Games that took you ages (real time) to complete

[Broken Mirror]

I don't know about you, but I had (and have) a few games in my collection, that took me quite some time (in real time, not game time) to finally complete them.

Yes, this is going to be one of my longer posts 😜 So before you read on (or not) what are your worst offenders (considering the point in time you pressed start to the point in time you saw the credits rolling)?

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My worst offender is interestingly one of my favorites: FF VIII. It took me about 15 years to see the final game screen. I managed to play through VII twice and complete Grandia II, Skies of Arcadia and many others (even HL, HL², etc)

After screwing up my first savegame (about 60h went into this IIRC) I started over, but put the game down because of various reasons. When I finally was ready to continue, I started over because I wanted to know exactly where I was, get into the world and story again, etc. This happened a few more times until I finally sat down in 2016 and was determined to play through this thing once and for all on my trusty old PSone.

During all that time, this game developed into some kind of personal end-boss for me. A ton of “respect” had build up over the years so I was a bit dissapointed how easy it was in the end. Also, the end sequence was way too short compared to the one from VIII.

Another one was Fire Emblem (GBA). Took me 24h in-game time and one year real-time. The issues were almost the same as with FF, but I didn't start over. I wanted all characters to survive, so I had to start over certain stages a lot.

There are many other games I started but did not yet complete. Phantasy Star, Phantasy Star IV, FF VI and Chrono Trigger, just to name a few. I'm currently trying to finish Xenoblade Chronicles 2 though, as I've also got this one for over a year now (with the savegame being just as old).

[Dub-Z]

Reading other replies jogged my memory.

I rented and loved "Out Of this World" multiple times on SNES, even eventually owned it later on both SNES and Genesis for many years in my collection, and even held it in high historical regard as a major influence on gaming (and my tastes)... but didn't ever get to see the whole game through until the 20th Anniversary release of "Another World" on Vita a few years ago. I just couldn't wrap my head fully around it as a kid, until long after I'd played through many other cinematic puzzle platformers.

[Broken Mirror]

Still have the original Sapphire unfinished as well as Alpha Sapphire and X... 😒

[Broken Mirror]

I think there is a difference between wanting to complete a game but for some reason you don't and a game being boring or feeling like a chore.

For example: I really want to finish Final Fantasy VI, Phantasy Star and Phantasy Star IV, but I somehow can't bring myself to do it because if various reasons: 1. I put them down a long time ago so I forgot what to do next and have to start over (again). In case of FFIV I might be under-leveled (the Enemies on the floating Island seem to be overpowered for my team). 2. (And this is pure guesswork as I'm not a psychologist) once you finish those games, they're done. Sure you can replay them, but it just isn't the same.

[PriestTroit]

• I've never actually beaten the main quest of Skyrim, and I bolted to Gamestop right after class the very day it came out. Guess that makes like, what... 7 or 8 years now?
• It took me about a year to beat Final Fantasy X Remastered on PS4. I gave up after I couldn't get past the last boss the first time around.
• Donkey Kong 64 takes the cake, however. I could never get past the (I think) last boss where you have to fight a series of bosses in a boxing ring, then take on the boss's "final form." I don't even remember how long ago that was, but it must have been sometime between '01-03 or something...

[EngulfingDarkness]

Heroes of might and magic 3, damn i love this game.

[ethansito]

I didn't beat Pokemon Pearl until sometime this year. I bought it when it came out.

[Toasty!]

I kinda feel this . There is so much good video games out why stick with something boring? Just so you can tell you’re friends you “beat” it?

[Astraea]

I agree on TC's FFVIII, I never even finished it, but I did play it for years, I just never came around to beat it because there was so much to do.

Also, Oblivion, man I played that game for a looooong time.

[AAneko]

The last game I remember me playing and having a bit of a long grind to finish is Berserk and the Band of the Hawk. Getting the platinum for that game is a really long and boring grind. It's not that it will take years to complete it but it really becomes repetitive and boring at some point when aiming for that trophy.

[Tons_0_phun]

Ooooh i have a game for this. I still have yet to complete it in fact. We ❤ Katamari. A favorite of mine. But the last thing you have to do is roll up 1 MILLION ROSES! Now you're probably thinking but it's Katamari so you get bigger and can collect more. NOPE! Once you reach a certain size you stop growing, amd can only collect roses is in groups of 1 or 5. THAT'S IT 1 OR 5!!! You want a real feel for what 1 million is like? THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT!

[R.U.S.E]

Two games in particular I remember from my childhood.

First was Sonic Riders, first played it at a friends place. When I finally got my own PS2 he let me borrow it and it took me another couple years to finally beat it. (Still have that copy actually lol)

The other was Need for Speed Underground 2. That one took me like three years, and not just because of lack of time put into it. Then again I played the whole thing on the hardest mode and didn't use the internet to beat it :P

But yea there are a few others but none off the top of my head

[Murray]

Persona 3, 4 and 5. Each game took over 100 hours.

Same deal for every Souls game, since I went for the platinum trophy on each.

[RedHawkDirewolf]

Ocarina of Time. Two or three years, I reckon.

[The_Dirk_Diggler]

Yeah The Witcher 2 was made on CD PRojekts engine as opposed to repurposing Bioware's Aurora engine. The story in the first one is excellent but the combat is shit. I absolutely am loving the second game. I'll play 3 after I beat 2.