What makes a good game? (Part 2)

This is part two of a recent blog post I started about characteristics of a good video game. My last post was about the storyline. While storyline is vital in making a good game that will be enjoyed by many, other characteristics are just as important.

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Part 2

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Replay Ability
A lot of game studios out there are very capable of making good games. Unfortunately, many of them don't due to one key characteristic they leave out or overlook -- replay ability. I've played a lot of games that were awesome the first time through, but after I finished it I never went back to that game because it had no appeal any more.

Role playing games (RPG) are most susceptible to this problem over other genres of games. Due to technology limitations, many RPG's are limited in the options they can present to a player. Even complex games like Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect limit players to two basic endings, good or evil. Choices players make throughout the game seem to influence you one way or the other, but ultimately the story conclusion is based off which side of the good-evil line you're left standing on at the end of the game. Once you've played both to both endings the game has little left to offer the players.

One feature I'd like to see put into new RPG games is where the choices you make open or close different options for the player later in the game. Most RPG's allow players to take it slow and play out almost every single story arc in the game the first time through. Instead I'd like to see multiple possible story arcs that are only accessible through subtle character choices within the game.