Poll: Are games better on their second playthrough?

[ZomgSharkz]

It definitely depends on the game. A game like Fallout 3 I have already played through twice and I'm starting my third character. With such a huge world and so much to explore, along with a pretty much infinite number of stat configurations you can definitely play it over and for me it gets better and better.
A game like Halo 3 or Gears 2 you can play over again to find a skull or a different collectible but you aren't playing it over again for the whole experience, just to find a certain item or to get an achievement (At least that's how I feel).
Lastly there's a game like COD4; I played through the campaign, loved the multiplayer but I've never thought of going back to the campaign. There's just nothing for me.

 

[Ansem-The-Wise]

RPGs tend to be the best games to play twice. Fable 2 is the best example. My first playthrough, I played as a 'wouldn't-hurt-a-fly-give-poor-people-cash-and-is-the-second-Jesus' good guy, but on the second playthrough, I played as an evil, corrupt, town-slaughtering sorcceress.

 

[chromewarriorXIII]

If the game is really confusing the first time I might play through again just so I can go "Oh now I get what you're talking about!"

On the other hand I always play through a Legend of Zelda game at least twice. I don't know why I just do. I think I beat Wind Waker almost 7 times with different files.

But then there are some games where I just don't want to play it again. Even if the game was great. I'm currently playing Final Fantasy VIII on and off and I know for a fact that I'm not going to play it again once I finish (I'm on disc 3 out of 4).

 

[Fenring]

It depends, if it's a shooter than I would say no. If it is an RPG with depth and in which you can make different choices then yes.

 

[Corven]

Most of the time I will play through a game to get different outcomes to a quest or ending of the game, but sometimes I'll replay it to understand the storyline like MGS2 I had to play through that 3 times to finally get a good grasp of what they were talking about.

 

[stompy]

I generally play through games more than once, but it'll take me about 6 or so months before I try again. Usually, I might continue to play my favourite sections in a game (like 'War Pig' or 'Bog' in Call of Duty 4) over and over, but not the whole game.

On the other hand, if I really like a game, like say, Half-Life 2 and Crysis: WARHEAD, then I might play another time-round after a short time (for Half-Life 2, it was after finishing Episode 2, and for WARHEAD, it was after finishing the original Crysis).

 

[Flap Jack452]

The only game that gets better after multiple playthroughs are ones that have co-op. I like to play the single player then get into the online stuff. And if i can do co-op i like to beat it on each of the difficulties, on seperate runs. (easiest excluded)

 

[Yuriatayde]

RPGs are always harder the 2nd time around, because you don't do any "accidental grinding" because you always know where you need to go next. Without wandering around aimlessly because you're lost once in awhile, the bosses will MURDER YOU!

Some storylines in some games (Tales of Symphonia for GameCube) don't make any sense at all until the 3rd playthrough, but then they turn out to be really clever. I like replaying games, but it has to be a really good game.

Replay Value is the most important thing for me to look for when I buy games.

 

[reaper_2k9]

I think so when I play through a game a second of third time I always find things I missed.

 

[Trace2010]

In a similar instance, I had fun with Illusion of Gaia the second and third times through...but I usually don't play RPGs more than once, simply because the story doesn't get more interesting to me over time.

If a game has a different wrinkle the second time through (for instance, starting at "level 1" with all weapons, or starting the game in a "new game + mode), that makes things more fun. I would probably skip through most of the storyline. I think that 100% story completion is a silly condition in an RPG (though I do like multiple endings to a game, a la Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross).

There are very few books I would read twice= the ones I do become ingrained in memory...same concept.

 

[geldonyetich]

"Depends on the game" was too easy of a vote to make.

Generally speaking, a game isn't going to be as satisfying on its second playthrough.

However, in the rare instance, you will have a game that makes more sense and plays better the second time you play through it. E.G. The Devil May Cry series, where improving your score and technique becomes a focus of the game (come to think of it, a lot of Capcom games do this).

 

[Eiseman]

RPGs are always harder the 2nd time around, because you don't do any "accidental grinding" because you always know where you need to go next. Without wandering around aimlessly because you're lost once in awhile, the bosses will MURDER YOU!

Actually, I find the opposite to be true for me in the RPG specturm. Maybe I just get lost in places where the EXP is ass, but on the second playthrough, my levels tend to be higher than the the first time. By then I've learned where the best places to grind are, making the process more efficient and less time consuming, thereby streamlining it into the main quest more smoothly. Also, having fought the boss battles once already, I've learned most of their strengths and weaknesses, so I don't waste turns on actions that don't work.

Replay Value is the most important thing for me to look for when I buy games.

But this I definitely agree with. Games aren't cheap. They better still be fun the second time around, or it's a waste of my money.

 

[Gamer137]

I say most RPGs are better the 2nd time since they tend to have pretty deep learning curves, so you can get a better start your second time around when you understand the mechanices better. Every other genre plays better when it's your first time, unless you raise the difficulty.

 

[SimuLord]

The first time I mash through a game's campaign I'm learning as I go. Applying the knowledge on the second playthrough tends to make things a big boost to the ego, but once I've mastered a game it gets stale. Sometimes I wish I weren't an experienced, skilled gamer so I could take more time in between needing to buy a new game.

 

[Sasha Janre]

Only some very few games do I replay (FF7,8,9, KH1 and 2) but it's fun (when I have the time) to try and figure out where the hints are to the big plot is, and stuff like that. Like in KH2, when DiZ and cloaked dude (Riku in Xehanort's heartless body) are talking and he goes "WELL PERHAPS WE SHOULD GET SEA SALT ICE CREAM HAHAHAHA" or "Ansem? A pleasure to meet you! *laugh!*" At first you're like WTF but the second or third playthrough you connect the dots and it's fun.

But yeah, not a lot of games now-a-days have replayability on the menu. Le woe.

 

[Arcyde]

depends on the game, for example left 4 dead`s story mode i could play over and over and over. But dead or alive 4 i could only play the stories once and never play them again

 

[Librarian Mike]

A big indication that I really enjoyed a game is that once I finish it I just want to start it over. That's how I know that I love the Metroid series.

 

[JMeganSnow]

I'd have to say that the 2nd playthrough is the best one. The New Game shine hasn't worn off and I pick up on all the things I missed the first time through because I wanted to see the end as soon as possible.

By the third playthrough, the flaws and seams are beginning to show and there's not enough new stuff to keep me distracted.

 

[vid20]

Depends on the game.. and your individual gaming style...


I like trying to get absolutely EVERYTHING done in a game.. Which means i played through the Halo games multiple times (just to make sure i finished it on the hardest difficulties) Same with Gears of War (1 and 2). I'm also on my Hell play through of Heavenly Sword, and my second play through of Valkyria Chronicals.

Oh, and i have finished Diablo 2 more times then i can count.

 

[Suda 51.5]

Chronotrigger is a great example of playing a game multiple times because of the multiple endings.