What does it mean to complete a game?

[instantreplay]

What does it mean to complete a game? This is something that I asked myself and I wasn't really sure how to answer it.

For some first person shooters I think finishing the game is really straight forward and simply refers to completing the campaign. But what about fighting games like Soul Calibur? Does completing the game refer to finishing the story mode with every single character?

[Veilor]

That depends on the fighting game. Most fighting games doesn't have a story mode. Just the arcade. For me completing a fighting game would be getting all characters and all end videos if a game has that for each character (like DoA or Tekken). In all other games it's just to finish the story.

[90snostalga]

What does it mean to complete a game? This is something that I asked myself and I wasn't really sure how to answer it.

For some first person shooters I think finishing the game is really straight forward and simply refers to completing the campaign. But what about fighting games like Soul Calibur? Does completing the game refer to finishing the story mode with every single character?

That's a great question and something to think about.  I think it just depends on the person.  I know for me, if I was to go back and play Mortal Kombat II for the Genesis or the SNES for example, me beating each round of fighters at least once with every playable character would be considered completion.  For Tekken, same thing.  I would pick my character and go through every fighter and I would consider it completed.

[disgaeniac]

What does it mean to complete a game?

It means different things to different people that may even vary for different kinds of games.

Are you a completionist?

Do you hunt trophies?

Do you re-play games?

When a game has branching paths & multiple endings...do you *have* to see them all?

How much free time do you have for gaming?

All of these different kinds of gamers would answer differently depending on varying situations = there is no *RIGHT* or *WRONG* answer here.

It's like asking: "What constitutes a RPG and what are the differences/criteria betweem WRPG's, JRPG's, SRPG's, etc ==> You'll never get a clear & concise answer -and- different people w/ differing opinions will argue & debate it and the discussion will never end 

[burningdoom]

To complete a game means seeing the end-credits. To have mastered a game better describes getting all achievements, unlockables, characters, areas, etc.

[exonerator]

I feel like it's the same as finishing a movie. You wouldn't leave halfway through unless it was really bad.

[burningdoom]

I feel like it's the same as finishing a movie. You wouldn't leave halfway through unless it was really bad.

This discussion is more like watching just the movie vs. watching the movie and all the DVD extras.

[stethebubble]

To complete a game means seeing the end-credits. To have mastered a game better describes getting all achievements, unlockables, characters, areas, etc.

saves me from saying it.
also master is completing it on the hardest setting.

[turf]

To complete a game means seeing the end-credits. To have mastered a game better describes getting all achievements, unlockables, characters, areas, etc.

saves me from saying it.
also master is completing it on the hardest setting.

+1 
This is actually VAFT. (Verified As Fact by Turf - I'm starting my own internet acronym.)

[stethebubble]

To complete a game means seeing the end-credits. To have mastered a game better describes getting all achievements, unlockables, characters, areas, etc.

saves me from saying it.
also master is completing it on the hardest setting.

+1 
This is actually VAFT. (Verified As Fact by Turf - I'm starting my own internet acronym.)

lol
my little girl is called zoie and we had stickers of her printed giving aa thubs up with zoies seal of approval printed on them.

[xstonekinghtx]

yeah that can be different for everyone. For example for me complete a game is beat the final boss and thats it xD. I dont mind if I completed 70% etc I completed and Im happy about it. Same thing with fighting games when I played them back then

[Warmsignal]

When you have the case and game, but the manual is missing and then you just happen to find one. You completed it. As for playing, you "beat" a game when the main story is finished.

[soera]

To complete a game means seeing the end-credits. To have mastered a game better describes getting all achievements, unlockables, characters, areas, etc.

This is about as close an answer to what I would say as possible.