The Truth Behind the Score of the Month: Replay Value
All right dudes, GUT CHECK TIME.
First question: What does that mean? What the hell did I just say? I don’t know, but it sure sounds manly. Second question: What do ya’ll mean when you give games high scores for “replay value”?
I’ve written a lot of reviews in my day, and I’ve wondered from time to time about exactly what it means to give a certain score in a certain category. For the purpose of this article, though, I’m only wondering about replay value. When I give a game a high score for replayability, that obviously means I’d want to play the game again. However, I’ve not actually replayed all of the games I’ve given high replay value scores to. So what gives? Am I doing it wrong?
When I review a game, it’s usually after playing it once. I don’t have the time to play a game multiple times before reviewing it, so that means I pretty much have to score its replay value before replaying it, right? So then how do I really know I’m giving it the correct score? What if I give Game A a 7 in replayability, because I’m absolutely loving it and can’t wait to replay it, but I never end up playing it again? On the other hand, what if I give Game B a 4, but then I end up playing it over again twice or thrice later down the road? Was I wrong when I originally scored the games?
So what do you guys think? Particularly other reviewers. What should be considered when rating a game’s replay value, assuming you can’t actually play it multiple times before reviewing it? Post your thoughts, devoted readers! Let’s get a real conversation going! Ready? Go!
I might’ve left a comment on this before we switched over to the new site and lost the old comments, but I’m of the firm opinion that replay value is the measure of a game’s *potential* to offer something new and different on subsequent playthroughs.
Adventure and hidden object games tend to have low replay value, because there’s often only one solution for each puzzle, and the puzzles are exactly the same every time you play. Alternate solutions, multiple dialogue options, and a nonlinear storyline help to boost the replay value.
Most other genres vary widely in replay value, but it’s probably safe to say that platformers, RPGs, and FPS games tend to have a more moderate replay value. You’ve usually got a bunch of different weapons to choose from, some freedom of exploration, multiple strategies that are effective against enemies, and secrets you won’t find on your first playthrough, but the general flow of the game is generally the same each time.
Then there are sandbox games and time-waster games with no real ending, which tend to offer a high replay value. Anything with a level editor is automatically up here, too, provided that there’s enough of a variety in the elements you can make a level out of.
In general, the more control the player has in shaping the progression and outcome of the game, the higher the replay value is. The more the game dictates exactly what the player needs to do to proceed, the lower the replay value is.