2018 - 12 Month Pile Program

Time for the March report.

Added:

  • Cinderella Phenomenon (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • Beyond Eyes (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • The Darkside Detective (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • SteamWorld Dig (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • SteamWorld Dig 2 (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • Rimworld (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • Planescape: Torment (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)

Um... I can explain this, really! I got a bunch of gifts, and I also started using Istheranydeal, and well. Oops. Cinderella Phenomenon was free though?

Finished:

  • Subsurface Circular (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) - Short but phenomenal, definitely recommend it.
  • Thimbleweed Park (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) - Still sorting out whow I feel about it. It was kinda weird, but good.
  • Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) - Unimpressed.
  • The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion GOTY Edition (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif)
  • The Confines of the Crown (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) - Need to sort my feelings on this one too.

Dropped:
None!

Played:

  • Guild Wars 2 (PC) IMAGE(https://backloggery.com/images/mastered.gif) - I started playing again with some Euro goodjers, and it's still super fun.
  • Mass Effect (Origin) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) - A mod or two, and it's still just as spectacular.
  • SC2VN - The eSports Visual Novel (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) - Resouding "meh" on this one.

Remaining games: 48 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) (46 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif))
Progress (Games): 20 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) + 5 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/null.gif) - 11 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif) = 14
Est. remaining hours: 564 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) (545 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif))
Progress (Est. total hours): 206 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) + 100 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/null.gif) + 9 played IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) - 115 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif) = 200

So a bit of a setback, all things considered. Backloggery is at 27, which is still okay, but not as great as I'd hoped. Hopefully, with two "kid free" weeks straight, I should make some decent progress in April.

March wasn't a bad month for gaming, at all.

Games beaten:

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age HD (PS4)
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (Vita)

Games added:

Moon Divers (PS3)
Jotun (PS4)
Adventure Time: Finn & Jake Investigations (PS4)
Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom (PS3)

Currently Playing:

Fallout 4: Vault Tec Workshop (PS4)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (WiiU)

Bubblefuzz wrote:

March 2018 The Plan

Time budget 45hrs

Monster Hunter World 20hrs
What Remains of Edith Finch 1hr (in progress)
Shadowrun: Dragonfall 15hrs
Ever Oasis 4hrs
Prison Architect 5hrs

Bits and pieces: 3DS and Android puzzle pile. Dragon Quest Builders and/or a second adventure game maybe.

I'll still be playing a big chunk of MHW, but initial shiny burst will slow some and get the time to play more of Shadowrun Dragonfall. Tempted by Ni no Kuni 2

March 2018 what actually happened...

March Completed
What Remains of Edith Finch - 3hrs

March Played
Hearthstone Android - 3hrs
Prison Architect PS4 - 1hr
Absolver PS4 - 2hrs
Everybody's Golf PS4 - 2hrs
Into the Breach PC - 1hr
Dualyst Mac - 1hr

Total March game time 13hrs
A right gaming funk, significant drop in game time and unable to settle on anything for long. Though I did spend 10ish hours on the side playing split screen Minecraft with the boy.

March Purchases
My first PC - A gaming / family laptop
Absolver PS4
Everybody's Golf PS4
Wipeout Omega Collection PS4
Into the Breach PC

I swapped out the Switch for financial reasons back in February. Since then I've had a solid couple months of freelance, so felt able to splash out on the laptop for reasons above. Plus with all the PC indie prices, gaming sales and now Twitch (Prime) giving away quality games like Shadow Tactics and Steamworld Dig 2 I don't see software being as much of a financial concern as the Switch. That's what I'm telling myself anyhow.

Plan for April

Time budget Up to 45hrs

Shadowrun: Dragonfall - 15hrs
Unknown, not sure enough to budget time so leaving it open - 35hrs

Lots of options. More Everybody's Golf, finish off Prison Architect and start up my first April pile addition Tooth and Tail on PS4. Choose and complete my monthly adventure game. Get stuck into Into the Breach on the new laptop and purchase and play Factorio and NorthgardOR They are Billions. There's no point trying to resist at least a couple new purchases on the new shiny. Finally a time to catch up on games within genres I've loved in days gone by but not really had full access to for decades!

If there is a general RTS catch-all on the forum, point me in the right direction please or I might have to knock one up... I have questions and enablement requests

Finally...

Game of the Month - January
Battle Chef Brigade

Game of the Month - February
Monster Hunter World

Game of the Month - March
What Remains of Edith Finch

That'll do!

Another one down! This weekend I finished the Witcher 3 (well the main story, I still have Blood and Wine to play through)

It was such a great ride, such a great world. I loved it. Absolutely loved it. It wasn't without annoyance - the ending with a few boss battles in a row was annoying. Typical end of game stuff which developers must be required by law to put in. It felt really annoying because the final Wild Hunt baddy didn't seem to be susceptible to any of my magic. I spend the whole game learning to use items, skills, etc. only to just need to dodge a lot and pray I have enough health potions. Same thing that annoyed me about H:ZD.

Still it was such a great world, such great story telling that I can forgive it.

farley3k wrote:

I have finished a game! Huzzah!! It seems silly to be so proud but considering my backlog I feel justified.

I put in H:ZD after a few months off and I was actually quite close to the end. Last night I finished it up!!!

Sadly I felt as I often do about finishing games....I liked playing more than finishing. They threw in a very tough boss fight at the end which felt weirdly out of place in a game where you have been able to use all sorts of strategies to whittle away at an opponent. They even did the cliche "timer" where you have to beat it in a certain time, and the cliche of you have to beat it in a certain way (I died many times before I figured you have to target the legs when the heater thingies come out)

So again I was left feeling more annoyed than proud or happy. I guess that is why I often don't finish games. The convoluted "final challenges" developers come up with I often don't find fun.

Still it is something I can scratch off my list!

farley3k wrote:

Horizon Zero Dawn 80%
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 80%
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 80% - and - Blood and Wine expansion 0%
Dark Souls 3 15%
Skyrim 20%
Subnatica 2%
Valkyria Chronicles 2%
Darksiders 2 3%
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 2%
Persona 5 5%

So this month alone, I've thus far played Iconoclasts (second playthrough), begun Tomb Raider (second-ish playthrough (or third? I can't remember if I did a second on PS3...)), been playing Shin Megami Tensei IV, dabbled in Mario + Luigi: Superstar Saga, continued Fire Emblem Warriors, started a new game in Mega Man Battle Network (second playthrough after my first time seventeen years ago on GBA), and have downloaded Mad Max.

Now, I haven't made more than 5 hours progress in any one of those games, but I know I'll have finished at least two of them by the end of the month while making headway in the others. And y'know what?

April has felt so free because of it.

There's not a single big-name game I'm interested in playing this month, and that doesn't bother me. By allowing some extra time with Iconoclasts I'm allowing myself to more deeply appreciate it, and at this stage it is the game set to be my number one of the year. I'll speak truthfully in forgetting why I loved the Tomb Raider games so much, but simply playing the first hour reminded me of the challenges, hidden artifacts, the tombs, and the excellence in dealing with collectibles in a linear-but-"open" environment. The sort of throwaway features are the reason I enjoy this game at all, and now have me more psyched to replay Rise of the Tomb Raider and be ready for Shadow of the Tomb Raider. SMTIV was a game that always had me guilty, as its presentation first turned me off and it was gifted to me by Garion333. Using the JRPG Club as an excuse, I've discovered a game that has me wanting to go back. Mega Man Battle Network is familiar and new at the same time.

I look at May and September, the only months with multiple games I have listed, and I think... maybe I don't need to play all these games after all. At least, not immediately. The pressure of release dates, newness, and even reception... it's not any reason to really dive into a game immediately.

I think I'm going to try and limit my game purchases even further. Not to avoid new releases altogether, but I just have so many games I already own and that I'd love to return to, be it for videos, more deeper write-ups, or greater appreciation. There will always be chances to by games on sale.

I just feel really good this month with my gaming, and have been dreading May's releases starting with Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze. But y'know what? Maybe I don't need that game right now. Maybe it can wait a while.

Well after finishing Ni No Kuni 2 last week and Horizon Zero Dawn expansion last night, I'm a bit in a funk. Not sure what to play and keep bouncing around between various games in the back log, I almost want to dive into an MMO of some sorts, but I'm afraid of commitment that comes along with it, as this year has been great for catching up on some awesome games and working on the Pile.
What do you guys do when your in a funk and not sure what to play out of your massive backlog, do you switch the system you play on? Try something completely out of your comfort zone?

I thought about buying ether Torment: Tires of Numenera or Battle Chasers: Nightwar with the credits I have in PSN store, but do I really need another 30 hour RPG? Plus I already have Pillars of Eternity on PC and Divinity Original Sin 1 on ps4, both of those I'm not where near close to being done with.

Typically I start watching movies or anime in that timeframe or reading a book or comics. Eventually something comes out that gets me back into games.

Right now, though, I'm doing a lot of replaying old stuff, so perhaps it would be better for you to find an old game you really liked and develop some new appreciation for it.

Yeah, I either try and bounce off different games until something grabs me or, maybe more often, spend more time with other forms of entertainment.

April 2018:

Added:
Oxenfree (Switch)
Subsurface Circular (Switch)
Wasteland 2 (PS4)
Yakuza 6: Song of Life (PS4)

Finished:
Assassin's Creed II (PS4)
Celeste (PS4)
Golf Story (Switch)
Oxenfree (Switch)
Pillars of Eternity (PC)
Subsurface Circular (Switch)

Started:
Dragon Quest Builders (Switch)
Yakuza 6: Song of Life (PS4)

Comments:

Spoiler:

Pretty good month. After finishing up Golf Story, I decided to play a few short games I'd picked up on sale before starting Dragon Quest Builders.

Finally finished Pillars of Eternity, being motivated by the CRPG Club playing it and the sequel arriving soon.

I'm calling Celeste done, as I saw the credits. I probably will go back and do a little bit more of the content later, but I don't see myself tackling some of the (even more) difficult challenges of the game, as the main game was quite challenging on its own.

Yakuza 6 is the first game I've bought on release day in 2018 and I started playing it right away, having finished up Assassin's Creed II in time. So far I'm really enjoying it and Builders, the two games I'm playing right now.

Steinkrug, you didn't mention Subsurface Circular in your spoiler, how did you like it?

Time for my April report.

Added:

  • Healer's Quest (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif) - The game looks hilarious, and the character creation pokes fun at the ludicrous "jiggle physics" other games implement. This was a no brainer for me.

Finished:

  • SC2VN - The eSports Visual Novel (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) - Like I said last month, "meh".
  • The Darkside Detective (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) - A great adventure game, with a soundtrack by Ben Prunty. It's going on the GOTY list.
  • Mass Effect (Origin) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) - A few mods and it's still one of the best games ever.
  • SoulSet (Steam) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) - A fascinating VN, although I'm still sorting out my feelings about it. First playthrough must've taken 3 hours, but unlocking all the endings, about 16 hours.

Dropped:
None!

Played:

  • Guild Wars 2 (PC) IMAGE(https://backloggery.com/images/mastered.gif) - Still playing with other goodjers, got some gems. This is the warm, comforting blanket I can just wrap myself in at the end of a long difficult day, week, month, year.
  • Mass Effect 2 (Origin) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) - A few mods and it's still one of the best games ever. ;)

Remaining games: 44 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) (43 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif))
Progress (Games): 24 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) + 5 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/null.gif) - 12 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif) = 17
Est. remaining hours: 524 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) (507 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif))
Progress (Est. total hours): 252 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) + 100 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/null.gif) + 13 played IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) - 125 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif) = 240

Backloggery is at 34, which is a bit better. Pile Progress in practice has slowed down somewhat, because I've just been so wrapped up in Mass Effect games (which apparently are still really popular, I've been getting extra traffic on my stream) and Guild Wars 2. There are a couple of observed days coming up in May, and I do plan to make the most of them.

Oh, yeah, I really liked Subsurface Circular! I played it in one sitting like watching a movie and found it really nice experience. The setting, design and music all really complemented the story, I thought. The puzzles were fun. Nothing too difficult, but I enjoyed conversing with the various Teks finding out how I would make use of the information from one to find out more from another.

Spoiler:

Changing the emotions of the detectives was really cool.

I chose to

Spoiler:

kill myself and allow the uprising to occur.

Didn't play much new this month.
Completed:
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
This War of Mine
Maybe I could count the expansions for Stellaris too.

Other than that I drowned in Diablo 3 for a while, and playing God of War now.

Bought:
Northgard
Finding Paradise
Factorio
RimWorld

Yeah, not a good pile month.

Added:
None!

Finished
Ni No Kuni 2
Wipeout HD
Horizon Zero Dawn Frozen Wilds
Koi
Assassins's Creed Freedom Cry

Currently Playing
South Park Stick of Truth
Wipeout HD Fury
Never Alone
Ratchet and Clank (PS4)
Legend of Heroes A Tear of Vermillion

Rambling in Spoiler!

Spoiler:

Pretty decent month! Ended up finishing Ni No Kuni early in the month which led to a bit of a funk, ended up firing up Horizon Zero Dawn again to finish the expansion pack content, turns out there is enough in there that it could be considered a whole game. Really enjoyed my time in the snow filled world. After that I really didn't know what to play so ended up bouncing around for a while.
Due to recent life events there won't be any new games for me a for a bit, so I've been browsing my PS plus library and past purchases for my "new" source of entertainment. Got an itch to play Assassins Creed, than saw that I owned Freedom Cry and its only 4-5 hours long, so I gave that a whirl. It wasn't bad, wasn't the biggest fan of the main character, seemed a bit dull and one dimensional. The ship combat didn't blow me away, didn't become fun until I managed to get few upgrades in. I wonder how it is in the main Black Flag game?
I keep picking races away in Wipeout Omega Collection, it seriously has to be one of the best racing games on the system right now, while I don't think I have the talent to platinum it, I will finish all the races in it in some shape or form. So I fully expect to finish the last Fury content by end of May.
South Park Stick of Truth been going steady, but unfortunatelly I can't play this till late at night, so the progress has been slow, but I can see myself finishing that also by end of the month.
I also started playthoughs on Never Alone and Ratchet and Clank, both PS+ titles, been enjoying myself with both of them. I did beat the original Ratchet and Clank few years back, I'm curious how they improved this one.
I've also ended up repairing my old PSP 1000, and in turn now playing Legend of Heroes: A tear of Vermillion as my in bed game, so far so good, its pretty simple, but has likable characters and few modern feature comforts such as on screen enemies and save anywhere.

GAMES COMPLETED:

  • nada

GAMES PLAYED:

  • Iconoclasts
  • Tomb Raider
  • Mega Man Battle Network
  • Shin Megami Tensei IV
  • L.A. Noire
  • Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
  • Fire Emblem Warriors
  • Mario + Luigi Super Star Saga

GAMES DROPPED:

  • Flinthook

NAVAL GAZING:

Spoiler:

I ended up being a bit of a window shopper this month, as in parts I started to get hit with a weird depression. Also, I started to avoid playing either Iconoclasts or Tomb Raider until I could at least get a draft of my next video out. Not so much out of guilt, but because I wanted to be in a good position to actually write about those games when I was done capturing footage and playing them. After considering what I want to make as video, I think I'll prioritize Tomb Raider right now as I don't want to do a video on just that. I'd rather that be a minor segment in a greater Rise of the Tomb Raider vid, which I had more worthwhile stuff to say after having beat... last year? The year prior? I don't even remember now.

I dropped Flinthook because there's aspects of it I like, but man Rogue-likes and Rogue-likes aren't for me. Eventually I'll mash together a Game Log for my blog on it.

Shin Megami Tensei IV is the only pile game I'm really working to tackle and intend to stick with. I'm not giving up on Gravity Rush 2 yet, even though I just don't feel it. Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones is gonna have to wait, as I can only do one challenging RPG at a time and SMTIV can be a bit stressful. I think with most of the other games I tried I was looking for something a bit more stress-free, but I dunno if I'll stick with any of them right now. I almost started Lost Sphear but realized with Battle Chasers coming in shortly... which is why I think I'm gonna do some stuff that doesn't really require much outta me in May for the first half.

Destiny 2 gets an expansion next week, and... I really don't care all that much. My PS4 isn't connected via ethernet so my connection is gonna suck for the time being anyway. I'll focus on Tomb Raider and Iconoclasts for now, as I should be able to script the latter with ease. Then I'll be free to do Rise of the Tomb Raider as a "part time" game while playing Little Witch Academia for fun on the 15th, and Battle Chasers can be my fun portable game. I won't keep up with the quarterly JRPG club for SMTIV, but I'm fine being in it for the long haul.

Depending on my mood, my current bedroom/light game might continue as Mega Man Battle Network, or I'll resume Wind Waker.

Bubblefuzz wrote:

Plan for April

Time budget Up to 45hrs

Shadowrun: Dragonfall - 15hrs
Unknown, not sure enough to budget time so leaving it open - 35hrs

Lots of options. More Everybody's Golf, finish off Prison Architect and start up my first April pile addition Tooth and Tail on PS4. Choose and complete my monthly adventure game. Get stuck into Into the Breach on the new laptop and purchase and play Factorio and NorthgardOR They are Billions. There's no point trying to resist at least a couple new purchases on the new shiny. Finally a time to catch up on games within genres I've loved in days gone by but not really had full access to for decades!

If there is a general RTS catch-all on the forum, point me in the right direction please or I might have to knock one up... I have questions and enablement requests

April 2018 what actually happened...

AprilCompleted
Kingdoms & Castles PC - 7hrs.

April Played
Pokemon Moon 3DS- 9hrs
Rise of the Tomb Raider PS4 - 3hrs
Slay the Spire PC - 5hrs
Grand Kingdom Vita - 1hr

Total April game time 25hrs
Down on estimated time again. However many additions to the pile, probably spent more time purchasing than playing...

April Purchases
Tooth & Tail - PS4
Kingdoms & Castles - PC
Factorio - PC
Rise of the Tomb Raider - PS4
Slay the Spire - PC
Frostpunk - PC
Grand Kingdom - Vita
Ogre Tactics - Vita
Disgaea 4 - Vita
Wasteland 2 - PC (Humble Bundle)
Shadowrun Hong Kong - PC (Humble Bundle)
Endless Legend™ - Classic Edition - PC (Humble Bundle)
Endless Space 2 - Standard Edition - PC (Humble Bundle)

Plan for May
Estimated game time - Up to 45hrs
Play some of the purchases above. I may return with a more solid plan

Finally...

Game of the Month - January
Battle Chef Brigade

Game of the Month - February
Monster Hunter World

Game of the Month - March
What Remains of Edith Finch

Game of the Month - April
Slay the Spire

Oh and there wasn't an RTS thread so I made one - For Real Time Strategy Games - RTS Catch-All

Report done.

Edit. Actually I've done just about everything can and feel like I've got my monies worth so K&C am calling done.

April report:

Pile In:
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! (DS)
Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness (PS4)
Bust-a-Move Universe (3DS)
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales (DS)
Space Bust-a-Move (DS)
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker (DS)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (DS)

Pile Out:
Persona 5 (PS4)
We Love Katamari (PS2)

Spoiler:

Gave in to a nice BOGO fire sale on Target at Square-Enix earlier this month so this report is worse than it would've been otherwise. But I picked up a couple of Switch games I was interested in and some B-Tier stuff to round out the 3DS a handful of B/C-Tier stuff to round out DS, 3DS and PS4 collection so I'm ok with it as they'll get played... eventually.

And I grabbed a used Mario vs. Donkey Kong game at PAX East because why not?

I think this is the end of the bargain bin hunting for the year. Send help.

As for the rest of the month... I finished Persona 5 finally! Great game. Moved onto We Love Katamari as my new focus on the TV and managed to get a credit roll last night. I still want to keep playing to try and get better scores/times on the levels so I'll continue with it for most of the month. Speaking of which...

I'm informally declaring May to be Might & Mayxis month. By which I mean, I'm going to make an effort to put some time into some games by Maxis and the Might & Magic series this month as a stupid stunt. Which basically means if I'm not playing We Love Katamari I'll likely be playing something with the word Sim in the title or Heroes of Might & Magic II. I'm looking forward to this but I have a feeling I'll get distracted and forget about it about a week into it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

As for purchases, I've got SMT: Strange Journey Redux going straight to the pile and might pick up Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition at the end of the month since we never got that on the Wii U and it still looks fun.

Should be a fun month

April Report~~

Added:
(nothing!)

Beat:
Unfinished Swan (PS4)
Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)
Pikmin 3 (Wii U)
Snipperclips Plus: Cut It Out, Together! (Switch)

Made Progress In:
Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (PS4)
Assassin's Creed: Unity (Steam)
Resident Evil 7 (Steam)

Progress for planned games to beat in 2018

Spoiler:

Assassin's Creed: Unity (Steam)
Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance HD (PS4)
Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -a fragmentary passage (PS4)
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (PS4)
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (3DS)
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD (Wii U)
Banjo Tooie (X360)
Nier (X360)
Stardew Valley (Steam)
Life is Strange Before the Storm (Steam)
Resident Evil 7 (Steam)
Rise of the Tomb Raider (Steam)
Persona 5 (PS4)
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth (PS4)
The Witness (Steam)
Pikmin 3 (Wii U)
Child of Light (PS4)
Freedom Planet (Steam)

Other than not getting tons further in Assassin's Creed: Unity and Ni No Kuni 2, I'm pretty pleased with everything this month. I didn't add anything and I checked off a few things too. I came this close to picking up God of War since everyone's been praising it to high heaven but then I remembered that a.) I'm not really a God of War fan and b.) I've only put in a few hours in Ni No Kuni 2 so I should stop trying to keep up with the latest hotness.

Added

New: Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom (PS3)
New: Adventure Time: Finn & Jake Investigations (PS4)
New: Minecraft: Story Mode (PS3)
New: NieR: Automata (PS4)
New: Cosmic Star Heroine (PS4/Vita)

Fished/Removed

None (The shame!)

Oh well

April 2018

Added
BattlleTech
Persona 5

Finished
Tacoma
What Remains of Edith Finch

Given how difficult it is for me to find the time to sit down and play games these days, I have no idea how I'm going to finish Persona 5. But the Playstation Golden Week Sale was happening this week and the price was right so...

Otherwise, I only finished two games this month and both were relatively short. Thankfully, both were also quite good (Tacoma, in particular, being the best game I've played in a long time!)

On to May...

April update:

Added:
Nothing!

Finished:
Nothing!

Played:
Ni No Kuni 2
Mercenary Kings (Vita)

I'm on the last chapter of Ni No Kuni 2 so that should go down pretty quick. No other purchases in the next several months based on the release calendar so should be able to make more progress on the pile. Got through the PSN Golden Week sale without spending money!

April update:

Hmm, haven't done one of these in months. Have I been avoiding examination because I'm unhappy with my gaming habits, or have my habits suffered due to a lack of examination?

Added:

Rayman Legends (Switch) - Barely counts as I mostly picked it up for my kids...mostly...

Played:

Dark Souls (PC) - Close to finishing after such a long and interrupted road! Oh, except for the additional content. Hmmm.
Pillars of Eternity (PC) - Slow going, Dark Souls keeps stealing my attention.
King's Quest II: Romancing the Stones (VGA remake) (PC) - Playing with my middle kid in our "just us" time.
Breath of the Wild (Switch) - In the rotation for the foreseeable future.

Finished:

Subsurface Circular (PC) - Really enjoyed this, it was perfect for squeezing in a couple of chapters when I only had a few minutes to play.

Mildly depressive ruminations follow:

Spoiler:

I've been slipping back to the old ways a bit, the cycle of a few refreshing late nights gaming sprinkled among nights of decent sleep giving way to longer runs of later nights where I'm too tired to enjoy what I'm doing or even stay awake very long. Spending work days with a constant countdown until I get to play something running in the back of my head, with a vaguely irritated mental reaction to other life intrusions that might get in the way of that possibility. I need to readjust, despite that it seems mildly frightening to consider for some reason.

At least I've kept my spending down...

I'm in a mild gaming funk, and am having trouble choosing what to play from the backlog next. I'd also like to avoid the temptation to spend more money right now. Anyone want to look at my list and choose something for me? Only one I want to wait on is Stardew Valley, since there's an update coming soon. I'm also in the middle of Kentucky Route Zero, so that's currently in progress.

beanman101283 wrote:

I'm in a mild gaming funk, and am having trouble choosing what to play from the backlog next. I'd also like to avoid the temptation to spend more money right now. Anyone want to look at my list and choose something for me? Only one I want to wait on is Stardew Valley, since there's an update coming soon. I'm also in the middle of Kentucky Route Zero, so that's currently in progress.

What big game did you play last?

Final Fantasy XII was the last one from my backlog. I've also been playing Elder Scrolls Online but am mostly waiting for the next expansion to come out next month.

beanman101283 wrote:

I'm in a mild gaming funk, and am having trouble choosing what to play from the backlog next. I'd also like to avoid the temptation to spend more money right now. Anyone want to look at my list and choose something for me? Only one I want to wait on is Stardew Valley, since there's an update coming soon. I'm also in the middle of Kentucky Route Zero, so that's currently in progress.

I really enjoyed Mafia III, and it's a very narrative-driven game, which might inspire and drive you (if the story hooks you). It's also not going to require as big an investment in learning complex mechanics as the RPGs would. (And it looks like an action game will be a change of pace from what you played last.) So, I say give that a try.

That reasoning works for me! I'll give it a go this weekend.

beanman101283 wrote:

I'm in a mild gaming funk, and am having trouble choosing what to play from the backlog next. I'd also like to avoid the temptation to spend more money right now. Anyone want to look at my list and choose something for me? Only one I want to wait on is Stardew Valley, since there's an update coming soon. I'm also in the middle of Kentucky Route Zero, so that's currently in progress.

You could play KOTOR 2, with a few mods restoring unfinished content, it’s amazing!

Eleima wrote:

You could play KOTOR 2, with a few mods restoring unfinished content, it’s amazing!

When I do finally play this, that is what I intend to do.

I get to post finishing a game twice this year! I think this is more than I finished all last year.

Over the weekend I completed God of War. Sadly it wasn't even on the list below since it kind of came in under my radar but I still am proud to have finished it!

farley3k wrote:

I have finished a game! Huzzah!! It seems silly to be so proud but considering my backlog I feel justified.

I put in H:ZD after a few months off and I was actually quite close to the end. Last night I finished it up!!!

Sadly I felt as I often do about finishing games....I liked playing more than finishing. They threw in a very tough boss fight at the end which felt weirdly out of place in a game where you have been able to use all sorts of strategies to whittle away at an opponent. They even did the cliche "timer" where you have to beat it in a certain time, and the cliche of you have to beat it in a certain way (I died many times before I figured you have to target the legs when the heater thingies come out)

So again I was left feeling more annoyed than proud or happy. I guess that is why I often don't finish games. The convoluted "final challenges" developers come up with I often don't find fun.

Still it is something I can scratch off my list!

farley3k wrote:

Horizon Zero Dawn 80%
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 80%
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 80% - and - Blood and Wine expansion 0%
Dark Souls 3 15%
Skyrim 20%
Subnatica 2%
Valkyria Chronicles 2%
Darksiders 2 3%
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 2%
Persona 5 5%

Added:
Elder Scrolls Online (ps4)

Finished:
South Park Stick of Truth
Saints Row 4: Gat out of Hell
Ratchet and Clank (ps4)
Monument Valley (mobile)
Wipeout HD Fury
Monument Valley Forgotten Shores (mobile)

In Progress:
Nothing lately.

Ramblings

Spoiler:

May has been a weird month, on paper it seems I was VERY productive with 5 games and 1 expansion pack finished, but in reality is spent the last two weeks just bumming around various games with nothing really scratching my unknown itch. In past couple weeks I played a bunch of time-wasters such as Rocket League and World of Warships, and while they are fun to play, I don't really get much satisfaction from them. I watched FF15 Kingsglaive movie to get hyped of for the game, (actually kinda liked it) then after two and half hours I have zero desire to play more at this time. I gave Gravity Rush 2 another shot, played a bit, but wasn't feeling it right now. Played a bit of Everybody's Gone to the Rapture just to mix things up and try something that I normally wouldn't play. I can see myself finishing this in June, just on sheer fact that its not long. I even tried an MMO!

For June I would like to take the rest of this week to find something I can really dig into for the month. The issue is I don't know what I want to dig into. I'm thinking about making a list of things I have progress in and things I want to try and see if anything on it stands out.