LostWinds Sequel or expansion: needs replayability

[OnlineCop]

In the current version of LostWinds, the player is required to gather nearly every power-up (like the Cape, the power of Vortex, etc.) and "storyline element" (like all of the Memory chests) in order to get to the end scene and end boss.

There is very little that can be left "unfinished" except for collecting a few optional Melodia Idols. Therefore, after beating the game, there is very little reason to replay from the most recent Save point, as there is little else that "can be done."

In future versions of LostWinds, I would like to suggest that there be a lot more power-ups, collectibles, and "storyline elements" that can be skipped. The player will be able to get to the end boss, though it may be easier to defeat the boss if they had spent the extra time to go through and find these extra abilities (or there may be other benefits besides "for the end boss").

I love to play through a game and beat it, sometimes even quickly and minimally, just to say that I finished it. Then I replay the game and find everything that I can on the second go-through.

I believe that by allowing several things to be left "unfinished" for the player, it would help increase replay value. Thoughts?

 

[Michael Brookes]

Personally I think it's more important that the player gets to see the end, it's surprising the number of people who don't finish the games they buy. That being said I don't have anything against having elements that encourage replay.

Michael

 

[ender003]

Hmm, perhaps some sort of minigame(s) that uses the wind in a fun way. I know I had fun using the wind to passively interact with things in the background, or to play catch with the enemies, but I think the gameplay could open up some interesting optional activities in the game world.

 

[DonMasakoni]

maybe

1. at the end, a ranking system(A,B,C,...) to bring bonus costumes für toku :>

2. or a special ending for collecting all things ---> 24/24

3. easteregg: if you beat the game in under 2 hours and start a new game the sun rising and go down in real time. your wii clock is 10 p.m and you play lostwinds then the level is dark... and at 6 a.m a shy sunrise strokes the showy levels

 

[OnlineCop]

@DonMasakoni: I found your idea of having that realtime lighting effect on the world (as in "playing in the dark" when it's actually "after 10pm") rather funny and interesting. LostWinds would be rather fun to have something like that.

I'd love to see Toku continue his adventures with the current abilities that he ends LostWinds (the original) with: cape, Vortex, etc. With those, he can fly pretty far, get to most ledges, control fire fairly well, etc. If there were more elemental controls (like more to do with the water to further spin the water wheel by Grandfather's house to open something, for example), or have entirely different Elementals to control, those would be what I would be expecting to see in a sequel, expansion, etc.

But if there were some power-ups that weren't necessarily required to defeat another of the bosses introduced in the next game (helpful, yes, but not essential), those would be nice to be able to have as "optional finds".

I imagine that the people who will play LostWinds 2 (or whatever it gets called) will jump online after some time to find spoilers, check out others' reviews of the game, read about how to harness the newly-available abilities, etc. When they discover that there are some abilities that can be optionally earned/achieved, it increases the game's replay value as they try to "do it themselves" so they can unlock those themselves.

So like I said earlier and in my original post, I hope the developers add in some Optional Content (abilities, unlockables, bonuses, etc.). It may be as simple as, "You can now play some bonus sound effects from the main menu!" or as advanced as, "You've unlocked a secret boss! Go forth and slay it!"

 

[StarFX]

A mini-game would definitely help boost the replay value especially if it supported at least 2 players. However, the approach you described works as well but it's not for everyone as some prefer to get it all over with via the first playthrough.