Why are people still playing Assassin’s Creed II, a 16-year-old video game, in 2025? Why are new gameplay videos and reviews put out on Youtube daily? It’s a great game, sure, but how could it be more fun than consistently playing the latest releases? It’s because we know what we will get.
As a first-time player, you can rely on its hallmark status as one of the greatest video games ever made. And when you replay it, it only gets better. You look forward to the stories, the places, the characters, missions, and even the quirks and frustrating control mechanisms. There’s nothing unfamiliar, and everything is awesome—what a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
Most of the time in life, you have no idea what you’re going to get. So who wants to endlessly extend uncertainty in their free time? Chances are, after the third new release which failed to meet your expectations, you’ve had it. You want some comfort and nostalgia, and as a form of active rest, there is nothing wrong with that.
Sooner or later, we all learn that we can’t force life’s hand. It’ll tell us where it wants us to go whenever it decides to reveal the path to us. Handling our ignorance well is an art form, and art requires energy—don’t be afraid to recharge that energy with outlets where you know exactly what you’ll get.