What is it about a game that makes us go back to it over and over? I can imagine everyone’s answer would be something different. Because we are all very different people, we like different games, and we have different play styles. I prefer chill games that may or may not be story-based, but occasionally, on stressful days, I play something a bit mindless that helps me let off steam (blast things in the face). If I do story-based games, I enjoy a story that lets me change the outcome based on my decisions and choices. My partner will go back and play Resident Evil games TO DEATH. He is a horror junkie. But those are his favorite replayable games. He’s weird.
One of my favorite replayable games is House Flipper. I can disconnect after work and make a house look however I want. It allows me to be creative, and it relaxes me. Do I want a cozy, neutral house or a vibrant, brightly painted open floor plan? I love the ability to change it up.
Another is the My Time series by Pathea Games. Whether it is My Time at Portia or My Time at Sandrock, these are some of the best chill farming/building/life sims, in my opinion. I can get to work collecting materials and then crafting those materials, and it’s an endless loop for hours just so I can make these towns look amazing and build relationships with the NPCs.
My go-to chill stress release game is Star Wars Battlefront II. I tend to play against AI because I am just horribly awful at multiplayer, and I get really pissed when I get beaten by a 9-year-old. Seriously, I will hunt them down. And then get murdered again. Sometimes I get lucky. But against AI, whether I win or lose, I can just mindlessly shoot things in the face, and when I get enough points, I can become a hero. My favorites are Bossk and Chewbacca. Shooty McBlast Face.
I also asked fellow contributors about some of their favorite replayable games.
Replayability depends on whether the enjoyable aspects of the game are enough motivation for me to commit time to replay it. For example, I enjoy a good story, but if a story-based game is long with occasionally frustrating controls, I’d hesitate to play it a second time just to experience the story. (I’m looking at you, Witcher 3!) I’m more likely to replay story-based games that are immersive (role-play) or online (play with friends). That’s why I’ve leveled 40+ characters across all eight classes in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
I continue to play Destiny 2 regularly, and I am now on my third playthrough of the core Persona 5 story. Replayability is also high for simple, casual games with no story, such as the single-player pastimes Tetris and Wordscapes, and party games like Among Us and the Jackbox series.
I continuously find myself going back to games like the Sims and Stardew Valley. Both games are incredibly cathartic and fill me with a sense of calm and relaxation, even if the Sim’s kitchen catches fire.
Stardew Valley has the ability to grab you from your very first minute. Its pixelated art style, in-depth characters, and uplifting music have the power to enthrall the player and immerse them into a world where they can escape to a country farm, grow crops, nurture farm animals, and form relationships with the NPCs.
The Sims lets the players get creative, designing characters and beautiful homes, and fulfilling needs and life-long goals. It gives us a sense of accomplishment, but it also helps us explore our creative side, get feisty with some character development, and even cheat death!
The Sims and Stardew Valley are games without a set linear narrative, thus giving the player multiple options for replayability, exploring new ventures, designing new farms or mansions, creating new relationships, and following where they lead. These games will always be at the top of my list to replay. They’re fun and creative and really immerse the player in their own narratives, which is why I’ll always be ready to sit down at the keyboard and click “new game.”
There are several games that I love to play over and over again. The list includes Star Wars Force Unleashed I & II because I love the concept of Starkiller and would love to see him and this storyline brought into live-action.
The other is one that I play almost every day, and that’s PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, or PUBG. This game never ends the same way twice. I’ve been playing since year one, and between the improvements in gameplay and the crossplay mechanics, it keeps me coming back for more. The story is what you make it, and the ability to plan and work as a squad is fantastic. This game has given me some of the strongest laughs because of gameplay with my friends, and it has also helped me make new friends. Long live PUBG.
Well, there you have it. Four different people and very different feelings on what makes a game replayable. What is your favorite replayable game? Do you prefer story-based or something that has a very loose narrative?
