I'm always down for games that are replayable many, many times, so that's the subject of the thread. I don't wanna artificially constrain suggestions... genre hybrids (like action RPG) are fine. A few of my own picks:
Wonderful 101
For better or worse, your first playthrough is little more than the tutorial. Once you've unlocked all the Wonder powers and you replay the game (typically on a harder difficulty), the game blossoms even more into an incredible combat system. The charm and goofiness is a plus, but it isn't nostalgia that keeps me coming back. The unique "drawing" mechanics somehow combine the complex input of a fighting game (e.g. Ryu's hadouken from Street Fighter) with the high speed of an action game. Deceptively complex. You can take the combat system in any direction, seamlessly transitioning between all of the various powers as you see fit.
There are plenty of secrets. I started on the Wii U version and got most of them, then I restarted from scratch on the PS4 version. I still haven't 100%'d the game. As you play, the familiarity with the combat system allows you to breeze through many of the battles that seemed impossible before.
God Hand
Full disclosure: I suck at this game. I've beaten it twice on Normal, but I know there's so much depth to the combat system that I could keep replaying it and always find something new. The story is one of the most "Japanese" I've ever experienced, kind of like Ru Paul Fist Of The North Star. Aside from the humor (which some folks might not like), the combat system is very customizable, and in fact you're expected to tweak things to keep pace with the story's enemies.
Mount & Blade II Bannerlord
Heavy RPG and simulation elements, though not as RPG as Skyrim or Dragon's Age. I've sunk so many hours and booted up so many fresh campaigns in this game (and the previous games in the series) that I've lost count. There's an overworld with an economy, quests, factions, and politics, but at its core it is a fairly realistic medieval action game where you play one soldier with an army of recruits. Whether you're leading a tiny band of elusive bandits or you're marshaling armies that defy the unit cap, this game is easily the best medieval action game I've ever played. Chivalry 2, For Honor, or Mordhau have nothing on the M&B series....
Wonderful 101
For better or worse, your first playthrough is little more than the tutorial. Once you've unlocked all the Wonder powers and you replay the game (typically on a harder difficulty), the game blossoms even more into an incredible combat system. The charm and goofiness is a plus, but it isn't nostalgia that keeps me coming back. The unique "drawing" mechanics somehow combine the complex input of a fighting game (e.g. Ryu's hadouken from Street Fighter) with the high speed of an action game. Deceptively complex. You can take the combat system in any direction, seamlessly transitioning between all of the various powers as you see fit.
There are plenty of secrets. I started on the Wii U version and got most of them, then I restarted from scratch on the PS4 version. I still haven't 100%'d the game. As you play, the familiarity with the combat system allows you to breeze through many of the battles that seemed impossible before.
God Hand
Full disclosure: I suck at this game. I've beaten it twice on Normal, but I know there's so much depth to the combat system that I could keep replaying it and always find something new. The story is one of the most "Japanese" I've ever experienced, kind of like Ru Paul Fist Of The North Star. Aside from the humor (which some folks might not like), the combat system is very customizable, and in fact you're expected to tweak things to keep pace with the story's enemies.
Mount & Blade II Bannerlord
Heavy RPG and simulation elements, though not as RPG as Skyrim or Dragon's Age. I've sunk so many hours and booted up so many fresh campaigns in this game (and the previous games in the series) that I've lost count. There's an overworld with an economy, quests, factions, and politics, but at its core it is a fairly realistic medieval action game where you play one soldier with an army of recruits. Whether you're leading a tiny band of elusive bandits or you're marshaling armies that defy the unit cap, this game is easily the best medieval action game I've ever played. Chivalry 2, For Honor, or Mordhau have nothing on the M&B series....
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