Does beating games matter?

@hizang: Your Seikro story sounds very similar to my time with Holo Knight. I played that game for 60s hours and never finished it because the bosses were too much for me. What I enjoyed most was exploring the world. The reason I got so much out of that game was there was always a new area to explore if I got stuck on a boss. I played until I ran out of world to explore. At the time I hated putting it down, but I feel no real need to return to it now. I'm satisfied with that experience.

Sometimes you have to draw that line. In Cuphead it was a triumph when I made it to the third world, but I didn't have enough in me to go much further. Atleast I got to see the bosses in the new world, my goal was to just admire their art.

Then there are games like Resident Evil and Bloodborne that are monkeys clinging to my back. I won't be satisfied until I return for another round.

For me completing a game 100% is the sweetest taste games can offer. My ultimate goal I've been chipping away at is to go full completionist on the entire Zelda series.

Then there are huge games like The Witcher 3 and Reddead Redemption 2 I forced my way through and may have enjoyed more if I surrendered myself to, rather than steam roll right through them. Part of me is glad I'm finished with them, another part would like to return to them with the freedom of a post credits save.

Open world games are dangerous time sinks for a completionist. I find myself gravitating to small games more often than not these days. Coming from someone who's well on their way to collecting 900s Koroks a second time.

If I buy a game, then yes it matters. I don't want to feel like I wasted money, and if I don't finish the game, I consider that a waste of my money. On the other hand, just starting any game and feeling compelled to complete it just because I started it? Heck no. There are so many GamePass games that I don't want to check out, or check out and stop before I reached 30 minutes in. It really just depends, did I spend money on it? Every single game that I bought and didn't finish I've always regretted not finishing despite not enjoying it enough. That's partially why I sometimes go back to them to try again.

If you’ve paid for the game, then yes.

if you want to see if you can recommend the game to your friends, then yes.

Its very rare I beat games these days, before I would finish games even if I didn't like them. Now my back log is huge and it kinda bugs me. The gamer in me wants to finish game before I move one. But there are so many game that require hundreds of hours to complete like Assassins Creed Odyssey which I have been playing now. Sometimes game are so complicated and require you to learn all these new systems, its so daunting to try new games. These days if I'm not having fun I move on, but then again the gamer in me the OCD type it drives me crazy like OP said, so totally agree and relate.

Yes but I'm not gonna beat a crappy game just for its own sake, if I do beat something I don't like it's most likely because it's considered an all time classic and I'm trying to understand why.

If it's decent-good I like to beat it so I can judge it as a whole. Then there's the aspect of being able to put it behind me mentally, I don't like having various unfinished projects in the back of my mind.

If it's about challenge I will check YT, then use a cheat or lower the difficulty if that doesn't help, then if it keeps happening I'll likely put the game down.

If I've purchased a game I will most likely finish it otherwise I won't feel like I've gotten my monies worth. I never really purchased games without knowing quite a bit about them so I don't remember the last time I spent money on a game and really disliked it so I've never really been tested on this. It's now been so long that I've gotten access to games through Live Gold, then PS+ that any game I've only dabbled has been one I didn't "pay" for anyway.

Other than money? Games are a relaxing passtime for me. I've never been good enough at them to feel like I should work at overcoming challenges that I'm not enjoying. I'll work to over come lazyness for exercise, or doing chores, or other stuff that matters.

No.

If I beat a game it’s because I naturally made it to the end because I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. I’m talking Elden Ring, and yes Cyberpunk. I like to pick up a lot of games and will never finish them all.

If I don’t beat a game over the course of a couple years it’s because I wasn’t drawn to finish it. But it will always be there.

As you get older, I guarantee beating games becomes less important.

Hey there! It's interesting to hear how your perspective on beating games has evolved over the years. I can relate to wanting to complete every game and chasing that sense of accomplishment. But you know what? The purpose of games is ultimately up to you! It's your journey and enjoyment that matters most.