There are lots of reasons to give up on a video game before completing it. For example, some games are released with game-breaking bugs and glitches that make them unenjoyable. Why waste your precious time on a title when a developer couldn’t be bothered to fix something that ruins the experience?
But, then there are other reasons for stopping playing a game – sometimes a great game. Petty reasons. The protagonist’s voice, the super-villains name, the creaking sound when you’re sneaking around. Things that shouldn’t matter but make your blood boil to the point that you decide to put the controller down.
I’ve given up on more than a few games throughout the years. These are 10 of the pettiest reasons I’ve stopped playing games.
1. The Crew 2
Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of racing games. The only one I’ve ever really played religiously (other than the races in GTA Online) is Need for Speed Underground 2. I bought The Crew 2 because the combination of land, air and sea vehicles looked interesting.
I stopped playing because…
…I couldn’t tint my windows. Seriously? You let me customise my cars yet I can’t have tinted windows to finish them off? See ya.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
I played The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask on a friend’s N64 during a particularly wet summer. Boy oh boy was I excited when I saw that it was being re-released for the 3DS. Majora’s Mask on the go?? Yes, please.
I stopped playing because…
…they changed the “time of day” graphic from the elaborate clock style to a flat bar. It just isn’t right.
I understand that on-screen real estate comes at a premium these days, but the 3DS has 2 screens. That’s more than 1. Yet they took my clock.
3. Ghost Recon: Wildlands
Ghost Recon: Wildlands has a lot going for it. A huge, detailed map to traverse with your friends using real-world inspired military tactics.
I stopped playing because…
…every time my character got on a motorbike he announced to the squad: “I’m on a bike”. Every single time. And I got on the bike a lot.
4. ABZU
ABZU is like a huge, living, breathing, relaxing wallpaper. Fish swim gently by and you can just let the world pass you by if you don’t want to progress the game. It’s a great way to unwind after a hard day at the office. It also has cute little robots who you can ping and they ping back. I love them!
I stopped playing because…
…a shark ate one of my robots friends. It shattered the serenity of my ocean escape. And killed my little robot. Unforgivable.
5. The Division
The Division should be a perfect game for me. I like shooting people in the face, I like post-apocalyptic environments and my favorite ever vacation was New York for Christmas in 2013.
I can tolerate sharing the experience with other people.
I stopped playing because…
…I equipped a shotgun, went out into the blizzard, an escaped convict spotted me, I hid behind a car, waited for him to get close, popped out and shotgunned him in the face.
His health dropped to about half.
A fucking shotgun to the face at point-blank range and dude just shrugged it off? No, sorry, bye.
6. Fallout: New Vegas
Again, I’m a huge fan of post-apocalyptic environments. I’m also a keen gambler, so Las Vegas reimagined into a post-Nuclear war cityscape sounded amazing. Reading reviews, Fallout: New Vegas sounded absolutely incredible.
I stopped playing because…
…the third person walking animation looks so ridiculous that it made my blood boil. Sure, I could have played it in first-person, but then I couldn’t see the sweet gear I’d collected.
Don’t hate me.
7. Pokemon X (and Y, I suppose)
Pokemon Yellow dominated several years of my life. 151 Pokemon to collect was a huge challenge but that I rose to (I think I topped out at 115 or so). Pokemon Silver with its 251 Pokemon upped the ante but I felt pretty happy having collected approaching 200 of the little bastards.
Years later, seeing commercials for Pokemon X, I decided to jump back into the world of my Pokemon. Gotta catch ’em all, right?
I stopped playing because…
…there were 718 fucking Pokemon now. HOW THE HECK CAN ANYONE WITH ANYTHING RESEMBLING A LIFE EVEN TRY TO CATCH ‘EM ALL??
I seriously caught about 5, checked the Pokedex, realised it wasn’t remotely possible, quit that night and never returned. Give me Pokemon Yellow in 3D any day.
I haven’t even touched more recent Pokemon games because fuck that.
8. Dishonored
A gorgeous steampunk world boasting amazing stealth and combat mechanics (depending on how you wish to approach it), Dishonored had me hyped up on release. I decided I’d start stealthily, knowing full well that my playthrough would quickly reduce into an all-out kill-fest.
I stopped playing because…
…I hid behind a corner, leant out right in front of an enemy – as in, so close that I saw the whites of his eyes – and he…well, he turned around and walked off.
So, you give me a playground to be stealthy within, yet you give me bullshit gameplay mechanics that basically turn me invisible, giving me the ability to lean out RIGHT IN FRONT of an enemy and still be considered hidden?
I wanted to be a ninja, not a fucking ghost.
9. Mass Effect 1
I hear that the Mass Effect games are great. Admittedly, I tried to play Mass Effect 1 during a busy time in my life, but all the same, it managed to find its way to my “probably never play again” pile and has stayed there.
I had made it all the way to the Citadel, which was kinda cool for a bit, but then disaster struck…
I stopped playing because…
…I had about 4 elevator rides in the space of 15 minutes and wanted to kill myself. I saved just before the final ride to help me get back to my ship, reloaded the next morning and decided F this, I’m playing Madden.
Yes, elevators stopped me playing one of the best series in video game history. Sorry.
10. Batman: Arkham Asylum
Until now, I’ve been petty but I think that most of our readers will find it within themselves to forgive me. But, I’m well aware that what I am about to say is going to be unforgivable. I’d like to take this moment to thank you all for your support over the past year or so. Here we go.
Batman: Arkham Asylum is widely regarded as a great game. Sure, it has its quirks, but taking control of Batman to take down Joker had never been this good. Apparently, anyway – I didn’t ever get far enough to find out.
I stopped playing because…
…Batman can’t fucking jump. You can jump over enemies and small obstacles, but there’s no actual jump button to jump up whenever you damn-well please. That was an absolute dealbreaker for me so early into the game.
I’m petty. It doesn’t have to make sense.
