Video Game Masterpieces I Wish I Could Play Again For The First Time

Sometimes a second playthrough of a game can reveal new or unexpected details, or even new story beats and gameplay mechanics, that help differentiate it from your first time through the campaign. Lots of gamers like this, as it speaks to the idea of "value for money" that many of us lean on when deciding what games to buy (and at what price).

However, a game that manages to share all of its brilliance in one go can still be worth your time, even if it means that a second playthrough won't yield much in the way of new content. It might even feel kind of pointless. That's the case with these next games. I love them to death, but a second playthrough will never recapture the unbelievable experience I had the first time around. Because of that, I'd give anything to wipe my memory of them entirely, just so I could go back and experience them for the first time again.

Outer Wilds

Once You Know The Truth, Everything Changes

Pretty much everyone who played and completed Outer Wilds (and enjoyed the experience) feels this way. It's an incredible, one-of-a-kind exploration puzzle game that ends on a beautiful yet bittersweet note. It's all built around the concept of discovery. While the game is open world and lets you go anywhere, there are no waypoints to guide you. Everything hinges on your own curiosity and knowledge.

Because of that, once you've learned all there is to learn, seen all there is to see, and solved all the mysteries there are to solve, a second playthrough can't capture the same magic. Sure, I could go back, maybe find a couple of secret endings or a few Easter Eggs here and there, and just goof around with the physics system, but the emotional resonance of Outer Wilds' pitch-perfect ending won't feel nearly the same when I know what's coming.

The Talos Principle 2

You Can't Unlearn A Puzzle Solution

Replayability is somthing lots of puzzle games struggle with. No matter how good they are or how varied the solutions become, once you've solved a puzzle, solving it again isn't close to the same brain-teasing process. This is exactly the feeling I have with The Talos Principle 2, except doubly so because, while the narrative is gripping the first time through, once you know where it's going, it will just bog down your puzzle-solving pace.

Thankfully, The Talos Principle 2 has a trio of short DLC chapters that can offer something fresh, but they don't last for very long and don't capture the same magic of exploring the "open-field" environments of the base game while hunting for hidden puzzles and finding collectibles. Similarly, while each environment is jaw-dropping at first blush, the feeling is not the same the second time through.

BioShock Infinite

Going Back Just Feels Cruel

Just like with the first BioShock, there is a major narrative twist at the end of BioShock Infinite that flips the whole game on its head. It's a mind-blowing moment that I'll never forget, but unlike the first game's twist, which recontextualizes the entire story and rewards you for playing through it again and spotting all the clues that were sitting in front of your face, Infinite's twist doesn't operate in the same way. It's more of an earth-shattering surprise than a "How did you not see this coming" moment.

As such, there isn't really an abundance of clues that could guide you to spotting the twist coming ahead of time. The best part about BioShock Infinite (besides the fantastic combat) is feeling the narrative slowly build towards an inevitable and unexpected conclusion. When that same conclusion is expected, the impact isn't there. I remember trying to replay the game right after I beat it the first time, and while I was expecting lots of hints and clues to what was coming, they weren't really there. Moreover, once you know the twist, making these characters go through this experience again just feels cruel.

The Last Of Us

Joel And Ellie's Story Doesn't Hit The Same Way Twice

There is no twist ending to The Last of Us, nor is there an over-reliance on puzzles that would ruin a second playthrough. Frankly, a second playthrough is still really enjoyable. The combat and stealth are great, the story and characters are best-in-class, and it still holds up from a visual standpoint.

The reason I wish I could wipe it from my memory and play it again for the first time is because of just how unbelievably moving that first playthrough was. There still isn't really a game that has affected me this much on an emotional level (although the sequel came close). To experience that again, the feeling of not knowing what was coming or what would happen to Joel and Ellie, is like wanting to experience the best meal you've ever eaten over again. It's a longing for the surprise, the suspense, and the emotion that the game evokes, and no matter how good a second playthrough is, it can't hit those same highs.

Elden Ring

How Do You Discover What You've Already Found?

There is a certain satisfaction to playing through Elden Ring a second time. My first playthrough took me about 95 hours, while taking my time and trying to do everything (and still missing some stuff). My second playthrough took about 10 hours because I knew where I was going, had the boss attack patterns down to a science, and didn't need to search for new gear. My third playthrough of the base game was even shorter, but it took longer overall because it aligned with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

You're probably wondering why I'd want to do a fresh first playthrough. The simple answer is that the sense of discovery in Elden Ring is second to none. Finding "stuff", be it a new weapon, a hidden boss fight, or a secret underground city, is an experience that's impossible to recreate. Sure, I'll still play it on occasion and have a great time, but it can't compare to that first, completely blind run.

Return Of The Obra Dinn

Job Well Done

Return of the Obra Dinn isn't a puzzle game in the traditional sense, but it still operates like one. The goal is to investigate the Obra Dinn, identify each body on board and associate it with a crew member, then determine the cause of death for each of them. It's a tricky task that requires some note-taking, lots of backtracking, and a strong dose of intuition. There is absolutely no combat to speak of here, just a methodical, inquisitive process that requires you to learn and deduce on your own.

Because of that, once you've identified everyone and discovered how they died, there's not really anything to go back for. It's an immensely satisfying experience the first time around, providing a perfect blend of narrative pacing and your own investigative methods as you move forward, but once you're done, playing through it again feels redundant. Part of the joy is jotting down notes as you go. If you already have those notes on hand, it feels like playing with a cheat sheet.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Once In A Lifetime Isn't Something You Can Recapture

Very few games have managed to capture the adoration of the gaming world like Clar Obscur: Expedition 33 did in 2025. From the combat to the soundtrack to the astonishing narrative, it's the kind of game that comes around once in a generation. There are plenty of things to go back and do, from end-game content to the free DLC added last December, but the feeling of completing the story is virtually impossible to replicate.

Clair Obscur is loaded with incredible narrative moments, some emotionally devastating, others deeply moving. While a second playthrough lets you emotionally prepare for what's about to happen, that immediately takes away from how effective the game is. It's an experience that's at its best when it surprises, and it does so repeatedly. There's still plenty to enjoy that would make a second playthrough worthwhile, but it could never compare to that first time.

Inscryption

Bite-Sized Brilliance

Oh, how I love Inscryption. It got a ton of love in its release year, and a bunch more the year after when it released on consoles, but I still feel like it doesn't get the recognition it truly deserves. It's a one-of-a-kind blend of genres and gameplay styles, one minute playing like a roguelike deckbuilder, and the next veering into a point-and-click puzzle game. All of it is steeped in this pseudo-horror atmosphere that is never outright terrifying, but is always creepy enough to keep you on edge.

Unfortunately, it's another game that, once you've completed it, has revealed all of its surprises. Sure, there's Kaycee's Mod, an expansion game mode that extends the duration of Inscryption's roguelike elements indefinitely with new modifiers and cards, but it lacks all the other elements that make the base game so unique. That feeling of being out of your depth, of not quite knowing what's going on but struggling your way towards discovering more for yourself, isn't nearly as strong on a second playthrough. So few games capture that experience as brilliantly as Inscryption that I'd happily wipe my memory of it just to have that feeling once again.