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"Replayability - Back in fashion!"

I don't know if you noticed, but a lot of games out there are kind of play through once, and then you're done. Recent examples include Rune, Severance (sure you get to play 4 characters, but most the levels are the same at the end). Even Baldur's Gate II, yes massive, and possibly offers a second retry, but once you played through twice, you're exhausted and want to do something else. There have been games which offer replayability through the way you pljay, and the choices you make. This includes Sacrifice and Deus Ex. Whilst the story arc comes to one conclusion for Sacrifice, there are several ways to get there, in fact about 50 different ways. However, how many games do you own that you reckon you still will be playing in a few months time? Or say 6 months, or a year later? I'm playing Black & White now (much to the detriment of my work), and I know this baby isn't going to quit. Challenging, intriguing, with multiple gameplay styles that you can adopt. Whilst there is a central theme, how you achieve those goals is upto you (or if you even bother). And the rewards through playing are something that I haven't felt for a long time. When my creature succeeds at a miracle for the first. I didn't feel like this until I finished Baldur's Gate II for the first time! What is really odd is that there is one game I still play, even after well over a year since it came out. Sure, an add-on was released, but the game is still the same and looks the same. It is of course Age of Empires II. A masterpiece of strategy and tactics that keeps me coming back for more. Yes after a while many of the races appear to need the same strategy, but when playing online the challenge is still there. Even just playing against the computer. Choose 6 opponents, set it on the hardest level, and then don't tell me that there is no challenge, and you don't feel a little elated when you finally defeat the last Korean outpost! In what used to be a sea of single player shooters and one time action games, it's good to see that something different with a very very long lifespan is out there.

Dr. Duck wrote:
> (you just lose the will to live)

LOL!! Same here.

I've got the really old PGA Golf on PC, and I could never get off the last page of scorers. Then, I got off the last page, thinking I would go through to the second round, I relaized I had to get to the first page!!

(you just lose the will to live)

Multiple endings and games with more enjoyment in playing that just the challenge. And golf. You never 'complete' a golf game!

To original poster:

I agree with Sniper here!

Try pressing between paragraphs! It amkes it much easier to read!

Bit too chuky looking to me. Can't be bothered to read it.

Otherways of adding replayability could be splitting a game into levels so when you die you have to go back to the beginning of a level.

This way, you'll spend a long time on a certain level and it will be challenging but not too punishing.

Games these days aren't much easier than they used to be but because of save points, and the fact that you don't have to start from the beginning of a game everytime you die, games are generally easier to complete.

Another way of putting replayability in is putting secret parts to levels. On the first level, forinstance, there might be a passage way that is too hard for a begginner to get too or you might need a code, item or weapon from later on in the game.

That way, once you've completed a game there'll still be lots of bits and pieces to finish off.

I don't know if you noticed, but a lot of games out there are kind of play through once, and then you're done. Recent examples include Rune, Severance (sure you get to play 4 characters, but most the levels are the same at the end). Even Baldur's Gate II, yes massive, and possibly offers a second retry, but once you played through twice, you're exhausted and want to do something else. There have been games which offer replayability through the way you pljay, and the choices you make. This includes Sacrifice and Deus Ex. Whilst the story arc comes to one conclusion for Sacrifice, there are several ways to get there, in fact about 50 different ways. However, how many games do you own that you reckon you still will be playing in a few months time? Or say 6 months, or a year later? I'm playing Black & White now (much to the detriment of my work), and I know this baby isn't going to quit. Challenging, intriguing, with multiple gameplay styles that you can adopt. Whilst there is a central theme, how you achieve those goals is upto you (or if you even bother). And the rewards through playing are something that I haven't felt for a long time. When my creature succeeds at a miracle for the first. I didn't feel like this until I finished Baldur's Gate II for the first time! What is really odd is that there is one game I still play, even after well over a year since it came out. Sure, an add-on was released, but the game is still the same and looks the same. It is of course Age of Empires II. A masterpiece of strategy and tactics that keeps me coming back for more. Yes after a while many of the races appear to need the same strategy, but when playing online the challenge is still there. Even just playing against the computer. Choose 6 opponents, set it on the hardest level, and then don't tell me that there is no challenge, and you don't feel a little elated when you finally defeat the last Korean outpost! In what used to be a sea of single player shooters and one time action games, it's good to see that something different with a very very long lifespan is out there.