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[nynt9]

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?

edit:

I put the blame on two things here. Our need to have things completed, and the fact that so many games come out where the developers are either not experts at game design, not good writers, or they make their game longer than it should be. The former comes from comparisons to movies, but I think TV shows are a better analogue there. A game often lasts as long as a several-season TV show, and very few shows actually maintain quality over more than two seasons, especially not consecutively.

As for the latter point, we often have games that are not fully conceived. The desire to have a work of art, a product, and something that justifies the price of entry by its length are all things that are usually at odds. Coming up with good mechanics is hard, but making sure those mechanics retain their depth and engagement throughout 30+ hours is harder. And story. There are many good writers out there, but there aren't many good writers who can write a good video game story. The length, repetition and contrivances of a video game put a lot of pressure on the story. It takes a certain kind of story to thrive despite those, or even better, thrive because of those pressures.

As such, video games are a pretty unique medium and the concept of finishing them should be reevaluated and not just ported over from, say, movies.

Sure, but there are so many good experiences out there that missing out on one to play/watch another good experience isn't really a loss per se. Obviously there's a reasonable balance, I don't just drop games the moment they slow down. I give them another shot, I look up online to see if there's more to be experienced, and I experiment a little bit. But sometimes what a game offers is pretty clear. Far Cry 4 for example. I did finish that game, but in hindsight there were several points I could have dropped it and not missed out on anything. The story isn't really a big deal and the gameplay never evolves. And if I really cared I could just watch the ending on YouTube. But after a certain point that game just becomes a set of variations on the same gameplay premise and there's no real benefit to continuing it. Same with ROTTR. In the indie space, Hyper Light Drifter felt like that to me. Beautiful game, feels decently fun to play, but has a lot of backtracking and the combat is mostly the same. Even when it slightly improves it doesn't gain much more depth. And the game doesn't convey a lot of story either. And it's not like I have time to regret not finishing these games. I'm too busy playing other games I enjoy.

Another question to consider is, why do we owe it to a game to finish it? I have the viewpoint that the game owes it to us to be engaging. That's not to say I don't play clunky or obtuse or unwelcoming games. What I'm talking about is games that can't justify their length. Games that run out of ideas or direction before they end. I feel no obligation to finish a game just for the sake of having finished it.

Here are some other posts I'd like to highlight:

Yup, I like to experience games but not necessarily completely finish them all the time. I put about 65 hours into MGSV and never even reached Act II. By the time I was ready to start moving forward with the story, I had worn out most of the appeal of the game just wandering around and completing side missions. I went ahead and just read spoilers for the rest of the game, watched analysis videos, etc... ended up thinking the story seemed kinda stupid, so I'm glad I didn't play that game with the express purpose of experiencing the "closing chapter" of MGS, because it seems like a massive letdown in that regard... But I don't regret putting 65 hours into it.

I generally don't even put 20 hours into most games, I have to actually care about something beyond the gameplay at some point to keep going past 20 hours, whether it be the people I'm playing the game with when it comes to multiplayer games or the story or sometimes just pure appreciation for what a game is trying to do. That said, I usually don't even regret getting to that 20 hour mark and kind of being like "yeah this game seems good, I just feel like I've done everything with it that I find appealing already." That feeling doesn't bug me at all, and I never feel an expression of regret over the purchase or time investment, and I pretty rarely feel like it means that a game is bad.

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.

 

[Muchi Muchi Pink]

I finish my games.

 

[The Flash]

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

 

[vareon]

Who rates finishing games!?

 

[Brofist]

Playing 1000 different games to 10% completion is more overrated

 

[Lil'DigiOp]

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.

 

[qtamir1]

i get what your saying but storyline wise i would feel pretty restless for the fact i stopped playing a game before i got to an ending of some kind...

im the kind of guy who tries to finish every game he plays...

 

[RAWRferal]

Interesting theory OP.

I'm pretty bad for not finishing games myself, maybe some of what you're saying applies to me at least on some level.

Doesn't stop me feeling bad about it though...

 

[MrCookiepants]

If I don't finish a game it will haunt me forever.

I'd prefer the disc to be in the trash than sitting there unfinished. At least there is closure in knowing it's gone.

 

[LAM09]

I complete every game that I buy.

 

[nynt9]

If I don't finish a game it will haunt me forever.

I'd prefer the disc to be in the trash than sitting there unfinished. At least there is closure in knowing it's gone.

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.

 

[chugen]

i try to finish them. but my days of getting all achievements are over

 

[Rellik]

Finishing movies is overrated.

 

[CEJames]

I calculate, plan, and prioritize a game's length due to exploration/story or just stupid grinding and choose the latter when I've exhausted the 1st. But I always finish my games. And to never burn myself out, I stick some multiplayers in the mix somewhere.

Reviews and impressions help immensely. I rarely go in blind anymore. Not enough time in the world for that anymore.

 

[Ethelwulf]

I don't know OP. Could you give an example?

 

[nynt9]

Finishing movies is overrated.

It's not really the same thing as movies where movies last like 90-180 minutes and they don't need to try on mechanical repetition to extend their length.

 

[Y2Kev]

Completely agree. We should play games to the extent we derive satisfaction from them. I believe that short games are almost always better than long games (in the same genre) because long games usually start to suffer from bloat, but if I play a 50 hour game for 10 hours and love it but realize I've gotten all the value I needed out of it, I'll stop. If a game can't develop its mechanics in the time it takes to start being a slog, that's a separate issue.

 

[Platy]

I play the games while I having fun.

If I stop having fun before the game is finished because of tedious grinding or a shit plot twist I stop.

So a game like Tales of Symphonia 2 I barely played 5 hours and BotW I am starting to think about getting all koroks xD

Finishing movies is overrated.

I am totally Ok of dropping movies out of boredom, but since they are smaller in lenght the actual list of movies that I didn't finished is MUCH smaller than the games I dropped without finishing it

 

[Toadthemushroom]

Yeah, I don't feel an inherent need to finish something that isn't really entertaining me. Entertainment time is (very sadly) finite, so I'll often move on for good if a game stops doing what it set out to do well, for a period of time.

There are exceptions of course - maybe I'll get stuck on a hard level and I'll want to break through later, maybe the game gets better in an hour's time, but if I feel a game has become uninteresting I won't finish it for the sake of it.

 

[CHC]

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

Me too. Unless I come to a really, really definitive "fuck this shit" moment, the idea that I still need to finish a game lingers in the back of my mind forever.

 

[King Gilga]

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.

 

[poodaddy]

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.

Mos def.

Def.

OT: Finishing games gives me a strange sense of euphoria that few other things do.

 

[Bluth54]

Nothing wrong with deciding to stop playing a game when you stop having fun or it becomes tedious.

I gotta give Breath of the Wild credit for coming up with a system that lets you just go to the final boss and finish the game whenever you feel like it though something like that isn't going to work with every game of course.

 

[sphinx]

matter of preference.

some people like to own 1000 books and casually read some of their pages.

some people like to read books from beginning til the end and they'd rather not read any pages at all if they know they won't be able to finish them.

beginning a book and deciding halfway that it's not worth your time is perfectly ok though

 

[Human Trashcan]

I agree to the extent that I think finishing a game out of a misplaced sense of obligation when it has ceased to be entertaining is misguided. BUT I think a single-player narrative game that runs out of steam before the end has problems. So on the one hand I agree but on the other hand I think games should be interesting enough to warrant finishing.

Persona 5 is a great example of a game that is far too long and not worth finishing imo. I spent 60 hours and got so little out of it that I quit. If there's anything at the end of that road worth seeing, tough, they shouldn't have made the path to getting there so long and dull. So I just stopped playing it because fuck finishing games out of obligation, but also fuck P5 for wasting so much of my time.

 

[Karspankey]

It takes me multiple years to finish games these days and that is even if I manage to finish one. I much more prefer short experiences or campaigns in games like Call of Duty that are linear and last between 8-12 hours.

 

[Faabulous]

Life's too short for playing beyond what you find enjoyable.

 

[Oreoleo]

I admire this mindset but I can't get on board with it personally. Unless I *really* start to hate a game, I have to finish what I've started even if I put it off for a couple months. It always lingers in the back of my mind, like unfinished business.

I gotta give Breath of the Wild credit for coming up with a system that lets you just go to the final boss and finish the game whenever you feel like it though something like that isn't going to work with every game of course.

Yeah that was really nice. I was able to get exactly as much out of that game as I wanted. It's not feasible in a lot of games/genres but it would be great to see more of that, somehow.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

I didn't finish Nier and Deus Ex MD literally hours before the end because both didn't provide any enjoyment whatsoever for me. I already spent 60€ I don't need to waste more time than necessary.
That's not to say I never enjoyed playing the games, I just completely fell off of DE. And Nier's second playthrough is a boring, terrible slog. I then died during a sequence where I guess I wasn't supposed to die and since there are no autosaves (and manual save wasn't available) I lost 2 hours of progress. So I said "Nope. Fuck it" and quit. Never looked back either.

 

[GamePlay Johnny]

I tend to choose shorter games these days to avoid the issue of a game dragging, but I'm still gonna play to death stuff like Zelda, Mario, Persona or other "twice in a decade" franchises that I know will be worth it for me.

A lot of the shorter games thing is probably due to how much I like indie games. I often prefer buying 3 indie games for 60$ rather than an AAA title. Part of the reason I play is to experience new ideas, mechanics, stories and graphical styles. I rarely play for pure fun/time killing anymore, at least not when I'm gaming alone.

 

[CecilRousso]

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.

If the game turns out be a complete bore/mess/ similiar, then it makes sense. But if it's an otherwise great game, that has 1-2 sections that are boring, it's more of a waste to not power through that, then to stop.

Just lower the difficulty or cheat, or whatever, and get through it.

 

[SomTervo]

Finishing movies is overrated.

Movies aren't ever 100 hours long or with 50-100 hours of optional content.

 

[Spinky]

I find not completing games I like really annoying.

Which is why I need to stop fucking buying more.

Finishing movies is overrated.

What.

 

[odhiex]

I don't finished all of my games (because of plenty reasons), but when I did (normally on SP campaign) it felt some kind of accomplishment.

So I don't think it is overrated.

Spoiler

Note: I like to read the 52 games/year challenge threads. I wish I had more times to do something like those guys/gals.

 

[RomeoDog]

I bought prey yesterday for 20 bucks used.

I only played 2 hours and I can tell it seems unlikely i'll finish this game. I just don't feel anything from the game and honestly i get satisfaction from increasing my game collection.

I don't finish all the games I buy. I rarely ever finish PSN games which I love to buy for example.

Its strange, OP is right but only because everybody is different. I envy people who can play through games no problems. I always get stuck or meet a difficulty spike.

Some people have slower brains

 

[nynt9]

If the game turns out be a complete bore/mess/ similiar, then it makes sense. But if it's an otherwise great game, that has 1-2 sections that are boring, it's more of a waste to not power through that, then to stop.

Just lower the difficulty or cheat, or whatever, and get through it.

I can get behind this. Also a neat thing about open world games is that they let you engage to the extent you care to. The main story usually isn't too long, but if you actually enjoy playing the game there's more for you any time.

 

[Jingo]

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?

This thread is because of Nioh thread right?

In this generation i only left behind witcher 3, i just came from bloodborne and a whole new genre for me, cause i wasnt a fan of rpgs so i assumed i would witcher 3 but its comabt as weak as hell and thats the only game i left behinf, also cause it was a gift, my subconscient tells me if i spent money on a game i will play it till the end.

 

[Zojirushi]

Back in the day I would've disagreed with you but you see enough boring back thirds and shitty video game endings and it becomes hard to justify sitting through this shit just for OCD reasons when even developers obviously don't care.

I think the ones that ARE worth finishing get enough praise so you usually know.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

It's not really the same thing as movies where movies last like 90-180 minutes and they don't need to try on mechanical repetition to extend their length.

Also....if I watch a movie and it sucks I stop watching it.
Don't understand why that's be such a crazy concept.

 

[Thud]

Depends on the game.

Finishing a game means I'll move on to another.

 

[Kouriozan]

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.

 

[nynt9]

This thread is because of Nioh thread right?

In this generation i only left behind witcher 3, i just came from bloodborne and a whole new genre for me, cause i wasnt a fan of rpgs so i assumed i would witcher 3 but its comabt as weak as hell and thats the only game i left behinf, also cause it was a gift, my subconscient tells me if i spent money on a game i will play it till the end.

I did read that thread shortly before making this one, but I enjoy Nioh's gameplay enough that it wasn't a problem for me. I was doing a cleanup of my steam library yesterday and I just went "meh, I'm never going to finish this" and I was ok with it.

Back in the day I would've disagreed with you but you see enough boring back thirds and shitty video game endings and it becomes hard to justify sitting through this shit just for OCD reasons when even developers obviously don't care.

I think the ones that ARE worth finishing get enough praise so you usually know.

Yeah, this. I've been gaming for over 20 years now and not every game has something interesting to offer. Sometimes it really does feel like the devs just give up and crank the filler machine.

 

[Fdkn]

It would be quite weird to see people advocating that "finishing books is overrated" in a reading enthusiastic forum

If you drop a game because it is no longer fun to play, you really didn't like the game at the end. You may had good times with it, but it failed in keeping you engaged.

It's ok to drop games, don't missunderstand me, but I can't think that a game I felt forced to drop was good.

 

[OverturePT]

I finish games that I absolutely enjoy from start to finish. I have no problem leaving games unfinished if I start getting too bored of them. I can get through a less interesting section of a game, but if I can't see a chance for the better in a while I just give up. I have forced myself to finish a couple of games but it was never worth it to spend that much time and thought on them, tbh.

 

[Toe-Knee]

I used to get the platinum in everything I played.

Since becoming a parent I at least finish the story in every game I play. It does mean that I play less games though.

 

[AerialAir]

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

If I don't finish a game it will haunt me forever.

I'd prefer the disc to be in the trash than sitting there unfinished. At least there is closure in knowing it's gone.

Me too. Unless I come to a really, really definitive "fuck this shit" moment, the idea that I still need to finish a game lingers in the back of my mind forever.

I'm with these guys, no matter how terrible it may be (which is rarely since I read extensively about a game from my favourite sources before deciding to buy one), I have to finish them or I'll get bothered about it in the back of my mind.

 

[Kashiwaba]

I always finish my games but i don't go for 100% unless I'm loving every bit of the game but once it gets boring i will just to finish the story and be over with it.

 

[Rymuth]

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.

This is where I'm at. I have a life (and a backlog).

 

[Budi]

Well as you said, some games are definitely worth finishing. It bothers me when I don't in that case. There are some games I really want to see through, but it's been so long when I dropped them for various different reasons that going back in the middle of it would be bothersome.

Not entirely related though, what boggles my mind is the attitude that when people lose interest in games after hundreds (or even thousands) of ours they start calling the game shit for it. This is for MP/GaaS titles. If I put 100 hours into something I paid 60 bucks for, it was clearly worth it.

 

[KormaChameleon]

Misread the title as fishing, Don't you dare talk shit about Sega Bass Fishing!