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Next-Gen Backlog (through December 2010) (December 27, 2010)

by echoforge

 Games in the current generation that I bought but haven't played thoroughly. Does not include fighters, sports,music, racers (except for one, if only because I really hadn't played any of it at all), complilations bought for nostalgia's sake, downloadable games (except for one, if only because it was a retail product) and other such games that are either infinitely replayable and/or don't really have an ending.  
 
Set in order from when first bought, starting from Oblivion (fall 2007) upto Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (end of 2010). 
 
I won't be removing games from this list, though will be updating any finished ones.

Showing 1-10 of 20 items

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

1. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Bought October-ish of 2007 on PS3 (GOTY edition), as, from August to then, the only PS3 game I had was VF5; the rest of the time, we just played Winning Eleven 2007 on the PS3. Played through the thief, assassin`s and dark brotherhood questlines, but only remember closing one Oblivion gate. Last time I booted up what was my most recent save, I was being chased by a guard for probably killing someone, and spent the next five minutes running away. Fine anyway, I've had my fill. Don't really feel the need to go through the main story closing Oblivion gates as feel as though it's paid for itself through three questlines. Shame about not even going into Shivering Isles, though. Chance of finishing (main story): 0% Chance of finishing Shivering Isles: 1%

The Orange Box

2. The Orange Box

Bought as a self-birthday present December 2007, again for the PS3, I mostly played Team Fortress 2. This is the second time that I've owned Half Life 2 (first one on Xbox 1, no less) and still stopped playing at the same part (the beach buggy mission, where I crashed the car early and was too lazy to go through the beach car-less). Obviously, have not touched Ep 1 and 2. I'm about 9 missions into Portal. Chance of finishing (Half Life 2): 5% Chance of finishing Ep 1 and 2: Contingent on finishing HL2; >50% if Half Life 2 ever finished Chance of finishing Portal: 5%

Assassin's Creed

3. Assassin's Creed

Bought with three other games before moving to the UK in spring 2008 (kidding myself into thinking I won't be buying games if I have 4 games to keep me busy), I've only played through two missions and started a third, but stopped when I realized I would be doing the same thing over and over and over again. I wanted to give it another go summer 2010, then a few minutes after boot up, ejected the disc and lent back to a friend. Chance of finishing: 1%, if only because AC2 was so good (personal fave of a game that came out in 2009), I could be forced to just traipse around in it. Still, the suckage of this game is so that even the almighty sequel can't realistically hope to make me re-try this.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas

4. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas

Game 2 of the PlayStation 4 that I bought along with AC (the others being PES 2008 and NHL 08), I don't even remember completely playing through the first level. In fact, the only significant memory I have is trying a third-person perspective code, and remembering that it didn't turn it into Gears of War, much to my chagrin. Chance of finishing: 1%. Just too many other good shooters out there.

Left 4 Dead

5. Left 4 Dead

Bought at its launch november 2008, was a bit of a toss-up as to whether to include this in this list, or to disqualify it for being a mostly multiplayer game, but there's no real reason I shouldn't be finishing it anyway. Even though mp is indeed the way to go, the single player is good enough. I don't I've ever beaten a whole four-part 'movie', though I do remember jumping to the end of a couple of chapters if only to play through the end-of-movie onslaught. Chance of finishing: 70%, if only because the game's relatively short as a single player and I could see myself brute forcing it should I get hooked on a boring weekend.

Valkyria Chronicles

6. Valkyria Chronicles

Bought on discount (I want to say 20 pounds, if not 15) at the end of 2008, I tried for a couple of missions at the end of 2009 (I already had a significant backlog by then) and hadn't touched since as it killed my US 60 GB PS3. I would love to love the game, but I hold a grudge against it. Still haven't put it back on the new PS3 since. Maybe in a few years when I can buy a used PS3 for cheap, in case it becomes the game that destroys the disc spinner inside, again. Chance of finishing: 25%. 100% I will play it again in the future-future, but unsure if will finish. Looks damn pretty, and am hoping that it could be the fourth in my Mount Rushmore of strategy games, alongside Red Alert 2, Dragon Force and Civilization Revolution.

Prince of Persia

7. Prince of Persia

This game and the next two below it were bought used and on discount at the end of 2009, along with Mirror`s Edge (though that was bought new for 5 pounds, just for collection`s sake, as I had beaten ME already a few months prior). Being a superfan of cel-shaded graphics, I recall renting this game from Blockbuster, along with ME, but since ME totally engrossed me, I didn't have to really dig deep into POP--although being stuck at a jump I can't do will do that to me, too. It's pretty, the 'catch' mechanic didn't annoy me too much, but the jumping and puzzles seemed more cumbersome than most, particularly compared to The Sands of Time and Assassin's Creed 2 (the impact of the enjoyment I derived from it reverberating to a few other games below). Chance of finishing: 2%. 1% bonus because, like I said a couple of times, it's damn easy on the eyes, but the open world just didn't click for me with this type of game.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter

8. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter

The first big killer app that I can remember on 360 (if you don't count Geometry Wars, I suppose), I was always curious about this game, for a historical perspective. I played the first level (with cheats on, incidentally, as it was a trial period) as I do remember very much enjoying Rainbow Six 3 on XB1. Didn't really grab my attention too much, though it being 'meh' doesn't necessarily dim its hopes entirely. Chance of finising: 25%. A little bit less than Left 4 Dead, as I remember being much more comfortable with that game over this, so am more likely to finish that, but this one wasn't terrible.

Tomb Raider: Underworld

9. Tomb Raider: Underworld

By my count, it this was...what, within the third engine of the TR franchise (that's not a good thing, btw) and maybe the 4th Lara makeover? I hadn't played a TR game since the first one on Saturn (and if you don't count finishing the first level of Anniversary on PS2 a year and a half prior), but this purchase was based on two things: it being 7 pounds and the influence of recently-played Uncharted/Uncharted 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 that late 2009, which made me want to try 3D adventure games again (I was never comfortable with adventure games jump into 3D, from and including Mario 64 on). I believe I got as far as meeting the giant squid, which was maybe a couple of levels in? I do remember renting this the previous winter as well when it first came out, finishing the house level, then sayign 'f this' and quitting after getting stuck in the diving part where you get the keys. I've since tried it again a couple of times through the last couple of years, but obviously with limited success. Chance of finishing: 5%. Give me a good FAQ and I'm willing to finish this, though it really doesn't hold a candle to Uncharted 2 and Assassin's Creed 2.

Burnout Paradise

10. Burnout Paradise

I bought a few downloadable titles before this, but this was the first time I've bought what was originally a disc-based game on download. It was also the Ultimate Edition and was on sale on the PS3 store, so it wasn't a bad deal by any means; it's just a matter of I haven't really bothered to play it. Well, I suppose that's not true. A scant of few days ago (and just under 11 months after first purchase), I actually booted it up, endured the almost one hour of updates and downloads and installs and played a few minutes. And by that, I had a car and had it repaired. Then I got to an intersection and turned off the thing. I won't ever finish it, and for the same reason I don't include driving games in this list, there really doesn't seem to be a finish to it, but I'd like to get more out of my investment than literally four minutes. Chance of finising: N/A, but chance of getting, say, about 10 hours total, maybe 20%, if only because Forza 3 is the only other racer I have this generation, and I seemed to have quit on that one.

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