Rectify Gaming

Opinion: Being A Completionist Is A Curse


Posted on August 17, 2018 by Nick Moreno

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For many of those who play games casually, they’re able to enjoy what the games they play offer. Whether it be side missions, upgrades or just exploration, players will get what seems to them as the most they can before moving on to the next title. But for some, it’s not over after just finishing the main objectives. Completionists, including myself, will return to the game’s world more than once, scouring every corner for collectibles and getting all of the content provided from the team who developed the game.

For a certain amount of people who use games as a time killer, or have it as their primary hobby, they possess an internal threshold which, when crossed, allows them to start another game. Generally, people will reach the end of the game’s story, put time into a couple of the side missions that they run into along the way and collect whatever is right in front of them. For completionists, they are gaming minorities who take games to the next level and devote more time to getting the most out of each game in their library. A nice consequence is that they also tend to get way more of their money’s worth than those who are satisfied with just seeing the final credits roll.

Most completionists will base their fulfillment of a game either on the in-game progression or the achievements/trophies available for it. Whether it’s finding each collectible, completing the game on higher difficulties, doing certain quests or completing secret activities, there are always side portions that many players gloss over when playing through the main game. Even though it is satisfying reaching the bottom of the pot for the games we 100 percent, it’s a real curse sometimes with what’s necessary in going that extra mile.

Reaching max progression on games is something to take pride in, but a big problem comes when you jump into a new franchise halfway through. If it grabs hold of you, then the need to destroy every previous game can really set you back hundreds of hours.

As games evolve from what they were in previous generations, looking back at older titles as you reach the most recent installment will help you appreciate the changes, either good or bad, to what makes the certain series stand out even more. But starting an entire series is a tedious and time-consuming process. Along with attempting to attain everything available in a game, older titles usually seem to be more difficult to master.

Although you might enjoy your playthrough, the irksome tasks you’ll run into might be what keeps you from fully reaching the game’s completion. Stumbling blocks usually include difficulties such as completing entire playthroughs with an extreme requirement, online achievements/trophies or missed collectibles. All of these could hinder you from another attempt to pursue the 100% completed mark. Especially with older games, online challenges could be almost impossible if attempted today.

As they age, servers might close or the game’s lobbies might be more vacant than during its initial launch. This is a hugely problematic issue, as it might be the last piece in the puzzle of grasping the hundred percentile.

In the long run, completionists have more to show on their overall game progress compared to others on their friends list or general leaderboards. Though it is rewarding to finally make it to the end, it is a struggle that few attempt to do. So much goes into the effort that the thrill might die out sooner than expected, to the point that it might even make your experience of a game turn sour.

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