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Games That Won You Over On a Second Try
#1
ThatNickGuy
ThatNickGuy
Once in a while, I'll do a search for my name and the "what are you playing?" thread to see my thoughts on older games. It's funny seeing how I felt about some games that wind up changing.
What I found interesting is seeing games that I railed against only to turn around and enjoy them when I gave them a second chance. So I thought that might make for an interesting discussion topic.
Some examples:
Witcher 3: This was the big one for me. Since I hadn't played the first two, I was wary about jumping right into this with no familiarity. What initially turned me off was an interrogation scene early in the game. You're grilled about past events and other character whereabouts. Having no clue, I guessed my answers, not knowing any ramifications.
But then I played a little further and doing witcher contracts pulled me in. The Bloody Baron story hooked me and made me want to see what other stories the game had in store for me. As I progressed, I got to know the world and the characters and soon enough, The Witcher 3 became one of my all-time favourite games in recent memory. I've replayed the game in full - side missions, expansions and all - THREE TIMES. And now I'm impatiently waiting for CD Projekt Red's next game, Cyberpunk, because of the goodwill they built from an excellent game and even more excellent treatment of their customers.
Arkham Origins: After reading about the debacle with WB choosing to push DLC rather than fix the game's many technical problems, I wanted nothing to do with it. Even without playing it, I hated the game. It felt like a forced, quick cash grab with a shoddy paint job over Arkham City.
And after playing it, I still feel that way. It pales in comparison to the other games, even Arkham Knight. It's mostly a retread of things Rocksteady already did and little innovation compared to the number of additions made in City or Arkham. Even finally playing it, I hated how it was unpolished, buggy, and many little things bugged me. Like the grappling system not letting you grapple to spots City or Knight would easily allow. Or how the timing in the counters was just slightly off.
But...I wound up mostly enjoying it by the end. Some of the boss fights were fun, like Deathstroke and Firefly. I enjoyed the story between Joker & Batman meeting for the first time (and a refreshingly more restrained Joker). It's still firmly on the bottom of the four Arkham games, but I'm glad I finally gave it a chance.
Shadow of Mordor: I honestly forgot that I didn't enjoy this at first. I'm openly a fan of sprawling sandbox games that give you lots to do. This one took awhile to grow on me because initially getting around Mordor was a massive chore. I think I went into this with too high expectations because everyone was praising the game, including curmudgeons like Yahtzee.
But then more powers opened up, traveling was easier (and fun, especially the dog-like beasts). And once I started controlling orcs and building my army of mind-controlled dudes, I started digging it. The game is still flawed, mind you. The story is mostly forgettable and uninteresting. The ending is disappointing. And it gets really repetitive at times. But looking back, I'm glad I played it.
Cities Skylines: I didn't really hate this one at first. I was never huge on city-building sims, save for Sim City on the SNES, and a little bit of Sim City 4. I snagged this on sale after hearing endless praise for it (and as a middle finger to EA). I guess the learning curve was a bit too steep for me because I only played about half an hour of it. But after some help from @GasBandit and other guides, I jumped back in.
I still don't have the patience to grow a massive city (only about 7,500 population) before I give up and start over. Usually because initially well-made infrastructure progressively gets messier. But I enjoy playing it sometimes.
What I found interesting is seeing games that I railed against only to turn around and enjoy them when I gave them a second chance. So I thought that might make for an interesting discussion topic.
Some examples:
Witcher 3: This was the big one for me. Since I hadn't played the first two, I was wary about jumping right into this with no familiarity. What initially turned me off was an interrogation scene early in the game. You're grilled about past events and other character whereabouts. Having no clue, I guessed my answers, not knowing any ramifications.
But then I played a little further and doing witcher contracts pulled me in. The Bloody Baron story hooked me and made me want to see what other stories the game had in store for me. As I progressed, I got to know the world and the characters and soon enough, The Witcher 3 became one of my all-time favourite games in recent memory. I've replayed the game in full - side missions, expansions and all - THREE TIMES. And now I'm impatiently waiting for CD Projekt Red's next game, Cyberpunk, because of the goodwill they built from an excellent game and even more excellent treatment of their customers.
Arkham Origins: After reading about the debacle with WB choosing to push DLC rather than fix the game's many technical problems, I wanted nothing to do with it. Even without playing it, I hated the game. It felt like a forced, quick cash grab with a shoddy paint job over Arkham City.
And after playing it, I still feel that way. It pales in comparison to the other games, even Arkham Knight. It's mostly a retread of things Rocksteady already did and little innovation compared to the number of additions made in City or Arkham. Even finally playing it, I hated how it was unpolished, buggy, and many little things bugged me. Like the grappling system not letting you grapple to spots City or Knight would easily allow. Or how the timing in the counters was just slightly off.
But...I wound up mostly enjoying it by the end. Some of the boss fights were fun, like Deathstroke and Firefly. I enjoyed the story between Joker & Batman meeting for the first time (and a refreshingly more restrained Joker). It's still firmly on the bottom of the four Arkham games, but I'm glad I finally gave it a chance.
Shadow of Mordor: I honestly forgot that I didn't enjoy this at first. I'm openly a fan of sprawling sandbox games that give you lots to do. This one took awhile to grow on me because initially getting around Mordor was a massive chore. I think I went into this with too high expectations because everyone was praising the game, including curmudgeons like Yahtzee.
But then more powers opened up, traveling was easier (and fun, especially the dog-like beasts). And once I started controlling orcs and building my army of mind-controlled dudes, I started digging it. The game is still flawed, mind you. The story is mostly forgettable and uninteresting. The ending is disappointing. And it gets really repetitive at times. But looking back, I'm glad I played it.
Cities Skylines: I didn't really hate this one at first. I was never huge on city-building sims, save for Sim City on the SNES, and a little bit of Sim City 4. I snagged this on sale after hearing endless praise for it (and as a middle finger to EA). I guess the learning curve was a bit too steep for me because I only played about half an hour of it. But after some help from @GasBandit and other guides, I jumped back in.
I still don't have the patience to grow a massive city (only about 7,500 population) before I give up and start over. Usually because initially well-made infrastructure progressively gets messier. But I enjoy playing it sometimes.
#2
Fun Size
Fun Size
Dead Space: When I first played it, I felt like it was another jumpscare based horror shooter. When I tried later, I discovered a much deeper game that I'm really into now.
Undertale: While it could never live up to the hype, I was totally put off at first and only really got into it when I came back months later.
Undertale: While it could never live up to the hype, I was totally put off at first and only really got into it when I came back months later.
#3
PatrThom
Borderlands: I saw the hype when it came out. I saw the box art. I saw stills. What I didn't see was me ever having a desire to play this game. "A game that depends on which gun you're using so you can grind to get more guns? That's dumb," I thought. Eight years later, and watching a bit of footage of Gas and Nick playing it, and I realize there's also a character leveling system. "It's Diablo with guns," Gas described it (it's actually more like Diablo II with guns). So since it's on deep discount on Humble, I pick up a copy and start playing it.
It's fantastic.
The game has in-jokes, ribald humor, pop culture references (SO many), solid and mostly bug-free gameplay, an unusual art style, lots of stuff to do and discover, easter eggs, gobs of lore and backstory, actually mostly respects physics (!), and of course, guns and more guns. It's much deeper than I expected. It suffers a little from the usual RPG "go to the place where you just were and get me something I only now just remembered" trope, but that's well, expected. I hope BL2 has as much going for it once I start playing it (I'm going to wait until after my second playthrough of BL1 before I start it up).
--Patrick
PatrThom
Things that are too different from the norm will often inspire feelings of outrage, anger, and GTFO-ness until the brain has had time to process them. It's the Rite of Spring effect, but applied to video games.games that I railed against only to turn around and enjoy them when I gave them a second chance
Borderlands: I saw the hype when it came out. I saw the box art. I saw stills. What I didn't see was me ever having a desire to play this game. "A game that depends on which gun you're using so you can grind to get more guns? That's dumb," I thought. Eight years later, and watching a bit of footage of Gas and Nick playing it, and I realize there's also a character leveling system. "It's Diablo with guns," Gas described it (it's actually more like Diablo II with guns). So since it's on deep discount on Humble, I pick up a copy and start playing it.
It's fantastic.
The game has in-jokes, ribald humor, pop culture references (SO many), solid and mostly bug-free gameplay, an unusual art style, lots of stuff to do and discover, easter eggs, gobs of lore and backstory, actually mostly respects physics (!), and of course, guns and more guns. It's much deeper than I expected. It suffers a little from the usual RPG "go to the place where you just were and get me something I only now just remembered" trope, but that's well, expected. I hope BL2 has as much going for it once I start playing it (I'm going to wait until after my second playthrough of BL1 before I start it up).
--Patrick
#4
GasBandit
GasBandit
I had zero interest in Space Engineers the first few times I looked at it because I couldn't bring myself to believe that such an ambitious project could be realized on current technology.
Then I saw a friend playing it, and got hooked.
748 hours later, I've given up on it again, because it seems that such an ambitious project can't be realized on current technology.
But I'd say I had fun during the attempt.
Oh, also Everquest. The initial reading of the concept sounded dorky to me. I was derisively dismissive of it... until the second beta phase, when they added a PVP server. That got me hooked for 3 years.
Then I saw a friend playing it, and got hooked.
748 hours later, I've given up on it again, because it seems that such an ambitious project can't be realized on current technology.
But I'd say I had fun during the attempt.
Oh, also Everquest. The initial reading of the concept sounded dorky to me. I was derisively dismissive of it... until the second beta phase, when they added a PVP server. That got me hooked for 3 years.
#5
Hailey Knight
Hailey Knight
Dark Souls
#6
Ravenpoe
Ravenpoe
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
It was my first Elder Scrolls game, and the first couple of times I tried to play it, I bounced right off it. It wasn't until maybe the 4th try that everything seemed to click, and suddenly hundreds of hours of my life had evaporated away.
It was my first Elder Scrolls game, and the first couple of times I tried to play it, I bounced right off it. It wasn't until maybe the 4th try that everything seemed to click, and suddenly hundreds of hours of my life had evaporated away.
#7
Dei
Dei
Minecraft
#8
bhamv3
bhamv3
ES4: Oblivion
I got as far as escaping the dungeon and reaching close to the end of the caves on my first attempt, took about an hour or two, but that's where I left it because it wasn't interesting me very much. The second time I played it, I powered through until I actually left the caves and entered the open world, and fell in love with the game.
Deus Ex
1st try: "WTF is this shit? Crappy graphics, confusing story, and my character can't even shoot straight?"
2nd try: "Oooooh, ok I get this shit now."
I got as far as escaping the dungeon and reaching close to the end of the caves on my first attempt, took about an hour or two, but that's where I left it because it wasn't interesting me very much. The second time I played it, I powered through until I actually left the caves and entered the open world, and fell in love with the game.
Deus Ex
1st try: "WTF is this shit? Crappy graphics, confusing story, and my character can't even shoot straight?"
2nd try: "Oooooh, ok I get this shit now."
#9
Gared
Gared
Along a similar vein, ES5: Skyrim. It was my first ES game, and I kept trying to make what I thought would be balanced characters. Had the mechanics wrong. Completely sucked at it. I even came here and bitched about it, and was... informed... of my error in playstyle. Now I have over 800 hours in it.
Also, DR. @PatrThom knows what I mean. For similar reason, wasn't playing the game in the style it was intended. Once I approached things from a different angle, it became a fun time waster.
Also, DR. @PatrThom knows what I mean. For similar reason, wasn't playing the game in the style it was intended. Once I approached things from a different angle, it became a fun time waster.
#10
PatrThom
--Patrick
PatrThom
To me, DR means DragonRealms. What is it meaning to you?Also, DR. @PatrThom knows what I mean. For similar reason, wasn't playing the game in the style it was intended. Once I approached things from a different angle, it became a fun time waster.
--Patrick
#11
Gared
Gared
That's the one.
#12
PatrThom
--Patrick
PatrThom
That makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside, since I used to work for Simutronics...for almost 20 years, in fact. I probably still would, if they hadn't shut down the game I belonged to. Still might ask them to take me back if my free time makes enough of a break to allow it. They did offer.That's the one.
--Patrick
#13
Frank
Frank
Dark Souls is a big one for me. First time I tried it I thought it was sweaty difficult to control garbage trash. Second time it ruined action RPGs forever because none match up.
#14
Eriol
Eriol
Final Fantasy 6. Rented it (was a child), and just couldn't "get" what the correct thing to do was in the first fight when you get Sabin. I was convinced that you had to do the input WHEN HE WAS MOVING (not just after hitting the "blitz" command), and not before. Kind of like Street Fighter. I was waiting for his turn to do the input, and of course he never did. I thought it was stupid to have a game that you get stuck in 2 hours into it.
When I rented it a 2nd time (or played it somewhere else, or something, I honestly don't remember), somehow I figured out the obvious, and then bought it, and well over 100 hours of re-plays later, it remains my favorite FF game.
When I rented it a 2nd time (or played it somewhere else, or something, I honestly don't remember), somehow I figured out the obvious, and then bought it, and well over 100 hours of re-plays later, it remains my favorite FF game.