If you’ve been following the show over the last few weeks, you’ll know we’re about halfway through Backlog Attack 2014, our annual attempt to cross some games off our backlog lists before the Fall’s new releases arrive. Last year, we challenged you, the listeners, to get through some backlog games of your own (and maybe even win a cool prize), and we had so much fun we’re doing it again!
Joining in is easy: Just come up with a list of unplayed games you’ve got sitting around, then complete as many as you can before September 1st. The games you pick are completely up to you, but choose wisely! We’ll choose a winner based on who we think accomplished the greatest feat of backloggery—that is, we’ll be more impressed if, say, you platinum all the Souls games than if you earn all the stars in Angry Birds. (Or will we!?)
The backlog champion, once again, will receive an amazing price: the Fall new release of their choice!* (Because after weeks of playing dusty, old games, there will be plenty of room for a shiny, new one.) We’ll even send it to you on release day.**
To get started, just post your list in the comments below. Make sure to follow us on Twitter and listen to the show over the next few weeks, since we’ll be hanging out bonus backlog challenges that will surely help secure your title as backlog champion.
If you have any questions, feel free to drop us a line via Twitter, Facebook or email and we’ll be happy to explain any of the rules. We think it’s simple enough, though: play your old games, win a new one! Now get to it and post your list below!
* MSRP $60 (U.S.) or under
** Where available. If the game you choose isn’t eligible for release date delivery, we’ll use the next fastest shipping.
Well I think I’ll try to get through Fallout New Vegas DLC, and Fallout 2 by September. I’ll also put that I’ll finish AC: Black Flag
I actually drew up a plan a few days into Summer vacation to figure out what backlogged games I was going to beat this summer. It’s composed almost completely of games that I have started but never finished. I’m going to write something about each game that I finish, describing the experience. I’ll be updating this comment whenever I finish a new game on the list. Wish me luck!
Silent Hill 2 (Beat 6/27)
This is a game that I honestly never thought I would beat. I’d started and made it about an hour in twice or three times, before becoming frankly too petrified to continue. I’m a pretty big chicken when it comes to scary games, but this summer I really decided to buckle down and beat the game that has been haunting my dreams and my backlog for years. Every night after I came in from my nightly run, I forced myself (some days more literally than others) to play at least 20 minutes of the game. I eventually fell into a sort of almost-masochistic rhythm. The gameplay and story really are fantastic, and eventually my interest triumphed over my overwhelming terror. I beat the game in about two weeks.
Silent Hill 2 holds all five top spots on my list of scariest moments in video games (not a joke). It is now one of my favorite games, even though I’m fairly confident that I’ll never play it again (at least not in the foreseeable future). Even if I hadn’t beaten any more games this summer, I would honestly have been content with just this one. Such a relief to put this one to bed.
Super Mario RPG (Beat, but didn’t complete, on 7/19)
This is, without a doubt, the game that I have come the closest to the end of without beating. A few years ago, I made it to the final boss but hit a rut with it that caused me simply to never pick it up again.
This summer I ordered a physical cartridge and set to work correcting one of my biggest gaming regrets. I played through most of the game in just a few days, unlocking most of the game’s many secrets along the way. I finally reached the point of no return at the end of the game and went back through to do everything that I had missed. This was a true 100% run, which meant buying (or guessing the hand of) every piece of equipment and unique item.
I did everything. Except… I just could never pull off the 100 sequential Super Jumps challenge in order to get the final item that I needed. If you’ve never heard of the specific accomplishment, I would highly recommend that you Google it. The challenge is more than a full minute of nearly frame-perfect button-presses, all in a row. Mess up once, and it’s all over. The closest I ever got was 95… about as close as you can get between “so close, I can definitely do it” and “that’s it.”
After a few days of constant attempts, I eventually decided to just forget about 100% and go finish the game. Super Mario RPG went from “the game that I got the closest to beating” to “the game that I got the closest to 100-percenting” in just a few short, frustrating days. I can safely say that the “100 Super Jumps Challenge” is the hardest gaming accomplishment that there is.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Radiant Historia
The Last of Us
I actually drew up a plan a few days into Summer vacation to figure out what backlogged games I was going to beat this summer. It’s composed almost completely of games that I have started but never finished. I’m going to write something about each game that I finish, describing the experience. I’ll be updating this comment whenever I finish a new game on the list. Wish me luck!
Silent Hill 2 (Beat 6/27)
This is a game that I honestly never thought I would beat. I’d started and made it about an hour in twice or three times, before becoming frankly too petrified to continue. I’m a pretty big chicken when it comes to scary games, but this summer I really decided to buckle down and beat the game that has been haunting my dreams and my backlog for years. Every night after I came in from my nightly run, I forced myself (some days more literally than others) to play at least 20 minutes of the game. I eventually fell into a sort of almost-masochistic rhythm. The gameplay and story really are fantastic, and eventually my interest triumphed over my overwhelming terror. I beat the game in about two weeks.
Silent Hill 2 holds all five top spots on my list of scariest moments in video games (not a joke). It is now one of my favorite games, even though I’m fairly confident that I’ll never play it again (at least not in the foreseeable future). Even if I hadn’t beaten any more games this summer, I would honestly have been content with just this one. Such a relief to put this one to bed.
Super Mario RPG (Beat, but didn’t complete, on 7/19)
This is, without a doubt, the game that I have come the closest to the end of without beating. A few years ago, I made it to the final boss but hit a rut with it that caused me simply to never pick it up again.
This summer I ordered a physical cartridge and set to work correcting one of my biggest gaming regrets. I played through most of the game in just a few days, unlocking most of the game’s many secrets along the way. I finally reached the point of no return at the end of the game and went back through to do everything that I had missed. This was a true 100% run, which meant buying (or guessing the hand of) every piece of equipment and unique item.
I did everything. Except… I just could never pull off the 100 sequential Super Jumps challenge in order to get the final item that I needed. If you’ve never heard of the specific accomplishment, I would highly recommend that you Google it. The challenge is more than a full minute of nearly frame-perfect button-presses, all in a row. Mess up once, and it’s all over. The closest I ever got was 95… about as close as you can get between “so close, I can definitely do it” and “that’s it.”
After a few days of constant attempts, I eventually decided to just forget about 100% and go finish the game. Super Mario RPG went from “the game that I got the closest to beating” to “the game that I got the closest to 100-percenting” in just a few short, frustrating days. I can safely say that the “100 Super Jumps Challenge” is the hardest gaming accomplishment that there is.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Radiant Historia
The Last of Us
Hmmm… just found out that you can’t edit comments with the new comment system. I’ll think of something.
Alright guys!
I moved my huge Backlog Attack! comment into a Google Doc so I can edit it along with any new developments. If you want to see any updates on my summer Backlog Attack!, you’ll have to look at the link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nDGAGcunApc9DyvJKVeHNlhLFeYpanGAFr3ps-ikj4g/edit?usp=sharing
The list of games that I’ll be beating this summer (if all goes well) is as follows:
Silent Hill 2
Super Mario RPG
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Radiant Historia
The Last of Us
Really sorry about the inconvenience, guys. Feel free to delete my other comments here.
Good luck to everyone participating, and happy backlogging!
No problem! I think we’ll leave the other comment for posterity, but I’ll keep checking the Google doc for updates for sure.
O jeez my backlog is crazy. Must have over 100+ games.
But I’m gonna start small to clear some HD space.
Magic 2015 (XBLA)
Marlow Briggs (XBLA)
Max and the Curse of Brotherhood (XB1)
Hamilton’s Great Adventure (PSN)
Penny Arcade Ep 3 (Steam)
Well I can’t figure out how to Edit, but anyway
Magic 2015 100% 8/14/2014
Max 1000/1000 8/17/2014
Hopefully get some more done by the end!
Done w/ Penny Arcade .3. 8/23/14
So glad that was free. I forgot how much I hated the sheer doucheyness and not-funny nerdistness of Gabe, Tycho, and Company.
Congrats on finishing Penny Arcade (plus 100%-ing those other games)! It’s amazing you got through the whole episode given your obvious dislike for the PA guys.
1 and 2 i wasn’t a big fan of, but 99 cents i got some easy trophies. I can’t belive those were originall 15 bucks though
Happy summer guys. This year, I’m going to catch up on outlast, dragons crown, pikmin 3, zombi u, Zelda wind waker (first ever playthrough), and I’ll make a pass at borderlands 2 before destiny. My wii u is getting some love this season.
Google Docs seems to be the way to go. I may have to do this or just email you guys.
Backlog Attack!
I’m keeping my name out of the hat this year, but I still want to play along!
My log is recorded here again: http://dontjudgemyadd.no-ip.org/backlog
I started when you guys did (around 7/6) but have had to do some substitutions because my PC was being more frustrating than it was worth. The original goal was to have some good overlap with games on the crew’s list so it is less like I’m playing older games in a vacuum. Anyways, my list thus far is:
Completed:
>To The Moon (PC) – done
>FTL: Faster Than Light (PC) – done (8.5 hrs was enough for me; for now)
>Ys: The Oath in Felghana (vita) – done
>Halo 4 (360) – done
>Bastion (PC) – done
>Tomb Raider (PS3) – done
Playing:
>Ys Seven (vita)
>Dragon Age 2 (360)
Shelved:
Alan Wake(graphic card incompatibility)Psychonauts(quit short of 2 hours for performance issues)I just added Dragon Age 2 to the list because I haven’t played a Bioware game in a while… but I’m realizing that may be the last title I reasonably get to 🙂 We’ll see.
Good luck everyone!
Finished off my last outstanding titles:
>Dragon Age 2 (around 51 hours)
>Ys Seven (around 32 hours)
And just for kicks I went back to the “Left Behind” DLC from the last of us that I never went back to play (sort of counts, I think).
All the boring statistics and running commentary is on my backlog page (http://dontjudgemyadd.no-ip.org/backlog).
Congrats to all the backlogonauts for their accomplishments!
-Al
Update:Fallout 2 is is finished. Zombies ate my Neighbors is mostly done. TMNT: Turtles is Time has also been beaten
I beat The Last of Us yesterday and Paper Mario: Sticker Star today.
I’ll write my thoughts on the two very soon.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nDGAGcunApc9DyvJKVeHNlhLFeYpanGAFr3ps-ikj4g/edit?usp=sharing
Progress update: outlast is finished! I’m about halfway through Dragons Crown and finished the first dungeon in Wind Waker. My biggest regret is that I picked up The Last of Us Remastered. I’ve got 14 hours in the multiplayer and I CANT STOP!
Well Zombies ate my Neighbors is still not done. That game has 55 levels…AC Black Flag is not going to get finished. But I should at least finish Zombies ate my Neighbors and I should be able to start the Fallout New Vegas DLC. I might try to finish Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons as well.
I’ll have a Google Doc at the end which will give you guys a rough time investment of what I put in each game. I should have started earlier
I rented Zombies Ate My Neighbors many times back in the day but could never finish it. There were a few times I thought I was getting close to the end but I’m pretty sure I didn’t make it anywhere near level 55, so I guess not!
I just beat Zelda: Wind Waker. Unfortunately, I think Radiant Historia is WAY too long (40 hours) to do it justice with the week I have left. Because of this, I think I will save that one for a later date and replace it with Driver: San Fransisco, a game that has haunted me almost as equally.
Happy Backlogging!
I beat Driver: San Francisco, which means I guess my Backlog Attack for this year is over!
I had a great time and beat a lot of great games. I’ll write up some thoughts about Wind Waker and Driver soon. I hope everyone else had a great time as well!
Congrats on finishing your backlog! I second your decision not to rush through Radiant Historia. Some games are less suited to a quick playthrough than others, and that definitely seems like one of them.
My backlog is far too long but here are the games I’m determined to finish before the holiday season.
Mario 3D World
Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze
ZombiU
Pikmin 3 and Fez were on that list until a few days ago but finally did those.
Backlog is almost done. Zombies ate my Neighbors has been completed. Google doc with an update
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kxd7TolevBbMWGlHY2rF69y6Uo-je7JmLfc98NTx_DE/edit?usp=sharing
You actually finished it! Insane!
My Backlog Attack finally draws to a close! I’ve written pretty much everything I want to about the games I beat this year, although I may do some last minute edits a bit later tonight. I wish everyone else luck in the final hours, although I doubt there is a ton of activity going on right now. Thanks, VGH, for putting on this event every year. Don’t stop!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nDGAGcunApc9DyvJKVeHNlhLFeYpanGAFr3ps-ikj4g/edit