Have you got a library of games on Steam as long as your arm? Have you not even played 75% of your GOG.com library? Well, you’re in luck, as we’re here to help you conquer that backlog. Our useful tips should help you power through those games you always wanted to play but haven’t gotten around to yet. Before you know it, you will have overcome that mountain of games that has been staring at you for so long.
Make Time to Play Games
This one may seem quite obvious, but sometimes we neglect the time we should be devoting to playing video games. In our busy lives, it’s hard to sit down regularly to get through that hurdle of games, so playing when you can is important. Just as you would sit down once a week for your favorite show or read a book for an hour before bed, you’ll need to set aside time to play video games.
Not everyone has the same amount of free time, so work games into your schedule. If you can’t play for a day or you can only play for half an hour, that’s fine. The important thing is to make time to play your games, and that pile will start to dwindle before your eyes.
Try to Focus on One Game at a Time
It’s hard to focus on one game when there are so many you could be playing, but not doing so can set you back on your quest to get through your backlog. Try to focus on one game at a time (or two, if you get bored), and prioritize what you want to play. This way you aren’t missing out on any of those games that you desperately want to play.
This trick can also be implemented once you’ve made your way through the backlog beast. If you continue to focus on one or two games, you’ll find that your backlog hopefully won’t return as quickly.
Prioritize Single-Player, Campaign-Based Games
We all love playing video games with friends and strangers. It’s what makes being a gamer so fun — the community is always there. However, this is majorly contributing to the backlog of games you’ve got piling up behind the scene. When you continue to play multiplayer games or simulations with no definitive conclusion, you can sink hours into them with no end on the horizon. Focusing on a game that has a set ending will help you get through your games much faster.
That’s not to say you should give up on open-ended games entirely, but try to make time for single-player, campaign-based games in particular. Dead by Daylight or Civilization VI are still going to be there once you’ve finished your backlog, and they can create a fun change of pace for when you get bored of a certain game.
Stop Buying More Games
I know it’s difficult and that you practically want to strangle me through the screen for saying it, but it’s important to finish the games you already own first. It’s always so tempting when those Steam sales come along and you can purchase that game you’ve had your eye on for a few dollars. Nevertheless, continuing to buy games when you haven’t gotten close to finishing the ones you have only adds to the gaming mountain.
You need to be strong and know that these sales will come around again at some point and that you’ll be ready for them then. Until that time, you’re just adding to the masses of games you’ll want to get through.
You Don’t Have to Complete Them 100%
Achievement hunting is tempting, and it fulfills that completionist need inside of us, but do you really want to slog through just to earn a badge? Some people do, but odds are if you’re trying to clear a backlog, it’s because you want to move on to more games out there instead of getting that 100%.
As for finishing the main campaign, that is entirely up to you. If you’re not feeling the game you’re playing, or if you think you’ve achieved everything you wanted to, then you don’t have to play on. Gaming is about your experience and how you interact with the story; you get to decide for yourself when you’ve reached the end.
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Remember when working through your backlog of games that gaming should be fun, and if you’re not enjoying yourself, then something is wrong. Let your games sweep you away, and don’t get bogged down by titles you haven’t touched.
Have you got a backlog of games? How do you deal with it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Header image courtesy of Nerdist
