Support NeoGAF

[clemenx]

I agree. If i've played for a good amount of Hrs and I'm just not having fun anymore I stop playing and that's it. There's nothing to gain by finishing it

I can always read the wiki later if it's story driven.

 

[AgentOtaku]

Many players feel the need to finish a game, even if they're no longer enjoying it, because they believe the time they've previously put into the game will have been wasted otherwise.

Basically, the sunk cost fallacy at work. It's a hard cycle to break out of, but once you do, it's a great feeling.

YAAASSS

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Not finishing games is something that haunts me and tears at me, for years. I don't like the feeling, especially if it's a game I feel was damn good.

 

[ghibli99]

I hate that I'm saying this, but I'm starting to feel that with P5. First 25 hours or so, I could not stop playing/thinking about it. Now that I'm 30+ hours in and on my third palace (and I've spent a lot of time in the secondary dungeon), I'm getting a bit tired of the loop. That's not to say that the game isn't great or that it isn't still introducing new things (it is), but I think it might just be series fatigue... or that sinking feeling that I'm probably only 1/3 the way through, if even that far. The song that plays pretty often (Behind the Mask) also is like a lullaby to me. It makes me tired every time. LOL Anyway, I'm sure it'll reel me back in.

I also can't think of a Metroidvania game I've actually finished since the GBA Castlevanias, even though I've played and enjoyed a ton of them.

 

[SpiceMelange]

I keep reading this thread title as "fighting games are overrated" and come in all huffy puffy

 

[mokeyjoe]

I don't complete games that I stop having fun in.

My time is worth too much to do something I don't enjoy in it.

Exactly this.

So I basically 'trial' a lot of games and complete the ones I want.

Obviously I don't pay full price. Rentals or sales.

If I pay full price for a game then I tend to finish it. But that's only about one or two games every year.

 

[nynt9]

This is also partially a reason why sometimes service games are more appealing to me. Something like Rainbow Six Siege is designed to be exciting every time you play because you'll face a new crop of players playing differently each time, and every encounter is unique. As such it's very hard to get tired of unless I get frustrated by a losing streak. There's no pressure to finish the game because there's no ending, and the developers knew that so they didn't have to pad anything out and they had to make sure the mechanics will stay fun enough in themselves.

Many cited in this thread the story as a reason to keep playing, but most game stories are honestly not that good or interesting, so that's not really a compelling factor for me. I have no qualms dropping a bad book or TV show, so I see no reason why I can't do the same for a game.

And I didn't mention any particular game in the OP because different things are engaging to different people. I think Rise of the Tomb Raider is utter drivel with repetitive mechanics and uninteresting gameplay and story, but it could be exciting for someone else if they like the game feel. I know Destiny isn't everyone's cup of tea but I can jump into the game any time and do some missions just because the feedback from shooting feels so good.

Wolfenstein: The New Order was a good example of a game that kept things fresh throughout with compelling characters, a decent story and introducing new mechanics and level gimmicks to keep things fresh. Titanfall 2 is a great example of the latter as well. It's not too long, but it really does the most with the time it has. On the other hand, The Witcher 3 doesn't have the most amazing gameplay, but you encounter many characters and scenarios that are interesting, so it keeps things fresh for you.

 

[Edris]

Personally I know myself pretty well so each games I buy I know I'll like and end up 100%ing (or Plat-ing) most of them because I really like them and want the most ot it.

.

 

[Allan Holdsworth]

I prefer playing fewer games and completing them, sometimes 100% if it can be done in a reasonable amount of time, than playing a lot of games and abandoning them part-way through. But I get what you're saying.

It certainly helps that my taste in games are rather narrow, and even then there's more games than I'll ever have time to play.

 

[Gulz1992]

I almost always play games through to the end as long as I enjoy them. When I leave a game I like unfinished, it tends to nag me. If I don't like a game, than I will quickly drop it without any issue.

 

[pa22word]

Of course. Time is after all a much more valuable resource than money, and if a game is longer than its mechanics can sustain it for then I feel there's no trouble with outright dropping it.

 

[Condom]

I finish almost no game that I buy. Mostly play them for 10 hours max.

Just can't concentrate long enough to finish a game that I don't really really really like.

 

[pa22word]

I finish almost no game that I buy. Mostly play them for 10 hours max.

Just can't concentrate long enough to finish a game that I don't really really really like.

I wouldn't feel too bad about that. A lot has been said about how great the transition from super linear short games to open world and super long 30 plus hour "rpgs", but most of them maintain the same mechanical depth as those 5-10 hour games they're just stretched out over a longer period of time via design tricks.

 

[nynt9]

I prefer playing fewer games and completing them, sometimes 100% if it can be done in a reasonable amount of time, than playing a lot of games and abandoning them part-way through. But I get what you're saying.

It certainly helps that my taste in games are rather narrow, and even then there's more games than I'll ever have time to play.

I like getting a taste of different games. Sometimes 5-10 hours of a game is enough for me, and I don't feel the need to put in the extra 30 to see it to completion. I was satisfied with what I played.

I wouldn't feel too bad about that. A lot has been said about how great the transition from super linear short games to open world and super long 30 plus hour "rpgs", but most of them maintain the same mechanical depth as those 5-10 hour games they're just stretched out over a longer period of time via design tricks.

Yep, exactly.

 

[Schlomo]

I think it's good to force yourself to finish games to an extent. There are so many good games these days, I'd never finish anything if I didn't force myself. And by doing so, I end up having much more fun than if I stopped playing every game at the first sign of frustration or just because another game just came out.

 

[nynt9]

I think it's good to force yourself to finish games too an extent. There are so many good games these days, I'd never finish anything if I didn't force myself. And by doing so, I end up having much more fun than if I stopped playing every game at the first sign of frustration or just because another game just came out.

I mean, you're talking about something else though. Finishing a game isn't necessarily a big deal I think. You're not there to satisfy the game, the game is there to satisfy you. If it doesn't have anything interesting to offer to you then why waste more time into it?

Also, I'm not talking about quitting when frustrated. I'm talking about quitting when it becomes clear that the game has run out of new interactions or interesting story beats. ROTTR is the best example of this for me.

 

[pezzie]

I have no problems dropping games I'm not really into, but most of the games I buy and start are the ones that look like I'd be into, so I guess what I'm saying is I finish most of the games I start.

 

[themagicalkitsune]

I finish my games.

I like finishing games. Leaving a game unfinished agitates me.

I complete every game that I buy.

Good for you. Do you ever stop and think why you do this, or why it agitates you when you don't? That's what the OP addresses.

And I agree up to a degree. I don't get all the 100% completionists - unless each and every game you play honestly excites you that much that you manage to finish it completely before your enjoyment is over, that's a giant amount of time wasted over something ultimately meaningless.

 

[Trigonometrize.]

If a game is not able to apply its core mechanics to different situations for at least just a couple hours before becoming rote, it definitely sounds like a bad game that you should move on from. At the same time though, if you find yourself constantly in the company of these kinds of games, it's probably time to start branching out from your typical selection. I find that going in-depth with a certain system and experiencing the many different ways it makes you powerful, vulnerable, and critically thinking is some of the best stuff of the medium. So sure, if you're not enjoying stuff, move on, but if you're finding it hard to stick with much of anything, that's equally problematic IMO.

I tend to not want to even talk about the story aspect of things since seeing the breadth of mechanics is probably more universally appealing than seeing the breadth of the narrative.

Finishing movies is overrated.

I probably finish fewer movies than games to be honest.

 

[AngryPuppyEsq]

I've been trying to make peace with my ridiculous backlog as a new parent. What I really need to work on is tampering my need to clear side content, I don't know if I've ever main-lined a game but the way I tend to play has left me half-way through Fallout, Witcher & Horizon, always meaning to get back to them.

I have Alien Isolation sitting unplayed because I know it's over-long, but I've been thinking I should stick it on, play for four hours or so and maybe leave it at that. I shouldn't be putting off playing a game at all just because the prospect of playing it to completion is daunting.

 

[Muffdraul]

A game has to push me pretty far before I'll stop short of finishing it. Most of the exceptions would be cheap indie downloads where I'll think "This is pretty fun I guess, but I dunno, meh."

 

[PleaseDontBanMe]

I dont want my games to end, so sometimes i dont finish them so ill have something to look forward to in the future

 

[Deleted member 752119]

Many players feel the need to finish a game, even if they're no longer enjoying it, because they believe the time they've previously put into the game will have been wasted otherwise.

Basically, the sunk cost fallacy at work. It's a hard cycle to break out of, but once you do, it's a great feeling.

Very, very much this.

Persona 5 broke me of this finally. I quit at the 50 hour mark and had honestly wanted to stop around 30-35 hours. But I had the sunk cost fallacy biting me in the ass. So I wasted another 15-20 hours before tossing in the towel.

Soured me on long single player games for a while. Been focused on racers, fighting games and roguelikes since.

 

[nynt9]

If a game is not able to apply its core mechanics to different situations for at least just a couple hours before becoming rote, it definitely sounds like a bad game that you should move on from. At the same time though, if you find yourself constantly in the company of these kinds of games, it's probably time to start branching out from your typical selection. I find that going in-depth with a certain system and experiencing the many different ways it makes you powerful, vulnerable, and critically thinking is some of the best stuff of the medium. So sure, if you're not enjoying stuff, move on, but if you're finding it hard to stick with much of anything, that's equally problematic IMO.

I tend to not want to even talk about the story aspect of things since seeing the breadth of mechanics is probably more universally appealing than seeing the breadth of the narrative.



I probably finish fewer movies than games to be honest.

I branch out A LOT with games. That's honestly why I don't finish every game I play. There are so many interesting experiences out there that there's really no reason to invest too much time into a particular game once it becomes stale.

 

[KillLaCam]

Nah I'm finishing a game unless it's a MP shooter. Those campaigns are usually boring

 

[Deleted member 752119]

I branch out A LOT with games. That's honestly why I don't finish every game I play. There are so many interesting experiences out there that there's really no reason to invest too much time into a particular game once it becomes stale.

Also this.

I finished more games back when I was time and/or money strapped and had to be super picky in what I bought and played.

Now that I'm lucky enough to have the time and money to mostly play all those cream of the crop in genres I like type games I branch out more. Naturally the that leads to more misses and buying games I end up not digging. No reason to slog through those vs. abandon and try something else.

 

[Tsukumo]

Now, before we begin, I want to say that this doesn't apply to every game. Some games are absolutely worth finishing.

I find that a lot of the time the conversation around a game puts a lot of emphasis on finishing it. I don't think this is necessarily the best way to think about a game. For me, I play a game as long as I enjoy it, then I drop it. If that point is before the end of the game, so be it. I don't mind.

There are a few reasons why this is applicable. A lot of games stop introducing new ideas and mechanics or challenges throughout their course. After a while, they become rather rote. Applying the same mechanics to a different variant of the same situation. Sometimes the mechanics are fun enough in themselves to keep going, but many times I find that once a game stops introducing new elements, it stops being interesting. It just becomes a chore, a waste of time, and I could be playing something else instead. I'm not obsessed with maximizing the value I get out of a purchase, I care more about maximizing the enjoyment I get within the time I spend in the game. There are enough games out there that I don't have to commit to finishing one game.

Another minor reason is that most game stories are pretty average and not worth following to the end. If a game has compelling characters and a story, that can take me through even if the mechanics are repetitive. Conversely, interesting and developing mechanics can take me through a slog of a story. But if both of those are uninteresting, I just can't do it. And I feel no obligation to.

How do you feel about the need to complete a game? Are you driven by the desire, or do you have another viewpoint?

I usually never pay attention, or stop reading/ watching, any review which implies or clearly shows the reviewer hasn't finished the game.
This comes from me being a reviewer in the past, and me being a jrpg/ wrpg player who can totally tell if a guy/ girl has finished a game or not.
As a player I can get where you come from, mostly because right now the go-to design for every single game is open-world. The plots are so thin and watered-down and the games so easy there's no point in pushing forward. I agree.
Still this is a problem the industry should tackle or avoid, and not a fashion gamers should just flat-out accept as the status of game design.

 

[Hahs]

I agree that the pacing of adding new game mechanics could use work, but adding stuff all the way to the end seems almost as bad, because now you're towards the end and the game just introduced a new mechanic - which you'll barely be able to enjoy because - well it's almost over

 

[nynt9]

I usually never pay attention, or stop reading/ watching, any review which implies or clearly shows the reviewer hasn't finished the game.
This comes from me being a reviewer in the past, and me being a jrpg/ wrpg player who can totally tell if a guy/ girl has finished a game or not.
As a player I can get where you come from, mostly because right now the go-to design for every single game is open-world. The plots are so thin and watered-down and the games so easy there's no point in pushing forward. I agree.
Still this is a problem the industry should tackle or avoid, and not a fashion gamers should just flat-out accept as the status of game design.

I mean, this isn't even a new problem. Coin-op games had artificial difficulty spikes to lengthen the play time and siphon more coins from the player. And even old school games and platformers have moments where they run out of new ideas.

 

[DemonFox]

It used to haunt me when I didn't finish a game.
I always thought: "Well, I already started it. Might as well finish it." EVEN if I didn't enjoy the game. Call it OCD or whatever.
BUT, after I got a regular Job and being in a relationship and so on I was like: "Why the hell are you still doing this ?" It's absolutely stupid and nowadays I just quit. Even If I paid full price because of Hype or whatever. What's the point ? I'd rather replay a good game or start something else.
Break the cycle guys. You don't owe it to yourself to finish these games.

Funny thing: One time I did that, was with Mass Effect andromeda. My girlfriend was watching me play it and I stood up and turned it off.
She asked me what's wrong and I said "I just can't."
And she said "Wow", like I'm some alcoholic who turned down a drink.

 

[Kssio_Aug]

I think what you said is the most reasonable way to look at this. But I can't deny, not finishing games kinda boggles me a little, I like to finish 'em as I also like to finish the books, movies and series I start reading or watching. There's a sense of accomplishment there that, for some reason, feels both good and interesting.

 

[NoctisVsStar]

I finish my games.

Can't allow those hours invested be wasted.

 

[Skinpop]

I only finish games that keep me stimulated. Game mechanics and design(puzzles, levels) has to progress and introduce new ideas at a good pace to keep me happy. Alternatively the game needs a good enough depth and variety to the gameplay that building skill is rewarding and interesting. Once I feel like I'm treading water it's just a matter of time before I stop and play something else. Even the best story won't keep me interested if that happens.

I finish my games.

Can't allow those hours invested be wasted.

man, I just don't get this.

 

[potatohead]

100% agree

Idc about finishing games anymore just care about playing what I feel like playing

 

[Pau]

It's OK to stop playing a game without seeing the credits and move on to another. I wish my boyfriend could understand that... but instead his backlog is 300+ games big. Sigh.

Our relationships are reversed. I'm the one who has a hard time moving on (and buying something new) without finishing a game while my boyfriend is more like you.

It makes sense to me rationally, but I think because when I was a kid I wasn't allowed to get a new game until I finished what I had, I still feel super guilty.

 

[nkarafo]

I agree with the OP. I don't feel the need to finish a game if later on i get bored of it. Because then it becomes like work. I play for fun.

 

[CecilRousso]

I've been trying to make peace with my ridiculous backlog as a new parent. What I really need to work on is tampering my need to clear side content, I don't know if I've ever main-lined a game but the way I tend to play has left me half-way through Fallout, Witcher & Horizon, always meaning to g

A backlog is only the games you bought with an intention to play thoroughly, and where you keep that intention.

I don't care the slightest if I even only touch a fraction of the games I have on my humble account, but it would irk me if didn't beat something as interesting as The Witcher III, that I had been hyped over for a long time before release, just because I kept buying other games for some reason.

I agree with the OP. I don't feel the need to finish a game if later on i get bored of it. Because then it becomes like work. I play for fun.

Maybe it's not as much as a job, as to just keep some discipline to get more out of it?

 

[Zack Zavage]

Playing 1000 different games to 10% completion is more overrated

Completion? What's that?

 

[yayaba]

I've really started to bounce off games faster than I used to. I used to track all the games I play and force myself to have a high completion rate (or 100% even) but now I just play a game until I start losing interest and drop it and go to the next. I'm playing Horizon, Destiny, Division, Child of Light, TLOU, Mario 3D World, and Gwent basically in that order. Haven't finished a single one but I'm enjoying my time playing games at least.

I think the days that I actually finish stuff is behind me. I just don't have the time nor patience anymore.

 

[tebunker]

There are so many damn games, I really became a lot happier when I realized that I don't need to play everything.

I gave myself a little rule where I have to finish a game to buy a new one, but I just bought Horizon because of the sale and will def get Crash next week.

I def try to finish the games Im having fun with but I def will check out on something average because there is way too much out there to play mediocre games.

Emphasis. It should be the end of the thread. You. Don't. Need. To. Play. Everything.

I am in a current swing of finishing games/declaring myself done with them, and selling em off. Just make space for new or different experiences I want to play. No stress to finish, no stress to play anything but whatever piques my fancy. I hate to say there is a best way to do this hobby, but this feels like it comes pretty damned close.

 

[You Pay This Much]

Even if you no longer enjoy playing the game? That just seems like a poor use of one's time. I understand the compulsion, but still.

That's precisely the situation for me: Compulsion. I assume it's the same for many. I can manage to cut a game loose if it's REALLY that bad, but its definitely tough. My backlog can't afford wasting time though..

 

[butman]

Finishing games is fine. Earn trophies is overrated.

 

[Trigonometrize.]

Finishing games is fine. Earn trophies is overrated.

Considering every trophy thread is filled with "I just don't care about trophies" and "there's literally no point," I'd say earning trophies is pretty fairly rated.

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

I play a lot of games and don't always finish them, at least not right away. I normally find myself playing a few games at the same time, dipping in and out of them, eventually finishing them.

 

[Sumio Mondo]

I can see where you're coming from, OP: with me it is normally around the time I get over 10 hours in and nowhere near the end in sight but find it rather dull despite enjoying it before, this year has had so many cracking games to play that putting aside the mediocre or "decent" games make it less of a chore, I don't have time to play those kind of games anymore, so I just go straight to the ones that matter the most to me for anticipation or even put aside mediocre new games for replays of my favourites.

With some games I really enjoy, I try to drag out my experience to being a bit longer, such was the case with Yakuza 0. I like to really take my time with games I love so sometimes I finish games later than others. So it might seem at some point i may never finish said game, I just enjoy dragging it out and taking breaks from these super long games (such as Persona 5) to play other ones and return to them again at another point.

It also depends on the game, if we're talking about story driven games, I get real satisfaction out of getting to the finish line, for gameplay orientated affair such as fighting games or arcade style games or puzzle games then yeah, not really arsed at all.

 

[themagicalkitsune]

I finish my games.

Can't allow those hours invested be wasted.

What if you're wrong? If you get to a point in the game where the only thing propelling you forward is this (fallacious imo) idea that "every hour I've played will otherwise go to waste", it sounds like you're wasting your time on the game to begin with.

 

[Qassim]

I stopped caring a fair few years ago if I didn't finish a game. If I finish a game, it's because I wanted to finish a game. Feeling obligated to finish a piece of entertainment just feels all kinds of backwards to me.

It's entertainment, if I have to push myself through it.. it probably wasn't that entertaining. The minute it stops being entertaining is the minute I stop playing. I value my time and I'm not going to waste it on something I'm no longer enjoying.

 

[Dynheart]

That really depends. Nowadays, for me, I would say no. If I finished a game, it is because I enjoyed it enough, in some capacity, to finish it. A game get's three strikes:

I pick it up and play, if it grabs me...I play it. If not, I shelf it.
If shelved, I will pick it up later on...if it grabs me then...I'l play it. If not, I'll shelf it.
Final life line, I give the game one more shot. If it grabs me, GREAT! If not, it goes in the trade bin.

I just recently traded away Folklore and The Saboteur. Got pennies for them, sure, but less clutter.

Point is, I play games that I enjoy from start to finish. I am too busy to sit down and just pass the time playing a game that barely passes for fun time. I will say the only thing overrated about video games are the endings. With 40, 50, 60 hours invested, you would think the developers would give you more than a 3 minute ending. Then again, I wouldn't want to sit through another Eternal Sonata neither. A happy medium would be nice!

 

[semiconscious]

Now, before we begin, I want to say that this doesn't apply to every game. Some games are absolutely worth finishing.

I find that a lot of the time the conversation around a game puts a lot of emphasis on finishing it. I don't think this is necessarily the best way to think about a game. For me, I play a game as long as I enjoy it, then I drop it. If that point is before the end of the game, so be it. I don't mind...

completely on-board with this. hell, there're games i love that i haven't finished. sometimes, it's as satisfying to just cash out, & leave it all out there somewhere, open-ended ...

 

[HeeHo]

I think it's a great attitude to have and one I think a lot of us, or at least myself, used to have as a kid.

If my mom got me a game (and I wasn't going to get another one anytime soon) and I didn't like it, I just stopped playing.

Even though I'm more of an enthusiast now, I used to enjoy games a lot more when I had this "f-- it" attitude about whether I was enjoying it or not.

Nowadays I'm too OCD to completely ignore a game I might've put tens of hours into.