I only really started playing games last year. I for no specific reason never played through a vast majority of games. So my wishlist was big. But considering how many people approach gaming, 50 games apparently isn't even much. I played through like 10 games and tried like 40 games overall since last year (so many games I didn't finish because I didn't like them). But I only kept looking for games that interested me for a month or so and never bothered to look for games after that. That's why I finished every game I liked and don't have a backlog at all. I also don't buy on impulse just because somethign is on sales. I just don't understand the urge to buy everything on sight and feeling the need to play everything many people in this community seem to have. You can't play everything anyway, you don't have the time for that. So just play what you really feel like playing. Shouldn't that be easy?
My 2 rules for gaming: if a game feels like a chore and/or makes you think of your backlog, don`t play it anymore. If a game makes you forget you are playing it, that is the game for you.
To throw my penny into the pot. Something I've been coming to terms with as I've been reckoning with my backlog, and frankly, as a human being is that we're not meant to experience everything. Find and enjoy the experiences life places into your hands, but you have to make peace and realize that not everything in this world I'm afraid is for each of us to experience. I honestly, deeply regret my decision with owning so many games because I can never find it in me to justify replaying a game. It's made gaming become such a miserable, stressful endeavor that feels increasingly like a full time job as I try to work through all of this goddamn media. I used to own over 2000 games managed to shake it down to 539 games in my backlog. But even then that's just disgusting and truly ridiculous. Take the time to truly appreciate the media you consume, from books, shows, music, performances, anything. There is a deep appreciation and bond that is formed when you come to truly enjoy and consider what you own and engage with. I just feel like we kind of built a hollow hell for ourselves when in-reality we could be so much richer as people if we consumed more in moderation and took the time to actually "taste and savor" things.
I have started tackling my backlog by simply making sure I play 1 game from my backlog between any new game purchases, I find it has been working well for me the last few months, if there is a game coming up that I want to play on release I choose a backlog game to play that would be quite short to play
Since June last year, I’ve been on a really good pace, finishing at least one game a week (as in games that are 4-8 hours), and I’m still having a great time. I’ve been taking my time with longer games like paper Mario and persona 5 while playing other games, and it hasn’t been that stressful. I learned pretty early on that deadlines and setting which games to play ahead of time just isn’t fun, and I’m happy you highlighted that in the video. Definitely subbing
Banger video as usual! The way I handle my backlog is instead of making it beforehand, I make it as I go. The checklist gets filled out as I finish each game, and I add it to the list. It helps me keep track of what progress I’m making, without actually feeling pressured to do any of it. It’s very freeing, while also making me feel accomplished. That’s how I handle it at least.
In a weird way its sort of similar this year since Yakuza, Persona and Tekken have consumed me but I love making lil progress in games that catch my eye on my shelf such as Omori as of late. I feel like if I plan for any backlog journey I will NEVER get to the games but being casual with it is easily the only way I have fun playing new titles not gonna lie Thank you by the way !!
I have over 600 physical games in my backlog and it can be overwhelming thinking of how much time it would take to complete them all. I do track my backlog because I enjoy marking a game complete; I find it so satisfying. Although I would never make a list of what I have to play next. I only play what I'm in the mood for but knowing I get to mark it off my backlog list when finished gives me a little extra motivation to keep going and not get distracted by all the other shiny games.
I really do think this is something people need to hear. I used to play games the exact way you described in the beginning of the video. I didn’t necessarily have a backlog, but I just played through the main stories and moved right along to the next game because there was just so much I wanted to play, but that only made me retain very little of what I did actually play. I’ve since come to realize I enjoy taking my time with games, and never liked the idea of having a backlog much, instead just having my next game be whatever interests me most at the time. I always liked to just focus on one game until I finished it because I don’t like leaving them unfinished or following multiple games/stories at once, and fairly recently jumped even farther down that spectrum by becoming a completionist in the games I play. it’s a much more fulfilling experience that teaches me so much more about the games I’m playing rather than just speeding through the story and moving on, and it makes everything much more memorable. that’s the thing that works for me, and everyone should just be free to play how they want to without stress. this is a great video, and the subject is something that interests me a ton so apologies for the longer comment lmao, keep up the great work and I look forward to future content!
No worries on that this was really well said honestly. I kinda do the same thing nowadays and aim for 100% on the games I play or REALLY damn close depending on difficulty. Really makes me appreciate games a lot more that way :D
*one at a time is the best method. slow and steady, don't rush 👌 the pandemic really helped me focus on my backlog and 5 years later, I'm damn near finished* 😂
I thought backlogs was juat games you're interested in playing. Not dozens of games you bought that you can't play. That's crazy. The desire of buying multiple games and not being able to play them until much later is not a backlog, that's impulsive spending. Being a collector makes it worse, which at that point is just an addiction to whatever you're collecting. I recomend selling all the fat in the collection and keeping a few things you'll definitely play and don't buy a game unless you intend to play it. If it's "stressful" to play games, it's time to find another hobby that'll actually bring you joy.
I’m slowly getting through my backlog, but streaming is what has actually kept me accountable for finishing most of my games. I also understand that I’m not really a “gamer” and I know what I’m capable of as a casual player. For games that I’m interested in but I know I won’t ever play, I watch a playthrough. I used to feel bad doing that but I realize there is just not enough time to get through everything. Taking it step by step!
How I like to handle my backlog and enjoy games in general is to plan around new releases and when what I call the “off season” comes around which is when it’s a good few months between game releases I’m looking forward to, I look at my backlog and just choose whatever I feel at that moment and have fun
I found your channel because of this video and I have to say it’s absolutely fantastic in every way. I have very similar experiences to you, all the games in my backlog are games I really wanted to play too, and when I finally complete one it absolutely ends up as a very special game. These tend to be games I like to revisit a fair amount and sometimes just feel like playing because they’re familiar and comforting, exactly like what you said about playing with your old stuffed animals again and still loving them just as much as the new ones. Then we get to the Xenoblade example, for me, I have been playing the Xenoblade games since the first was re-released on the DS in 2015 since back then a wii copy would cost upwards of $100+! I absolutely *adore* these games simply because I played them when I felt like it. It’s taken me 9 years to beat 1 and 2, and I’m currently working on 3 (and a replay of 1), and I’ve shed tears over these games, I’ve played them for hours since I had to know what happens next, and their story and characters mean so much to me. But it only happened because I gave myself the time to experience it all at my own pace. Anyway I’ll stop rambling, but definitely subscribing ☺️
Also I’m definitely guilty of playing 3 JRPGs at once. 😂 I just recently finished Persona 3 Portable since I got it on sale before I knew reload was coming out (great game, even find myself going back to it to 100% it) and I’m currently working on persona 5 I picked up a while ago, while revisiting 4 in between to give my mind a break from how dark P5s subject matter can get
I used to try to tackle my backlog in a specific order to the point where I got overwhelmed and disinterested in some particular titles. Now I try to put all the games I own on my sheet and tackle them as I please without any specific order. I also try to keep my list small so it feels less daunting
Great topic. I suffer from game backlog guilt. Glad I'm not the only one. Once a game feels like "work", I take a break. Sometimes I come back. Sometimes I don't. I have so many games I haven't even played yet. I play all games on easy so I can get through as many as fast as I can to get to the next. I don't speed run. I have a wife, kids, job so many other responsibilities. Time is a premium.
You are absolutely right, looking at what we need to play is a herculean task most of the time. I was making great progress on my own Backlog but my Computer just went critical. This sets me back quite a bit. Only have beat 7 so far this year, trying to get another 100+ games this year just like last year (115 in 2023). Here I was trying to tackle all my Jrpg games, but this was what killed my PC. At least Ni No Kuni and Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World were fun. Great video, I always enjoy when people discuss gaming Backlogs.
I think this video was very insightful and 100% appreciate your perspective on it. I feel that this is certainly an issue a decent number of gamers deal with at some point, and one worth talking about. I apologize for the long post ahead. I have a backlog... but I honestly do not make a conscious effort to actively get through it. Oh there IS an idea of "I have other games to play" but that's the extent of it. The thought is never pressing enough to lead to that "come on come on come on gotta get through this one so I can start the next one!" type of mentality. Simply put, there is an awareness of games I got on my shelf that I've yet to beat, but I don't really let it get into my enjoyment of what I'm currently playing. I do find that it's kinda hard to give some advice on how to get out of the "backlog mentality" because it is not a state of mind I've ever actually been in. I'm still playing games the same way I've been doing since I was younger: one at a time. When I was a little kid, I would get *maybe* one game every year. There was *no* backlog. It was just me and Ocarina of Time from 1998 to 2000. With a situation like that, I really, and I mean *really* squeezed everything out of the game. Hell, sometimes I'd log in to just dick around and ride Epona around Hyrule Field. I simply didn't experience much of a pressure to move on to other games because they weren't that available. Flash forward 20+ years into the future. I now actually have... a few shelves that are just filled with games, but not only games, now I have books, manga, anime, movies... so much media to get through. Hey it turns out your taste in things tends to grow with you hahahh. While I still don't really feel a pressure to get through all this stuff, there is one caveat, and a very important one at that: I'm a doctor now. Specifically, I am a doctor-in-training, a resident physician halfway through residency. What this means for me is that there are entire months, sometimes staggered, sometimes one after another, when I work close to 80-something hours per week, 6 days a week. As you can imagine, this *really* leaves me with less time to game. After all, there are certain things one must do to stay functional and healthy. Y'know, sleep, eat, exercise, etc... What naturally follows from this is that I have to be *mindful* of what I am about to play or invest time in without letting myself feel pressured. Something I've strived to preserve, however, is akin to the situation described above: dicking around in a video game. Sometimes I just feel like booting X or Y game and just... walk around in it, listening to the music, taking in the environment, talking to NPCs (RPGs are great for this), and overall just appreciating the artistry that went into creating this thing. It goes a long way in making the game more memorable to me, and having a good time and memorable experiences is ultimately why I like to play games. I feel like, as you said, sometimes people can get so caught up in the aspect of checking boxes as they make their way through their backlog that they really don't let the games they play, y'know... sink in. Earlier I said that I did not know what sort of advice to give people so as to not get into the backlog mentality... But I suppose one solution to this is to simply NOT have a backlog. Just... play what you have, take your time with it, however long it takes you, and take it all in. I once again apologize for the length of this comment. I am rambling on cause I did lose a few hours of sleep last night (as I have a few other nights earlier this month). Why? Persona 3 Reload came out at the start of a very easy rotation: Dermatology. It's just a regular 9-5 with free weekends type of rotation. Despite the better gameplay in P4 and P5, Persona 3 has my favorite cast, story, and themes, and I consider myself fortunate to have been able to experience it again in the remake. Welp, Idk what else to say. If you somehow made it through all this, thank you for reading hahah. Whatever it is you're trying to do, be it play a game, read a book, watch an anime, etc... I hope that you find it in you to enjoy it.
Backlogs got me like the matrix, i’m in this bish and I can’t get out. In all seriousness shoot i remember the times i’ve felt bad for not finishing them especially when i said i’m going to do it but just gotta remember that yeah i’ll get through it eventually instead of forcing through it and just trying to go with the flow on what to play. And shoot never knew there were websites like that to log through the backlog, gonna look them up from curiosity. Really good video and topic! 💙
When it comes to live games or anything like that I just play those with my friends and when we’re not playing that I’m just gonna play what I want. And when it comes to choosing a game I want to play I just go off of what videos I want to watch on what games. If there’s a profound game I don’t want to get spoiled on I’ll choose to play that
What works for me is, instead of creating a list of games you HAVE to play, I prefer to focus on one game, and get far enough to where I feel like I can put it down and play something else for a little. I recently beat Xenoblade Chronicles 2 after having owned it since Nov 2022 and completing one chapter every couple months. I sat down, got myself to actually keep going with the game and had a ton of fun with it. But I also played Persona 3 Reload when I didn't feel like playing XC2 that day. Or I'd play Fortnite Festival for an hour. It let me do things at my own pace & appreciate XC2 instead of feeling like I have to rush through it to complete the next big game on my list that I've been holding off on.
When I was a kid, I only had a few games per console (and I had SNES, N64, and PS2 from my childhood to my teen years). It was so much better, because I wasn’t overwhelmed by a huge library, and I would play the hell out of each game. I would also lend out my games to friends and borrow theirs in order to experience other games. It was cool. Fast forward to today, and now I have a Steam Deck with over 150 games! You’re 100% right that it does feel stressful having this many games, even though I know I’m not obligated to complete them (a lot of them are from emulation). In a way, I miss the old days where I wasn’t able to have so many games at once.
The best approach is quite literally to just play whay you want regardless. Logically having 150+ games should be a good thing lol That's how it works for me but I still think conceptually backlogs are stress inducing
I have finally settled into a system for my backlog and it is working for me well and saving me money. Most new games tick me off as they need updates before they are okay so I tend not to buy them right away with some exceptions obviously. So what I do these days is, I play one modern game on the latest system if I have bought a new release to play and then backlog until I buy another modern game. Here is the important part. I DO NOT open any game I buy anymore. To earn the right to open another game I have to finish one. I can not tell you how much this drives me to complete games. It is a massive force. I give myself some leeway of course but only if I realize I don't like a game I have started and know for sure I won't ever play it again. Doesn't happen often. I am 44 years old this year. I have a rather large backlog and I know for sure at this point that even if I live past 60 I won't ever finish them all. This is a freeing thought to be honest. I know I am not able to ever do it so when I go to open a game I am always picking important ones to me. Sort of like ranking the unplayed games. So instead of looking at shelf's thinking I need to complete them all, I look and think what's the best one to play next. On top of that I only ever have one main game installed and then 1 or 2 others. The other games are games I never consider complete, like say the latest Gran Turismo and a fighting game. These provide good changes of pace while trying to finish a game and help with fatigue on any particular game I am playing. Anyways, this has been working great for me. No lists. No check off lists. Just games. Beating them and opening a new one.
A saw in another video discussing backlogs that offered an excellent suggestion: Tie your backlog to a gaming fund. For every game on your backlog you finish, give yourself $5. As you build up enough "credit," then you can get a new game and add it to the backlog, keeping things moving. It forces you to be more selective about the games you buy (sales included) and makes you prioritize playing the games you have first. It helps give you something to look forward to, where completing games leads directly to new ones rather than a checklist for the sake of it. Like others have suggested, I've also started more seriously asking myself the question when I'm playing something, "is this game actually fun for me?" And then I have to honest about it. Just because someone in a forum says the game is amazing and I should beat it three times doesn't mean it's a hit with me, and in that sense, put it down, cross it off, and move on. I've gotten a lot better with this and it's certainly helped speed things up.
As someone who made a game ranking video that ranked 28 games that were just simply played, I get this. I didn't even finish the stories for some of these games, and it was honestly the first time I experienced that "backlog stress". It's doubly stressful, since 2023 was such a big year for games that I didn't even get to games like Alan Wake 2, Mario Wonder or Baldur's Gate 3. At the end of the day though, it's still nice to just play games I'm into, good or bad. As someone who really plays games more experimentally than for collective reasons, I'm just glad I got to at least try games, even if I didn't like the games or didn't finish some that were really good.
From my own experience, I think it’s important that when you do finally sit down and start playing a game off your backlog, you need to decide whether you are going to commit to playing it or not, lest you risk stopping half way through and then never coming back to finish it. In the past, I wanted to play through Metroid Prime. I’ve owned the game since around 2005-ish, when it was still a relatively recent release. And every time I sat down to play it, the same thing happened. I sat down and I played through the introductory sequence on the Space Pirate Frigate, then got to the surface of Tallon and decided to get off and continue playing the next day. The next day came and I didn’t think about the game, instead focusing on something else or some other game. Time would pass, and then months or even a year would go by, and I would decide again that I wanted to play Prime. I sit down, I decide that I should restart so that I could refresh my memory on what happened, and then rinse and repeat the whole process over again: play to the end of the tutorial, set the game down, forget about it for another year. Over, and over, and over again. I did this probably eight or nine times over a ten-year period, sometimes getting a little further in and losing even more progress when I restarted, before I picked the game up in 2022 and said, “Okay, I’m going to play this whole game this time. I am ignoring the rest of my game library until I beat Metroid Prime.” And for that next week or two, that’s exactly what I did, and I managed to finally finish a game I had owned for 15+ years. I also went on and played Prime 2, soon after, as well. Metroid Prime wasn’t the only game I’ve done this with, either. I’ve had a few games I’ve owned since 2013 that I’ve restarted multiple times this way, having only finished one at the end of 2021. Not only that, but I’ve also done it many times on replays of games I’ve already beaten. I would start up a new save to try a new build in one of the Souls games, or I saw a mod I wanted to play with in Stardew Valley or some other game, only to then abandoned that save file in the middle of playing it when I decide something else looks interesting. It’s the same reason that I have three unfinished save files on Terraria ever since the 1.3 updates in 2015 - one of which has 80 hours of playtime clocked in. So, yes, while I do agree that you shouldn’t let playing through games become a chore or feel like your job, there are times where you just have accept that it’s the only way you’re going to make progress - progress that isn’t just walking in place on a treadmill. Otherwise you’ll end up like me, and you will have played every games that’s on your backlog list, but you’ve never actually finished a single one. (I have 45 hours in Oblivion, and I’ve never completed a single major quest line, not even the main story. Bought the game 11 years ago, by the way.)
There's too many games to play and not enough time to get to them all, so at the end of the day, just play what you want, those games you've bought aren't going anywhere, do what you want, not what you think you have to or what people say you should
Sounds like you just have choice paralysis. Me and a friend made it a thing that each month we need to finish a game, doesn't matter how short it is. We been doing this since September 2022, and surprisingly we have finished more games than before. Giving yourself enough time to beat a game and not forcing yourself to be like "I have to start a new 100+ game right after finishing this 100+ rpg" makes games very enjoyable. We are barely on February and I already played Demon souls remake, Ys8, Dead Island 2 and im currently playing Persona3R. All are 20+ hr games and it has been really fun. I take a couple of days off to chill and jump into the next game.
I realized I had that whilst making the video but lately I fell in love with Yakuza 7 and have non stop played that any chance I get so its kinda working lol
A Cowboy Bebop fan! Niiiiiiiiiiiiice! Faye Valentine is not only hot but just an awesome character in general :D But more importantly, awesome video man! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
It's like you said, it depends on the person what makes them more comfortable. Personally I'm making an organized list of my backlog. I've put the games I want to play on categories and on which platform I have the game available on. I still haven't finished that list yet, cause... I only do it when I feel like it. I'm not committed to finish the list as soon as possible. And I keep adding games on my wishlist. I'm making the list cause I don't want to lose track on the games I'm playing. I have ADHD and I might play 3 different games in the same period. And I don't want to accidentally ditch a game I've started playing, especially if it has a story. And the list helps me remember what games I meant to start playing or what game I started but didn't play for a while. Of course I go with the flow. I play only the games I feel like playing at the moment. The list might constantly change (except for the genre categories). I made a "play next" category to put games I feel like I want to play the current period, and the games I want to play after I finish the games I'm currently playing. Of course what I want to play currently might completely change from what I first had in mind. And that's okay. A list is a tool after all. We decide how to use it. We don't have to commit to it if we don't want to. Personally I have trouble remembering some stuff. And I have a feeling that making a list of my backlog of games will help me remember which games I really wanted to play some time. It will also help me to find easier which games I feel like playing and go with the flow. Cause depending on what genre I feel like playing, I'll check that category on my list
My backlog is huge and yet i still go back to the binding of isaac (I currently am close to completing the game 100 so you know i'm glued to it right now) but i recently started to just play a game if i wanna play it like with persona 5 royale i just started it and put it on hold for isaac now but once i'm done i'm excited to go back
I think it's especially important to not force yourself to finish games that you don't enjoy. I have a couple of games that I can't get into, so I crossed them out of my backlog. What's the point of wasting time when I could play games that'd resonated with me much more?
Ahh yes, the backlog. Its like the backrooms but for gamers All jokes aside I dont think gamers should worry about rushing to finish their backlog JUST to play the newest entry of a certain game. That's why its called a backlog. It'll always be there for you WHEN you want something to play. Its not supposed to feel forced. Its like looking through an old family year book, you dont look at it until you WANT to look at it. Its like you said, the reason we play games is to have fun, if we try and force having fun, we wont have fun anymore. Sure some people might call it a waste to have bought all these video-games but youve only played a few of them, but honestly I'd argue that its even more of a waste to play or do something when you dont want to. We'll play our games..... Just not now..... Or tomorrow...... Or next week... Look just trust me we'll get around to it 😂 Thank you for discussing this topic. Amazing video overall 😊
i made a list of games that i totally NEED/MUST play. My biggest proble is that most of them are over 30hs to beat. I just beated Persona 3 Reload in under 65hs. Now i need to play Tales of Arise wich is another long ass game.
i feel like games are about having fun, and if having fun means i play a certain game once a year so be it. as long as we enjoy our games. and free demos are goated btw.
Managing games as a kid was much easier since unless you were spoiled rotten, you'd get/buy maybe 1 game a month and often had no other choice then to play that one game (which you may or may not have enjoyed). Nowadays as an adult you tend to have the fund to buy what you want, when you want and for people like me that have severe choice paralysis its a struggle. As such, i do use backloggery to keep track of my games and sometimes just open a fortune cookie (random game picker) if all i want to do is crap shoot for a game to try on my list. More often then not though ill look up gameplay for a game i have and see if it something im interested in and then try it out if it picks that urge to want to try it (for ma happens more often then not lol). All in all, i do buy a lot of games ill never really consider playing, but they are nice to have in case i change my mind later.
whats that game at 1:36? i kinda not want to add it to my backlog! just do it! clear those backlogs, dont be like me, who keeps on piling! oh my Lawrd the backlog!
I usually feel bad when i have alot of games that iam near to finish or close too finishing. And then choose too play something else, It feels like i have alot of unfinished things i want too finish but at the same time i want too play other things too. Like for example in my case i want too finish Danganronpa V3 but i also want too finish Ace attorney but i still havent finished Vallhalla Cyberpunk Bartender Action or Little Kings Story. But i want too try Wild Arms and Final Fantasy X too. Id say a backlog will always exist as long as you play multiple games. Cut it down it will grow back again. And while that can be stressfull i also feel that you dont have too fight what comes naturally when it comes too video games. Beacuse its supposed too be fun not a second job or a job at all.
Am I the only person who has a healthy relationship with games? I don't feel the need to play every single game. I know what I like and what I don't like. I don't see a point in playing games I'm not interested in anyway. Especially if I have no intend to finish it. I also don't buy games on impulse just because it's on sales. Even if it's on my wishlist, if I'm not going to play it right now then there is no point in buying it. And buying everything just because it's on specials sales is pointless too if I'm not interested in it anyway. I currently have 35 games on my steam wishlist, half of which aren't even released yet. But apparently, that's not a backlog per definition. I haven't purchased a single game I haven't played yet. So it seems like I have no backlog. I just don't understand what the problem with backlogs for many people is. I always play games whenever I have time. But I never got addicted to collecting games and buy them on impulse.
I mean honestly the point of the video was to more or less not care about backlogs. I just play what sounds fun and it sometimes is the same game over and over. The concept of a backlog always rubbed me the wrong way lol
"Play what you want and have fun." See unfortunately for me that doesn't work because with all these interesting games or different genres I would like to try while I wait for my big games I'll end up distracted. Distracted by the comfort of a Metroid game, or super metroid randomizer run. Then my 6 hours of free time have gone to 2 or 3 super metroid runs.....like a freak. Please send help.
@VirtualMementos My current fix is replaying all the Halo games. I loved them for almost half my life, and they still hold up today. Most of them anyway. While I wait for the few new games I'm anticipating. They're a nice change of pace from the new doom games and older retro shooters. I haven't worked up the patience to go through them again on legendary, though. So I've only been playing on normal. With rumors of halo remakes being in the works for Playstation, I'm still hoping for the master chief collection ports of the games on the switch successor. Halo on the go would be a dream come true. If it's native, not that cloud nonsense that ruined the kingdom hearts switch ports. Have you been dissapointed by modern entries in your favorite series?
This is so me, I have over 100 games in my library but spend months to just platinum one, also Monster Hunter is some of the worst platinums you can try
This video reminds me of the morons who brag about reading a book a week or journal every morning. They treat themselves to a rigid routine like they are in fucking prison. Being concerned with the amount of any action you want to partake in will cause unnecessary expectations and motivations that are bound to provide contempt for the action. Its the boomerang effect.
Colonel : To begin with -- we're not what you'd call -- human. Over the past two hundred years -- A kind of consciousness formed layer by layer in the crucible of the White House. It's not unlike the way life started in the oceans four billion years ago. The White House was our primordial soup, a base of evolution -- We are formless. We are the very discipline and morality that Americans invoke so often. How can anyone hope to eliminate us? As long as this nation exists, so will we. Raiden : Cut the crap! If you're immortal, why would you take away individual freedoms and censor the Net? Rose : Jack, don't be silly. Colonel : Don't you know that our plans have your interests -- not ours -- in mind? Raiden : What? Rose : Jack, listen carefully like a good boy! Colonel : The mapping of the human genome was completed early this century. As a result, the evolutionary log of the human race lay open to us. Rose : We started with genetic engineering, and in the end, we succeeded in digitizing life itself. Colonel : But there are things not covered by genetic information. Raiden : What do you mean? Colonel : Human memories, ideas. Culture. History. Rose : Genes don't contain any record of human history. Colonel : Is it something that should not be passed on? Should that information be left at the mercy of nature? Rose : We've always kept records of our lives. Through words, pictures, symbols... from tablets to books... Colonel : But not all the information was inherited by later generations. A small percentage of the whole was selected and processed, then passed on. Not unlike genes, really. Rose : That's what history is, Jack. Colonel : But in the current, digitized world, trivial information is accumulating every second, preserved in all its triteness. Never fading, always accessible. Rose : Rumors about petty issues, misinterpretations, slander... Colonel : All this junk data preserved in an unfiltered state, growing at an alarming rate. Rose : It will only slow down social progress, reduce the rate of evolution. Colonel : Raiden, you seem to think that our plan is one of censorship. Raiden : Are you telling me it's not!? Rose : You're being silly! What we propose to do is not to control content, but to create context. Raiden : Create context? Colonel : The digital society furthers human flaws and selectively rewards the development of convenient half-truths. Just look at the strange juxtapositions of morality around you. Rose : Billions spent on new weapons in order to humanely murder other humans. Colonel : Rights of criminals are given more respect than the privacy of their victims. Rose : Although there are people suffering in poverty, huge donations are made to protect endangered species. Everyone grows up being told the same thing. Colonel : "Be nice to other people." Rose : "But beat out the competition!" Colonel : "You're special." "Believe in yourself and you will succeed." Rose : But it's obvious from the start that only a few can succeed... Colonel : You exercise your right to "freedom" and this is the result. All rhetoric to avoid conflict and protect each other from hurt. The untested truths spun by different interests continue to churn and accumulate in the sandbox of political correctness and value systems. Rose : Everyone withdraws into their own small gated community, afraid of a larger forum. They stay inside their little ponds, leaking whatever "truth" suits them into the growing cesspool of society at large. Colonel : The different cardinal truths neither clash nor mesh. No one is invalidated, but nobody is right. Rose : Not even natural selection can take place here. The world is being engulfed in "truth." Colonel : And this is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper. Rose : We're trying to stop that from happening. Colonel : It's our responsibility as rulers. Just as in genetics, unnecessary information and memory must be filtered out to stimulate the evolution of the species. Raiden : And you think you're qualified to decide what's necessary and not? Colonel : Absolutely. Who else could wade through the sea of garbage you people produce, retrieve valuable truths and even interpret their meaning for later generations? Rose : That's what it means to create context. Raiden : I'll decide for myself what to believe and what to pass on! Colonel : But is that even your own idea? Rose : Or something Snake told you? Colonel : That's the proof of your incompetence, right there. You lack the qualifications to exercise free will. Raiden : That's not true! I have the right -- Rose : Does something like a "self" exist inside of you? Colonel : That which you call "self" serves as nothing more than a mask to cover your own being. Rose : In this era of ready-made 'truths', "self" is just something used to preserve those positive emotions that you occasionally feel... Colonel : Another possibility is that "self" is a concept you conveniently borrowed under the logic that it would endow you with some sense of strength... Raiden : That's crap! Colonel : Is it? Would you prefer that someone else tell you? Alright then. Explain it to him. Rose : Jack, you're simply the best! And you got there all by yourself! Raiden : Grrr... Colonel : Oh, what happened? Do you feel lost? Why not try a bit of soul-searching? Rose : Don't think you'll find anything, though... Colonel : Ironic that although "self" is something that you yourself fashioned, every time something goes wrong, you turn around and place the blame on something else. Rose : "It's not my fault. It's not your fault." Colonel : In denial, you simply resort to looking for another, more convenient "truth" in order to make yourself feel better. Rose : Leaving behind in an instant the so-called "truth" you once embraced. Colonel : Should someone like that be able to decide what is "truth"? Rose : Should someone like you even have the right to decide? Colonel : You've done nothing but abuse your freedom. Rose : You don't deserve to be free! Colonel : We're not the ones smothering the world. You are. Rose : The individual is supposed to be weak. But far from powerless -- a single person has the potential to ruin the world. Colonel : And the age of digitized communication has given even more power to the individual. Too much power for an immature species. Rose : Building a legacy involves figuring out what is wanted, and what needs to be done for that goal. All this, you used to struggle with. Now, we think for you. Colonel : We are your guardians after all. Raiden : You want to control human thought? Human behavior? Colonel : Of course. Anything can be quantified nowadays. That's what this exercise was designed to prove. Rose : You fell in love with me just as you were meant to, after all. Isn't that right, Jack? Colonel : Ocelot was not told the whole truth, to say the least. Rose : We rule an entire nation -- of what interest would a single soldier, no matter how able, be to us? Colonel : The S3 Plan does not stand for Solid Snake Simulation. What it does stand for is Selection for Societal Sanity...
You make playing games sound like homework. If you need an Excel spreadsheet something has gone wrong. Don't buy new games if you haven't finished them or are enjoying one already!! If you aren't enjoying them, get rid of 'em! This genuinely sounds like a buying addiction man
you think backlogs are stressful ? pff try making a list of your backlog and playing before 1/10/2024 the day i am going for mandatory army service for 14 months :/
If people wasted less time playing slop like fortnite that exists to fuel an addiction loop, they'd have more time to play their backlogs. When you realise fortnite and other free games value their micro transaction store over gameplay and creating a special experience, you'll be better off for it.
No they're not. Unless you're 80 years old and will be dying in half a decade, there's no such thing as a stressful gaming backlog. Games are supposed to be fun, not tasks to be checked off a list
This thumbnail is so my brain right now! I just finished P5 after playing for 5 years, am in the middle of Omori and made it 50 hours into Persona 3 Reload 🥲
Finishing Persona 5 is amazing though!!! Glad you saw it through to the end. Omori is like... I'm at the very last part of the game but I'm not ready for the ending because I'm super attached to the characters. And Persona 3 Reload is insanely polished... Made it to June and it feels unreal that it exists.
I feel I have spent more time looking for games to play/buy than actually playing them
Stop buying them?
I only really started playing games last year. I for no specific reason never played through a vast majority of games. So my wishlist was big. But considering how many people approach gaming, 50 games apparently isn't even much. I played through like 10 games and tried like 40 games overall since last year (so many games I didn't finish because I didn't like them). But I only kept looking for games that interested me for a month or so and never bothered to look for games after that. That's why I finished every game I liked and don't have a backlog at all. I also don't buy on impulse just because somethign is on sales. I just don't understand the urge to buy everything on sight and feeling the need to play everything many people in this community seem to have. You can't play everything anyway, you don't have the time for that. So just play what you really feel like playing. Shouldn't that be easy?
That’s the funnest part
My 2 rules for gaming: if a game feels like a chore and/or makes you think of your backlog, don`t play it anymore. If a game makes you forget you are playing it, that is the game for you.
So true! Games are supposed to be fun ❤️
Every game I play even the ones I love makes me think about my backlog.
To throw my penny into the pot. Something I've been coming to terms with as I've been reckoning with my backlog, and frankly, as a human being is that we're not meant to experience everything.
Find and enjoy the experiences life places into your hands, but you have to make peace and realize that not everything in this world I'm afraid is for each of us to experience.
I honestly, deeply regret my decision with owning so many games because I can never find it in me to justify replaying a game. It's made gaming become such a miserable, stressful endeavor that feels increasingly like a full time job as I try to work through all of this goddamn media.
I used to own over 2000 games managed to shake it down to 539 games in my backlog. But even then that's just disgusting and truly ridiculous.
Take the time to truly appreciate the media you consume, from books, shows, music, performances, anything. There is a deep appreciation and bond that is formed when you come to truly enjoy and consider what you own and engage with.
I just feel like we kind of built a hollow hell for ourselves when in-reality we could be so much richer as people if we consumed more in moderation and took the time to actually "taste and savor" things.
That's so well written... Beautiful even
Bro stop buying games. That's a rule I have I only buy them when I'm going to play them. Sure sometimes I'll buy them on q sale but that's rarely
I have started tackling my backlog by simply making sure I play 1 game from my backlog between any new game purchases, I find it has been working well for me the last few months, if there is a game coming up that I want to play on release I choose a backlog game to play that would be quite short to play
Since June last year, I’ve been on a really good pace, finishing at least one game a week (as in games that are 4-8 hours), and I’m still having a great time. I’ve been taking my time with longer games like paper Mario and persona 5 while playing other games, and it hasn’t been that stressful. I learned pretty early on that deadlines and setting which games to play ahead of time just isn’t fun, and I’m happy you highlighted that in the video. Definitely subbing
Yeah a lot of people tend to just say set deadlines but like... Stressful??? LOL Thank you though !!
Banger video as usual!
The way I handle my backlog is instead of making it beforehand, I make it as I go. The checklist gets filled out as I finish each game, and I add it to the list. It helps me keep track of what progress I’m making, without actually feeling pressured to do any of it. It’s very freeing, while also making me feel accomplished. That’s how I handle it at least.
In a weird way its sort of similar this year since Yakuza, Persona and Tekken have consumed me but I love making lil progress in games that catch my eye on my shelf such as Omori as of late.
I feel like if I plan for any backlog journey I will NEVER get to the games but being casual with it is easily the only way I have fun playing new titles not gonna lie
Thank you by the way !!
I have over 600 physical games in my backlog and it can be overwhelming thinking of how much time it would take to complete them all. I do track my backlog because I enjoy marking a game complete; I find it so satisfying. Although I would never make a list of what I have to play next. I only play what I'm in the mood for but knowing I get to mark it off my backlog list when finished gives me a little extra motivation to keep going and not get distracted by all the other shiny games.
hey if it helps than great! i just dont need the number if games I own to be too daunting even tho my collection is fairly small lol
I really do think this is something people need to hear.
I used to play games the exact way you described in the beginning of the video. I didn’t necessarily have a backlog, but I just played through the main stories and moved right along to the next game because there was just so much I wanted to play, but that only made me retain very little of what I did actually play.
I’ve since come to realize I enjoy taking my time with games, and never liked the idea of having a backlog much, instead just having my next game be whatever interests me most at the time. I always liked to just focus on one game until I finished it because I don’t like leaving them unfinished or following multiple games/stories at once, and fairly recently jumped even farther down that spectrum by becoming a completionist in the games I play. it’s a much more fulfilling experience that teaches me so much more about the games I’m playing rather than just speeding through the story and moving on, and it makes everything much more memorable.
that’s the thing that works for me, and everyone should just be free to play how they want to without stress.
this is a great video, and the subject is something that interests me a ton so apologies for the longer comment lmao, keep up the great work and I look forward to future content!
No worries on that this was really well said honestly. I kinda do the same thing nowadays and aim for 100% on the games I play or REALLY damn close depending on difficulty. Really makes me appreciate games a lot more that way :D
*one at a time is the best method. slow and steady, don't rush 👌 the pandemic really helped me focus on my backlog and 5 years later, I'm damn near finished* 😂
I thought backlogs was juat games you're interested in playing. Not dozens of games you bought that you can't play. That's crazy. The desire of buying multiple games and not being able to play them until much later is not a backlog, that's impulsive spending. Being a collector makes it worse, which at that point is just an addiction to whatever you're collecting. I recomend selling all the fat in the collection and keeping a few things you'll definitely play and don't buy a game unless you intend to play it. If it's "stressful" to play games, it's time to find another hobby that'll actually bring you joy.
I’m slowly getting through my backlog, but streaming is what has actually kept me accountable for finishing most of my games. I also understand that I’m not really a “gamer” and I know what I’m capable of as a casual player. For games that I’m interested in but I know I won’t ever play, I watch a playthrough. I used to feel bad doing that but I realize there is just not enough time to get through everything. Taking it step by step!
Hey if streaming helps you than by all means take that and run with it! Just one step at a time :D
How I like to handle my backlog and enjoy games in general is to plan around new releases and when what I call the “off season” comes around which is when it’s a good few months between game releases I’m looking forward to, I look at my backlog and just choose whatever I feel at that moment and have fun
Weirdly pretty similar approach actually. Just finished Mario RPG and Omori while waiting for FF7 Rebirth :>
I found your channel because of this video and I have to say it’s absolutely fantastic in every way. I have very similar experiences to you, all the games in my backlog are games I really wanted to play too, and when I finally complete one it absolutely ends up as a very special game. These tend to be games I like to revisit a fair amount and sometimes just feel like playing because they’re familiar and comforting, exactly like what you said about playing with your old stuffed animals again and still loving them just as much as the new ones. Then we get to the Xenoblade example, for me, I have been playing the Xenoblade games since the first was re-released on the DS in 2015 since back then a wii copy would cost upwards of $100+! I absolutely *adore* these games simply because I played them when I felt like it. It’s taken me 9 years to beat 1 and 2, and I’m currently working on 3 (and a replay of 1), and I’ve shed tears over these games, I’ve played them for hours since I had to know what happens next, and their story and characters mean so much to me. But it only happened because I gave myself the time to experience it all at my own pace. Anyway I’ll stop rambling, but definitely subscribing ☺️
Also I’m definitely guilty of playing 3 JRPGs at once. 😂 I just recently finished Persona 3 Portable since I got it on sale before I knew reload was coming out (great game, even find myself going back to it to 100% it) and I’m currently working on persona 5 I picked up a while ago, while revisiting 4 in between to give my mind a break from how dark P5s subject matter can get
I used to try to tackle my backlog in a specific order to the point where I got overwhelmed and disinterested in some particular titles. Now I try to put all the games I own on my sheet and tackle them as I please without any specific order. I also try to keep my list small so it feels less daunting
Exactly the way it should be done honestly. Gotta go with the flow for games so you don't feel stressed out!
Great topic. I suffer from game backlog guilt. Glad I'm not the only one. Once a game feels like "work", I take a break. Sometimes I come back. Sometimes I don't. I have so many games I haven't even played yet. I play all games on easy so I can get through as many as fast as I can to get to the next. I don't speed run. I have a wife, kids, job so many other responsibilities. Time is a premium.
This was a really good video, good job! :D
Thank you !!!
@@VirtualMementos of course! been watching your stuff for quite awhile, and am a big fan :D
i hope to work with ya one day when i start creating :)
You are absolutely right, looking at what we need to play is a herculean task most of the time. I was making great progress on my own Backlog but my Computer just went critical. This sets me back quite a bit. Only have beat 7 so far this year, trying to get another 100+ games this year just like last year (115 in 2023). Here I was trying to tackle all my Jrpg games, but this was what killed my PC. At least Ni No Kuni and Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World were fun. Great video, I always enjoy when people discuss gaming Backlogs.
Thank you !! I'm sorry to hear what happened to your pc though ;_;
This is why I don’t feel bad about not finishing my backlog, also subscribed
Thank you for subbing!! Keep makin gaming fun you're backlog will be there for you
I think this video was very insightful and 100% appreciate your perspective on it. I feel that this is certainly an issue a decent number of gamers deal with at some point, and one worth talking about. I apologize for the long post ahead.
I have a backlog... but I honestly do not make a conscious effort to actively get through it. Oh there IS an idea of "I have other games to play" but that's the extent of it. The thought is never pressing enough to lead to that "come on come on come on gotta get through this one so I can start the next one!" type of mentality. Simply put, there is an awareness of games I got on my shelf that I've yet to beat, but I don't really let it get into my enjoyment of what I'm currently playing.
I do find that it's kinda hard to give some advice on how to get out of the "backlog mentality" because it is not a state of mind I've ever actually been in. I'm still playing games the same way I've been doing since I was younger: one at a time. When I was a little kid, I would get *maybe* one game every year. There was *no* backlog. It was just me and Ocarina of Time from 1998 to 2000. With a situation like that, I really, and I mean *really* squeezed everything out of the game. Hell, sometimes I'd log in to just dick around and ride Epona around Hyrule Field. I simply didn't experience much of a pressure to move on to other games because they weren't that available.
Flash forward 20+ years into the future. I now actually have... a few shelves that are just filled with games, but not only games, now I have books, manga, anime, movies... so much media to get through. Hey it turns out your taste in things tends to grow with you hahahh. While I still don't really feel a pressure to get through all this stuff, there is one caveat, and a very important one at that: I'm a doctor now. Specifically, I am a doctor-in-training, a resident physician halfway through residency. What this means for me is that there are entire months, sometimes staggered, sometimes one after another, when I work close to 80-something hours per week, 6 days a week. As you can imagine, this *really* leaves me with less time to game. After all, there are certain things one must do to stay functional and healthy. Y'know, sleep, eat, exercise, etc... What naturally follows from this is that I have to be *mindful* of what I am about to play or invest time in without letting myself feel pressured.
Something I've strived to preserve, however, is akin to the situation described above: dicking around in a video game. Sometimes I just feel like booting X or Y game and just... walk around in it, listening to the music, taking in the environment, talking to NPCs (RPGs are great for this), and overall just appreciating the artistry that went into creating this thing. It goes a long way in making the game more memorable to me, and having a good time and memorable experiences is ultimately why I like to play games. I feel like, as you said, sometimes people can get so caught up in the aspect of checking boxes as they make their way through their backlog that they really don't let the games they play, y'know... sink in. Earlier I said that I did not know what sort of advice to give people so as to not get into the backlog mentality... But I suppose one solution to this is to simply NOT have a backlog. Just... play what you have, take your time with it, however long it takes you, and take it all in.
I once again apologize for the length of this comment. I am rambling on cause I did lose a few hours of sleep last night (as I have a few other nights earlier this month). Why? Persona 3 Reload came out at the start of a very easy rotation: Dermatology. It's just a regular 9-5 with free weekends type of rotation. Despite the better gameplay in P4 and P5, Persona 3 has my favorite cast, story, and themes, and I consider myself fortunate to have been able to experience it again in the remake. Welp, Idk what else to say. If you somehow made it through all this, thank you for reading hahah. Whatever it is you're trying to do, be it play a game, read a book, watch an anime, etc... I hope that you find it in you to enjoy it.
Backlogs got me like the matrix, i’m in this bish and I can’t get out.
In all seriousness shoot i remember the times i’ve felt bad for not finishing them especially when i said i’m going to do it but just gotta remember that yeah i’ll get through it eventually instead of forcing through it and just trying to go with the flow on what to play. And shoot never knew there were websites like that to log through the backlog, gonna look them up from curiosity.
Really good video and topic! 💙
Great video, 100% agree. Do what you want, when you want. That’s one of the main points of gaming. So just do what makes you happy!
Yeah!! Thank u tho!!!
When it comes to live games or anything like that I just play those with my friends and when we’re not playing that I’m just gonna play what I want. And when it comes to choosing a game I want to play I just go off of what videos I want to watch on what games. If there’s a profound game I don’t want to get spoiled on I’ll choose to play that
Pretty smart! I tend to just binge a game I'm obsssed with but recently hoppjng on Tekken 8 with friends when everyones on
When it comes to live games or anything like that I just play those with my friends and when we’re not playing that I’m just gonna play what I want
What works for me is, instead of creating a list of games you HAVE to play, I prefer to focus on one game, and get far enough to where I feel like I can put it down and play something else for a little. I recently beat Xenoblade Chronicles 2 after having owned it since Nov 2022 and completing one chapter every couple months. I sat down, got myself to actually keep going with the game and had a ton of fun with it. But I also played Persona 3 Reload when I didn't feel like playing XC2 that day. Or I'd play Fortnite Festival for an hour. It let me do things at my own pace & appreciate XC2 instead of feeling like I have to rush through it to complete the next big game on my list that I've been holding off on.
Honestly thats good to hear and Xenoblade 2 is just a beautiful game too that deserves that time
Too many games to play and too less time to play them all. Completing them all feels more like work. 😅
real!
Solid video, I was stressing about building up too much backlog, and somehow now I care less
Mission accomplished 😼
When I was a kid, I only had a few games per console (and I had SNES, N64, and PS2 from my childhood to my teen years). It was so much better, because I wasn’t overwhelmed by a huge library, and I would play the hell out of each game. I would also lend out my games to friends and borrow theirs in order to experience other games. It was cool. Fast forward to today, and now I have a Steam Deck with over 150 games! You’re 100% right that it does feel stressful having this many games, even though I know I’m not obligated to complete them (a lot of them are from emulation). In a way, I miss the old days where I wasn’t able to have so many games at once.
The best approach is quite literally to just play whay you want regardless. Logically having 150+ games should be a good thing lol
That's how it works for me but I still think conceptually backlogs are stress inducing
@@VirtualMementos lol Definitely. I made a list of the top 10 games I want to beat, so that helps me focus on that without getting overwhelmed haha
I have finally settled into a system for my backlog and it is working for me well and saving me money.
Most new games tick me off as they need updates before they are okay so I tend not to buy them right away with some exceptions obviously.
So what I do these days is, I play one modern game on the latest system if I have bought a new release to play and then backlog until I buy another modern game.
Here is the important part. I DO NOT open any game I buy anymore. To earn the right to open another game I have to finish one. I can not tell you how much this drives me to complete games. It is a massive force. I give myself some leeway of course but only if I realize I don't like a game I have started and know for sure I won't ever play it again. Doesn't happen often.
I am 44 years old this year. I have a rather large backlog and I know for sure at this point that even if I live past 60 I won't ever finish them all.
This is a freeing thought to be honest.
I know I am not able to ever do it so when I go to open a game I am always picking important ones to me. Sort of like ranking the unplayed games.
So instead of looking at shelf's thinking I need to complete them all, I look and think what's the best one to play next.
On top of that I only ever have one main game installed and then 1 or 2 others. The other games are games I never consider complete, like say the latest Gran Turismo and a fighting game. These provide good changes of pace while trying to finish a game and help with fatigue on any particular game I am playing.
Anyways, this has been working great for me. No lists. No check off lists. Just games. Beating them and opening a new one.
A saw in another video discussing backlogs that offered an excellent suggestion: Tie your backlog to a gaming fund. For every game on your backlog you finish, give yourself $5. As you build up enough "credit," then you can get a new game and add it to the backlog, keeping things moving. It forces you to be more selective about the games you buy (sales included) and makes you prioritize playing the games you have first. It helps give you something to look forward to, where completing games leads directly to new ones rather than a checklist for the sake of it.
Like others have suggested, I've also started more seriously asking myself the question when I'm playing something, "is this game actually fun for me?" And then I have to honest about it. Just because someone in a forum says the game is amazing and I should beat it three times doesn't mean it's a hit with me, and in that sense, put it down, cross it off, and move on. I've gotten a lot better with this and it's certainly helped speed things up.
As someone who made a game ranking video that ranked 28 games that were just simply played, I get this. I didn't even finish the stories for some of these games, and it was honestly the first time I experienced that "backlog stress". It's doubly stressful, since 2023 was such a big year for games that I didn't even get to games like Alan Wake 2, Mario Wonder or Baldur's Gate 3. At the end of the day though, it's still nice to just play games I'm into, good or bad. As someone who really plays games more experimentally than for collective reasons, I'm just glad I got to at least try games, even if I didn't like the games or didn't finish some that were really good.
Glad you got something out of this!!!
From my own experience, I think it’s important that when you do finally sit down and start playing a game off your backlog, you need to decide whether you are going to commit to playing it or not, lest you risk stopping half way through and then never coming back to finish it.
In the past, I wanted to play through Metroid Prime. I’ve owned the game since around 2005-ish, when it was still a relatively recent release. And every time I sat down to play it, the same thing happened. I sat down and I played through the introductory sequence on the Space Pirate Frigate, then got to the surface of Tallon and decided to get off and continue playing the next day. The next day came and I didn’t think about the game, instead focusing on something else or some other game. Time would pass, and then months or even a year would go by, and I would decide again that I wanted to play Prime. I sit down, I decide that I should restart so that I could refresh my memory on what happened, and then rinse and repeat the whole process over again: play to the end of the tutorial, set the game down, forget about it for another year. Over, and over, and over again.
I did this probably eight or nine times over a ten-year period, sometimes getting a little further in and losing even more progress when I restarted, before I picked the game up in 2022 and said, “Okay, I’m going to play this whole game this time. I am ignoring the rest of my game library until I beat Metroid Prime.” And for that next week or two, that’s exactly what I did, and I managed to finally finish a game I had owned for 15+ years. I also went on and played Prime 2, soon after, as well.
Metroid Prime wasn’t the only game I’ve done this with, either. I’ve had a few games I’ve owned since 2013 that I’ve restarted multiple times this way, having only finished one at the end of 2021. Not only that, but I’ve also done it many times on replays of games I’ve already beaten. I would start up a new save to try a new build in one of the Souls games, or I saw a mod I wanted to play with in Stardew Valley or some other game, only to then abandoned that save file in the middle of playing it when I decide something else looks interesting. It’s the same reason that I have three unfinished save files on Terraria ever since the 1.3 updates in 2015 - one of which has 80 hours of playtime clocked in.
So, yes, while I do agree that you shouldn’t let playing through games become a chore or feel like your job, there are times where you just have accept that it’s the only way you’re going to make progress - progress that isn’t just walking in place on a treadmill. Otherwise you’ll end up like me, and you will have played every games that’s on your backlog list, but you’ve never actually finished a single one. (I have 45 hours in Oblivion, and I’ve never completed a single major quest line, not even the main story. Bought the game 11 years ago, by the way.)
Great video man! I only buy like 2 or 3 games a year so I can finish em no problem
Not a bad strat tbh!
There's too many games to play and not enough time to get to them all, so at the end of the day, just play what you want, those games you've bought aren't going anywhere, do what you want, not what you think you have to or what people say you should
True!
This video reminded me that I bought Monster hunter world and devil may cry 4 at retail price and barely played them
I hope you'll get to them soon since both games are fantastic!
Sounds like you just have choice paralysis.
Me and a friend made it a thing that each month we need to finish a game, doesn't matter how short it is.
We been doing this since September 2022, and surprisingly we have finished more games than before.
Giving yourself enough time to beat a game and not forcing yourself to be like "I have to start a new 100+ game right after finishing this 100+ rpg" makes games very enjoyable.
We are barely on February and I already played Demon souls remake, Ys8, Dead Island 2 and im currently playing Persona3R.
All are 20+ hr games and it has been really fun. I take a couple of days off to chill and jump into the next game.
I realized I had that whilst making the video but lately I fell in love with Yakuza 7 and have non stop played that any chance I get so its kinda working lol
A Cowboy Bebop fan! Niiiiiiiiiiiiice! Faye Valentine is not only hot but just an awesome character in general :D
But more importantly, awesome video man! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Got the vinyl not too long ago since it was my first anime. Thank you though!!!
It's like you said, it depends on the person what makes them more comfortable. Personally I'm making an organized list of my backlog. I've put the games I want to play on categories and on which platform I have the game available on. I still haven't finished that list yet, cause... I only do it when I feel like it. I'm not committed to finish the list as soon as possible. And I keep adding games on my wishlist.
I'm making the list cause I don't want to lose track on the games I'm playing. I have ADHD and I might play 3 different games in the same period. And I don't want to accidentally ditch a game I've started playing, especially if it has a story. And the list helps me remember what games I meant to start playing or what game I started but didn't play for a while. Of course I go with the flow. I play only the games I feel like playing at the moment. The list might constantly change (except for the genre categories). I made a "play next" category to put games I feel like I want to play the current period, and the games I want to play after I finish the games I'm currently playing. Of course what I want to play currently might completely change from what I first had in mind. And that's okay.
A list is a tool after all. We decide how to use it. We don't have to commit to it if we don't want to. Personally I have trouble remembering some stuff. And I have a feeling that making a list of my backlog of games will help me remember which games I really wanted to play some time. It will also help me to find easier which games I feel like playing and go with the flow. Cause depending on what genre I feel like playing, I'll check that category on my list
My backlog is huge and yet i still go back to the binding of isaac (I currently am close to completing the game 100 so you know i'm glued to it right now) but i recently started to just play a game if i wanna play it like with persona 5 royale i just started it and put it on hold for isaac now but once i'm done i'm excited to go back
Backlogs are far too stressful so I'm glad you got something out of this! I hope you enjoy Persona 5 Royal though it's a great game!!
Hi! Nice video but what is that bmx-styled game that looks like Jet Set Radio?
1:14 No way, I'm currently playing Xenoblade Chronicles and seriously wondering if I want to finish it or move on to another game.
I got hooked on Yakuza 7 and Persona 3 Reload... So I chose those lol
I have games that I’ve owned for years and still haven’t beaten yet. Super lengthy games are the ones that really lose my attention after a while lol
I like RPGs but I get that 10000% with some. *cough* Xenoblade
Shoutout to Jedi: Fallen Order, that game has been in my backlog for like 6 years
2:31 Name of this Fortnite skin? Don't remember seeing it 😅
summit seeker evie !!
0:51 I, and my notion backlog, feel personally attacked
@@copperbeard LMAO oops
I think it's especially important to not force yourself to finish games that you don't enjoy. I have a couple of games that I can't get into, so I crossed them out of my backlog. What's the point of wasting time when I could play games that'd resonated with me much more?
True and who knows maybe you might have the urge to go back to that game later down the road!
Ahh yes, the backlog. Its like the backrooms but for gamers
All jokes aside
I dont think gamers should worry about rushing to finish their backlog JUST to play the newest entry of a certain game.
That's why its called a backlog.
It'll always be there for you WHEN you want something to play. Its not supposed to feel forced. Its like looking through an old family year book, you dont look at it until you WANT to look at it.
Its like you said, the reason we play games is to have fun, if we try and force having fun, we wont have fun anymore.
Sure some people might call it a waste to have bought all these video-games but youve only played a few of them, but honestly I'd argue that its even more of a waste to play or do something when you dont want to.
We'll play our games..... Just not now..... Or tomorrow...... Or next week...
Look just trust me we'll get around to it 😂
Thank you for discussing this topic. Amazing video overall 😊
Well said and def adding to what I already expressed in the video itself. Thank you so much though !!!!
I stopped buy games. I dont always finish a game. Not every game is going to be fun and exciting enough to play all the way through.
me who has stopped all progress on my backlog in order to mod smash bros:
i made a list of games that i totally NEED/MUST play. My biggest proble is that most of them are over 30hs to beat.
I just beated Persona 3 Reload in under 65hs. Now i need to play Tales of Arise wich is another long ass game.
I havent even gotten that far into P3 Reload but hopefully Tales of Arise is fun!
i feel like games are about having fun, and if having fun means i play a certain game once a year so be it.
as long as we enjoy our games.
and free demos are goated btw.
So true. ❤
What is the name of the song you used at the beginning?
It was a unused Switch E-Shop theme!
Managing games as a kid was much easier since unless you were spoiled rotten, you'd get/buy maybe 1 game a month and often had no other choice then to play that one game (which you may or may not have enjoyed). Nowadays as an adult you tend to have the fund to buy what you want, when you want and for people like me that have severe choice paralysis its a struggle. As such, i do use backloggery to keep track of my games and sometimes just open a fortune cookie (random game picker) if all i want to do is crap shoot for a game to try on my list.
More often then not though ill look up gameplay for a game i have and see if it something im interested in and then try it out if it picks that urge to want to try it (for ma happens more often then not lol). All in all, i do buy a lot of games ill never really consider playing, but they are nice to have in case i change my mind later.
The perks of being poor is never stressing over the next game lol
valid tbh
over 600 games on steam, over 100 on switch. but end up playing the same old Dead Cells every day haha
What is the game at 3:35? :o
Gravity Rush 1 !!!
@@VirtualMementos thank you 🙈
xenoblade peak
i like it but i just get distracted easily lmao
whats that game at 1:36? i kinda not want to add it to my backlog! just do it! clear those backlogs, dont be like me, who keeps on piling! oh my Lawrd the backlog!
Bombrush Cyberfunk! Made an entire video on that game if you're interested!
i think i will good sir!@@VirtualMementos
I usually feel bad when i have alot of games that iam near to finish or close too finishing. And then choose too play something else, It feels like i have alot of unfinished things i want too finish but at the same time i want too play other things too. Like for example in my case i want too finish Danganronpa V3 but i also want too finish Ace attorney but i still havent finished Vallhalla Cyberpunk Bartender Action or Little Kings Story. But i want too try Wild Arms and Final Fantasy X too.
Id say a backlog will always exist as long as you play multiple games. Cut it down it will grow back again. And while that can be stressfull i also feel that you dont have too fight what comes naturally when it comes too video games. Beacuse its supposed too be fun not a second job or a job at all.
Let me just say good selection of games especially FFX... But you will get to those games in due time I assure!
If you are stressed and frustrated by backlog, stop collecting games.
Was. By the end of the video I explain that.
I just like to wake up and play whatever I feel like ya know
so true bestie
what is that cel-shaded skating game?
bomb rush cyberfunk!
Am I the only person who has a healthy relationship with games? I don't feel the need to play every single game. I know what I like and what I don't like. I don't see a point in playing games I'm not interested in anyway. Especially if I have no intend to finish it. I also don't buy games on impulse just because it's on sales. Even if it's on my wishlist, if I'm not going to play it right now then there is no point in buying it. And buying everything just because it's on specials sales is pointless too if I'm not interested in it anyway. I currently have 35 games on my steam wishlist, half of which aren't even released yet. But apparently, that's not a backlog per definition. I haven't purchased a single game I haven't played yet. So it seems like I have no backlog. I just don't understand what the problem with backlogs for many people is. I always play games whenever I have time. But I never got addicted to collecting games and buy them on impulse.
I mean honestly the point of the video was to more or less not care about backlogs. I just play what sounds fun and it sometimes is the same game over and over. The concept of a backlog always rubbed me the wrong way lol
"Play what you want and have fun."
See unfortunately for me that doesn't work because with all these interesting games or different genres I would like to try while I wait for my big games I'll end up distracted. Distracted by the comfort of a Metroid game, or super metroid randomizer run. Then my 6 hours of free time have gone to 2 or 3 super metroid runs.....like a freak.
Please send help.
i just play pokemon now that was my solution lol
@VirtualMementos My current fix is replaying all the Halo games. I loved them for almost half my life, and they still hold up today. Most of them anyway. While I wait for the few new games I'm anticipating.
They're a nice change of pace from the new doom games and older retro shooters. I haven't worked up the patience to go through them again on legendary, though. So I've only been playing on normal.
With rumors of halo remakes being in the works for Playstation, I'm still hoping for the master chief collection ports of the games on the switch successor. Halo on the go would be a dream come true. If it's native, not that cloud nonsense that ruined the kingdom hearts switch ports.
Have you been dissapointed by modern entries in your favorite series?
Game at 2:40? :O
Omori!
0:04 dont worry about playing those pdf games on the right
play mainline
huh LOL
@@VirtualMementos dudes a megaten elitist
grow up
@@toooydoeur ok dr disrespect
I have 2 games in a pile of 6 which I play sometimes, but to busy playing Cataclysm: DDA.🔥🔥🔥
Any progress is good progress so
As long as you're enjoying the games you play who cares :D
freaking backlogs. WHY DOES LIFE HAVE TO BE SO DIFFICULT!! >:(
I just play what I want 😼
This is so me, I have over 100 games in my library but spend months to just platinum one, also Monster Hunter is some of the worst platinums you can try
Oh god mh rise is a tempting plat but nooooo lol
What’s that game on the thumbnail
Omori (left) Persona 3 Reload (right) & a character named Futaba from Persona 5 in the center :o
@@VirtualMementos oh thanks I knew p3 since my pfp I guess I should’ve specified lol. But thanks anyways 🤠
omori
I legit just beat it last night :'3
its omorbin time
(i hear omori music i like)
i dont believe in backlogs. I just play what i feel like. Im also somewhat picky about games so that helps me as well
The more I think about it... The more I agree honestly.Always been picky about games to be honest
Have you tried playing a non Anime RPG game? That might fix things.
I have! Just so happens a lot never... Click with me. Though I adored Cyberpunk 2077 last year and replayed Fallout New Vegas lol
All you have to do is just beat one game at a time😊
so true bestie
wow you''re telling me lol
me & u both ;_;
The steam deck only makes this worse. You think buying a steam deck will help you get through the backlog, but all it does is increase the size of it
See the logic makes sense on paper LOL but here I am still wanting one just to play Yakuza 7 on the go oops
Ha try platinuming them or 100%ing them that's stressful
I am doing that and hoooooooo boy
My backlog goes back to the SNES its disgusting 😂there is no hope for me
Oh boy but at least Chrono Trigger is in that library! lol
This video reminds me of the morons who brag about reading a book a week or journal every morning. They treat themselves to a rigid routine like they are in fucking prison. Being concerned with the amount of any action you want to partake in will cause unnecessary expectations and motivations that are bound to provide contempt for the action. Its the boomerang effect.
I guess that's an apt comparison. Play what you want is the motto I live by game wise
ily
Colonel : To begin with -- we're not what you'd call -- human. Over the past two hundred years -- A kind of consciousness formed layer by layer in the crucible of the White House. It's not unlike the way life started in the oceans four billion years ago. The White House was our primordial soup, a base of evolution -- We are formless. We are the very discipline and morality that Americans invoke so often. How can anyone hope to eliminate us? As long as this nation exists, so will we. Raiden : Cut the crap! If you're immortal, why would you take away individual freedoms and censor the Net? Rose : Jack, don't be silly. Colonel : Don't you know that our plans have your interests -- not ours -- in mind? Raiden : What? Rose : Jack, listen carefully like a good boy! Colonel : The mapping of the human genome was completed early this century. As a result, the evolutionary log of the human race lay open to us. Rose : We started with genetic engineering, and in the end, we succeeded in digitizing life itself. Colonel : But there are things not covered by genetic information. Raiden : What do you mean? Colonel : Human memories, ideas. Culture. History. Rose : Genes don't contain any record of human history. Colonel : Is it something that should not be passed on? Should that information be left at the mercy of nature? Rose : We've always kept records of our lives. Through words, pictures, symbols... from tablets to books... Colonel : But not all the information was inherited by later generations. A small percentage of the whole was selected and processed, then passed on. Not unlike genes, really. Rose : That's what history is, Jack. Colonel : But in the current, digitized world, trivial information is accumulating every second, preserved in all its triteness. Never fading, always accessible. Rose : Rumors about petty issues, misinterpretations, slander... Colonel : All this junk data preserved in an unfiltered state, growing at an alarming rate. Rose : It will only slow down social progress, reduce the rate of evolution. Colonel : Raiden, you seem to think that our plan is one of censorship. Raiden : Are you telling me it's not!? Rose : You're being silly! What we propose to do is not to control content, but to create context. Raiden : Create context? Colonel : The digital society furthers human flaws and selectively rewards the development of convenient half-truths. Just look at the strange juxtapositions of morality around you. Rose : Billions spent on new weapons in order to humanely murder other humans. Colonel : Rights of criminals are given more respect than the privacy of their victims. Rose : Although there are people suffering in poverty, huge donations are made to protect endangered species. Everyone grows up being told the same thing. Colonel : "Be nice to other people." Rose : "But beat out the competition!" Colonel : "You're special." "Believe in yourself and you will succeed." Rose : But it's obvious from the start that only a few can succeed... Colonel : You exercise your right to "freedom" and this is the result. All rhetoric to avoid conflict and protect each other from hurt. The untested truths spun by different interests continue to churn and accumulate in the sandbox of political correctness and value systems. Rose : Everyone withdraws into their own small gated community, afraid of a larger forum. They stay inside their little ponds, leaking whatever "truth" suits them into the growing cesspool of society at large. Colonel : The different cardinal truths neither clash nor mesh. No one is invalidated, but nobody is right. Rose : Not even natural selection can take place here. The world is being engulfed in "truth." Colonel : And this is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper. Rose : We're trying to stop that from happening. Colonel : It's our responsibility as rulers. Just as in genetics, unnecessary information and memory must be filtered out to stimulate the evolution of the species. Raiden : And you think you're qualified to decide what's necessary and not? Colonel : Absolutely. Who else could wade through the sea of garbage you people produce, retrieve valuable truths and even interpret their meaning for later generations? Rose : That's what it means to create context. Raiden : I'll decide for myself what to believe and what to pass on! Colonel : But is that even your own idea? Rose : Or something Snake told you? Colonel : That's the proof of your incompetence, right there. You lack the qualifications to exercise free will. Raiden : That's not true! I have the right -- Rose : Does something like a "self" exist inside of you? Colonel : That which you call "self" serves as nothing more than a mask to cover your own being. Rose : In this era of ready-made 'truths', "self" is just something used to preserve those positive emotions that you occasionally feel... Colonel : Another possibility is that "self" is a concept you conveniently borrowed under the logic that it would endow you with some sense of strength... Raiden : That's crap! Colonel : Is it? Would you prefer that someone else tell you? Alright then. Explain it to him. Rose : Jack, you're simply the best! And you got there all by yourself! Raiden : Grrr... Colonel : Oh, what happened? Do you feel lost? Why not try a bit of soul-searching? Rose : Don't think you'll find anything, though... Colonel : Ironic that although "self" is something that you yourself fashioned, every time something goes wrong, you turn around and place the blame on something else. Rose : "It's not my fault. It's not your fault." Colonel : In denial, you simply resort to looking for another, more convenient "truth" in order to make yourself feel better. Rose : Leaving behind in an instant the so-called "truth" you once embraced. Colonel : Should someone like that be able to decide what is "truth"? Rose : Should someone like you even have the right to decide? Colonel : You've done nothing but abuse your freedom. Rose : You don't deserve to be free! Colonel : We're not the ones smothering the world. You are. Rose : The individual is supposed to be weak. But far from powerless -- a single person has the potential to ruin the world. Colonel : And the age of digitized communication has given even more power to the individual. Too much power for an immature species. Rose : Building a legacy involves figuring out what is wanted, and what needs to be done for that goal. All this, you used to struggle with. Now, we think for you. Colonel : We are your guardians after all. Raiden : You want to control human thought? Human behavior? Colonel : Of course. Anything can be quantified nowadays. That's what this exercise was designed to prove. Rose : You fell in love with me just as you were meant to, after all. Isn't that right, Jack? Colonel : Ocelot was not told the whole truth, to say the least. Rose : We rule an entire nation -- of what interest would a single soldier, no matter how able, be to us? Colonel : The S3 Plan does not stand for Solid Snake Simulation. What it does stand for is Selection for Societal Sanity...
@@VirtualMementos Sounds good! Talk to you tomorrow and have a great night!
I finally stopped buying games. The only exception are titles about to be removed.
Welp if that helps by all means !
You make playing games sound like homework. If you need an Excel spreadsheet something has gone wrong. Don't buy new games if you haven't finished them or are enjoying one already!! If you aren't enjoying them, get rid of 'em! This genuinely sounds like a buying addiction man
No? The whole point was it used to be stressful and now I just play whats fun instead. Not a buying addiction in the slightest I assure you.
you think backlogs are stressful ? pff try making a list of your backlog and playing before 1/10/2024 the day i am going for mandatory army service for 14 months :/
I hope you're able to make a dent in it before the date. Never was the intent of the video to be "backlog hard" I just don't enjoy making one lol
@@VirtualMementos ik i am joking :) and yes i will try to make a dent before the military
just be more chill. it’s just a hobby.
I know LOL
If people wasted less time playing slop like fortnite that exists to fuel an addiction loop, they'd have more time to play their backlogs. When you realise fortnite and other free games value their micro transaction store over gameplay and creating a special experience, you'll be better off for it.
I mainly hop on Fortnite with friends every now and then when I just don't feel like goin through a single player game oops
No they're not. Unless you're 80 years old and will be dying in half a decade, there's no such thing as a stressful gaming backlog. Games are supposed to be fun, not tasks to be checked off a list
.... That was what I said in the video
@@VirtualMementosmy bad og i ain't even watched the video
@@colintalukdar3767 LMAO all good
i swear the only reason i clicked was cuze i was hoping to listen to a girl while playing elden ring
Ya know what... Real.
@@VirtualMementos lol the video was good tho
not 4 me because 99% of games now adays R just woke BS
so true
This thumbnail is so my brain right now! I just finished P5 after playing for 5 years, am in the middle of Omori and made it 50 hours into Persona 3 Reload 🥲
Finishing Persona 5 is amazing though!!! Glad you saw it through to the end. Omori is like... I'm at the very last part of the game but I'm not ready for the ending because I'm super attached to the characters.
And Persona 3 Reload is insanely polished... Made it to June and it feels unreal that it exists.