I think what you’re describing is how I felt with Hollow Knight. When I set it down for the last time (so far), I did so knowing I would probably never return to finish it.

I don’t get a lot of time to game, and the time I get is punctuated by months of hiatus each year. Any game that’s too long, too difficult, or too complicated to pick back up quickly after I’ve been gone awhile is not a good fit for me.

I was too far along in the game to even consider starting over, not to mention that a lot of the magic would be lost. But I was also far enough along that I know I don’t want to put the effort into relearning the mechanics, figuring out what I’m supposed to be doing, and having to re-explore everything.

Granted, by the time I stopped playing, it had already grown tedious and I wasn’t enjoying it much anyway. It stopped being rewarding was just mostly just punishing at a certain point.

After I set Hollow Knight aside, I found other games that I liked better and were more accommodating to my circumstances (ex: Hades). And now, even if I did want some more time with Hollow Knight, I’d honestly just wait for the upcoming sequel / prequel / whatever it’s going to be (Silksong).