Unfinished Business
By Bill Stepec - May 2nd, 2008
A full account of the Xbox 360 games I never bothered to finish
To say you have “finished” something is a bold statement. This term is usually applied to things which have expired – through consistent use, or the complete lack thereof. In my case, I usually like to follow through with my projects and try to complete whatever goals I set for myself.
Still, every man has his limit and every activity a lifespan. Like a buddy who enjoys putting on a good Borat impression, some things are best left in years past. Video games are a prime example of this. Technology changes, industry trends shift and gameplay evolves. Even newer titles dropped under the wrong conditions are easily left unplayed, leaving thin plastic tombs containing double-layered discs of unfinished business.
When we were kids, we played whatever games we had, as they would have to last us at least until the next major holiday. However, as an older chap with a fair amount of disposable income, I can afford to pick-up Turok on a whim, knowing full well it will be played a few hours, then ejected long before every bit of content could be explored.
Is this such a bad thing? Does anyone really expect us to finish every last title we purchase? Everyone has a story about growing tired of Tom Clancy, weary of Warhammer, or burnt out on Burnout. However, not everyone decides to pick a few and list them with a small write-up. I did – so enjoy what you can. It would be hypocritical of me to expect you to read the entire article…
Game: Dead Rising
Last known whereabouts: Messed up the motorcycle chick.
There’s something about slow zombies that really float my boat. Sure, there are dozens, even hundreds of them around at any given time, but who cares? “Look how slow they are! Quick – I’m going to get my picture with one!”
It is this very arm chair approach to monster management that made Dead Rising so appealing. Take your time, the zombies will still be there when you come back, it’s not like they’re hatching some sort of ingenious scheme – they’re zombies!
Yet Capcom in their ass-hattery decided to put in place a time limit and a wonky save system. It was a tough, yet respectable gameplay decision, and I can see why they did it. I still hate it. Plus, the survivors would let go of you every time they rubbed against a park bench.
For god’s sake – this is the zombie apocalypse! HOLD ON TO MY FUCKING HAND.
Wow - nice article! I’m so awesome!
If you’re so awesome, why can’t you beat Dead Rising? Bwakajakajaka! Just kidding. That’s one of my 360 games that I’ve barely gotten into. If I did an article like this on, say, GameCube games, I would have to talk about something in the area of 70 games.
I blame the fact that I played through Resident Evil 4 multiple times.
You don’t like Guitar Hero, have you no Soul? Shaun, are you sure you checked that Bill was a live Human being, and not a fiendishly convincing version of a Spambot? ;)
Seriously though, I think it depends on how you term the word “finish”. If I play a game, not to competition, but feel that I have gotten “everything” out of it of interest (especially true in repetitive games that make you do the same thing over and over: GoW PC I choose you) I feel like I have “finished” it. I don’t feel guilty about not seeing the almost arbitrary ending to a typically “phoned in” storyline. Games that I “complete” are usually the ones I am having such a good time playing, that I *don’t* want to end.
With respect to Episode 2: The PC would probably give you the accuracy required to complete the mission. (It’s actually the last mission of the episode too). I enjoyed that one so much, I played it twice in a row (as soon as I finished it, I restarted, because it was just fricken awesome. And I wanted to try another technique). Try using logs, or running over the mini-striders with your car.
Dead Rising is a strange case: With the way the save/continue/death system is, I think it actually encourages/requires you to play through multiple times, failing. Until you get your character up to a high enough level that it gets easier. Zombie killing is Shaun and I’s favourite past time, so we could likely do it forever, which means that game never gets old. (”Only 65,000 zombies in the game? Why so low!”)
Agreed on Viva Pinata. I gave up 5-6hrs in. I wanted to “Catch ‘em all”, however they game gives you no real way to keep track of your goals, and always distracts you with new Pinatas. I was quickly overwhelmed, realized that it was just a virtual garden anyhow, and quickly went back to playing TF2.
Good to have you aboard Bill. PS. Could you not be so damn funny next time, you make the less comically gifted of us (me) look bad by comparison :p
Hey folks - thanks for the comments.
For the record - I have RE4 for Wii. Played through to the sewer, to find that I will have to buy the uzi-lookin’ gun to kill the invisible monsters effectively (I’ve been doing the pistol/shotgun thing). What kills me is I know for sure that a new Uzi sort of weapon will be available soon, making my purchase something of a waste. Plus, since I never planned on using that gun, I sold all my ammo. Suffice to say I’m done RE4 for now, but that’s another article.
I’m not really sure exactly what it was about the HL:EP2 thing that made me want to stop playing. I assumed it was the combination of factors, hence my pizza analogy. Still, I’ve put up with more from worse games. Maybe it was babysitting the buildings. It’s too much like an escort mission.
Interesting point on the difference between “completing” and “finishing” a game. I’m sure a ton of people have reached endgame in WOW, but continue to eat intravenously for 12 hour sessions none-the-less. On the other hand, I know a guy who bought GTA Vice City and played for months without ever touching the plot.
It’s facinating the way people play games.
What about games that you can’t finish because they have no ending? How would you go about determining when it is you’re done with them? Something like Pac-Man CE comes to mind. I take 20 minute stabs at it every now and then but am so, so bad at it that after that 20 minutes I am crushed.