2012, end of the world, or end of your pile? - the 12 month thread

Finished God of War (PS3) (thoughts here). It once again made me face the question, "Why do I have such a hard time to not finish/abandon a game?" Can't quite put my finger on it, since I think I am not a "need to get my money's worth" type of person. How do you guys go about "breaking up" with games, that you find aren't worth your time, attention or - for lack of a better word - love?

Luggage wrote:

How do you guys go about "breaking up" with games, that you find aren't worth your time, attention or - for lack of a better word - love?

Take a look at my backlog (this is why keeping it in list form somewhere helps) and read over all the games I want to be playing.

Keeping and regularly updating this list has been informative, watching me squeeze and rearrange as I repeatedly failed to hit even my modest goals due to time constraints. But it's got me prioritizing, selling things off, etc.

It's been informative also to start scheduling into next year. Seeing how just the "must plays" have me busy through at least May has kept me from buying anything I'm even on the fence about, only to leave it sitting in shrinkwrap for months. This thread is saving me money.

December: Folklore - FAILURE
January: Assassin's Creed: Revelations - SUCCESS
February: Deadly Premonition - SUCCESS
March: Rogue Galaxy - FAILURE; re-play Mass Effect 1 - SUCCESS
April: re-play Mass Effect 2 - SUCCESS
May: Mass Effect 3 - SUCCESS; El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron - FAILURE
June: Lollipop Chainsaw - FAILED; No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise - FAILED; Shadows of the Damned - SUCCESS
July: Resonance of Fate - CARRIED OVER
August: Resonance of Fate - CARRIED OVER, AGAIN
September: Resonance of Fate (carried over); Alan Wake replay & DLC??
October: keep clear for personal obligations :(
November: Assassin’s Creed III (out October 30)
December: Hitman: Absolution (out November 20) <-- this may change based on reviews

January 2013: Resident Evil 6; early start on Ni No Kuni
February 2013: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (out January 22); Dead Space 3 (out February 5)
March 2013: Bioshock Infinite (out February 26)
April 2013: Tomb Raider (out March 5) <-- this may change based on reviews
May 2013: Splinter Cell: Blacklist (out April 1?)

Portable pile (when consoles not available): Solatorobo (SUCCESS); The 3rd Birthday (Parasite Eve 3); The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky; Chaos Rings

beeporama wrote:

It's been informative also to start scheduling into next year.

Very true. I already moved my list of games that were moved to 2013 into a new Google doc and it's definitely illuminated that I probably shouldn't buy much next year since that's when all the Kickstarter projects should start landing. Hopefully as we get closer to TGS and the Wii U launch line-up I'll have a better idea of how the year is looking. Right now it's looking fairly indie/KS heavy which should make for an interesting year.

My plan for next year consists almost entirely of Wii and 3DS games. The Wii pretty much being dead means I'm at least saved from the new release race for that platform. It's sad to see it go, but I'll be surprised if there are any high profile releases at all for Wii next year.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

My plan for next year consists almost entirely of Wii and 3DS games. The Wii pretty much being dead means I'm at least saved from the new release race for that platform. It's sad to see it go, but I'll be surprised if there are any high profile releases at all for Wii next year.

I really doubt we're going to see much on the Wii aside from a rare game from the smaller publishers like Atlus and XSeed.

I'm mostly looking at PC/3DS games right now for new stuff. Wii U will probably fill in some gaps, but I'm also expecting that to have a slow burn like every Nintendo system of late. I currently have no interest in a new console from Sony or MS so I think it's going to be a good year for attacking the backlog.

September Update!

Current Game: Super Mario 3D Land

Beaten in August: Wind-up Knight, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Post-Game Content: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Pile: Final Fantasy XIII, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Sonic Generations, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Rhythm Heaven Fever, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy VI, Bastion, Fez, Xenoblade Chronicles, Quantum Conundrum, New Super Mario Bros. II, Ratchet & Clank

Jan. Feb. Mar. April May June July Aug. Sept. 1st update!

I cannot believe how fast this month went by. Aside from putting a good amount of time into TF2, I think I completed a mere three games this month. On the bright side, I didn't buy any. Well, except for The Last Story, which technically I bought in March, it just came now.

Finished this year (alphabetical by platform)

  • Alpha Protocol [color=blue](360)[/color]
  • Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
  • Dark Souls
  • Dance Central 2
  • El-Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
  • Enchanted Arms
  • Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
  • Final Fantasy XIII-2
  • Gunslinger
  • Kung Fu Panda
  • Lego Batman
  • Once Upon a Monster
  • Project Gotham Racing 3
  • Rayman Origins [color=red]New this month[/color]
  • Botanicula [color=blue](PC)[/color]
  • The Dream Machine (chapters 1-3 so far)
  • Mirror's Edge
  • Quantum Conundrum
  • Tiny Bang Story [color=red]New this month[/color]
  • Ys Origin
  • LittleBIGPlanet [color=blue](PS3)[/color]
  • Journey
  • Uncharted
  • Uncharted 2
  • The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword :([color=blue] (Wii)[/color]
  • The Last Story [color=red]New this month[/color]
  • Xenoblade Chronicles
  • Radiant Historia[color=blue] (DS/3DS)[/color]
  • 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors
  • Devil Survivor 2
  • Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
  • Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
  • Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
  • Super Mario 3D Land
  • Persona 3:FES[color=blue] (PS2)[/color]

/ = Abandoned / Sold
/ = Finished / Completed

Currently playing (alphabetical by platform)

  • Bayonetta [color=green]on loan[/color] (aaaalmost done) [color=blue](360)[/color]
  • Driver: San Francisco
  • Atom Zombie Smasher[color=blue](PC)[/color]
  • Jade Empire (unfortunately on hold until I can get the technical issues sorted out...if I can)
  • other yet-to-be-determined PC games
  • Hyperdimension Neptunia [color=blue](PS3)[/color]
  • Ocarina of Time 3D[color=blue] (DS/3DS)[/color]
  • SMT: Strange Journey

Games shamefully purchased this month

  • The Last Story

I, Minarchist, solemnly pledge to remain incredibly awesome just like I am now. Also, to take part in the Pile of Shame monthly threads. Even if it is just for one game, I will put forth effort to clear my ever-growing pile, one game at a time.

I also pledge to do everything within my ability to restrict my game purchases to those that I've listed, and, if I should falter, will shamefully add them to the pile in full sight of this support group.

Wait, it's September already!?

trueheart78 wrote:

Wait, it's September already!?

I know, right?

Per Backloggery, I beat four games in August, completing three of them; added ten, most of those part of my So Long, My Wii project; and removed three. My goal for the coming month is to finish New Super Mario Bros. 2, Metroid Prime 2, and a shorter PC game or two. I might also try to complete one of my 3DS eShop games like Mighty Switch Force or beat Yoshi's Island between NSMB 2 sessions.

The Pile is in Session so get your buts over there and commit to completion.

Remember, this is the last 'single' month for the year, as the next thread Hemidal puts up is the October-December end of year - silly season pilpocolyse avoidance thread.

Monthly update

New:
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
Pokemon Black (NDS)

Beat:
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (360)
L.A. Noire DLC - A Slip of the Tongue (360)
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition (Steam)

Removed:
Baldur's Gate 2 w/ Throne of Bhaal Expansion (PC)

I have until mid-October to finish Pokemon Black before Black & White 2 come out. That shouldn't be a problem, as I've been playing it on the bus and sometimes at lunch, which means typically 1&half; to 2 hours a day.

We also have Borderlands 2 pre-ordered, and that's coming out this month.

So far this year: 31 games beaten, 35 added

AUs_TBirD wrote:

Credits rolled

  • WWF King of the Ring (GBC) - 2 January
  • Metroid (NES) - 3 January
  • Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge HD (PC) - 27 January
  • Amnesia: The Dark Descent (PC) - 1 April
  • Power Blade (NES) - 7 April
  • The Mark of Kri (PS2) - 7 April
  • Chrono Trigger (DS/SNES/PSX) - 30 April
  • The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (GBC) - 18 May
  • Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS1/multi) - 24 July
  • Parappa the Rapper (PS1) - 28 July

Status: 10 of 54 (18.5%)

Unannounced 'beatings.'

  • The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Gamecube) - 2 January
  • Trine (PC) - 5 January
  • Mega Man X (SNES) - 29 January
  • Battle Realms (PC) - 21 February
  • Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter (PC) - 20 March
  • Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC) - 30 March
  • Teen Agent (PC) - 6 April
  • Costume Quest (with Grubbins on Ice DLC) (PC) - 8 April
  • Portal 2 (PC) - 15 April
  • The Cat & the Coup (PC) - 19 April
  • Unreal Tournament: Black Edition (PC) - 02 May
  • Delta Force: Black Hawk Down (PC) - 05 May
  • Abobo's Big Adventure (PC/Flash) - 11 May - AWESOME!!!
  • Kirby: Canvas Curse (NDS) - 15 July
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure (NGPC) - 28 July
  • The Legendary Axe (TurboDuo) - 04 August
  • Dear Esther (retail) (PC) - 05 August
  • Dungeon Keeper (PC) - 12 August
  • Breath of Death VII: The Beginning (PC) - 26 August
  • Braid (PC) - 31 August

Status: 21 of 0

2012 Releases I will be purchasing
Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii) - April
Status: 1 of 2 (50%)

2011 and Prior Releases I might purchase on the cheap
Portal 2 (PC) - March
Serious Sam 3: Battle for Earth (PC) - April
LA Noire: Complete Edition (PC) - June
Alice: Madness Returns (PC) - June - gifted to me
Bastion (PC) - July
Status: 5 of 18 (26.5%)

Side Goal: Whittle the pile down to 70% unfinished

  • 73,5% or 1190 titles as of Dec 22nd, 2011
  • 73,0% or 1182 titles as of February 29, 2012
  • 72,9% or 1186 titles as of April 2, 2012
  • 72,4% or 1186 titles as of May 2, 2012
  • 72,1% or 1189 titles as of July 28th, 2012
  • 72,0% or 1191 titles as of September 2, 2012

Side Goal: Clear out my Gameboy/Color backlog. - 2 of 7 done.
Side Goal: Knock off 5 or more NES games. - 2 of 5 done.

Months without any games purchased/received
January
February

"Failed" months
March - 7 games purchased/received - only 1 was from the allowed list.
April - 8 games purchased - only 2 were from the allowed list.
May - 3 games purchased/received/free (Abobo) - none from the list.
June - 8 games purchased/received/free from gog.com - 1 from the list
July - 4 games purchased - only 1 was from the allowed list
August - 3 purchased (plus an expansion) - none from the list.

Games purchased/received in August

  • Ticket to Ride (plus Europe map DLC) (PC) - Steam sale
  • Alan Wake GOTY (PC) - Steam sale
  • Alan Wake's American Nightmare (PC) - Steam sale
  • Project Giana (PC) - Kickstarter

Hmm... I think I need to figure out a better way to format this mess...

January: Psychoauts, Orcs Must Die!, Bastion, Renegade Ops

February: Trine, Trine 2, And Yet it Moves!, Breath of Death VIII, Cave Story+, Yosumin!, LIMBO, Cthulhu Saves the World

March: NyxQuest, Blade Kitten, I-Fluid, Legend of Zelda: Spirits Tracks

April: Aquaria, SONG SUMMONER, 初音ミク and Future Stars: Project Mirai, Shoot Many Robots

May: Mass Effect, Mega Man ZX

June: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine, Bulletstorm, Puzzle Dimension, Quantum Conundrum, Deus Ex: Human Revolution - The Missing Link, Amnesia: The Dark Descent

July: Q.U.B.E., Auditorium, Lollipop Chainsaw, Mass Effect 2, The Binding of Isaac, Botanicula, NightSky

August: Mega Man 9, Stacking, Jurassic Park: The Game, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Jolly Rover

Removed: Spacechem, Archon: Classic, Lucidity, Mr. Robot, Gish, Bob Came in Pieces, Bad Rats, Various pvp games*

Added this year: 初音ミク and Future Stars: Project Mirai, One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP, Shoot Many Robots, Xenoblade Chronicles, Torchlight 2, Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk2, Borderlands 2, Lolipop Chainsaw, Alice: The Madness Returns, L.A. Noire, Cargo – The Quest for Gravity, Grotesque Tactics 2, Sequence, Penumbra Overture, Penumbra Black Plague, Binding of Issac, Alan Wake, Stacking, Costume Quest, Chantelise, Fortune Summoners, Jurassic Park: The Game, Beyond Good & Evil, Q.U.B.E., Botanicula, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Auditorium, Defense Grid: The Awakening - You Monster DLC

[size=8]*Can't remember which ones were cut. Accounts for the missing eight from pile since last month[/size]

Remaining Pile: 90 (40 beaten, 27 added, 15 removed, Total Pile Change: -28)

Edit: No one called me on bad math?! :p

Mantid wrote:

Hmm... I think I need to figure out a better way to format this mess...

Whatever you're doing, I wouldn't worry too much, you're at the top of my multi-tap leaderboard

Didn't get a whole lot done last month due to the move. Mostly cleared a couple of indie games (ARES: Extinction Agenda and Windosill) from the PC.

Here's the current list:

Games already in my collection I want to finish/watch the credits roll this year:

Key
@ = Tabled / Hit “The Wall”
* = In Progress
+ = Unplanned

Main List:
Bastion + DLC (PC)
Magicka + DLC (PC)
Half-Life (PC)
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty (PC)
Mass Effect + DLC (PC)
Borderlands DLC (PC)
Megaman X Collection (PS2)
*Megaman Anniversary Collection (PS2)
Defense Grid + DLC (PC)
*World of Goo (PC)
Gish (PC)
Orcs Must Die! + DLC (PC)
Bulletstorm (PC)
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GCN)
Darwinia (PC)
Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
Breath of Death VII (PC)
Aquaria (PC)
@Deus Ex (PC)
@Saint’s Row: The Third + DLC (PC)
Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword (Wii)
+Peggle Deluxe
Shatter (PC)
+A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda
+Windosill

Portable:
Kirby Mass Attack (DS)
+Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP (iOS)
Chrono Trigger (DS)

Status: 8 of 28 (28%)

2012 Releases I will be purchasing:

Key
@ = Acquired
* = In Progress
+ = Unplanned

@Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3) (February) - Day 1
@Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii) (April) - Day 1
@+*Quantum Conundrum (June)
@Final Fantasy Theatrhythm (3DS) (July) - Might wait for sale/reviews?
@*Kingdom Hearts 3D (3DS) (July) - Day 1
@Torchlight II (PC) (Summer?) - Day 1
Gunpoint (PC) (Summer?) - ?
@The Last Story (Wii) (August) - Day 1
New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS) (August)
Kirby 20th Anniversary Collection (Wii) (September) - Day 1
Borderlands 2 (PC) (September) - Day 1
Professor Layton & The Mask of Miracle (3DS) (October) - Month 1?
Paper Mario Sticker Star (November) - Day 1
Final Fantasy Type-0 (PSP) (Winter/2013?) - Day 1
@Journey (PS3) (March) - Day 1
@+Botanicula (PC)
@Binding of Isaac: Wrath of the Lamb (PC) (May) - Day 1
@Diablo III (PC) (May) - Day 1
@+10000000 (iOS)

Status: 5 of 19 (26%)

Hoping I can clear a couple more games from the pile before end of the year, but that really depends on how hard the WiiU launch is going to hit me. Would really like to get the Backloggery progress indicator below -20 this year.

Okay I made more progress this month than I originally thought. Comparing to my last post I finished/played enough of the following games:

Stacking
Terraria
Fallout: New Vegas
Plants vs. Zombies
Saints Row: The Third
World in Conflict
World in Conflict Soviet Assault

Also started up a game of Mount & Blade: Warband and decided to scratch Sword of the Stars and Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword off my list.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/QtctO.png)

The goal is to put some more time into Mount & Blade, it isn't really grabbing me that much. What I like about it is the combat, which I think War of the Roses does better (I have put several hours into the demo). Not sure how long I will stick with it.

Also hope to start up another game of either EU3 or CK2. Finally, beat two of the "Indie" games on my list, probably From Dust and AI War.

I'm kind of considering dropping Magicka and Psychonauts from my list. I have put some time into each of them and I just don't think they are doing it for me.

Okay, as per the pile-o-holic agreement, I hereby shamefully admit at picking up Guild Wars 2 full-price last week. I was strong enough to skip SWTOR and TSW, but I succumbed to what was being hailed as "the first next gen MMO". My plan is to make this the staple "in between" and "I only got 1 hour this week" game, that Diablo 3 should have been (if it hadn't been horrible).

Alright, it's been forever since I posted a big monthly update, but I also kinda derailed on my specific progress to finish up some cheap / free stuff obtained this year, a few things I didn't list and play Firefall:

Games in my collection I want to finish/watch the credits roll:

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - [color=blue]Everything collected![/color]
Bioshock 2
De Blob 2 - [color=blue]My 1st Platinum Trophy![/color]
Dirt 3
Renegade Ops + Cold Strike Campaign
Borderlands GotY Edition Claptrap
Bastion
FEAR 2 *
3D Dot Game Heroes
Alien Swarm
Prototype - [color=blue]Everything Collected![/color]
Hard Reset
Super Mario Sunshine
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Blaster Master
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Sanctum
Magicka
Mega Man 9
Metroid: Other M
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Psychonauts
Valkyria Chronicles
Batman Arkham City *
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow *
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Jamestown
Ratchet & Clank Futue: Tools of Destruction
Transformers: War for Cybertron *
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask *
LIMBO
Mega Man ZX Advent

* - Game not yet in progress since there's more of those.

Status: 13 of 33 (38.23%)

2012 purchases

- Dungeon Defenders
- Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - The Crystal Bearers (Goozex'ed)
- Battalion Wars 2 (Goozex'ed)
- Theme Hospital (Goozex'ed)
- Cities in Motion (freebie for a survey)
- The Baconing - $8 - [color=blue]100%'ed[/color]
- Battlefield 3 - $20 + $7.49 for 1st expansion - upset that the premium stuff happened and made finding good servers impossible for me
- Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (Goozex'ed)
- From Dust - Steam Summer Sale gift
- Toy Soldiers - $2.49
- Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet - Steam Summer Sale gift
- Dead Island - Steam Summer Sale gift
- Driver: San Fransico - $1 but haven't installed yet
- Firefall (founders package) F2P MMO FPS so it's unbeatable

5 beaten out of 11 I intend to beat. (45.45%)

Luggage wrote:

Okay, as per the pile-o-holic agreement, I hereby shamefully admit at picking up Guild Wars 2 full-price last week. I was strong enough to skip SWTOR and TSW, but I succumbed to what was being hailed as "the first next gen MMO". My plan is to make this the staple "in between" and "I only got 1 hour this week" game, that Diablo 3 should have been (if it hadn't been horrible).

*Sigh* Guild Wars... me too.

Think I'm going to give up on both FFXIII and MGS3, both "good" games, but neither game is very fun.

trueheart78 wrote:

Think I'm going to give up on both FFXIII and MGS3, both "good" games, but neither game is very fun.

Have you made it to the fabled 11th chapter in FFXIIII?

Nope, and I'm not going to bother. Maybe I'm in chapter 6 or 7, but I'm just not having fun.

trueheart78 wrote:

Nope, and I'm not going to bother. Maybe I'm in chapter 6 or 7, but I'm just not having fun.

But, but, but.... the game really opens up 25 hours in

If there was at least excitement during that journey to 25 hours, that'd be totally different...

Okay, started Torchlight yesterday and am currently about 3 hours in. It seems like I am getting close to the end of the first big quest, not sure though because at this point it seems to be an endless rabbit hole (the princess is always at the next castle!).

It isn't that it is a bad game, it is just that I'm not having that much fun. I have a serious pet peeve of inventory management, and I feel like I spend way too much time fiddling with inventory. For a loot driven game the fact that I only have about 12 inventory slots (after a health and mana pot stack), seems completely absurd to me. Every 5 minutes I have to open up the inventory screen, load up the pet, and send him on his way.

I should say, I've never been a huge fan of dungeon crawlers, so me not super digging this game isn't a huge surprise.

Kamakazi010654 wrote:

Okay, started Torchlight yesterday and am currently about 3 hours in. It seems like I am getting close to the end of the first big quest, not sure though because at this point it seems to be an endless rabbit hole (the princess is always at the next castle!).

It isn't that it is a bad game, it is just that I'm not having that much fun. I have a serious pet peeve of inventory management, and I feel like I spend way too much time fiddling with inventory. For a loot driven game the fact that I only have about 12 inventory slots (after a health and mana pot stack), seems completely absurd to me. Every 5 minutes I have to open up the inventory screen, load up the pet, and send him on his way.

I should say, I've never been a huge fan of dungeon crawlers, so me not super digging this game isn't a huge surprise.

Sounds like it's time to find the key to send items directly to the pet inventory, load up some mods, and make the game easier to manage.

trueheart78 wrote:

If there was at least excitement during that journey to 25 hours, that'd be totally different...

You've been spoilt by the ability to wield a giant purple dildo

Fair call too. I was unwell for a week, so the grind was all I was really up for. It worked on that level.

Speaking of purple phallic items, how goes SR3?

I could seriously go for another replay