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Looking Back at the games I wanted to play

Since starting this blog, I begin the month of September writing about the games I’m most looking forward to playing for the rest of the year. My 2022 version will come out in a few weeks, so don’t worry. In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to look back at the last couple of years and see if I actually ended up playing the games I was interested in. Did I get the game? Did I actually play it? And finally, did I end up finishing the game? You can probably guess the answer to most of these, but it was fun to look back at it all.

2019

Gears 5

So, not only did I play this to completion, I ended up working at The Coalition in 2020 and most of 2021. I was a contractor for the studio for almost two years, working as part of the Web Team. Although I played a bit of Gears 5 in 2019, I only managed to finish the game after I started working at the company. Although I didn’t play Gears 4 (or ever actually finish Gears 3), I had a lot of fun with Gears 5.

SEGA Genesis Mini

Technically not a game but I did include it in that year’s write-up. This one I did get but funny enough, it’s still in its packaging. I’m not entirely sure why I never opened it, I think I felt it was better suited as a collector’s item. Funny enough, we’re supposed to be getting the SEGA Genesis Mini 2 later this year. Unfortunately, actually ordering it for delivery to Canada doesn’t seem possible, although the official site does say it’s available for North America. It would be nice if SEGA had a support system to contact them about this issue but I’m guessing they don’t actually plan on correcting the matter.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

I bought this at launch, played it for a but then quickly fell off. The art style didn’t bother me, it was just that I had other games at the time that interested me more. Oddly though, when the Zelda Game and Watch launched last year, I did end up playing the Game Boy version. I got a bit further, completing at least the first two dungeons, before moving on to other things. I might return to the Game and Watch version down the road, but it’s probably unlikely.

Pokemon Sword (& Shield)

At the end of 2022, Pokemon Legends Arceus will probably feature in my year-end blog. Unfortunately, Sword and Shield didn’t keep my attention to actually end up finishing the game. Looking back, I’m pretty certain I put in over 20 hours into Sword but fell off. I’m not sure if Pokemon Scarlet & Violet will feature in my 2022 write-up as it launches this November. In the meantime, I could try to force myself into going back and trying to finish the last mainline Pokemon game before the next one comes out.

Death Stranding

Bought this for PS4 but never played it. Decided to give it away, then got the Epic Games Store version a year later. I began playing that version but noticed my computer wasn’t running the game that great. I’d love to maybe get the PlayStation 5 version in the future but I’ll wait until it’s heavily discounted.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Yet another game I’ve started a few times but never got too far. I began it on PC, where I bought it first. Again, noticing that my computer wasn’t graphically powerful enough, I held off. Earlier this year, I started it again when it became available via Xbox Game Pass and have put in a few hours. There were some frustrating moments but I’d love to continue the story and see if I can progress further. It’s definitely one of those games I want to finish before its sequel comes out in 2023 (or 2024).

Shenmue III

At the time, I wasn’t quite finished Shenmue II, so wanted to get that done before progressing into the third game. I did eventually finish it and even wrote about it. The funny thing about Shenmue III is that I’ve bought it multiple times. The first was the PS4 disc copy but never played it. Then I bought it via the Epic Games Store since it was practically free (this was before they gave it away last Christmas). Recently, I bought it for a third time, this time the digital version so I can try it again via my PS5. I only started playing it, but it’s definitely something I’d like to get back into.

2020

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2

This is one I played a ton of when it first dropped. I spent as much free time as I had that launch weekend going through as much of the game as I could. But once the nostalgia wore off, I was a tad disappointed by the lack of support. This was a game that needed additional content post-launch. I did jump back a few times afterward to try the upgraded Xbox Series X version. On top of that, it was just made free for PS Essential users, so maybe I’ll download the PS5 version and unlock a few trophies. The THPS series was always a go-to on PlayStation for me, so I should seriously give it a go.

Star Wars: Squadrons

Another Star Wars game that I began playing but didn’t get too far into. I bought it for PC wanting to try out the VR options but never actually did it. Sometime in 2021, I ended up starting the game again, this time through Xbox Game Pass but did not get very far. If I’m not mistaken, the single-player campaign is relatively short, so I could see myself going back and eventually finishing it.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon

The trend continues. Yet another game I bought, played for a bit, then fell off. I think I only spent about 5 hours before moving on to other things. It’s not that I wasn’t enjoying the story. But when I heard about the 60+ hour commitment, I knew I couldn’t invest that much time. I’d love to go back, I just don’t know when.

Cyberpunk 2077

What a rollercoaster with this one. I was so excited that I even secured the Cyberpunk Xbox One X to play it. But that version was so bad. In all, I think I played it on that console for a couple of hours before I got a Series X and played it there. After about 10 hours of playtime, I just gave up. When they finally updated the game for Xbox Series X and PS5 versions, I went back and played for a bit more. If you haven’t already, I strongly suggest watching Tim Roger’s incredible Review of the game. Yes, it’s incredibly long, it’s definitely worth watching.

2021

Deathloop

I had a lot of fun with Deathloop and of all the games I’m writing about here today, it’s the only one that I finished to completion. I’m curious if we’ll hear about the eventful Xbox version of the game as the PS5 exclusivity should conclude this September. If there is enough new content, I’d probably try it out via Game Pass.

Lost Judgment

Unfortunately, I never touched this one and it’s a game I really wanted to play last year. It’s another one of those games that I just couldn’t make time for. They recently discounted the expansion pass, so I picked it up. I’ve heard good things about the Kanto Files add-on. Maybe I can find the time in the near future to jump in, even if only to play the Kanto Files standalone content.

Metroid Dread

I think I’m about ⅔ of the way through Dread but some of the boss battles were frustrating me that I decided to move on to other things. I have my OLED Switch at my desk with Dread’s cartridge easily accessible if I want to get back in.

Forza Horizon 5

Although I never actually finished FH5, I’ve put in a lot of hours and I think it’s a much better racer than what we’ve gotten in 2022 (yes, I’m talking to you GT7 and F1 2022). Having a Game Pass membership is nice since I can always jump back whenever I get the itch to race.

In Conclusion

So, in general, I’ve been pretty good at obtaining and playing the games I’m eager for the later third of the year. Unfortunately, I don’t finish them. As I start prepping for my 2022 list, I hope I can actually start and finish the games I mention. I’d like to reduce my backlog, not just add to it. In any case, I’m looking forward to sharing my list for 2022. I don’t have my list yet and considering how many delays we’ve had for 2022, it might be a very small one.