Is replay value important to you?

[J T]

Occassionally I see reviews where a game provides a great experience, but ultimately isn't something you want to play over and over again. For example, Portal and Portal 2 are sometimes criticized for leaving you with no desire to replay the game once you've figured out the puzzle. Replay value also frequently shows up on the check boxes at the end of a review as an important aspect of the game.

Yet, I don't really care about replaying a game in most circumstances. I'm fine with having a discrete experience that is enjoyable up until the credits, and then never again.

The only time that I think I really care about replay value is when a game that is meant to be played competitively in multiplayer. Fighting games and racing games, for example, should be enjoyable enough in their central mechanics that I want to keep coming back for "just one more". I don't care if RPGs, adventures, and most all "single player campaign" experiences warrant another playthrough or not. This may simply be because I have enough games to keep me playing until the end of my days, but I'm perfectly fine with a good game having zero replay value and I'm bothered when a game with an excellent single player experience losing marks in a review because it doesn't have replay value.

[brunoafh]

Replay value is extremely important to me, and considering replay value is vital when I look through my collection and decide what games are worth holding on to. I generally don't care to hold onto games that offer zero or very little replay value. I realize what actually gives a game replay value is ultimately subjective, but I'm very partial to games that offer replay value with unlockables, bonus difficulties, new game plus features, and multiple endings (or similar incentives to give the game multiple play-throughs).

With fighting games and/or arcade style games, it's different. Replay value is delivered in a different way.

[Gamerforlife]

Replay is not a must in my eyes. However, I do like having extra goals to pursue in games like ranking systems, completion percentages, etc. It's just nice to feel that you're excelling at a game and stuff like that makes you feel that way

It's disappointing when a game doesn't have stuff like that, but it's not a huge turnoff for me though. I think some games actually go overboard in giving players extra stuff to do. Batman Arkham City had waaaaaay too many Riddler trophies and challenge maps.

With some games though, I love beating them over and over so much that I don't need any extra stuff. Beat'em ups are a perfect example. It's just fun to replay them and find new ways to kick people's asses. I'm still trying to one life Simpsons Arcade on PSN and today I even tried to play through survival mode on expert difficulty and got to the level 5 boss before I finally died. I felt good just getting that far and I can't wait to try again

[KDub]

I would have to answer..."sorta?"

Short platformers and arcade style games MUST have replay value. If I don't feel like I will ever want to try the game again be it on a harder setting or just for the joy, I don't care for the game.

Long RPGs and story driven games don't need replay value to a degree. If I get done playing and I'm on the fence I won't count it off as much because there was (or should have been) a wealth of things to do the first time through. If I do want to come back later it just adds to the "Score" for me.

Either way though if at the end I know I'll never touch it again, I really feel like it wasn't that good of a game.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

With arcade style and party games, replay value is crucial. I will be playing them alone, with friends, and sharpening my skills for tournaments at my gaming club. Racing games and fighters etc need to be indefinitely playable. You can always improve your skill and if that's what you want, the game has endless value.

Some games I play again and again because I love the experience and aesthetic, even though there's little or no replay content. I've beaten Sly 2 around 18 times and always loved it. Same with Valkyrie Profile 1/2, Super Metroid, Ace Combat - such brilliant gameplay and the atmosphere! it's beautiful.

Most other games, I'm only going to play once. There are more games in the world than there is time, so there's no reason to replay unless I really, really love it. I have a lot of free games on my PC that I've never played - not that they aren't good, but because there are brilliant masterpieces that I haven't played. Only play Final Fantasy or Starcraft once through? Congratulations, you have beaten some of the best games of all time. Now you can move on

[J T]

I'm very partial to games that offer replay value with unlockables, bonus difficulties, new game plus features, and multiple endings (or similar incentives to give the game multiple play-throughs).

I find this stuff sometimes gets in the way of me enjoying the game, if it is a story-driven game. I get this OCD compulsion to collect everything and complete every side quest, but when I do that, I end up not finishing the main quest. I have this dual pull to both finish the game and not miss out on anything. If there is too much trivial "bonus" stuff, I end up wasting time and I either get bored, or just lose track of what's going on in the main game. I've had to stop myself from caring about side quests and collecting everything, but it's hard to fight the compulsion, especially when I worry that I'll miss out on valuable experience points or some important item that makes the game possible to finish.

The only kind of replay I actually like and care about is when a game is such a joy to play, that I want to play it over and over. All that collectible/unlockable stuff feels like artificial inflation of game time to me.

[Jrecee]

N64 rare games have great replay value. In fact you have to play them about 450 times just to beat them once.

I couldnt care less about trophies and stuff. Unless it's for my own enjoyment. Theres not enough hours in the day to one up some dude in japan who plays the same game 14 hours a day. Well i guess technically theres 10 hours in a day to outdo him...

Basically just make a good game. If i like it ill keep playing it even after ive beat it. No amount of rewards will make me keep playing a game I'm bored with.

[BurningDoom]

Definetly it's important to me. The games that I can back to and play over and over again and still have fun with are the best games in my collection, as far as I'm concerned. Mario games, Zelda games, Metroid games, DuckTales, Mega Man, Castlevania, Sonic the Hedgehog, and others are great just for this reason.

[MrPopo]

I think every game has a certain amount of replay value if you wait enough time between playthroughs. Portal isn't much fun the day after you beat it, but a year after is another matter.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

Now that I think about it, playing games to finish them and then move on has a disadvantage too. If the game is worth playing, chances are you won't be able to master it in one playthrough. It's like Street Fighter at parties vs Street Fighter with Daigo. You can break RPG mechanics once you understand the leveling systems, but with action games like shmups, racers, platformers, etc there's this thrill. To utterly master the game and give the best performance possible really feels like an achievement, and it's also a great way to impress your friends