Oftentimes, when there are lists of the best games to replay, I  don’t typically see games that are great to replay. A large part of the distinction I make with this kind of recommendation is how different the experiences between gameplays are and of how long it would take to replay the game. For a lot of adult players, these factors are crucial in making a decision to replay a video game. 

A lot of suggestions given to players are Role-Playing Games (RPGs)  like Baldur’s Gate 3 or The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. While I agree that these two games are great games to replay and find new paths in the storyline or in solving puzzles, it is a greater task to replay through such long, story-intensive games. The amount of dedication put into a single run-through of the game makes it difficult for players to fully enjoy its content in a second run-through without a lot of time. 

Because there is so much content in the game making each playthrough different, players have to spend many more hours than what may be possible to complete it. This is more difficult for older players with full-time jobs who want to try out new games as well. 

It’s difficult to balance free time with gaming and all the chores and errands that need to get done. Because of this, longer games like RPGs are more difficult to replay. At most, it’s likely players will simply play through as far as they felt the most enjoyment before the game begins to feel less fulfilling and more like a chore to get to the next scene they want to see. 

On the other hand, I also see a lot of simulation or survival games recommended as replays. I have mixed feelings about this as well. As fun as it is to build and craft up scenarios for these simulated worlds to experience, it also comes with its own set of troubles. I felt this most strongly when I went back to experience ARK: Survival Evolved. It was fun to restart an adventure as a brand new survivor and struggle through dinosaur encounters. However, it was greatly frustrating to play through the game and knowing the creative freedom and liberties I had as a higher-level survivor versus the grinding I needed to do as a lower-level one. I had the issue of the experience becoming more like a chore and not something I was enjoying. 

Similar to RPGs, these survival and simulation games required a great amount of time and dedication in order to re-immerse players into the game world. Again, it’s time consuming for a lot of players who don’t have as much time for video games as they used to. 

Honestly, for the amount of time and varying playable experiences, competitive games or battle royales seemed like the best option. The co-op experience made it possible for different outcomes to occur with each battle, and the time needed for a round of battles is significantly less compared to RPGs or survival games. For as much as I do not enjoy these games compared to other genres, I also find it as an easy outlet to indulge in playing video games while also not taking a lot of time out of my day. 

Another genre of games I think of recommending are rhythm games. Because of the necessity of skill in matching rhythms and having a variety of songs to play with, rhythm games are great replayable games. An example of such would be Osu! which constantly seems to be updating itself and has a rather intense level of difficulty. It makes the game have a variety of experiences for players and gives some freedom in how they enjoy the game. 

At the end of the day, the decision to replay a game falls on the players. It largely depends on the amount of time they have to dedicate to another playthrough of a game and the experience of it. Some players enjoy going through the same experience, wanting to relive the emotions and gameplay they had in their first runthrough. Other players love having a long video game to try again because they want to see how differently the story will go based on their choices. 

Replaying a video game, in the end, comes down to each player’s ability and desire to play the game. What games are you willing to replay? Do you prefer to have a longer story to re-experience or shorter spurts of gameplay that is enjoyable? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below or in our Boss Rush Discord! 

Featured Image: lalesh aldarwish

The Boss Rush Podcast: The Flagship Podcast of Boss Rush Media and the Boss Rush Network

The Boss Rush Podcast – The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of Boss Rush Media and the Boss Rush Network. Each week, Corey, Stephanie, LeRon, and their friends from around the internet come together with other creators, developers, and industry veterans to talk about games they’ve been playing, discuss video game and entertainment based topics, and answer questions solicited on social media and the community Discord. 

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