A year in gaming - An effort to clear the 'backlog' of impulse buys

[Juan Carlo]

You're starting Fallout 3? See you in a month or two. :D

Heh.

I just did the main quest and I finished the entire game in under 10 hours. I didn't realize the main quest was so short. There were only like 6 missions total, then it ends. I even did whatever random side quests I stumbled upon as well, although I didn't go out of my way to search for them or anything.

Not complaining, though. As I said, when I first played it a few years ago I got my fill of side quests. So this time I just wanted to rush through and finish it so I can play "New Vegas" (which is what I really wanted to play all along anyway).

[Demievil]

I probably have about 70 games on my steam which I've never even installed now. I just can't see me ever having the time (or inclination now to go back) The worst thing is at the low price points you buy them at you don't even care.

[siegarettes]

I'm with you on this. I added you to my multitap by the way. I think seeing both our scores add up will prove motivational. I'll invite you all to join up with me. My page is here:
http://backloggery.com/hardpixelrain

[siegarettes]

I saw Dark Souls around a friends earlier in the year (I'm strictly a PC gamer) and I was both 'damn this looks hard' and also 'I'd like to see this come to PC'.

Ugh. I would play that so much more if this happened. By the way I also added you on Steam, I would be .tin tin at the moment. Same with you groovychainsaw.

Also created a Steam group so that we can join forces:
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/versusthebacklog

[DevinSmoth]

So I took the time this weekend and played all the way through Shadowgrounds. It was a fun game, I enjoyed it. ;) The storyline was so so... though I thought the ending was weak. Didn't give any explanation why I did what I did. Personally, I would have chosen a bit more bloody option, if you know what I mean.

That said, the action was fun ... and I enjoyed my time there! Pretty easy game, but that's fine with me... I enjoy easier games where I can just run around blow things up. And I loved the RPG-like qualities of upgrading weapons. Good times!

EDIT: I think that I'm going to go for Titan Quest next... but it's going to be a couple of days before I can really sit down with a game again... got some homework and whatnot to finish before I can do that again. ;)

[siegarettes]

So I took the time this weekend and played all the way through Shadowgrounds. It was a fun game, I enjoyed it. ;) The storyline was so so... though I thought the ending was weak. Didn't give any explanation why I did what I did. Personally, I would have chosen a bit more bloody option, if you know what I mean.

That said, the action was fun ... and I enjoyed my time there! Pretty easy game, but that's fine with me... I enjoy easier games where I can just run around blow things up. And I loved the RPG-like qualities of upgrading weapons. Good times!

EDIT: I think that I'm going to go for Titan Quest next... but it's going to be a couple of days before I can really sit down with a game again... got some homework and whatnot to finish before I can do that again. ;)

It is quite a decent game mechanically. Moreso with friends however. Some couch co op never hurts.

[DevinSmoth]

I actually was totally unaware that it had local co-op, not that it really matters... since I dont' have anyone around here to play it with anyway... ahh well.

[siegarettes]

I have many people around me to play with, but apparently they would rather do other things. Sigh.

[SMiD]

I have many people around me to play with, but apparently they would rather do other things. Sigh.

FUCK! I was totally about to respond with sadtrombone.com, BUT IT'S DOWN TO PROTEST SOPA. This bill needs to die.

On topic, I've finished ME1 and have moved on to ME2.... and the sequel kinda sucks. Every last element of RPG-ness was stripped and left rotting in a corner somewhere. Ugh. On the side, I've been ripping through Final DOOM and the Master Levels. Them shits is hard; whoever made teeth.wad is an asshole.

[siegarettes]

I played ME2 before ME1 for some reason, and I have to say I don't really like it as much as the sequel. The story decent enough, but it felt a bit too clunky and I ended up autoleveling for the most part. I definitely wish the sequel had more RPG elements however. I have yet to finish DOOM, but I'm taking a crack at it again. It is definitely quite difficult.

[Flint]

I really loved ME2 myself and actually prefer it to ME1 despite loving the hell out of that game too. The things it loses - the RPG-ness, the fully-fledged story - it gains in other parts, namely fantastic character development and action that not only feels amazingly solid and tight but works so well that you (or I, rather) don't end up missing the ME1 gameplay. Both brilliant games in the end, which is why it's so weird I'm so ambivalent about ME3 (largely because of some of the design decisions they seem to have done).

[FunnyB]

So, how are you all doing with your backlogs?

[DevinSmoth]

I'm failing at this moment, actually... I'm having a hard time finding a game that I enjoy at this point. I'm not sure why... games just aren't appealing much to me at this point. And I have friends pressuring me to get a 360 to play online with them... so I'm really unsure what I'm doing at this point, to be honest. Really, really confusing...

[sabrage]

Well, I'm failing in the sense that it's still growing, but my new SNES has motivated me to stick to one game and beat it. Double-edged sword in that respect (but I'm enjoying the hell out of it, which is probably the most important thing.)

[FunnyB]

I'm failing at this moment, actually... I'm having a hard time finding a game that I enjoy at this point. I'm not sure why... games just aren't appealing much to me at this point.

Well, I discovered something during the fall, back when I did my last attempt to clear a bit of my backlog. You can't focus too much on the clearing off the backlog so that you forget that you play games to be entertained. If you play games only because you want them to completed in your backlog, something is wrong. Take a break from it, and play something you enjoy instead, even if it is replaying a game you've played before. The backlog is always there, ready for you to wrestle with it again :D

In other news, I'm still playing through Saint's Row: The Third, and loving it. But it really makes me want to buy Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on steam... I had that game back when it first came out on the original Xbox, but never finished it due to it's immense size. But I'm starting to think it might be funny to play it on the PC... And I did happen to get a coupon for it during the Steam Winter Holiday sale.... Decisions, decisions... :D

[TailSwallower]

Haven't been gaming that much the last few days - been busy exploring Berlin, and now Stockholm. But I've been playing some more Cthulhu Saves the World, though I'm still not sure how long I'll want to stick with it.

[groovychainsaw]

I've put a couple more hours into driver:SF over the weekend, into chapter 8 now, working towards 100% completion. The challenges start to get pretty hard towards the end, and keep getting sidetracked into getting to the top of the global leaderboards on various challenges. Its still my favourite driving game I've played for some time, feels like a great successor to burnout, but managing the open world better than paradise ever did. I'm sticking to the list so far and actually the discipline is helping me focus on the games I've got. I've put a little time into saints row, too, but I tend to dip into that for 15-20 mins 'challenges'. Progress may be slow if i keep playing it like that :-).

[SMiD]

Doing well with the backlog so far. Serious Sam 3 is finished; the last level was spectacular Serious Sam action. And Mass Effect 2 is moving along nicely. Over on my laptop, I've got Fallout underway as I continue to work through the Doom II master levels. From time to time, I'll pluck away at Crayon Physics Deluxe, which is an absolute charmer. Sooo.... a little bit of variety to keep it from dogging on.

[groovychainsaw]

Got a bit more driver done, I've actually completed the main story now, just going back to wrap up the last few challenges/dares and buy all the cars (gotta catch em all!). there's probably an hour or two left in it, then away to add another game to the list. I need something else a bit more short-form (and maybe xboxey). I might see how bastion slots in there, as I've not played it yet.

*Possible spoilers* I'm not sure how much interest there is in driver, but I'll waffle on about it for a moment here. It's a great game, and anyone who enjoys racers leaning towards the arcade side or car chase films will get a lot out of it. 20 challenges are directly inspired by films, with the obvious bullitt car chase (its in SF after all!) alongside blues brothers (20 police cars chase you throughout the city, throwing themselves at you with abandon!), dukes of hazzard (on one of the off-road sections in a charger), vanishing point and cannonball run. They have all the licensed cars for these, so feels pretty fun and looks good (especially with the lambo/ferrari/ambulance etc. in the cannonball run one). The offroad stuff is surprisingly good, too, with a good handful of 80s group B cars, which with the slidey handling takes me back to sega rally.
*Definite spoilers*
The final boss fight drags on a bit, with random difficulty spikes, including your car suddenly becoming very vulnerable to damage versus the boss' being very tough during one chase (there are several chases to finish off the game). The worst thing about the final chase is relying on the AI looking after your car whilst you are off throwing (literally) other cars at the boss. The AI was never a good driver and final boss battle puts too much stress on a weak system, leaving you with several failures that you can't do anything about. It's a bit luck-based. This was probably the weakest thing I came across in the game and the only thing that really frustrated me at all, the rest of the game was great and a real comeback for driver, at least as good as the original (it even has the director mode to create your own films and upload them, as in the original). I look forward to their next game now, which is not something I expected to say about the driver franchise/reflections in recent years.

[Sproutmask]

OK I'll join in the group therapy here because Steam sales are very cheap and I'm weak, and I have some really long games that I've barely touched. Roughly my plan in the short term is finish Divinity 2 DKS, which I'm about 20 hours into, then get properly on with Alpha Protocol. If I need a break and want something more shootery, it's going to be FEAR 2 (fun so far, not played more than about 4 hours though) or Metro 2033 (properly atmospheric on a level I haven't seen since STALKER).

Once I've cleared a couple of those I'm going to start the strategy backlog but I'm torn between King Arthur and Empire TW. Somehow need to fit BG 1+2 and Planescape Torment in as well, damn you GOG!

Meanwhile, must try to resist the lure of Witcher 2 and ME3*, which will be my rewards for getting the backlog down - I don't even dare an exact count at this point hehe.

*Unless ME3 sucks, which will make me sad because I like the first two. Both of them. So take that, people who express a preference.