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[Ark]

Adulthood brah. not enough hours in the day.

This. I have so little time during the week that the only time I really get to play games is during the weekend and I'd rather play something fun than something I feel I have to slog through a bit.

 

[nordique]

I feel there is no more time for lengthy adventures, its why I prefer my games to be in the 10 hour range tops...those usually take about a month or two of free time to complete. The only exception for me are my 3 favourite franchises: Zelda, MGS, Metroid...titles in those series tend to be more than 10 hours (except 2D metroids) but I don't mind spending 5-8 months to get through them

Currently, I only own games I have not completed or bring good multiplayer value with friends - when we are able to get together:

This is my entire game collection, and I have yet to actually "complete" or "finish" these games

Wii: Sin & Punishment 2, Xenoblade Chonicles, the Last Story

Wii U: DKC Tropical Freeze, Bayo1, Bayo 2, Wonderful 101, Pikmin 3, Zelda WW HD, Mario Kart 8 (haven't finished every cup), Soon to be Smash Bros Wii U

PS4: NHL 15 (still going through the season), Killzone SF, Watch Dogs, soon-to-be GTA 5

XBONE: Halo MCC

3DS: Smash 3DS (only unlocked a few fighters), Mario & Luigi 4, Kid Icarus


That is my entire game collection. Some of those games are almost 5 years old and I still haven't been able to beat them

 

[KojiKnight]

Another thing I notice as I've gotten older... my breadth of games has shrunk... I used to love FPS, now I hardly play them (partly for physical reasons, the heavy use of pointless blurs (motion blurs, DoF, etc) give me motion sickness). It really seems like I mostly play Blizzard games anymore (gotta have my Starcraft/WoW/Hearthstone), and AssCreed... and with Unity, the spell on that franchise is likely over too... at least until Rogue hits PC since that's the only one I care about.

 

[Captain Tuttle]

Yeah was unemployed for awhile and home taking care of the kids, now I'm working again, have plenty of money and no time haha

 

[espher]

As an adult, I

 

[silvermember]

Me to OP.

I want to see how I deal with DA:I, if I can finish it then it might simply mean that I hate most genres other than RPG and if I don't, it seems my time with video game is coming to an end.

This, if you're spending more time discussingreading about games than playing them, you should just find a new hobby.

.

Not really, I have more time to talk about games due to my job than I have time to playing the damn things.

 

[Out of Working Order]

The last game I played to completion was Bioshock Infinite, which was, what, well over a year ago? Since then I've picked up a few Wii U games, a couple of downloadable indies on PS4, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeros, Destiny, and Dark Souls 2, and I've not finished any of them. In fact, one of those I've not even played, and two I've tried twice.

I think having the freedom to buy more makes each game feel less valuable. When you were younger, you had more free time, and when you got a game it had to last you a while before you'd get another. Saying that, I do have a lot of free time, myself. It's just that I tend to whittle it away online rather than gaming.

Going to give Dragon Age Inquisition a try, because I really want to get lost in something for a good while for a change. Whether or not it manages to hook me is another matter.

 

[Karsticles]

I feel a general sense of anxiety while playing most games, just because I know I could be doing more work. These days, only fighting games feel good.

 

[ALLseeingEYE]

I still beat games from time to time, but I do drop a lot of them these days too. I almost like sampling new games just to see the tech, mechanics, and taste how it all turned out as much as I like really digging into a game.

It doesn't help that I buy too many games, and beating them all would basically ruin my life. What I do if I get stuck now is just youtube a walkthrough if I hit a wall and have the will. I'd rather just look up a secret than waste my time wandering around frustrated.

 

[Stereogatari]

FFX HD - Boss after Kimahri's village is seemingly super cheap, no desire to continue

Oh god what the fuck was that shit. The game was super easy throughout then all of a sudden that spike. I got passed that fight but I ended up using full stats 99 lv. cheat for everything afterwards.

 

[silvermember]

I feel a general sense of anxiety while playing most games, just because I know I could be doing more work. These days, only fighting games feel good.

I get that whenever I am playing any group activity because I would rather have the option to do what I want whenever i want, so i avoid all MP.

 

[kswiston]

Between work and a baby, I don't really have very much time for games. As such, I find that the time I do have is more likely to be spend playing some phone game like Terra Battle that I can put down in 15 minutes or so.

I used to beat 15-20 games a year. This year I think I beat 2.

 

[Fushichou187]

I'm the opposite of you, OP. As I've grown older, I've found I've developed a stronger desire to finish what I start in part because I know my time is limited and therefore tend to be a bit more discerning about what I spend my time playing in the first place.

 

[polg]

In games I reach the "I have seen the same mechanics for hours on this game... this is not going to change dramatically" plateau... and give up.

 

[BFIB]

I made a rule last gen and sticking with it this gen. No more than 2 games in rotation. And no further purchases until said games are done.

I have a bad habit of doing the same OP. I start a game, then about halfway through I move on to something else. Now when I feel that creep in, I go to the other game. It's worked out great so far.

 

[Dalek]

Same here OP-and a lot of the bullet points for games for me these days are turn off because of that.

"HUGE OPEN WORLD!"
"100 HOURS OF CONTENT"

"...shit I'll never get around to finishing that..."

 

[MightyHedgehog]

Stop buying new games and stop playing new games for an extended period. Either you come back with renewed energy for the games you do like or you take an even longer break from new games or from video games altogether. It works for me when co-op doesn't.

 

[plumpblumpkin]

Lol, I read and know more about games than I actually play them..

 

[KojiKnight]

Same here OP-and a lot of the bullet points for games for me these days are turn off because of that.

"HUGE OPEN WORLD!"
"100 HOURS OF CONTENT"

"...shit I'll never get around to finishing that..."

Funnily enough, though my time is limited and I don't end up finishing most of them, I think I prefer these games more than the heavily focused story variety. I got much more time out of Shadows of Mordor (still need to finish the last couple story missions) than I have other games lately.

 

[itzknickknac]

OP, I'm in the same boat. Only have about 1 hour of free time a day and weekends I do anything at half the speed since it's the weekend.

This year, I've only beaten between 5-8 games, out of the ton of backlog that I have. I've started a lot of RPG's which is my preferred genre/game but couldn't beat any of it. DA:O (even bought DA2 to prepare for DA:I) and FFX HD are two of many I've started and couldn't finish. And then I game hop around between those and others. In the end, I don't finish many games.

I recently started AC3 and am determine to finish this one. I'm going to play through the story and not worry about any trophies/achievements. Trying to get out of that trophy whore habit.

 

[Setzer]

I'm in the same boat as you, OP. I'm 42 and rarely finish any game I start. I may finish 1-2 games on average per year. When I was a teenager I could play through SNES and even PS1 RPG's more than once and even grind to max levels. Now with a full-time job and a family, those days are over.

I still enjoy playing games but usually what happens is I'll start a game, after a month or so I'll get half way through it and then another game comes along I want to play and I'll start playing it. If I had the same amount of time when I was a teenager I wouldn't have this issue lol!

 

[OmegaTreeFish]

I have been in the place many times. A big factor can be burdon of choice, especially when PC gaming. You by stuff because its on sale rather than you actually want it.

So I have a system I am currently using with my ps4. I have a playlist. It contains the games I KNOW I want to play and the order I intend to play them. Then I have games I would like to play but not overly excited for so will wait for a sale. Then I have filler games which are a few replayable / multiplayer games I will play if I'm at a point in my list with space.

So for example I just finished up a 100% run of tomb raider DE and my next game on the list is dragon age. Its not out yet so I will play one of my filler games till it is.

What I end up with is a relatively short list of games I can take one at a time to completion because they are games I know I want to play.

This is trying to just stick with my ps4. On my PC I just had so many games from sales I rarely was playing something because I genuinely want to play it.

 

[CadetMahoney]

In games I reach the "I have seen the same mechanics for hours on this game... this is not going to change dramatically" plateau... and give up.

This is why I laugh at those linear auto platforming - "interactive" cinematics where you just hold up while explosions and shit happen around you. It's kinda like movies churning out the same old shit.

If you've gamed for a very long time, there is nothing from simply watching youtubes that says "you're missing out on this". To me at least. Save myself dat $60, thanks youtube.

*raises glass, *clink*

 

[Sushen]

Age bro. The older you get - priorities change. You realize time is extremely important and attention spans shorten so doing the repetitive actions some difficult games demand - you just don't want to finish. Not worth the time.

So true, with so little alone time available, 100 hour long jRPG means no thanks to me, now, although 100 hour gameplay used to excited me.

 

[Dr. Buni]

I only have trouble finishing long games. 10~15 hours long is the ideal for me, hence why I mostly play platformer/puzzle/rhythm games.

When the game is 50 hours long (or even more), I always lose the motivation to finish it. It is the very reason I doubt I will ever finish games like Xenoblade.

 

[Gunslinger]

Seems to me you get frustrated too easily and lose interest. IMO you like to "buy" games more rather than to "play or finish" them. Sounds like to me that gaming isn't your thing anymore. So its time to hang up the mantle and find a new hobby? That's just my 2 cents.Also how old are you op? I am just curious.

 

[masterkajo]

In my youth I had a lot of time and no money so I played every game to death. Now I have money but no time and fall into the same category of buying more and more games I never finish or even start.

 

[Anfony O]

Same here but not because I don't want to but because there doesn't seem to be enough time. I binge buy on all three next gen consoles which makes it worse. Still I love seeing all the top games in my collection at least I know when I want to jump in they're already there. Which reminds me I really need to get back into o MP 2. The first prime was absolutely amazing

 

[Deleted member 752119]

I went through a period like that. I just cut back to only owning one console and buying fewer games. I just don't have the time for multiple consoles and buying a bunch of games. I try to only buy a game if I want to play it right away.

I try to only have one main, story driven game going at once, with anything else more pick up and play/never ending type games.

For instance, I just finished story mode in Diablo 3 to make way for Dragon Age next week (out of town this week).

I'll focus on that until its done, but mix in some Diablo 3 adventure mode bounties/rifts, Destiny bounties/dailies, FIFAand DriveClub when I need a break or only have an hour or less to play.

I find doing that works for me as I finish most games and still get some variety.

 

[Panzon]

I have trou le booting up games these days. I actually enjoy reading about the games on GAF more than playing them. Now I tend to watch playthroughs on youtube of a game that interests me and Im more than satisfied with that.

Only games I never get tired of are Pokemon games

 

[Ploid 3.0]

I also have a ton of games that I start and don't finish. Some games I buy and play for only 1 hour and don't go back to it. I'd like to think someday I will take time out for these lost games and give them time, but a while back I had perfect time to play such a game and I just couldn't bring myself to pick a game.

jpg of a bored looking dude looking at a big list of games in PC library all ready to be launched within 2 clicks.

 

[ChryZ]

Nope, I still finish my games ... it just takes a bit longer, because there's less spare time.

 

[.la1n]

I gravitate towards online competitive games. I can quickly jump into matches that scratch the competitive and gaming itch without the need to conquer hour long single player stories. I don't even try to convince myself I'll finish single player games anymore, no matter how good the games are, they always end up collecting dust at varying degrees of completion.

 

[IAmRandom31]

Same , I try hard though but finishing a game basically means getting tired of it and moving on these days

 

[A Link to the Past]

Same here. With me though, it's rarely about hitting a wall - rather, it's because I lose interest.

 

[Inotti]

Buy less games.
Get PS+
Buy used
Buy only if you know you will be playing it immediately.
Stop playing when you are no longer having a great time.

Quality of the "freebies" for couple last months haven't been that great and I'm not sure that it will ever be what it was because PS+ is now mandatory for PS4 online gaming and people are going to pay for it regardless.

 

[Hahs]

I only make this topic because I know that while it's a common issue, it's not a problem for everyone. I have friends who are achievement obsessed and go through every nook and cranny like it's nothing. I have friends who play every game on the hardest difficulty and do so multiple times. I have friends who play through games in their limited free time and still manage to 100% them, sometimes more than once.

If you're one of those people, where does your "spark" come from? What is motivating you to finish the games you play? It's really unsatisfying to have a pile of started-yet-unfinished games in my backlog.

For myself, it goes a little deeper than just being put off by monotony/frustration. I was brought up to finish what I started, and have been doing so for the past 30 years. So finishing things/games/whatever comes naturally. It feels unnatural not to finish games. There are exceptions of course, but bottom line:

It's a personality thing. In one way or another, people tend to play games the way they do other things in life...please don't ask me to elaborate.

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

Eh, nothing much has changed in my adult life, I just don't get to play as much as before, so I don't finish as many games.

 

[JP]

Can't remember the last game I managed to get 100% on a game. In the same way I just can't be doing with difficult games which I'd always loved in the past, I just can't be doing with sitting there and having to attempt the same thing over and over now.

 

[Deleted member 752119]

Quality of the "freebies" for couple last months haven't been that great and I'm not sure that it will ever be what it was because PS+ is now mandatory for PS4 online gaming and people are going to pay for it regardless.

I don't think that's true at all. PS4 will get more retail games the longer it's out and there are more older retail games that have stopped selling that they can put up on PS+. Not much they could do with it the first year beyond indies as companies aren't going to give away new retail games in the first year of release very often if ever.

 

[JohnnyMoses]

I made a rule last gen and sticking with it this gen. No more than 2 games in rotation. And no further purchases until said games are done.

I have a bad habit of doing the same OP. I start a game, then about halfway through I move on to something else. Now when I feel that creep in, I go to the other game. It's worked out great so far.

I need to try this approach.

 

[Toki767]

I think it's more that some people treat games as work and not for fun. If you aren't enjoying what you're playing and just playing it because it's being hyped and everyone is just saying how you have to play a certain game, you aren't going to feel motivated at all to finish it and it just becomes a chore.

 

[SuperRaddy]

At 36 I'm probably starting to finish more games than I ever have.

 

[Succinct Verbosity]

I remember when I was younger and complained that God of War was far too short. These days, I complain games are padded. Heh.

 

[fade_]

Have you tried the wacky tabaccy these youngins are doing these days?

 

[nintendork666]

Quit buying games.

It's over, OP.

 

[gogosox82]

Yeah it can be tough. I suggest setting aside some time, either during the week or on the weekend. I usually give myself an hour each night before going to bed and two hours on the weekend and that has worked for me for the most part.

 

[VSynk]

Persona 4 Golden and its occasional need to grind did this.

You have literally 0 need to grind in Persona 4.

 

[GloriousIntruder]

Yeah, happening here too. I think it is just how it is as you grow older. Working in the industry doesn't help either as you don't even want to look at games when you got home. I start to appreciate the value of doing absolutely nothing as I grow older.

 

[spekkeh]

Well yep; 20s: more time than money. 30s: more money than time.

I stopped doing all side quests in games, most of the time they save the good stuff for the main quest anyway. Seriously, drop any ideas you might have of wanting to x% a game. It's not necessary, nobody will admire you for it, you're old enough to not give a shit about that anyway. Just go through the main campaign, finish it, start the next game. You have closure and can still sample a number of different games a year.