Finishing games

[Hatta]

I finish all of the RPGs I start, and none of the shmups.

[Pichu]

It's annoying when you wanna complete games that are completed by unlocking stuff.

But when the AI in Mario Strikers Charged has every cheat working against you, that doesn't happen.

And I really need to work on getting my beatable games down too.

[Ack]

I had this problem for a long time, where I was acquiring games faster than I was beating them, though I can hold off on starting a new game until I've either beaten or grown bored of whatever I'm currently playing. If necessary, force yourself to stay with it.

Also, if you're interested in pure numbers of beaten games, consider which ones you might beat the fastest. Fighting games don't take long, nor to shmups or beat 'em ups...though all three depend on how good you generally are in the genre and how quickly you can adapt. Also, do you consider beating it with continues to be beating it, or do you require that you 1cc it? That may take a good deal longer for you, and folks on here have debated for both sides, but it comes down to a personal choice.

There is a downside to focusing on beating games: eventually you'll avoid the longer games in your collection in lieu of what you can (or think you can) handle quickly. The longer games deserve love too.

Anyway, I've been using Backloggery.com and the 2011 Games Beaten thread to help get me to beat games. When I beat one, I get the joy of watching the percentage change in Backloggery, while I tend to write reviews of my experience for the 2011 GB thread, though I don't know if anybody actually bothers to read them. According to Backloggery, my collection hit a peak of nearly 300 unbeaten games a few months back. I've slowly been managing to get it down to close to 250, and it feels good. Meanwhile, the number of completed games has jumped from around 150 to 225 (I also completed some games recently that I had beaten years ago but never fully finished). I'm going to be quite excited the day my number of completes surpasses the number of unbeaten games I have.

[Bradtemple87]

I have more games unfinished than I could possibly remember. I gave up and just have fun with them.

[jfrost]

Aren't there at least a dozen topics discussing this? It seems that every day I come here there's someone talking about their huge backlog.

[BRIK]

My problem is, is that I buy too many games at the same time (usually during sales) or I impulse buy if I see something that I like when I'm already playing something.
The thing is I'd rather focus my time on only one game at a time so I can completely immerse myself in it, which usually works.
But if I end up with another game while at the time playing something else, I usually want to play the new and exciting one just to see what its like and then end up playing that instead no matter how good the previous one was. The result is heaps of un-played games which I've tried to finish as of lately. Now I try to make it a personal rule to only buy one at a time, which is also lighter on my wallet.
I do have a Sega Dreamcast arriving soon in the mail with 6 games though, so we'll what happens there

[Evildeadmanwalking77]

Ah yes, my approach w/ this now is I just have fun and if I happen to beat it in the process then great. I just have waaayyyy too many games to really focus on beating them unless I'm comlpetely into whatever I'm playing. I'm even holding off on buying any new games for a long time. My original Xbox has been modded and I still have games from my birthday this past Fedbruary that I have not really got a chance to play so you know it's time to chill & catch up on things when your schedule permits it.

[dsheinem]

Anyway, I've been using Backloggery.com and the 2011 Games Beaten thread to help get me to beat games. When I beat one, I get the joy of watching the percentage change in Backloggery, while I tend to write reviews of my experience for the 2011 GB thread, though I don't know if anybody actually bothers to read them.

I read your reviews!

Here's another vote for the Games Beaten thread. I found that the discussion in those threads really helped me push myself to beat more games, as did keeping a running count. For the sake of comparison, in 2009, before taking part in one of those threads, I beat about 30 games (which was pretty respectable in its own right, but was consistent with what I probably got through most years). Last year I found that the thread motivated me to beat 100 games. This year, I am currently up to 27 that I have posted about, so the thread is working the same way. The great thing is that no one in those threads cites it as a competition - everyone sets their own goals and we encourage each other. Last year I wanted to hit 100 and to beat a game for every system I own, someone else worked on an alphabetical list, others worked on playing through a series or two, etc. I have a Backloggery account that I never update - I find the threads here to be much more interesting.

[D.D.D.]

Anyone have any good tips on how to clear up a backlog with limited free time?

We all do BS things with our time. Find what you do and see where you can squeeze in time and eliminate the BS things. This becomes essential when you're a family guy or gal.

[env963]

I am pretty good about finishing the games, before I start a new one. But sometimes i find myself, hurrying up and trying to beat it, without enjoying the ride, so i can try that "new" game.