Pre-Summer Backlogs

Dueling Analogs 'Getting a New Game'
Dueling Analogs really sums up our thoughts on how we fall into the backlog trap.

It’s that time again!  Spring is in the air, summer is right on the horizon, and we once again have backlogs of backlogs of backlogs, and lots of games are releasing in the next few months.  We do this every year.  We evaluate where we’re at with the games we played this past year, and how many we still need to finish so that we can alleviate some of our cognitive dissonance we feel when we want to buy more new games but haven’t finished what’s currently on our shelf.

Let’s look at our backlogs.

Graev’s Backlog

  • Xenoblade – Now available at Gamefly as well instead of being a Gamestop exclusive.  I need to finish this, but the more I play the more I realize it’s so enormous.
  • Tales of the Abyss
  • Resident Evil 3DS
  • Metal Gear solid 3DS – Need to finish
  • Rayman – Just finished
  • Uncharted 3 – Need to finish

Keen’s Backlog

  • Skyrim – I was overwhelmed by Skyrim.  It was too big for me, too much to handle when it launched.  I need to break it into pieces and chew slowly.
  • Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (30% off on Sale) + DLC – I’m working my way through this one. I really want to finish up all the quests and play the DLC.

Games we’re working through Co-op

Now’s the time to finish your backlogs or take advantage of the sales during this calm before the storm.  This summer might actually prove to be the best in many years with Diablo 3, Lego Batman 2, The Amazing Spider-Man, Darksiders 2, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, Mario Tennis Open (3ds), Heroes of Ruin (3ds),  and possibly Guild Wars 2 releasing.  You can see why we’re anxious to finish up these backlogs.

What’s in your backlog that you need to finish up before the Summer wave?

  • Games I have sitting around:
    – Dark Souls, BF3, Kingdoms of Amalur, King Author II

    Games that have kept me from playing anything else:
    – Skyrim Nov.- Feb., Mount & Blade: Warband (Floris Mod) Feb->April. I played M&B for probably 150 to 200 hours when it came out in ’10, but I’m even having more fun now that I’m using the Floris Mod pack. I seem to remember you playing some M&B Keen, but if you haven’t tried it in awhile, check it out with Floris Mod. It is so much better than native. I’ve gotten another 150 hours of gameplay over the last two months and I’m still enjoying the game. Great example of fun game mechanics trumping graphics and bling.

  • Hurr, so true….
    My guilt list;
    Fallout 3
    Fallout New Vegas*
    Bioshock*
    Rage
    Witcher 2
    Skyrim
    Metro 2033
    Fable III
    Warhammer 40k Dawn of War II with all expansions (sale on steam)
    Magika
    Lord of the Rings: War in the North

    * = Haven’t even started the game after installing it from Steam.
    The others I’ve started up and begun playing but stopped due to MMO’s stealing my gaming hours ><

  • Ohh I forgot, I’ve got BF3 and MW3 as well, both of which I bought for the multiplayer and rarely ever play.

  • I need to get to work on my Xbox 360 backlog.
    Fable II
    Assassin’s Creed II
    Skyrim (65 hours in, about 200 to go)
    also
    countless DS RPG’s & way too many PS2 games

  • Oh man, that is totally me in the second panel.

    Just a few games I want to finish –

    – Batman: Arkham Asylum
    – Penny Arcade OTRSPoD 1&2
    – All of the Uncharted games
    – Splinter Cell Conviction
    – Kingdoms of Amalur

  • That comic is painfully true. I’m just now starting to really play Blood Bowl which I purchased in late 2010. I’m still playing the heck out of Saints Row 3 but basically at the expense of anything else. Since installing Star Trek Online free to play I’ve logged…37 minutes. Yikes. I’m purposefully avoiding games like Borderlands and Skyrim because I’ll just be spread too thin. That’s why I need bloggers to play games for me so I can live vicariously through them! 🙂

  • @Keen: I am very dissapointed in you! Thought you were this big sandbox game and here comes the greatest sandbox singleplayer game in ages and it overwhelms you?

    You sir need to get busy ASAP, first you need to find your virtual balls. 😛

  • Literally everything. The only game I every complete are the short match types like MAGIC.I get bored when I realize that I reign supreme over the map; I can’t be bothered to chase down Musketmen stragglers with my Giant Death Robots to finish the game.

  • hi K & G

    been lurking your blog for like years and enjoying your post and honesty..

    though im confused how can you savor a game if you play that many games and jumping from game to game.. i dont know really =D

    personally when i play a major game like ‘elder scroll oblivion’ i play it exclusively without any major games distracting me.. unless its minigames like iPhone games (Where’s my water, plant vs zombie , the quick games)

    though thanks for your zeal and interest in gaming i got massive load of information that i find useful for combing new games

    PS:

    cannot wait to see your take on TSW

  • Sadly my list looks almost like Proximo’s…

    Fallout 3
    Fallout New Vegas
    Rage
    Witcher 2
    BF3
    Skyrim
    Kingdom of Amalur
    Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 2+ expac
    Warhammer 40K: Space Marine

    All between school, GW1 and the odd time in Rift. And preparing my team for GW2.

  • @Dpri: I am the same way, I only have time to commit to ONE game at a time so I have to make it count. Normally I only do MMO’s but I make exceptions of good fantasy RPG’s like Skyrim. Falliut 3 or Kingdoms of Amalur.

  • I’ve pretty much played all the games I wanted to. Resently bought La Noire, but it went dull too fast. Still playing BF3, which is great. I’ve never been good at playing multible games at once, I (nearly) allways focus on one.

  • @Gank

    lol.. hopefully the mobile functionality can be done in a way to help. 😉

  • Currently playing..

    Yakuza 4 on ps3.

    GTA 4 both the DLC.
    Tribes ascend.
    League of legends.
    Super monday night combat.

    Staring at guildwars 2 prepurchase wondering when it will get released.

  • I actually had so many unfinished games last year that I created a sort of “Achievments List” for them and tracked my progress as I tackled them.

    The main leftovers on my list:

    Assassin’s Creed 2 (started it but it wiped my first few hours of progress)
    Dead Space 2
    Mass Effect 3 (did not have to wait long for the price to plummet out of my “Boycott Zone”)
    Darksiders (found it unplayable with KB+Mouse and could not get a Joypad to work)
    Dead Rising 2
    Magicka
    Red Dead Redemption
    Both expansions to GTA4.

    And 10+ other little things on Steam

  • And oh crap I forgot Skyrim: 80 hours in I’d not even complete the first act.

    Near the end of Legend of Grimrock as we speak…brilliant.

  • A few odd Wii games that I picked up cheap and didn’t get around to yet. Lost in Shadow, Sonic Colors, and…shoot, I can’t even remember the others. Atari’s Greatest Hits, vol II on the DS as well.