Kyo's "Hoe Hoe Game Speech": Episode 252 – "Hidden Boss? All Character Completion? Let's Think About What Kind of 'Completionist Elements' in Games Are Appealing"

Thumbnail image for Gallery No.001 / Yui’s Game Rants: Episode 252 “Secret Boss? Full Character Completion? What Makes Games So ‘Completionist’?”

Thumbnail image for Gallery No.002 / Yui’s Game Rants: Episode 252 “Secret Boss? Full Character Completion? What Makes Games So ‘Completionist’?”

Hello! It’s Yui.

When you hear the phrase “completing a game,” what comes to mind?

Trying to become Predator in Apex? Beating The Legend of Zelda as fast as possible? Defeating the secret boss in Megaten?

Yes, there are countless ways people interpret “completionism.”

For example, if someone says, “You really completed [game title], huh?”—do they mean playtime, strength, or collecting items? I always end up wondering, “Wait… which one exactly?” And inevitably, I ask back, “Um, could you clarify what you mean by that…?”

I’m such a pain to deal with. Yes.

Recently, I realized something: the things I take for granted—things like “there’s no way I wouldn’t do this!”—might actually be considered completionist elements by others. So in today’s column, I’d like to talk about what kind of game completionist challenges really attract me.

Want to Become Friends with Everyone

There are games where certain characters join your party only after specific events or conditions are met. I’m always determined to get every single one of them.

In Tales of Phantasia, each time a new ally arrives, I panic—“I want this character in my team! But I can’t leave that one out either!” Watching the stone tablet slowly fill with all 108 stars is such a joy, and returning to base to search for new friends is equally thrilling. The character collection in Unicorn Overload was also incredibly fun—so many favorites, it took me days just deciding which character to give my ring to.

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Want to Fall in Love with Everyone

Of course, I always go all the way with every character in romance-heavy games like Tokimeki Memorial. I especially love hidden characters—my favorite being Maka Seshi from Tokimeki Memorial 2, who turns out to be a delivery worker! And naturally, in Persona 5, I maxed out my romantic relationships and went full on polyamory. Even if Valentine’s Day turned into chaos.

Want to Collect Every Event

What was the most frustrating event collection? Probably Final Fantasy VII. Back then, hearing that you could ride Gold Saucer with Barrett or Yuffie made me try over and over—though I had no idea how to actually do it. The friendship level adjustments were extremely tricky.

Want to See Every Ending

Of course, sound novels like Kamaitachi no Yoru and Machi ~Crossroads of Fate~, as well as RPGs with multiple endings, are all must-completes for me. I think the hardest was Chrono Trigger. With 14 possible branching paths depending on when you defeat Lavos, I had to replay it countless times. Right now, I’m working hard toward completing every ending in HUNDRED LINE -Final Defense Academy-, determined to see all 100 endings.

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Post-Game Completion

Post-game content like the Seraphic Gate in Valkyrie Profile series is one of my favorites—especially Valkyrie Profile: The One Who Carries the Sin. I loved how characters would act out-of-character backstage, which contrasted hilariously with the serious tone of the main story.

Want to Conquer Every Property

In solo play of Momotaro Dentetsu ~Standard in Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa~, my hobby is beating the strongest CPU opponents like Sakuma Master. I remember feeling genuinely lonely once I bought every single property—“There’s nothing left for me to do.” Now I’m excitedly waiting for the new release, Momotaro Dentetsu 2 ~Your Town Is Definitely Out There Too~, which supposedly has 6,000 properties!

And More…

Games like Tetris 99, Kakoi Street, and Godfield seem to demand intense completionism. I’m not even going to tell you how long my playtime is—just don’t ask!

On the other hand, I’m not really interested in “strongest weapon” or “rare items.” I rarely try challenges like “complete the game with no equipment!” because I just want to be overpowered and smash things—no subtlety involved. What kind of completionist fun do you enjoy?

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■■ Yui (Actress & Talent) ■■
Currently active as an actress and talent. Multiple Best Actress awards at domestic film festivals. Her lifelong passion for games led her to host numerous game shows, where she’s affectionately known by fans as “Itokichi” (meaning “Itoji”).

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