I have a confession: I rarely replay narrative games. Sure, there are gaming experiences I’m always returning to: the blocky comfort blanket that is Minecraft, the psychedelic space exploration sim No Man’s Sky, the compelling card game Slay the Spire. But I find it hard to go back to a game based around a single story.
Plenty of role-playing narrative adventure games are built precisely to invite multiple playthroughs. Every time you set foot in Mass Effect, Persona or most recently Baldur’s Gate 3, there are a wealth of narrative T-junctions waiting, all leading to very different experiences. Although the overarching plot may be consistent, subtle changes will occur depending on which characters you date, dismiss or destroy (now there’s a gamified reality TV concept for you). But with very linear narrative adventures, I often think: Why go back – I’ve seen everything, haven’t I?
