Games that have great replay value

[Flizzick]

When most people buy a game they probably expect to get just as much out of it as they payed for. Unfortunately for some, certain games simply don't feel like they're worth all the money that was dished out, either due to short linear play time or the fact that the game was just bad, just to name a few bare-bone examples.

However, there are quite a few games out there that simply suck you in and seem to inexplicably speed up time while you're playing them, and the best part is that you always want to go back for more.

So my question is this: What games have you played that you've continuously revisited, and feel as though are actually worth the money you spent? If you can't think of any, then what games are the biggest wastes of money in terms of how much time you've spent playing them, and how much fun you've had?

I'll start: For me, it has to be The Binding of Isaac and Skyrim. I've sunk over 500 hours of my life into both of those games collectively, and I'm still by no means done with either of them

 

[Kahunaburger]

The Binding of Isaac

Roguelikes in general are pretty awesome for this. Also up there is well-designed multiplayer, because nothing's as unpredictable as a human opponent.

 

[AndrewF022]

Any game that features randomly generated content, or any open world RPGs really. I find myself often going back to games like Morrowind and Oblivion and playing through again, and I always have a different experience each time, even if its just a slight difference.

Other than that I like games that have tons of extra or bonus content. A more recent example I found was Atlus' Catherine.. The main story is only about 10-12 hours long, and theres not a whole deal of replay value in the story itself (despite the fact there are 8 endings), but there is a ton of side and bonus content to do...

Randomly generated challenge levels, co-operative levels, head to head levels, 128 levels of the Rupunzel (game within the game) arcade machine and not to mention that each difficulty level alters the main stories levels which means you have to change your method for beating each stage in each different difficulty. Definitely gives you a good reason to come back and take on the hard mode, also it rates you, so attempting the highest rating on all the levels keeps you going long after the main story is done.

 

[Tupolev]

Brood War and Warcraft III both stand out; I played each of them on and off for probably five years or so. Unfortunately, a lot of what had me going back isn't going very strong anymore; in WC3's case, the effective deaths of Tides of Blood and Desert of Exile really killed my interest.

But whatever. I got back into my infinitely-replayable fallback game.

Half-Life 2 (and its modding scene) kept me going for quite a while, too.

 

[Lilani]

All the Half-Life games, Portal 1 and Portal 2, Psychonauts, ME2, Skyrim...it's just amazing the stuff you notice the second time around, especially if you try a different play style. I love games like that, with all sorts of nooks and crannies and elaborate dialog trees.

 

[TehCookie]

Any game with awesome combat and keeps challenging you with higher difficulties liek DMC, Bayonetta Vanquish and God Hand.

Or games with lots of side missions/quests or objectives. Like Disgaea, you can play it forever if you want to explore all the item worlds. I also wanted to 100% Okami though I only made it to like 80%...

Really any game has replay value to me, some just take longer for me want to. Like if I find an old PS1 classic I loved and forgot most of the story I'll want to replay it. I wouldn't do it with it fresh in mind though.

 

[CheckD3]

Since Skyrim is such an easy answer...I'll go with Resident Evil 4...don't know why, but I played that game all the way through at least 20+ times, sometimes speed runs, sometimes hard, sometimes just to play through it again. I memorized all the tricks, knew what was coming when, had more fun with it than I ever thought possible, and when I bought it, spent $40 on it, RE1 and RE0 all on the GC...seriously, it's so good that every other RE game is shit compared...I'm not holding my breathe for RE6 after both 5 (which was barely okay) and Raccoon City (FUCK THAT GAME!!!!)

How fucking hard is it to get a RE game where you're alone fighting zombies that take you through crazy locals with monsters galore...I don't want partners, fuck Co-op in RE, just let me single player the shit out of the game, and give me more Mercenary mode...that shit ROCKS! But I digress...

 

[Cheesepower5]

Chrono Trigger with its 13 endings, or any RPG with varied/interesting builds.

 

[A Weary Exile]

I've been playing Medieval II: Total War on and off for around...five years now. Mods take that game to a whole new level.

 

[Erttheking]

Defiantly fallout 3 and new Vegas. Dark Souls too if you want to try different builds.

 

[Lunatic High]

a couple titles I own are good for this namly Skyrim, New Vegas, RSV2 (if you love a good terrorist hunt)

 

[Alakaizer]

I'll replay most Ratchet and Clank games, just about anything from Sucker Punch, some of the 2D Metroid games, certain Legend of Zelda games(Link to the Past, Wind Waker, most of the Game Boy ones), Metroid Prime 2, and a few others that I can't think of right now.

 

[the doom cannon]

Super Mario Bros. 3(SNES)
Super Mario 64
Goldeneye(N64)
Pokemon (up until sapphire, didn't play any past that for reasons unknown to me)

Quite honestly, I can't really come up with any new games that I've been replaying constantly. I don't think I've truly replayed a game since I was a kid. Skyrim got repetitive a quarter way through the second play for me.

Can't believe I didn't remember to add Portal 1. I played through that several times and it doesnt get boring.

 

[neilsaccount]

"Batman: Arkham City" is actually really excellent the second playthrough during your new game plus. The developers made it completely unique from your first playthrough, seeing as you start with all the gadgets you obtained the first time. The difficulty ramps up also. For example, the swiftness of enemies in combat and amount of enemies at one time increases greatly, and the little lightning bolt that shows up above their heads when they're about to attack you is no longer there. This works well when you have gotten the mechanics down pat your first time through, while also making you feel like a real badass while you are breaking henchmen teeth in.

 

[Angry Camel]

I've played through Arkham Asylum at least 6 times now. I just loved the atmosphere there. Bioshock's atmosphere is also wonderful for replay value. I got a suprising amount of replay value out of Far Cry for the Xbox.

 

[ChupathingyX]

Any game that I really like.

I'll even replay something like Crash Bandicoot every now and then just because it's fun.

 

[GundamSentinel]

Any Total War game. Every year I get struck with accute totalwaritis and play a random Total War game for weeks on end.

 

[Able Seacat]

I find the MGS games to have pretty good replay value. There's always a few extra things to discover and there's many different difficulty settings to increase the challenge.

 

[Anti Nudist Cupcake]

I remember kotor 2 having good replay value (kotor 1 too) because if you play a darkside male then you can play again as a lightside female and have quite a different experience.

I'd say the mass effect series does too due to having many different classes to play as. However the ending really has done a great job at making playing the games again seem pointless, I've already sunk many hours into the gameplay anyway.

 

[kingthrall]

myth 2 soulblighter has over 400 downloadable content for free including a port to play the entire first game. Some of the free conversions include

* Leggo mod
* Star wars mod
* Zombie apocolpyse mod
* American Civil war mod
* World War II mod
* Other Fantasy mods


The games with guns actually have real life firing and proper charging, with cavarly and artillery. This is from a fantasy game with swords and sheilds. It is unlikely any other game could top this game for its diversity but because of the lack of appreciation for this game it is doubtful many have actually played this game before.