How do you tackle a backlog?

[Xelliska]

Personally I like to go by series. However, sometimes going from easiest -> hardest works, but I’d personally suggest go with the title that you like the most so you also get enjoyment out of it. 

[amurnin100]

30 minutes ago, damage_6-9 said:

Finish 5 games from backlog... ah, making progress finally... *looks at profile... have added another 42...

???

[Z1MZUM]

Honestly it's just what I feel like at the time. Next is trinity zill o'll on the PS3 except Sniper Elite 5 arrived today so ummm, yeah that's why I have a backlog.

[Xillynoc]

I'm not sure how alone I am or am not in this method, but after trying the classic "finish up easy plats on unfinished games" method and finding it to be just okay, I've instead begun completing games (already played and/or new to my profile) in batches, based on either their franchise or thematic links between them (e.g. a bunch of WWI/WWII-centric titles). I keep track of this in a Notepad doc with notes where relevant, such as the game having multiplayer trophies (which I usually knock out ASAP and then finish the rest of the game in its designated order at a later date) or being on my PS3. For example, this is what my next 30-odd games to play look like:

 

Now, as for keeping my backlog as a whole at a manageable size, well...as of writing I'm at 390 plats to get, not counting 100%-only games, and I keep getting at least one new title with every sale, so...that's not happening. But I've got a system, and by god I'm determined to hit 100% on my profile and collection one day.

[IISN24II]

I consider a backlog games that I want to play and not what I have bought already. Means I have a very large backlog which makes me want to play through a lot of games. I also only buy games on sale nowadays. Too much to play (and pay) means I hardly ever buy games on release anyway. 

 

The best way to get over the 'stress' of a backlog is simply to not stress about it lol. Enjoy the game that you are currently playing and take it easy. Don't worry about the next game until you've finished the last one. If you're feeling like it's taking too long or whatever, switch it up for a few days. Play a different game that you are working on or chipping away from. Playing AC Valhalla was a pain until I played a few different games in between which made me appreciate the game much more in the end. 

 

 

[GoonerLukeThe]

pretty much go through your list of games and be harsh, think to yourself "do I really want to play that" and if not then delete it

[mega-tallica]

I just browse my profile and look to see which one I feel like playing and that's doable without too much absurd effort. 

 

There's really no need to do research and make lists and spreadsheets just to play games and get trophies. Just play games you feel like playing, that's all there is to it. The trophies will come along the way. No need to obsess over this stuff. 

[Zenpai]

Normally, I go by purchasing order, but if there's something I really feel like playing in the moment, I'll bump it up in the list.

[fbdbh]

I carefully select a game on PS3 that I recently started and then I accidentally scroll down to something I didn’t touch in 5 years, complete that, go back to my PS5 to finish that game I bought last week but then I see something on a sale, so I get that, I glance on my shelf DAMN Revengeance is awesome, I’m gonna play that, although maybe rather MGS4 first, but I have no idea where I left off, but oooh, new Mayo, should I, shouldn’t I? 

Edited May 25, 2022 by fbdbh

[Alos88]

One game at a time, imo. It can be hard not to add to it, especially when you see something discounted that you've wanted for awhile, but if it's frequently on sale then it's not worth the hassle imo... awhile back there was a huge sale that had a handful of titles that had never been discounted before (one of which that had been full price since 2017) and I grabbed em'. Stuff like that I'm fine with adding to my list, even if it makes things a little more insurmountable.

[ykepwns]

I ones used a lot of time, thinking of which games I should do in my backlog. Mulitiplayer, soon to close servers, long games, really difficult games, etc. 

I don't often work on my backlog as many of the games are from when I didn't care about trophies, mostly ps3 games that I played with friends. Now a days I go by my gut feeling. I just completed GOW:A which I stared because I felt like playing on my ps3 again.

 

I would say that you should play games because I maybe want to try them again. maybe get a bit nostalgic or maybe just out of curiosity. 

Tho I do know that some people are very intent on making their completion precent go up. Which I can respect. 

[El Duderino]

I have discovered that having less HDD size helps focusing. If you have hundreds of GB of space, you'll most likely fill it up and then feel overwhelmed, having a problem to decide what's next. But if you only install two or three games, this can help avoiding being distracted by others. My way to go has become to install one story-driven game and one that can be played in short burst, e.g. racing games, fighters ect.

[ImAPirateSoSueMe]

On 5/24/2022 at 8:27 AM, amurnin100 said:

Easiest ones, time consuming ones , a random choice , how do you tackle that mountain of games to get through them all and what’s the one game you always keep putting off….

That’s the neat part, you don’t.

[the1andonly654]

Up until recently I didn't have much of a backlog, now it kinda looks like this: I pick some games out. I find the one that I want to play right here and now. I look at the trophies. 200 collectibles, fuck no. Back to square one. 150 collectibles. Still no. At some point I'll find a game that I want to play, which doesn't have an absurd amount of collectibles. It turns out to be a 2D soulslike metroidvania without an ingame map with tons of very missable trophies. Fuck no. Back to square one... 

Until I find something I'm comfortable with at the moment or until I'm having those rare 'collectibles are fine today' days. Or open worlds are fine today. Or pointless grind. 

At this point it's often more about what will annoy me less than what will be more fun, which is a paradox because I really like video games. I just strongly dislike some, unfortunately popular, aspects of them, enough to have a game travel to the back of my backlog every time I think about playing it.