Piles of Shame
Almost every gamer I know has one. Especially those who are collectors.
That stack of “must play” titles that you never actually got around to playing. You may have started most of them, but never played more than half. It isn’t that you don’t like the game. In fact, you were enjoying it quite a bit. There are just too many games to play in a day and you have a real job/family/school work/etc.
Personally, I am terrible about this. I have even unknowingly been near the end of a game when I left it behind to try out something else. My recent finishing of Final Fantasy X is a prime example. I started that game not long after it came out and was near the end on two separate play-throughs.
I did a similar thing with “Knights of the Old Republic”. If it hadn’t been for a co-worker pushing me to at least play through to the twist, I may have never got around to finishing it. This is a bad habit I have of wanting to try every game and finishing relatively few.
What is the solution?
Jesse has a system he often uses where he will write down all the game he wants to play through on a white board and track his progress through them. This way he can get a visual idea of his gaming goals. This has become even more important since we started WingDamage, as we try to play through a game to at least some level of completion before we do a writeup.
To combat my usual lack of finishing games, I have started a spreadsheet where I can track which games I have, what system they are for, and if I have started them. It is something I can easily update and track which ones I plan on reviewing in the future vs. which ones I don’t really plan on going back to.
My goal is to use this to systematically play through at least a good portion of the games in my pile of shame. So why am I telling you all this?
I want your input! Please vote on the poll below and leave feedback in the comments. What systems have worked for you to help you with your pile of shame? What games would you suggest?
Tags: 360, NES, old games, piles of shame, ps2, ps3, SNES, unfinished games, xbox, Xbox 360
This entry was posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 9:35 am and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
August 27th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Jesse "Main Finger" Gregory says:I switched from the whiteboard to Google Docs so I can easily keep track of the game, system, and whether or not I have an existing save. It’s also nice to be able to sort by any of those things. I’ve been using Google Docs for everything lately =P
Also, I voted for Final Fantasy IX because it’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had with a Final Fantasy game.
Edit: Also I just wanted to add that ever since I started doing this I’ve finished a ton more games. I recommend this sort of this to anybody who wishes they saw more games through to the end.
August 27th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Jeffrey Abt says:It was a tough choice between MGS and FFIX. I ended up going with IX because it really is a lot of fun, like Jesse said. MGS has to be right afterwards, though.
August 27th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Scott Reeser says:It helps if you no longer play JRPGs, have no handheld system, and don’t play many online multiplayer games. I haven’t played any of those above but voted for Uncharted as it’s also on my shame pile (once I get a PS3).
August 27th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Michelle says:MGS please! GC or PSX version I don’t mind…
Confession time though - I haven’t finished it either, and it will partly cover my shame.
August 27th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Hunter says:While MGS is a geat, everyone knows about it. And FOR SHAME to you who haven’t finished it. While FF IX is part of the infinitely popular FF series, it seems as though it’s been left by the wayside with FF VIII (And hell, I hear people talking about VIII more) so I’d like to see a little love for IX.
August 27th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Dave "shaolinjesus" Corvin says:I am going to have to stick up for Drake here. It is the perfect summer time game quick, fun, gorgeous, and a little bit easy so you can roll through it fast, so you don’t feel guilty about not being outside in the sunshine.
August 27th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
J.J. says:The only choice is Final Fantasy IX, since it’s the best 3D Final Fantasy game made. There. I said it.
August 27th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Dynamo8 says:All I gotta say is dude is don’t push yourself.
August 28th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Michelle says:Everyone seems to love FF9 except me, I hated it. :$
August 28th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Harold Burnett says:Play Uncharted .It is an ok length ,so if you don’t dig it you will not be suck in a giant game hole ,and you will not feel bad about not finishing it.
And I hope I don’t break the site,but can I recommend the Twin Snakes edition of MGS .
August 28th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Jim Bradford says:Every one of those games is fantastic! You can’t really go wrong.
And @ Harold - I think the Twin Snakes edition was totally fine, too. Though I’m pretty sure we’d be beaten for saying that in certain circles.
August 28th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Harold Burnett says:@Jim- yes we would .I just found it more in tone with the other games in the saga.
August 31st, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Jesse "Main Finger" Gregory says:@harold and Jim
I have both versions and I actually prefer the Twin Snakes version as well. They took all the improvements I loved about MGS2 and applied them to the more enjoyable story of MGS1. Great stuff IMO.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:55 am
Dustin "Anigmal" Nelson says:Twin Snakes…. Another in my Pile ‘o Shame. Recently I have taken up just not buying any more games on account of having too many games in it (and needing to save all the money I can so that I can afford to eat and pay rent… >.>) Bought God of War years ago and haven’t even played it. Now with the addition of all of my girlfriends games I think I might have enough games to last me until Christmas.
Voted on FFIX because I haven’t played that one yet as well and would like to read a review on it.
May 24th, 2011 at 7:00 am
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