We’ve all done it. We’ve all started a video game with the intention of finishing it, only to eventually decide it’s simply not going to happen. With backlogs filling up faster than they get checked off, no one should be blamed for setting a game down. There are dozens of different reasons why you might not finish a game. What reasons have made you set a game down, never to pick it up again?

For many, it might simply be a matter of time. You may be to busy to finish a 100 hour game while also trying to play other games from your backlog. Some games require extensive play sessions, and maybe you can only game for a few minutes here and there. Time constraints can play a huge part in giving up on a game.

There’s also the difficulty factor. We’ve all gotten stuck at a particular level or boss fight, and no matter what we try are unable to advance the story. Some games even have certain sections that are notorious for making or breaking players (looking at you, Ocarina of Time‘s Water Temple). I’ve set down game after game where this is the case. Especially purposefully difficult games, like Hollow Knight and Elden Ring. There are plenty of gamers who only realized these games are not for them after having already invested their time.

I’ve fallen for the “It’s Actually No That Hard” trap too many times. As a kid, I remember playing Tales of the Abyss for the PlayStation 2. I was about ten hours in and got stuck at a boss fight. I went to online forums to ask what level I should be, and finding out I was about ten levels below the recommended. After grinding out the levels and still no success, I gave up. Two years later, I started the game over, and found that boss fight no problem. 

Typically though, I stop playing a game when it feels more like work than fun, never to return. When Paper Mario popped up on Nintendo Switch Online, I was excited to try it out. I had never played a Paper Mario game before, and felt this would finally be the time for me to get into the series. Five hours in, I felt like I was playing out of a sense of duty. Enjoying other games made me feel like I was cheating on Paper Mario. Eventually, I just decided that I didn’t care what the rest of Paper Mario had to offer. Not that it was a bad game! After all, it had me hooked for a while. I’d simply had enough.

What are your reasons for setting a game down? Have there been any games that you went back to for any reason? Comment below, or join the conversation over on the Boss Rush Discord.

Image Source: Nintendo