We’ve all been there—you start a game, fully intending to see it through, and then… life happens. Maybe another game comes along, maybe you hit a frustrating boss fight, or maybe your Xbox gets destroyed by some frat bros (more on that later). Either way, some games get left behind, and we can’t shake the feeling that we should go back and finish them.

So here are six games we abandoned…but really wish we hadn’t.

1. Elden Ring (Matt Lord)

You’d think a game that won Game of the Year and was universally praised would be one that people see through to the end. But even after 60 hours, Elden Ring remains unfinished for Matt Lord.

“I feel like I'm not even close to getting to where the DLC would be accessible for me.”

The love for the game is still there, and the plan is to return to his Prisoner build on PS5 and wrap it up…eventually.

2. Metaphor: ReFantazio (Matthew Maulding)

My first unfinished game is Metaphor: ReFantazio, and I made it all the way to the final boss. So what happened? The game hit me with a brutal, 90+ minute fight that ended in total defeat.

“I was hoping maybe it would just take me back to the last stage, but it did not.”

And just like that, the motivation to finish disappeared. With my game still sitting on the hardest difficulty, will it ever be completed? The odds aren’t looking great. But I havnt’t removed it from my hard drive yet…

3. Friday the 13th: The Game (Dan Whitehill)

Some abandoned games still can be finished—unfortunately, Friday the 13th: The Game is not one of them.

Dan was all-in on this glitchy, chaotic multiplayer horror game, but when the developers lost interest (and a lawsuit shut down content updates), the servers were eventually shut down.

“It was fun! It was like a party I could play with my friends. But now…the game’s just completely over.”

Live-service games come and go, but this one hurts.

4. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Matt Lord)

Yakuza: Like a Dragon was Matt Lord’s kind of game—over-the-top, filled with hilarious and emotional storytelling, and boasting a surprisingly great RPG combat system.

So why did he stop playing? Simple: he lent the game to someone…who moved to Florida and never gave it back.

“I guess I won’t be asking for that one back.”

One of the dangers of physical copies—sometimes, they’re just gone.

5. Unicorn Overlord (Matthew Maulding)

A deep and highly tactical RPG, Unicorn Overlord started strong for me. It’s a really fun game! But as the party management mechanics became overwhelming, my enthusiasm started to fade.

“At some point, you have like 12 different parties to manage, and it just got pretty convoluted.”

Even though the game is fun (if you like strategy-heavy RPGs, this one is still worth checking out), it ultimately got away from me. I may try again to finish it, but the odds aren’t looking great.

6. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (Dan Whitehill)

This one isn’t just about abandoning a game—it’s about the death of an Xbox.

Back in day, Dan was ready to play Escape from Butcher Bay, one of the most beloved original Xbox titles. But since the Xbox 360 was about to release, he got creative—he found some fraternity guys who modded his console so he could play a ripped version of the game.

“I walk through beer cans and cigarette ashes. They ripped open my Xbox, soldered a chip, handed me a hard drive full of games, and I was set.”

For two hours, everything was perfect—until the console completely died. Whether it was bad soldering, dust from the frat house, or just bad luck, his Xbox never turned on again.

And just like that, Riddick was abandoned.

Do We Ever Go Back?

Some of these games might get a second chance. Others (looking at you, Friday the 13th) are gone forever.

What about you? What games have you abandoned—but wish you hadn’t? Let us know! And check out last week’s full episode of the Good Playing WIth You podcast!

Sound off below and let me know what you think!