I curious about which casual games stand up well enough and are particular enough favorites to replay.

I've replayed quite a few casual games. I have one match-3 game that I have played all the way through approximately 5 times - Caribbean Hideaway. I've replayed the Delicious: Emily time management game series several times as well.

In terms of HOPAs, though, here are some that I have played through more than once:

Mystery Trackers: Black Isle
Mystery Trackers: Four Aces
Mystery Case Files: Escape from Ravenhearst
Mystery Case Files: The 13th Skull
House of 1000 Doors: Serpent Flame
Death at Fairing Point: A Dana Knightstone Novel
True Fear: Forsaken Souls
Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome

And there are others. I find that if I like a particular game the first time around, all I have to do is wait about 6 months before playing it again, and then it will seem like a fairly new game to me - maybe that is one of the "privileges" of getting older.

I haven't played games in awhile but I'm replaying all of the MCF games. They're like new games now.

Thanks Marian and TLC. Until a few months ago, I hadn't played any casual games for 4 years. These games have improved. The HOPA is now a form with its own game mechanics. In spite of all the positive changes, the game mechanics can be (for me) tiresome. For example, I tend not to finish games with incoherent strings of locked up tools seriatim interspersed with HOs and too easy puzzles and minigames. (I note that even the HO scenes are evolving, for example, the new Mystery Case File. I rather liked those.)

With regard to game mechanics outside of HOs, I think there is an underlying aesthetic to the narrative flow that makes certain games replayable and superior which cannot be explained by shrugging the distinction off as a matter of personal taste. Great production values make a difference, and high quality graphics often indicate meticulous attention to detail in other areas like foreshadowing in story and great puzzle design. But I tend to think that is not the whole explanation.

If I can find enough of these HOPA replay favorites I think I may be able to satisfy my curiosity about why as a player I am sometimes willing to forgive cliched mechanics, so if anyone else is willing to add names of replayed HOPAs, please, do so.

I play Casuals because they are nowhere near as long and complicated as most Adventures or RPGs (which are my main addictions) and therefore I don't have to think as hard. So, when playing time is restricted, I'm still able to enjoy shorter bursts of fun

And because I have a head like sieve, a couple of months after playing a good Casual, I remember the title and nothing much else which of course means, with the zillions I have in my library at Big Fish, I'm well spoiled for a choice of re-plays

I have replayed only a few. They just aren't engaging enough. But I did go back to MCF: 13 Skulls, and MCF: Dire Grove. Both have far more texture and complexity than the run-of-the-mill HOG or IHOG. I have replayed two from the series House of 1000 Doors. Those are another set of games that are far superior to most.

I have a few games on my list that I marked as having "Replay Value," but I have not gotten to them yet because there have been quite a few good games published lately. Ones I'll go back to are the following:

Alex Hunter: Lord of the Mind (long play and not too many HOG scenes)
Amaranthine Yoyage: Living Mountain (best of the series)
Awakening: Sunhook Spire (good, long game, with great puzzles)
Cadenza (It's only flaw is it is too short!)
Calavera: Day of the Dead (original, good artwork)
Christmas Stories: The Nutcracker (one of my Top Ten)
Depths of Betrayal (great graphics, long, pesky puzzles, short bonus game though)
Eternal Journey: New Atlantis (one of my Top Ten, excellent, creative, long)
Fright (a new favorite, decent mini bonus game, low on the HOG scenes)
Forbidden Secrets: Alien Town (excellent cinematics, creative puzzles)
House of 1000 Doors: Serpent Flame (good, long, with lots of good puzzles)
Lost Lands: Dark Overlord, as well as Four Horsemen (one of my Top Three)
Margrave: Curse of the Severed Heart
Mystery Legends: Phantom of the Opera, as well as Beauty and the Beast
Nearwood (quite different, magical)
New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia (one of my Top Ten), as well as Lightning
Otherworld: Spring of Shadows (best of the series, long and pesky)
Shiver: Moonlight Grove (best of the series, more Adventure Game than HOG)
Timeless: The Lost Castle
Surface: Reel Life (best of the series, good artwork but puzzles too easy, short bonus game)
Witch's Legacy: The Dark Throne (best of the series but still too easy, good long bonus game)

Reenie, thanks for this list.

I have played The Missing A Search And Rescue Mystery and Dire Grove at least three times when I am waiting for a major adventure game to be released.

I have only replayed a few-very few.
Theater of the Absurd
MCF: Escape from Ravenhurst
MCF: 13 skulls
Secret of Mortlake Mansion (I finally remembered...)

There is also one that I cannot right now remember the name of: takes place in creepy house--you switch between versions of the same room - very creepy--very good...now will have to go scroll online in purchases to find the name...when find it will post it.

The "Sherlock Holmes : Hound of the Baskervilles" from Frogwares had that setting

Thank-you Lexxy, Gamenut, and Mad. I will try all of these. Before asking, I began figuring out the answer to my question about the interplay between game mechanics and immersive superiority by using reviews on BFG. That hasn't worked particularly well although if there were a way to search for games with the greatest number of reviews, it might have. BFG reviews are helpful in many ways, just not that one. Colpet's opposite method of looking at poorly reviewed games in search of great games that are either too difficult or too far into straight adventure may offer some insights.

Great suggestions, everyone.