gimme, gimme, gimme. Gimme more!
Out of all the games I’ve played in the last few years, AC Odyssey springs to mind when I think of loot. Defeating enemies for super cool armor sets and killing mercenaries for some freaking OP weapons…man, you had me at legendary loot. I also gotta add that the combat system in Odyssey kicks a$$. Why Ubisoft dumbed it down in Valhalla, I’ll never know. But that’s a blog post for another day.
A grand story
The main reason I play story games is, well, for the story. A lot of titles skimp on this critical factor. And as a writer, I appreciate masters of the craft. When a game can make me cry or laugh out loud, the writers have done their job. At that point, a second and third playthrough is like rereading a favorite novel.
Hands down, Red Dead Redemption 2 has one of best told, best written plot lines of any game I’ve ever played. I laughed at the drunken Leeeennnnnyyy mission. I cried quite a few times. No spoilers but I bawled at the end. Bawled like a freaking baby. Especially the horse. My beautiful Artemis 😭. I’m sorry. That was a minor spoiler. But yeah, beautifully written game.
Gaming perfection
Once in a great while, a game comes along that has all of the aforementioned elements and more. Playing that kind of masterpiece is like falling in love. It’s better than a chocolate fudge sundae with whipped cream and sprinkles. Maybe even better than sex. Okay, not that good, but playing a game like that is pretty freaking awesome.
When I think of perfection, I think of The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. The story is amazing, even the side quests you stumble on weave into the main plot line. Your choices genuinely influence the ending. The combat takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of the oils, the potions, the spells, and the skill tree you can open a can of whoop a$$ on anything. Even the mini-game, Gwent, is well-crafted. The armor and weapons are well worth collecting and upgrading. CD Projeckt Red created a masterpiece which explains why I’ve played it several times.
What’s your propensity for replaying titles? Are you a completionist, willing to play a game over and over until you have every achievement or trophy? Do you revisit most games? Or are you a promiscuous gamer like me?
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Game on, my friends!
When a Gamer Girl Grows up 