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[DunDunDunpachi]

End of the Year Edit... The 2021 Pact is below

How did you perform? I made it to Cat Tripping Hero this time around (no new 2020 games). Felt good to disconnect from the New Hotness.

No new games in 2021, unfinished backlog only

The 2019 Pact is a distant memory. The 2020 Pact is complete. 2021 draws near. THE RULES: No playing games released in 2021 No playing games purchased in 2021 Otherwise, buying games is fine (you collectors and Steam sale junkies out there can keep packing your shelves) Mini-FAQ: Do I have...

www.neogaf.com

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Since the 2019 pact has concluded, it is time to think ahead to 2020. Will you prevail?

THE RULES:

No playing games released in 2020
No playing games purchased in 2020
Otherwise, buying games is fine (you collectors and Steam sale junkies out there can keep packing your shelves)

Mini-FAQ:

Do I have to make a list?
No, feel free to add or subtract games to your pile as long as the title does not violate your desired challenge tier.

Can I buy games? What about PS+, GamePass, etc?
Acquiring games is fine. Playing them is not. The challenge is intended to get you playing games you already own. Technically, one could play zero games in 2020 and also fulfill the challenge, but this is a gaming forum so...

What is the minimum number of games I must complete?
There is no minimum. However, there is a 'Clear one (or more) backlog games per month' challenge included. See below.

THE COMPLETELY MEANINGFUL REWARD TIERS:

Cat-Tripping Hero -- No New Games in 2020

Your pesky backlog is completely powerless against your discipline (and your salmon)

Realistic Psyduck with some ibuprofen -- 10 backlog games completed per 1 new 2020 game

You're not as charming as the genuine article, but this will do.

Evangelical Kanye seeks redemption -- 5 backlog games completed per 1 new 2020 game

Ultrabeam out the solar.

AND INTRODUCING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2020

The ROMhack Asked For This In the Previous Thread Award --
One Game From Your Backlog Per Month
​

DunDunDunpachi As a suggestion for next year, may I suggest putting in an award for beating one game from your backlog per month.

Any questions? Ask in the thread.

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Stories from 2019:

Didn’t do bad this year - this thread is probably responsible for my best gaming year in decades. Bought a few things in December and will aim to play 2020 in the same way I played 2019.

Bros i have fell off the wagon...

I mostly played backlog this year.

Yeah I fucked this up bad lol. Maybe next year.

I had to give up my goal of clearing my backlog this year and will resume next year.

I failed this one back in January as I bought RE2. No regrets though as that game was amazing and I played it through completely.

We are being tested.

 

[Clear]

In 2020?. No frickin' chance I'd want to stick with backlog only unless I had zero options not to.

Looks to me like its going to be a year with something exciting to offer for every type of gamer.

 

[ROMhack]

I'm in.

Let me make a list...

Death Stranding
Shenmue 3
Virginia
Contrast
Aer Memories
FF IX
Wuppo
Simulacra
Torment: Tides of Numere... something
The Silver Case
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the 2019s
Layers of Fear
What Remains of Edith Finch
Va 11-HALLA
FF X

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Nice list ROMhack . Chipping away at your narrative / adventure backlog I see.

My list of games I wanna tackle in 2020

Spoiler: 2020 List

- Dodonpachi Daioujou
- Diablo 3
- Death Stranding
- Sekiro
- Kingdom Come Deliverance
- Nier Automata
- Hollow Knight
- Nobunaga's Ambition
- Everspace
- ESP Ra.de
- Puyo Puyo Tetris
- Flinthook
- RingFit Adventure
- Siralim 3
- Enter the Gungeon

 

[diffusionx]

I think next year is going to be challenging for many people, seeing as the beginning of the year is loaded with all the games that got delayed ,and the end of the year is new consoles. I was thinking of tackling this on a month by month basis or something.

"No playing games released in 2020 " - where does GamePass fall into this?

 

[xrnzaaas]

Not a chance with so many good games coming out, 2019 was supposed to be a slower year for me, but I still bought too many new games.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I think next year is going to be challenging for many people, seeing as the beginning of the year is loaded with all the games that got delayed ,and the end of the year is new consoles. I was thinking of tackling this on a month by month basis or something.

"No playing games released in 2020 " - where does GamePass fall into this?

The goal is to play games you already have on your shelf and/or in your digital libraries. If a new 2020 game is included in GamePass, by all means download it.

I think folks who keep up on their PS+ / GamePass subs will have a harder time completing this challenge, which is why I included the other tiers to attempt.

 

[OmaeWaMouShindiggity]

Doing this means I wouldn't be able to play Cyberpunk day 1.

That would be like participating in No Nut November for 8 months straight.

 

[Drake]

Cyberpunk comes out this year, so I will fail this in April.

 

[OceanicWaterHorse]

What about the ones companies like GOG, Epic, Humble Bundle, Twitch and PSN keep giving away?

 

[Paltheos]

I... think I succeeded this year, but only incidentally. There was nothing new I wanted.

Hell no I'm committing to next year though. Spring is absolutely loaded with shit I am going to play.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

What about the ones companies like GOG, Epic, Humble Bundle, Twitch and PSN keep giving away?

Acquiring games is fine. Playing any newly-acquired games goes against the spirit of the challenge, but if you have 2020 games you must play you can keep up by maintaining a 10-to-1 or 5-to-1 ratio.

 

[Phase]

I'm gonna give this a go. And I'll save money since I can wait to purchase the games coming out in 2020 when they drop in price.

Here's my list. It includes some games I'm replaying (a lot I haven't played since release).

Spoiler

FF7
FF8
Jet Moto 1, 2, 3
MGS 1, 2, 3. 4
Armored Core 1, 2, 3
Oddworld Abe's Odyssey
Jak and Daxter
God of War 1, 2, 3
Pandemonium
Ape Escape
Amid Evil
Dusk
Ico
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Ni No Kuni: WoWW
Jet Grind Radio
Lost Odyssey (360)
Rayman Legends
Juiced 1 or 2
Nox
Sly Cooper series
Dead or Alive 6
Session
Red Eclipse 2
Turok
Max Payne 1, 2
Freespace 2
Jade Empire
Ratchet & Clank ps2/ps4
Hollow Knight
Spyro 1, 2, 3
Dead Space 2
Outward
Uncharted series
Gravity Rush 1, 2
Gran Turismo Sport
Persona 5
Dark Souls fog gate rando
Stalker soc remaster mod
NieR
Diddy Kong Racing
Twisted Metal: Black
Hellblade

 

[ROMhack]

Nice list ROMhack . Chipping away at your narrative / adventure backlog I see.

My list of games I wanna tackle in 2020

Spoiler: 2020 List

- Dodonpachi Daioujou
- Diablo 3
- Death Stranding
- Sekiro
- Kingdom Come Deliverance
- Nier Automata
- Hollow Knight
- Nobunaga's Ambition
- Everspace
- ESP Ra.de
- Puyo Puyo Tetris
- Flinthook
- RingFit Adventure
- Siralim 3
- Enter the Gungeon

Yeah, they're basically 90% of the games I play with the odd metroidvania thrown in for good balance.

Nice list too. Can't believe you haven't beaten Hollow Knight yet

 

[hariseldon]

I pre-ordered Cyberpunk in 2019 (one of a small number of rule-breakages) but otherwise I reckon I'll be good. I allowed myself a few end-of-year purchases and will likely do the same next year on the basis that it is still avoiding impulse purchases.

In terms of what I'd like to clear..

• Baldur's Gate 1/2
• Planescape Torment
• Ace Combat 7
• Postal 2
• Dragon Quest 11
• Sekiro
• Shenmui 1/2
• Swat 4
• Space Quest 1-5
• The Council
• Beneath A Steel Sky
• Alpha Protocol
• Another World
• Anno 1404 / 1701
• Bully
• Dark Souls 1-3
• Divinity 2
• Dragon Age Origins
• Else heart.break
• FEAR
• Hidden & Dangerous
• Hitman 2
• My Summer Car
• Larry 2 and 3 (did Larry 1 last year)
• Maniac Mansion
• Nier Automata
• Pillars Of Eternity
• Prey
• Sleeping Dogs
• Yakuza 0
• Bayonetta

This mission will however run alongside my sidequest to finally get back to making games again. I used to love doing it as a kid but I've not made anything substantial in 25 years, making stupid excuses. I'm currently using the Christmas break to put some substantial work into wrapping my head around Game Maker Studio so I can begin with some simple 2D stuff and work my way up from there so I may well post a few downloads here for GAF to try out and tell me how shit they are.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Yeah, they're basically 90% of the games I play with the odd metroidvania thrown in for good balance.

Nice list too. Can't believe you haven't beaten Hollow Knight yet

Yeah Hollow Knight is one of those 2019 games I bought that I had to temporarily shelve during last year's challenge. I'm excited to dive into what I have.

 

[Phase]

My list is definitely going to roll over into 2021, which is all good since I can add the great 2020 releases to it by then.

 

[Yoshi]

No clearing backlog award this time DunDunDunpachi ? I did not manage in 2019 and, sure, I am not certain I will in 2020, but I want to try.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

No clearing backlog award this time DunDunDunpachi ? I did not manage in 2019 and, sure, I am not certain I will in 2020, but I want to try.

I lumped it in with the ratio'd tiers.

Besides, I think jshackles ' thread is probably the better destination for backlog-clearers, if that is your objective. You are welcome to participate in both since their goals are not mutually-exclusive.

 

[Nester99]

I am in!

Had a good backlog completion record 2019. With a completed dark souls being my biggest backlog victory.

Personal modifications for this challenge

I am going to include the few games I preordered prior to 2020 as backlog.

 

[Kadayi]

Backlog is too substantive to even contemplate what I may or may not play. However, I have CP2077 on Pre-order and Crusader Kings III is almost certainly happening (assuming it doesn't slip tp 2021). Beyond that I might pick up Death Stranding, Outer Worlds, VTM:B 2 & Half-Life:Alyx, but a lot depends on how my year goes.

Otherwise, it's mainly focussing on clearing a couple of big AAA titles, a lot of smaller ones and trying to resist the urge to replay all the Witcher games again in sequence...

 

[DonF]

I tried my hardest this year, but Apex, Death Stranding and RE 2 made me cave.

I try to spend every year less in gaming, but next year is new console year. So I will once again try my backlog and ill save money all year for the new console.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Can I get a tier for breaking even, completing as many backlog games as I do new releases?

2020 is going to kill me. Cyberpunk, FFVII:R, TLOU2, Doom Eternal, Dying Light 2, and Half-Life Alyx are all on the menu and I hardly have time for any of them.

 

[Mistershine.]

No new games in a year with new consoles releasing? You guys are mad.

 

[SScorpio]

No new games in a year with new consoles releasing? You guys are mad.

Along with services like Game Pass giving you new releases day one.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Can I get a tier for breaking even, completing as many backlog games as I do new releases?

2020 is going to kill me. Cyberpunk, FFVII:R, TLOU2, Doom Eternal, Dying Light 2, and Half-Life Alyx are all on the menu and I hardly have time for any of them.

No, the Kanye tier is the lowest the challenge goes for completely arbitrary reasons. 1-to-1 backlog vs new isn't much of a challenge.

 

[Ozrimandias]

I failed the 2019 challenge...this 2020 challenge i wouldn't even try. I mean, with Cyberpunk, FFVII, The Last of Us 2, Ghost of Tsushima...... hell its gonna be one of the best years in gaming.

 

[Yoshi]

I lumped it in with the ratio'd tiers.

Besides, I think jshackles ' thread is probably the better destination for backlog-clearers, if that is your objective. You are welcome to participate in both since their goals are not mutually-exclusive.

I prefer this thread though because
1. jshackles is scary
2. I actually like the incentive to only buy the bare necessities. I have skipped quite a few games this year because of the challenge, which, in turn, made me value the games I had more and, if I ever get around to playing them, they will be cheap. If I don't then why buy them . For next year, I plan to only buy two announced games, Ori 2 (which releases at 30€, that's an amazing launch price) and Psychonauts 2. I do not think I even have 20 games in my backlog left though (let's see about that, I will prepare my list after this posting) .

 

[Yoshi]

Backlog at the beginning of 2020:
Soul Reaver
Sonic Mania Plus
Golden Sun 2
Epic Mickey 2
Sonic Forces (remaining achievements)
Yooka-Laylee Switch
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (remaining TWIT coins)
[Star Tropics, but NES broke, need to repair it. I will only count this game if I manage to repair the NES this year, I hope that's fine]
Celeste
Hollow Knight
Earthworm Jim 3D
Super Mario Maker 2
Team Sonic Racing
Fire Emblem Three Houses
Luigi's Mansion 3
A Hat in Time
Freedom Planet
Blossom Tales

Planned Purchases 2020:
Ori 2
Psychonauts 2
Spyro Reignited Trilogy (if it hits 10€ or releases on Xbox One complete on disc)
Crash Team Racing Nitro Fuelled
Chameleon Twist 2

Purchases 2020:
Ittle Dew (I have completed the game on Wii U before, but I need this gem physically. I do not even know whether this is relevant to this thing here, because it will not "rejoin" my backlog)

Currently playing:
Golden Sun 2
Earthworm Jim 3D
A Hat in Time

 

[Aurelius]

I want to complete:
- Death Stranding
- Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Resident Evil 2
- Stardew Valley
- Into The Breach
- Return of the Obra Dinn.
- Katana Zero
- Mario + Rabbits

I might fall of the wagon for FFVII and Yakuza 7.

 

[Danjin44]

I recently finished 2 plathrough of original Resident Evil Remake and I was thinking replay RE2Remake but I will do that when we get little closer to RE3Remake release. So instead I'm gonna play Yakuza 0, I only played Yakuza 3 and 4 on PS3 I enjoy them but never got the chance to play the other game so I'm gonna start with Yakuza 0.

 

[Phase]

Soul Reaver

Ah I have to add this as well!

 

[ROMhack]

No clearing backlog award this time DunDunDunpachi ? I did not manage in 2019 and, sure, I am not certain I will in 2020, but I want to try.

This one's just for you.

 

[Zenaku]

I have no chance of sticking to backlog only, but I do want to try to get through my backlog this year. I'd like to promise myself not to buy a new game without finishing 2 before.

 

[Yoshi]

This one's just for you.

I think that one I can win!

 

[Sub_Level]

Put me in the game coach.

Bioshock (first one)
Bioshock: Burial At Sea
Burnout 3
Darkwatch
Dead Space 2
Final Fantasy X-2
God of War 2018
Killzone (first one)
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Resident Evil 7
Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
San Andreas
Shadow Hearts Covenant
Shadow of the Colossus
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 3
Splinter Cell (first one)
SSX3
TimeSplitters 2
TimeSplitters 3
Vice City

 

[SpiceRacz]

Older Games I want to play this year:
Terranigma
Blade Runner
LoZ: Minish Cap
LoZ: Skyward Sword
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Chrono Cross
Legend of Heroes: Trails in The Sky
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest Redaction
Shining Force III
Golden Sun

Newer games I picked up recently:
Outer Worlds
Resident Evil 2
Dragons Dogma
Red Dead Redemption 2
Void Bastards

I think I'm set.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

No, the Kanye tier is the lowest the challenge goes for completely arbitrary reasons. 1-to-1 backlog vs new isn't much of a challenge.

"Not much of a challenge."

Gaming Dads, REVOLT!

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Burnout 3
Dead Space 2

Eager to hear your thoughts on these. Two of my all-time favorite games.

Older Games I want to play this year:
Terranigma
Blade Runner
LoZ: Minish Cap
LoZ: Skyward Sword
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Chrono Cross
Legend of Heroes: Trails in The Sky
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest Redaction
Shining Force III
Golden Sun

Newer games I picked up recently:
Outer Worlds
Resident Evil 2
Dragons Dogma
Red Dead Redemption 2
Void Bastards

I think I'm set.

Nice list! Good selection of JRPGs on there. Are you replaying or are these first-time playthroughs? Really glad to see more people getting into Terranigma these days.

 

[OutrageousFacts]

Hm, my current backlog:

- Disgaea 5 (almost done)
- Okami (10 hours or so in)
- Assassin's Creed Rogue (soon)
- Starlink

I could try since nothing is coming soon. Probably will lose when Hatsune Miku releases hopefully in March or so.

 

[marcincz]

The idea is very good, but no new games in 2020? TLoU2, CP2077, next gens, etc.
Maybe we need to do something similar to this thread:

2017 Backlog Blitz - We may stumble and fall but shall rise again

Another year, another chance to join the NeoGAF Backlog Blitz. Prior threads 2012 Backlog Blitz - Where we give the middle finger to Steam sales 2013 Backlog Blitz - Where we continue giving the middle finger to Steam sales 2014 Backlog Blitz - Success is not final, failure is not fatal 2015...

www.neogaf.com

 

[OutrageousFacts]

DunDunDunpachi Btw is it ok to play new games when the backlog is finished?

 

[Sub_Level]

The idea is very good, but no new games in 2020? TLoU2, CP2077, next gens, etc.

FF7 only gonna be part 1, Cyberpunk gonna get patches and DLC just like Witcher 3, Last of Us 2 gonna get updated with multiplayer later and it was pushed back to late May anyways.

Games as a service means you don't miss out on the zeitgeist just because you don't get it day 1

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

DunDunDunpachi Btw is it ok to play new games when the backlog is finished?

Yeah I suppose if you truly don't have any other games to play, go for it. Wouldn't make sense to simply stop gaming if you fulfill the challenge.

 

[OutrageousFacts]

Yeah I suppose if you truly don't have any other games to play, go for it. Wouldn't make sense to simply stop gaming if you fulfill the challenge.

I mean, I've got a 100 games on Steam, but I won't ever play those shityy Huneypop eroge I got from some cheap sales package

 

[hariseldon]

I mean, I've got a 100 games on Steam, but I won't ever play those shityy Huneypop eroge I got from some cheap sales package

Sure you will - I believe it supports one-handed play.

 

[Belmonte]

I'm happy for you guys. Only one more day and you can play Resident Evil 2 Remaster, DMCV and Sekiro!

 

[Guileless]

This was quite a success for me last year, I spent maybe $60 on games for myself in 2019 and bought nothing at full price.

I am buying Cyberpunk day one though.

 

[SpiceRacz]

Eager to hear your thoughts on these. Two of my all-time favorite games.


Nice list! Good selection of JRPGs on there. Are you replaying or are these first-time playthroughs? Really glad to see more people getting into Terranigma these days.

The only ones I've played are Chrono Cross (maybe 4 or 5 hours) and Castlevania 2. I played Panzer Dragoon Saga a long time ago, but it was only for about 10 minutes.

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

Count me in!