Jevnation's Personal Back(b)log

[Jevnation ♫]

Good day! Without any need to introduce myself and my backlog problems, I would like to say that having found your group makes me feel both happy and less alone about our common... habit! Working through the games in the backlog is just what it sounds like... work, at least when you feel like you have a goal to reach a certain quota to game at your own pace again. Some exceptions apply, such as getting immersed into a game effortlessly. I have learned along the way for the recent years and will share my experiences on this thread while I can.

Cheers,
Jevnation (with a little too much time over)

Taming the impulses

Next games concurrently playing:

• 911 Operator
  
• Indie Game: The Movie (Yeah, "game...")
  
• Steamworld Heist
  
• Highrise Heroes
  
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Passed Steam games: 269/666(!) (39%, including beaten ones)

(Blog post made a few days earlier)
Mood: Moody
The summer sale is past us, and I hope your wallets have survived the wave of discount blows that would for instance shrink your wish lists or fill it with bullet holes of indie games for a steal price range. As for me, I got away with only half a dozen purchases. True, these purchases itself perpetuate the length of working through the backlog. But when it comes to impulse control of game purchases, I've come to the point of learning the poignant lessons into taming the wallet-opening tendencies furthermore. It still goes on, though, which purchasing games has become more of a game itself for a certain group of people. Observe this, keep saving your money and time, and keep enjoying the games you have!

Passed games in 2024

Count: 44
= Standout game
Will come with a quick comment for every game I've passed, for note's sake.

• Melvor Idle (Epic Games) - A minimalistic, text-based RPG, directly inspired by Runescape. This one ain't my cup of tea.
  
• Police Simulator: Patrol Officers - Bought and refunded. I was on the edge of keeping this game for its immersiveness and thorough police duty gameplay, but the loop feels more like a routine with so little to keep me engaged in the long run for the money value.
  
• Little Inferno - Played this before on Epic Games, now bought and replayed this (and the Holiday DLC) here on Steam. 100% completion, in good satisfaction.
  
• Purrfect Apawcalypse: Purrgatory Furever - 2nd game in the bloody yet cute adventure series. Doable in a couple of hours, takes a bit longer to get all the endings.
  
• Food Truck Simulator - Average sim game about being food truck entrepreneur, with a light story and a fairly elaborate cooking system. Gets grindy once you get into and unlock the sandbox mode. I quit after that and watched the rest on Youtube.
  
• Barbarous 2: The Tavern Wars - Continuation of the Diner Dash-style game in fantasy setting with humor and cultural references. Pretty simple but engaging story and fair challenge level, which gets more stressful in the later levels. The first game was slightly better, but I will wait for 3rd entry that this one's story was building up to.
  
• Junkyard Simulator - Plenty of features to diversify player's career in the junkyard. Can be pretty clunky in controls, though. Put plenty of hours learning the many ropes and places it offers. Since it's in EA stage, I'll wait for further updates on this one...
  
• My Mundane Life Is Threatened By Tropes Of An RPG!!! - Simple to get through but thought-provoking in the end. Short for its retail value, but a free remake has been announced. A worthwhile indie game!
  
• Cursed To Golf (Epic Games) - Got for free on Epic's holiday giveaway. 2D golfing with power-ups makes for an interesting gameplay experience, but I think it's time-consuming with every round and may not stick me to this beyond first round post-tutorial.
  
• Celeste (Epic Games) - Well, after just finishing the main chapters, my hands are clasping an ice pack to cool down after over hundreds of tries through tricky levels to the end. It was brutal, has both a pretty engaging story and a fair share of satisfaction to reap. A worthy indie platformer!
  
  
• Volcanoids - First person shooter, crafting, drill machines, heavy weaponry and underground traverse... No, this ain't Deep Rock Galactic but fairly reminiscent. Rather more on the steampunk side and the crafting aspect is pretty well designed. Kept me engaged doing solo play, but the story ain't more than a backdrop and for endgame purpose.
  
• Kids of Hellas: Back To Olympus - I felt like buying a couple of casual time management games to scratch the itch again that I had with 12 Labours of Hercules and the likes. This one is fairly simple feature-wise but then again, such is this game genre. The story has a simple touch on the Greek mythology, but don't expect to be intrigued if you want it more than the gameplay itself. At least such games worked well for me to play while listening to podcasts, radio or in particular music I'm exploring.
  
• 12 Labours of Hercules VIII: How I Met Megara
  
• Barn Finders - A rather unusual premise of being a redneck, who's searching through abandoned locations and flipping goods for a living. The comedic value is fairly random but it's refreshing to discover items and places that are humorously off-kilter. The auction mini-game adds up to some challenge but soon enough, it's predictable to figure out. The shop is customizable but the time gets drawn out while waiting for the next round of customers, which I wish there would be a button to skip ahead. Half-way through the tour and it's most of the gameplay core you get, unless you enjoy the sci-fi wackiness going on.
  
• The Crew (UPlay) - I've tried this game out earlier after receiving it for free on UPlay. Alas, since Ubisoft decided to shut down the services for it, I ended up reading strict reviews on it and decided on watching the story cutscenes on Youtube. I saved myself plenty of hours from the grind.
  
• Little Nightmares - I've been coming back to this for the second time. Sadly, as much as it's been a popular hit among gamers, I still haven't been hooked enough to get myself through 2nd chapter. The mechanics can be a hit-or-miss and I got stuck in an elevator shaft without a clue where to move. So I'm shelving this game until I find my spark again, or someone in my house picks an interest for it.
  
• Final Fantasy VII - My #1 bucket list game! Having finished this game classic, I can now drop the burden of keeping it in my backlog mind for over a couple of decades. The world build, the characters, the rich content - all of them were up to higher level of the 90's standards, as well as raising the bar for AAA games and RPG's.
  
• Dragon Princess Anastasia - A black-and-white JRPG-lite game that takes merely 2 hours to complete with full exploration. Even if hooking up with your cute, horned companion sounds appealling on paper, the character writing doesn't give much depth for development or satisfaction on this hentai RPG IMO.
  
• Command & Conquer: Remastered Collection - The remastered works of the original classic and Red Alert well made! Includes bonus missions and behind the scenes footage, too. So cool that they had the band Tiberian Sons contributing to the good old soundtrack!
  
• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel - Borderlands in space! A decent entry in the BL saga where they keep up the zany humor that their trademark is known for. Following Handsome Jack's journey to where he ended up at in BL2 was a treat, getting to know more about this iconic villain. Like earlier games, I played through with my friends and in the midst of the co-op interactions, I had a bit easier following the story compared to the others. It's still a lot of information flying over my head to the point that I'm lacking the intrigue to follow the lore across the franchise; thus I can't say I care much about the side characters either. At least, the challenge scaling is more manageable and gets fun while rampaging in the fray with enemies. My other gripe with the game, though, is the lack of punch feeling in the combat and environment. I don't know if improvements have been made in the sequel, but that remains to see in the continuation of backlog.
  
  
• Barbarous 3: Family Secrets - The story carries on to tie all the loose ends that the previous entries have been teasing on, as much as the intrigue has been getting thinner lately. The game mechanics and graphics are quite the same, with a decent addition of quick mini-games for extra score that vary with location the levels are set on. Can't go wrong with cultural references that this franchise serve their players with.
  
• Quake 4 - The last single-player game finished in the franchise. Taken to the later tech generation after Quake 2, let alone continuing the hideous struggle between man and alien machine. The story is indeed generic, with just a couple of memorable characters and a rather interesting, solid twist on the main protagonist Matthew Kane. The arsenal has a nice mash-up from the previous games with enhancements that come with the story progress. Recommended to Quake fans only.
  
• Aerial_Knight's Never Yield (Epic Games) - A short and mildly entertaining obstacle run game, given for free on Epic. The story makes the show about a runner and a pursuing rival in a dystopian society, but tells too little to make enough sense. Was still fun for 1½ hour playthrough, with a beat soundtrack composed with a wide range of musical influences from jazz and rock to 70's disco.
  
• Stick It To The Man - A fun adventure game with platformer and puzzle mechanics, and the cartoon/paper aesthetics on top. Unpredictability shines with the colorful cast and zany humor to boot. The controls felt clunky at the start but didn't impede the experience later on. Some chase scenes in the late game were actually a tad bit more frustrating having to go trial-by-error but past that, it's a mental joy of an adventure.
  
• Stacking - It takes time for it to pick up its momentum but when it's there, Stacking presents what's so fun about scurrying around as a matryoshka doll, solving the problems doing what its type does best. Doll characters with special (or silly) abilities are the means of making progress or unlocking mischiefs. Classical music for the soundtrack is a welcome change, too. Fun game to fill your holiday afternoons on.
  
• Bright Memory: Infinite - An impressive feat of a AAA-like game, made by a small dev team, let alone the prequel done by a single person at best. The combat mechanics that allows players to go between guns and blade make for a somewhat refreshing experience. The story is quite flat with nothing memorable, since the game serves better off as a tech demo for the strong sides of the content instead. I advise diehard action fans to buy it on sale.
  
• Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun & Firestorm - Following the remastered original, I revisited the old gem of a sequel being Tiberian Sun out of nostalgia. Graphically an improvement with a bit more intimate story from both sides. The quality-of-life features are somewhat outdated and flawed pathfinding are still an issue. The biggest offender is having to comb through the map to kill/destroy the last enemy unit in order to win the scenario (I learned that even laser fences count, too,,, Bleh!). In the end, I stopped the campaigns midway and watched rest of the story on Youtube. Would be nice of this to get the remaster treatment as well, though.
  
• Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars - Carrying on the Tiberium saga, the third output introduces full 3D playfield. The features brings up the quality-of-life factor to modern standards, including waypoints and unit behavior settings. Majority of the units have their tactical advantages and I found more than a few favorites from each faction. A welcome approach in the campy yet increasingly bombastic story (a C&C trademark) is that it's told in each faction's perspective (as done in Firestorm), contrary to prior games going for separate outcomes respective to the faction choices. This had me look up the fan-compiled timeline and shifted between the campaigns to follow the main story coherently. One of the better Command & Conquer games released IMO. Remember to patch up the game to fix the mission difficulty levels and get an HD remaster on it.
  
• Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath - The expansion game got a stand-alone edition on Steam and expands on Kane's story that tells of events before, during and after the Third Tiberium War, fleshing it out a bit more with some revelations that took place in the original's campaign. New units are added that have their unique, tactical advantages and even flesh out on already existing ones. Kane's Wrath also introduces the Conquest mode to put a turn-based strategy element into the game, although I only checked out the tutorial to see how it functions. Kane's Wrath is an expansion that I wished was part of C&C3 originally, but nevertheless the game I recommend for fans of the franchise.
  
• Figment - Was given away on Steam around the sequel's release. A fairly imaginative action adventure game with puzzle elements, that whips up a mental world with characters and brain mechanics you interact with. It's a whimsical world you make your way through, to sort out the chaos inside the mind following a traumatic event for the person in question. The fun thing is that each boss you encounter have their own style of catchy, musical tunes while you fight them or their minions off. With that said, it's okay for the experience it provides and not as mind-blowing (pun intended) as I would have hoped for. Still serves well as a pastime adventure to get your brainwaves going lightly.
  
  
• GRIP: Combat Racing - Oh, this game scratched the Rollcage itch I didn't know I still had. The levels and graphics look gorgeous, as well as the race courses are well built for high velocity, combat racing. Contains a healthy variety of game modes that range between racing, maneuvering, combat and even one that scores you for totality of all you're capable of (Ultimate Race mode). Only some moments of frustration come by when you bump to some obstacles of any size and you're drifting helplessly in the air until you get respawned or finally touch down and regain your lost momentum, but I guess that comes with racing games. I once had to drive back a bit of the course because the game tells me the correct way is wrong way, although I can't tell if it was a check point I missed or it's a bug. With that said, I've run it for an hour and feel like I've got a fair share in what it's about, so I'll keep it shelved until there comes a time I want to find something to play for the party times. Well worth checking it out if you're a racing gamer, especially in the combat niche.
  
• Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight - The concluding part of the Tiberium saga. Now that I have followed through, I can understand the abysmal rap it has caught on because of the gameplay core being totally remade and breaks the C&C core we've known it for. I cleared through both campaigns and the quality of storytelling left a barely lukewarm impression. At least we get to see our favorite 'messiah' Kane one last time before EA drove the final nail in the coffin of the franchise.
  
• Transpose - Nifty VR puzzle game that applies time-rewind in the game mechanics, allowing you to make copies of you managing the obstacles in the process of each puzzle level. As much it's well-made, it's only intriguing as a brain exercise in VR environment with no story plot to hook you, so take this as a fun, mental challenge at best.
  
• One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 - I have only followed One Piece through the Netflix show mostly, recognizing the colorful characters and story through the 1st chapter/act of the game. The retelling of the plot through this game is fine and adds plenty of features for growing your characters. The intrigue is not quite there for me to see through the end, but I might pick it up again from the shelf if circumstances call for it (my friends or the thirst of crazy pirate adventures).
  
• Banzai Escape - Bought this game to scratch the on-rails shooter itch. The 7 stages provide a decent variety of enemies and challenges, as well as purchase weapons on money you score in stage clearing. With that said, expect replaying some stages to raise funds for a decent weapon and more magazines, because some stages are impossible before doing that. The anime style looks redudant with the characters and the base level voice acting (even production-wise) are hit-or-miss for me. I would have passed it early on, but at least it was short enough to get through.
  
• X-Blades - Oof... I'm glad that I saved tons of hours from wasting on this because soon enough, the game progresses merely on repetitive combat against enemies spawning relentlessly without knowing when it ends. There's not much to the story, either, especially after ending up watching the rest on Youtube. I guess this 3D action game is one of acquired taste, so look up reviews in beforehand and decide for yourself.
  
• OneShot: Fading Memory - A sequel mod to one of my favorite adventure games of modern times. At this point of writing, it is still in early stage, so it's more of a demo for what's to come. I am not quite convinced about OneShot having this as a worthy sequel, after such a satisfactory ending of the original. And I'm not sure what's the point Fading Memory tries to make. So, I'll consider this one shelved until further updates come and I'll decide if I want to continue with it or I'm good.
  
• Dragonsphere (GOG) - Dragonsphere was given out on GOG for free earlier. It is a well-done adventure game in its time, one that's made neither by Sierra nor Lucasarts. The graphic animations are competitive and the story has its fair share of twists to reward progress, as you take on the role of a newly crowned king to go on a quest solo to slay an evil magician that threatens the kingdom of humans, AKA the Fair. The most amusing surprise was that the direction I thought I followed correctly through the desert actually led me to a suicide fissure. The fact that you start back on the same scene, in case of death, makes the game rather forgiving enough to let you try different methods, despite the trial-and-error tendencies. The puzzle in the faerie labyrinth was rather tedious and counter-intuitive, being the only thing that got me to watch the rest of the gameplay/story on YouTube. But, blessed be those who endure through puzzles like these. Can humbly recommend this old, hidden gem.
  
• Arizona Sunshine (incl. DLC's) - VR and zombies... It's a fair combination that trains me in coordinating movement and shooting through the zombie situations. Mostly it's a walk n' shooting gallery until there are moments you have to fend off a horde with what you got in your arsenal, with up to 4 weapons and grenades you carry at best. The pacing is mostly fair for a VR novice like me, which helps for trying some action elements of such a gaming format. The story isn't much to write about, even though with a protagonist coping through his own humor (giving zombies the name of Freddie ie) and on a search for rescue. If you don't mind a tech demo-level zombie shooting with a limited number of weapon types and maybe have a friend to co-op with, this game is worth trying out over a discount price.
  
• Before The Echo - An RPG/rhythm battle hybrid game with some visual novel for story-telling. It's pretty easy to get into with this refreshing set of battle mechanics, where you alternate between rhythm lanes (akin to Dance Dance Revolution) to gather mana, cast spells and defend yourself. The story has a pretty colorful cast of characters and if you don't mind the grind factor, you might enjoy the progression with the varied electronic soundtrack that drives the battle flows. As a backlog gamer, I didn't stick through the grind to the end any more than watching the rest of the curious story on Youtube. But for you who may click with the unique gameplay combo, it might be worth it.
  
  
• Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey - To think that I would play the game that is set in the earliest time period based on the hominid species, let alone set off the first bookend of my backlog in the chronological order.
  
  Ancestors' survival gameplay core goes by the evolution stages of the said species, as you discover the nature and interactions to spark new methods and physiological capabilites. Henceforth, you gradually make progress through practicing and selecting abilities in the synaptic skill tree. I've been playing for nearly 8 hours, trying my way around to discover new possibilities that this game offers with playable monkeys. On the other hand, this game admittedly doesn't hold hands and rather encourages initiatives in experimentation... (only caveat being that a player like me isn't well-versed in ancient anthropology)
  
  Eventually, I decided to check this off my backlog, having familiarized with the basic gameplay and saving my valuable time for the following games in the chronology. It would have been satisfying to follow the evolution that shaped the mankind we knew, let alone represented in the backlog games overall. But I think the videos on Youtube is well enough for the saved time and follow how the dev team made their presentation for what this game is showing. Can recommend only to survival fans and biology enthusiasts.
  
• Far Cry: Primal - FC Primal is a unique beast (no pun intended) of the Far Cry franchise, if not in the fps genre itself. This history-based entry is an attempt at reconstructing the Proto Indo-European (~10.000 BC) environment. I'll give props to the devs for going out of their comfort zone to make a caveman action game, based on a time way before swords and guns' existence. The culture is about a scratch on the surface (with a mix of old and made-up languages, neat!) and the characters are quite colorful, although the story is quite thin and mainly focus on your mission to gather the people of your kind (Wenja) and make a safe place in the Oros region, from threats of other cultures. Pretty fun for gameplay itself for hunting, combat and site securing, but expect novella-level story bits only. Ooga booga, ye softbloods!
  
• Deadlock - Well, I had to give it a try since it's the next Valve "product of mystery", what with the beta testing that's spreading like a plague between players sending invites. All in all, it's certainly a DOTA game in hero shooter form, although I've moved on from such a fad that's taken place in the last half decade. Now, when is the next Half-Life coming...?
  
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[Jevnation ♫]

Between quantity and quality backlogging

Passed titles since last blog post:

• Indie Game: The Movie
  
• Dear Esther: Landmark Edition (Counted with the original, that makes 2 titles passed)
  
• Loading Screen Simulator (A freebie indie game done quickly)
  
• Grow Home

Current games prioritized:

• 911 Operator
  
• Steamworld Heist
  
• Highrise Heroes
  
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Passed Steam games: 304/667 (45%. I should recheck as the library history counts in free Steam games as well)


Mood: Contemplative
Backlog gaming isn't as fun as it sounds like and that comes from a video game addict as yours truly. Finding the fun in your commitment to backlog gaming is like walking the balance between the time-rewarding gameplay and getting over it. When you spend a longer period playing through minor titles that offer short and concise enough content to beat quickly, you'll pass to the next titles quicker and make progress. I used to feel that way but nowadays, for an owner the of library with this kind of size, the passed games feel rather like...

...numbers.

I'm getting increasingly aware that regularly beating games (or skipping the endgame) for the sake of the backlog are making me jaded about the collection because the games are losing their fundamental values of gameplay experience due to that commitment. For all I know, the money gets spent on the love of purchasing and owning the game, rather than actually playing it. If it's not for the fun of the gameplay designed to be, what exactly tells of your true nature?

I believe it comes as a revelation that, after all, there is no need to rush through your "pile of shame". I think the best way to go is to pace yourself and focus on having fun with games again. Play whatever you feel like playing; it makes progressing through it feel more natural and that's what you get in the end: Your fun gameplay experience.

Another advice I would give is: Think and think again, before purchasing a new title. Those games aren't going anywhere and may come cheaper when the real playtime comes. Besides, purchasing is extending your backlog further. I know the pain of skipping the deals countless of times. That's the kind of pain letting you know that you've exposed your weakness of impulse and can hold to your wallet tighter.

Regards,
Kustin

[Pointnclickster]

I am enjoying reading your posts. I find that what helps is playing the games I really want to play. That makes the backlog seem less scary and more fun!

[Jevnation ♫]

Glad that you enjoy it. I agree playing the games you feel like is the better way to go as it feels less of a chore. There might come a time when you might need to pick up a game which you haven't heard much of or isn't down your alley (usually a game that went bundled with your favorites) and it's fine to steer off for a while, as long as it doesn't impact your affection for the backlog duty for too long. It's also not all wrong to skip games that you know you won't get any particular joy or trading cards out of them, mostly because of the reviews or game type. (The types of games I've skipped mostly are standard racing/sports games, while pushing back on multiplayer-focused games)

[Jevnation ♫]

The effects of real-life goals (and economy)

Passed titles since last blog post:

• Highrise Heroes
  
• Borderlands 2
  
• Steamworld Heist

Current games prioritized:

• 911 Operator
  
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Passed Steam games: 306/716 (42%. Will stick to this sum that includes free games that's been played)

Mood: Content
I think it's safe to say that ignoring sales have become easier lately. One reason is that having a savings plan can help you hold on to your wallet from impulse purchases, among other situations. An example I share here is that I want to go on a roadtrip with friends and thus, I need to save up to make things work out. It's more than just being wary of the games that might end up piling up in the Steam library, it's everyday things that gets thought twice before buying, be it buying alcohol, eating at restaurants or taking out that favorite latte less often. As I write this blog post, this is by no means a lecture against buying stuff you like or are interested in; only in case you feel the need to take a step back with the game purchases and with further ease consider if the product is worth it or not.

Also, by having an economic goal or a different focus in life you commit yourself to (I'm an audio engineer), the pressure of following through the backlog gaming gets lesser influence on the free time you spend. Knowing that fact makes me wonder if I'm being more of a responsible adult. The gamer in me will always crave for something by the end of the day but when I do, at least I know when it feels more pro-active to get over with the backlog list... especially after a day's work.

[Jevnation ♫]

Organizing your huge library

Passed titles since last blog post:

• 911 Operator
  
• Pony Island (Bought it on sheer recommendation, definitely worth the impulse!)
  
• Space Pilgrim Episode One
  
• Oh... Sir!! The Insult Simulator
  
• Soundodger
  
• Symphony
  
• Glittermitten Grove
  
• Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc
  
• Sun Blast
  
• Hector 2
  
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
  
• Realm of the Mad God

Current games prioritized:

• Viking: Battle For Asgard
  
• Space Pilgrim Episode Two
  
• OneShot
  
• Bard to the Future
  
• Valley

Passed Steam games: 321/727 (44%; +2% up since last post, cheers!)

Mood: Confident

Well, pats on my shoulder for striking off this considerable amount of games over half a month. Some games were fun enough to be finished while I gave some others a fair share of gameplay time before passing them off as just enough worth of the limited time that this old gamer has.

Breaking away from the philosophical reflections of the backlog gaming (or what could be called 'pretentious rambling' *smirks*), I'd like to open up a bit about how you organize your library. As it grows, the sorting and organizing games gets all the more essential to keep a good track on your backlog progress. It even helps while you're planning your next titles to play off the backlog.

In my early days (before I knew about backlogging), I was content enough to sort games into "Favorites" and the regular games. When I started being aware of my game pile towering up and it was time for backlogging, I tagged the games into categories between...

• To-play games (Titles that are yet to be passed)
  
• Backlog (Unfinished games with priority)
  
• Beatlog (Passed games)

I've kept it like this for several years, until I heard some people organize them by genres (using automated Steam apps or such). I gave it a go and sorted them manually (took some time, but it was fun), ending up with the "To-play games" being split into genre categories.

• Action/platformer
  
• Adventure
  
• First-person (A great deal of games split off from Action genre, which I prefer to have sorted in case I feel like going for some FPS)
  
• Puzzle/Indie (This is also where I sort games of miscellaneous genres I seldomly play eg. visual novels, horror, racing, sports etc.)
  
• RPG (By today's game standards, this genre blurs sometimes with action and adventure games I have. This is where the more RPG-focused games usually end up in.
  
• Strategy

If any of you game-loving readers have your own categorization to share, then be my guest!

[Pointnclickster]

While I have some of the same categories as you, I have a couple of extras:
Lovecraftian
Children Friendly
Mystery
Fantasy
Zombies!
Interactive Storytelling (a fancy way of saying visual novels or walking sims).

This way, not only do I get what type of game but I can target what subject I am in the mood for.

[Jevnation ♫]

Originally posted by Pointnclickster:

While I have some of the same categories as you, I have a couple of extras:
Lovecraftian
Children Friendly
Mystery
Fantasy
Zombies!
Interactive Storytelling (a fancy way of saying visual novels or walking sims).

This way, not only do I get what type of game but I can target what subject I am in the mood for.

Sounds clever! I also see that you've played The Last Door, which I am currently on the 4th chapter. Intriguing and immersive game, even though I am slightly shy with horror elements of the games.

[Jevnation ♫]

Desire for productive days

I rarely do this but, for personal reasons, I have turned a new page in my life on Steam by changing my name from Kustin and now refer myself as Jevnation.

Passed titles since last blog post:

• Hector series
  
• Bard to the Future
  
• Space Pilgrim series
  
• Adventurer Manager
  
• Waves
  
• Waveform
  
• Yet Another Zombie Defense
  
• Everyday Genius: SquareLogic
  
• World of Goo
  
• Spelunky
  
• Enemy Mind
  
• Viscera Cleanup Detail: Shadow Warrior
  
• The Ship
  
• The Forest of Doom
  
• The Binding of Isaac
  
• Valley
  
• Cubetractor
  
• OneShot (Man, this game is a moving gem...!)
  
• Alter World
  
• Rollers of the Realm
  
• Divine Divinity
  
• Half-Life: C.A.G.E.D.
  
• Iron Snout
  
• Zombidle: Remonstered

Current games prioritized:

• The Saboteur [Non-Steam game]
  
• The Last Door - Collector's Edition
  
• Strife
  
• Space Run
  
• Beholder

Passed Steam games: 347/735 (47%)

Mood: Sleepy

It is times like these that I am shifting my focus a bit more on my real life over gaming. While I still play and run through my library during my pastime, it's only for now that I will focus more on finding a job and working on my personal music projects.

To be honest, I have been a gaming addict to a moderate degree for many years, which seems to consume the productive time of the day to progress through the backlog or for other recreation's sake. On the other hand, though, this sort of addiction and backblog commitment has led the gaming time to grow stale that it's not as easy sticking to it. At best, you can focus on other, more important things that can help you progress in life; that helped me find the fun in doing productive things again. At worst, if you're still thirsty for dopamine-filled activities, you might end up getting stuck with little desire to pick up the work nor getting the most fun out of gaming. I've just went through both those situations and am trying to adopt some new habits to progressively make the most of the days to come. Maybe I'll share some in the future post, if anyone's interested.

One thing is true, though: Gaming is just for fun (might be different for pro gamers). And I want to make sure it stays that way, to the point that it doesn't drain the fun from the days I spend my actual life on.

Good night!

[Jevnation ♫]

Bucket list

Passed titles since last blog post:

• The Last Door - Collector's Edition (Supernatural and suspense horror seem to be my cup of tea. Nicely crafted story and pixel graphics!)
  
• Transmissions: Element 120 (Short but fun gameplay in this HL2 mod that breaks the boundaries in its own way.)
  
• Defy Gravity (Seems adequate with the physics puzzle mechanics, although I find it pretty stale and less timeworthy to complete.)

Current games prioritized:

• The Saboteur [Non-Steam game]
  
• Strife
  
• Space Run
  
• Wolfenstein: The Old Blood

Passed Steam games: 352/738 (47%)

Mood: Peaceful

Time for some rather more light-hearted subject. I have written and asked about how you organize Steam libraries before. Let's talk about bucket lists, which in this case is about the games you want to play through before you 'kick the bucket'. Maybe let's say that you only have around 1-2 months worth of playtime remaining, which titles in your library would you like to experience over your remaining lifetime?

As I am nearly through half my library, plenty of games have been checked out so here's an up-to-date list to compare with.

• Antichamber (Being an enthusiast for outside-the-box games + A friend of mine was a composer for that game)
  
• Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons (Since a nationally (Swedish) produced game that has got overwhelmingly postive reviews should say something for this adventure game fan)
  
• Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition (Besides its popularity, I am fascinated by the dark fantasy worlds.)
  
• Day of the Tentacle Remastered (I had a childhood with Lucasarts adventure games, yet this renowned gem has passed me by that it is time to make it justice.)
  
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Gave it a run earlier but I still like it, gonna finish it when I have a more powerful machine to run on)
  
• Evoland 2 (Another one of those what I call outside-the-box games with a cool concept, which is also fitting for someone with JRPG childhood...)
  
• Final Fantasy VII (... which reminds me, I am embarrassed to not have finished this historical game yet!)
  
• Life Is Strange (Played a bit through Episode One once, wasn't fully intrigued. Yet my (critic) friends have been giving praises to it lately, so what do I have to lose?)
  
• Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition (Never before did a trailer of a platformer adventure game remind me of the sensitive person I am inside that badly, so I decided that I have to play it and find the answers as well as resolution for this intrigue.)
  
• RiME (I haven't looked much into it, yet I am dutybound to play and finish this latest birthday present!)
  
• Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP (Tried it out and left it years ago, yet I am still intrigued by the game concept and art style involving pixel art and the essence of music that I feel there's something important to look into it.)
  
• The Witcher (Played it half-way through before I left it out. I'm still intrigued by its mature fantasy themes and the progression of the franchise, hence its bucket selection.)
  
• Half-Life 3 (Hope is slim, yet one can always dream...!)

What is your current bucket list? Maybe some game recommendations might peak interest for me and other readers?

[Jevnation ♫]

Content values?

As inspired by my peers here in the CtB group, I'll be adding comments to the titles I've passed from now on. These comments have been added to the previous post, as well.

Passed titles since last blog post:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/350080/Wolfenstein_The_Old_Blood/
• As the series reboot is carrying on, I started out with this game in chronological order story-wise. Beat it on ÜBER difficulty, as the fun outweighed the frustration that preceded it. Blaskowicz is a badass!
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/618510/Battle_Bruise/
  
• Short zombie shooter in its gritty cartoon style. The freshness wears off after a while, though.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/409380/Among_the_Heavens/
  
• Diner Dash concept with its steampunk setting. Although I've given up trying to beat it, it's a fun exercise of multi-tasking.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/241320/Ittle_Dew/
  
• More of a puzzle game with Zelda-style RPG elements. Although fundamentally child-friendly with tough challenges catering for the mature crowd, the game is self-aware and pokes fun at its contemporaries occasionally. Not my cup of tea in the end, but I did finish it.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/427810/CALENDULA/
  
• A short "puzzle" game that takes some logical thinking with itself but it's not too hard either. Some startling content included, as well. I'd prefer Pony Island over this for the similar but richer concept. Has some value for over-thinkers, worth a purchase on sale at best.

Current games prioritized:

• Dying Light
  
• Guild of Dungeoneering
  
• The Final Station

Passed Steam games: 356/758 (47%)

Mood: Productive

Been falling for some small purchases again, especially during the recent Halloween sales and a couple of Humble Bundles again. When it comes to adding new titles to the ever-growing library, I try to remind myself with some criterias whether the games in interest are meaningful to add, be it at this moment or as a whole. Though some criterias have been made through learning the hard way, they always improve the outcome of selective purchases.

Although those criterias are rather fluid from game to game, I will hint to some key factors that affect what whether I purchase the title or not. Mind you, this list is more for fun and clarity.

Fun = The main point of the gameplay that even feeds the pleasure of working through the backlog. I have to keep in mind what I'm playing the games for,
Genre preferences = Speaks for itself, which is about finding the gameplay elements that meets one's own preferences.
Reviews = How likely the game is to fulfill the experience to a satisfactory level, whether it's by statistics, matching preferences ie.
Game progression = Depending on what type of progression it will offer. Is there a story that unfolds along the way? Does the gameplay change along the progress? Is there an endgame or different repetitions? Achievements?
Theme = Speaks for itself, again. Fantasy, sci-fi, modern, horror, relaxing, brain exercise etc.

At least for now, I know I am least likely to approach games that goes in the veins of MOBA, clicker games, MMORPG, sports among other stuff. We can't always avoid disappointments but hopefully it would help saving more time and money.

[Jevnation ♫]

Comments and recommendations

Passed titles since last blog post:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/317820/Guild_of_Dungeoneering_Ultimate_Edition/
• A Humble Bundle pickup here. A fresh take on rogue-like dungeon crawling where you start fresh on each quest while you expand the dungeon, placing enemies and loots. Through the adventure you're building your deck to improve your character in order to finish quests, which are needed to continue your story and expand your guild with new classes, items and trophies. Slightly nerdy, tongue-in-cheek humor. Some trial-and-error along with luck is needed to progress but I can sit for hours pushing myself through with this game. :god_worry:
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/305380/Blue_Estate_The_Game/
  
• Ah, on-rails shooters. Although this pokes fun with plenty of movie references, old and new, the level of humor stays consistent and variates aplenty throughout the high-octanic shooting scenes. I recommend it warmly for genre fans as well as movie nerds!
  
  
• Poker Night At The Inventory - Picked this game up again to win the rest of the items for Team Fortress 2. An entertaining game to play hold 'em poker against AI-controlled, characters from other video games. Clever, snarky dialogues! It's the first game where I got a grasp of poker basics.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/40700/Machinarium/
  
• My 2nd playthrough due to the card and achievements update. Charming, indie-style animation and design with a silent narrative to this adventure game. There is a nice diversity of puzzle mini-games to test your logical thinking. Didn't think much about the soundtrack when I first played it but now I think it complements the environment of dusty robot society so well.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/435530/The_Final_Station/
  
• This game blends platformer action with adventure narrative, situated in a dystopic world where you, as the driver of the government's experimental train, serve as a cog in the whole narrative machinery involving science, conspiracies, zombies and... aliens? With that in mind, the whole story only gives hints to the events of the story without fully giving itself away, leaving you to fit the pieces together as you play through it. I also just played through the DLC, which views the storyline from a different perspective and I am (yet) both dumbfounded and amazed at best. I recommend this if you want to pick up some action adventure with a mystery plot that cautiously unfolds itself.
  Also, I like trains.

Current games prioritized:

• Dying Light

Passed Steam games: 360/759 (47%)

Mood: Night owl mode

For this post, I'm gonna focus more on updating my backlog status and continue with personal comments for each game, which I think is both healthy for my writing and informative for the readers. As you can see above, I only have one game prioritized for now as I don't have any other in focus while some get on and off depending on the mood. So, if you have any recommendations, I appreciate to read yours. If it helps, maybe refer something from the bucket list I posted earlier?

[Jevnation ♫]

Less gaming, more reviewing

Passed titles since last blog post:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/544970/Milkmaid_of_the_Milky_Way/
• A relatively short adventure game that can be finished within 2 hours of playtime. Although not too challenging for seasoned or new players alike, its early 90s-inspired graphics, colorful (ahem) characters and rhymed writing makes for a charming experience, which the developer has succeeded on bringing this game some heart value.
  
  
• Puzzle Quest 2 - I dropped it. Like it's predecessor, it combines RPG and adventure elements with match 3 puzzle mechanics. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the same charm like the first game and I find the lack of pacing overwhelming for me to carry on. Shame, though, since I found the first game engaging and fun enough to finish it.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/517370/Tavernier/
  
• Dropped that one, too. It's not a bad game per se, whereas the concept of managing and making choices as a tavern owner seemed interesting with a plot to keep you engaged. It's just the gaming mechanics that didn't fit my preferences but at least I got a taster for a cheap price.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/492630/Bear_With_Me__Episode_One/
  
• A noir style adventure game which, despite darker themes, is appropriate for younger audiences as well, difficulty and content-wise. While the child's imagination-driven setup hasn't got me hooked to immediately grab the rest of the episodes, I have to give it to the developers for making the characters instantly memorable with their personalities defined by the quality voice acting and rich, clever dialogues. There are even tidbits that make the game self-aware and poking fun at itself with some video game references (found some wall lamps dubbed as Sandwich and Save Point). If I'm in the mood and the episodes are on sale again, I might consider continuing and finishing the story.

Current games prioritized:

• Dying Light
  
• Antichamber

Passed Steam games: 362/762 (47%)

Mood: Self-conscious

The mood for gaming has been going on a low lately, for better or worse, since a bored person has to find ways to make the best out of his time, having only a job that takes 7 hours a week and home projects to work on. I must thank my readers for sticking with me so far and for the nice comments you left me. The back(b)log will continue steadily, I reckon, but sitting more with personal reviews on each title being beaten/dropped. But when inspiration strikes, well, that's what'll happen!

Live on! Game on! And stay hopeful, for the shrinking of the pile!
Jevnation out!

[Jevnation ♫]

Adventure time (...and a dash of death)

Passed titles since last blog post:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/219890/Antichamber/
• The first title done from my current bucket list! This game is like a magician's show where nothing is what it seems, with the world changing depending on where you walk and look. The puzzles can look simple and catch you off-guard at first but you'll also find the means to make progress in the complex of corridors. Words of wisdom will be discovered and collected along the way. After all, this game changes by the way you think. All the pretentiousness aside, this game stands out with its trickery and grants a unique, rewarding experience for puzzle fans.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/705120/Death_Coming/
  
• A strategic indie game where you play the role of Death and execute (heh) different "accidents" in order to collect souls, Final Destination style. Humorous results ensue and there are plenty of fun surprises to be found in each level, which the team have worked elaborately on.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/420530/OneShot/
  
• An adventure game where you, as a God, guides a cat-like child named Niko on her quest to save a doomed world by placing the sun on the top of the world's pillar, in order to return her back to her home. Sounds simplistic, right? Well, that's where I was wrong at first. Soon enough, you'll notice that the game is self-conscious and its obstacles will make you think outside the box (even literally, sometimes) in order to advance Niko's quest. By the end of the game, I'm counting back on the times I've been blown away and learned to adore most, if not all, of the major characters you meet up with. And it all takes after a single playthrough, much to its namesake and beyond... For its lovely charm contrasted by the world's darker overtones, the mechanics and its immense, clever plot twists, OneShot has won its place in my heart. Warmly recommended!
  
  And now, for something slightly different...
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/31100/Wallace__Gromits_Grand_Adventures/
  
• I watched little of Wallace & Gromit animations a long time ago, so I merely know of the series existence. With that in mind, TellTale Games sure have worked to the franchise's family-friendly spirit, immersing you to a limited world with colorful characters (thanks to witty dialogues and antics) who make their re-appearances every episode. Due to the series' nature, the plots are easy-going and can get simplistic at times but it is Wallace's crafty ideas and inventions (where they mostly backfire and trigger the plotline further) that freshens up the intrigue of the adventure game, as well as taking the progression to hilarious results.
  The first episode sets the player in to explore the premises, characters and notable details that re-occur in the following episodes. At some points, the pace gets weighed down by lengthy dialogues and into the 3rd of 4 chapters, I bumped into a game-breaking bug that prevented me from finishing this episode. I'm still glad that they made the series fresh and fun for the reasons stated above, because the second episode is an improvement when it comes to pacing and well-written characters. The third episode is IMO easier and has a different charm of its own (more dogs!!). The final episode has some of its the series most complex parts but at least it ends on a satisfactory note. (For time's sake, I chickened out and used a walkthrough half past the game).
  With all that said, I think it would cater to a certain group of adventure fans in regards to its challenge level, as well as for the fans of the series as well.

Current games prioritized:

• Grim Fandango (Achievement completion)
  
• Brothers

Passed Steam games: 368/762 (48%, finally broken through! Cheers!)

Mood: Content

There's been much adventure gaming in my recent playtime... I figured I wanted to have a more solid experience by story value that lasts in long-term, while engaging through gameplay. Of course, I am convinced there other elements in different types of game that can make the experience lasting and fulfilling. It can be action-focused shooter games, brain-challenging puzzles, party-themed indie games and such...
While my example doesn't quite contribute to backlogging, I'd say I'd go for Team Fortress 2 when I want to meet up and compete with other people for a change. What games do you like to go for, when the story is out of the main frame?

[Pointnclickster]

Sadly, all the games I play usually have an emphasis on story. However, I call my non-story emphasis games anything from the Fallout universe. Right now I'm playing Fallout: New Vegas. While there is a definite story, I feel that the Fallout universe is big enough that I can forget the main story for many many hours and do whatever I want (sidequesting!!). Plus, it's backlog, so I'm technically still going at it lol.

[Jevnation ♫]

Obstacles and character relationships (and more death) - The end of 2017

Passed titles since last blog post:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/383230/Dungeon_Souls/
• The flood of roguelike games has made its stay on Steam and for some good reasons, as well. Dungeon Souls makes a quick pick-up n' play where you, as one of the 10 classes, have to search for marks that'll activate the portal to the next floor in the dungeon. You'll encounter bosses, uncover secrets and build your character based on your stats, skills and passive items you find. The passive item feature is the greatest contributor to the fun of the game, which affects your abilities in combat and environment. Having played it right after amounts trials-and-errors, I've had my warrior character run through the monsters like a tank donned with razor-blades. The class and crafting systems are good incentives for replay value. Even the bosses, hidden levels and miscellaneous characters give some depth to the back story of the world and the plot, unveiling further the conspiracy that you're seemingly caught into, as of why you ended up here in the first place. Even then, it can only keep me coming back for so much, due to the content limits (which is still satisfactory) and for my other game commitments.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/316790/Grim_Fandango_Remastered/
  
• Ahh... The childhood classic! I was pleasantly surprised that it was picked up and re-released in its remastered form nearly 2 decades later after the original's release. You are Manny Calavera, a grim reaper/travel agent in the Land of the Dead, assigned to sell travel packages to the recently deceased people in order to make the trip to the Ninth Underworld more convenient. If Manny makes enough premium sales, which good life-leading people qualify more for, the travel agent will have worked off his time in the Land of the Dead and follow suit (no pun intended). However, despite his professional experience and promising clients, Manny has been caught in a slump with low-qualified sales. Deciding to do things his own way, he finds a special client who could turn the course and save his job: Mercedes Colomar.
  
  Around that point is where the Grim Fandango story starts off, as you familiarize with the noir-tinged environment and solve different problems using your wits and objects you find. The game's Land of the Dead is a modernized take on the description from the Mexican (Aztec) mythology, which makes the world immersive and diverse with both fantasy creatures and real-world cultures. This setting helps the plot stand out more for its originality and can leave some aspects to gamer's imaginations. Besides the Mexican day of the dead as the main source of graphic and aural inspirations, there are plenty of noir-style elements that add to the tone of the experience including jazz and bop music, as well as graphic designs taking cues from the landmarks of early 20th century.
  
  The game characters are colorful and diverse to the point that each one of them sticks easily out. That's why I have a soft heart for Manny's demon companion Glottis of the entire cast. It also helps that, in contrast to the humorous interactions you're provided throughout the game, the plot's darker undertones augments the immersion with the cast as well as the world itself. Tim Schafer and his dev team has succeeded in making the Land of the Dead a stage that's able to leave a mark on the inhabitants and travelers or vice versa. This game shows what can occur around visionary people, the corruptible, the florists...
  
  I've spent over a dozen playthroughs since my childhood that I admit this game as a unique adventure beast with an intriguing depth. Admittedly, some puzzles may suffer the essence of logic to shed light on your progression, so use community hints if you feel stumped. Nevertheless, I would say that this game is a must for fans of adventure games!
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/225080/Brothers__A_Tale_of_Two_Sons/
  
• 2/12 checked off the bucket list now. An adventure game with a Swedish film director leading the production, which at first intrigued me to check it out. Set in a medieval world with Norse fantasy elements, you control two brothers on their perilous quest to find a cure for their father's sickness. Along the way, they will find obstacles where co-operation between brothers are crucial to overcome them. They'll also meet different characters along the way who will help or intend to stop them, which adds some further puzzle and action elements to some degree. The level design and contents are just about imaginative and holds many surprises along the road, keeping it fresh and with a wide range of obstacles to keep you adapting to progress.
  
  The plot narrative is without translated dialogues in this game, where the words being spoken are either names or short dialogues in its own language. The game relies therefore on visual communication through the environment, the characters and the occuring events, which cleverly gives enough on its own. As there are light-hearted moments as well as grim or sad events throughout the adventure, the two brothers were given a lifelike, human quality for me to connect with. Warmly recommended for people who desires an immersive adventure gaming in cinematic environment but also in a less-is-more approach and emotional value.
  
  https://store.steampowered.com/app/626680/Kreedz_Climbing/
  
• For those who spent some extensive time playing multiplayer modes in any of Valve games, old and new, might have most likely have come across some fan-made mods that add to the gaming experience with their different rules and goals. This is one of them, which has gained some moderate popularity and a dedicated fanbase by this day. What started as an expansion for pre-existing Valve games as a base, has finally been released as a stand-alone game using the Source engine.
  
  The main purpose of KC is to reach the goal in a selected level at shortest time, while using a number of techniques that the Source engine enables (Bunnyhopping, strafing and surfing are surely the most common in Source gaming). What this mod adds is its own dedicated tutorial to make it easier for beginners to familiarize with the climbing mode, along with giving useful tips for more experienced players (such as myself). Some functions have been added for exclusive interactivity, such as bungee jumping and flare gun targets.
  
  Overall, the game mode requires patience and practice if you want to even reach the goal and set your time record, so frustrations are bound to come sooner or later. Only recommended for players wanting to try obstacle course in company of others for fun or being competitive.

Current games prioritized:

• Little Nightmares
  
• The Count Lucanor
  
• Doki Doki Literature Club
  
• Pinball FX3

Passed Steam games: 373/780 (48%)

Mood: Content

Well, that's some new lengths put into those *little* reviews, so I'll cut the blog post short here and hope you guys have had a real nice holiday and a healthy Winter Sale shopping (can be defined however you like). Wish you readers a happy end and a happy 2018!