We’re all aware of what happens after we purchase a game we love. We’ll play them to exhaustion; search gamefaqs for every nook, cranny and surface you may have overlooked until you grow tired and exhausted, then attacking anyone on the internet who doesn’t give it a score over ninety percent.
You want to tell it that it’s pretty and get a nice little disc clean in the country. You want to have its DLC and live happily ever after.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. So what happens then? The obvious really. Deep inside this treasure chest of words, I’m plan to educate (and hopefully entertain) you on many scenarios that I suspect you’re already aware of. Timewaster go! Waste time attack!

People like to complain. It’s what’s separates us from the animals. Tears, opposable thumbs and excessive whining. Spend five minutes in an online forum or listen to a crowd’s reaction during a warm up act and you’ll understand the human psyche. Our species as a whole is capable of many colorful ways to say “You suck!”
So it comes as no surprise that at least once in every gamer’s life, they ask themselves "Why am I playing this rubbish?" I'd use a much stronger word, but I'm very much a noble gentleman.
The usual response (In my case non verbal, adding the "Strong silent type" to my list of personal attributes) is to stand up, feel dizzy, think about lunch and then perform one of the following acts:

• Return it to the store claiming it was an unwanted gift that some lovably ignorant aunt/uncle/cousin twice removed unknowingly bought you as a celebration of your birth. This is of course accompanied by the obligatory roll of the eyes, sly wily grin and a shrug of the shoulders. Very much like the Fonz's infamous "Heeeey!" pose but with Jazz hands. The cashier understands that this was an act beyond your terrestrial control, sympathizes with you and exchanges it immediately for a much "better" product. This is usually an equally bad piece of tripe that they're being forced to push that week.

• You realize that the product in question is far outside the 10 day exchange and drown in your salty tears. These are not what you'd call "Happy Days"

• You bought it on the cheap and don't want to be THAT guy or gal by returning it. You know the type. The kind of Human Being who takes great pleasure in forcing their way to the front of the bus line despite having arrived mere seconds before the door opens. As an encore to this heinous act, they'll then hold up the rest of the local transporteers, by counting their change and emptying the contents of their man bag in front of the driver looking for that last elusive 20 pence.

• Despite your better judgment you’ve gone and lost that most elusive of gems, the receipt. No doubt you lost it as you were waving it excitedly in the air as you exited the store, congratulating yourself on a purchase well made. A bold move that has cost you dearly.
You nervously wait in line and sweat profusely, instantly making yourself look guilty. Of course, this purchase was made with cash, so the odds are stacked against you further. Two seemingly mortal store clerks stand behind the counter on opposite sides of the till as the line gets increasingly smaller and smaller. Both of these men are strangers, yet they hold unspoken power over you.
One appears to be an overly friendly bubbly and chatty manchild. The kind of jester outside of this present situation you’d avoid like the plague. For now though, he’s much better than the alternative. Clerk numero deux has what appears to be nicotine patches covering his arms, surrounded by menacing tattoos. This is all accompanied by a stench of “yesterdays” booze. He looks surly, hung-over and talks to people in a series of grunts very similar to Morse code. Your eyes meet briefly and you quickly turn away, Butterflies forming in your belly. “Oh god, oh god, please don’t let it be him...

• You give it away to friend or relative like the enlightened Good Samaritan you are.
You will then bring up this seemingly meaningless yet noble act every time you want something. Be it a place to crash, a ride or a chance to bump uglies with his Sister. The phrase “You owe me one” will pass your lips on a regular basis. What a Sucker.

• In some rare cases, you'll keep the offending disc/cartridge and play it on the odd rainy day. Just like visiting a convicted friend in the slammer you'll quickly remember why you stopped writing to the gun wielding nut job and are more than relieved when he gets sent back to his cell. The cell in this case being your top shelf and not the sexy newsagent kind.

• In some even rarer cases, you'll still rack up a ridiculous amount of hours playing on the title and claim you’re hoarding it for achievements or trophies. You hate everything about this game yet you just can't seem to get enough. It has done nothing but hurt you, but like an abusive ex lover, you'd still let the disc slide sensually into the tray and "hit that" till your hand cramps up.

Life is full of disappointment and cannot be avoided. There are no exceptions.
Movies will always feature a strong female lead in a bid to avoid the stereotype, ironically creating its own.
American Idol or a similar guise will always grace our screen and fight it out for Christmas number one.
The Girl next door will always complain that she can never meet a nice guy just like you, then throw herself at the sort of fella who’d stab you (or her in a metaphorical sense) with his poking device were you to show the slightest hint of excitement at Pokémon.

Attack it on the internet with written language. Adjust Metacritic scores. Email the developer or publisher (depending on personal preference) a photoshopped image of your genitalia resting upon their head. Whatever makes you happy.
Just try and take solace in this line I’ve stolen from a major motion picture:

“The sweet is never as sweet without the sour.” – Vanilla Sky.