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As each year draws to a close, I always find myself adding to my growing stack of must-play titles. For many gamers, this is a stressful process. It makes them feel overwhelmed. For me, my holiday backlog is a tradition I look forward to every year, like a gigantic feast just waiting to be devoured.
I spend my time at work and at home playing games during the year, so I'm pretty good at staying on top of the major releases...especially during the months when the titles have some space between them. In January and February this year, I played the big-name titles like Darksiders, Bayonetta, Mass Effect 2, BioShock 2, and Heavy Rain because those were the only releases in that timeframe that demanded my attention. Hell, I even had the time to play Mass Effect 2 three times!
When the holiday season approaches, it's harder to stay afloat. Not only are there more games to play, but life generally gets busier – which leaves me less time to sit in front of my TV. I feel like for every game I play, two get added to my backlog. For example, I've recently played God of War: Ghost of Sparta and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, but I still have Castevania: Lords of Shadow, Fallout: New Vegas, Fable III, and Dead Rising 2 to polish off (though I've started some of them).
Where this makes some gamers feel like they're falling behind, that's never been the case for me. Playing games isn't like doing your homework or taking a test; it's supposed to be fun, which means you should do it at your own pace. I love hunkering down and spending an entire weekend with a game, which happens often during Minnesota winters because of the snow. The more games I have lined up, the more time like that I get to enjoy.
That's why I don't feel overwhelmed when I look at the stack of games I still have to play. I feel overjoyed, because that's a bunch of fun just waiting to be had. And I'll get to it soon enough.So, that's my take. What about you? What's on your backlog right now? What are the odds that you'll finish everything you want to finish?
Email the author Joe Juba, or follow on Twitter, Facebook, and Game Informer.
I got this huge backlog. Most arn't even from this holiday season but yea im sitting Fallout New Vegas, Fable 3, Assassins Creed Brotherhood, a ton of DLC and a bunch of older games from the last little bit as well. I agree with you Joe its nice to just look forward to playing all these great games. Now if i can just not add too many more games to the pile ill get through it early next year around February. Of course there more then a few good games coming out between then and now sooo who knows if ill get it all done. I dont care if i do or not thou i know i wont be without anything to play for a long time to come.
I love your backlog too.
I agree man, I very much look forward to my backlog. It's already begun, a little early this year actually, I went out and picked up Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit not realizing that Donkey Kong Country Returns came out a mere 4 or 5 days later so, I had to grab that. I'm working on both of those now and I don't plan on buying anything else because i'm finally getting a PS3, so now I have that collection to build on in addition to Nintendo and Microsoft games. My guess is this season i'll be looking at Epic Mickey, God of War 1-3, Infamous and Little Big Planet. Looks like it'll be a good Winter for me.
I always seem to have a backlog but it won't be from new games that just came out. Its mostly cheap used games that I haven't played that I get from Gamestop. So currently I have a backlog of some PS2 games and then I'm probably getting Gears of War and a few others for under $30 so that will increase soon as I continue playing the large amount of games that Ive gotten recently.
I have a decent backlog of games myself, and there are some games that I'm going to play that I don't even have yet (Assassin's Creed 2 for example). Right now I'm working on Assassin's Creed, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Fallout 3, and there are plenty more games on the back burner.
And that is just all the more fun that I will be having :)
Backlogs are one reason I love games like Fallout NV. Spend enough time in there and you start getting the backlog of all the other great releases, just waiting for you, but there's no pressure. Its comforting.
I feel the opposite way about MMOs though. I always felt I was missing out. Required raiding while theres games to play felt constricting.
I don't want to even imagine the list of games I must play. Call of Duty Black Ops, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Fallout New Vegas, the list is vast and endless. Hopefully, most of my gifts will be gaming-related because affording these games isn't an option but it certainly is necessary. Joe, I feel your pain.
...when you wish upon a star...
i still gotta beat New Vegas, got distracted by Black Ops (which i did beat but haven't tried the multiplayer yet), then got Fable 3 and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, still playing through both of those. Ghost of Sparta is also still a work in progress and i just picked up the new Splatterhouse (which is pretty awesome by the way.) honestly, having to play and finish all these games is a problem i do not mind having.
You only beat Mass Effect 2 THREE times? HAH! 8 times here; greatest game ever made.
I usually play games on the day I get them, so my only backlog games at the moment are finishing New Vegas, beating MGS2, and playing MGS3.
By the way, once you start Dead Rising 2, can I join you? I need someone to play Co-Op with. :P
My backlog is hefty too man. Here is my backlog: God of War III, Heavy Rain, Red Dead Redemption DLC, Professor Layton games, Bayonetta, both Uncharted games, Skate 3, Assassins Creed: Brotherhood, and Star Wars: the force unleashed 2.
I own like half of these games, and I'd have to rent the others. It is inevitable that I will NOT play all of these games. The reason is, I mostly play CoD games. The first on my list though, is Heavy Rain.
My backlog is almost all worthwhile Wii games. Since I just purchased a Wii a couple of months ago (as mentioned in blog post a few days ago), I've been having to experience all the nice games it has to offer. While I will say there aren't dozens of games to get at, there are several I wish to get to. I've already polished off Monster Hunter Tri, Red Steel 2, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii (see my review). The next few I need to get to are Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, the Metroid Prime Trilogy, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Mario Kart Wii (though I have double dash), and Epic Mickey (when it's released). Wish me luck.
i'm lovin my backlog, i love it mostly when i don't have money left for games
My Backlog:
Fallout New Vegas
Elder Scrols IV Oblivion
Dragon Age Origins/Awakening
Assassins Creed Brotherhood
Bioshock 2
Im being lazy and playing Fire Emblem on a GBA advance right now though... what is wrong with me?
LittleBigPlanet, Red Dead Redemption, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, and Batman: Arkham Asylum. Not even out of the shrink wrap yet. But I look forward to sitting down and playing them.