Some games can become instant classics from minute one. It was easy to get hooked into the first Halo as an example. That game changed the landscape of first-person shooters on consoles. They existed on platforms before this, but it created a new template. This is how to make shooters on consoles. Then there are games that fall in the middle of the pack. They aren’t game-changers like Halo.
They may even be bad games on the technical side. The first time through may be rough or confusing. The second, if players attempt this, may change minds. There are a wide variety of games on here that follow that idea. There are also some examples in the realm of the first Halo that just get better the second time around. Games with choices also fall into this category so let’s round up some good examples of each of these ideas.
8 Catherine
Catherine is part puzzle game, part dating sim. The main character, Vincent, has doubts about his relationship with his girlfriend, Katherine. Then, out of the blue, he wakes up next to another woman who is named Catherine.
The original game had two major choices revolving around pleasing one of the two girls. The re-release, Catherine: Full Body, added another choice to the mix. All three are wildly different enough wherein players will want to see it all to fully appreciate the game.
7 Chrono Cross
Chrono Cross may be seen as the lesser of the two Chrono games as most fans prefer Chrono Trigger. That game had New Game+ and multiple endings to tackle. However, Chrono Cross upped the New Game+ level. It is impossible to see everything the first time around.
The game is pretty confusing on the first playthrough. The more times players progress through the ending, getting new characters along the way for an enormous cast, the more things will start to make sense. It’s more complex than just changing a few choices.
6 Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonition is the poster child for a game so bad that it is good. One time through maybe more than enough for some players. The driving is obscenely terrible, and it is a central part of the experience. The shooting segments are no better.
Playing Deadly Premonition may feel like a chore, but the reward is worth it for the story and oddball characters. The second time through, surprisingly enough, is more fun. The gameplay doesn’t get any better technically, but there is something magical about coming back to Deadly Premonition even if it’s after a while.
5 Diablo 3
Players can get everything they need to out of Diablo 3‘s story the first time around. However, replaying the game is built into the gameplay system. Beat it on one difficulty and then restart the whole thing on a higher mode with all loot still equipped. It is the ultimate New Game+ experience.
Then do it again and again until players reach their max potential. If that isn’t enough then it is time to start a new class to repeat the process for that as well. That game is a decade old now and fans are still having a blast playing it on repeat. It’s the gift that keeps on giving,
4 Mass Effect
This choice applies not to just the first Mass Effect but the entire trilogy. Each game is about 30-40 hours depending on skill level and how much time players invest on side quests. Put that all together and the trilogy is easily 100+ hours. Doing that twice may seem a bit wild.
However, playing the trilogy as both good and evil commanders has its perks. It’s one of the few RPGs wherein choices do matter and can create massively different experiences. It’s hard to convey why unless players tackle this trilogy again.
3 NieR: Automata
NieR: Automata is another game where replaying it is built into the gameplay design. That is true for all games in the series. The first time through is with 2B followed by her comrade, 9S. The third playable character is probably known at this point but let’s hold off on spoilers.
While the core story remains almost the same through the first two campaigns, things take a wild turn for the third. The gameplay does change dramatically between 2B and 9S though. To see the true ending, the game must be completed at least three times and even that won’t guarantee the best result. It takes a lot of time and dedication to fully appreciate what NieR: Automata is offering.
2 Persona 5
Persona 5 is an RPG all about choice through the lens of a teenager. Part dungeon crawler, part dating sim, all amazing. To fully unlock everything in the game, players would have to MinMax their experience via a spreadsheet. It is possible to get everything needed to appreciate Persona 5 this way, but it’s a lot of work.
It also ruins the magic of spontaneous choice. Replaying it twice has more benefits even if it takes more time. There is a fast-forward button, for example, and a lot of experience and items carry over. This means the second time through should be a walk in the park to the truth.
1 Undertale
Undertale breaks the fourth wall numerous times, seemingly warning the player about making choices. There is an aggressive and a passive route like Mass Effect and many other RPGs. However, Mass Effect doesn’t remember the choices made on the other playthrough. Undertale does.
It brings the idea of New Game+ to a whole new level. It’s one of the most meta RPGs of the past decade and definitely deserves multiple playthroughs. Maybe it needs to be played on multiple systems to negate some blowback. That will take some extreme dedication but thankfully each playthrough is short at about four hours max.