I can still play a long RPG if I really put my mind into it, but most of the times I'd rather play something short. There's so much stuff to manage in an RPG, and half of the time I'm just there for the story.
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I can't find the strength nor the time to play RPGs/JRPGs anymore and it's making me sad
- Thread starter Lamine
- Start date
This. If you're leading a life that makes you miserable because you can't play JRPGs, it makes one wonder how exactly bad off you are.
I'm sorry, bro. I've been lacking the motivation to play any kind of game lately that isn't instantly gratifying and constantly holding my attention, and even then I don't always stick with it. I think part of it has to do with coming home from work and lacking the energy to physically engage with a video game, and then on my off days, I'm dealing with life stuff most of the time. Still working on the balance. Maybe the games I've been attempting to play lately just aren't clicking.
My backlog of games is literally over 1,000 at this point, so I definitely get that overwhelming, depressing feeling of "I don't have enough time for all this", and even when you do have the time, you may lack the motivation.
My advice would be to not look at your backlog as a "burden" or something you MUST play through. Think of it as more of a library, and you can select what games you feel like playing whenever. Try a random game you're most interested in playing at that time, and don't feel bad if you bounce off it - there's plenty of other options to try and you can always return to that one game later if you feel like it.
Realistically, there are simply too many games in existence for anyone to ever be able to play anyway, even if you narrow it down to just a few different genres, then maybe even narrow it down more into sub genres or some such. That goes for most other things in life, there'll never be enough time or energy to experience everything you could possibly ever want to experience, but the plethora of options is what makes it enjoyable, and you'll probably find that after enough time has passed, you may no longer be as interested in something you wanted to play/experience as you once were anyway, and other things will pop up that'll grab your attention more in that moment.
With RPGs specifically, maybe take a break from the genre for a while, or see if there's any shorter RPGs you may be interested, or games that otherwise have a bit of a twist on the standard RPG formula.
Or do what I do and just play a long RPG once or twice a week for a few hours, even if it ends up taking you months to finish.
My advice would be to not look at your backlog as a "burden" or something you MUST play through. Think of it as more of a library, and you can select what games you feel like playing whenever. Try a random game you're most interested in playing at that time, and don't feel bad if you bounce off it - there's plenty of other options to try and you can always return to that one game later if you feel like it.
Realistically, there are simply too many games in existence for anyone to ever be able to play anyway, even if you narrow it down to just a few different genres, then maybe even narrow it down more into sub genres or some such. That goes for most other things in life, there'll never be enough time or energy to experience everything you could possibly ever want to experience, but the plethora of options is what makes it enjoyable, and you'll probably find that after enough time has passed, you may no longer be as interested in something you wanted to play/experience as you once were anyway, and other things will pop up that'll grab your attention more in that moment.
With RPGs specifically, maybe take a break from the genre for a while, or see if there's any shorter RPGs you may be interested, or games that otherwise have a bit of a twist on the standard RPG formula.
Or do what I do and just play a long RPG once or twice a week for a few hours, even if it ends up taking you months to finish.
Going through something like this myself right now. I want to play a bunch of RPGs, I want to replay ME and Fallout and I want to play TriStrat and the new SaGa game and LAD IW, but I just can't seem to be able to focus on anything for longer than an hour or two. So I just play roguelikes and lites for now, the ones I'm already familiar with and can easily pick up and play for hours on end, and maybe I'll have more energy in a few months or maybe a year or, whatever.
I've been kinda experiencing that with FF7 Rebirth. With the advice of some here on ERA I'm putting it on easy, doing only the sidequests/intels I want to do, and just enjoy the story/plot like I'm watching a TV show, binging here and there when I have time. And if I really want to play it a chapter select option is available to go back after finishing the game the first time.
So what are you actually doing instead?
It's fine to have no motivation or urge to play RPGs, but are you playing anything else instead? Or as a guy in his 30s, is it just partner/kids/sorting the house/work?
Just curious how you're filling your time now that you've been free'd from RPGs is all.
It's pretty much everything besides that aren't RPGs that are getting weeded out for me. Even my beloved fighting games are getting harder to justify buying when I can barely put time into them. So I tend to just play RPGs. If I only play a one or two games in the span of three months so be it.
But I do get feeling overwhelmed with choice. I do find myself not wanting to start anything when I have a pile to choose from.
But I do get feeling overwhelmed with choice. I do find myself not wanting to start anything when I have a pile to choose from.
OP
OP
Several people already nailed it. All that stuff you loaded onto the 3DS... gotta uninstall it and just leave 2 or 3 things on there.
I really have to focus on 2 games maximum or I won't play anything at all. Also had to get over the FOMO of buying/starting things on day 1, due to hype and online discussion.
Hardly anyone will be discussing Xenoblade 3 by the time I open it, but it is what it is.
I really have to focus on 2 games maximum or I won't play anything at all. Also had to get over the FOMO of buying/starting things on day 1, due to hype and online discussion.
Hardly anyone will be discussing Xenoblade 3 by the time I open it, but it is what it is.
☝️
Subsequently, you can still continue to play the genres of games you enjoy, and just be ok with no longer beating them as quickly as when you had little responsibilities.
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It's hilariously obvious that this was a self inflicted problem, though there are many valid reasons to get out of any genre, especially RPGs with their length. It's my favorite genre but there's been times I've gone years just not playing any of them, then I'll play nothing but them for 2 years straight.
One thing that helps with anything I think is your level of investment. Did you spend $60 on a game? You might play that. Did you download 40 RPGs from your youth? Maybe not so much.
It could also help to branch out. Maybe play something less story heavy, more gameplay focused, maybe a dungeon crawler, maybe a shorter western developed indie JRPG, maybe a strategy RPG, maybe play a janky low budget one with good ideas but less successful execution, play a monster collectathon, etc. The genre has more to offer than a lot of people are willing to admit. There's variety in the options available.
One thing that helps with anything I think is your level of investment. Did you spend $60 on a game? You might play that. Did you download 40 RPGs from your youth? Maybe not so much.
It could also help to branch out. Maybe play something less story heavy, more gameplay focused, maybe a dungeon crawler, maybe a shorter western developed indie JRPG, maybe a strategy RPG, maybe play a janky low budget one with good ideas but less successful execution, play a monster collectathon, etc. The genre has more to offer than a lot of people are willing to admit. There's variety in the options available.
I like JRPGs that fall into a more episodic pattern. Playing DQ11 town by town is done in really nice bite sized chunks.
A big thing for me as I get older is I am just way more open to just dropping stuff that isn't clicking or if I feel that the game has run its course, which means I start a lot of JRPGs I never finish, and I'm perfectly okay with that. Almost none of them have stories that are worth losing sleep over missing out on.
A big thing for me as I get older is I am just way more open to just dropping stuff that isn't clicking or if I feel that the game has run its course, which means I start a lot of JRPGs I never finish, and I'm perfectly okay with that. Almost none of them have stories that are worth losing sleep over missing out on.
Use a trainer to speed up the game. Can use steam or Antimicrox to assign the fastforward to a button and turn it off for boss fights.
Made games much more enjoyable, and saves time greatly. According to Persona 3 Reload, my playthrough was in 100 hour mark while I doubt I played at most 50-60 hours.
Made games much more enjoyable, and saves time greatly. According to Persona 3 Reload, my playthrough was in 100 hour mark while I doubt I played at most 50-60 hours.
That'll do it, same with me.
Of course, my bigger fear was just you just couldn't enjoy anything and you were medically depressed or something.
Regardless, whether you return to RPGs or find some other game type you like in the future, hope you'll find pockets of time sooner than later.
I feel like playing RPGs on portable consoles are great because you can just put 15 minutes going to the bathroom and other 25 minutes on bed before sleeping, without having to see the start screen every time.
Even if the game is really long, you're just progressing one step at a time without worrying about anything.
Of course this solves the time part. If you don't really feel like playing them, there's not much more to do than giving them a rest.
Even if the game is really long, you're just progressing one step at a time without worrying about anything.
Of course this solves the time part. If you don't really feel like playing them, there's not much more to do than giving them a rest.
I can't find the strength nor the time to play RPGs/JRPGs anymore and it's making me sad
@PoorlyAgedThreads https://www.resetera.com/threads/modded-3ds-is-a-goddamn-heaven-for-jrpg-lovers.842169/
www.resetera.com
I can't find the strength nor the time to play RPGs/JRPGs anymore and it's making me sad
@PoorlyAgedThreads https://www.resetera.com/threads/modded-3ds-is-a-goddamn-heaven-for-jrpg-lovers.842169/
Haha
I've had the new Final Fantasy since release and I only get to play it for a few hours in the mornings on the weekends. The final game of the trilogy will be out by the time I finish it.