# Memorable computer games you've never completed. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 19, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755 "2005-11-19T02:07:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/41 "2005-11-20T00:33:14Z")
This is obscure, but when I was a kid, we had an Atari 520ST computer, and one of the games I played on it was **Sundog**. Really liked that game. Came close to finishing it, and then the disk went ker-blooey. No, I didn’t have a back-up disk. Horrible. When I owned a Macintosh, there was this nifty game called **Marathon**. Could not finish all of the levels to save my life, even with the help of a guidebook. ---
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/42 "2005-11-20T00:36:03Z")
I really enjoyed playing _Wing Commander 4_, but there came a mission where you had to destroy a torpedo that was for the most part invisible. I kept trying and trying, but a) it was small and fast; and b) it would only show itself (visibly and on radar) for like half a second at a time. You could go on with a failed mission, but there was no way I was going to do that. Thinking back on it, there’s probably some more intelligent solution, but I stopped in frustration. I was at the very end of FFVII (you know, just at the mouth of the pit) and decided, based on my brother’s advice, that’d I’d go do all the chocobo breeding and get some cool weapon upgrades and stuff. I even printed out the guide. Of course, I never actually got around to the breeding… FFX-2 I just kinda petered out on when I began to realize that it really wasn’t going to have anything to do with what’s-his-face appearing in the ocean. And the one that _really_ got me was [Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns](http://fabbing.de/_Pitfall2.htm). Found this one spot where some guy tells you that “Pitfall Harry’s only hope/is to find the golden rope”. So after collecting everything else, I finally found the golden rope and (hopefully) the end of the game. Unfortunately, it was surrounded by such a combinations of creatures that no matter how hard I tried I never got to it. And being an Atari 5200 game, with no saves or anything like that, I never got around to getting that far again. I’ve solved quite a few puzzles in _Myst 3_, but after a vacation/period of not playing it, I’ve been unable to pick up where I left off. I’m still hoping to finish _The Curse of Monkey Island_… just with a new baby, it’s not always easy to find time to play it. Beyond that, all I can say is, you young wippersnapper should be thankful you have [UHS](http://www.uhs-hints.com/) these days 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/43 "2005-11-20T00:41:08Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > X-Wing (has anyone beaten this game? I’m still stuck on the first campaign) Repeatedly. _Tie-Fighter_, too. Never did beat _Alliance_, though. Damn thing was so long, I just ran out of interest before I got to the end. ---
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/44 "2005-11-20T00:51:46Z")
Sorry, my mistake. That was _Wing Commander III_ with the “Skipper” mission. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/45 "2005-11-20T01:05:59Z")
On the N64, I’ve yet to finish Star Wars Episode 1 Racer, Star Wars Rogue squadron, and Starfox 64. I keep meaning to, I just don’t. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/46 "2005-11-20T01:11:37Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Repeatedly. _Tie-Fighter_, too. Never did beat _Alliance_, though. Damn thing was so long, I just ran out of interest before I got to the end. I’ve beaten TIE Fighter and Alliance, and X-wing, but not the Add-on packs(B-wing and Imperial Pursuit). ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/47 "2005-11-20T01:15:54Z")
Most of those I possess it seems… Operation Flashpoint, Starcraft, Sim City 4/3000 (in that my cities died or I ran out of money awfully quickly) X-Wing, Tie Fighter Collectors (think I may have needed to cheat on one mission to pass) in fact more or less all the games I have for the PC and none for the Gamecube 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/48 "2005-11-20T01:42:44Z")
**Return to Ringworld** on the PC. I never got past the first level, but then, I was being paid to play it. 🙂 I was offered the chance to write a game review for _Science Fiction Age_. (The editor evidently got me confused with Chuq von Rossbach and made the offer.) I didn’t have a CD-ROM at the time, so I used someone’s computer at work (after hours), and finished things off by going to an OfficeMax and using one of their demo computers. This was before they locked them down. I actually had two copies of the game, and was prepared to give one to any clerk who asked me what I was doing, though no one asked. ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/49 "2005-11-20T01:43:42Z")
Add me to the list of Planescape:Torment quitters. The deviation from the regular Infinity Engine interface was bad enough, but the random and progressively worse slowdowns kept me from ever picking it up again. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/50 "2005-11-20T02:52:26Z")
Atari 2600 Pitfall (Never could consistently jump over those damned underground scorpions) Star Wars: Dark Forces (moved out of apartment of acquaintance with PS) Atari 2600 Swordquest: Earthworld (got bored) Atari 2600 Swordquest: Fireworld (found the UI to be the most atrociously horrible thing I ever encountered, even to this day) Some really early Mac adventure game where you woke up in a bar with complete amnesia. I recall that walking into the restroom determined your gender for the game… (wasn’t my Mac) Any Zork or Colossal Cave Adventure game (wasn’t my TRS-80) Super Mario Bros. (wasn’t my Nintendo) Spiderman: The Movie (incompatible joystick) ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/51 "2005-11-20T04:16:03Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > My hat goes off to anyone who’s beaten the final bosses of Metroid Prime, and Metroid Prime II: Echoes. Never played II, but I beat the first one on medium and on hard. But I could never (and still cannot) beat Master Blaster. That damn crab boss on level 5 is freakin’ hard. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/52 "2005-11-20T05:54:11Z")
I tried to play Imperialism a number of times, but could never get a good ending. If you spend too much time building up your economy, including your transport capabilties, your military tends to fall behind, and once it reaches some abitrary level behind your competitors, suddenly every major nation on earth decides to declare waron you at the same time. No reason at all. Even people who you had good relations with decide that you must die. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Long\_Road](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@The\_Long\_Road](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Long_Road)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/53 "2005-11-20T06:21:02Z")
Playing Panzer General, I never could score a major victory while invading DC. It always ended in a minor, a turn or two short, no matter what strategy I used. Finally gave up and just went back to invading France. Oh the fun of it. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/54 "2005-11-20T06:46:33Z")
> [@Atreyu](#): > > When I owned a Macintosh, there was this nifty game called **Marathon**. Could not finish all of the levels to save my life, even with the help of a guidebook. Ah, _Marathon!_ How could I forget thee? Fun game. (Except for having to run around a confusing, badly lit spaceship looking for some ill-marked switch to open a door, with a schizophrenic version of the Cigarette Smoking Man as the ship’s AI. That part…not so fun.) ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/55 "2005-11-20T08:06:17Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > I did it, but it was tough. It’s doable since you get a full loadout of health,armor, ammo and weapons before you start the final mission. Personally, I thought that the Cyberdemon in Doom was a much better boss then that stupid wall at the end of DOOM2. > > And you aren’t missing anything. You get another page of text and the game ends. Oh, I killed it by using cheat codes about a zillion times, so I know what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/56 "2005-11-20T10:24:04Z")
> [@Skott](#): > > Sorry, my mistake. That was _Wing Commander III_ with the “Skipper” mission. Yeah, the Skipper only affects a couple of missions later in the game. Just wait till you get to the mission where they’re launching Skippers at the TCS Victory. All things considered, Skippers don’t do much in the game. ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/57 "2005-11-20T10:38:08Z")
Half Life - got to the end level with the jumping puzzles and the end boss thing and gave up. MDK2 - after spending weeks getting past the second doctor level (with the jumping puzlles bomb things) I got to a point on the next Max level which involved a jumping puzzle and I gave up after one go. Knights of the Old Republic - was doing really well throughout the game, getting my friends to kill the enemies while I concentrated on powers that helped my team. At the end boss - : I had to kill him on my own, but my character was so crap at fighting he got killed in 2 or 3 blows without hitting the boss . I’ve never got around to playing all through again. Angband/Tome - it’s an ASCII based RPG (free download) based on the Lord of the Rings world that I’ve been playing since 1994 and I still can’t complete it. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/58 "2005-11-20T11:13:23Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > Some really early Mac adventure game where you woke up in a bar with complete amnesia. I recall that walking into the restroom determined your gender for the game… (wasn’t my Mac) > Any Zork or Colossal Cave Adventure game (wasn’t my TRS-80) > (incompatible joystick) The adventure game was most likely _Leather Goddesses of Phobos_, which was put out by Infocom. Did it have three naughtiness levels? And a scratch’n’sniff card? ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/59 "2005-11-20T16:17:09Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > The adventure game was most likely _Leather Goddesses of Phobos_, which was put out by Infocom. Did it have three naughtiness levels? And a scratch’n’sniff card? No, that wasn’ it. Think film noir instead of sci-fi. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755/60 "2005-11-20T17:53:41Z")
Final Fantasy Seven. I was playing the PC verison on an aging, dying and buggy computer. I was trying to get everything over with quickly, and rushed into the Northern Crater under-levelled and unprepared. I got slaughtered left and right, wasted the save point, and uninstalled the game and swore I will complete it for once and for all when I got my new PC. When my new PC did come, some other new distractions appear, and I forgot about FF7. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-computer-games-youve-never-completed/331755.md?page=4)