On Grazing

It used to be, when I got a new game I’d play it through to completion before moving on. A large part of that choice was economic – buying games was a luxury when I was a kid – but it was also how I liked to play. Why move onto something else if I could squeeze even a drop more entertainment from a game?

Now that I’m older, and there are so many great games vying for my time and attention, I find myself becoming more of a grazer. If I’m not playing a game for review, I’ll bounce between several games in the same time frame. Here are some of the games I’m currently juggling, along with my lame excuses for why I haven’t just settled in and beaten each one. Yet.

Am I alone here? Do you guys have several games in your queue at any given time, or do you like to finish up a game before moving on?

Dragon Age II

I was pretty excited for this one, but it hasn't grabbed me the way Origins did. I've probably spent about five or six hours playing Dragon Age II so far. I haven't encountered anything as interesting as the monster in the screenshot, though. Phil Kollar tells me that encounters require a lot more strategy when you get further into the game, which is encouraging. As it stands, combat has been pretty dull. The story hasn't really kicked off, but I'm assuming that it's one of those slow-burn type things. This is probably highest on my "OK, it's time to put this thing to rest" list. It's a shame that it feels a lot like homework.

Crysis 2

Predator 2 is one of my favorite movies, so it wasn't surprising that I love Crysis 2's cloaking-enhanced suit. I'm trying to be as sneaky as possible, so I've been replaying the same dumb mission over and over again. I'm not sure if it's even possible to make it through the section without being detected. As it stands, I'll try it a few times before enemies start noticing me and I eventually get blown apart. If I approached it like a traditional shooter I'm sure I would have beaten this thing by now. I guess I'm stubborn sometimes.

Torchlight

This is my go-to game right now when I have a few minutes to kill. I can sit down and feel like I've made a little progress over a short period of time. I don't think I could sit down and plow through the entire game in one big ol' binge, but it's the perfect back-burner game for me.

LittleBigPlanet 2

I played the first few levels of this one with my son until it got too difficult for him (he's only four – cut him some slack). I continued by myself, but it's not as much fun as a single-player game. No, I haven't gone online and played with strangers. I'm too old and crabby for that. Maybe I'll have Tim Turi over sometime and we can knock out a few more levels.


Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

Confession: Sometimes I remove the batteries from a controller and give it to my son. Then I play this game while he thinks he's actually racing. I've played through 60 of the missions this way, and he hasn't caught on yet. Did I already mention that he's only four and that you should cut him some slack?

Deadliest Catch

I bought this on a lark. A few weeks later, a bunch of beer fell in my mouth and I found myself playing it. Deadliest Catch is a really weird game, and I honestly am excited to play through the whole thing. You sort crabs in it. I don't think I've ever played a game with that feature before. Also, I was born and raised in Alaska, so I feel obligated to like this.

Beyond Good & Evil HD

This is another game that feels like homework. I didn't play it when it originally came out, and I've heard about how amazing it was for years. Maybe this is one of those "time and a place" kind of experiences. I can appreciate it for what it is, but I won't be beating this one anytime soon.

Dead Space 2

Loved Dead Space. Loved it. I took a break from the sequel because A) I can't play it when my kids are around or napping because I like to play it with the volume turned way up and B) I'm pathetic and I am easily scared. Never mind the fact that, like the first game, there's probably nothing particularly scary in the game. Yes, I am pathetic. What do you expect from someone who bought Deadliest Catch?! (Cue laugh track)

De Blob 2

This game is a huge collect-a-thon with a terrible save system. I don't mind collecting stuff, but I have a huge problem with losing a huge chunk of my progress when I want to replay a level. It's a shame, because it's one of those rare games that I'm completely comfortable with my kids playing. If you are two, you'll probably enjoy dancing to the game's bouncy soundtrack.

Alpha Protocol

I've always had a morbid curiosity about games that miss the mark for various reasons, which is why I picked up Alpha Protocol. It was also quite cheap. I've played through the training section and part of the first real mission, so I'm probably four or so hours in. So far, it does a lot of things right. I love the dialogue system, the perks and leveling are nifty, and the framed narrative is handled well. The actual gameplay is kind of clunky, but it's certainly not on the level of a Deadly Premonition. It also features one of the (if not the) worst beards in gaming history. It looks like it was made from a melted bicycle tire.

That's what I'm juggling right now. Looking at it all in one place is slightly embarrassing, but it's how my gaming habits have developed over time. I have no doubt that I'll see the end credits on each one of these games, but I'm not really in any rush. If I can keep this many games in the air at once, what's another two or three?