Anyone else feel they need to finish games?

[scotland171]

[QUOTE=Crevalle]So do any of you feel like me--that you almost have an obligation to finish a game when you buy it? I realize it's a sunk cost, but regardless, I find myself playing through games that I don't even necessarily enjoy--just to finish them. It's like it bugs me if I don't. For example, on the 360, I'm almost done with Lost Planet, but I don't really enjoy it. I'm over half done w/ GRAW, and I don't even like the game. I think they're both above average games, but I don't look forward to playing them--I look forward to finishing them. Maybe it's a feeling of accomplishment, maybe it's OCD, maybe it's achievements. I'm just not sure.[/QUOTE]

With books, there is a rule of thumb to give a book 50 pages.  If you are not interested 50 pages in, go read a different book.   

How about for video games?

But I just bought it, you say? I have to finish it.  Well, that money is already spent, its a sunk cost and you should not base future decisions too much on what you have already sunk into something.  But you also don't want to ditch something just because it got a little boring, or there is one rough patch, or a little ennui set in.  

So what do you do?

Except for portables, I find myself retro gaming right now (until I get the WiiU - another conversation).  Which means the cost of any particular game is small, I have a huge backlog of games I've barely scratched.  Add in things like the recent flashbacks with dozens of games on them, and I can play wheel of video games.   How much time should I devote to any game before I move on? 

I know there are some of you that are committed from the cash register to finishing up the game.  Not me.  I'm more of a Frogger, hopping about from game to game, sometimes returning, sometimes not. How about you? 

How long do you give a game to grab you?  10 minutes?  The first level?  The first boss?  One gaming session? 

And once a game has your attention, do you ever let it go?  Just because you've put in 10 hours or 30 hours, does it mean you're committed to the bitter end, or can you have an amicable divorce?

[Sut1]

Great question !

I tend to give a game at least two levels, if I'm not digging it I usually sell the game on.
However if I then decide to keep the game I MUST finish it, I hate having a game I can't complete especially games I really enjoy. I practiced and practiced with Revenge of Shinobi to finish it. Only then am I happy putting the game back on my shelf.
I don't have to unlock everything or get every trophy (although on some games I will) but I want to see the end, even if I'm no longer enjoying the game.
I don't know why, probably that feeling of empowerment I get from beating a game, that feeling I've conquered a worthy adversary. Which probably explains why I struggle with 1st and 2nd generation games and set myself self imposed goals on games from that era.

[Captain_Crunch1]

[QUOTE=Crevalle]So do any of you feel like me--that you almost have an obligation to finish a game when you buy it? I realize it's a sunk cost, but regardless, I find myself playing through games that I don't even necessarily enjoy--just to finish them. It's like it bugs me if I don't. [/QUOTE]

Yes, I feel exactly the same way! I always try to finish a game (that is at least the main story). It even bugs thinking about the games I didn't finish (Crysis 2 was the only game I didn't finish the last couple of years, and I still feel like 'I should do it one day').

[ActRaiser1]

hehe, years ago I felt the driving need to complete any and all games I started.  I still feel terrible that I never beat Ninja Gaiden, only making it to 5-2 before admitting defeat.

Now, I'm starting to take a more pragmatic approach.  I can buy several, play a few, try something else and pretend I'll get back to it one day.

I've also started the major sin of playing on easy to ensure I see as much of a game as possible before moving on to something else.  I keep telling myself when I retire I'll go back and play all the games I've collected.  Lord knows I'm lying to myself.  If we ever have kids I can count that dream goodbye.  Oh, well, it's good to fool oneself from time to time.  

[Vexer1]

I too feel the need to finish games, I used to give up on some games a bit too easily several years back, now i'm determined to finish any game I pick up no matter what, i've actually re-bought several games that I traded in years ago so I could complete them. Even if I don't particularly like a game, i'll still stick with it just to see if it improves any, though I will say i'm not above using cheat codes to finish certain games if they get too cheap and frustrating for their own good, I don't care how I go about finishing a game as long as I finish it somehow.

Although there are some games where i'll finish the story but I won't try to get 100% if it's too frustrating to do so(those golden orb challenges in Jak 2 and 3 can go to hell).

 

[Vexer1]

Captain Crunch- Crysis 2 is a really good game and I would highly recommend you finish it and play Crysis 3 if you haven't already.

[Captain_Crunch1]

[QUOTE=Vexer]Captain Crunch- Crysis 2 is a really good game and I would highly recommend you finish it and play Crysis 3 if you haven't already.[/QUOTE]

I didn't say it was a bad game. It is very well produced and one of the best looking X360-games I played it. However, I became bored with it halfway. (I got a corrupted save file and didn't bother to replay). Also, I think I played too many FPS by now. I'm not really interested in the genre anymore.

[velcrozombie1]

I used to feel the need to finish any game I started, and I'd even feel guilty when I'd stop playing one halfway through (bizarre, I know). At a certain point I realized that I'd never be able to finish every game I purchased without the whole thing becoming a slog, and from then on I decided to drop a game if it hadn't grabbed me after a certain amount of time. I generally give a game about 3 hours to get my attention: however, I'm willing to give more time to "slow-burn" genres like RPGs and adventure games, and also to game series I have a lot of personal investment in or game studios who have a good track record. I will occasionally come back to games that I gave up on previously, but I no longer feel obligated to do so.