Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

[ODogg]

Ok, far be it to be complaining but more like asking advice. I've got a ton of new games in the last month or so, as I'm sure many of you have, and they are all top notch titles that, in a poorer man's gaming library, could provide weeks of entertainment without so much as considering another title.

My quandry comes into the fact that I buy a new game as I'm psyched about it, while i'm already playing something else and enjoying it, so then when I play the new game I would really rather be playing the previous one, and when I play the previous one I feel like I should be paying attention to the newer one. Then I also try to "be fair" and play the ones that i've played the least and basically spread the love around.

I asked a few friends how they manage and they just shrugged and say they play whatever they feel like. So last night, after the Cowboys game I said to heck with it and instead of playing Modern Warfare 2 or Uncharted 2, which i've heard so much about and played very, very little, I put the new Forza game into my 360 and just painted cars and raced for a few hours.

So I'm wondering how do you guys do it, do you just play whatever you are in the mood for or do you kind of say to yourself you need to check out such and such because you've not played it much and keep hearing so much about how great it is? I'm tired of feeling guilty about playing title X when I 'should be' playign title Y and sometimes it just makes me decide to just watch a movie instead of trying to decide which game gets my attention.

And lest anyone say i'm complaining, again i'm not, it's a great problem to have, just wondering the best way to manage all of these new, grade-A titles.

[mgoblue]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

I haven't played MW2 much at all since I've been hooked on Dragon Age: Origins. I haven't played Forza 2 at all. I'll be getting Assassin's Creed 2 this week, but may hold off on playing until the weekend or Thanksgiving week when I have a bunch of time.

I'm just playing what I feel like playing. It is tough though, I want to play Borderlands more but just hooked on other games. Once we get past this week it all calms down a lot though, so I'll have the holiday season to catch up.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

I think the majority of OS has bought a ton of games recently. I just play whatever I'm in the mood for at the time. I usually keep my most played titles out in the open and put whatever isn't getting rocked that much in the cabinet. Right now Dragon Age Origins, Modern Warfare 2, and Forza 3 are getting the majority of my time. NBA Live, FNR4, and Madden get played fairly regularly too, but only when someone on my list feels like playing a game. Tales of Vesperia, Borderlands, and Operation Flashpoint are all games that I like but have been pushed to the side. I'll get around to them sooner or later.

[ProStylez]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

Looks like the Best Buy "Glitch" has brought you joy and pain, LOL.
I personally can't play 2 shooters at the same time, I can't play 2 games at the same time where I have to get involved fully in the story either.
I will play 1 game to completion mixing in a sports game though.

[ODogg]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

haha, so true ProStylez. So true. I just get into this thing where I go to my den and think i'm going to play and then I am in the mood for Madden but I am like, what are you crazy, playing Madden, that game is months old, you have (fill in the game) and (fill in another) to play!! Then while I play Madden I feel this guilt trip going on. And if I play one of the newer games that I'm not actually in the mood for I think, why am I being stupid, why don't I just play what I want to play?? LOL!! it's crazy!

[KG]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

It's the reason why I don't buy too many games anymore. With my gaming time getting smaller I don't want to be thinking what game I'm missing out on.

It's also the reason I try to run through games like Assassins Creed and then sell 'em.

[ODogg]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

KG2THEZ, what you say is something i've been considering. I really hate to add another monthly fee to my budget but i'm thinking maybe renting is something i should be doing instead of buying so many games and only "surface" playing them..

[Chef Matt]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

It's the reason why I don't buy too many games anymore. With my gaming time getting smaller I don't want to be thinking what game I'm missing out on.

It's also the reason I try to run through games like Assassins Creed and then sell 'em.

I do the same thing. I don't buy too many games anymore. When I do, I get them 2-3 months after they come out. By then I've completed whatever game I was working on, and they have a lower price point. Still, I've missed out on some good games but I'll still play them eventually.

I did however buy CODMW2 I'm just waiting for it in the mail which is great while I work on my platinum trophies for SWTFU and KZ2.

I've noticed that working on platinums helps me get for my money too. So I don't feel burnt out on a game as quickly as I used to as long as I'm still playing for something. In this case; trophies.

KG2THEZ, what you say is something i've been considering. I really hate to add another monthly fee to my budget but i'm thinking maybe renting is something i should be doing instead of buying so many games and only "surface" playing them..

I've rented a few titles lately that has been working out pretty well. Never did that before, but games like Tomb raider can be comleted in a few days and doesn't warrant a full price admission.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

KG2THEZ, what you say is something i've been considering. I really hate to add another monthly fee to my budget but i'm thinking maybe renting is something i should be doing instead of buying so many games and only "surface" playing them..

Gamefly always sounds better and better. Just last week I rented 2 games, which was the first time in a very long time that I rented a game. It's fine to buy the must have titles, but not the ones your are iffy or as you call titles that you might just scratch the surface.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

Gamefly isn't bad. I left them because they started taking longer and longer to send out the games I wanted. Unless you already have a game pre-queued, the chances of you getting a new release isn't very good. It also seemed like I was wasting my money because I tend to take a long time with most games. I'd rather just buy the games I know that I want and try out the iffy ones when they get cheap.

[born_bad]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

I never buy multiple games in a short period of time. I buy one ,stick with it funtil I've gotten a lot out of it, and then buy the next game I'm interested in.

There's really no reason to buy everything at once. Once the game is released, it's not going anywhere. I want Forza 3, but it's not like they're going to take it off the shelves now. It will be there when I'm ready and if anything, I can save money because it will be cheaper if I wait. Heck, I still haven't gotten around to Fallout 3 yet and I'm glad because now the Game of the Year edition is out. I'll get to it when I get to it.

[ScoobySnax]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

I never buy multiple games in a short period of time. I buy one stick with it for until I've gotten a lot out of it and then buy the next game I'm interested in.

There's really no reason to buy everything at once. Once the game is released, it's not going anywhere. I want Forza 3, but it's not like they're going to take it off the shelves now. It will be there when I'm ready and if anything, I can save money because it will be cheaper if I wait. Heck, I still haven't gotten around to Fallout 3 yet and I'm glad because now the Game of the Year edition is out. I'll get to it when I get to it.

I wish I could be that disciplined lol. Whenever a new game comes out and I see a lot of ppl on my friends' list is playing it, I run out like a dumb *** and go buy it. Now I have way more games that I need right now. I will be taking a break after NCAA Basketball 10.

[WazzuRC]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

My advice to you would be either GameFly or rent. It seems like you're choosing to play videogames strictly because you feel guilty you bought something you never use. To me, it seems like you're just wasting money.

I used to be an incredibly impulsive videogame buyer but over the last year or so it's stopped completely. It probably didn't help that I ran of disposable income on a monthly basis. I'll buy games here and there every year, but for the most part I've done pretty well with my gaming purchases and how much time I dedicate to each. I try and regulate myself to a new game every 2-3 months so in the end, I get about 5-6 games per year.

I'll always get NCAA Football no matter how good/bad it is, Madden I can live without getting every year, and I don't care about the NBA. That leaves me with NCAA Football, MLB (whether Bigs or 2K), and then 3 other releases whether new or old.

This winter is going to kill me though with COD: MW2, Batman (which I'm picking up on Black Friday), NCAA Basketball, and then Mass Effect 2 in January.

[TheBadazz]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

Most of my gaming comes in the winter time (less things to do). So most of my summer games become a backlog for the winter.

[ODogg]

Re: Guilt, gaming and the "too many games" syndrome

Yeah Wazzuu, you're right, sometimes I feel like i'm just putting in "my time" on certain games. I guess I get caught up in the hype with everyone else and I need to stop doing that. Because let's be honest, on this forum and on most it's like a herd of folks who just run from one game to the next. And I think when you do that you miss out on some games.

Like I played a couple of incredible games of Madden on Saturday online vs. a friend and I asked him - why haven't we played this more? and we both knew the reason, because there is too much new stuff we should be playing that we don't have time to truly enjoy any one game but instead run from one game to the next taking little samples of each.