100% completion can mean different things to different gamers. For me, full completion is defined as a lot of the same things, but there are differences there—more on that later. Chasing 100% is something that many of us gamers strive to do in accordance with the logic, “We bought it, we may as well.”

But the truth is far less defined. Over the course of many years, beating a game has somewhat become a different aspect entirely. For example, if I get to the end of the game, great—which I inevitably will.

Now, if I get to the end of the game with all of the powers gained, all armor sets, and even the DLC weapons, then I’ve BEATEN the game. When there’s nothing else, that’s when it can feel like you’ve milked the game for all it’s worth.

This can be seen from the perspective of a gamer who finishes the main objective but has unfinished content. It’s a double-edged sword: you can feel like you’re done, but you’re not. I remember this from when I played Super Mario RPG Remake. Yeah, I got far enough in the game, but I didn’t have that Super Jacket, a side-quest item.

I got to a point where I had to decide whether that all-invincible item was worth milking the game for 100%. It wasn’t. Trophies are another example of this.

They can somewhat extend a game’s value, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the game itself is going to be worth continuing. I remember when I was playing God of War Ragnarök. For me, I got the full everything out of that game because, just like I did with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, I was getting 100% without knowing it—trophies and all—so I pushed further and Platinumed both games.

I come before you today to make it known why I stopped chasing 100% and just started enjoying games that demanded it, and why you can still leave a game with 25%, 50%, or even 80% completion without feeling as if another 30 hours will make a difference.

It won’t.

Chasing the Big 1-0-0, Why At All?

A game can give you all of the entertainment value that you paid for; it’s an obligatory duty of sorts. However, there are moments when clearing a game means making the choice to invest additional hours just to see or obtain something. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a fine example of this.

After beating the game, you might feel drawn toward the DLC, but that doesn’t mean those remaining 16 shrines are worth doing—they’re not. Investing the time to explore is a personal preference, but doing it just because you want to see what’s on the other side? Not recommended.

Now, when you’re gunning for a Platinum trophy or even a superboss, for that matter, it can be seen as part of the experience when you manage to make it a natural part of the game.

For example, when I used to play the original Final Fantasy VII, you had the three Weapons. On paper, going after them after Sephiroth is dead might seem like one additional task. But doing it during the game, or even before entering the Northern Crater, means you’re covering another base of sorts. It might be worth pursuing because it’s already along the path you’re taking.

I mean, 100% mastery or completion is different for every gamer. For me, 100% isn’t marked by, “Well, you beat the boss and got every character in Final Fantasy VI, so you’ve completely 100%’ed the game.”

For me, 100% completion can lie in getting to the end of that game, beating the boss, and then putting the game down. It can be said that the desire to see everything in a game can strengthen your appreciation for it, but there’s also a double-edged-sword effect:

It might also make you yearn even more for the game to end.

Completionism Is Working For It –

Moments in most games can turn completionism into a cult activity. Final Fantasy VI is a prime example of this. You can go from, “I’m getting everyone in the game I can get,” to “I’m getting everyone, and I’m getting their powers to boot”—i.e., special abilities and magic that can make them more worthwhile to use.

For many, this is doable. But the moment can spiral out of control quickly when you’re sitting there at 1 a.m., chanting, “Just this last power. I will have it.” At that point, you’re more consigned to using the person you put all that work into over everyone else whose power now pales in comparison. Not fun. I’ve done it. Never again.

And to put a fine point on this, completion is controlling you because you’re no longer thinking in terms of, “Meh, this one is just okay. If I get it, great. If I don’t, moving on.”

You’re thinking, “I can’t move on from the Flame Dragon’s Hideout until I get the form of that bull creature.” You get that bull creature’s form, then what? You may not even need that creature’s form for a long time, if at all.

Point of order: Don’t delegate, relegate.

I mean, think about this: if the only reason you’re chasing that 100% is for the Platinum, it might not be worth it, and here’s one reason why.

Your initial job is to play through the game. Get through it, but get to know it; there’s no pressure to get 100% on your first run. Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is a fine example of this.

I spent more than three-quarters of my first run trying to get the Armormend ability. But by the time I got to Lucifer’s Domain, I no longer felt like it was necessary. The hard parts that I needed the ability for were behind me.

If you decide to pursue the Platinum on your second run, that’s legit. I plan to do this when I replay God of War on PS4. My biggest concern would’ve been the Valkyries, but I killed them on my first run, so I don’t need to worry about doing that for the Platinum on my second.

Interestingly enough, on my first run of God of War, I did get to a point where I was like, “Valkyries beaten, but maybe I can milk this further by getting those Mist Echoes out of Niflheim or whatever.” Truthfully, I didn’t want to. I could’ve done it, but I wanted the game to end after I beat Baldur.

It did.

There was no reason to worry about what I left behind.

Remaining Percentage, Worth a Little or None At All –

I’ve played games where those additional percentage points can oftentimes blur the line between accepting what you’re given and questioning what the game should be giving you. Another example comes from Breath of the Wild: the Trial of the Sword.

Now, you can beat the game without completing the trials, but since completing them doubles the Master Sword’s normal attack power, the tradeoff is worth it as hell. But revisiting those remaining 16 shrines, or doing the Champion’s Ballad?

That’s not. Besides, if you’ve played Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, it makes the Champion’s Ballad DLC obsolete for me, if I’m being honest. That’s why I won’t do or get the DLC. Why? I beat the game already.

That’s not to say, though, that completing optional content isn’t worth it. For me, it’s worth pursuing if it can help me one- or two-shot enemies and bosses, or deal lethal amounts of damage like the Alpha Disruptor in the Ratchet & Clank Future games.

Sure, those same hours could go toward another game, but if you have a shot at getting something that can make those last several levels cake, do it. Nothing says you shouldn’t.

But make sure it’s worth it to you.

I’ve run across situations in games where a superboss could appear right in front of me while I’ve left collectibles behind in the dungeon. My Final Fantasy I Pixel Remaster run illustrated this when I was gunning for Warmech. I didn’t find him, but I was also okay with not getting everything in the dungeon.

Even though I was on the last level, those collectibles weren’t important enough that I was going to need them if Warmech did find me—which it also didn’t.

Revisiting the Super Suit example from my first Super Mario RPG Remake run, by the time I got to Monstro Town, I assumed I’d earned that item. I felt pretty confident that it was in the bag. After being told I’d only jumped 39 times, I was like, “Nope. Not grinding this. Fuck that!”

Not because I couldn’t do it like I did nearly 30 years ago, but because I wasn’t interested in depending on that item to carry me. I wanted to see what I could accomplish without it—and quite a lot, too.

That suit stopped being relevant.

Conclusion –

To wrap up, in the interest of the “Quad Squad,” the gamer always gets the last say. Sure, pimping out Strago with every enemy ability might seem ideal, but three-quarters of those abilities will probably never see daylight. The trophy might, but even that’ll lose its luster.

Don’t chase gold in a coal mine.

Leaving content unfinished is a personal choice, but getting everything—or trying to—on the first run can make the game more enjoyable, as long as you know where to draw the line. Milking a game for everything it’s worth is definitely a worthwhile endeavor because you paid the cost, so be the boss.

But don’t feel pressured to do everything you come across. Jinx in Super Mario RPG Remake is a shining example that gamers can walk away from a superboss without having to scratch that itch. Sometimes, leaving something unbeaten is perfectly fine.

A missing percentage can still mean something. If there’s a single item that’ll give you that last 5%, go for it. But if you’re too far gone —or too far ahead—in the game and that item is only a small speck in the larger weapon pool that is your arsenal, leave it. It wouldn’t make any more of a difference than it otherwise would if you had gotten it.

Point of Order: Know Where To Draw The Line.

Continue the Adventure — Website Bridge

Continue the Adventure

How much of a game do you really need to complete before you’ve gotten your money’s worth? From optional superbosses and ultimate weapons to trophies, collectibles, and challenges that can consume hours of your time, sometimes that remaining percentage is worth pursuing—and sometimes it isn’t.

I’ve put together a companion list on Benable featuring games that perfectly illustrate the difference between worthwhile optional content and completion for completion’s sake.

Check out “Worth the Grind? Games That Make 100% Completion Your Choice” on Benable to see which games made the list and why.

Because sometimes 100% is worth every minute.

And sometimes?

Don’t chase gold in a coal mine.

https://benable.com/RoddyMcG/worth-the-grind-games-that-make-100-completion-your-choice