Do you just complete main story or the full game?

Hi there. :)

I was recently wondering how does the majority of gamers play offline games. Do you just play through the main story and call the game completed or do you have a feeling that you "must" play everything, explore the whole game and find every single collectible? And what about the purchasable updates in the future? Do you feel the need to buy those in order to consider the game completed or do you just buy them, if you liked the game? Personally, I buy the update, if I've got no other game to play and if I really loved the original game.

Personally I call the game completed, when the main story is finished. Usually, if I really loved the game though, I might do the optional side missions. But the main point is, that the game is beaten after I finish the main story. Everything else is what I believe they are meant to be - optional for those who love the game.

For example, I recently played through Watch Dogs on my PS4. I did actually love the game, so I finished all the optional side missions and also collected some additional collectibles. I did not look for all the collectibles though, as I want to move on to another game (Assassin's Creed: Black Flag). However, I consider having beaten Watch Dogs now, that the story is over. And I consider myself a bit more of a Watch Dogs player than an average player, since I did look for the collectibles and completed all the optional side missions.

So, how do you play offline games?

i play offline games like you,if i finished the game then the game is finished however i try to explore and finish all side mission but not collecting all collectibles because for me it's not fun

It depends on the game. I go for collectibles if they're fun to search for and/or if they have a bit of lore attached to them. But if they're like the doves in GTA IV, I'm not going to bother with them. In my experience, that kind of collectible adds very little to the game itself. Finding them is too time consuming and you get nothing (or too little) for it. With puzzle or platform games it's different, because getting to a collectible usually means solving a more complex puzzle or being more skillful, which in itself is a satisfying activity (like the bandages in Super Meat Boy). If collectibles have a significant in-game reward and/or have lore attached to them, then I'll see how much I can find myself in the first playthrough and if I haven't found them all I often use a guide during the second playthrough (but only if I feel it would add something to my experience).

It's the same with achievements. If they add something to the game, I'll usually go for them. So it depends on how I personally define 'full game', but I'll never just settle for the campaign, unless that's all the game offers. I'll keep playing until I feel I've had the 'full' experience, which can vary widely and which is probably why I have an enormous backlog.

In old days the games usually consisted of one campaign, and didn't have that many side missions or collectibles. I liked them that way, much more simple and easier to define a full game. Nowadays it feels like over 50% of the game consists of side missions. In fact, at least on GTA, Watch Dogs and Batman games, that's the way these games are. I had completed approximately 37% of Batman: Arkham City when the end credits started rolling on the screen. I don't like that they give side missions so huge part of the game. I like exploring games though, but I don't think it should really be this big part of completing the full game.

If I finish the main story that makes me consider the game completed.

It's all dependent on how much I really like the game whether or not I play all the side stuff.

I try to complete as many of the side stuff as I can while going through the main story.

I beat the main story and as many of the sidestuff as I can. I get collectibles if possible but don't go out of my way to obtain them. Generally, I consider the game beaten when I've done all the fun stuff I could, without the "I must do everything" mentality which can kill the real fun for me.

As for purchasable updates aka DLCs I buy them if I really want to return to the game with some brand new quests and storyline.

Normally I loose interest once the main story is completed, only exception was Skyrim

If I like the story and the gameplay, I'll try and complete everything! If I'm getting bored with it, I'll just finish the story and call it a day.

When the credits roll I'm done, until I go back to replay on hard.

If the game isn't very fun or well paced I usually only do the main story. Otherwise, I try to do a 100% run

Kind a off topic but what about fast travel?. Do you use that if in game?.

@skipper847: You mean like we had in GTA? I did use it a lot, but often also like to drive myself to missions. Especially on a new car or some. But on Watch Dogs, I never hopped in a train to fast travel, I always drove everywhere.

Yes.

The vast majority of gaming that I do is offline. I like being able to pause whenever I need to without missing a beat. Plus, I don't have to deal with any unsavory types in the online community. The mute button got a lot of use when I had a 360 years ago.

As for how much I do in a game, it depends on how much I like it. I explored every corner of Xenoblade, The Last Story, Chrono Cross, and the Mass Effect series because I love the games. In contrast, I went through the story in Assassin's Creed III and didn't bother exploring anything else because I found it to be uninteresting.

No, but there is a funny story behind that. When Elder Scrolls IV : Oblivion came out It wasn't until a year later that I discovered it had the fast travel ability. Before then I had either walked or used the horses in game to move around, so since I got so used to it then I've just kept doing it.

Took the Taxi on occassion in GTA 4 but then I'd sit there until I reached the destination.

I'm a completionist. I consider it a waste to not play everything the developer has on offer and most of the time, the stuff available after the credits roll are far better than the content available before.

Everything but Online Multiplayer. But thats only because I don't want to pay for Gold Membership !

I don't have internet at my house so I only play offline. I like to complete everything. Enjoy everything the game has to offer.

The one that's more tempting.

i think you get a feeling whilst playing whether side missions and such are genuinely fun and worthwhile or just pointless fluff to pad out the main game. if it's the latter i'll finish the campaign then bail, if not i'll play around until i'm bored or another game comes along

I consider a game "completed" when I finish the main story. I typically don't go back and play side missions or find collectibles, unless I really enjoy the game. Sometimes I might replay the game's main story too.

Otherwise, I only do side missions/find collectibles when I am playing through the main story at the same time, so I do some side missions, but not all.

Pretty broad question as there are so variables to consider. It depends on the kind of game, the amount of stuff to do in the game, what kind of stuff the extras entail, etc. I try to do most things in most of the games that I play but I wouldn't say that I'm a completionist. I do almost always play more then the bare minimum story parts in my games.

I will always finish all of the side missions/quests before ending the main story but the one thing I'll never do (because it's too much trouble) is collecting any kind of collectables. Nothing given as a reward (even achievements/trophies) aren't worth it.

I do two playthroughs before I make an opinion: one for the main story, the other for 100% (or as close to it as possible)

Depends on the game obviously... I'm not usually one for collecting stuff or doing things for the sake of it, unless it's fun of course. I usually just complete the campaign generally.

@NinthFall: I am OCD when it come to video games I have to do all the side quests, before I complete a main mission. (Except Skyrim I tried) I'm not truly OCD, but I believe to complete a game fully you must do it all. You are way more poweful by grinding, and doing the side quest then you will with just the main mission. Also more loot, armor, weapons, and story when you do side quest. If the game is very good, and I truly like it, I will purchase the content the second time, or third time around. But I try not to support blindly. Since I complete all that is in the game I don't feel the need to purchase DLCs, since the hype is usually gone by then, and its only if I really really like the game I would, or wanted to continue the story.

I theoretically want to go through all the side quests and miscellaneous stories before I do the main mission, but I find that if I really dislike a game I'll just rush the main quest. Or if I'm somehow really caught up in the story I'll rush the main story. At that point I consider it completed. Because the main quest of Skyrim was mostly uninteresting (aside from Parthunaax who is awesome) I did as many side quests as possible and tried to stay away from the main quest. So that's a bit of a counter point.

If it's a game I enjoy like Fallout 3, I'll save the main story for last. Otherwise, I'll eventually lose interest and stop playing if I don't finish the main quest. I've had Skyrim since release day and have yet to complete the main quest.

I usually complete all the side stuff and the campaign.

Depends on the game.

Red Dead Redemption - finished 100% seven or eight times. I love this game
Assassins Creed Black Flag - got all the stuff you get trophies for
GTA IV - currently trying to do 100% on PC but the stunts, etc. are annoying
Halo 3, ODST, Anniversary, 4 - got all the skulls, achievements

There are other games where I finish the main story and sell them afterwards. If the game is fun and the side things are fun, too, I do it.

I'm a bit of a trophy whore. Well, maybe a lot of a trophy whore. So I generally do everything that is necessary to get all the trophies, thus earning the platinum trophy. Otherwise I don't think I would have much incentive to go after collectibles and everything unless I really enjoyed the game enough.

No game has pushed me to get a platinum trophy. I usually play the single player first, then hop online.

If I really enjoy a game, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm gonna ply as much as possible. But I rarely 100% games, usually play the story a few times depending on what kind of game it is.

I want to finish the game 100% and finish the side mission :)

Especially when I like the story ^^

if the side missions and stuff are fun and interesting i usually do those on top of the main game. Sometimes if a games really great i'll do everything in them even if some of its not to interesting.

i mean there are games that i play over again if i think it's worth it like Mass Effect and try to complete the game completely. For the most part though i just complete the story and the side activities as much as i can

@NinthFall: Depends a lot on the game but i always do side missions first then main missions and if the game isent boring i do all the extra like collecting pigons, feathers etc...

But once i put it away i put it away i rarely go back to a game after the main mission is done.

Depends on the game. If I like it then I don't want to stop playing, and that means I'll usually go through and find the most difficult secrets and compete the grindiest achievements just to have more time with it. Generally speaking I'll beat every game I play if it has a story mode. Very rarely have I ever played anything that was so bad I couldn't finish it.

Also.... I don't like this whole "Complete" thing.... It implys games are novel experiences just like books and movies. Games are at their best when repeated over and over again, not "completed".

I personally use games to stimulate certain parts of my mind to keep me from goint batsh!t insane, I use DiRT 3 to work on my Hand Eye Cordination, Dead or Alive to Work on my Adaption and Refexes, Puzzle, adventure and Stealth games to work on my Deduction and Judgement and Preporation.

Co-Op games to work on building Relationships :(, I know... Sad right ?

Its why I keep coming back to them, its why I put over 100 Hours into Bayonetta, its a not 10 hour experience that I just complete, its a tool I keep coming back to for constant stimulation.

Now if Bayonetta could a adopt a repetitive format like FIFA, DiRT and DoA then I would be in Heaven ! Same goes for Portal and Adventure Games.

I usually complete the full game and i ll be roaming in the game as maniac.. Lol..