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Five Great Games Coming in October
September 30, 2020 | Robert EndyoFive Great Games Coming in October
The month of spooks is upon us and even though it’s still 2020, plenty of good games are here to make it all a little more tolerable.
5) Space Crew – … Read More
Why Mafia: Definitive Edition is the Most Underrated Game of 2020
September 30, 2020 | Matthew ByrdIn many ways, Illusion Softworks’s Mafia was a victim of its time.
Released in 2002 just two months before the debut of the beloved Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, it was, perhaps, inevitable that the two games would be compared. … Read More
Halo Multiplayer Modes Ranked From Worst to Best
September 28, 2020 | Matthew ByrdWhile the delay of Halo Infinite upset many franchise fans looking to dive into the series latest installment before 2021, the recent addition of Halo 3 ODST to Game Pass gives us a reason to dive a little deeper … Read More
Articles
Five March Releases to Check Out
March 2, 2021 | Robert EndyoThe first quarter of any year is usually pretty bland when it comes to releases, but most of the time things start picking up in March. Despite 2020’s existence, 2021 seems to be shaping up similarly. These games come … Read More
Why the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Remakes Art Style is so Controversial
February 26, 2021 | Matthew ByrdToday’s announcement that remakes of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl are coming to Nintendo Switch was a big win for Nintendo. Not only do the remakes look to bolster a sometimes struggling Switch library, but they’ll allow Pokemon fans new … Read More
10 Best Twisted Metal Characters We Want to See in the TV Series
February 24, 2021 | Matthew ByrdEven at a time when it feels like every game is being adapted into a show or movie, the news that Twisted Metal is being turned into a TV series stands out. Why? Well, it probably has something to … Read More
Reviews
What Makes Doom Eternal So Great?
March 30, 2020 | Robert EndyoFour years ago, Doom had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The perception of the series after Doom 3’s mediocre release and the franchise’s subsequent hiatus left few people even looking for another game in the series. However, id … Read More
Rage 2’s use of Open-World design does not work
June 4, 2019 | Robert EndyoRecently, I finished Rage 2. I set out in the game with the hope that it would deliver something reminiscent of the magnificence of Doom while drawing some of the enjoyable open-world aspects of an Avalanche developed game. I … Read More
PlayStation Now: Does it Need to Change to Survive?
March 25, 2019 | Matthew ByrdIn many ways, PlayStation Now is shaping up to be Sony’s biggest missed opportunity of the PS4 era.
PlayStation Now sounded like a pretty exciting service when it was first revealed in 2014. At the very least, it offered … Read More
Opinion
Five March Releases to Check Out
March 2, 2021 | Robert EndyoThe first quarter of any year is usually pretty bland when it comes to releases, but most of the time things start picking up in March. Despite 2020’s existence, 2021 seems to be shaping up similarly. These games come … Read More
Nintendo is Neglecting the Switch
February 18, 2021 | Robert EndyoWith the mediocrity of the first Nintendo Direct since 2019, it seems Nintendo is doubling down on the limited effort to make the most of its immensely popular console. The Nintendo Switch has sold nearly 80 million units and, … Read More
How Hades Revolutionized the Roguelite Formula
February 6, 2021 | Robert EndyoSupergiant Games has a history of setting standards in the world of indie development. Despite maintaining a relatively small team for years, they’ve created some of the most impactful titles each including top-tier design, voice, and music. Hades is … Read More
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What Makes Doom Eternal So Great?
March 30, 2020 | Robert EndyoFour years ago, Doom had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The perception of the series after Doom 3’s mediocre release and the franchise’s subsequent hiatus left few people even looking for another game in the series. However, id … Read More
Rage 2’s use of Open-World design does not work
June 4, 2019 | Robert EndyoRecently, I finished Rage 2. I set out in the game with the hope that it would deliver something reminiscent of the magnificence of Doom while drawing some of the enjoyable open-world aspects of an Avalanche developed game. I … Read More
PlayStation Now: Does it Need to Change to Survive?
March 25, 2019 | Matthew ByrdIn many ways, PlayStation Now is shaping up to be Sony’s biggest missed opportunity of the PS4 era.
PlayStation Now sounded like a pretty exciting service when it was first revealed in 2014. At the very least, it offered … Read More
How Do You Decide What Game to Play?
Should I play it?
Being an adult came with some great advantages when it came to gaming. Namely that, with an income, I’ve been able to buy several of the games I want to play. Combining that with bundles, event-based sales, and now subscription services, my access to games has increased to levels I never imagined. If you told me 25 years ago I’d have access to thousands of games at any time, I’d assume I had reached MC Hammer levels of stardom.
However, this collection, bolstered by my love of the innovative designs of indie games, is out of control. I not only have all of these games available, but I have dozens installed and ready to boot up at any time. My will to play them gave me enough motivation to get that far. Yet that’s still not enough to guarantee I’ll play them. So what criteria do I use to figure out which game will have me picking up that controller?
TIME
One important aspect when deciding whether I’ll play a game is usually how long it will take. Even though I’ll most likely be playing any option over numerous days, it can be daunting to boot up a title that will have me potentially locked into 70+ hours of slapping buttons. Contrarily, a game that might only take a couple of hours could be appealing, but if it doesn’t leave an impression it may seem like a waste of time.
For me, if a game is between five and twenty hours, it will often get priority over others. When a game is much longer than that, it treads into unstable territory where I may get distracted with another game and leave it neglected on a shelf indefinitely. There are some games I put down years ago and still haven’t found a reason to go back (*cough* Fallout 4).
NOVELTY
If a game is new or of a high profile (even if just among people I know) it tends to jump to the top of the list. This may be just because it’s in line with my interests, but that’s not the only reason. I may also want to review the game. Reviews are always a great motivator for me – and ironically motivation to play my backlog was one of the main reasons I started reviewing games. Then, of course, there’s the “discussion” factor.
Being able to discuss a game with your friends and others can be a great deal of fun. Whether it’s good or bad, communicating that perspective is a nice social experience. It can expose you to things you may not have noticed or considered and occasionally something contentious. Some may not enjoy that, but as long as you keep things civil, it’s a good reason to stay up to date rather than clear out that old backlog.
This could be my next backlog play through.
RECOMMENDATION
One thing that game discussion usually brings about for me is the recommendation to play a game others enjoyed. If someone else has a great experience with a game, I always feel as though I should see if it is the same for me. There have also been times where I come across a youtube video going in-depth on a game or a mechanic and that will be all the motivation I need to jump into it (thanks GMTK).
This includes the various game awards that we’ve all endured through December and January. The short season of trophy tossing brings to the surface all of the most lauded titles of the year, highlighting the many I’ve inevitably forgotten. This year, I’ve been inspired to pick up Sekiro, whenever I can find it at a good price, although I’m not generally a fan of these torturous Souls-like games. We’ll see how that turns out…
MULTIPLAYER
If a game has a strong multiplayer component, it usually motivates me to try to play it as soon as possible for two reasons. The first is to get in before the player base declines. There’s nothing worse than a cool multiplayer game with no players. The second is so that, in competitive games, I’m not so far behind that I get stomped in every match. This turned me away from Rainbow Six Siege as well as a few other games where the player base knew all the tricks to make me look like I was playing with my elbows.
It can also work the other way though. Multiplayer games can have a detrimental effect on my will to play other games since they don’t end. The hundreds of hours I sank into Dota 2, StarCraft games, Apex Legends, Battlefield games, and so on could have been devoted to dozens of completed single-player games. However, the fresh experiences of these games and the fun of being able to interact with people keeps me coming back.
As games become more readily available and creative indie games continue to outpace mainstream development, we’re locked into having more games to play than time to play them. It’s just the reality of the world we live in now. The competition for our time and attention will only increase. Eventually, these methods for deciding may no longer be enough to compensate and I’ll just collapse into a black hole under the weight of so many well-made games.
How do you decide what games you want to play? Is your next game from your backlog, a new release, or a return to a multiplayer adventure?
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backlog commentary Gears of War 5 opinion Sekiro