Matt Helgeson's New Year's Gaming Resolutions

Each new year presents us with a fresh start, and a chance to fail at our goals all over again.

I thought about how I'd like to game different in 2015, and here are some of the ways that I hope to change for the better.

1. Pay Better Attention to the Indie Scene

For whatever reason, 2014's indie games didn't seem to generate the buzz they did in 2013. I definitely played fewer. However, I think that's probably more my fault than the indie scene itself - which is now so big and varied it's hard to even define as one discreet "scene." I also want to look at some intriguing indie games I missed in 2013 - like Framed, This War of Mine, and The Talos Principle.

2. Finally get a damn iPad

I'm sort of an Android partisan - I like the more open platform and don't really feel like paying Apple's inflated prices for hardware. However, I'm going to finally have to accept that iOS is going to remain the premier mobile gaming platform (for example, Framed, which I mentioned in my first resolution, is currently only available on iOS). I'm just sick of constantly playing the games everyone was talking about four months ago. Though the gaming gap between Android and Apple is less marked than it was, I think the problem of dealing with hundreds of different tablet hardware models (and various manufacturer firmware) will mean that Apple's unified, controlled development environment is destined to remain the premier destination for mobile games.

3. Don't be afraid to start a game I don't think I'll finish

Somewhere along the line, I got old, had a kid, etc., and suddenly my reaction to "The game is really short" moved from disappointment to excitement. Sad to say, but with each passing year it gets harder to find time to game - a couple hours after my family goes to bed is generally my window now. So, I sometimes get scared off by 100+ hour experiences like Dragon Age: Inquisition (which I still haven't played).

It's silly. What's the point of not starting a game because you are afraid you might not finish it? What's the worst that can happen? At worst, I'll check out a good game and have some fun, however many hours that might be. At best, I'll get hooked and be inspired to finish it. Even if it ends up being the former, I'll at least have a better understanding of one of the year's important games.

4. Finally not be afraid to try League of Legends

This is probably the "start working out three times a week" of this list, the one I intend to do but never follow through on. What can I say? I'm afraid of all the big meanies in League of Legends - I'm too sensitive. Maybe my colleague Dan Tack will show me around and keep the bullies from stealing my lunch money.

5. Catch up on some classics

Each year, I get myself in a situation - which is a good problem to have - of feeling like I can't possibly keep up with all the good games coming out. Which is a great testament to the strength of games as an artform, but also something that makes me feel like I shouldn't be devoting time to playing a classic from the past that I never played. I hope to take some time to delve through the parts of gaming history that I missed in 2015.