Video Game Procrastinators AnonymousJune 29th, 2008 by Mercedes
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Hello, I’m Mercedes, and I don’t finish video games.
That’s not to say I don’t play them. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy them. But I can’t not put them down. There’s always that final push of the start button, the pause that lasts for days, weeks, and sometimes years. It’s a bad habit, to say the least, but I’m on the path to recovery.
I think it started out of intimidation. When I was too young to have an attention span that would last longer than an hour, I’d just watch my sister play games. My five year-old mind was boggled by the flashing lights, the scrolling text and huge amounts of HP. Sometimes I’d ask her to explain the plot or battle systems, but I was always lost. I was way too scared to delve into virtual worlds and potentially screw up characters’ lives. I mean, I knew that I could always press the reset button, but losing lives and taking the time to strategize stressed me out. I wanted it easy, so naturally I started by playing platform games. Bad idea.
I got used to level-based infrastructure. For years I boxed myself in with short, easy bursts of gaming. I’d get my quick fix by playing the same levels of Crash Bandicoot 2, the ones when you’d ride on Polar’s back, you know what I’m talking about. Levels that forced me forward like the mine carts in Donkey Kong Country. Jump here, dodge there, arrive safely at the end of the level, pat myself on the back for a job well done, and turn off the console. I’d use each loading screen as an excuse to take a break. My inability to complete a game was spiraling out of control.
You see, I couldn’t simply will myself to play a game. Oh, no. I couldn’t just want to play the game, pop it in for shits and giggles, and make enough progress to further myself along. I had to play it perfectly, I had to go into it knowing my way around to avoid losing lives. Little did I realize until recently that this kind of mindset strips all games of their value. Of their fun.
I lived in denial for a while. I read walkthroughs to prep myself. I bought a player’s guide for The fucking Sims, since, you know, it’s so difficult. I convinced myself that this was gaming the way it was supposed to be, exposed and complete. But it wouldn’t get me anywhere. I eventually grew tired of reading pages of text before pressing any buttons, but instead of adventuring and exploring on my own, I’d frustrate myself into turning the game off. I never got past the Snorlax in Pokemon Blue. I never got past disc 2 of FFVII. I couldn’t even get through the demo of Silent Hill 4. Well, that was because it scared the shit out of me about twelve seconds in, but still!
Only recently have I put my insecurity behind me. I can actually understand complex RPG’s if I pay attention, and I can enjoy playing a shooter without stressing! I finally discovered what playing video games is all about. It’s about playing at your own pace. It’s about not letting a game’s depth intimidate you, and it’s about finding your favorite style of gameplay. You know, having fun. They’re games, after all.
Honestly, sometimes you can’t help but put a good game down in an effort to make it last. It’s like realizing you have only a few pages left of a novel you’ve loved reading or tuning into the series finale of one of your favorite TV shows. You can always bookmark the page and finish it later or buy the DVD’s when you’re ready. But much of the time, what makes a game is the experience of playing it in its entirety. What is a game’s ending worth if the adrenaline rush from its beginning and middle dissipated months ago?
I’m sure I’ll go back and tie up loose ends one day. I’ll understand Cloud’s strife firsthand as opposed to reading about it from synopses and FAQ’s. Maybe I’ll finally even raid in WoW. Until then, though, I’ll try my best to finish what I start.
June 29th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I feel your pain!!
I have an account on Backloggery that embarrasses me. I have so many games, some would say TOO many, haha, but I feel like I’ll never finish them all. That’s why I try to stay away from MMOs, aside from the fact I don’t like them that much. I have so many different stories to experience. And I procrastinate.
Don’t worry! We’ll finish them!! We’ll fight the good fight. XD
June 29th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
You never got past the snorlax in Blue? What have you done with your life?
I am the COMPLETE opposite. When I play donkey kong or Mario, I rush forward at full speed and rely on my reflexes, not knowing what is coming next. Granted, this is the worst method for staying alive, but it makes the game that mush funner when you actually succeed.
June 29th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
oh gosh, you are speaking right to me. I don’t htink that I have ever finished a game in my life. For me though, it is because of what I call commitment issues. I will start a game, play it for a couple weeks, maybe a month, maybe two, but eventually I will find another game that is shinier, newer, and more interesting, and the first game falls by the wayside.
I don’t think that I have ever beaten a game in my life
That said, I have stuck with World of Warcraft for over a year now, perhaps because I can put it down for a few weeks, play another game, and come back, knowing that friends will still be there, I will still know what to do with my character. I think the fact that I am paying for it every month helps the motivation though.
One of my new new year’s resolutions was to finish a video game this year, but I haven’t made any progress towards it. I am hoping though to finish Super Mario Galaxy over the next couple months, or perhaps Super Paper Mario - as awesome as both of those games are, I haven’t picked them up in a few months simply because I am distracted by other games.
I wish you the best in finishing your games! I hope that you manage to do so someday, lol.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:30 am
This happened to me once with Phoenix Wright. I ‘beat’ the game, and then the extra case popped up. I still haven’t done it …
Final Fantasy IX as well. I never even beat it until 2004, although I had a bunch of characters at eighty. I just got bored at the last few plot twists with Garland.
June 30th, 2008 at 3:00 am
I’m the same. When I was younger I would play games like Baldur’s Gate, FFVIII and Resident Evil 2 through and through for 20 or more times, but as I got older I just somehow got lazy. I still haven’t finished either of the new Metal Gear Solids, FFX or Resident Evil 4 and it sucks because I really wanted to see how they end. Thing is, I always stop when I’m at the last boss. Either I run out of ammo and my next save is hours behind or I accidentally delete a save and so on… I just never seem to get past the last challenge and then other things come up and I don’t have the time. Bleh.
June 30th, 2008 at 8:32 am
I’ve never finished a game. I’m getting pretty close to doing so in The World Ends With You, though. But when I say finished I think more about doing all the extras then actually finishing the story. I think the only game that I’ve not finished the main story is Viewtiful Joe 2…
June 30th, 2008 at 9:39 am
I have this horrible habit of not being able to play 2 games at once. Now my wii sits alone on the TV stand since I discovered WoW.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Brittany- that’s actually why I find MMO’s to be perfect for me. They never really end, so I don’t feel guilty about not finishing them.
Stefanie- If you’re looking to finish a game and get a confidence boost, I would recommend trying shorter games to start with. If you like simulation, I’d say go for Trauma Center on the Wii. It’s got a pretty interesting plot if you’re not squeamish. And some shooters are pretty short depending on which difficulty you play them.
Reginald- If we’re talking finishing video games in terms of unlocking EVERYTHING, I’m pretty sure the only video games I’ve done that with were the first three Spyros.
July 5th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Holy crap Monique.. same story with me.. “beat” Phoenix Wright but then that DS case came up and idk.. just lost interest..
And that’s weird cause I fuckin LOVED that game but idk.. I guess I just got used to Mia & Maya..