Support NeoGAF

[angrod14]

One recurring concept players often mention in gaming is the infamous "backlog". The bulk of games you already have but are in a sort of "pending" state.

I always wondered what is the criteria people follow in order to cross a particular game off the list, like when do they consider they're "done" with such game.

I personally have a flexible/dynamic criteria to cross off a game, which I adjust on a case by case basis. The standard goal to me is to achieve 100% trophy completion and 100% in-game achievements. That would include the Plat, DLC trophies and if those don't cover all in-game collectables, I go for these too.

But sometimes there are trophies that are above my skill level ("Mein Leben" in Wolfenstein 2 comes to mind), or maybe it's not really about skill but the grind requirement is so massive it just isn't worth it ("Seriously" achievements in Gears). In those case I simply aim to get all the "reasonable" trophies, the ones that are within my reach and don't suck out my life, and then call it a day. I find that a healthy compromise. The idea is not to make this hobby another chore.

Trophies/achiements have really enhanced my gaming experience. It's cool to have a record/log of a game's completion tied to you profile, and they also help me take advantage of all the content a game has to offer. In addition to that, they helped me built discipline with the games I purchase, as I try not to purchase new games if I haven't completed the ones I already own.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

I just buy the game and when I finish the story mode... I assume I complete it.

 

[LavitzSlambert]

It varies depending on the game. Some I am fine just playing through the story, others I want to 100% or at least do many sidequests. And some games exit my backlog because I can't get through them and cut my losses.

 

[Robb]

Beating the story mode is enough for me these days. I barely manage that tbh, my backlog just keeps growing.

 

[IFireflyl]

What is the difference between "platinum the game" and "100% trophy completion"?

 

[Toytown Assassin]

when I try it and decide it's a pile of shite.

 

[FrankWza]

What is the difference between "platinum the game" and "100% trophy completion"?

I guess because DLC or expansions add trophies so you can have a plat but be under 100%?

 

[JimmyRustler]

When I finish the story mode it’s beat, when I get the plat it’s complete.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

When I finish it to my satisfaction. Depending on what game it is and the type of game, it could be various results on that list.

 

[Hrk69]

When I'm not having fun

 

[Jrecard]

I consider a game complete when I've finished the main story/campaign and credits have rolled. I still play on in some cases but mostly that's a complete game for me.

If I have played for at least an hour and have no desire to return it also exits the backlog and goes into the abandoned pile.

 

[angrod14]

What is the difference between "platinum the game" and "100% trophy completion"?

DLC trophies aren't required for the platinum, most of the time. So having the plat doesn't necessarily mean having all the trophies.

 

[SportsFan581]

Typically I just complete the story mode. If there is some kind of repeatable loop that I really like (Crazy Taxi, AoE3, etc.) then I will keep returning to it.

 

[Naked Lunch]

Sound like youve turned playing games into a job of sorts.
Just play to have fun man - its just videogames.

 

[Killjoy-NL]

Honestly, I always forget I have a backlog.

Must have quite a few, but since I always forget about them and I'm actually not going to ever play them, I'd say my backlog is non-existent.

 

[Days like these...]

S

One recurring concept players often mention in gaming is the infamous "backlog". The bulk of games you already have but are in a sort of "pending" state.

I always wondered what is the criteria people follow in order to cross a particular game off the list, like when do they consider they're "done" with such game.

I personally have a flexible/dynamic criteria to cross off a game, which I adjust on a case by case basis. The standard goal to me is to achieve 100% trophy completion and 100% in-game achievements. That would include the Plat, DLC trophies and if those don't cover all in-game collectables, I go for these too.

But sometimes there are trophies that are above my skill level ("Mein Leben" in Wolfenstein 2 comes to mind), or maybe it's not really about skill but the grind requirement is so massive it just isn't worth it ("Seriously" achievements in Gears). In those case I simply aim to get all the "reasonable" trophies, the ones that are within my reach and don't suck out my life, and then call it a day. I find that a healthy compromise. The idea is not to make this hobby another chore.

Trophies/achiements have really enhanced my gaming experience. It's cool to have a record/log of a game's completion tied to you profile, and they also help me take advantage of all the content a game has to offer. In addition to that, they helped me built discipline with the games I purchase, as I try not to purchase new games if I haven't completed the ones I already own.

Sounds tedious do you even enjoy playing?

 

[StereoVsn]

Honestly, I always forget I have a backlog.

Must have quite a few, but since I always forget about them and I'm actually not going to ever play them, I'd say my backlog is non-existent.

So it’s Schrodinger’s backlog?

Personally for me it varies when I consider myself done with the game. Most of the times it’s when I finish the story and expansions /DLC if any. Don’t care about Platinum or 100% completion.

However a lot of games I won’t finish at all. I stop when I stop having fun or a good time with the game. I already have a job and a family, don’t need gaming to become another job.

 

[TransTrender]

It's off the list as soon as I play it. Whatever happens after that doesn't matter.

 

[Shin-Ra]

What’s brown and sticky?

 

[Puscifer]

When Ie either finish it from enjoyment or drop it out of boredom.

 

[SleepySlippy]

When I 100% installed it on my HDD.

But seriously, I got rid of the concept of backlog, which I found too toxic for a sane hobby. I'm a happy man now.

 

[Codeblew]

I don't have a backlog in the sense that I purchased games that I haven't played. I only buy games when I intend to play them.

I have a list of games that I might want to try out someday, I guess you can consider that a backlog. It is off my backlog when I play it and then get bored of it. I ain't going to force myself to complete a game just for the sake of it.

 

[VeganElduderino]

When I finished the main story , I rarely go back to a game but I keep them anyways

 

[Z O N E]

I selected "Other Criteria".

My criteria is completing the game on its hardest difficulty, if it's available immediately or if it's there after completing it on another difficulty.

I don't count games in this category that have the hardest difficulty introduced later on with an update or patch.

 

[Dazraell]

I usually try to aim at finishing the main story and all of the side content. Collectibles depends from how tedious they are

 

[Laptop1991]

I don't really, some games i replay a lot and some games are just in my back log that will never get played, they will just sit there, nothing exits my back log

 

[DenchDeckard]

It depends on the game. Once I feel I've got what I'm happy out of the game.

My backlog is huge right now, so I need to sort shit out lol.

 

[Furiousrunt]

I think when i've had enough of it and know im probably never going to come back to it.

 

[Gandih42]

It's never really that cut and dry when I'll be 'finished' with a game but I definitely always complete the story. Generally I tend to go for 100% completion for games on Playstation, if the path there involved meaningfully engaging with the game (higher difficulties, challenges, testing the games limits, reasonable grinds, etc.). On Switch games I like unlocking as much stuff as possible as long as the game keeps being fun.

But completing a game doesn't keep me from going back and replaying it, whether I had 100%'ed it or not.

 

[NightmareFarm]

Usually when I just beat the story. I like to move from one game to the other to expand my horizons and see what game I would like to revisit the most later on.

There are exceptions though with games like Granblue Fantasy Relink in which the story is treated as an afterthought and the real meat of the game is the online quests. I wont be done with that for quite a while probably until like March.

 

[PanzerCute]

I am never forcing myself to finish a game I dont really like playing, so it depends: if I enjoy it I finish it and all what interests me (side quests and so on) But if I am bored or dont feel like finishing it, I will just drop it and in this case sell the game.

 

[adamsapple]

When I finish the games story/campaign mode, it's officially off the backlog and ready for deletion any time. If I'm sticking with it for 1000G/Platinum, that's not a part of the game being on the active backlog.

 

[BlackTron]

Depends on the game, of course. Some titles you will try once, not feel a need to come back and then it's off the backlog. Other games need attention through the whole story mode. I find stuff like achievements optional time-wasters, an excuse to return to games you like playing, not a necessary criteria to "finish the game".

While I agree with the idea of not buying games unless you intend to play them right away in principle, sales ruin me. I've never played Max Payne (I know, I know) and it's on sale on Steam now for 3 bucks. I'll probably get all 3, but I'm not just gonna stop playing Palworld and Helldivers that easy

 

[KungFucius]

I don't consider just games I have bought my backlog. It is games that I bought and games that I would like to play. Those games tend to be games that I would have bought if I wasn't playing something else or waiting for something to release that I have preordered or intend to buy or is coming on GamePass, etc.

 

[SmokedMeat]

When I’m finished with it.

 

[lughnasadh123]

Generally I don't go back to games so it's done when sick of playing it whether that's just beating the story or going for additional content. Pushing myself past that to meet arbitrary requirements would just burn me out on gaming.

 

[Krappadizzle]

 

[Filben]

Either when it's finished (story) or it's simply not good enough anymore and doesn't offer anything I want anymore.

 

[drganon]

Usually once I beat the main story I'm done. If it has a lot of cool side content Iike a yakuza game or I feel like I can get the platinum, I'll stick with it longer.

 

[DonF]

as others have stated, it depends on the game.

some games I try and instantly delete (last case I remember was the callisto protocol, gave it a solid 2 hours try but the game didnt click with me)
other I finish and im done, that was the case with FFVII Remake:Intergrade. I actually didnt finish the yufie part there. I was done with the game then and the dlc felt like more of the same.
other I plat and keep playing all the time, like enter the gungeon, resogun...arcade stuff. I keep coming back.

 

[Audiophile]

I play to enjoy the core experience, I haven't paid attention to trophies since PS3.

 

[Bond007]

I don't do backlogs.
I just play whatever im in the mood for at any given time. If i focus on a backlog it becomes like a job/chore.

Anyway, completion to me is completing the story. If i stick around any longer- thats a bonus.

 

[Krafter]

It's off the list as soon as I play it. Whatever happens after that doesn't matter.

This is how I do it as well. When I start a game, it goes off the backlog list and whenever I tap out, it's done. Some games I Platinum, some games I decide it's not for me and play it an hour. Either way, it's off the backlog.

 

[Chastten]

I mostly play RPG's and platformers, so once the credits roll I feel like I've finished the game.

If I really like a game, I might continue playing for a bit, but no way in hell am I gonna grind a dozen more hours to beat some optional super bosses or some such.

 

[gaming_again]

I have enough lists, tasks, and project management in my 9-5 existence and my home life. Games are for fun. When I'm bored, I delete the offending game. Some never leave my hard drives, though.

 

[_Ex_]

backlog library

 

[saintjules]

Under normal circumstances it exits once it's completed once. Though some games would then enter into the "other criteria" where I would play through it and beat it on a harder difficulty (if applicable).

A game like P5 for instance would exit the backlog after 1st playthrough.

A game like TLOU2 becomes "other criteria" if a remaster comes out and I beat it again. In combination of a harder difficulty as well.

So it all varies depending on the game.

 

[AV]

Either I roll credits or stop playing it, whichever comes first.

 

[ReBurn]

When I get tired of playing it