Tell me about your last "showstopper" moment.

A showstopper. We have all, for the most part, had them at one moment or another.

It's that very magical and frustrating time when you're playing a solid game and then.... BAM. You hit a part that is just either difficult or involves some insane puzzle that you just can't solve. Or sometimes it's an easy, logical puzzle but since you don;t think outside the box.... you get stuck. Or maybe it's a room filled with 100 mobs hungry for your blood and the last save point was miles away and dying means going on a huge journey once more.

So what do you do? No matter how solid the game was... you either put it down and give yourself a vacation from it, you move on to another game and then get back to it at another time.... or worse, you move on and never get back to it for whatever various reason (sometimes you just forget about it). Or sometims it's an outside force

As of late... I can think of three.

1. Metroid Prime

Great game. Loved it. But while exploring in between my quest, I got lost and somehow got inside the underwater space pirate base... no gravity suit either. I got lost in there, got stuck and while possible to get out... I knew full well I was not supposed to be in there without the suit and this getting out demanded tricky jumps and luck.

I put it down. For a a few months. By the time I got back to it... I got out of the ship. But it was too late. I had forgottne where I had to go, where all the secrets and items I needed to collect were and just had no clue where was what anymore. So I had no choice but to star all over again. And while I could use the hint system to give me a general idea... it didn't matter. I lost the mastery of the maps and forgotten where everything I wanted to collect was. The prospect of starting over made me dizzy... so I stopped... again.

In fact, I have beaten Metroid Prime 2 with 100%.... and I have yet to this day to beat Metroid Prime 1.

2. Metroid Fusion

I am playing this currently, as I never picked it up upon release.

Three nights ago I had my show stopper. Right after the mechanical spider boss... I go into this room with SA-X (evil Samus) waiting for me) I have every energy tank and upgrade I can have at that point... and in a few hits he decimates you. I freeze him with ice missles, but it doesn't last long enough. I have to freeze him, get to the next screen, morph into a ball, bomb the wall, go through and then continue on to the rest of the escape from him.... and that is all just on the first two screens and he gets me every time.

So far, I have not gone back for three days. Maybe I will try again tomorrow. Maybe. This has potential showstopper written all over it.

3. Final Fantasy Tactics. Advanced

I love the game. I'm pretty far into it and was pretty well set up job wise and stat wise. But Castlevania: DOS came out,and I put FFTA down. But as soon as I beat Castlevania, Mario and Luigi 2 came out, and then Final Fantasy 4 Advance, Mario Kart.... you get the idea. I'm currently still too busy with other games to go back to it

So what about yours?

And I don't consider quitting on a game due to it sucking as being a showstopper. Nor do I consider those typical moments of frustration where we throw a controller... cause that's normal and usually we get back to it right away or at least the next day after calling it quits for the rest of the night to relax.

 

You should try Jedi Outcast or Jedi Academy. There are a bunch of insane puzzels in both of those games, that you would never have thought to try. People in these forums don't respond to surveys very well, at least from my experinces. Ok, I'll give one example, in Outcast, (I think this was still on Kejim) There was a door I needed to get through, but the door was closed and there was no way to get to it. I suspected there was a switch some where, but I couldn't find it. In my boredom I decided to destroy stuff, just for the heck of it. There was a box I blew up, which somehow made the door open and bridge extended. Sheesh, no one is going to want to type this kind of stuff it's exhausting, trust me.

 

Well son of the tear, every game you mentioned is on my "showstopper" list. Of course it's not so much that I ran into a part that was difficult, just I died... and never went back to the game. Sad too, because I was near the end of Tactics.

I guess when it comes to the technical term, as in a part that was so unbeatable you just gave up, I don't have any "showstoppers" I just have a lot... LOT of games that I stopped in the middle of because I got ANOTHER game and I don't have the time to play EVERYTHING anymore.

 

Majora's Mask. The Water dungeon.
I've heard it's easy. Well, not for me. Still can't beat it. Had to have my friend's gf beat it for me with me looking on like a fool.
So technically I never actually beat the game

Before that, I thought you actually had to go up the mountain and do the neccessary steps each time to get the powder keg. Needless to say, I thought that was bunk and quit playing for a long time

Another one that comes to mind is Chrono Cross. Somehow I was grossly underprepared to fight the dwarf tank thing and couldn't leave that general area. Realizing I had might as well start a new file, I had stopped for quite some time. Though when I got to the thing a second time, I dropped it without breaking a sweat. And I had the benefit of catching onto story tidbits I had missed the first time which was cool

Now if I could only remember why I had so much trouble that first time...

My mind is blank right now, but I'm sure if I put thought into it, I could list several games that might as well end at certain spots for me.

 

Sometimes I have these 'showstopper' moments, but generally after a visit to GameFAQs or simply a few more attempts I managed to get through and get on with the game.

However, there is one exception. Final Fantasy VI. I love the FF series, and I loved this particular game. However, one boss battle in Figaro Castle, the World of Ruin (just after Gerard admits he's Edgar, for those who've played the game) is simply impossible to win. And because the nearest save point is way back outside a cave network, every time you reload you have to trek a long, long way (and of course, you have to put up with random battles). The only solution seems to be the obvious one: level up, level up, level up. But I just can't face the prospect anymore, I've become so irritated.

That was around five months ago. I haven't picked up the game since. Shame, really.

EDIT: son_of_the_tear, as you seem to have coined this phrase (I'd never heard it before) do game-killing glitches count as 'showstoppers'?

If so, then I have another HUGE Showstopper, and unfortunately, from another Final Fantasy. It was number 9. I'd completed the game a long time ago, and wanted to go back through it. Unfortunately, just as I was starting to enjoy myself, something bad happened. When I entered battle, nothing appeared. Just the background. The music played, but no characters or bars came up. I reckoned it was a screwed up save game, so I tried to start a new game, but the same glitch was present, meaning that I couldn't even get past the very first battle. It really was unpleasant and weird- I've never heard of any other FFIX player experiencing this problem, ever. I'm now considering buying a new copy of the game.

 

Ninja Gaiden.
Level 6.2

From the "Level 6.2-specific FAQ" located here

Ninja Gaiden carries the appearance of a simple enough game. One just runs, leaps chasms, and hacks things to pieces while collecting cool ninja magic powerups, right?

Until Area 6-2.

Were this level a sentient, malicious entity (which I'm sure it is), it would express itself with the following quote:

.--*.--* "You'll rue the day you crossed me, Trebek!" *--.*--.
-Sean Connery (impersonated by Darrell Hammond) on Saturday Night Live

 

I've never had one.

The only modern game that I own and haven't beaten at least once is SOCOM II: US Navy SEALs. It's just so frustrating getting 90% of the way through a mission and die when there isn't a checkpoint.

 

Devil May Cry 3

For the longest time I was stuck at the damn Leviathan level on Normal. I ran back through all the levels on Easy to collect red orbs so I could get Blue orbs and stuff, and I still couldn't beat it without copying my friend's file that had the Infinite DT Dante.

 

I think everyone here is going to agree with me when I utter two words...























...Water Temple.

Probably the main reason it's a showstopper for me is because when I get to it, I stop playing. I always think "It's hard, and it's going to take me a long time to beat it. I'll just try another time." And I keep telling myself that. Everntually I may play again after a month or two and finally beat it.

 

Gladius: I was playing Ursula's campagin and the auto-save saved it right as I left a town after a tough battle. I was going to another town to get some fresh weapons and armor for my main characters. Unfortuelty, the game chose this momoment to set up a quest which starts off with some cut scenes, that you couldn't skip. In the end one of my gladiators betrayed me and I was forced to fight a battle where I was outnumbered at least 3-1 and I was underequipped. I never managed to get past that battle as I had no chance to go and get some fresh equipment. I never went back to the game.

 

Yeah, you really don't truly understand frustration and appreciate the value of patience until you attempt to "conquer" this level in Ocarina of Time without a walkthrough. Never had I been so glad to see the sunlight reflecting off Lake Hylia before. I felt like Jessica Biel walking down the road in Texas Chainsaw Massacre...yeah...horrifying.

In Metroid Fusion, I don't think you even fight the Sa-X until the very end. If you're talking about where you're on the balcony above it while it's scanning, just wait for it to leave. If you're talking about the chase to the left where you run and dive under stuff, eventually you'll have to stop somewhere (like hiding up under something). The Sa-X then slowly walks up, stares, then goes away. Either way, always stay in motion when dealing with that thing.

I just got Ninja Gaiden. I'm looking forward to area 6.2.

In Final Fantasy IX, I had a glitch like that, too, but for me it happened right after I entered an inn in one of the first villages you encounter after Alexandria. Had to start over again.

Now for my showstoppers:

Onimusha: Warlords (i.e. the first)-- when Samanosuke is stuck in the water trap, and the girl has to figure out one of those sliding picture puzzles. Arrrgghhh. Finally had to go to gamefaqs to get a sequence of movements. Beat the rest of the game okay.

Super Smash Bros. Melee- Event Match 51 with Giga Bowser, Mewtwo, and Ganondorf. I was seeing stars from the heat of my anger.

Swoop racing...nuff said...

This one is actually kind of silly...No One Lives Forever-- had to infiltrate a vault protected by lasers. Got past the first room with no problems. Second room had a configuration of lasers so intricate that Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise-M:I) himself couldn't squirm his way through. Actually managed to time the insanity to the point where I could reach with 1 foot of the door. Got nailed there every time. Quit for awhile. After I calmed down, I tried again, and that's when I noticed it: a small maintenance hatch just under my feet where you enter the room. Apparently, if you go down this hatch, you can crawl under the floor in complete safety from the lasers all the way into the vault itself...

I think the neighbors two doors down can still hear the screams.

 

TerranOvermind, you must tell me more about this FFIX glitch of yours! I believed that I was the only gamer unfortunate enough to encounter this menace, but it appears I am not alone! Was it the same as mine? Did it happen in battle?

 

The Palace of Darkness in A Link To The Past. I know, it's the easiest one but I just couldn't find the last damn key! Turns out there was a wall I had to blow up that I didn't see. The answer is always in front of you.

 

Fire Leo boss, Viewtiful Joe. Mind you Viewtiful Joe is a difficult game but that boss takes the cake. Yeah if you know the sequence to beat him, he will probably be the easiest boss in the game but if you don't...well lets just say the fight ends in 5 seconds

Water Temple, Ocarina of Time. Needs to be repeated heck I even underlined it

Metroid Prime, I was stuck for a few days after I got the boost ball. I didn't notice the half pipe in Talon Overworld (yeah I was playing without the hint system, I'm not a wussy). It also took me a while to beat Ridley and the final boss.

Metroid Prime 2, I was stuck when I couldn't find the switch in the wastelands and I was stuck when I couldn't find one of the keys in the swamp area. That was frustrating.

Ice Temple, A Link to the Past the frustration, its kind of like Water Temple.

 

You mean that stupid tentacle boss in the Figaro's engine room? That was freakin' easy.

 

Ach, another tentacle conqueror to taunt me! Leave me alone with my sorrows.

 

When I was playin MGS and I faced Psycho Mantis and he did that black screen with HIDEO...yeah that really got to me cuz I thought it was my TV one the same thing, I didn't know I could switch to a different controller port to win the battle.

 

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.


WATER TEMPLE!!!!!!


'nuff said.

 

Metroid for GBA. Not Fusion, the other one that's a remake of the original Metroid. Can't remember the subtitle.

I was stuck at Mother Brain for the longest time. Then there was all that jazz with the Space Pirates and no suit. It was just a long ordeal.

 

I would have mentioned the Water Temple... but that's just too easy

That was a stopper for me... I stopped playing for a month and a half.

And shame too... as it has two of the best battles in the entire game: Dark Link and the Dungeon boss

It seems, that in almost every single game... the Water Dungeon, Water Temple, Water Base, Water Castle, Water Whatever.... is always a pain.

I will also mention FF6. Because I did beat it... but I had to start all over. And since I did not want to do that... I put it aside for over a year. I was not too far in the game. About 1/4 way through. To the part after I finally recruited everyone and I had to form three teams to move down the mountain and defeat Kefka while plowing/avoidning enemy troops.

Now, this is not a very diffcult fight (as my second playthrough proved). But the first time... I was seriously underleveled and my one and only save was right at the save point before the battle.

It sucked big time.

Majora's Mask... I never beat. Not because I did not enjoy the game (I did). But the damn sidequests and that time management agenda gave me headache and I just stopped. Sure, I could beat the game without doing the sidequests. But since the game is more sidequests than dungeon crawling... It was pointless.

 

That moment has a quote in it, that I say all the time to this day. The walls slide down and he stands there for a while, and then the girl runs up saying, "Samanosuke! Are you okay!" And he says in the most matter-of-fact way, "I seem to be trapped." I know it doesn't sound funny, but if you ever play that game again, just pay attention. It's so cheesey.

 

...lately, i have the same problem as Sn4tch.

Too many games to play, and not enough time.

The last game that i walked away from TO NEVER RETURN was "Lord of the Rings: the Third Age". That was because i got caught in a glitch at the Battle of Helms Deep. Saved after something had gone screwy with the game (though i didin't realize it), and i didn't have a second save file (d'oh!) I was quite angry. Was really enjoying that game, but now must restart. Just haven't been able to do it. So much time and effort WASTED.


Another one: "Metal Gear 3: Snake Eater". The Sniper Battle with THE END. I mean, i BEAT the bloody thing, but it just took so much out of me that i had to stop playing for a bit. Still have yet to go back, but i will.

Other games that i have on hold mostly due to "something else came up":

"Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow" (i was at one of those points where i had beaten a boss, and now have to wander the map until i'm able to figure out where i have to go next. I got bored)

"Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow" (Odd situation. For some reason, my tv has real problems with the darkness of this game. I can only play the game at night and be able to actually SEE what's going on. I could probably adjust the gamma correction to play it during the day, but then it would muck up my settings for everything ELSE, so... i was just saving this as my night game. Sadly, i haven't been able to play at night, lately).

"Mercenaries" (I got to the LAST flippin' card! I'm ON the big bad guy's mission! General Sung, or whatever his name is.. And for some reason, i just finally decided "Meh, i'm bored". Gave the mission a bit of a half-hearted try, and just haven't gone back.)

"Killzone" (cool game, but for some reason...I just stopped playing)

"Advance Wars: DS" (The third game in the series really isn't that different from the first two. I finally kinda got sick of it)


"Devil May Cry 3": (I keep contemplating just trading this one in. But then i keep telling myself "no, you played thru and beat the first two in the series. You'll play this one too, eventually", but... I beat the first real major BOSS that you had to fight, and then i just lost interest)

For some reason, i still haven't beaten "Kingdom Hearts", either. I think i got to the Aladdin level, and just stopped playing. Can't quite recall why.

Cripes, i have alot of games on the backburner Just this afternoon, i picked up "The Punisher" for the PS2, again, after about 4 months of not playing it. Fun game, that one.

 

Chronicles of Riddick - very frusterating game to play. First it was the level called "The Pit". It took me awhile to figure out what I was supposed to do. Find some darn item in some dark part of the room, and then run allll the way back to some other part of the room. I finally got past that, but now I'm stuck trying in the mines trying to get in and out of the gas room to get an item, but I die every frakken time. And the worst part is there's no save, so if you don't get past a certain part you end up replaying the ENTIRE section again when you restart. So frusterating.

Halo - first one. Last level driving out of that ship! Can't do it. Driving controls suck. Never been able to finish it, even though I've finished Halo 2 many, many times.

Everything or Nothing - get all the way to the last level, and then just can't beat it. There's no checkpoint in it, so if you die, it's back to the beginning of the level for you. I HATE games that don't let you save anywhere in the game!!!

 

I had problems too. How did you beat him eventually? I cheated, I must say. Set your PS2 clock forward by a month or so, and The End dies of old age! Classic. I love those little touches.

 

DA, I know the feeling...I stopped playing Mercenaries and KH during play also.

In fact, the only things I have left to do in KH is beat the final two arena bosses and the last boss of the game, but I still haven't gone back to it.

I can't really recall anything super difficult...I usually just head to gameFAQs after a couple of hours of frustration.

One thing that took me a long time though was getting the 'Big Air Out of the Banks' gap in THPS2. Probably took nearly as long to do that one as finish the rest of the game