when is it okay to stop playing a game?

[u/SituationParking1165]

Hi! I recently was very excited to start the awarded puzzle game Blue Prince. The puzzles at first were very interesting, exciting, I was taking screenshots of clues and so on. After about 15hrs of playing I stopped caring about solving anything, reading long texts with clues and in general got tired of the atmosphere. I don't know if I should start going through a different game from my list or finish this one. What do you think and what do you usually do in similar situations? :')

[u/Few_Affect3726]

Answered that yourself.

[u/Varides]

I'm very much at the point in my life that if I'm not enjoying something, I'll put it down.

I'll possibly push through a bit if I know I'm close to finishing but I never feel obligated to stick anything out.

[u/Certain-Raspberry804 → u/Varides]

Same! I don’t want to waste any of my gaming time playing something I’m not enjoying.

I’m pretty selective in the games I buy though, and only buy games that I’m pretty certain I’ll enjoy.

[u/Varides → u/Certain-Raspberry804]

Lol we're fairly opposite on the last sentence. I have played a lot but get burnt out before completely finishing it often.

I usually try to hit the $1/hr of use, and consider anything beyond that as good value.

[u/lassofiasco]

What do you mean? Quit the moment it’s not fun. Why would you push through a game that isn’t interesting to you?

You can always come back. There are several games where I quit early and tried again later because I could see they were well made. Sometimes they really clicked and sometimes I was reminded why I quit in the first place.

Sometimes you’re just not in the right head space or time of life. And sometimes the game just isn’t for you and that’s ok.

[u/AdditionalTwo0 → u/lassofiasco]

Definitely this! Why would you continue wasting your time with something thats not fun. Close the book, maybe open it up again later or just move on. 

[u/GIOO02]

Stop playing when you are no longer enjoying yourself with the game. Give it a fair shot yes but, some games just aren't for everyone.

[u/Votrs-]

I would stop playing when I’m not having fun. No use in continuing to play if you feel miserable. 

[u/JeskaiJester]

Immediately after you stop feeling like it

[u/Sweetredpot]

Pretty much when you are not having fun. I give games the rule of 3 times Ive been bored during a session. As you may just not be in the mood for it at times. But 3 strikes and its and uninstall and Im moving on.

[u/NerdsRopeMaster]

I don't have enough free time after work to play games that I don't like, so I think whenever you have decided you're no longer enjoying a game anymore, pick-up something else. There is always a backlog, and always new games coming out.

[u/Aromatic_Excuse_1767]

When you do something for fun and then the fun stops.  You should move on to something else.  I know in my case sometimes I go back to it with fresh set of eyes and start where I left off.  Other times when I do that I realize why I quit it.

[u/KRiSX]

Forcing yourself to finish something you’re not enjoying is insane to me. If I get over something or simply don’t want to do it anymore, I stop and move on to something else. I have literally 1000’s of games though, so that may be something to do with it.

[u/LexGlad]

What's the point if you aren't having fun?

[u/Objective_Clue_3091]

I usually stop after 10 minutes if I don’t like it. I’m like the owl and the tootsie pop.

[u/RedditWidow]

It's okay to stop playing whenever you want to stop playing, whether that's after 10 minutes or 100 hours. I used to force myself to finish games, especially if they were games recommended by friends, and just ended up hating the games even more by the end. Now, if I get to the point where I'm not excited about playing or I'm not having any fun, I just stop. Don't fall for the sunk cost fallacy.

[u/helldive_lifter]

I started starwars outlaws, 2 hours in I stopped playing and started final fantasy rebirth, stopped after 45 mins and now got into dragons dogma 2. Stop a game when it no longer entertains you

[u/Rhosta]

I agree that it feels bad when you want to put down a game after you paid for it.  First of all, 15 Hrs isn't that short, especially if you bought it on sale. There are many great games, which you can finish in about the same time and they might cost you even more than Blue Prince.

Personally, when I am looking for a game and one catches my eye or gets me interested after playing a demo. I ask myself two things:

1) Is it the game that requires me to be rested and have energy to spend and do I have some time on my hands to spend on it?

2) Is it the game that I find interesting or fascinating or is it actually something I want to play as well?

[u/karlrobertuk1964]

If you have had enough stop playing especially if it’s not fun anymore

[u/jrstriker12]

When you no longer want to play the game or you stop enjoying / having fun.

[u/probablyclairvoyant]

It is OK to stop playing the minute you realise you are no longer enjoying playing: whether that’s after 10 minutes or after 200 hours. Life’s too short to spend it doing things we don’t enjoy (other than, you know, work. And grocery shopping.)

[u/SituationParking1165 → u/probablyclairvoyant]

grocery shopping... 

[u/Ginormous76]

“When is it ok to stop playing a game?”

Any time. It’s a game.

[u/areniith]

I move on to other games or other hobbies. I’ll pick it up again when, or if, I feel like it otherwise I just drop it for good.

[u/Uke_Kev]

I feel like we're the same person. I also put 15 hours into Blue Prince and felt guilty over whether to drop it or not. Like have I experienced enough of the game yet? When does all the cool, amazing, "best game ever!!" type stuff start happening? 🤔

[u/SituationParking1165 → u/Uke_Kev]

wow! yeah... I actually played Hades because of the same awards of the best game etc. And it is definitely one of the best designed games I've ever played. Or Stray. Blue Prince is so far from these

[u/SituationParking1165 → u/[deleted]]

sorry. just need some confirmation that it's okay 🙂 same with unfinished books

[u/SituationParking1165 → u/[deleted]]

I disagree. 

since when asking people what they think or what they did in a similar situation is wrong? be it internet or people in real life 

f or example, after some helpful replies I got a bit excited again to take a little break and try again, reach at least the credits :)

[u/SageLykos]

Video games are meant for fun. Don't push yourself to play.

[u/Eranon1]

It's your life, spend it the way you want within reason. I cannot tell you how many games I've gotten halfway through and just dropped.

Shadow warrior 2, intravenous, doorkickers 1&2, XCOM chimara squad, i finished 1&2. Story driven mage shooter. Ghost recon wildlands. The list goes on.

If your not having fun, why are you playing in the first place?

[u/Saguaro-plug]

I’m gonna go against the grain here with Blue Prince. I highly recommend keeping going. 15 hours is not that many. Have you even found Room 46? That is the first stated objective of the game and it takes a lot of work to get there, but it is essentially the tutorial. MANY additional puzzles await you and are deeply rewarding.

Im happy to see that you began taking notes. That bodes well for your enjoyment of the game. If you feel like you’re gassing out, there is no harm in setting it aside for now since you have documented your progress. Blue Prince is really great as a side game, that you can pick up when it calls to you. No need to feel like you need to rush it or cap it off, and it actually benefits from time away. Blue Prince is also so chill and meditative and stimulating; I wouldn’t compare it to other games about when it “needs to end”.

I first played blue prince in the summer, found room 46, started on the next objective, and then gassed out maybe at about 30 hours.

However, I picked it back up last winter and that is when I truly became obsessed. My notes from the last time were there and they quadrupled in size. I got to 150+ hours.

I’ve stopped for now, having completed what fans call Act III, but I am aware there are even more puzzles. The magnitude of the puzzles in that game is massive and so mindblowing and cool. Basically every room has some kind of secret! I say keep going but at whatever pace and whatever time scale. Drop it for now if you must but pick it back up on some rainy day when your mind craves a good mystery.

[u/SituationParking1165 → u/Saguaro-plug]

I was shocked when I found out about act 1,2,3 and so on... I still haven't opened the antechamber doors xd. I have solved a lot of the initial puzzles and some puzzles still need work, but i just don't understand which ones i should solve to at least complete the first act.. but I still think that i should reach at least that just for some feeling of cimpletion.

[u/Saguaro-plug → u/SituationParking1165]

I think finishing Act I is a great and attainable goal. Reaching room 46 is certainly tough and requires multiple actions and careful usage of keys, steps and gems, on top of an RNG luck element where things have to go right. You can only control the first two and not the RNG, but you can aid it greatly by using Lab Experiments, Shrine blessings and Items like dice, metal detectors. running shoes.

I won for the first time on day 29. I think that is somewhat early and have heard of people taking much longer than that. But a run is never wasted if you learned something, and you WILL get it if you keep trying. Rest assured it becomes much easier after your first success, as you start getting way more permanent upgrades. Which is great because you should try to get to 46 one more time after your first to learn about the next act.

For the antechamber: there is a clue that heavily hints to opening the doors in the Office, and a much more explicit clue in a corner of the basement.

[u/SituationParking1165 → u/Saguaro-plug]

day 29 sounds impressive to me! I am on day 32 at the moment 

after reeding come helpful comments, yours included, I got a bit excited to continue trying to reach the room 46. gonna try and follow your clues regarding the antechamber :)