The Games We Replay vs The Games We Play Once

[@backlogbaldie]

Lots of interesting perspectives on this topic, and some excellent variety in games mentioned 👍 and obviously I’ll never cite TLOU as a game most people don’t replay again 😂

[@robertagren9360]

Some classes are repetitive in complicated repeated tasks. Stealth is a checkbox, a task you need to do every... Single... Time.

[@MarcosRobertoDosSantosJF]

Yeah, I replay TLOU one or two times per year since 2015.

[@symboltherapper]

Man it’s funny you say that…the last of us is one of the few games that as soon as the credits rolled I immediately started a second play through…I play it all the time…I’ve beat it at least 5 times

[@scubadivingadventures1]

For me the game series I like to replay the most is Mass Effect trilogy. It’s got the best story of any game ever, great worlds, the combat is actually good, characters epic, and is an RPG with leveling up

[@scubadivingadventures1]

Like I can’t explain how much mass effect trilogy’s story means to me. It’s the most impactful and mindblowing story of any game ever. For anyone who loves the idea of space travel, gotta buy ut

[@spaghettiboi33]

We have played Resident Evil 4 so many times that the Merchant no longer calls us Stranger

[@backlogbaldie]

Love everything about this

[@the_hoodkage]

yea man i think i’ve never replayed a game so much that game is just amazing

[@jeffreysamson5938]

I played it 7 times maybe more and only once in normal . I didnt even include the times i played with difficulity mods.

[@Ranzoe813]

"WeLcOmE...hahahaa"

[@rigjockey67]

😂

[@VanTemplar]

"Hey you! You're finally awake!" "Ah shit ... Here we go again" "Greetings, stranger! I am not surprised to see your kind here"

[@backlogbaldie]

😂😂

[@6046175]

"The truth is... The game was rigged from the start"

[@superhappygamer1162]

“Let me guess. Someone stole your sweet roll?”

[@alejohndrom4092]

silly question, what's the last quote from?

[@TrlDMC.1]

"You're gonna knock 'em dead at the veteran's hall tonight, hon."

[@theMADTXgamer]

I can’t even explain how many times I’ve replayed Skyrim or oblivion, or fallout 3/NV/4, or borderlands 1/2/3, or any of the Batman games. But the main one is Skyrim. It’s like I’m going home

[@Bombardier15]

For me it's PS Wipeout games. My favorite racing series

[@troybryant2187]

We’re best friends

[@Ovaljoke]

Whiterun is so nostalgic

[@octavianpopescu4776]

@@Ovaljoke For me, it's Riften. That log architecture feels so cozy, warm and inviting.

[@octavianpopescu4776]

Skyrim and Fallout 4 for me. New Vegas also grew on me. I just finished my 3rd playthough and the first one where I actually completed all the DLCs 2-3 days ago.

[@ryanstuart8646]

As someone who enjoys movies, I also really enjoy narrative games and replaying them. I find myself really enjoying re-experiencing the narrative once every year or so and pick up on new things

[@backlogbaldie]

That a fair point actually. I do that with movies but not so much with games. Something for me to think about…

[@dylanjackson5304]

I’m the same with this, around this time I’ve been playing GOWR the past 2 Novembers I might do a new play through since I just got the pro

[@cookie.2118]

Telltale games where once you learn that you choices don't matter, their is almost no reason at all to play the games instead of just watching the episodes they released online. Which I feel most story narrative games don't need to be replayed in order to "re-experience" them because watching them would be no different than playing them.

[@cookie.2118]

​@@backlogbaldieTelltale games where once you learn that you choices don't matter, their is almost no reason at all to play the games instead of just watching the episodes they released online. Which I feel most story narrative games don't need to be replayed in order to "re-experience" them because watching them would be no different than playing them.

[@Unbounded999]

this is why i constantly replay the last of us. it’s like rewatching my favorite movie

[@cirrunimbun8938]

This is honestly a spot-on analysis. I can never put my finger on the reason why I can't finish replaying Last of Us or Red Dead Redemption 2 considering these games are what I consider my all-time favorites. Yet like clockwork, I always replay the Mass Effect Trilogy or Witcher 3, funnily, almost annually at this point. I think the way we connect with these games at a pivotal moment in our lives shape how we feel about the games we play. I definitely felt a very deep connection with the Mass Effect series, especially since I discovered it after my childhood dog died. The game feels like a very warm hug from a group of friends and I can't explain it any other way. Witcher 3 kind of scratches that same itch for me. I can never get tired of these games.

[@backlogbaldie]

Exactly this (and I’m sorry to hear about your dog 😢)

[@Ronuk1996]

I have done multiple playthroughs of RDR2, Kingdom Come and Witcher3. I find more replay vaule with RDR2 over witcher 3 due the open world and what you can do in it also why I love KCD.

[@mountainbikemayhem1833]

For me, it’s typically the RPG games that draw me back. I’ve probably killed the most brain cells on the Elder Scrolls universe…Oblivion and Skyrim. Although ESO isn’t the same. I’ve beaten both using just about every style of combat/race. Dragon Age series also has hundreds of hours due to the different party combinations. RDR2 is the game I rank as the GOAT, and about 5 complete playthroughs later, I’m pretty much done with it. And finally KCD…glad someone else mentioned this gem. I will replay this game at least once per year since its release. An absolute masterpiece of an RPG…getting ready to restart a playthrough in the next week or so, just before KCD2 comes out.

[@excalibro8365]

I think it boils down to gameplay. RDR2 has a great narrative, but it's too long and the gameplay mechanic is not exciting enough to make us want to push through till the end. TW3 on the other hand has a very fun gameplay mechanic that stays fun and exciting all the way through.

[@Ronuk1996]

@excalibro8365 Gameplay is subjective witcher 3 lacks the level of interactivity with world that RDR2 and Kingdom come have. I like gameplay hand to hand combat in RDR2, which is much better than witcher3. Enemies Block Parry and counterattack and grapple the player. RDR2 needs a hardcore mode like RDR1. RDR2, much like Bully, is a game of how you can interact with NPCs and what you can do in its world. RDR2 also has better Ragdoll physics animations and horse riding than witcher 3. Kingdom Come, RDR 2 and Witcher 3 are all games I love and have played multiple times, but their combat systems are not perfect. When it comes to games I play for the combat, it's games like Ghost of Tushmia, Maxpayne3, Sifu, The Warriers, Sleeping Dogs, and Sekrio. The most common complaint about Witcher 3 even the devs agree that its combat is lacking but its the side quests that truly make witcher 3 great. The open world of witcher 3 lacks interaction and reaction, Physics animations and Grealts movment and movement aminations are not the best. With all that said, Witcher 3 is still one of best experiences.

[@AngelofAmbrosia]

I call the games I return to frequently my “comfort games.” They’re cozy, familiar, and give me a sense of immersion and peacefulness.

[@prod.b4bnik]

glad i’m not the only one with 120 hours in re4r 😂

[@backlogbaldie]

my goty 2023

[@biscuitboi9478]

I picked it up finally a couple weeks ago. I beat it, immediately started another playthrough, beat it again, started a 3rd playthrough, and beat it a total of 5 times. I knew it would be fun, but I didn’t think it would be addicting 😂

[@japhetaguirre4880]

120 hours??? That's like a quarter of my hours in Skyrim 😂

[@zephyr835]

@@japhetaguirre4880 Roughly a twentieth of mine.😅

[@RXH14]

400 hours for me😬

[@williamliddell7981]

My trauma game was Last of Us: Remastered. I had just moved back to Tennessee after leaving my abusive wife. I had to live at my parents until I found a place to rent. I still remember putting the controller down after rolling credits and crying happy tears knowing I had just played a masterpiece.

[@backlogbaldie]

Leaving an abusive relationship is never easy. I’m glad to hear you were able to, and I hope you’re doing better now.

[@reggieking1045]

I put the controller down for the giraffes and cried. A moment of natural beauty in a world of nightmares and suffering. Took me a while to get back to the game after that.

[@ThaOrthodoX]

I put the controller down and sat in silence after the Henry scene in The Last of us 😭

[@imainthreshLoL]

nice to know tlou gave u comfort in a hard time

[@x7Votorious84x]

I cried when Abby got raw dogged 🐕

[@ichigaming2000]

For me Sekiro shadow die twice was the game that I enjoyed most and replayed so much.i just love that sound of two katana striking and that rythm of hit and deflect.

[@backlogbaldie]

I can believe it. Was streaming Sekiro a few years ago and a dude in the comment was on his 34th playthrough

[@isaac1489]

​@@backlogbaldiedamn and I thought I replayed it a lot im only on my 20th playthrough 😂

[@tamizh14mass36]

Enjoyed ? 😮😢how come someone can enjoys sekiro ?

[@justadudedudin]

Such a badass game

[@amymichele4973]

​@@tamizh14mass36I actually enjoy sekiro or darksouls 3. (these two games are fromsoft games that I have). I played them again and again to release the stress from daily activities. Sometimes I got bored from the soulslike genre. But I will come back to them at least once each year.

[@DaDarkMagician]

For me it was Uncharted 1-3 I literally beaten each game like 5-7 times and know where every treasure is by memory in each game. Idk but it brings me back to the times when me and my brothers could still be able to hang out everyday, and play. Now as adults it’s very hard to see one another.

[@danielcastaneda4975]

Not really replayable games those xd

[@tifa2733]

My main go-to will always be Skyrim. Easily played over a thousand hours when I was younger! Love it!!!

[@infinitedeath1384]

Skyrim was the only game I played for a whole year when the Dragonborn DLC came out. I was so engrossed in it, pretty much obsessed.

[@Nigel222]

Resident Evil 4 (the og version) is that game that I always come back to replay.

[@backlogbaldie]

Classic 👍

[@tahabmw195]

i can do a blindfould on play with that game

[@nate1735]

Me too Love It But i hate Quick time events

[@tahabmw195]

@@nate1735 re4 did it right

[@victoria9663]

I was in horrific pain during a sickness one weekend when I first started Detroit Become Human. It was so immersive that it got my mind off my pain when even pain killers were doing nothing for me. It was pure escapism and I adored the story and choice-based gameplay so much that it was the hands-down best gaming experience of my life. I don't know if I'll ever replay it, but it was definitely one of the "stars aligned" games you're describing in this video.

[@backlogbaldie]

Must admit I got addicted to that one too. Glad to hear it helped you as much as it did!

[@michaellaw1441]

I love that game.

[@RexCGB]

I'm gonna give it a chance now

[@almostanarchybro9129]

Pokemon Soul Silver was my trauma game. It was 2014. My best friend and I slept over, and he gave me the game because he didn't want it. At first, I was confused, but in a few months, I would move from my home and would leave everything I knew to head to California. Throughout it all, I played it like no tomorrow and found myself absorbed into a world I had control. My pokemon were my friends, and especially my early lonely middle school years were tough. These days, I have 100% it, and even now, every year or two, I start up a save file and explore Jhoto once again. The music takes me to those late nights on my last year of elementary school and long drives moving to there. My life is better now, but no game can do it for me like that.

[@oak3785]

as someone who fell out of love for gaming and doesn't play as much as i used to back in collage i really resonate with this whole video because i find myself replaying old games rather than starting ew ones, and that replicability is what made me realize what my fav games were. in that spirit, my comfort game that i can replay over and over is metal gear solid 2, even the cutscenes are fun to sit through when trying to predict the next line lmao

[@vhagerty]

I love replaying MGS3. I try to interrogate every enemy soldier. Lol

[@oak3785]

@@vhagerty these games' replayability are insane

[@darkobuljevic5159]

For me, it was the Witcher 3. Just got the Xbox One for christmas in 2017, and stumbled upon it on a shelf of a gaming store. The game changed my life at a period where it was hard to make friends and find new hobbies after moving to a different country. The same happened several years later when I left my parents’ home to move to uni. That’s when i discovered a new comfort show in Naruto 😅

[@naterod]

I had 747 hours on the PS4. Logged in another 145 on the PS5.

[@DJohn0991]

Bro the Witcher is so freaking good . I absolutely love replaying quality games multiple times they never get old for me

[@Altnet89]

I think witcher 3 was much harder to replay as it was so long. Base game plus dlc i think I played like 2 or 3 times. Cyberpunk tho I played so many times it was so easy to get into and play again and again.

[@mariamstaton2443]

Yeah, ​@@naterod but that's what, 2 runs through it?

[@yfz450rider39]

Only a few modern games I've ever replayed. FF7 remake, Cyberpunk 2077, Death Stranding, Mass Effect trilogy and Final Fantasy 15. Cyberpunk 2077 is one game I will always go back to, everything about that game is amazing.

[@Pierce-Dante]

500+ hours💀

[@k_scyther]

Is death stranding good 😂

[@ededdandeddytv5164]

@@Pierce-Dante Same here and it’s still my first playthrough lol

[@krishp1104]

Yep Cyberpunk is the only game I've ever replayed and I wanna replay it again in VR if I ever buy a 4090

[@sjsharp2007]

Yeah Mass Effec tand Dragon Ag eae rbot h comfort games fo rm egames I frequentl yreturn to. I've als ostarted gettin gint oturn based strateg ygames a sewll like Marvel's Midnight Suns and Xcom in recent years which I have frequently come bac kto as well. As I think I've done 10+ playthroughs of Midnight Suns since i tcam eout in 2022 I found that game pretty adfdictive. I think that's because it's easy to ge tinto given you don' t need fast reactions to play it you just need to make the right move at the right time

[@wizaard7]

Great video. I don't often replay games, and pretty much never do NG+. I think it's because for me, the combination of the narrative and the gameplay is what's most important. Perfect example: I tried NG+ for God of War (the Norse one) and almost immediately had to stop. Seeing those Blades of Chaos on my back from the beginning was just too much.

[@backlogbaldie]

Thanks! Those blades did the exact same thing to me 😂

[@ZoiRSB]

I haven't been a subscriber for long but you quickly became one of my favourite creators. You alongside Daryl from DTG even inspired me to clear out my backlog or missed games from my childhood. Keep up the good work and see you on the discord server 🎉

[@backlogbaldie]

Thanks! Mentioned alongside Daryl is high praise indeed 😊

[@thebordemz]

When I'm feeling the most lost in my life, I sit down and play through Journey, start to finish. Somehow it always helps remind me that there are people by my side, that things will come around again, and that there's a point where every journey in our lives is changed and we are made a little new.

[@Lady_Brook]

Life is Strange came out when I was 15, I connected to a lot of subjects the game was addressing. Depression, mental illness, suicide... It really comforted me at that time, I felt seen. I know that the pace is kinda slow, some lines are really lame and it's ugly to some people but I'll forever be attached to this game. I still listen to the soundtrack and remember what I felt back then. I'll forever be grateful to DontNod for creating that game !

[@backlogbaldie]

I’ve met a few people who feel the same about that game. And personally I really liked the art style.

[@mod6462]

Elden ring , bought it Christmas 2023 at a time in life where I was looking for a real escape from my day to day work and it just swept me away , can only ever remember pure happiness and peace when thinking about that first play-through. Great vid baldie!

[@Roboprogs]

That’s definitely on my TODO list. I finally pulled Skyrim out of the family game box this January when I was off sick for a few days. I put about 200 hours into it this year, at least the PC version (gave up on the PS3 version after the first few days). Elden Ring looks like a lot of fun cutting a path across the countryside, as well. I’m told I’m supposed to kill off some named dragons or something, but none of my characters get far enough to care 😁

[@backlogbaldie]

First time on Elden Ring is definite swept away material 👍

[@LilWeySoIcy]

Finding peace in that stressful ass frustrating game is hilarious lmfao but I feel u man I got it around the same time u did maybe a month earlier and it was my after work wind down and have some beers game. It was so dope finding new places I remember just exploring semi aimlessly and winding up in Nokron underground city and being absolutely blown away

[@calculateddeclination5534]

I collect for ps3. Star ocean the last hope is one of my favorite games on ps3. I work a lot and don't have many friends due to life taking all of us in different directions, etc. I love how you travel the galaxy, making new friends with interesting personalities and how different combinations lead to different interactions in the ship or story. On my days off I play the hell out of it. About to beat it and might do new game plus to see what else I've missed. Point is, the friends you make along the way become best friends/family to your main character. Gives me warmth and comfort seeing how their bonds strengthen over time. I should probably reconnect and make new friends as well.

[@kirklanyoshinaga8953]

And it has one of the hardest post games I’ve ever seen. The ethereal queen was so difficult to just get to. :)

[@dylanwoods5944]

My game is easily AC4 Black Flag. I first played it back in 2014 when I was starting high school, I played it while experiencing a tough time at home, while at uni and even now while on the job search. It's something I can just turn on after a long day and just relax. On the other side of the coin, Nier Automata really is a one and done, an absolute masterpiece, but it will never hit nearly as hard as the first time. Loved the video, definitely a hidden gem.

[@backlogbaldie]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊 (I too have sunk an ungodly amount of time into Black Flag 😂)

[@internziko]

I absolutely love finding a channel this good at it's beginnings. Keep up the excellent work and best wishes to you.

[@backlogbaldie]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@iLiA-2-4]

So I’m the only one who has played TLOU like 20 times?

[@backlogbaldie]

I did end up replaying a fair chunk of it after I recorded the footage I needed tbf 😂

[@SaberRexZealot]

I’ve replayed The Last of Us dozens of times lol

[@magma5267]

I love TLOU1, i must have replayed it like 7 times now on multiple platforms/versions Yes it’s not as magical as the first time, but damn there’s no other game with quite its gameplay/story (here come the RDR2 fans horde)

[@axel9473]

Yeah, i played it at least 7 or 8 times, maybe more. But that was also when i was like 15. I replayed almost every game several times back then.

[@axel9473]

​@@magma5267 Ironically, i could never bring myself to replay RDR2. First playthrough was magical, i fckn cried at the end. I doubt i'll ever play it again tho. After i knew how the journey ends i had no desire to touch it again, unlike TLOU.

[@Drewbacca7789]

Playing a game like Elden Ring that gives you so many choices and each playthrough can feel like a whole new game, these are the games you can play over and over, one save file after another. But I look at games like The Last of Us as games your replay a every couple of years so you can forget aspects of the story over time and try to relive that first playthrough experience as close as possible. That’s how I go about these two types of games. There are games that I have only played through once though because they don’t have much difference between each playthrough.

[@backlogbaldie]

Exactly this. Almost 400 hours into Elden Ring, and recently replayed Nier Automata 5 years after my og playthrough.

[@Judgey19XX]

Resident Evil 4 for me, think I’ve owned and completed it on every device I’ve ever owned over the years 😂 I remember my brother bringing home the trailer on a small GameCube disc before it came out we were hooked! Played it with both my brothers and sister back in the day and I can still throw it on anytime and enjoy it. Also really enjoy the remake especially on PSVR2, the gameplay loop is just so fun!

[@backlogbaldie]

It’s a classic for a reason 👍👍

[@superadambomb5834]

3:18 for me that game is God of War 2018. During the time I started this game my grandma had passed away. During that first week I used this game to cope. The following night I decided to play it and one hour became two, two became three, and three became an entire night. My mom woke up at 7:00 to see me in the game room with bloodshot eyes staring at a screen that hasn’t been turned off in seven hours. So that game holds a very very special place in my heart. What makes it even more special is that the games sequel God of War Ragnarok is a game that I got to play with my dad. He’s the one who introduced me to the franchise so we played the game together taking turns from start to finish.

[@backlogbaldie]

That’s nice that you got to bond with your dad over it. My condolences for your Grandma.

[@everdinestenger1548]

Sometimes what drives me to play is to know what happens next but the games I loved most were the ones that got me emotionally involved for whatever reason. Some are like beloved fairytales I used to read and reread time and again. Others helped me through deep clinical depression and I return to them every year or so.

[@backlogbaldie]

This 👍

[@MatheusSantoro91]

I discovered your channel very recently and I really like all of your videos. Wishing you a prosperous future on KZbin, I’m sure you will be really big soon

[@backlogbaldie]

Thank you! 😊

[@Azkhalon]

Very interesting concept for a video my friend!! And only 8% chose my favorite Mass Effect class!!! I love me some Sentinel. But Soldier definitely makes sense for most people. It’s a good entry class especially in the first game where the tech and biotic abilities are not fleshed out enough. Also, people coming from FPS shooters may find the soldier class more appealing.

[@Azkhalon]

Love the channel memberships! I will be signing up next time I’m on my PC and off my phone which should be in the next half an hour! Keep up the good work my friend! It has been amazing seeing you go from posting Mass Effect pics on Instagram to making some of the best videos on KZbin!

[@backlogbaldie]

Thanks dude! Your kindest words yet 🥹

[@BrotherB1ackHeartSavage]

Adept is my go to after my first play through of ME2 on PS3 (before ME1 was available for download) where i played as a soldier and buddy said i was playing the game wrong 😂🤣

[@mercthejerk8945]

I usually like being the "nothing special" underdog with the least amount of powers and have powerful allies but still keep up or even surpass them that's why I play soldier

[@aetherkid]

Hey, I was a Sentinel also!

[@tonytyrell7486]

Really enjoy your topics and breakdown! This is the first of your videos I've watched and I am really excited to see your other videos

[@carpathiandevil]

That's Stellar Blade song you put in there slaps. Love that game. Great video too! Also my comfort game is probably FF6, and classic World of Warcraft. They're both games I know every nook and cranny and the world's and music just feel comforting for me.

[@backlogbaldie]

Thanks! Still can't quite believe how good Stellar Blade turned out

[@zaneheaston8254]

Fire Emblem Three Houses, I’ve literally spent 1200 hours playing it

[@vlnfltrlh7683]

For me, it was final fantasy 15. First ff game, started playing during covid when the whole world was super uncertain and turbulant Honestly it was the best escapism I had at the time, and i have sunk well over 200 hours into that game and all its DLC. The main cast resonated so emotionally with me and to this day it is my favourite game and got me into the entire franchise ❤

[@MrOGS-ci9gp]

Great vid, Keep up the intersting subjects

[@backlogbaldie]

Will do 👍

[@Bendaak]

Mass Effect became my safe space/comfort game since the day it was released. Other honourable mentions are TW3, CP2077, SWTOR and Disco Elysium.

[@user-jt1js5mr3f]

It’s usually a narrative that will bring me back. I’ve replayed Rdr2 4 times, with Part 1 and 2 of TLoU and Uncharted 1-4 in there as well. Part of it is loving the stories so much, but other than rdr2 they’re more concise experiences that I know won’t drag out. Rdr2 just captured my fucking heart, I started my second play the DAY after I finished it. I just missed it.

[@TheTom20]

I love how world in rdr2 actually feel alive

[@user-jt1js5mr3f]

@ absolutely. The people, animals, and world design are just active. Lagras FEELS sweaty. New Austin feels HOT. Not just from the visuals, but the sounds. It’s so good.

[@Sumunuhriginal]

AC2, Arkham Asylum, Portal 2, Uncharted 2, Bioshock Infinite…just something about those linear games feels like home and are so easily replayable. I am looking forward to replaying Witcher 3 soon though

[@backlogbaldie]

Each one a classic choice 👍

[@Tyranniod]

GTA, ratchet and clank, Jak and Daxter, judge dredd, red dead, mass effect and call of duty(campaigns). These are the games that I always come back to replaying.

[@Thunderhawk51]

The freedom in Skyrim... I can never stop replying it over and over again. And I don't even have to achieve anything in any given "playthrough." I recently started one file where I had a certain goal. I worked towards it for a while. But I eventually got bored of it when I noticed it wouldn't quite work out within the limitations I had set myself. So I started yet another one that I'm currently playing. I like to brainstorm character ideas with ChatGPT and come up with names, backstories, challenges and so on. It makes me do things I wouldn't do otherwise. I have started probably like 50-100 Skyrim characters, but finished the game like 4-5 times in total. I can go anywhere after the beginning and do whatever I want. No other game does it like that. There are very few limitations. Like, you have to do certain things to gain access to some locations, but other than that... The world is your playground.

[@s0munii]

I dont even know how many times I replayed far cry 3, it is an amazing game but it was also one of the 3 games that i owned as a kid

[@RealBradMiller]

Played Outer Wilds once. Game frustrated me and gave me an existential crisis. Love it.

[@backlogbaldie]

I need to try that one again some day

[@symboltherapper]

Very interesting video idea! Can’t wait to check it out….

[@oldmangamer01]

Mass Effect 1,2,3 and Legendary Edition. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve completed it. 😊. I have also replayed Cyberpunk, Fallout 4, Far Cry 2,3,4,5 and STALKER multiple times.

[@gauthamsuresh3993]

God of war and God of war Ragnarok. I played both at least three times. The DLC also was on another level. These games made me a sense of in completeness every time I played

[@victoriasharpe1661]

Witcher. Dragon age origins/Dragon age 2. Uncharted. Mass Effect and Baldurs Gate 3. I always come back to these once a year. They’re perfect. From story, characters, combat, gameplay, emotional moments that can be relatable. I’ll always love them

[@MeetDpresident]

I can play the tlou 1&2 soo many times and days gone, they really really connected with me over a rough time in my life , I love those games tbh and ghost of tshusima ( honorable mention )

[@IFluxWithIt]

Glad to see Part 2 has been getting several mentions on here, and love the other games you mentioned as well! Glad they helped you during a rough time, hopefully you’re in a better place now

[@Pinkyorangegirl]

I personally always assumed that a game is replayable depending on how much it resonated with the player. It doesn't matter how much content or how open the world is if the player doesn't enjoy the game (well sometimes) it's not gonna be replayed that much

[@husselbeh1058]

Just found your channel and really enjoyed it. It was well thought out and honestly quite therapeutic to sit and listen you talk about this. Keep up the great work, I hope you continue to find success on your channel :D

[@backlogbaldie]

Welcome aboard! 😊

[@rhuttner12]

I still put hours into Left 4 Dead 2, and I’m convinced it’s a game I will always play. The Characters, gameplay, the community, the director, mods, the game has everything.

[@KrisVickers-wn6dd]

I still need to play it. Should I play the first?

[@javiern7223]

I play Mass Effect at least once every 24 months since I played it for first time back in 2008 ☺️. Never mind the achievements/trophies (on PS5 now); I never get tired of it ☺️.

[@backlogbaldie]

Right there with ya 👍

[@WolfSky42]

It has to be Skyrim for me. It was my first rpg, very easy to learn even for me who is still slow at reacting to what is happening in games. The story is so simple and yet so complex. You can make it feel so unique with mods if you got bored. I could come back from college tired and stressed and I could just play, feel at home and not think. (right now I have 703.8 hours in Skyrim) Playing new games still stresses me out but once I have a large number of hours in the game I am fine. Also I love playing Button smashers. I like the complexity in the simplicity of "easy" games

[@Ceej582]

Sekiro definitely helped me get through a tough time in my life when I felt like I wasn't good at anything. Sekiro was something that I could improve at and get good at and I replayed it proabably 4 times because I loved the combat and am still waiting for somebody to emulate that again.

[@RCBlooper]

Hollow Knight for me was my stars aligning, in a time of terrible circumstances the city of tears soundtrack calmed me down and let me have a temporary escape from the bleak reality I was in, god bless that game and all it meant for me back then, I have many more "stars aligning" games but not for terrible times I've had in my life, Final Fantasy VII and its Remake was one of those but I played them in times I believe were one of the best of my life, today, walking in the streets of Midgar with Aerith both in the OG or the Remake feels me with a nostalgia so huge it completely changes my mood for the better, hearing Hollow Skies from the Remake's OST is something akin to levitate and ascend in a sunny summer day with a breeze that heals your soul, it is for me such an unbelievable blessing to have these games tied to me in such a deep way, they become a part of myself I can't ever let go, it's written in my core and DNA now, there's no going back and I love it.

[@backlogbaldie]

Walking the og streets of Midgar gets me everytime

[@nolen_ix]

Yes, my "stars aligned" games are, Baldur's Gate 3, Fallout NV/4, and The Elder Scrolls 3/4/5. These games in rotation when I felt like changing it up were my crutch for nearly 2 years of depression. I get choked up just thinking about how much these helped me. 10/10 I play them all the time.

[@backlogbaldie]

Glad to hear they helped you buddy 👍

[@ErmacXtreme1991]

Great video and explanation, so accurate and can easily relate. I struggle so much now with these cinematic story oriented games that everyone praises to no end. I just can’t be bothered with long drawn out cutscenes followed by endless walkie talkie sections, i just want to get to the gameplay.

[@backlogbaldie]

Thanks! 😊

[@ozera16]

Souls games , I’ve completed all of the many times and the only games I play tbh , there is just something I love just like a comfort food and movie .

[@Green_Playdoh]

I've played through The Last of Us I think 7 times now. Have Platinum on the remaster and have still replayed it. It's a gorgeous game.

[@CommenterTenma]

Skyrim, Witcher 3, Sekiro and GreedFall replaying all of them is just satisfying for me.

[@tronam]

The games I’ve replayed the most have a “vibe” that I want to go back to. They also often nail a certain flow state with their gameplay loop.

[@Epic2kartworks]

Subscribed. You're a talented dude

[@backlogbaldie]

Thanks! Welcome aboard 👍

[@VinnyXCaliber]

Put well over 10k hrs in Eve Online, GTA Online, League of Legends, Fortnite and now Helldivers 2. The common dominator that kept me playing was that my friends loved these too, had a similar schedule and has just been our nightly hangout for years now. If I ever play solo nowadays my gaming sessions are less than an hr (kinda jus to see who's on).

[@danielslilaty]

Dragon Age 1 and 2 are the emotional touchstone for me as Mass Effect is for you. There's a lot as to why it's the case for me, but your description includes some of my reasons, too.

[@SeriusChevy]

Like the use of PE1 music 👍 Very nice 👌

[@betamax1828]

I replay the Arkham games and ac2 and brotherhood every year. I just adore those games. Loved them as a kid and they're so much better with the understanding of an adult

[@backlogbaldie]

Excellent choices 👍

[@baki484]

A fellow arkham enjoyer.

[@highchaosludwig]

Oh, I have a specific game for each period of my life. I always feel a little touched by Skyrim, when I was in high school and my father got pretty sick, my ultimate escapism was make a cup of coffee and get some cookies to play Skyrim all the afternoon. At the same period, I used to listen to The Last of Us soundtrack, I couldn't play it because I had a PS2 at the time. I played Skyrim multiple time since them and never finished the game actually, and played The Last of Us undread of times as well. Both games are still somekind of "a hug" when things are down. A recent game I felt really connect is Baldur's Gate 3, I'm in college and it's been really relaxing to play it, just play it to get my mind elsewhere is great, I came back just a new person after these.

[@backlogbaldie]

Games that relaxes the brain are a god send some days. Hope your Dad is ok.

[@PropaGandalf90]

One of my lifetime games is Sacred Gold, an originally german ARPG by Ascaron Entertainment. I started replaying it some days ago and I'm totally into it again. Another character class, another build, another combination of attributes scores, skills and combat arts to be tested and refined. After all this time? - Always!

[@nathanvictor7654]

I played the MA trilogy twice, both as a soldier. Now thanks to you I have to do it as a infiltrator. Great video 🤘🏼

[@backlogbaldie]

You won’t regret it 👍

[@johnpantag472]

You have no idea how many times I've beaten gowr. Its a story game but as an all around package it has insane replayability and the story never gets boring, even after 5 playthroughs i still get emotional

[@user-jt1js5mr3f]

Ragnarok? It always amazing how things appeal to people, as I found it disappointing. I just expected…something more. It didn’t capture me.

[@ichigoichie369]

The games I revisit now and then are games that are often not replayed like mount and blade warband ( now switched to bannerlord), ets2, genshin as well, league, wow, fifa. I can feel hard to continue a story game but it is so easy to sink hours into these games.

[@IFluxWithIt]

Didn’t expect to see Genshin in here, but yeah it’s definitely a game that keeps me coming back. I’m a PS4 launch week player (now PS5) but only checked it out because it was free and because it had 4 person co-op lol I didn’t even know it was even a Gacha game. After the first month i learned about them and how they work. And I saw they’d be releasing new content every 6 weeks for years, so my interest peaked. But it tested us launch players, and once you explored Mond and Liyue fully and did the quests, there was literally nothing else to do. Most of my friends dropped it but one of the main reasons I didn’t, I had gotten some crazy good luck with my free wishes. I’m still playing over 4 years later lol. I’ve taken several month long breaks, but I’ve always came back. I have close to 4,000 hours now haha. For all of its flaws, its a damn fun game, that has only gotten better as the years have gone on. And while I’ll always agree that Gachas are predatory and wish them and loot boxes didn’t exist, Genshin at least does it ‘right’. It makes Billions every year, but unlike all the other Gachas, the GTA 5 Online, the Maddens, FIFA, etc, etc of the world, Hoyo puts several hundred million right back into it. And they do that every year.

[@ichigoichie369]

@@IFluxWithIt genshin being a live game that gets regular updates as we journey through teyvat with traveller throughout the years really hits home now that next region is snezhnaya. It is first a good game and then a gacha game which makes it so good. Its art style also makes it not feel outdated. The world and music makes the game feel idyllic. I still remember the first time I climbed the mountains in Liyue back during lockdown era. Although I don’t play daily, visiting genshin every now and then really feels like a warm place you can return to.

[@Terron29]

Love the parasite eve music in the back. Only played it for first time a few years ago and was absolutely hooked. What a classic.

[@backlogbaldie]

Rent free in my head for 25 years 😂

[@snsdkbopper7819]

The genuine desire to replay certain games is definitely subjective to individuals, altogether I've completed the Mass Effect trilogy 20+ times, RE4og & remake combined 20+ times, KOTOR 17 Times, Other games that I've invested freakish amounts of time in👉Halo trilogy, All of the 360 Gears games, Particularly Gears3 insane Horde, Fable2, Destiny, not even counting the retro games of the 80s & 90s.

[@radicalcentrist4990]

For me it doesn't matter how much replay value the game gives you. If it left a really good impression on me, or connected with me, then I'm surely gonna replay it, no matter how long it is and no matter if nothing actually changes on another playthrough. On the other hand you have games with a lot of replay value, but if I didn't really fall in love with them, then I'm just not gonna replay them.

[@egontokessy1610]

Loving the video. There are a lot of games I replay and/or connected with because it came at the right time in my life. Right now, that game is Stellar Blade. I really liked that you put Eidos 7 music near the start of your video. I love video games and have played Stellar Blade through 7 times, over 500 hours and is the second game that I’ve got a platinum trophy in. Now I’m playing the Japanese version of the game because I thought the Japanese dub was cool. Also played through Korean, English and a little bit of German and French. I love connecting to a game like that.

[@backlogbaldie]

Nicely done! I haven't got around to NG+ yet but it's gonna happen for sure. Stellar Blade really surprised me at just how great it is

[@egontokessy1610]

@@backlogbaldieIts combat is very crunchy and the music is great. That’s what keeps me coming back 😅. I like the story too now that I understand it.

[@ethanwinston2672]

I have two types of games I replay, games I found in that trauma state and very short games. When it comes to short games I can’t get enough of games like my friend Pedro, fire watch, severe streel, papers please or sekiro. I always randomly go back to them and give them another run. And I have my games that I will never stop replaying because the trauma bond like the last of us

[@DarKNG]

Elden ring, resident evil 4, gta san andreas, nier, any souls/soulslike... such great replayable games and i love them all!

[@rashidhumine]

Great video :)

[@backlogbaldie]

Great comment 🙂

[@MCoconut97]

The Parasite Eve background music, my god, so good.. Is it 1 or 2? Great video brother

[@backlogbaldie]

Glad you enjoyed it! It’s from PE1

[@tylermunday2146]

Fable 2 is my all-time favourite game, and I replayed it almost pathologically as a child, not for achievements but purely because I really liked the world and the vibe. I replayed fable a few years ago, and nothing felt dated for me. I felt the same comfort at 21 that I felt at 9/10. If I still owned an xbox, I bet you it would be a yearly replay for me. In the last 4 months tho I played the last of us 2 for the first time and it was such an experience. I'm in the camp that adore it, and I even bought the remake of the original after I finished part 2, and when I finished the remake, I played through part 2 again and and a little over a month after that I'm craving to start it again. For the same reasons I loved fable the last of us 2 has a vibe that warms my heart. I absolutely love climbing through the wet and overgrown streets of seattle in a comforting way.

[@X-35173]

11:28 I think gor me the best example of this is Virtue's Last Reward.

[@zephyr835]

Very well presented! I tend to look more for replay value, but appreciate other games too. Dragon Age: Origins is one I've only played through once, but had a great time with (and was sobbing at the end). I'm probably overdue for another run. And speaking of BioWare, this video is getting me more interested in Mass Effect.

[@backlogbaldie]

Thanks! Always happy to hear I’ve got someone into Mass Effect 👍

[@zephyr835]

@backlogbaldie And as if by fate, Steam has the LE at a crazy discount right now, so I bought it. 😃

[@backlogbaldie]

@@zephyr835 excellent! Get ready for it to take over you life 😂

[@victorwonder]

Replaying narrative driven games is totally in my realm. It's not really that surprising when players do this. We rewatch movies and shows all the time, reread a book so many times. We just want to go back to the things we enjoyed. We want to go back to the stories that stayed with us - revisit the world, the characters, the relationships. We bond with stories. When we know what happens after our first playthrough, we can just chill and enjoy the adventures we know are just around the corner.

[@kunnai1189]

For me megamanx4 is a childhood memory that I keep coming back again and again

[@Rikika333]

There are no games that has drawn me back more than Metro 2033 and it's sequel. I still to this day find new secret stashes of ammo and alternative routes through the levels.

[@infinitedeath1384]

Skyrim and oblivion are the games i can come back to at any point, and find the same enjoyment as my last playthrough. I know the ins and outs of both games, glitches, fastest way to grind skills, obscure quests, unique or random interactions and even the "horrid" level system in oblivion. I usually play 2 types of characters. The first is the "legit" character that I grind and level up. The second is the cheat character, where i get op weapons or use glitches like the restoration loop to make me ridiculously op. I always do all the quests and dlc in a playthrough.

[@La_Segua_Games]

I can hardly think of games ive replayed. Probably none. OoT and ff7 come to my mind, but i never finish them when replaying them.

[@ianmelencio5752]

😊😊😊 love this channel

[@backlogbaldie]

Love this comment 😊

[@bobsaget832]

I played the last of us 1 atleast 5 times. If I never would’ve sold my ps4 and full collection it’d probably be higher than that. That game was like a season of a really good show that I got to play. I’d go back to it every year or so

[@HippieRedneck666]

“Ahh yes we’ve been expecting you!”

[@damienstewart5756]

Im still hooked on borderlands 2 whats it been 12 years? The endgame loop is just so fun to me when u have a build and guns that go together perfectly. *chefs kiss* its just one of those games i get the itch to come back to every few months.

[@Notfallkaramell]

Jedi powers?! Dude, you hust sold me on Mass Effect! Now the remastered trilogy or original Xb360 versions of the games...?

[@vierish04]

Id suggest the remastered version. It improves a little bit some gameplay that got really old

[@backlogbaldie]

Legendary edition. No question. Prepare for it to consume your entire life 😂

[@zretralboletarias2808]

Divinity Original Sin 2, which is coincidentally my favourite game of all time. Being able to play solo or with up to 3 friends really allows you to play the game so much. And even though I know act one by heart, it’s fun to approach it from new angles. Honorary mention goes to Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate as well. Despite having all the gear I’d ever want, it’s nice to boot it up and play for a few hours when I just want to bonk monsters.

[@Pumba424]

Persona 5 Royal was my first JRPG. I picked it up at Walmart in 2020 about 3 days after quarantine became a National standard. It didn’t look like my cup of tea and I had heard about how infamously long it was but I thought “hell. I have nothing but time. Why not try something out of my wheelhouse.” The game brought me to tears multiple times as that was a very lonely time for myself and many people. The characters in the game became my “friends” that I could spend time with when I couldn’t spend time with my real friends. I have replayed it every year since despite it’s pacing issues, because I have a trauma bond with it like you mentioned.

[@backlogbaldie]

Very similar story to how I finally tried P5. It's a brilliant cast of characters for sure.

[@Shifft-This]

This was a great video. I definitely feel like games with a cinematic/narrative focus are a different breed from more gameplay focused games, but I feel like both have their place in my heart when they're done well. But coming from someone that grew up playing games like Tetris and Pac-Man, I honestly feel like narrative/story driven games were an evolution of games that changed the way the entire medium was accepted by modern society. That could be a negative or positive thing I guess depending on how you look at it.

[@backlogbaldie]

I grew up playing those games too. It is pretty amazing how far the medium has come.

[@adjcsee4476]

Of one of the few games, I always find myself drawn to No Man’s Sky, Skyrim, and Oblivion. Not just because they are amazing games, but when I was without most things, these games gave me something to strive for, work on, and continue improving. And the pure nostalgia of games of the past that have given me something I don’t have in reality, freedom from the reality of my own life. Plus, I don’t need to be online to play any of them.

[@kaeriangrin5149]

13:26 Hellblade and Witcher 3 are those games. They changed me. Witcher 3 provided me with a much needed escape and also motivation to keep on going. I was using it daily to get out of bed, move my body, eat, hygiene etc and then treat myself afterwards as a reward with a session of Witcher. (I played all three games, starting with the first, then the second and after that the third wich I wanted to play desperately, but not without knowing the first two) :D I also know the books, so that's that. And Hellblade literally did the opposite of escape for me. I played it right after I ended my therapy that I went to for 2,5 years and that game felt like a quick rundown session of my therapy. It gave me so much hope and love for myself. That a was combination of stars aligning and deep emotional connection.

[@backlogbaldie]

That’s fantastic that you were able to form those relationships with those games 👍

[@luha3380]

When I lost my job and was job hunting, FO4 is what kept me going. January 2024 I was bedridden for weeks after surgery and playing Spider-Man and Miles Morales kept me focused and entertained.