Giving games a second chance

[AC Medina]

I recently wrote an article on another gaming site (which I won't link to here because that seems like a terribly uncool thing to do) about my experiences giving games a second chance. I find that, a lot of times, a game that didn't do it for me --or even that I actively disliked-- the first time around will cause a totally different impression if I pick it up again a few months, or even years, after that first experience with it. I sort of liken it to a young teen who hates a certain book only to "rediscover" it as a more mature adult and just appreciating it in a different way.

So, Escapists, I wonder what your experiences have been with this. What game did you totally discard or dislike the first time(s) you played it, only to come back to it again later and actually love it?

 

[Dr. Wily III]

Edit: Fuck, Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (Totally forgot you, forgive me!)
Yeah, that would be my best example.

Batman on the Nes, Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Halo 3 Multiplayer (Deathmatch Co-op with Friends)

 

[L3m0n_L1m3]

COD4.

I remember thinking it was fairly average, then suddenly playing it and going "HOLY SHIT THIS IS TEH EPIC!!!11!1!"

Or something along those lines.

 

[Durxom]

This happened with FFXII, I couldn't get into/found it too hard one my first playthrough, then I booted it up a few months back, and I slowly started to love it. I hate the ATB system, but the way they did it in this was brilliant (thank you for letting me pause it and think over my strategies), and the whole game is overall beautiful...I'm just stuck at the end now...Too bad so many people hate it..It ranks in one of my top RPGs to date now.

 

[CoverYourHead]

KOTOR II, FFX, Kingdom Hearts II.

At least, those are the only ones I can think of.

 

[Mr. GameBrain]

Halo games for me.

Also, I'm going to give Hitman 2 and Genma Onimusha another shot! (I just bought them today of amazon and ebay)

I think alot of games I gave up on were just too hard for me back then. Now I like hard games that challenge me, (as some games these days are getting too easy!).

 

[Ryuo]

Halo 3 (Online) (With friends)
I would have been first in line to bash the game, and still have a few choice things to say about it.
But anyone who looks at the potential of all the silly things/good times presentable by custom games and not find something, needs to really think about themselves as gamers.

 

[SnowCub]

In keeping with this weeks Unskippable, The Last Remnant.
Found it really dull to start with but then I got used to the battle system and got quite into it.

Still never finished it though (damn that game is long).

 

[AC Medina]

In keeping with this weeks Unskippable, The Last Remnant.
Found it really dull to start with but then I got used to the battle system and got quite into it.

Still never finished it though (damn that game is long).

I got The Last Remnant on the back burner right now, but I totally agree with you. It's a little awkward at first, but there's some depth to it that you might only appreciate if you stick with it for a while or come back to it later.

 

[Zacharine]

Not really. Happened somewhat during teen years, but I've reached the point where I can drugde trough unpleasant portions of a game to see if there is a rainbow waiting on the other side of the cloud, and know my gaming habits and likes enough to steer clear of games I would be unable to give that chance to.

So it rarely happens anymore that I dislike a game enough to stop playing it, only to pick it up later.

Then there are games like Neverwinter Nights 2, where I play the main campaing for a few days, before becoming bored, playing something else for a week or two and returning to the game. But these intances are extremely rare and even then I know I will be returning to the game in fairly short order.

 

[Vek]

Counter Strike: Source.

 

[Pilot Bush]

I give up temporarily on games a lot so this happens plenty of times. For example, I gave up on ODST, but i'm sure i'll try it again.

 

[Diplodocus462]

This seems to be more likely to happen with the games that in the end I really love; for some reason the first time I often don't like them at all.

Deus Ex is a game that comes to mind. Also Fallout 1 and 2.

Oblivion also.

 

[GodofDisaster]

Dino Crisis I couldn't get pass the first puzzle so I give up. (I was young very young) A few years later I returned to the game and completed it and boy did I like it.

 

[MortalForNow]

For me, it was Call of Duty 2. It was one of the first games I got for my 360 and thought it was pretty good for what it was worth. Then my friend started playing it on Veteran and suggested I do the same. So I did, found new respect for the game, and it led to me eventually buying Modern Warfare in 2007. So yeah, it was definitely worth it.

 

[Frankydee]

The only one that comes to mind was recently FFVII Crisis Core which I had to put down several times for a long time before I got around to finishing it.

can't say that it really blew my mind but I'm still glad to have finished it.

 

[x0ny]

Metal Gear Solid, first time I watched someone play it when I was 12, he was playing from the beginning, I didn't think too much of it, in fact it looked really boring. 3 years later I pre ordered MGS2 and loved it, then went back to buy MGS1 =D.

 

[ConstantJoe]

When I first got Saints Row 2, I thought it was a worse clone of GTA.

Played it again later, and realised it's a much better clone.

 

[azncutthroat]

Rollercoaster Tycoon and Sim City.

 

[Magnalian]

I tried out a couple of games on the ol' N64 that I couldn't get into as a kid. Turns out I just sucked at them a couple years ago.