Rental vs. a Keeper

[ThatNickGuy]

I work at Blockbuster. One of the things that I find common is a brand new game is traded back after maybe a week or two of its release. When I ask why they're selling it already, their answer is "I beat it."

Of course, there have been a lot of games that I've beaten and never played again. Nine times out of ten, these were rentals. Heck, most rentals, I don't bother finishing by the time I have to return it.

But there are a number that I always return to that I'll never get bored of. Half-Life 2 and its episodes, for example. Final Fantasy IV, my all time favourite game, is one I've played through numerous times. From the old NES, I loved playing and replaying Deja Vu, The Uninvited and Shadowgate. I've also beaten Metal Gear Solid several times.

So, I'm wondering. What is it about your favourite games that compels you to replay them?

For me, I think it's the compelling story or gameplay; a want to revisit some favourite moments or re-read or re-hear some favourite dialogue. Or it's just plain fun and really just something you can never get bored of. Like a favourite movie.

These days, it seems replayability comes from things outside of the main game. Maybe it's the hidden secrets, collecting all 100 of the "hidden packages", getting achievements or the co-op or multiplayer modes. Not to say that all games are like this, mind you. In fact, some, like Infamous, are enjoyable to do a lot of hte side stuff. But it seems that just enjoying the merits of the game itself isn't enough, anymore.

Thoughts?

 

[Bowielee]

I have a tendancy to not beat games in one single stretch. I play for a while, then something newer or shinier comes along, or life gets in the way. Then, months later, I come back to the game and end up starting it all over again, because I forgot what I was doing, or need to retrain myself on the controls.

Long story short, I definately get a long life out of games.

Hell, I still have win95 games that I play on my PC every once in a while.

 

[Troll]

I'm playing Ogre Battle on my PS2 while typing this. The game came out in '93 (though the PS version came out a few years after that), and I must have played it dozens of times by now. Still, every few months/years I get an itch to play it. I think that just fits some people's personalities. I'm the type who will play/do/watch something over and over again if I enjoyed it. For others, it's the thrill of doing something new, so they will only get one use out of something like a videogame. I think that the prioritization of new experiences is becoming more common, but I don't think I would go so far to say it's a bad thing.

 

[Hailey Knight]

I rarely had the opportunity to rent games. Since buying games has fallen into my own money now, I pretty much just try to buy games I think I'll want to play again at some point.

Zelda games are easy to determine that with--in most cases, I will want to go through the puzzles and bosses again.
Bioshock, Portal, and Chrono Trigger are games I play through again sometimes.
Final Fantasy Tactics is a game I never get tired of. In fact, it was a rental at one point. We rented it several times, even keeping it overdue once or twice. My mom probably spent as much renting it for me over time as it would've been to just buy the game in the first place.
Metal Gear Solid, as mentioned.

Going back to games used to be something I did often--it's weird being an adult and having more spare change. I can buy a new game when it comes out if I have the system it's on, instead of having to go through other games again. I also have less time on my hands than when I was a kid. So I don't actually end up going through games again very much, even though I keep getting games that I want to play through again. It's stupid, really, but then I look up from my projects or other games, and realize there are still games from 5 years ago that I want to play but never got a chance to, like Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, Zelda: Wind Waker, Okami, Shadow of the Collossus, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time--those are all for the previous generation, but I'm looking forward to them more than anything coming out on this generation. But first I have to beat more of the games I own.

So while I want to replay some, time restrains and other games entice. I never rent anymore though. I imagine if I had a PS3 I'd rent some of the games I'm interested in, but not enough so to buy, like Bayonetta, Darksiders, Dante's Inferno, Brutal Legend, and the way things are headed, FFXIIII.

 

[crono1224]

I'm playing Ogre Battle on my PS2 while typing this. The game came out in '93 (though the PS version came out a few years after that), and I must have played it dozens of times by now. Still, every few months/years I get an itch to play it. I think that just fits some people's personalities. I'm the type who will play/do/watch something over and over again if I enjoyed it. For others, it's the thrill of doing something new, so they will only get one use out of something like a videogame. I think that the prioritization of new experiences is becoming more common, but I don't think I would go so far to say it's a bad thing.

I remember Ogre Battle for the SNES, It had its problems with no ability to save during a battle, and battles that could last up to or longer than an hour. Kinda made the game harder to play unless you really wanted to sit down and jam it out.

 

[Troll]

I'm playing Ogre Battle on my PS2 while typing this. The game came out in '93 (though the PS version came out a few years after that), and I must have played it dozens of times by now. Still, every few months/years I get an itch to play it. I think that just fits some people's personalities. I'm the type who will play/do/watch something over and over again if I enjoyed it. For others, it's the thrill of doing something new, so they will only get one use out of something like a videogame. I think that the prioritization of new experiences is becoming more common, but I don't think I would go so far to say it's a bad thing.

I remember Ogre Battle for the SNES, It had its problems with no ability to save during a battle, and battles that could last up to or longer than an hour. Kinda made the game harder to play unless you really wanted to sit down and jam it out.[/QUOTE]

The PS version lets you save at any point, and has a few more extra features that really make the game shine.

 

[crono1224]

I'm playing Ogre Battle on my PS2 while typing this. The game came out in '93 (though the PS version came out a few years after that), and I must have played it dozens of times by now. Still, every few months/years I get an itch to play it. I think that just fits some people's personalities. I'm the type who will play/do/watch something over and over again if I enjoyed it. For others, it's the thrill of doing something new, so they will only get one use out of something like a videogame. I think that the prioritization of new experiences is becoming more common, but I don't think I would go so far to say it's a bad thing.

I remember Ogre Battle for the SNES, It had its problems with no ability to save during a battle, and battles that could last up to or longer than an hour. Kinda made the game harder to play unless you really wanted to sit down and jam it out.[/QUOTE]

The PS version lets you save at any point, and has a few more extra features that really make the game shine.[/QUOTE]

I did really like Ogre Battle but the few problems on SNES made me not want to play, maybe with these differences I will see about getting Ogre Battle for the PS.

 

[Oddbot]

Most single player games that I beat i know I'll never play again. There's always just another game right around the corner to play next, or WoW or LOTRO to play during dry stretches. So Gamefly works out very good for me.

 

[Seraphyn]

I'll replay City builders or RPG's a lot (if they're any good gameplay or story wise), but things like shooters I'll just play through once and never look at them again. Sadly, most shooters these days are also incredibly short, making it a sure rental and never a buy. Since I loathe the whole twitch gaming, overly competitive attitudes and constant swearing aspects of the online gaming community the only thing that makes shooters worth buying is lost on me.
City builders are very replayable for the obvious reasons, no one game is the same and every city can be designed differently. RPG's would have to have a compelling storyline with variations to make me come back to them, or very different playstyles via character classes.

Over the years I've also replayed a lot of RTS games, but only over LAN, since by doing so you'll be able to punch someone in the face if he's being a dick

I absolutely loved multiplaying RPG's, sadly something that is not widely implemented.

 

[sixpackshaker]

I thought this was going to be about women.

 

[Deschain]

Don't really replay single-player games.

 

[Jake]

This thread isn't about women?

 

[ThatNickGuy]

This thread isn't about women?

It's okay, Jake. We know you can only get rentals.

 

[Chibibar]

So far, the two game I play a TON of is Warsong (old SEGA game) and Resident Evil 4. (I have every single version except iPhone)

 

[Shegokigo]

I once played 33hrs straight of Shining Force on Genesis simply due to the fact that the battery had died and I couldn't save, so I wanted to finish it in one sitting. I find that most "keepers" are RPGs were most "rentals" are the action games, for console anyway.

 

[Jake]

This thread isn't about women?

It's okay, Jake. We know you can only get rentals.[/QUOTE]
They're all rentals, really.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

This thread isn't about women?

It's okay, Jake. We know you can only get rentals.[/QUOTE]
They're all rentals, really.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, they start to wear out around the 50-year mark. That's if you take good care of it.

Men, on the other hand? Rental or keeper, you still need to blow it to make it work.

 

[GasBandit]

Multiplayer. I still play BF1942, with the Desert Combat mod. I still play unreal 2004. And I think I'll still play them and Left 4 Dead and a few others for years to come.

Also, Supreme Commander (not 2) has had nearly infinite replayability for me via the skirmish mode. C&C: Generals: Zero hour was great replayability because of the "Generals' Challenge" mode which pitted you against different generals with specific specialties. And of course, Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, because I love playing as Imperial Guard and gunning down those damn xenos like the filth they are, and because the campaign is a lot more free-flowing since you're not locked into a specific order of levels, and every playthrough can be a new challenge.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

Those are all online multiplayers, though, aren't they Gas? I'd say that's pretty much a given. Then again, I guess it could count, since there are still people playing, say, the original Team Fortress.

 

[Dave]

I hate Blockbuster. I was going to make a thread about it but every time I start I find I have to walk away from the computer.

Suffice it to say that I can't go there any more and I was a pretty regular customer for over 10 years.

 

[Hailey Knight]

Maybe people in the know can help me here.

Is it possible to rent video game systems, or have they stopped doing that anymore?

 

[ThatNickGuy]

None that I've worked at, no. They stopped before the current gen systems were released.

If you don't mind me asking, Dave, what happened? If it's a rant that might derail the thread, maybe make a new one. As an employee who hears a LOT of customer gripes (95% of them being their own fault), I'm very curious. Not to say you are or were at fault, believe me.

 

[GasBandit]

Those are all online multiplayers, though, aren't they Gas? I'd say that's pretty much a given. Then again, I guess it could count, since there are still people playing, say, the original Team Fortress.

Actually, you can play all of the FPSes I mentioned on LAN, which is what I do, with the little woman.

But as for RTSes I mentioned, I was referring to their single player modes, though multiplayer is possible too.

 

[Bowielee]

I hate Blockbuster. I was going to make a thread about it but every time I start I find I have to walk away from the computer.

Suffice it to say that I can't go there any more and I was a pretty regular customer for over 10 years.

Quit stealing disks, klepto.

Just kidding.

 

[Null]

I haven't finished half the games I own, and other games i've played through repeatedly. And then there's games you can't actually "beat", like Burnout 3 Takedown.

Games I've replayed several times: Metal Gear Solid series (1-3), Chrono Trigger, Resident Evil 4 (though I STILL suck at Mercenaries mode), AirForce Delta Strike, Soul Calibur 2, Soul Calibur 3, Soul Blade, Battlefront II, Front Mission 4, Parasite Eve 2, Persona 3 (& FES), Persona 4, Tekken 3

Games I really enjoy but I've never actually "finished": Ogre Battle, Final Fantasy Tactics, FFVII, FFVIII, FFX, FFX-2, FFXII, Burnout 3 Takedown, Parasite Eve, Persona, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, Star Ocean 2: Second Story...

 

[Bowielee]

That reminds me, I need to finish MGS 4

 

[ThatNickGuy]

That reminds me. I need to play MGS 4.

 

[Bowielee]

I'm going to have to play from the beginning again. I got it shortly after it came out, then haven't played it since. I'll need to re-learn everything.