Video games are meant to be a replayable medium, which players can put down and come back later and pick right back up. They are supposed to be an enticing experience, with stunning visuals and intriguing gameplay that will keep users invested for as long as possible.
Yet, even the best forms of entertainment media can become tedious at some point, and video games suffer from this too. However, occasionally, a title comes along that turns into an instant hit and offers up such a unique blend of story and gameplay that gamers can’t help but come back to it at least once a year, if not more.
Such video games offer a great deal of replayability and a narrative that audiences do not mind going through again due to their wholesome or exciting nature.
Note: This article reflects the writer’s opinions.
Ten video games that players can’t help coming back to
1) The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
That The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim became an instant commercial success indicated how great the game was. Developer Bethesda seemingly realized this soon enough, as Skyrim has now been re-released so many times, it is difficult to keep count.
Skyrim’s lure comes from its simple yet epic level of fantasy storytelling and the flexibility it offers players. Customizing their character’s look is one thing, but Skyrim’s various character attributes allow for a wide range of builds they are free to create and try out.
The third aspect that gives this video game an endless amount of replayable value is the user-generated mods available for free. Bethesda acknowledged them officially in the Special Edition, which included mod support in the game menu.
This feature allowed console users to access certain mods for the first time.
2) Apex Legends
There are numerous battle royale video games out there, but there is a reason why Apex Legends holds the top spot in terms of gamer count amidst other titles like PUBG and Fortnite. Developer Respawn Entertainment’s title originally hit the shelves on February 14, 2019, as a free-to-play game.
It has since slowly grown in popularity due to its take on gameplay for a battle royale title. The action moves quickly in the Apex games, where hesitation is generally rewarded with a quick death.
The fast-paced gameplay results from an intuitive control scheme that allows players to quickly jump, slide, climb and even take to the skies to keep themselves mobile.
Aside from the gameplay, Apex Legends continually adds new characters with every seasonal update, ensuring that things never get stale. Each character has a few distinct traits and abilities that can be used in battle and are crucial for victory when playing as a team.
Apex is in its 14th season and offers 22 playable characters to pick from in every match.
3) Hitman 3
Since the dawn of the series, Hitman has always comprised video games that counted on the replayability value. IO Interactive’se’s latest installment in this stealth game franchise is Hitman 3, which brings the best aspects of all the past games into one package.
The game consists of numerous levels that can be replayed once they are first completed. There are added challenges for each location to keep things interesting, some of which will require multiple playthroughs to finish.
Challenges unlock new items, which in turn assist in further playthroughs, and open up new opportunities to eliminate targets and ideas for creative kills.
Aside from the main story objectives, the title offers an ever-growing selection of user-made contracts that others can attempt. Other modes such as Illusive Targets, Sniper Assassin, and Escalation are also present, which never lets the game feel dull or repetitive.
4) Dota 2
Starting life as a Warcraft 3 mod, Dota 2 has since expanded into its own franchise with its highly successful game, which has also recently been accompanied by an animated show. This multiplayer online battle arena, or MOBA, video game sees teams of five gamers take on each other to capture the other’s home base.
The game offers over a hundred heroes to choose from, wherein each player’s chosen hero will level up and attain more power as the match progresses. No two matches in Dota 2 are ever the same and can last up to an hour as users command troops, destroy enemy structures, and fight others.
Dota 2 is one of the two titles that sprouted off from the Warcraft 3 mod titled Defense of the Ancients (with the other being League of Legends). The game has since prospered immensely as a multiplayer video game title, with newly added content, game modes, and heroes to play as.
5) Grand Theft Auto 5
Rockstar Games’ most popular video game franchise has always been the Grand Theft Auto series. The latest installment is GTA 5, released almost a decade ago in 2013. The game took the series to new heights with an immersive open world, a fun story, and some exciting gameplay elements.
One of the most enticing factors of a GTA game is the sandbox offered to players as a recreation of the real world, where they can cause as much chaos and mayhem as they want. GTA 5 did this spectacularly with a realistically designed Los Santos and outlying areas that served as the game’s main map.
While running around with a bazooka and shooting at unsuspecting AI pedestrians can be fun, the story is a great adventure that should not be ignored. This is quite possibly one of the best GTA stories yet, with three playable protagonists and a tale that will never let users feel bored.
6) Rust
This multiplayer-only survival video game is the ultimate post-apocalyptic simulator for those wishing to test themselves in such a world. Co-developed by Facepunch Studios and Double Eleven, Rust was made available for PCs on February 8, 2018, and received an Xbox One and PS4 release on May 21, 2021.
In the video game, players are dropped into a new server every month, wherein they must start with nothing but a rock and a torch (yes, everyone is naked in the first few days). They must form alliances with others to form clans, build bases, collect resources, and even raid rivals for certain supplies.
After crafting proper armor and weapons, users have the freedom to participate in the server however they wish to until it is eventually wiped. They can go out hunting, become traders, or even warlords; the game does not discriminate.
Other gamers will react accordingly or similarly, leading to clan battles, stealth raids, or a straight-up voice chat argument.
7) Control
Control is Remedy Entertainment’s most recent standalone title, which sees players take on the role of one Jesse Faden. When she finds herself in the Oldest House, a building in central Manhattan that serves as the Federal Bureau of Control headquarters, she is swept along in an adventure of a lifetime.
The gameplay in this video game is so unique and fun that it’s hard to find another title that feels the same. Control starts as a reasonably simple third-person shooter but takes a decidedly supernatural turn when Jesse gets access to various abilities. After a certain point, it becomes quite the power fantasy for users.
With the ability to levitate, telekinetically pull and throw objects, and bend weak enemies’ minds, Jesse almost becomes equivalent to a Jedi. The story picks up the pace whenever the action slows down, keeping every moment tense and steeped in anticipation.
8) Monster Hunter Rise
The Monster Hunter series comprises some excellent video game titles best enjoyed when playing in multiplayer. The latest in this long-running franchise is Monster Hunter Rise, which was released on March 26, 2021, and has very recently received its first DLC in the form of Sunbreak.
The premise of Monster Hunter Rise is simple and is best not given too much thought. Gamers are tasked with hunting down giant monsters with the assistance of their Palico and Palamute companions. However, partying up with another player is also an option for some added help and extra fun times.
Partnering up with a friend and heading out to slay monsters is quite a surreal experience, and the title offers quite a diverse selection of animals to hunt down. Hunting down monsters nets users crafting items they can use to create new gear or iconic weapons that will be more effective against higher-level monsters.
9) Sims 4
Sims is one of the most popular video games of all time and will seemingly remain so for the years to come. The latest title in the series, Sims 4, will turn eight years old this September and has seen a large number of updates and expansive packs that have greatly added to its fun factor.
Like with previous titles, Sims 4 focuses on a personal experience, allowing gamers to create their own worlds of people and communities whom they can control to almost any extent. While some enjoy the simulation of these titles, others engross themselves in the creation aspect.
The Sims video games have always been an endlessly entertaining experience, as they let people live out their wildest dreams. With the news that Sims 5 will be a multiplayer-oriented offering, it will be interesting to see how or if developer Maxis will retain the single-player focus.
10) Destiny 2
One of the most popular free-to-play co-op multiplayer video games is Destiny 2. Whenever developer Bungie releases a new expansion pack, the servers light up with players as they flood in to enjoy the new content.
It is now iconic how the title can so safely rely on its user base that it is almost an in-game joke between gamers.
One of the critical elements of Destiny 2 that makes this video game so addictive is its gunplay. Bungie was the developer that brought the ideal gunplay to the spotlight in 2000 with the first Halo game, so it is only natural that their standalone property displays the same caliber, if not more (gun joke there, for those who missed it).
Teaming up with friends or even random players online and taking on missions in Destiny 2 is considered some of the best co-op experiences in this day and age. The title is also quite welcoming to beginners, with a proper tutorial and some easy-to-finish missions that earn them good loot.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author’s opinion.
Q. Do you play any of the games on this list?
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