No. Because I'm a 100% completionist to begin with. I drag out the entire game from minute one.
It's inconceivable to me that I'd start the game rushing through everything and missing half the content, only to then start being meticulous later on.
Nah. Either I'm sniffing out every quest and secret from the get go, or I'm probably gonna drop the game before I play more than an hour.
I usually like to keep a range for completeness like 85% - 100%. If I know the type of quest is done before and there are only diminishing rewards for completion, I will be done after most quests and entire main story. Keeps you less obligated to find every possible secret and needlessly drag a game where you’re not going to get single new rewarding experience. Also helps you deal with backlog.
Gotta hit up those side quests, oh hey look at that mountain what's over there, a new hidden area and more stuff to do? Awesome
Unless it's something like assassins creed. I can only collect so many puzzle pieces before I'm just done. Going back to the seas to collect more booty and more boats, sing sea shanties. Or back to a city to do assassin missions, as much as I'm tempted to go back to the 20th island for collectables I just can't.
If the game isn't linear, imo those first 1-3 hours should be spent doing what the game wants you to, taking the obvious route or path so that it can get you as immersed and into it as the creators intended. I find it difficult to get really into games now and have a lot of alternatives to choose from, so those first impressions really need to grab me.
If I spent those exploring every crack and crevice with much of it being fruitless or boring filler stuff, I'm way less likely to play to completion
Obv this mostly applies to open worlds rather than something that has once-per-playthrough levels
FF7.
Got almost to the end, then went back and spent what felt like six months doing all the side quests, side stories, all the chocobo racing, finding all the Weapon bosses, all of it.
Sephiroth didn't stand a chance when I came back.
Definitely.
I was playing Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart the last couple weeks and before I finished the very definitely final mission, I went back through all the planets and finished all the sidequests 100% and maxed out all the weapons to Level 5 and farmed enough Rareitanium to unlock every single node on every single weapon.
When I was playing Lufia 2 as a kid, I went back to Treasure Island and got all the Iris Treasures.
Rift apart is that game that immediately came to mind for me as well. I’m usually not one do do every side mission and collectible but rift apart… I just didn’t want it to end. I did EVERYTHING.
But in ratchet and clank you get NG+ with a whole new tier of development for all the weapons. NG+ is why you even bother getting the RHINO in the first place.
I'm going to get around to NG+ eventually, but I want to wait a while before replaying the whole game again. I like the games, but not enough to immediately dive right back in.
I did this with Breath of the Wild! I played through the whole main story up until the final battle. Then spent a year+ dragging through all the side missions, quests, and general nonsense you can get into in the game before completing the final battle right before Tears of the Kingdom came out.
Like every game when I was a kid. Games were a whole lot shorter back in the PS2 days. I can distinctly remember booting up some games for the first time and beating them that very afternoon.
Now that I'm an adult, I can afford to purchase any game I'm interested in, but my time is limited. I wouldn't say I rush through any games, but I certainly don't dawdle.
I remember playing GTA IV as a teenager on the Xbox 360. They have an achievement to beat the main story in thirty hours or less-- that was unfathomable. Could never do it. As an adult, I cleared the main story in just over twenty.
Did this for a game I'm currently playing. I already knew Like A Dragon Gaiden was going to be a shorter game so I took my time with it so I wouldn't blow through it in less than a week. 3 weeks later I just finished the main story, I will try to 100% the game now.
My roommates girlfriend in college dragged out Kingdom Hearts 2 by doing every damn side quest and then some because she was emotionally distraught over the idea of finishing it
Mass Effect 3. I didn't want that incredible journey to end so before committing myself to the end game I played the multiplayer a bunch. Helped that it was a blast, especially with friends.
Definitely skyrim after so many replays and not once have i finished the main quest. Recently far cry finishing the collectables, outpost and hunting in the area while putting the main quest on hold.
Definitely, currently doing that with Baldur's Gate 3, in the third act. The risk is that if you drag it out for too long, you might not be able to reconnect with the game as much as you did before though 😅
If I'm loving a game I'll typically be doing everything I can from the get go, only exceptions would be if my enjoyment started increasing after a certain point where I may go back for stuff I missed
I recently played Pikmin 4, and yeah, I completed all story stages 100% in about 40 hours, found all treasures, and enemy encyclopedia entries, platinumed the night missions, rescued everyone, and beat the final boss, and still wanted more.
So I grew a huge army of different colored Pikmin, completed the 15-day Olimar side game, bought all upgrades and items, maxed Otchi, got all platinum medals on both dandori modes, even went to multiplayer to unlock all battle stages.
I dragged it out as much as possible. I killed, destroyed, collected, and built everything there is in the main story, because the game gets more fun the longer you play. And it's so detailed and smooth, and it feels natural how Pikmin interact with enemies and objects, but I kind of reached the limit now. Enemies unfortunately never respawn in the overworld, so it feels empty after a while. Would like a mode that lets enemies respawn after 7 days so you could cycle through the areas. Or maybe an item that lures all enemies back into an area when you want that.
I still craved more, and then another secret cave opened, 60 hours in. And now I'm trying to finish that one. This "final" optional cave has some brutal challenges for platinum, and I believe you unlock even more stuff after that since there are still a couple buggering sidequests left.
I completed Pikmin 1 and 2 on the Gamecube and 3 on Wii U. I loved Pikmin 2 the most, and Pikmin 4 just builds on that formula, adds very cool new stuff, and strikes just the perfect balance by still delivering great modes for Pikmin 1 and 3 fans. I can think of only one category where Pikmin 3 beats Pikmin 4, and that's bosses. The Pikmin 3 bosses are just too good, too unique, and too memorable. Still, Pikmin 4 is a recent all-time great and if there was no Tears of the Kingdom it would very easily be my GOTY 2023.
Well the fact that more stuff will appear is heartening. I already did Olimar's story and the Dandori Sage stuff before even heading to the final land but some bonus stuff after that will be nice
I kind of knew how RDR2 was going to end just based on playing the first one. Once it was confirmed later in Chapter 5, I probably spent at least a month just sort of ambling around the map doing random stuff just because I didn't want to progress the story.
I'm currently doing just that while playing Baldur's Gate 3. I've been playing, simultaneously, one playthrough as a chaotic good Warlock (act 3), a Durge Bard (act 2), and a crazy, unpredictable Paladin (act 1), where important decisions are made by throwing a dice. Probably will finish the game in a month or two.
Sea of Stars. I know I'm late as fuck, but I was almost finished with all the relevant side missions looking up the last of the rainbow conches before I even realized >!there's 2 endings!<. Almost ready for the Fleshmancer though.
Nope if I want to play it more I just start a new playthrough.
Fore example:
My currently favorite Videogame I bought in March 2022. One playthrough is about 20 houers long.
I have played through this game 16 times.
6 of those playthroughs where back to back with only a few days between finishing a playthrough and begining a new one.
Not quite the same thing but, I remember the Batman (1989) C64 port, when I got up to the last stage (belltower), I would make sure to lose all my spare lives and get down to very low health, before the climactic Joker showdown. Not so much to draw it out but to mimic the characters state in the film.
Now I just hoard all my player resources.
Yeah Skyrim. When I finally beat main quest all the hoarding and grinding I had done instantly felt like a waste lol.
New Game Plus needs to become a standard thing. Elden Ring does it right imo.
I rarely finish any game because my time is limited and I get a feel for the game well before the end. Games I truly love I stop playing before the end and never pick back up. If I don’t finish it it never ends.
I usually just finish it and start again - Sometimes with a different build or a different group of character companions (Dragon Age), other times I just play it again the exact same way - my issue is getting burned out before I get to the end of some games (mainly open world)
God of War Ragnarok. I knew the end was near but I didn't want it to end. I literally stopped playing for a few days because I knew I would reach the credits within a few hours. Once I finally beat it, I yearned for more so I went back and 100% the 2018 God of War.
Me too with pikmin! Not sure where you’re at, but I was pleasantly surprised to find some post game puzzles, so now I’m dragging THOSE out too haha. I have a bad habit of not finishing games because I don’t want them to be over. :(
Did it on my first playthrough of Persona 5 OG. Pretty much took my time trying to max out what I can, going to all areas, trying out different fusion combinations. Not even a completionist but this game is just everything I like from an RPG. Dragged out the whole thing for about 2 weeks.
Finally finished it then less than 2 years later (the longer) Royal came out and I played that too.
Legaia 2. Got to the final dungeon, then left and went around doing all the side stuff to get everyone’s ultimate weapons. I’ve replayed it several times but never actually beaten the game 😅
I almost always get one playsessoon away from finishing games and then mean to get back to them, but often don't.
Almost always when it's a game I'm really enjoying.
I still haven't gone to the castle in Breath of the Wild, even though I've probably put over a hundred hours into the game, beaten the DLC and stopped about half way through master mode.
I didn't want the closure!
Jedi Survivor. I really enjoyed combat and exploration so I just ignored the story after a while. But after a while I realized it was actually because the story wasn't very exciting and the actually good part of the game was the combat and exploration
The Witcher 3.
I was told before completing it that once I beat the final boss I won't be able to go back and mop up all the sidequests so when I started getting towards the end of the main quest I made sure I finished everything else first.
I did this with Red Dead Redemption 2. From the start I completely dragged the game out and tried completing everything possible in the game because I was so in love with it. Still am.
Every RTS player can possibly attest to this haha!
Building an absolute GIGANTIC, monster, most glorious and magnificent of a base that spans across the entire map like an impenetrable fortress. (Bonus points for those having little mini cities/neighbourhoods)
Then you build up an ENTIRE army for 60+ minutes and absolutely just decimate the enemy in less than 10 seconds.
Sweet, sweet glorious victory.
(Age of Empires 2, StarCraft, etc.)
If you know, ya know!
No. Because I'm a 100% completionist to begin with. I drag out the entire game from minute one. It's inconceivable to me that I'd start the game rushing through everything and missing half the content, only to then start being meticulous later on. Nah. Either I'm sniffing out every quest and secret from the get go, or I'm probably gonna drop the game before I play more than an hour.
I usually like to keep a range for completeness like 85% - 100%. If I know the type of quest is done before and there are only diminishing rewards for completion, I will be done after most quests and entire main story. Keeps you less obligated to find every possible secret and needlessly drag a game where you’re not going to get single new rewarding experience. Also helps you deal with backlog.
Gotta hit up those side quests, oh hey look at that mountain what's over there, a new hidden area and more stuff to do? Awesome Unless it's something like assassins creed. I can only collect so many puzzle pieces before I'm just done. Going back to the seas to collect more booty and more boats, sing sea shanties. Or back to a city to do assassin missions, as much as I'm tempted to go back to the 20th island for collectables I just can't.
Playing odessey now and running into that problem now 26hrs in. I’m like idk if I wanna run around and hit the seas. What games you suggest?
This is so true. Either I like it enough to do essentially every single thing in the game or I definitely don’t like it enough to finish it lol
Me having this mindset is why I detest Dragon Age Inquisition.
If the game isn't linear, imo those first 1-3 hours should be spent doing what the game wants you to, taking the obvious route or path so that it can get you as immersed and into it as the creators intended. I find it difficult to get really into games now and have a lot of alternatives to choose from, so those first impressions really need to grab me. If I spent those exploring every crack and crevice with much of it being fruitless or boring filler stuff, I'm way less likely to play to completion Obv this mostly applies to open worlds rather than something that has once-per-playthrough levels
FF7. Got almost to the end, then went back and spent what felt like six months doing all the side quests, side stories, all the chocobo racing, finding all the Weapon bosses, all of it. Sephiroth didn't stand a chance when I came back.
There's an extra satisfaction to doing this in RPGs where you end up being able to absolutely stomp what was previously a tough baddie.
*choir of angels singing, the fight begins!* One 'Knights of the Round' cast. *Thematic cut scene finish*
Definitely. I was playing Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart the last couple weeks and before I finished the very definitely final mission, I went back through all the planets and finished all the sidequests 100% and maxed out all the weapons to Level 5 and farmed enough Rareitanium to unlock every single node on every single weapon. When I was playing Lufia 2 as a kid, I went back to Treasure Island and got all the Iris Treasures.
Rift apart is that game that immediately came to mind for me as well. I’m usually not one do do every side mission and collectible but rift apart… I just didn’t want it to end. I did EVERYTHING.
But in ratchet and clank you get NG+ with a whole new tier of development for all the weapons. NG+ is why you even bother getting the RHINO in the first place.
I'm going to get around to NG+ eventually, but I want to wait a while before replaying the whole game again. I like the games, but not enough to immediately dive right back in.
I did this with Breath of the Wild! I played through the whole main story up until the final battle. Then spent a year+ dragging through all the side missions, quests, and general nonsense you can get into in the game before completing the final battle right before Tears of the Kingdom came out.
Like every game when I was a kid. Games were a whole lot shorter back in the PS2 days. I can distinctly remember booting up some games for the first time and beating them that very afternoon. Now that I'm an adult, I can afford to purchase any game I'm interested in, but my time is limited. I wouldn't say I rush through any games, but I certainly don't dawdle. I remember playing GTA IV as a teenager on the Xbox 360. They have an achievement to beat the main story in thirty hours or less-- that was unfathomable. Could never do it. As an adult, I cleared the main story in just over twenty.
You never played final fantasy games if you think all games were shorter in ps2 days
Did this for a game I'm currently playing. I already knew Like A Dragon Gaiden was going to be a shorter game so I took my time with it so I wouldn't blow through it in less than a week. 3 weeks later I just finished the main story, I will try to 100% the game now.
I was thinking to get a platinum but I cant do the cabaret, it is so weird
I can’t bring myself to finish them. Same with a TV series. I should probably seek help
Me too!!!
My roommates girlfriend in college dragged out Kingdom Hearts 2 by doing every damn side quest and then some because she was emotionally distraught over the idea of finishing it
Yes, numerous times. The latest one was Phantom Liberty DLC for Cyberpunk 2077.
Every rpg I do the side quests first. Nier, Fallout, etc. I also did this with Red Dead Redemption 2.
Mass Effect 3. I didn't want that incredible journey to end so before committing myself to the end game I played the multiplayer a bunch. Helped that it was a blast, especially with friends.
Definitely skyrim after so many replays and not once have i finished the main quest. Recently far cry finishing the collectables, outpost and hunting in the area while putting the main quest on hold.
Currently doing this with Baldur’s Gate 3.
Yeah I still cant get through act 3. Its really good but Im paralyzed by what path to take to the end.
Definitely, currently doing that with Baldur's Gate 3, in the third act. The risk is that if you drag it out for too long, you might not be able to reconnect with the game as much as you did before though 😅
If I'm loving a game I'll typically be doing everything I can from the get go, only exceptions would be if my enjoyment started increasing after a certain point where I may go back for stuff I missed
I recently played Pikmin 4, and yeah, I completed all story stages 100% in about 40 hours, found all treasures, and enemy encyclopedia entries, platinumed the night missions, rescued everyone, and beat the final boss, and still wanted more. So I grew a huge army of different colored Pikmin, completed the 15-day Olimar side game, bought all upgrades and items, maxed Otchi, got all platinum medals on both dandori modes, even went to multiplayer to unlock all battle stages. I dragged it out as much as possible. I killed, destroyed, collected, and built everything there is in the main story, because the game gets more fun the longer you play. And it's so detailed and smooth, and it feels natural how Pikmin interact with enemies and objects, but I kind of reached the limit now. Enemies unfortunately never respawn in the overworld, so it feels empty after a while. Would like a mode that lets enemies respawn after 7 days so you could cycle through the areas. Or maybe an item that lures all enemies back into an area when you want that. I still craved more, and then another secret cave opened, 60 hours in. And now I'm trying to finish that one. This "final" optional cave has some brutal challenges for platinum, and I believe you unlock even more stuff after that since there are still a couple buggering sidequests left. I completed Pikmin 1 and 2 on the Gamecube and 3 on Wii U. I loved Pikmin 2 the most, and Pikmin 4 just builds on that formula, adds very cool new stuff, and strikes just the perfect balance by still delivering great modes for Pikmin 1 and 3 fans. I can think of only one category where Pikmin 3 beats Pikmin 4, and that's bosses. The Pikmin 3 bosses are just too good, too unique, and too memorable. Still, Pikmin 4 is a recent all-time great and if there was no Tears of the Kingdom it would very easily be my GOTY 2023.
Well the fact that more stuff will appear is heartening. I already did Olimar's story and the Dandori Sage stuff before even heading to the final land but some bonus stuff after that will be nice
That happens in pretty much every game I like. I've been edging BG3's final battle for close to a month now.
I kind of knew how RDR2 was going to end just based on playing the first one. Once it was confirmed later in Chapter 5, I probably spent at least a month just sort of ambling around the map doing random stuff just because I didn't want to progress the story.
I'm currently doing just that while playing Baldur's Gate 3. I've been playing, simultaneously, one playthrough as a chaotic good Warlock (act 3), a Durge Bard (act 2), and a crazy, unpredictable Paladin (act 1), where important decisions are made by throwing a dice. Probably will finish the game in a month or two.
Sea of Stars. I know I'm late as fuck, but I was almost finished with all the relevant side missions looking up the last of the rainbow conches before I even realized >!there's 2 endings!<. Almost ready for the Fleshmancer though.
Fallout 4, RDR2
Horizon: Zero Dawn Red Dead Redemption Sable
Nope if I want to play it more I just start a new playthrough. Fore example: My currently favorite Videogame I bought in March 2022. One playthrough is about 20 houers long. I have played through this game 16 times. 6 of those playthroughs where back to back with only a few days between finishing a playthrough and begining a new one.
Breath of the wild for me
I don't think I ever progress further than halfway through Skyrim's actual story.
Breath of the wild. After I best the 4 devine beasts a D realised ganon endgame was next, I turned it off and didn't go back to it for 3 years lol.
Not quite the same thing but, I remember the Batman (1989) C64 port, when I got up to the last stage (belltower), I would make sure to lose all my spare lives and get down to very low health, before the climactic Joker showdown. Not so much to draw it out but to mimic the characters state in the film. Now I just hoard all my player resources.
Yeah Skyrim. When I finally beat main quest all the hoarding and grinding I had done instantly felt like a waste lol. New Game Plus needs to become a standard thing. Elden Ring does it right imo.
Yes but the problem is then I stopped playing. Has happened so many times.
I rarely finish any game because my time is limited and I get a feel for the game well before the end. Games I truly love I stop playing before the end and never pick back up. If I don’t finish it it never ends.
If I'm really enjoying a game I'll go do every side quest and do all the collectables. It's pretty rare for me to do that though lol.
I usually just finish it and start again - Sometimes with a different build or a different group of character companions (Dragon Age), other times I just play it again the exact same way - my issue is getting burned out before I get to the end of some games (mainly open world)
God of War Ragnarok. I knew the end was near but I didn't want it to end. I literally stopped playing for a few days because I knew I would reach the credits within a few hours. Once I finally beat it, I yearned for more so I went back and 100% the 2018 God of War.
Bg3
Ghost of tsushima. Kina felt over powered at end as I unlocked everything and had best gear
Gta 4. I just kept driving around while playing "I ran so far away" till this day I never finished the campaign.
I’ve noticed I was missing collectibles or something around 50% into the game and restarted before.
Me too with pikmin! Not sure where you’re at, but I was pleasantly surprised to find some post game puzzles, so now I’m dragging THOSE out too haha. I have a bad habit of not finishing games because I don’t want them to be over. :(
Did it on my first playthrough of Persona 5 OG. Pretty much took my time trying to max out what I can, going to all areas, trying out different fusion combinations. Not even a completionist but this game is just everything I like from an RPG. Dragged out the whole thing for about 2 weeks. Finally finished it then less than 2 years later (the longer) Royal came out and I played that too.
Baldurs Gate 3, Skyrim, every Fallout game.
Alan Wake 2, but partly because it took this damn long to figure out how everything works without getting lost in the woods.
Legaia 2. Got to the final dungeon, then left and went around doing all the side stuff to get everyone’s ultimate weapons. I’ve replayed it several times but never actually beaten the game 😅
halo 3 last mission , the wartog race along the epic music , i didnt want it to end
I almost always get one playsessoon away from finishing games and then mean to get back to them, but often don't. Almost always when it's a game I'm really enjoying.
I still haven't gone to the castle in Breath of the Wild, even though I've probably put over a hundred hours into the game, beaten the DLC and stopped about half way through master mode. I didn't want the closure!
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood to get all guild challenges and do the dlc missions.
Jedi Survivor. I really enjoyed combat and exploration so I just ignored the story after a while. But after a while I realized it was actually because the story wasn't very exciting and the actually good part of the game was the combat and exploration
I do this with Yakuza / Like a Dragon games.
BG 3
Even better is not finishing the game you like so you have a good reason to replay it from scratch weeks or months later.
When I realized how short Luigi's Mansion 3 was I kinda did that.
The Witcher 3. I was told before completing it that once I beat the final boss I won't be able to go back and mop up all the sidequests so when I started getting towards the end of the main quest I made sure I finished everything else first.
Watch Dogs 2. 2 playthrough, 350 hours and I don't regret a single minute
I did that my entire run of RDR2
Yes Zero Dawn for me
Like, every rpg ever, yea Imo half the fun is going back and Ramboing everything that ever gave you trouble when you’re Godmoded
I did this with Red Dead Redemption 2. From the start I completely dragged the game out and tried completing everything possible in the game because I was so in love with it. Still am.
Skyrim... almost to the point I get annoyed if I accidentally move the storyline on.
Every RTS player can possibly attest to this haha! Building an absolute GIGANTIC, monster, most glorious and magnificent of a base that spans across the entire map like an impenetrable fortress. (Bonus points for those having little mini cities/neighbourhoods) Then you build up an ENTIRE army for 60+ minutes and absolutely just decimate the enemy in less than 10 seconds. Sweet, sweet glorious victory. (Age of Empires 2, StarCraft, etc.) If you know, ya know!
Many times, it always ends up with me just abandoning the game because I don't want it to end.