I probably say this every year but I really wanna clear my PS3 backlog this year. I say clear… finish (& preferably platinum) the remaining games that are sat on the shelves and keeping me from unhooking the old fella. There is probably around 15 games that fit this description, so if I can squeeze in 1 per month, I’ll get pretty close at least.
@AgentCooper As a PlayStation only player, when I think about Xbox exclusives I wish I could try, in addition to Quantum Break and Sunset Overdrive, I also think about the Fable series and also the Gears of War series. Of course Forza as well and now Starfield. Any of those sound enticing? I’m not much of a FPS fan to be fussed about Halo, but that’s one to consider.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution 🤣 aye I don’t think that I could be any more succinct tbh… and welcome aboard, we’re glad to have ya 😁.
So as far as the old George Forman Grill goes, i’ve got bits and pieces left to do on:
Splinter Cell: Blacklist Rage
I am keen to get through the following:
Brutal Legend Remember Me Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Spec Ops: The Line The Saboteur Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Alpha Protocol Deadly Premonition Dead Space Dead Space 2 Dead Space 3 Deus Ex: Human Revolution Asura’s Wrath X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Then I do have some stragglers left over that I’m probably willing to cull like:
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Sleeping Dogs (as I’ve already played the PS4 version) Just Cause 2 (as I’ve already played it through a few times on an old profile)
… and I am torn on a few too I suppose 🤔:
The Tomb Raider HD Classics Collection The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Going through them I actually had a fair few more than I thought 😅… ahh well maybe I’ll manage to get them all done before the PS6… maybe 😉.
@Th3solution I love the Fable series, probably the one Microsoft ip I’m most familiar with. I played a small amount of the original Gears of War when it released but for some reason I haven’t found the impetus to go back and as for Halo, I’ve only ever played the first 3 so there might be something there though I didn’t have the best time revisiting Combat Evolved last year. I’m sure something will pop up, I'm classing the full Xbox history when searching for an exclusive to play.
@johncalmc The Y6 platinum is easy as you don't need to get 100% on the completion list and don't have to replay the whole game in legend mode; if you create a save before the final fight, you can reload that, bump the difficulty to legendary and just beat the final boss again.
@Ralizah The Maneater platinum is pretty easy, just a bit of a chore as the game is quite average.
@Tjuz Yes, you should post more on here especially now I find out you're a fellow Midnight Suns fan..
@colonelkilgore Ooooh… some real gems in there. Special shout out to the two Force Unleashed, the two Castlevanias, Remember Me, and especially Enslaved. And I’d really love to play Spec Ops: The Line, The Saboteur, and the three Dead Spaces, but just never got to. At least I’ve got the PS5 Dead Space remake to do. And well, actually I could conceivably play any of these because my PS3 still works… I think.
@AgentCooper Yeah, Fable seems an ace idea, so I’d like to see how it plays. If they ever release the new one then maybe I could be convinced to pick up a box, but I’m drowning in PS4 and PS5 content as it is.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Thrillho Have yet to play it, but off-hand, it sorta reminds me of a lot of the sort of low-budget games that used to pepper the library of systems like the PS2 and Wii. I'm expecting the video game equivalent of cheap fast food, so if it can live up to that standard, I'm satisfied. Sometimes you don't want something high quality.
@RogerRoger My best friend loves Gumshoe to death. To the point where he cosplayed as him at a con we went to lol
Yeah, def restart Chronicles when you have the time to commit to the games. It's the densest and most inter-connected set of games in the series, and the story builds up to some truly wonderful climatic moments in the second game.
@Th3solution oh you’ve done it now sol…I’d kinda assigned the Force Unleashed and Lords of Shadow sequels to the eternal-shelf of dust gathering as I’d heard that they weren’t up to snuff. Now your post is giving me second thoughts 🤔
@Th3solution Definitely! I don't think I would've become as addicted to TV shows either had I not had a great friend to constantly discuss almost everything with. Hoping it might turn out to be the same for video games, though maybe a bit less of the addition part, haha.
@colonelkilgoreAlpha Protocol just caught my eye. Possibly the first actual RPG experience I ever had, other than watching people play Final Fanatsy and not knowing wtf was going on 😁 and a spy game to boot.
It was kind of silly as s***, yet also really in depth and it's kind of annoying how no one else makes games like that. Maybe stuff like Deus Ex, but not a great deal of RPG spy type games out there. Certainly not for a long time.
Anyway, I popped back mostly to say, maybe my resolution can be to finish off some games I left in Limbo, as that is a habit I have, usually hit around the 75% mark and I get drawn into something else, mostly as it takes me too long the way I slow play games so other stuff appears that I want to play, and I don't have the ability to stick to it after a certain amount of weeks or months has passed. Or it gets to summer and I end up barely gaming in any way that makes it worth following an in depth story through.
@Ravix well you’ve definitely whetted-my-appetite for finally getting around to starting Alpha Protocol as I love RPG’s and I love espionage, so it’s good to know it hits hard on both fronts.
How about you, anything interesting on your limbo-shelf?
@colonelkilgore it's probably quite dated, but it definitely leant into being an RPG, from what I remember of it.
Kind of hoping to see Naughty Dog do a spy thriller one day, maybe more of a period one, that'd be cool in modern gaming. IO are doing that bond game, but I feel like we haven't seen or heard much of that. And I'm genuinely still sad Agent got binned by Rockstar all those years ago haha 😭
I had stuff like Judgement that got put on the back-burner, despite being well into the story, Immortals Fenyx Rising was kind of cool, Saints Row (but that's fair enough to give up on) I never fully finished TotK because FF16 and then BG3 took over. There's loads of things like that scattered throughout the years too, I don't know if I'll ever do the last few missions in Watch Dogs 2, for example. Some things are easy enough to go back to, even its its been a long time though, just have to treat it like a gap between tv seasons tbh.
I was surprised at how easily I got back into Cyberpunk 2077 after like 2 years away from it, but I've still not finished that playthrough because I bought Hogwarts Legacy a while ago, after finishing BG3 😅😅😅
Some people are pretty good at playing multiple games, concurrently. I, however, am not. So always end up with a backlog of games i've started, on top of ones I want to play but have yet to start 😭
When it seems you're out of luck.
There's just one man who gives a f*************ck
⚔️🛡🐎
@colonelkilgore Well, maybe it’s rose-tinted spectacles, but I look back fondly on them, especially the Force Unleashed games. There was a time when Star Wars action games were a rare commodity, so maybe that, along with my rabid SW fandom at the time, could have elevated it in my eyes.
The Lords of Shadow games I feel less confident in my memory of them. I had the benefit of not having much of a history with the Castlevania series and so going into it I didn’t have preconceived notions of what it was supposed to be. I think the games probably aren’t very good ‘Castlevania’ games, but are underrated 3D action games, imo.
Probably a good idea to plan on doing the first game of each of these two series and see if either or both click before committing to the sequels.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Last year I didn't have any resolutions at all (gaming or otherwise), but this year have given it some thought and do actually have some goals.
Because I just bought Prince of Persia, I guess it's a "from here on out" (and we're still only in the third week of the year, so it still counts. Hey, it's my list, of course it counts!)
1) Limit game purchases
I typically don't buy a lot, but as I'm slow playing things and the backlog grows evermore, I'm conscious of the fact that I would very much like to prioritise playing what I've already got. I look at my gaming shelf and it makes me happy, which is good. I've also effectively run out of space, despite in recent months having a very good tidy up and decluttering shelves. This isn't one of those "don't buy anything" rules. There are a few games I would like and have preordered (at the moment, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Prince of Persia). However, the year is not particularly stacked, so temptation is low.
This is largely a continuation of last year. I resisted getting Spider-Man and was okay with that, which must mean I wasn't really that amped about playing it. I'm a strange mix of impulsive, so will often be very focused and excited about one thing, only to become distracted and move on to the next. I'm also something of a procrastinator, often to the point of overthinking and not getting anything done. Gaming is my primary hobby, so I guess it's as good a place as any to start.
2) For games I do buy, prioritise digital
This will be a tricky one, as in the UK physical games are often still cheaper than digital ones. The reason I've rustled up this resolution is twofold. Firstly, I lack space, so digital is a good way of getting round that limitation. Secondly, it will force me to wait for sales. The exception to this will be for things I either specifically want as part of an existing collection, or where the game in question is a touch more special to me. As such, I have the special edition of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on preorder and am looking forward to it.
3) If I do buy a game, aim to play it immediately or as soon as practicable
Be honest. If I don't see myself truly playing something reasonably close to purchase (no longer than a few weeks) then don't buy it. Those games that are cheap as chips on PSN may look like a good deal, or suddenly being into Dragon Ball is great at the time, but there's no point if it's not something I'm going to actually play. This will have the welcome effect of focusing me more on the present and on things I truly want to play.
4) If I don't like a game, ditch it
This is something I've been better at in recent years, but I will go further. The older I get, I've started to realise that I do not want to waste my time on crap anymore. Either in my hobbies or in my life. Last autumn I bought Starfield and played it for a solid fortnight. It wasn't gelling and as such I didn't feel like spending another second on it. I was pleased I made that decision. Perhaps I will return, perhaps I won't. Either way is fine.
In general I do have a habit of wanting to stick with something, perhaps because of the nagging notion that giving up will have meant I've wasted my time and money. This is the wrong way to look at it. Sticking with something I don't like is wasting my time.
5) Step out of my comfort zone a little by continuing to experience new genres
Primarily, this will mean at last dipping into the dark waters of the Souls-like genre. I received Elden Ring for Christmas and am both excited and nervous about playing it. Most excited, as it does look rather good.
6) Play at least ten Nintendo DS games (...and five Nintendo 3DS games)
I love the Nintendo handhelds of yore. It's an era that is now sadly over, but there's still much to delve into. Building my DS collection has been something that has brought me joy over the past few years and now is the time to actually play it. I have a mix of games and genres, so there's nice variety on offer. Although this can include replays of some old favourites, ideally at least half of this figure will be unplayed titles. By "play" I mean spending some quality time on it. If I don't like it, that is fine, but there will be no scraping by on a technicality.
@mookysam stepping out of the comfort zone is definitely the way to go 😄 Elden Ring was the first real game of that kind i'd played, like I've played games with boss fights etc, and in the past they have frustrated me at times, but Elden Ring taught me to not care about failing in games as you never truly lose anything that you cant get back, and you gain experience and have fun on the way. The exploration and lack of long run backs really helps, and you can just go off in any direction you want if you do come to a temporary dead end in one section.
I think the comfort zone locks us out of great games because one or two game types is only going to have a fraction of the great games available. I'd never have played Elden Ring (urgh, hard) or Baldur's Gate 3 (urgh, turn based) in the past, but they are two of my all time favourite game experiences since trying more variations of the fantasy genre. And it was only The Witcher 3 that really got me into the fantasy genre in games, and at the time that was a big leap out of my comfort zone too 😁
Digital ain't so bad either, if you pair vouchers and PS Stars you might even get better value over time on new game releases (especially if you don't usually sell games once you are done anyway) and then just wait for sales for stuff you're happy waiting for while backlog clearing. AC games got me well into digital, as everything from UBI ends up at about £8 at some point 😁 and I've definitely paid much less on new games than I would have for the physical editions day one.
My New Years gaming resolution is to not buy ANY games in 2024!
I have more than enough in my backlog across my PS5 PS Plus Essential monthly games plus some I have bought on my Series X.
I had the new FF7 part 2 pre-ordered but got that refunded the other day as I really hate the battle system in the first part so I literally have nothing new for this year at all now.
I decided on this as I was constantly looking at games across both platforms for sales, performance and benefits/drawbacks of each and ended up buying the same games on PS5 and Xbox a few times!
Lately though I find that games just dont entertain and keep me interested as much anymore but I must admit I feel a huge weight off my shoulders not worrying about looking for or finding games to buy.
@Walrus_Slapper any time gaming isn't feeling as appealing, or there is nothing you are interested in right now, that is definitely the best chance to go back and find great games you have missed out on. Great games are usually always great, no matter when they released, so you might find yourself falling in love with something from the back catalogue or from a sale if you knowingly missed some classics (even ones that you might not think fit in with games you enjoy)
Are there any great games, universal acclaim, or cult hits that you have missed that might be worth a try?
I know for me, when I've been in game slumps I've gone back to find things I'd never usually have played because of one factor, but know I'm interested in in other ways. Kingdom Come: Deliverence, was on example. I didn't know what to play, I love historical fiction, but really couldn't see myself playing and First Person games, but I went for it, and loved it right away for its absolutely new take to RPG and games, in where it spits in the face of game and action tropes and sticks closer to a more real life way of playing in terms of its systems and ways of tackling quests.
But there's been loads of games I've gone back to that have rekindled my interest in gaming as a whole, the Uncharted series (where i played 4 on release because of how good it looked) but it was much later I went back to play the others when I had nothing else that interested me.
There is so much good stuff out there already so hopefully you find that spark 😄
@Ravix Yeah, with Soulslikes it was mostly that I'd been put off by the difficulty. I watched a friend play Nioh some years ago and it almost swore me off the genre for good! 😂 The thing that changed my mind was watching them play the Demon's Souls remake, which I thought looked amazing. I haven't played that, but Elden Ring looks like it has a lot of elements I'll enjoy, as well as there always being something else to do. I'm probably better at games than I give myself credit for. I enjoy Metroidvanias, which usually have a degree of challenge built into the combat and have also completed and enjoyed hack 'n slash and "stylish action" games. I agree that apprehension of stepping out of our comfort zones can lock us out of great experiences. I've explored more genres over the past few years and it's always a pleasant surprise when I turn out to really like something, or if it even becomes a firm favourite.
Digital is fine if it's cheaper. The exercise is more about encouraging me to appreciate and explore my backlog and buy fewer games. I guess I still have a tiny little bit of that geriatric millennial mindset when it comes to having something tangible on the shelf, but that's evaporated more and more over the years to the point I don't really care. Discs are glorified unlocks and manuals went away a long time ago.
My first resolution is being ever so slightly challenged at the moment with the arrival of Persona 3 Reload. It's still my favourite of the “new”Persona games, but given I won’t finish it in time for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will wait!
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Topic: Gaming Resolutions for the New Year 2024
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