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Why can't I finish games?
- Thread starter Kingsora
- Start date
Certinty
Member
I'm in exactly the same boat but I can't stop buying games either. I mean last-gen I used to almost always complete a game before moving on. But within the last 6 months I have started and not completed:
Call of Duty Advanced Warfare
Sunset Overdrive
GTA V
Saints Row IV Re-Elected
Final Fantasy-Type 0
The Order 1886
Sunset Overdrive
Forza Horizon 2
Forza Motorsport 5
The Evil Within
LEGO Marvel Superheroes
Murdered Soul Suspect
Alien Isolation
Sherlock Holmes Crimes and Punishment
Sniper Elite III
Assassins Creed Unity
Far Cry 4
LittleBigPlanet 3
InFamous First Light
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Disney Infinity 2.0
Battlefield 4
The Crew
Shadow of Mordor
That's not even including sports games which I have barely played. But what's even worse is out of those 24 games I have only put over 2 hours into about 10 of then.
I also love quite a few games on that list which makes it even worse than I can't complete them.
What a bloody waste of money but I can't stop buying games.
Call of Duty Advanced Warfare
Sunset Overdrive
GTA V
Saints Row IV Re-Elected
Final Fantasy-Type 0
The Order 1886
Sunset Overdrive
Forza Horizon 2
Forza Motorsport 5
The Evil Within
LEGO Marvel Superheroes
Murdered Soul Suspect
Alien Isolation
Sherlock Holmes Crimes and Punishment
Sniper Elite III
Assassins Creed Unity
Far Cry 4
LittleBigPlanet 3
InFamous First Light
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Disney Infinity 2.0
Battlefield 4
The Crew
Shadow of Mordor
That's not even including sports games which I have barely played. But what's even worse is out of those 24 games I have only put over 2 hours into about 10 of then.
I also love quite a few games on that list which makes it even worse than I can't complete them.
What a bloody waste of money but I can't stop buying games.
Did you think you got your money's worth out of the game even if you didn't finish it?
If yes, then don't worry about finishing it. Play what you enjoy until you are not enjoying it anymore. And if you are not enjoying a game to the point you feel you are getting your money and time's worth, them you should probably pick your games more carefully.
If yes, then don't worry about finishing it. Play what you enjoy until you are not enjoying it anymore. And if you are not enjoying a game to the point you feel you are getting your money and time's worth, them you should probably pick your games more carefully.
Chû Totoro
Member
Because finishing boring games is hard. Try to focus on what you like in the games you finish and buy only the ones matching these criteria. You'll surely skip some hyped games but it's ok. Don't believe the hype 
Phoenix944
Member
What kind of people buy games to just try them out a bit and toss them in the closet ?
It's weird to waste money like that, even if you're quite wealthy.
Finishing games is one of the most satisfying experiences. Reaching the conclusion and seeing the credits and listening to the end song. I dunno, maybe try and actually focus on one game at a time instead of trying to play several at once. Unless a game is garbage, I will finish it. I've been finishing a lot of games recently and when people ask me "How did you beat it so fast?" Simple, I took some time out of my weekend and just sat and played through a game. It's fun.
Burgess_101
Member
During/After my depression was when I started really not being able to finish games.
I would suggest finding a genre of games that you truly love, instead of just trying to play everything that comes out. I used to do the same thing as you, and I got burned out and quit caring about finishing the titles that I thought were only "good".
Just find a your niche and then finishing them will come naturally. Plus you wont have times where there are many games out at once that you feel like you have to keep with. Dont even bother with a backlog either. Nobody has time for that and it only adds stress.
Just find a your niche and then finishing them will come naturally. Plus you wont have times where there are many games out at once that you feel like you have to keep with. Dont even bother with a backlog either. Nobody has time for that and it only adds stress.
Maastricht
Member
For me it's also buying too many games, especially at the start of the generation, being too curious about new tech and such and too easily sucked(ered) in. 
I bought most of the games mentioned, but not finished them. I did finish Infamous: SS though, LBP3, and DriveClub, among others, but I didn't even finish Last of Us (despite having bought them twice, PS3 one 50% finished and PS4 10% maybe). Bought GTA V twice as well, PS3 maybe 6% and PS4 even less.
I do think I'll finish more games eventually though.
I bought most of the games mentioned, but not finished them. I did finish Infamous: SS though, LBP3, and DriveClub, among others, but I didn't even finish Last of Us (despite having bought them twice, PS3 one 50% finished and PS4 10% maybe). Bought GTA V twice as well, PS3 maybe 6% and PS4 even less.
I do think I'll finish more games eventually though.
JigglesBunny
Banned
OP and I are like brothers...
Only closer.
No but seriously, I have this problem and it's terrible because I'm constantly buying more games, at least 1 a week most of the time and it never gets finished.
Only closer.
No but seriously, I have this problem and it's terrible because I'm constantly buying more games, at least 1 a week most of the time and it never gets finished.
PhantomZone
Member
The secret is toe buy sports games, that way it doesn't really matter if you don't finish them (since sports games don't have a proper storyline conclusion other than winning the championship game of the current season).
I myself have a similar problem, buy too many games in one hit and only one might get finished while others get added to a huge game backlog.
Where did I say "try them out a bit and toss them in the closet"?
If you get a 60 hours game like Dragon Age, play it for 30 hours and never finish that's hardly what I would call "try them out a bit". That's why I especifically said for him to let it go if he feels he already got his money's worth.
itzknickknac
Member
OP, I got the same issue. Most of the games I play have been losing my interest. Such as:
LR: FFXIII
Rorona (vanilla)
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2
Child of Light (game got oddly buggy so I stopped)
Cursed Crusade
Borderlands 2
Sword Arts Online: Hollow Fragment
Soul Sacrifice
Dead Space 3
Tales of Symphonia Chronicles
...off the top of my head
As you can see these aren't great games, but I generally try to play a wide variety. I'm currently playing Lollipop Chainsaw and while the game could've been done in a week for me, it's taken me a stretched out 2 months to get to the final boss (where I'm at now). I've had other games playing too though - most of my time went towards MH4U, then Danganronpa.
I think, after playing games for a while, we begin to subconsciously lose interest towards games that aren't "our cup of tea." I can play MH for hours but can't push through another game for example.
Kingsora
Would rather have no penis than have to show his to a medical professional
Well I wouldn't say that I buy a game once a week, that's 52 games every year, that's crazy
Ravensmash
Member
Yep.
As long as I get my "value" out of it then I'm not fussed. Dont view the obsession with treating backlogs like a chore.
I know I'll probably never finish Dragon Age Inquisition, but I've played as much as I want. Im not going to force myself to power through.
What do you usually do when you finish a game? When I finished GTA San Andreas I continued playing the game for months, to find hidden stuff (for 100%) or just to mess around. Obviously not all games will keep you entertained that long, but do you still play games once you've seen the credits? Because you say you do enjoy them, maybe you just don't want to finish them and "retire" them.
Very good.
Always looking forward means that the instant you hit a snag/the honeymoon phase is over with a new game, you'll drop it and go, 'when's the next thing'?
I never thought of it this way but I've got a pretty massive backlog and I honestly think this has a big subconscious impact. I don't consciously think it but when I imagine my thought process it follows the above. I put it down and start thinking about unreleased/potential games.
PandaShake
Member
I'm the same, but I'm just getting older. Gotta sleep and go to work. But mostly, I sometimes don't want to finish the game because I enjoyed it so much and don't want to see the conclusion and part ways with it. I set it aside for awhile then comepletely forget about it.
Give War A Chance
Member
Man. You couldn't finish the Call of Duty singleplayer? That's super short! Maybe you're just buying too many games. Not really sure though. Call of Duty's SP campaigns are so short and action-packed, you should be able to finish this!
OldAsUrSock
Banned
I've had this problem a few times. I find that if I just sit down and play the game I will get back into it and finish it.
If you can't stop buying games, yet you don't enjoy them enough to finish them, maybe the games aren't the problem, but the buying is?
It's a horrible thing to say – I'm only saying it because I think I have it – but I think it's very easy to get addicted to buying, especially when it comes to videogames, their perceived value for money and inundation of sales, etc.
I have genuinely noticed that I don't feel happy/satisfied with life until I go out and buy a videogame. I don't even need to play it. Just the act of buying it, then having it, gives me this super-deep satisfaction and happiness. That'll last between a few days and a month. If I don't buy a game for about a month and a half, I start getting really snippy and short-tempered, just like early stage drug withdrawal.
People get this all over the first world, like compulsive buying disorder or addiction-to-buying. I think games are especially bad for this. I'm trying to wean myself off it, but goddamn it felt good buying Bloodborne the other day. (I was fucking addicted to it until about 20 hours in now I can't bring myself past the half-way point. Worried it's another uncompleted backlogged game now.)
For me this has also cured it a couple of times. Even if you don't feel like playing a game at all, you'd rather go find a new experience, just force yourself physically, like a machine, to sit down and turn it on. 99/100 times you'll be happy as larry again within five minutes and get into the thing enough to finish it.
It's a horrible thing to say – I'm only saying it because I think I have it – but I think it's very easy to get addicted to buying, especially when it comes to videogames, their perceived value for money and inundation of sales, etc.
I have genuinely noticed that I don't feel happy/satisfied with life until I go out and buy a videogame. I don't even need to play it. Just the act of buying it, then having it, gives me this super-deep satisfaction and happiness. That'll last between a few days and a month. If I don't buy a game for about a month and a half, I start getting really snippy and short-tempered, just like early stage drug withdrawal.
People get this all over the first world, like compulsive buying disorder or addiction-to-buying. I think games are especially bad for this. I'm trying to wean myself off it, but goddamn it felt good buying Bloodborne the other day. (I was fucking addicted to it until about 20 hours in now I can't bring myself past the half-way point. Worried it's another uncompleted backlogged game now.)
For me this has also cured it a couple of times. Even if you don't feel like playing a game at all, you'd rather go find a new experience, just force yourself physically, like a machine, to sit down and turn it on. 99/100 times you'll be happy as larry again within five minutes and get into the thing enough to finish it.
AyaisMUsikWhore
Member
Oh god OP. I have the same condition and it spans over 10 systems.
For the PS4 alone
-Assassin Creed Black Flag
- Metro
- Shadow or Mordor
- GTA 5
- Watch Dogs
- Destiny
- Dragon Age
- Bloodborne
- Every Indie except Unfinished Swan
For the Xbox One
-Ryse
-Sunset Overdrive
- Every Indie
The Wii U
-Pikmin 3
For the PS3
- I can't even go through this list because I will be completely depressed and probably scolded for it
For the 360
- Same as above
PC
- Same as above..
Then with this year's release and some other games for last year's I'm still waiting on price drops for, it's only getting worse. At this point, it's an addiction to buy a ton of games at these low prices and keep them until I'm ready to play them which is like 3 years from now and then when I actually
play them, I stop and move on to the next just making my backlog larger and larger.
For the PS4 alone
-Assassin Creed Black Flag
- Metro
- Shadow or Mordor
- GTA 5
- Watch Dogs
- Destiny
- Dragon Age
- Bloodborne
- Every Indie except Unfinished Swan
For the Xbox One
-Ryse
-Sunset Overdrive
- Every Indie
The Wii U
-Pikmin 3
For the PS3
- I can't even go through this list because I will be completely depressed and probably scolded for it
For the 360
- Same as above
PC
- Same as above..
Then with this year's release and some other games for last year's I'm still waiting on price drops for, it's only getting worse. At this point, it's an addiction to buy a ton of games at these low prices and keep them until I'm ready to play them which is like 3 years from now and then when I actually
play them, I stop and move on to the next just making my backlog larger and larger.
paragonpro
Banned
I initiall had the same issue, so I've made a rule for myself to only buy a new game after I beat something from my backlog that I already own and haven't finished. I'm not letting myself get mkx until I beat alien isolation.
Worked for me so far. I was having the same issue. One game at a time, of course you will drop some because they are utter shit (like AC unity, which surprisingly I did not drop, but that was because it looked reaaaaaaally good).
I believe this is really a "condition" these days. We buy games just because. That ends up with us having many games that we are not interested in. As my friend Phoenix944 said, this is only "cured" by playing just one game at a time, and buying one game at a time.
JigglesBunny
Banned
sobaka770
Banned
I have a lot of unfinished games, but recently I took a look at my extensive Steam library and just marked those which I won't even finish as "Done" and all those which I still want to finish (like Bioshock: Infinite) as "To be played".
It's easy to get overwhelmed with a huge amount of games being released nowadays. Mostly it's about self-discipline and what you actually look for in a game. Some games, I want to finish (usually RPGs for the story), others I can stop at a certain point and consider that I've played enough. Some games I just don't like so why keep trying?
If you can't finish a BF or CoD campaigns for example, maybe there's something that you didn't like about them. These campaigns are very short so I don't think it's for the lack of time. Maybe you're buying these game for multiplayer? or maybe the whole genre doesn't interest you actually?
It's easy to get overwhelmed with a huge amount of games being released nowadays. Mostly it's about self-discipline and what you actually look for in a game. Some games, I want to finish (usually RPGs for the story), others I can stop at a certain point and consider that I've played enough. Some games I just don't like so why keep trying?
If you can't finish a BF or CoD campaigns for example, maybe there's something that you didn't like about them. These campaigns are very short so I don't think it's for the lack of time. Maybe you're buying these game for multiplayer? or maybe the whole genre doesn't interest you actually?
off duty ninja
Member
Depression, anxiety and borderline personality disorder (diagnosed but not sure it's right). I go through phases where I game non stop and then I find times where I can't play a game for more than a minute or two before I have to quit. I tend to shift to movies and TV shows for my entertainment when I can't game but it really sucks.
I'll try to list my games I can remember having beaten in the last couple of years.
Killzone Shadow Fall
Infamous SS
TLOU and TLOU:R (once each)
Tomb Raider Reboot
Watchdogs
GTA V
TWD:S1
Dying Light
Games I have bought and never finished (not including previous gens):
CoD: AW and Ghosts
BF4
Sleeping Dogs
Alien: Isolation
DA:I
FC4
Bloodborne (Granted still playing...occasionally)
ACIV and Unity
Middle Earth: Shadows of Mordor
Metro Redux
Wolfenstein TNO
Thief
The rest of the telltale games collection ps4
Countless indie and arcade style games
This doesn't include everything and then there's steam which I use to buy games I will never play, lol.
I find a lot of games just overstay their welcome or they have a ridiculous ramping up of difficulty out of nowhere right at the last level. That final gun fight in The Order was ludicrous for me. All of a sudden I have endless waves of guys and shot gunners coming at me. Tried as I might I had to lower the difficulty down to easy just to see the end of the game. The Last Of Us nearly did this too. Played 95% of the game when I got it but that final level was tough, I gave up for weeks, possibly months before finally going back and finishing it which I'm so glad I did.
Too many games just run out of ideas and get way too repetitive. I remember how much I loved Halo 1, I conveniently forget how tedious the final levels were with the flood and just depressing level design right near the end vs what had come before (and where all my rose tinted memories of the game reside).
Most games have pretty awful story culminating in even more forgettable endings which doesn't help drive you through the experience.
I lost track in GTAV on PS3. Trying another play through on PS4 but I get distracted doing stupid stuff and keep dying. The missions are boring though and if you die (which happens all to quickly in GTAV, your character needs to be a bit more impervious to death considering how crazy things can get!) I never feel too bothered about retrying and quit out.
Indeed Bloodborne does feel like it deserves the praise its getting. Game is kind of tough, but you can learn to become better. The atmosphere is intoxicating in spite of how oppressive its supposed to feel and I love inhabiting that place and making my small moves out into the world and the sense of satisfaction as I realise I can become bolder and bolder (then getting my ass humbly handed to me). I want to keep playing and for the first time in a while I want to see this game through and complete it, and the thought of taking tens of hours to do so doesn't scare me, for the first time ever with any game. I feel like it would genuinely be an achievement for me. I don't care about actual achievement trophies by the way, but a true achievement if I complete this game and that's what's driving me forward. More games need this. Tough, but fair and achieveable progress possible, not random ratcheting up of the difficulty just for the sake of it.
Too many games just run out of ideas and get way too repetitive. I remember how much I loved Halo 1, I conveniently forget how tedious the final levels were with the flood and just depressing level design right near the end vs what had come before (and where all my rose tinted memories of the game reside).
Most games have pretty awful story culminating in even more forgettable endings which doesn't help drive you through the experience.
I lost track in GTAV on PS3. Trying another play through on PS4 but I get distracted doing stupid stuff and keep dying. The missions are boring though and if you die (which happens all to quickly in GTAV, your character needs to be a bit more impervious to death considering how crazy things can get!) I never feel too bothered about retrying and quit out.
Indeed Bloodborne does feel like it deserves the praise its getting. Game is kind of tough, but you can learn to become better. The atmosphere is intoxicating in spite of how oppressive its supposed to feel and I love inhabiting that place and making my small moves out into the world and the sense of satisfaction as I realise I can become bolder and bolder (then getting my ass humbly handed to me). I want to keep playing and for the first time in a while I want to see this game through and complete it, and the thought of taking tens of hours to do so doesn't scare me, for the first time ever with any game. I feel like it would genuinely be an achievement for me. I don't care about actual achievement trophies by the way, but a true achievement if I complete this game and that's what's driving me forward. More games need this. Tough, but fair and achieveable progress possible, not random ratcheting up of the difficulty just for the sake of it.
N° 2048
Member
Me too brother, me too.
I think it's because as a kid my parents couldn't afford a lot of games/systems for me so now that I am an adult and am able to buy them, I do just because I can :/
RipperGrim
Member
This. I don't know what it is about owning so many games not completed at once but it drains a lot of motivation to finish them because you keep thinking about the other games and end up finishing none of them.
Also you may just be getting over gaming or going through a burnout on games, we all go through eventually.
Necromanti
Member
Most games overstay their welcome, honestly, and can get repetitive fast. Play a game until you stop enjoying it; there's nothing wrong with that. No need to force yourself to complete it.
off duty ninja
Member
Yep, you just described me to a T!! I have known this for some time and it is a difficult battle. It is a way to self medicate for depression and shit.
You have too many games so it is easy to be distracted by future releases! If you actually want to complete one game treat it like you did when you were a kid with no money. Follow one game on the web, buy it, play it rather than buying it and instantly reading what is out next week and watching 10 new game trailers during the week which will deflate your interest in current titles.
TheSpaceBetween
Member
Because you choose not to.
Bl@de
Member
This is the truth. Many people say "oh doesn't matter just roll with it" ... but it's actually not that simple. For many people it becomes an addiction. It happens to a lot of people with a lot of different products. It's not just a "roll with it" thing.
Same here OP! I went to the midnight release of Grand Theft Auto 5 for Xbox 360 in 2013. I bought it 3 more times after that for PS4, PS3 and XB1. I finished the story for the first time last night lol.
Now I have to play through Unity and I don't think I'm going to ever finish it. The combat is so bad, it reminds me of the boss fights from Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End where there is a pause between every attack. Meh...
Now I have to play through Unity and I don't think I'm going to ever finish it. The combat is so bad, it reminds me of the boss fights from Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End where there is a pause between every attack. Meh...
I'm glad I helped you realise it, Jiggles. Like they say, the first step to getting over a problem is realising + admitting you have it. It actually felt cathartic to me to write that post!
It definitely happens once you have some income, too, and you start jumping at all the opportunities you never could when you were younger. But that develops into an endorphin-hit from the actual act of buying. And if you have other problems going on, that can be an addiction to distract from daily challenges.
Like if you watch sitcoms or TV dramas, they usually focus on women who are addicted to buying shoes, handbags, etc. This is exactly the same thing but with videogames. The human brain gets a kick out of getting things (a kick out of spending money on things) so it's possible to get addicted to it.
It's going to be damn hard to drop the habit. But I'm sure we can all manage it. Life's a long thing. That tip about just mechanically forcing yourself to play old games will definitely help, even if it doesn't feel right to do so.
Yeah, exactly. I think it might be harder for older adults to sympathise, too. It's definitely a huge thing for people who were young adults in the late-00s. Almost every 'gamer' I know has this.
butman
Member
Because you're so often distracted by NeoGAF and by disccusing games on NeoGAF rather than actually spending time playing them.
Just hypothesizing of course.
Pretty much this in my case. Since i discovered GAF i definitely read than play games.
Paasei
Member
I had this issue for a while, but I was somehow just tired of playing games. Couldn't bother myself to play any game at all.
Spent my free time on other things, having a GF I love, going on holidays, got a full time job, even have my own house right now.
I had other things to do that are/were more fun and/or important. Took me some time(from around July last year until very recent when Bloodborne came out). Now I'm playing Bloodborne quite often. It made me remember that I really like gaming and now I'm playing when I can/want to spend my free time on it. That happens quite often now.
I played some games during that phase, but not more than maybe 30min to 1 hour a week.
Also the idea that someone else posted of not buying too many games too frequently works very well.
Spent my free time on other things, having a GF I love, going on holidays, got a full time job, even have my own house right now.
I had other things to do that are/were more fun and/or important. Took me some time(from around July last year until very recent when Bloodborne came out). Now I'm playing Bloodborne quite often. It made me remember that I really like gaming and now I'm playing when I can/want to spend my free time on it. That happens quite often now.
I played some games during that phase, but not more than maybe 30min to 1 hour a week.
Also the idea that someone else posted of not buying too many games too frequently works very well.
MrWilson2912
Member
I have this problem but I think it's because when I was younger and didn't have a family I used to blow through a game in 1 or 2 very long sittings whereas now I just don't have 10 free hours in a day to game, so a game now takes me weeks to get through. Don't get me wrong I'd love to game all day but with kids and a job it's just not possible. I also used to buy every new release but now I am very selective to make sure it's a must have to save wasting heaps on multiple games I would never even get half way through