So… Gaming Resolutions, eh? These are rapidly becoming a bit of a joke with me.
Every year I present a collection of commitments, any of which in isolation look completely manageable, and every year I fail to satisfy those commitments. Every year, I plan to pare The List down, and every year it is merely whittled.
And, more to the point, every year I feel myself drifting further away from the mainstream gamer. As I write this, I’m listening to Giant Bomb’s 2011 Deliberations, and I’ve played precisely zero of their Top Ten. True, I want to play Saints Row: The Third, Bastion, and Portal 2, and they’ll undoubtedly be picked up next year, but still… none of them.
With that in mind, let’s have a look at last year’s Resolutions…
…to leave 2011 with The List pared back to 50. No shit. I’ve just pulled that number out of my arse, and I’m sticking to it.
Verdict: Fail. The List currently sits at 67. So that’s actually a Big Fail.
…to keep on top of stuff obtained through the year. Again. Last year’s goal of 50% was completely reasonable, yet I missed it. Try harder!
Verdict: Thirteen new games appeared this year; seven of those were off The List by year’s end. Success!
…to make an impact on every platform. Again. But do it this time!
Verdict: Fail fail faility fail. The only platforms that were touched were the Wii (and I only just scraped that in), 360, PS3, and DS. Sounds like a comprehensive FAIL.
…to clear up some of the doubles. This will feed in nicely to the pruning of The List indicated above; after all, I’ve got two copies of No More Heroes 2. Three copies of Jet Set Radio! Two copies of Ikaruga… ummm, let’s not fret about that one too much ;)
Verdict: Gimme an “F”. Gimme an “A”. Gimme an “I”. Gimme an “L”. What does it spell? petee.
…to clear up some of the lingering 360 titles. There’s a bunch of games in which I’ve acquired all the Achievements, but haven’t crossed off The List. Ninety-Nine Nights needs a bit of OCD collection lovin’, Rez needs some 100% levels. Let’s get some of those wrapped up, yeah?
Verdict: What starts with “F”, and sounds like “tail”? That’s right – me.
Clearly, 2011 was outright shithouse in terms of Resolution adherence. So what do I do – choose more resolutions that look attainable, then dismally fail yet again? Or do I pare down expectations somewhat?
Let’s find out…
In 2012, I resolve…
- …to leave 2012 with The List pared back to… 64. Yep, the same target as two years ago. Soft, but – on previous efforts – pretty unlikely.
- …to (still) keep on top of stuff obtained through the year. 50% is fine, since it means that some of the back catalogue is getting wrapped up.
- …to knock Perfect Dark Zero, Skyward Sword, Uncharted 2, and Halo: Anniversary off The List.
- …to beat Luxor 2‘s Normal skill level.
- …to make some inroads on both WipEout HD and F-Zero GX. Racing ahoy!
- …to clear up some of the lingering 360 titles… fo’ real this time. Ninety-Nine Nights, Rez, Shadow Complex.
- …to break at least 500 GS in Child of Eden.
- …to play something new; something outside the stuff I know I like. To take a risk!
So there you have it – my targets for the next year. Fewer broad sweeping statements, and more focus on the current generations (because there’s a technological change a-comin’, kids).
And, cut’n’pasting a line from previous years… What are your Gaming Resolutions for 2012?
At least you’re being honest with yourself ;)
Well, if I can’t be honest with myself, who can I be honest with? ;)
Nice one but for me my res is play less games and get more work but somehow i think i will fail this.
Making resolutions has never worked for me, because I invariably find myself without any time to work on them. It’s like my True Achievement goals… great in principle, but I hardly ever hit them through lack of time to actually play.
This year, I resolve to be a little bit better with my blog… it goes in fits and starts, but if I can commit to two or three entries a week I’ll be happier. 500G on Child of Eden? I’d like to match that. Must get back into it. Other than that… I think upping my True Achievement percentage completion rate to 30% is attainable. I’ve got it from 22% to just shy of 26% in the last year. Actually, I’ve just noticed something, and because I’m not you (wink) I’ve changed my settings to only show DLC I own, which knocks me up to a mighty 27.5%.
That’ll do for starters, then. Good luck with your progress!
@beets: Good luck on the hunt for work, matey – I’m sure something will pan out :)
@PaulEMoz: Two or three posts a week? Heroic. But your loose definition of “completion rate” isn’t fooling anyone ;)
NYR’s? None at all.
However, having been a very, very bad boy this last month on Steam, GamersGate and GOG means I have picked up a literally truck load of PC titles that I have wanted for some time, plus a couple of newer ones too. So if I was pushed in to a NYR it would be to buy no more games at all in 2012 and start ripping in to the massive collection I now have. I know my normal PC can power all bar 2 of what I have picked up, the other 2 are maybes, but another laptop exists in here that will handle those, so no excuses whatsoever on that front.
I may have to buy games for the kids birthdays, etc, which is fine though – I usually don’t play what they like.
All the best for 2012 to all, in gaming, and in everything else. I may even find time for some feeble ravings blog-wise myself. Maybe…. :)
I hereby approve and endorse your resolution to play more Wipeout HD and F-Zero GX. Predictable response from me, perhaps, but like you expected anything less.
As for my own personal resolutions, I don’t think I really have any. I was going to say work on more completion and finish some titles that should have been finished years ago, but I have been doing that (gradually…) recently so that can’t really be a resolution.
So I guess mine is simple: acquire some of the games I have missed from recent years that are easy to forget about but impossible to ignore. Considering 2012 feels like the year in which gaming will be going through its new(est) transition, I think that’s an attainable goal and a fitting way to see out the last legs of the current generation.