Replayable vs. Unreplayable Games 

Thanks for 1000 subs everyone. You may not know it, but I appreciate you all greatly. Edit: 2k now. Only up from here. Also if you're wondering if I changed the title, I did. I thought it better suits the structure of the video.

My dad played all of resident evil 7 vr until the end boss without sprinting not because of a challenge but because he didn’t know he could sprint as he unbinded the button by accident lol. He spend hours in the final boss walking and getting soft locked until he finally found a video about the fight and his face when he realised he could sprint this entire time was priceless.

Outer Wilds is a great example of how a rather short game with 0 fluff and replayability can be better than any huge AAA project. Literally the best gaming experience of my life.

Really enjoyed this video essay. Keep it up 😶‍🌫

what defines a game's quality isn't how replayable/unreplayable it is, what actually defines it's quality is how much you replay your experience in your head.

Outer wilds always had an infinite amount of a different kind of replay value to me, because even 2 years after playing it, it still fascinated my brain, and i think about it multiple times a day. A game that can do that has more replay value any huge rpg.

Outer Wilds is a great example of the kind of game which you willingly have a shady doctor in a back alley whose office is hidden behind a dumpster and 7 locks on their door intentionally induce severe amnesia to forget about outer wilds just to play it again

TellTale games are an example of Unreplayable Replayable games. The stories end the exact same way every time, no matter what you do, with only menial differences. However, they're still a blast to go through purely because of how many possible dialogue branches you can go through.

What kind of burgers are you eating that have breadcrumbs in them

Quality over quantity. I think replayable games are the best ones, even if they have only like 10 hours worth of gameplay. I remember replaying Arkham Asylum back in the day around 20 times at least. I think the games that make you come back for more even after beating them, are the best ones.

For me this type of game would be Deep Rock Galactic, the sheer amount of builds you could use, cave generations you can play in and enemy/mutator compositions is just incredible. At the time of writing this comment i have around a 1500 hours and is not even close to getting boring. ( Additionally the community of DRG is so friendly i just dont want to stop )

Played through the Halo games (Bungie's) hundreds of times each simply because the moment to moment gameplay is so engaging and unique. Good, fun gameplay is all you really need to be replayable.

I find it soo interesting that you brought up little nightmares as a game you had no will to replay because personally I have played both games multiple times, really shows that people have different ticks

Arkham Knight and City are the games I've replayed the most. Just can't get enough of the stealth and fighting in those games, definately some of the best ever!

I've replayed every uncharted game so many times that I've memorised the conversations in every cutscene. I love that saga.

The Outer Wilds is my favorite game of all time, hands down. It randomly pops into my head and I hear the music. Can, and sometimes does, bring me to tears. I randomly played it after seeing it was leaving game pass a few years ago and figured "why not?" and then I spent the next week playing ONLY that game. If I could wipe my memory and play that game with a fresh mind, I would. 1000% yes. I could have spent $500 and it would have been worth it. That game is the best of the best and I genuinely don't see anything topping that experience, ever.

I love the phrase you used "all of the discoveries I made were my own", it is really true, I felt so connected with these worlds that I didnt even realize that even tho these discoveries were scripted and the way to use the knowledge too they felt so real and made so much sense! so much detail and it feels like you are truly free even tho you are not

a perfect example of a really re-playable game for me is subnautica, i always seem to be drawn back to it because of how much is kept intentionally mysterious and unknown, i think outer wilds is similar in that. also amazing video :)

Before I watch the video, I want to say that the beauty of replaying a game is like watching a movie or re-reading a book. You get to notice things you didn't notice before and try different playstyles that you didnt before. In the process you would ideally understand why like a game or hate it.

I think that The Beginner's Guide ties together the "one time experience" and the "I want to replay it again" experience in a great way because of how the game's ending changes your whole view.

Great Video Tihshoo! Greatly structured and nicely edited! Hope to see more and cheers from Bulgaria

The Metro Series is definitely something I'd love to experience again, can't wait for the new game to release sometime soon.

seeing the credits roll on outer wilds was extremely heart breaking, i started crying because i realized i could never experience the game the same way again.

the quarry is one of these games for me. its not a perfect game by any means, but I was so captivated by the story and the way it functions means there is so much to replay. I've already replayed it so much not only to beat the achievement but to find new ways to tell the story or find things I missed. its so great. love the video!

God I love Obra Dinn so much. It was so so much fun and it made me so happy. Lucas Pope understands something so intrinsic about games even when he makes them on his own, it's amazing. Massive accomplishment on his part 💕

what a well structured video! sometimes when i finish playing a game that i really liked, i perform a self lobotomy on the temporal lobe of my brain just so i can experience it again!

Breadcrumbs and eggs inside a burger? My brother in christ you were eating a meatloaf sandwich not a hamburger.

This is an incredibly well articulated, grounded, and true take! Well done Tihshoo. This video was entertaining, but truthful. Funny, yet engaging. Easy sub, keep up the excellent work.

I was thinking why this video was recommended to me. I don't even like replaying games. Then you mentioned Outer Wilds and Return if the Obra Dinn 😄 For this type of games, I found that watching blind playthroughs is their version of replayability. I never watched people play games before, but I have now watched literal dozens of Outer Wilds playthrough 😆 You'd be surprised how thrilling when the player is about discover or realize something and how much you can learn/discover more about the game.

I think this is actually my problem with TotK. I have so many hours in BotW, I've replayed it so many times, but upon beating TotK, I didn't feel any urge to replay it. There was nothing that I wanted to do after I beat the game. It just felt so empty.

can’t believe you didn’t mention portal 2, it’s the perfect mix of not replay able at all but also so incredibly replay able because all you have to do is wait long enough between playthroughs that you don’t remember how to solve the puzzles again. then the story is compelling yet simple enough to be enjoyed every time. I have played portal 2 proabably 6 or 7 times because each time i waited several years to play it again and it was almost as new as the very first time i played it. Truly a perfect video game in my eyes

7:57 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors on the DS is that game for me. I've waited 14 years trying to forget enough of it so that I could reasonably replay it and... I just can't. It's seared into my brain like it was done with a branding iron and perhaps it always will be.

Despite the visuals being well made, this script feels less like an essay and more like listening to someone go on a tangent. I don't even think you answered your own question of "why does replay value matter?"

One game that I wish I could experience all over again is Control. The worldbuilding and art design hooked me and drove me to learn about and explore the lore. Control has limited replayability, but that's fine. It was a phenomenal one-and-done experience.

skylanders giants is the game i replay the most, i love the story (despite how simple it is) and each level has something unique about it. there's also a lot of collectables and bonus content, and a lot of characters you can play around with to level up and to experience each fight in a different way thanks to their different attacks. ive even started speedrunning it, which im surprised you didnt bring up as a factor in replayability- if the controls handle well and there are multiple ways to get through each area, there tends to be a huge community of people who do speedruns and challenges within the game (though popularity and length of the game in general is also a factor)

No clue why you showed up on my recommended tab, but I’m here for it! Great content 💙

You put it perfectly- there's a ton of games I've played over my time growing up and sprinkling into my ever growing roster, but there is only a handful I get that 'I would do anything to play that for the first time'. Subnautica, Borderlands 2, and the first Telltale TWD game were those for me. The idea of discovery, and how it resonates in these sorts of games for me, is almost palpable. Its such a great feeling, and I love how you described it. :) Awesome job dude.

I like to replay Dishonored games a lot the game offers so a lot of content even though the campaign is not that long and the fact that you can approach any missions in different ways is what really makes me keep replaying it.

Learned about Returd from this video, absolute banger of a game. And good vid!

Great video! Funny enough, I've wanted to see a video on this exact topic for a while now, and even thought about making one back then. Very glad to see you were able to deliver this with such great personality, structure, and pacing. Also, you've got really great taste in video games. Hope to see more in the future on other interesting topics

This was a super good video! I liked the way the script was written and your ideas were presented, and the concept was super cool to boot. Keep up the good work!

I haven't got round to playing it, but Chants of Senaar seems like another one of those knowledge-driven games. I'd recommend checking that out if you're looking for another Outer Wilds/Return of the Obra Dinn experience, cause it's on the top of my wishlist.

Amazing video! I loved the cult classics you showed!

This vid is actually so well done, well said, edited nicely, GG bro. Couldn’t agree more

I absolutely loved this video. Only after did I notice how small your channel was. Amazing video for a channel that is your size!

Amazing video! popped up in my recommended and until the end I thought I was watching a massive youtube channel only to find out you have < 1000 subs (which is a really big compliment). I'm staying for more content from you.

great, well putted thought on the topic. the quality of the video as a whole (montage, structure, script, rofls, etc.) is on such high level, that I didn't expect such level of production from a "small" youtuber. keep going dude!

Bro keep doing what you’re doing! Loving it!

Initial reception is great to have but you need someone to be able to go back through multiple times and still have a refreshed experience. It's why I LOVED RE4 Remake's replayability, you could do a lot of things much like in RE7 but there was A LOT more to do that didn't just feel like "just one more stupid challenge to get 100%"

Saw the title and knew I'd need to leave a comment! Great video, you really start to get at the heart of what makes a game "replayable"- the mechanics need to be fun to engage with, and needs to have multiple ways of going about tackling it's challenges. I literally paid 89 cents for Downwell on steam, and I have 40 hours in it- Ito took many runs for me to clear, and I have still gone back and played again just because the game is fun. Roguelike mechanics can be hit or miss, but a well-crafted Roguelike can be incredibly simple as long as it has solid mechanics. PS: The game I wish I could play again for the first time is Persona 3. You just can't experience a story for the first time twice, but if I could, it would be Persona 3.

great great work in this video man, really love it!!!

Great video I love these types of videos you got a sub 100% keep up the good work!

2 of my favourite games that are replayable and unreplayable are Terraria and The Witness. Terraria I have sunk about 800 hours into with content updates, modded playthroughs and challenge runs with or without friends. The Witness was a great experience that I thoroughly enjoyed every part of and I didn’t spoil myself on anything (almost, I looked up a hint once lol). I still seriously recommend picking up both for a fun singleplayer and co-op game and one for a wonderful singleplayer discovery journey that you can turn into co-op by streaming it to friends in discord. Great video :3

Honestly, the games that I have played more than once, in its single-player experience, is the mass effect saga, I really enjoyed doing the platinum and the variety of things that change depending on your decisions, since just to see what would happen if towards this and that I played the saga many times

This is a nice video. Normally on these type of videos I watch about half way through and click off, but this one just hits different and I want to watch more. W video.

Amazing video, your editing is incredible. Hope your channel grows

this tishoohead is thanking santa for this upload

One of the games that I feel like I couldn't fully complete, was Omori. It felt like the final ending I got was so satisfying that I really didn't want to restart it again, all that time connecting with the characters and helping deal with Omori's struggles made it feel like, I'd do something wrong if I where to reset everything. While silly in retrospect these are just characters in a video game after all, it shows how a game can be unreplayable even with the fact how there's a lot of things to "finish" per say. An ending so satisfying you don't want to play anymore, and feel like it will taint the original run sorta unreplayanlity.

This guys gonna make it far, this content is clean, comentary and arguments are sound, its nice.

nice video, havent been watching that much of a great video for a while on that type of content

This is a good ass video. It’s insane how good the production value of small youtubers has gotten.

The dimension of strategy, like in R6 Siege, Age of Empires, Baldur's Gate 3, and the Paradox series I think creates the most replayability of any game

Love me video essays and I especially love finding amazing ones that grab my attention right away ❤ so happy to subscribe and binge your videos 🎉 also you got a good voice for essays like this

Wow it seems the RU-vid algorithm has blessed you. Congratulations! Also this video was amazing to watch. Very groovy!

I love Kingdom Hearts, even now after 20 years of playing it.... but man, do I wish I could experience that game for the first time again

I don't think linear games are bad as long as you have different options to play through the levels

Great video man!! I hope you get all the success you deserve

What a cool video, definitely saving this one to rewatch it

Good discussion of the topic, emphasizes the important parts of Replay Value without just saying 'infinite replay good xDDD'

I loved this video! I can tell you put effort into this content. You earned a new subscriber :) One thing that I experienced is the annoyance of wanting to replay a game but being held back by things such as unskippable tutorials, cutscenes or progress locked mechanics. One game that comes to mind is Monster Hunter World, which I loved playing and most certainly want to play through again, but having to watch the whole introduction sequence and follow the tedious tutorials keeps me from doing it. I think developers should account for replayability in these scenarios, but maybe I'm just nitpicking at this point lol. Keep up the good work boss

Hell yeah I crave for something like Outer Wilds. I have been blown away by the sense of discovery, learning. It's so good.

this vid even got replay value, i come back to this vid every couple months

Still, to this day, the only game I ever finished and said "holy f*** I HAVE to play this again" is Ocarina of time. That game is easily the thing I wish I could forget and play again. The mirror mode too is something I wish devs would lean more into. What a gem that game is.

Hate to be one trapped in 2011, but Skyrim would be that game that i always come back to. Either me doing a new or old build. Or creating a stupid backstory or rules for me to follow. I always seem to end up back on that carriage torwards what should be an ill awaited fate.

one of the few youtube videos i geniuine enjoy watching

Great video, very well articulated.

Oneshot is one of the best games with no replay value I’ve seen. It’s a puzzle game with an amazing story, and the fourth wall breaks in it are amazing

Firewatch is one of my favorite games. It's linear, story based, so it doesn't have much gameplay or replayability, but the EXPERIENCE is what makes it so replayable to ME. The soundtrack, the cheesy, pure dialogue, the visuals are just 10/10

underrated channel, keep up the good work

That was really nice ! Congrats man !

cyberpunk was the same for me i loved the world the characters the story etc that i did every ending the DLC the base game brought every car apartment did every ncpd side quests got every achievement and felt sad that i did everything i never wanted to leave but sadly theres nothing else to do

"I think that every single person has at least one game they wish they could just wipe their memory, and play for the first time again." 10:03 This is a feeling that every person who has ever touched a "great" video game before can relate too.

Congratulations! Really good video.

I play the Metro games about every two years. I’m getting to the point where I remember all of the jumpscares and the parts I get stuck on. Just love them so much.

My favorite youtube video game essay genre of "Mention as many games as possible in the shortest timeframe so people comment "I played that" and drive up engagement". To give some credit, the first 3 minutes had succeeded in creating the illusion of an interesting opinion being potentially expressed

replayability doesnt automatically make a game good, and not being replayable doesnt automatically make a game bad

just beat outer wilds for the first time today, started it a couple days ago, and WOW. im the type of person to 100 percent a game, so exploring the whole universe and finding all the logs/story was awesome. The whole ending sequence gave me chills, music and all. hoping the DLC is just as good. Loved this video as well

lowkey teared up at the end.. i jus wanna go back and experience all these weird games i love again like psychonauts or monley island. god i love games

the "one game id like to wipe my memory of and replay once again" for me would be abzu, the whole game can be played in less than an hour- but my first playthrough took me over 4 hours. i explored everything i could and during sad moments i stayed there and cried, its my favourite game of all time and having replayed it probably 5 times now whenever id show it to friends its still amazing, but nothing beats the first time i launched and finished it

You are a fantastic writer. I watch a lot of gaming content, I mean a lot. This was one of the first videos I've seen of yours, but if you keep this up you'll easily be the next Joseph Anderson or Karl Jobst

theres no such feeling as reaching City of Tears for the first time. you can yearn for that feeling by replaying it but it wont be the same at all.

Thank you for the encouragement

I don't think replay value matters that much when judging a game's quality. It's nice to have though.

I know it’s such an obvious opinion but bg3 genuinely shocked me with how repayable it is, it’s genuinely so much fun and has a solid story with so many different branches

Somehow didn't expect to see my goat Outer Wilds appear in this. Glad to see others appreciate it

Gris is one of these fisicly unreplayable games, and yet, it had me experience, tear, and feel more than some most big AAA games I played or just replayable games in general. It might not get me to play again nor might it deliver the same expierience it did to me the first time, but it will be stuck with me, a part of me, replaying on my brain and replaying on my eyes.

That's what i'm saying!!! Most people say that re3 remake was very short, and it is but it has a lot of replay value. The game that i loved but would never replay however is death stranding. It's amazing the first time but too much dialogue and cutscenes makes not want to play. I don't have the patience anymore to see through cutscenes every 5 mins. I just wanna play.

bro just wanted to flex the games he 100 percented lmao

Just hearing the first notes of Outer Wilds' main menu theme brings tears to my eyes; truly a once in a lifetime experience.

For me such games are the psychonauts series. I played first one in 2021, enjoyed it, 100% it, deleted. Then I played the second one. While there are some rough parts, it's a great sequel and I had lots of fun in the process. But after I 100%-ed the game and talked to everyone my first thought was "yeah, now there's nothing more for me, I've seen everything this game has to offer" which was such a unique feeling cause I usually say to myself something like "okay, I finished it, what's the next one". This bittersweet moment when you pulled everything from the game, every piece of content really makes me want to wipe my memory. And as for "forces bread crumbs" is The Lion's song. I love the game so much but the gameplay is very slow to give you time to feel the atmosphere, which damages replayability, since although your choices matter sooooo much, you usually feel stuck in linearity between those choices and you need to sit through it. I would say, the second playthrough was a pleasant experience to see other potions but achievement grind is a total disaster.