Tackling your Backlog of Games

[Dodie16]

I have sooo many games that haven't been finished yet, and for a while didn't even know where to start. I figured the best way to get through all these games would be to find the ones that already had a lot of time put in already and finish those off, and start on the ones that seemed kind of short. Figured doing that would at least knock a dent in my collection of shame games I haven't completed yet. That plan kind of went to pot though when I got back into playing Persona 3 Portable...Haha... Great game. Everyone should get a copy. /shameless plug

ANYWAY!

How many TFFers have games that have yet to be completed? Do you have a plan to get through all the games, or do you not care and only play the ones you feel like playing when you feel like playing them?

Gaming is supposed to be an enjoyable pastime (for most anyway), but it does kind of bother me that I have games that haven't even been touched yet just sitting on my shelf. I vow to complete them all! Someday...

[Taco-Calamitous]

Y'know, I dunno. I got games that I've never put in my system that I got years ago, but I don't really plan on playing them anytime soon. Some of them are remakes, so technically I've already played them (I got that Super Mario All Stars port for the Wii, for example). But my wall of shame includes:

Star Fox Command, DS (Played a little bit, decided it was hard)
Castlevania X, PSP (I've played it a little bit off and on, not gotten very far)
MadWorld, Wii (Not even played once)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Battle Nexus, GC (Not even played once)
Kingdom Hearts 2, PS2 (started years ago, didn't get very far)
Metal Gear Solid 1-3, PSX/PS2 (Started Metal Gear 1, didn't get very far. Haven't touched other two)
Nier, PS3 (Not even played once)
Super Street Fighter 4, PS3 (Turned on. Played a bit at friend's house, but not my own copy)
The majority of the games in Sonic's Sega Genesis Collection, PS3 (I have played through the majority of Shining Force 2, and I beat Shining Force 1 on my Wii.)

I'm not even including games I've played at least halfway through but not beaten. I might beat them all some day, when I have time and am interested. Right now, neither seem to be the case. If I don't sell them however, I probably will play them some day. When I have gray hair, maybe. Until then, they're part of my collection! Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[che]

The fact that you haven't completed them means you don't really want to! Don't force it!

[ZantetsukeN]

I have a lot of games on backlog that I'm trying to wade through at the moment. The big one was Final Fantasy XIII, which I have finally beaten. I still have, not just PS3 games, but some on all of my consoles.

Thing is, you buy new games and you get sidetracked. It's like, for example, I was playing Dragon Age II, and then I got Batman: Arkham Asylum and I have been playing that non stop and forgotten about DAII. It's the gaming circle of life.

[Furore]

Over 3/4 of my games are still shrink-wrapped, an unfortunate result of work (which is why I can afford them in the first place) and social commitments. My trouble is I want any game that looks like I'd enjoy it and I tend to buy several games a week even though I'm lucky to complete one every month or two.

[Illusion]

I have a few games I haven't even opened yet, and plenty of games I probably haven't played a full hour of them. I try to play one game at a time in each of my systems, hoping to slowly make progress through my pile of games.

[Sean]

I've honestly never beat a Final Fantasy in my life. In 4.. I think 4, the one with Cecil, I hit underworld, or something, whatever it was called, VI I'm at Kefka, VII I got to Seph, VIII I got to Ultimecia, IX I got.... close to the end, X I was in Zanarkand, 12 I was 2 or or so main bits away, 13 I made it to the other world, but a lot of that has to do with the fact I think X and up are shit games....

They aren't really on my list to bother finishing, though.

I used to have a huge problem with finishing games, but nowadays games are shorter than ever, so it's not so hard to get through them. It took me a year to pick back up Lost Odyssey and finish it, though.

I tend, lately, to play a game nonstop until it's beaten. I also tend to play games that are relatively short and can be beaten in a couple of days.

Recently, however, I picked up Fallout 3 GOTY. Between the DLCs and all the sidequests the game is incredibly long, so I keep taking breaks for other games. I picked up my gamefly subscription again so I can plow through the 15 or so games I want to play this summer.

[Kyreaan]

Games I never finished? I felt that way with the Phantasy Star Portable. I got to the end, but I never completed the last fight. It's worked where you either need fast combos or a tank. I never finished expansion packs for NWN because I kept testing new characters after beating the main one-player mode. Some games I finally got back to and ended up trading them in: Beyond Good and Evil and Dark Angel for example. The Persona I had for the PSP was the collector's edition, and I noticed that more starting coming out for PSP. Most of my games end up going to someone else. I've only been holding onto my UMD games.

[Cereal~Killer]

I've had Final Fantasy X and X-2 sitting on the shelf for a long time now and still have yet to even so much as put one in the disc tray.

I also got through a good portion of New Super Mario Bros Wii and never completed it. Not that it's a bad game or anything. I just like to focus on one game at a time and right now, I'm busy with Final Fantasy.

[Unknown Entity]

I don't think I actually do. I only play the games when I'm in the mood to do so, or if I can play with a group of friends. A few weeks ago, I had all the time in the world to play video games when I was looking for work. Now that I have a job, a job with weird hours at that, I don't even have the energy to tackle a game for longer than one or two hours a day.

I tend to buy one or two games a month, maybe more... so my backlog goes back to November last year with Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, The Sims 3 (not satisfied until that's been platinum'd - you can't really finish a Sims game), LBP2, Dead Space 2 (barely started), Dragon Age 2, Yakuza 4, and there's definitely more.

I also own, but have not touched Bioshock 2, Mortal Kombat (they're STILL in the plastic), and Batman: Arkham Asylum (still got a pre-owned seal on it). I won't even go into my list of games to get this year...

I'm playing through L.A. Noire and White Knight Chronicles at the moment.

[Superjord]

Every game I have I've made sure I complete it. I never buy a game unless I know I like it, if I don't that game doesn't stay in my backlog long.

[Xanatos]

I tend to finish all the games I play, nevertheless, every now and then I stop playing certain game for often unknown reason or I just switch to other game leaving it behind unfinished. Sometimes I return to it and continue where I left, though if it's been a while since I played it I have to start all over again, just to pick all the details I forgot.

Right now I have quite a few games that still need to be cracked (Dragon Age Origins along with every available DLC, and it's sequel, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Kingdom Hearts 2, and Birth by Sleep, Crysis 2...), some on the other hand to be finished (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena)...

[Zargabaath]

I've got quite a list of mostly old games that I just haven't gotten around to playing. Though I may not have had them since their release case in point Xenosaga Episode III which I got early this year.

I do plan & hope to finish all the games, which are mostly RPGs, in time. Though it may take a long time for that too happen. Let me see if I can remember all that I have yet to beat:

Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
Star Ocean: The Last Hope
Kingdom Hearts (got half-way when I rented the game when it was released)
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts II
Unlimited Saga
Front Mission
Front Mission 4
Valkyrie Profile 2
Valkyria Chronicles
Persona 3
Persona 4 (very close)
Xenosaga Episode 1 (restarting though got real close to beating when I borrowed from a friend)
Xenosaga Episode II
Xenosaga Episode III
Suikoden II
Suikoden III
Growlanser: The Sense of Justice
Growlanser: The Dual Darkness
Dragon Quest VI
Dragon Quest VII
Dragon Quest IX (very close)
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker
Magna Carta: Tears of Blood (half-way)
Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits
Summoner
Summoner 2
Vagrant Story
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
Crimson Sea 2
Genji: Dawn of the Samurai

Yeah, I think I got everything. Too long a list, but I don't have the time to devote heavy amounts of game time in my life.

[BlackBlade]

It's the gamer's curse I have games still in shrinkwrap I'm only started getting to them now. I'd list them but I'm too lazy and I'm scared to actually see just how much I would have to play.

What I hate is when you love a game stop for some reason and then go back to it but have forgotten some of the story. I either A, play forward and realize some plot twist isn't as shocking since I have no idea who that guy / what happened and its implications. Otherwise I end up restarting the story and get close if not exactly where I was before and stop again only to be plague with having to restart again in the future or I just don't go back to it and call it a "rainy day Rpg". That's what I like games like the tales series or any game that has a journal or backtrack feature so you can re-watch the cinematics or get caught up with the story.

However when I do finish one....nothing is as sweet of a victory

[nickness89]

Wow, i'm getting a panic attack at the number of unplayed or uncompleted games on people's shelves

I'm really picky, and HAVE to complete a game if I get it, can never play a game and never complete it. And for that matter, can never buy a game and never play it either...

Weird ...

[Cecil Harvey]

It's the gamer's curse I have games still in shrinkwrap I'm only started getting to them now. I'd list them but I'm too lazy and I'm scared to actually see just how much I would have to play.

What I hate is when you love a game stop for some reason and then go back to it but have forgotten some of the story. I either A, play forward and realize some plot twist isn't as shocking since I have no idea who that guy / what happened and its implications. Otherwise I end up restarting the story and get close if not exactly where I was before and stop again only to be plague with having to restart again in the future or I just don't go back to it and call it a "rainy day Rpg". That's what I like games like the tales series or any game that has a journal or backtrack feature so you can re-watch the cinematics or get caught up with the story.

However when I do finish one....nothing is as sweet of a victory

It seems I have a clone! Lol! This is EXACTLY what I do! Here is a list of my wall of shame;

Tekken 6
Skate 2
Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy IV (GBA)
Final Fantasy IV (DS)
Final Fantasy IV The After Years
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy XIII
Manhunt
Viewtiful Joe
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime Echoes
Metroid Prime Corruption
Devil May Cry 3
Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion
Resident Evil The Umbrella Chronicle's
Resident Evil The Darkside Chronicle's
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Borderlands
Maijin and the Forsaken Kingdom
Uncharted Drake's Fortune
Dead Nation
Castle Crashers
Grand Theft Auto IV
Far Cry 2
Dead Rising 2
Batman Arkham Asylum
Mirror's Edge
Unreal Tournament III
Dragon Age Origins
Aliens vs Predator
Call of Duty Black Ops
inFamous
Assassin's Creed II
Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare
Demon's Souls
Dead Space
Turok
Star War's Rogue Squadron Rogue Leader
Star War's Rogue Squadron Rebel Strike
The Legend of Zelda The Phantom Hourglass
Starfox Command
Advance War's Dark Conflict
Sonic Rush Adventure

[kupo]

of the games i have i think ive only beaten...like half of them. a few of them (lunar -psp verison- and disgaea 2 for example) i had started over, with full intention of finishing them, but never really getting around to it. but yeah, if i haven't beaten a game its just i havent gotten around to it; not that i think it sucks and i dont want to see it

[DragonHeart]

I definitely have a few of these, but I rent a lot now so at least if I don't want to play it right then I can send it back and find something else without feeling like I wasted money. I just put the game back in my queue later.

Some games that I have bought I haven't finished though. Some I plan on finishing, others I probably never will.

Rented and unfinished:

Star Ocean IV: The Last Hope International (will come back to eventually)
Resonance of Fate (may come back to)

Owned and unfinished:

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (I may actually play this one next, been meaning to get back to it, especially with Revelations being unveiled and all that.)
Dragon Age: Origins (will come back to eventually)
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker (will probably never finish)
Izuna 2 (again, will probably never finish)
Final Fantasy III (got to final boss, may come back to)
Final Fantasy IV (will finish someday)
Final Fantasy VII (got to final boss, probably won't come back to)
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (will not finish)
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (may come back to)
Okami (will definitely finish)
Demon's Souls (may come back to)
Mirror's Edge (borrowed from a friend, probably will not finish)

Most of these I've had for years and just never feel like playing, or in the case of games like Okami, somehow forgot about. Most of the time if I don't finish a game before moving on to another, I simply will not finish it. Part of this is because I usually leave a game for so long that by the time I get back to it I forget what's happened and in many cases, the precise controls, so I usually end up starting it all over again.

I have the same problem with books, actually. Over half of the books on my bookshelf and a fair number on my Nook are unread.

It's not really a huge deal to me anymore though; I'm not quite so driven to finish everything as I used to be. I figure if I don't come back around to it I didn't like it that much to begin with anyway. The rare exceptions are games that I put down with every intention of picking back up again and just haven't yet. The rest just kind of faded out of my mind until threads like this remind me of them.

~DragonHeart~

[Fluffles]

I have a chunk of games that are unfinished sitting on my shelf, such as;

Mass Effect 2 (Only one more mission for it)
Dragon Age: Origins (Haven't started it yet)
Battlefield Bad Company 2 (Need to play the multiplayer still)
Final Fantasy XIII (Working on this year-old one now)
Assassin's Creed II (Went achievement hunting, might finish this one)
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Fable II
Dead Space
Pokemon Black
Disgaea 3
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (I just MP with a friend for this one)
Knights in the Nightmare
Halo Wars
Starcraft (My Battle.net account got hacked a while ago, so I doubt I'll finish this one)

I want to play the RPG's first, mostly because I just enjoy them more.

[Lily]

i seem to get games and never even look at them again

I had a back log a bit back and went on a bit of a marathon and just powered through them one after the other. Ive since got yet more games i need to get round to playing, problem is I just never do...

I still have PS2 games that have been left bought and untouched....

[Bubble Boy]

I have a chunk of games that are unfinished sitting on my shelf, such as;

Mass Effect 2 (Only one more mission for it)
Dragon Age: Origins (Haven't started it yet)
Battlefield Bad Company 2 (Need to play the multiplayer still)
Final Fantasy XIII (Working on this year-old one now)
Assassin's Creed II (Went achievement hunting, might finish this one)
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Fable II
Dead Space
Pokemon Black
Disgaea 3
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (I just MP with a friend for this one)
Knights in the Nightmare
Halo Wars
Starcraft (My Battle.net account got hacked a while ago, so I doubt I'll finish this one)

I want to play the RPG's first, mostly because I just enjoy them more.

GET TO IT!!


the only game I got on backlog is,
Shadow of the Colossus
Bully

bout it...

[Linus Li Lelouch]

Man I have crapload of backlog games, here's my list

Final Fantasy IV (Somewhere in the middle)
Final Fantasy IV The After Years (Never started it)
Orge Battle 64 (Still at the beginning)
Disgaea 2 (PSP and PS2 version) (Never played it)
Kingdom Hearts 2 (Never played it)
Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories (Somewhere in the middle)
Shiren The Wanderer (Somewhere at the beginning)
Starcraft 2 (Mainly because my PC broke, getting a new one)
Nier (Never played it)
Lost Odyssey (Never played it)
Record of Agarest War (Never played it)
Baten Kaitos (Got stuck on the last boss).... (then my game and memory card got stolen)... (Just started over)
Shin Megami Tensei Digital Devil Saga 1 (In the middle)
Shin Megami Tensei Digital Devil Saga 2 (Never started)
Shin Megami Tensei Persona 3FE (something like that) (Never started)
Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4 (Never started)
Metroid Prime (Never started)
Metroid Prime Echoes (Never started)
Metroid Prime Corruption (Never started)
Tales of Symphonia (Had to start over, game and memory card got stolen once)
ICO (Never started)
Dark Cloud (Never started)
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (Somewhere at the beginning)
Odin Sphere (Took a break, beat 3 storylines got 3 more to go)
Makai Kingdom (Never started)
La Pucelle Tactics (Never started)
Grand Theft Auto 4 (Never started)
Suikoden Tactics (Never started)
Perfect Dark (don't even remember)
Scott Pilgrim VS the world (Never started)
Castlevania Lords of Shadow (Never started)
Dynasty Warriors Gundam (Game is pretty hard)
Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2 (Never started)

I know there are like 20 more, just can't think of them right now (not at home)....

[Michael Swayne]

I, like many of us, have a backlog of games as well. My problem isn't that I don't have time, because I have plenty of that. I only have to go to the office one day each week, the rest of the time I work at home. And since, I write a game review column, I have to play games.

My problem is, I get to a part in the game that is really difficult, and I try and try, and I still can't get past it. Instead of becoming frustrated and throwing the controller through the TV, I sit it aside and plan to get back to it.

The planning never works. When I think that I should get back to it, I get this urge to NOT get back to it.

Here's my list of unfinished games:

Atari Anthology
ATV Offroad Fury
Cabela's Big Game Hunter, Trophy Bucks, Deer Hunt 2004, Dangerous Hunts
Crash TwinSanity
Evergrace
Final Fantasy XII (curse you Vayne)
Ford Racing 2
Gran Turismo I-IV
Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, San Andreas, Vice City Stories
Hard Rock Casino
High School Muscial 3: Senior Year DANCE! (I bought it for the dance pad)
Hitman: Blood Money
Hot Shots Tennis
Jak 3
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights
Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories
Monster Jam
Mountain Bike Adrenaline
Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Oni
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
RPG Maker 3 (I played the demo within the game, but never made one...yet)
Sega Genesis Collection (another anthology game)
Sega Superstars Tennis
Sonic Heroes (I have completed two of the stories)
The Plan
The Sims 1 and 2
Tokyo XTreme Racer Drift
Triggerman
Unlimited Saga (Square-Enix, but not a very good one)
Xenosaga (doesn't play in my console for some reason)
Project Gotham Racing 2
Tetris Worlds
NCAA Football 2005, '08
Top Spin
Midnight Club II
Stake Fortune Fighters
Midway Arcade Treasures 2
IHRA Professional Drag Racing 2005
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (never finished the movie either)
Ghost Recon: Island Thunder
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
High Rollers Casino
Outlaw Golf
Sonic Mega Collection (another anthology)
The Legend of Zelda Collector's Edition (I, II, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask)
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
F1 World Grand Prix
IHRA Drag Racing (PlayStation version)
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Nascar '98, '99
Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012
Strike Point
Tomb Raider I and II
Twisted Metal 4 (given to me broken, never fixed or replaced it)
WWF Smackdown!, Wrestlemania 2000
Gex 64
Pokemon Stadium
Quake (Bought it at a yard sale, but too lazy to switch TV over to N64)
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

It may seem like I never have completed a game before. My list of completed games is just as long. If you want proof, look at collection of game reviews here on TFF for some of my completed work.

Edit: I just realized that as of now, I have longest list among all of us. This is something I am definitely NOT proud of. I am going to try to take care of this right away.

[seanb]

There's most likely a few ps1 games stored away somewhere that I never finished when I was a child, maybe one day I'l dig them all out and do them.

At the moment I have yet to complete Final Fantasy VIII and XII ... It's because I don't have time now, but hopefully I'll try to continue playing them this year.

As for Michael, I am nearly sure there are more games on your list than I have ever played in my life, haha. You have a tough job ahead of you!

[Calvan]

My Backlog includes

PS2-
Star ocean tille the end of time,
Rogue galaxy
Jak and Daxter
Jak II
Onimusha
Onimusha 2
Dynasty Warriors 5/Xtreme Legends
Final fantasy XII

PS3-
Star wars the force unleashed
LA Noire
3D dot game heroes
Lego batman

Wii-
Super mario Galaxy 2
Metroid Prime 3 Corruption
Metroid other M
Goldeneye

DS-
Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy IV
Dragon Quest V hand of the heavenly bride
Grand theft auto Chinatown wars
Pokemon White

PC-
Borderlands
Fallout New Vegas(The DLCs)
Lord of the rings battle for Middle earth
Heroes of Might and magic II,III and V
Halflife Squared+ episodes 1 and 2
Oddworld stranger's wrath
SiN
Star Wars Knights of the old republic
Assassin's creed
DooM 3

I have a huge collection of games, (No kidding)
So I know i've missed a few.

[Coolmcdum]

Hmmm..... I had had a running list of games i didn't touch for years then idk someday i just wanted to finsh them and i went one after another like crazy... But currenttly i need to by more games.

[The_Dream_Recluse]

At the moment, i'm powering through the old school Final Fantasy games. I'm almost finished with I, and then i will move onto II and onwards in numerical order until i finish VI.

Aside from those i also have Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, GTA Advance and Golden Sun waiting for me, so needless to say i will be a bit preoccupied in the coming months with games xD

[Kinzerelli]

Something tells me I will find out that I have a lot of games to finish....As with Calvan, will arrange them in order of console.

PS2:
Kingdom Hearts 2 - got to last boss, never completed. Swapped it with a friend for FF10 so doubt I will ever finish it
FF12 - I always get bored of the Gambit system about 3/4 through the game and stop playing it.... that and I get lost.
Spiderman 2 - Couldn't get past the 2nd Dr Octopus battle, then gave up
Driv3r - couldn't get past the 2nd mission.....doubt I will start it again
Burnout Dominator - As it was just pure racing and no crashing, I lost interest. Might pick it up again later....maybe

GameCube:
Resident Evil Zero - Got to about 3/4 through the game....then lost the box with disc 2......
Metroid Prime 2: Dark Echoes - Got to a certain boss.....and no matter what walkthrough I tried to use, I couldn't beat it. Gave up.

PC: (the big one)
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights - I sort of play this on and off....still never finished it.
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Could never get into the game. Finishable?...doubt it.
Need for Speed Prostreet - Got bored.....doubt it will get re-installed
Need For Speed Shift - Not my type of racing game. Same as Prostreet, I doubt it will get re-installed


Will update once I get back online, as I have to head out.... (got a lot more PC games to put on)

[blondeandy]

Wow, seems i'm not the only one. My gf has stopped me buying new games as she sees how frustrated i get at not having the time to make any inroads into my backlog.

I had some time off console gaming so it probably didn't help that i got back into it buying two consoles(ps3 and wii) and about 9 games to start with. When i got my xbox i did the initial games spooge was starting off losing before i began...

Worst thing for me is entire series' of games i've not touched, i missed out on the ps2(being a nintendo fanboy at heart) and so have the entire god of war and mgs solid series' sitting there haunting me with their HD remakes...

Also, not being focussed does not help. Spreading your time between various games means it's tricky to get back into them when you pick them up again. I've now had to promise myself i'll complete 4 in my half-completed games before i'm allowed to start any new ones. Mostly playing rpgs is also a no-no as the hours involved is lucidcrous.

Wish i was a teenager again as i took the spare time for granted, the added content with achievements/trophies in games these days is phenomenal also.

I suppose spending your time on forums listening to other peoples gaming habits and watching tv doesn't really get any games completed though. Just sometimes the backlog scares me so much i have to hide away in more passive pursuits...

[blondeandy]

Oh and the rate at which decent games are coming out these days makes the situation almost unworkable. We're truly spoilt at the moment!