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Has a second play through of a game ever moved it from good to great for you?
- Thread starter thonerayman
- Start date
God of War 2018
I enjoyed my first playthrough on normal, but I barely explored the combat system.
Then I did my 2nd playthrough on the hardest difficulty (GMGOW) and it became one of my favorite games ever due to the combat system (despite some early fights being infuriating).
I enjoyed my first playthrough on normal, but I barely explored the combat system.
Then I did my 2nd playthrough on the hardest difficulty (GMGOW) and it became one of my favorite games ever due to the combat system (despite some early fights being infuriating).
It isn't the same case entirely, but for me Sekiro.
I did love the game as much as other Fromsoftware's games, phenomenal games, some of my favourites.
After I beat Sekiro for the first time, I went to watch some videos of the game...and I was blown away! and even more when I replayed the game.
I did love the game as much as other Fromsoftware's games, phenomenal games, some of my favourites.
After I beat Sekiro for the first time, I went to watch some videos of the game...and I was blown away! and even more when I replayed the game.
Almost exactly what I was about to say. It's the first playthrough that has the magic. Even in heavily skill-based games, if they have a competently designed progression, it's the first playthrough that has the satisfaction of earning that skill.
So...for me, games where you need multiple playthroughs (or at least attempts) by design, to build skill, would be the only ones that fall into this category. Old arcade-style games come to mind, in addition to the ones you mentioned. Plenty of NES/SNES games, including the original Super Mario Bros, are like that. Certainly my first try at Super Mario Bros wasn't the most satisfying.
Good call out on Rock Band. I remember only somewhat enjoying Guitar Hero, at first. But when I finally got good enough to play on Expert, that's when the game, and its sequels/spinoffs, really shined.
I remember not really caring for the first Dead Rising when I played it, was pretty challenging and hard to get into at first. Then I gave it another shot and it became a beloved 360 game for me.
The Witness was already a game I loved thoroughly when I first played it and was my goty for 2016, but a replay last year cemented it as top 5 of all time for me. You'd think it's not suited for replays but I was even more impressed by its design the second time around.
The Witness was already a game I loved thoroughly when I first played it and was my goty for 2016, but a replay last year cemented it as top 5 of all time for me. You'd think it's not suited for replays but I was even more impressed by its design the second time around.
Yup. I had beat MGS2 in 2013 but when I replayed in 2015 the ending really struck a chord with me because of the political climate and how I had started to pay attention to it. It's now my second favorite game ever.
I didn't finish my first run but Final Fantasy XII was kinda meh for me at first. A couple years later I gave it another shot and that's when it clicked. I think the biggest reason was that on my first try I just kinda left everyone at their default roles (this was the vanilla PS2 version so no hard job system) but I got a lot more creative with the License Boards later.
Also only kinda counts since it's technically a different game, but Persona 5 to Persona 5 Royal. I found P5 to be a very mediocre retread of Persona 4 but I found Royal to be a very good retread of Persona 4.
Also only kinda counts since it's technically a different game, but Persona 5 to Persona 5 Royal. I found P5 to be a very mediocre retread of Persona 4 but I found Royal to be a very good retread of Persona 4.
I loved Demon's Souls when I imported it for PS3 but I didn't do more with it than clear it a couple of times. After getting more intimate with it because of the remaster I gained an even deeper appreciation for it.
OP
OP
This is my usual stance. The only reason I'm replaying H:ZD is that it had been SO long since i played it that I didn't remember some thigns about it, and I wanted it a bit more fresh for when the sequel dropped. And damn, I'm glad I did.
This 100%. It was good before, but when you are forced to really learn the systems on hard, it make the combat all the more rewarding. And you also learn that Tifa is a GOD in that game.
HZD was my pick when I read your title lol
But my reason is a bit different because I did do the new game+ which let me unleash Aloy's full arsenal on Ultra Hard and it really elevated my enjoyment!
Recently Disco Elysium, just seeing all of the different dialogue/play options based on your load out.
The first game I ever remember this happening to me was Chrono Trigger with all of its different endings.
The first game I ever remember this happening to me was Chrono Trigger with all of its different endings.
OP
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I thought about going NG+ but it had been so long since I played I wasn't sure I would be able to make use of all her kit lol. Starting over gave me a chance to grow with her again. But my gods, the story is hitting me so much better and cleaner this time.
Yup. Made me realize Undertale is probably the Mona Lisa of gaming if we are judging games on artistic value.
Doom 2016 comes to mind. I had just gotten my first 4k TV when it released so I played it on that with a controller. I enjoyed it but didn't think it was anything special. Then I replayed it prior to Doom Eternal's release on a 38" 144hz ultrawide monitor with mouse and keyboard. It was so much better.
Halo CE
Got an Xbox for it, and it was a lot of fun, but the first time through the game I was constantly getting lost and frustrated.
Like in the second level when you get to that deactivated light bridge, I really had no idea where to go. Why is the switch all the way up a ramp to the side of the bridge, why not just right next to the bridge entrance?
And the first levels with the flood were a pain to navigate too.
But once I figured out the level layouts and I could focus on having fun shooting and driving around it was a great experience.
Honestly, getting lost in levels the first time through a game is something I've had an issue with in a lot of games (or games where objectives are unclear), so quite a few games have been better the second time around not having to worry about that stuff.
It's why I first started using guides when I get stuck, it's just not fun for me to bumble around a level (or an entire game world) like an idiot looking for where to go.
Got an Xbox for it, and it was a lot of fun, but the first time through the game I was constantly getting lost and frustrated.
Like in the second level when you get to that deactivated light bridge, I really had no idea where to go. Why is the switch all the way up a ramp to the side of the bridge, why not just right next to the bridge entrance?
And the first levels with the flood were a pain to navigate too.
But once I figured out the level layouts and I could focus on having fun shooting and driving around it was a great experience.
Honestly, getting lost in levels the first time through a game is something I've had an issue with in a lot of games (or games where objectives are unclear), so quite a few games have been better the second time around not having to worry about that stuff.
It's why I first started using guides when I get stuck, it's just not fun for me to bumble around a level (or an entire game world) like an idiot looking for where to go.
I liked Dark Souls II a lot more when I played SotFS, though I hadn't played any of the DLC in the original game.
I played through RE2make's Leon A this October, and thought it was pretty good, really stressful, and achieved what it was trying to do. Went back to do Claire A this month, and absolutely fell in love with it. I think it used to be in the 60s of my Top 100 games list, and it jumped to the 20s. Currently playing through Leon B. Its a stupidly good game.
I did a second playthrough of Pathfinder: Kingmaker a few months after my first playthrough. A few months of patches/balances plus just having a much better knowledge of the game mechanics from the start made it a much more enjoyable experience, but I thought it was pretty great the first time through.
The World Ends With You
Played it, enjoyed it. Saw a trailer for it after the fact and noticed half the stuff in it wasn't in my playthrough and realized I missed a ton of stuff like getting 6 pins and I never really learned how to control 2 characters at once. So each playthrough was me getting better and learning the systems more and now it's my favorite game. I was just really bad at it during that first playthrough.
Played it, enjoyed it. Saw a trailer for it after the fact and noticed half the stuff in it wasn't in my playthrough and realized I missed a ton of stuff like getting 6 pins and I never really learned how to control 2 characters at once. So each playthrough was me getting better and learning the systems more and now it's my favorite game. I was just really bad at it during that first playthrough.
Death stranding, Dark souls 2, Bloodborne. Definitely these games. Seeing the minor details and already having prior experience made them so much better.
I loved the story, one of my all time faves. The Frozen Wild adds to it too.
Playing Tokyo Xanadu with New Game + and trying to S-rank all the dungeons with full power was amazing... the flow just felt perfect and it was amazing just curbstomping all the enemies in my path.
The Devil May Cry series are games I got mich more out of on repeat playthroughs. That's by design though, you aren't going to master the higher level mechanics your first time through.
Not quite the same as question OP posed, but I have to say that Super Mario World has aged like fine wine for me. I always loved the game, and it always held a special place in my heart for being the first game that I ever personally owned. Yet I have to say that I like it even more as an adult than I did as a child!
After my last playthrough when the SNES Classic launched, it is on the shortlist for my personal favorite game of all time, right up there with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 6.
After my last playthrough when the SNES Classic launched, it is on the shortlist for my personal favorite game of all time, right up there with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 6.
Definitely RE4. Hell each subsequent playthrough always felt better than the last. There's so much stuff I'm still discovering replaying the game to this day.
Vanquish. My first playthrough I tried to play it like a cover shooter and I was pretty bored outside of the boss battles. I basically only used the rocket slide to travel from one room to the next lol. Then I saw the videos and gifs on places like GAF where people were playing it the way it was meant to be played and I was like "Ohhhhhhh!"
Also, this👆
Resident Evil 4
I played it for the first time when it came out on Gamecube. I liked it but I wasn't happy about the changes to the Resident Evil formula and the atmosphere, I wasn't accustomed to shooters on console and most importantly I didn't know how to play RE4. I think RE4 truly becomes great if you know how the game works. And by the first time I played it didn't know that.
I played it for the first time when it came out on Gamecube. I liked it but I wasn't happy about the changes to the Resident Evil formula and the atmosphere, I wasn't accustomed to shooters on console and most importantly I didn't know how to play RE4. I think RE4 truly becomes great if you know how the game works. And by the first time I played it didn't know that.
I've often had my appreciation for a game deepen following a second playthrough but I can't think of any I didn't already feel was great when I decided to replay.