Modern Games= Lousy Replay Value?

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

Jack was just talking to me about his recent play through Arkham City and how he doesn't feel motivated to play again. It was something that came into my mind on multiple occasions. I've played a modern game and have had no real desire to play through it again. The only exceptions are games with RPG elements that have level up systems and New Game Plus modes like Borderlands and Ratchet and Clank.

What is causing this drop off in replay value? My guess is that games are too cinematic and remove the actual gameplay that old games had. Old games were often simplistic but you could play them over and over again. I can't count how many times I've played Baldur's Gate, Duke Nukem, Carmageddon, Battletoads, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, etc.

Compare that to many modern games. Once you're done you've had enough. That along with the current climate might be why people just beat it once and return it to Gamestop after they're done.

What are your thoughts?

[JACK-2]

Over emphasis on cinematic not enough good gameplay elements and content post game. I mean arkham had challenge maps, but minus the predator mode it was generally not enough. They should have a mission mode with interesting challenges or a boss rush mode like Kirby did and EX bosses.

Modern games focus on set pieces too much.

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

I remember somebody was saying an acclaimed was good because "It has great set pieces!" It's like a movie with button presses and everything is just another scene with a button prompt. It takes the interaction out of the game and you just end up watching the same cutscenes again and again.

I buy everything on sale and this all the more reason why. Many of these modern games that people gush over, I always think, "I don't see the hype." It's just another game with big graphics and lots of cutscenes.

Old games didn't even have post game content, you often just started over. The gameplay elements were so strong and fluid that you could keep on replaying it, not to mention they were great for playing on the go. Kirby for example is something you can play on your way out the door if you have to leave in 30 minutes. That's one thing I always like.

Here's something on modern set pieces, Uncharted for instance:

venturebeat.com/2011/12/02/the-deanbeat-video-game-set-pieces/

"With games like Uncharted 3: Drake’s Fortune sweeping us off our feet this holiday season, gamers are getting spoiled by video game “set pieces.” These are the crazy, over-the-top, movie-like action scenes that make your jaw drop. Like when Nathan Drake gets in a firefight on a cargo airplane with the ramp open and everything is being sucked out of the plane. As a player, you’re trying to get a bead on somebody shooting at you, but that damn wind just keeps blowing off your aim."


This stuff appeals to the masses.

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

Jan 8, 2016 18:03:58 GMT -5 MGNoxa said:

By replay value do you mean completing the game multiple times? Most games today give you their value with extra modes, new characters and secret levels etc.

I like the big action set pieces in games but like movies the games that focus on a linear story/set piece experience it needs to be good for me to play it again. The Uncharted games are that for me. I only watch my favourite movies multiple times and the same for those kind of games. Also games that focus on the story I tend not to replay, TellTales The Walking Dead is amazing but that was once and done, if I didn't get it for free on Xbox One I wouldn't of played it again, same with The Last of Us on PS3.

Games like The Witcher 3 I'll only play once because of how big they are, same for Fallout 4 or Xenoblade Chronicles X. Now the question of replay value for them is a pointless one because they can last you for over 100 hours.

Games like Resident Evil Revelations 2 is one of the games I mentioned up above. You finish the main game and you unlock all sorts of extra modes and costumes. I think I spent over 40 hours on Revelations 2.

Then you have games that are designed around replay value like Lollipop Chainsaw that whole game is about high scores and finding lollipops only available in easier and harder difficulties. It got poor reviews and sold well but it's one of my favourite games of last gen. Until Dawn my favourite game this year and that game is all about replaying it over and over.

I think the problem with replay value and the lack of replay value is that because of the focus on new things that the idea of making a game designed around replaying the same stuff over and over comes across repetitive and lazy, the problem is to create a truly repayable game is the opposite of lazy and repetitive but it'll take a big game to change the public perception on it.

I haven't played Black Ops 3 but from what I understand that game has a big focus on replay-ability and the famous Zombies mode in the COD games is about replaying the same maps over and over to get the best score, so some games are still popular with the focus on replay-ability. Devil May Cry is still about replay-ability even with the DmC reboot.

Personally I think the Arkham games are amazing and I got the Platinum Trophy in Arkham City and Arkham Knight because I absolutely loved them, in order to get that trophy I had to complete the game twice once on normal and once on the harder new game plus.

People rat on the Uncharted games for their lack of replay-ability but you can play them twice, it's still fun and you can play on harder difficulties and collect all the treasures. Almost every big game has at least extra difficulties. But like I said it's the games that focus on the stories/set pieces that tend to give me the one and done feeling, Uncharted, Until Dawn and quite a few others are so good I just need to play them again to get the extra collectibles or see the other endings.

Really thinking about it, I don't think it's the lack of extra modes or lack of stuff to do on the second playthrough that stops people on most games, it's the characters and story. Some games I'm done because I've had my experience with it it, I've made my story and that's it for me, others I just want to experience it again and I think so many games focus on the wrong things that people have no other reason to play it again other than extra stuff, so it feels boring or repetitive even if that second playthrough might end up quite a bit different.

In Lollipop Chainsaw if Juliet wasn't so awesome and the dialogue really funny I wouldn't of played that game twice because she made me want to play it more, the funny characters and really funny story made me want to keep playing that game. Nathan Drakes one liners and really cool action set pieces made me want to play again. Batman in Gotham with all the bat-villains made me want to play again. The Walking Dead was great but I'm one and done because it's so dark and dull even though there's many different options I could pick my second time around.

I don't think lousy replay value is because of modern games I just think some games appeal to different people in different ways and it's like that for every medium. I would gladly read a book but I wouldn't read one twice, some people would read their favourite books multiple times. I went to watch The Force Awakens three times, most will only watch it once. I've only re-watched one TV Series whereas others have watched their favourites many times. People don't say "Where's my movie re-watch value." because you only watch it more than once if you like it.

I think this was all over the place because my thoughts on it kinda changed midway but I'll leave you with this

Because who in their right mind wouldn't want to replay this game over and over and over and over...

There is definitely a different approach to games made now vs the ones made in the past. Everyone has their own preference but I'm talking about games from the same genre in different time periods.

What era did you start gaming?

[JACK-2]

Old school games didnt have story focus and were generally engaging. With lots of replayabilty. I don't think it's the issue.

Arkham replayabilty is in the challenge modes. The campaign gets boring after one playthru. Plus minus a few bosses. The game is boring a second time around. I beat asylum like 6 times on more than one difficulty. The campaign is too short and the gameplay too scripted imo.

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

That's right around when the cinematic phase started coming in. Modern games choose to take a lot of elements that people find difficult out or to make it so they're done automatically. This has the effect of removing immersion. Modern games also remove much of the freedom you had in older games. Duke Nukem Forever is a great example. It was hated on more than it deserved to be but the gameplay got rid of all of the weapons you had before that you could use at once and they lost the since of exploration for a more linear approach. Old school fans did not like that as the atmosphrere was a defining feature of the games.

Jan 8, 2016 18:16:00 GMT -5 JACK-2 said:

Old school games didnt have story focus and were generally engaging. With lots of replayabilty. I don't think it's the issue.

Arkham replayabilty is in the challenge modes. The campaign gets boring after one playthru. Plus minus a few bosses. The game is boring a second time around. I beat asylum like 6 times on more than one difficulty. The campaign is too short and the gameplay too scripted imo.

Games in the past had story, like Baldur's Gate for instance which was a masterpiece but it was very heavily gameplay oriented and not a movie with button presses. I find this to be more of the issue.

I had another friend DLC and multiplayer is also a problem. What do you think?

[JACK-2]

I actually like coop in many modern games for long campaign modes. Like in resident evil.

[JACK-2]

I like Batman, but not to the extent that I can stomach the campaign too much. The game is fun once, but after that it's meh. Resident Evil one by comparison I could play that game 20 times and never get bored of it.

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

Jan 9, 2016 10:58:38 GMT -5 MGNoxa said:

Jan 8, 2016 22:06:18 GMT -5 JACK-2 said:

I like Batman, but not to the extent that I can stomach the campaign too much. The game is fun once, but after that it's meh. Resident Evil one by comparison I could play that game 20 times and never get bored of it.

This is a part of what I mentioned earlier it's a shorter well made game that probably wouldn't review well but when you play it you're hooked on just about everything.

What people consider "well made" has changed from the past. People like graphics, cinematics, and set pieces more than gameplay and challenge it seems.