I think the biggest thing I had to teach myself over time was if I wasn't enjoying a game, I needed to stop playing it. Regardless if it was the new popular game or the game everyone was playing at the time. I got such burnout from games like Destiny because of this. Single player is almost always my go to for gaming now!
Ohh man another Guardian in the wild. How long did you play for. Vet since D1 and grew up with it for the full 10 yrs. You pretty much said it. I've been playing all my single player games that everyone has told me. Finished GoW Ragnarok not too long ago. AC2 I've been playing to satisfy the cool factor again. Playing Red Dead 2 for the first time and man it's so damn sexy. Love getting immersed in it.
I played D1 from day one lol stuck through to D2 and finally burned out after the first few months post launch. Love all the games you mentioned too! I'm getting through my backlog of games currently and just finished up Sonic Frontiers the other day! Think I'm getting the itch to revisit Cyberpunk 2077 again as well.
Same. Multiplayer is not my thing. I would rather enjoy a well crafted experience with different segments (stealth, action, dialogue) than repeating the same levels over and over again.
Embracing the "30 minutes a day" mindset as been my game changer both for gaming and for work. I commute 2.5+ hours by car everyday and work from 9 to 5 (or sometimes 630am to 630pm), so I had to shift my mindset when it came to doing anything outside of work. Getting over the need to have at least 1 hour and just be ok with a shorter timespan actually let me make progress on things instead of always feeling like I didn't have time to study ( learning German and working on a Project Management certification) or enjoy a hobby (gaming and reading) and not making any progress at all. Spending those little bits of time everyday really adds up and let's me relax at night instead of stressing about being unproductive.
I mentioned this in a recent video of yours but I get up at 4:30am every day and get a few hours to game before the day starts without interruptions. And it’s amazing. Since 2020 I have logged in a spreadsheet which games I have played in a year. So far this year I am at 76 games played and about 70 of them I have beaten. I don’t ever play multiplayer games. I haven’t since the ps3 days. My 3rd kid is about to be born and I work full time and have a house and all the responsibility that comes with all that. Before I had kids I beat maybe 20-30 games a year. Honestly probably less. I’ve just learned to be better with the time I do have. And sometimes that comes at the cost of me optimizing fun out of things. I am working on that though.
This channel is a GOD send for me, because I've recently discovered it and I've been going through a really rough time in my life, I've been trying to do better and even though I make lists and all, I've not been able to execute consistently, maybe it's the anxiety of it all which makes me procrastinate and I've been treating games as escapism at times even though I mostly play to relax only, whatever it maybe this video was really helpful. When you said "knocking out the responsibilities is the key to relaxation" and it clicked and made me realize how stressed I've been all this time while playing games and few times have been able to relax and I think it was on day's my responsibilities were relatively done, and I love you said "Some days you won't be able to knock everything out and that's fine somedays you don't play at all" and not "Some days you're not able to do the stuff still play a little" and I know in reality we do not stick to this ideal, but honestly it made me realize that if we don't get our stuff don't we will be stressed and won't be able to relax or enjoy the game we're playing. Seems common sense ryt ? well it seems I've been trying to fix the stress from unfinished tasks with games which is escapism not relaxation, and a very temporary solution, but this video was really helpful, thanks I'll change my habits and replace them with ones which serve me more and I hope I turn my life around :D Keep up the amazing videos man :D
I recently got a PC and have been wondering how I'm going to balance work, writing, life, and gaming. This video is super helpful for more than just games. Thank you so much!
A big problem for me as a retro collector is when I sit down to play, i can’t help but be excited for what comes next after this current game. I have a backlog of hundreds of retro games that I’ve never experienced, many of them considered all-time greats. And as an adult, my brain is constantly like “you have an entire game room to play and very little time! You’re going to miss out on playing it all!” It sometimes makes me subconciously start rushing through my current game just to get to the next one, then it happens with THAT one, so on and so on… I found that pretending my current game is the only game I actually own has made me really appreciate and be more thorough with each game I play. I did that with the first Jak and Daxter game recently (my first time playing it) and it did wonders for my enjoyment, I 100% completed it and was sad to see it end. If you’re struggling with “backlog excitement/anxiety”, just sloooow down and pretend you’re a kid again with only one or two games.
I'm kinda new to collecting and still have a rather small collection (like 60-70ish games), but yea, I can relate to backlog anxiety to some extent One thing that helps (at least for me) is trying to consolidate every now and then and selling off games that you tried out but didn't quite like all that much, or that you ended up losing interest in playing (for instance, I tried Kingdom Hearts earlier this year but it just didn't really click with me, so I ended up selling my copy; another example for me was when I got a Switch last year along with Breath of the Wild and a few other games, but ended up not playing BotW that much and eventually realized I wasn't all that interested in that game anymore) But that's something I like about physical media, that you can always sell it off whenever you feel you're done and get some of your money back Oh, I also played Jak & Daxter earlier this year and 100%ed it too, can confirm it's a great game
@ I’m glad you liked it too, I thoroughly enjoyed it! And that’s an excellent strategy, I find that often the more focused collections are “better” than the vast expansive libraries full of shovelware, at least to me. What some of us call the “all killer, no filler” collections. For me I usually hold on to stuff I didn’t enjoy all that much because I know SOMEbody who comes to visit has a vague chance of wanting to play it. I don’t enjoy KH either but I know that one of my friends who grew up with it may come and want to play it to relive childhood a little, so I have a copy of the first game. That’s just me though, really as long as you’re enjoying the hobby you’re doing it right! :D
I had to have a massive reset of my gaming collection this year and have been treating it as though I've got no games In October I got my PS5 and since then I've been taking this advice to play only a few games at once. Since then I have put in 138 hours, which was enough to beat Doki Doki Literature Club, Ghost Of Tsushima, Ghostwire Tokyo and to complete all the goals for the Overwatch Classic event and to complete Overwatch 2's season 13 battle pass. I'm at the final boss in Final Fantasy X as well, but I seem to be seriously underlevelled and am seriously considering to just watch the ending on youtube rather than waste time grinding. Looking forward to moving onto playing Dead Space over Xmas!
Hey BBK I just want to tell you that your videos are great and they help me with a lot. I find them relatable. I wish I could have a short conversation with you lol. I have accumulated a lot of games and I wanna know how can I practically finish them. I'v been following your content for a few years now and I like how over the time your videos have evolved.
I started this journey just like you at the start of this year. My original comment was much longer and more elaborate, but let me boil it down for the sake of readability. I have never played (and finished) as many titles in different genres that I genuinely wanted to play. It's not even close. I've played indies, classics, and early access gems. The act of intentionally and actually avoiding PvP/live-service slop just because I was tired and overwhelmed at the end of the day was harder than I thought, but it was also way more rewarding than I had imagined. I feel glad to have been on this journey with you throughout this year. This is the first year that my backlog has actually shrunk. Unbelievable! Lastly, I also learned to let go and stop when I wasn’t feeling it. These skills (intentionality, planning, and tracking) helped me push past obstacles in other areas of my life as well. Thank you so much! ❤
I took some time off of gaming in the first half of the year (and life in general because I spent ~5 months hiking the Appalachian trail) and I definitely found I had a renewed passion for it after so much time away. Also, just actively thinking about what games I'm excited about to play next rather than forcing myself to play something because I should. I was so excited for months to get home and play Shadow of the Erdtree but when I actually got home in August I just didn't have the desire to play a difficult game right then. So I played Horizon Forbidden West which I was excited about and in the mood for. After that I played a bunch of shorter games (Gris, The Forgotten City, Death's Door, Cocoon) until I started to feel the kick for a souls like again. So I played the souls likes I already but had never played (Dark Souls 3 and Lies of P) and then finally started Shadow of the Erdtree about two weeks ago and it's been a blast. I definitely second everything you say about focusing on a game or two at a time, playing things you're excited about and interested in, and not being afraid to drop something you aren't enjoying. There's a few games in my backlog that I'm pretty sure I'll love (witcher 3, rain world, disco elysium) but I just haven't found myself in the right head space for them yet. But I'll get there!
Your channel has been a blessing this year. Always a real talk with good advice, cheers friend, gaming is my passion and you been helping me have a healthier relationship with it
Working full time and being in a relationship of 3 years im really appreciating the small details in games. Single player games have been the go to besides some zombies here and there.
Great video, BBK. This has been hindering my enjoyment of games for quite some time. Games are also so huge nowadays I feel apprehensive about even starting something new. I always find myself falling back to comfort games. Things I know I enjoy and don't have to sink a ton of time into to get to the good bits. It feels weird to say but I think I'm just outgrowing the AAA/Multiplayer space. And I'm cool with that.
Slowly working on being more intentional about my games, trying to focus down to a few/ one per console (eg ocarina of time on my switch, black mesa on the pc) and its helped me get through to the end of games im enjoying without getting distracted by all the other options. Although sometimes found it to be good to allow myself to just follow the vibes some weeks, especially when its a stressful period and I just wanna play skirmish in a few different command and conquers instead of what I am currently playing. Makes for a good break and helps me feel a bit less cooked
I'm changing my gamestyle to one at a time, I have just finished the first Tomb Raider that have neverplayed before in 3 days, that after completing No place like home and investing 40 hours in 100% that game. No mmos at the moment, just going through those stories I always wanted to play and never did. Totally worth it.
Just wanted to say ever since I found you from me searching the word "backlog", you have been awesome to watch every week and look forward to the next one 👍
thanks BBK for these vids lately. they are super relatable! i'll admit ive become addicted to online multiplayer games. ever since i got internet thats what i mostly play. it really is difficult to detox from online though but i will try. i have a huge library of single player games ive always wanted to play but they are just wasting away because i just play online. lol it sucks.
"Not in the mood? Don't force yourself" My ADHD brain: Good idea! let's NEVER be in the mood to finish a game you absolutely love and leave it there unfinished for the 1000th time! I'm over here LOOKING for ways to force it otherwise I'll never play anything ever XD
Just started a few months ago to log my completed games (NOT any games in my BL) on hltb. I've got some time on my hands these last two months and completed Alan Wake 2, GRIS and Life is Strange 2. Because I stuck with them. But now I'm only leveling in WoW Classic because it's immensely fun and relaxing. It's very mood dependent what I enjoy. Love your videos
This year i played so many amazing games here is my list 1- like a dragon infinite wealth 2- persona 3 reload 3- persona 5 strikers 4- Final fantasy crisis core 5- Final fantasy 7 remake 6- Final fantasy 15 7- rise of the ronin 8- Alan wake 2 9- Armored core 6 10- Yakuza PSP 11- Tekken 8 12- Silent hill 2 remake
Games i played this Year: Dishonored Dark Souls 1 Bioshock Stellar Blade Red Dead Redemption 2 Bioshock 2 Shadow of the Erdtree Black Myth Wukong Kingdom Come Deliverance Alan Wake Alan Wake 2 Currently playing Dark Souls 3. I also really enjoyed this Year. Especially RDR2 and Alan Wake 2 were really great Games.
I was more intentional in the second half of 2024 with my gaming. I went back and finished Metal Gear Solid 2, and then finished Resident Evil 4 Remake. I am playing Indiana Jones now, but not sure if I want to finish it. I think if I focus on the main quest, and moving through quickly, then maybe. Maybe Fantasian New Dimension next. Waiting for Metal Gear Solid Delta to be released. I also moved away from multiplayer games, and have been having a lot more fun.
I'm honestly still struggling with blocking out my life in a way where it's easy to follow and I don't just end up doing my own thing. Any tips for making sure you follow the plan you set out for yourself? Also, I'm guilty of scheduling gaming time. But I like what you said about only gaming when you have all the day's tasks finished. It's all too easy to game because it's on the schedule whether or not you finished all the things you needed to do that day or not. Free time always feels better when you don't feel guilty having it.
Impossible to play every great game out there. So go for quality over quantity. Also in my time with game log this year, try not to be too strict about your game choice either or else video games start feeling like a chore As for how much time I've spent, it's gotta be over 1,000 hours. Some games off the top of my head: Smash Bros. Ultimate - At least 100 hours. It's my go-to competitive game 'cuz nostalgia bait along with easy to pick up, hard to master gameplay... even if the online makes me want to cry, especially when returning from other fighters with rollback. Rain World - 100+ hours. Game file corrupted during spearmaster 'cuz PC shut off in a weird way, but I love the game so much I replayed it all. I can't get enough of this game! MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries - Approximately 50-100 hours because friend wanted to do campaign and half the DLCs with me. PPC X is friggin OP. Also tried out YAML weapons, and some of them were OP. Had a good chuckle with SRM infernos neutralizing everyone, and made up for the fact it was just 2 players, instead of 4 players playing. MechWarrior 2 - 20 hours of playing my first PC game ever while waiting for MW5 Clans. Shocked it stood up to the test of time. It was an absolute blast to play! MechWarrior 5 Clans - 90 hours (currently) to see the difference in almost 3 decades of gaming is like. I had low expectations, but it was actually really fun! Also feels really weird to play a game nowadays that just has a set of missions, and then you're done since I'm so used to friends dragging me into grindfest games (and MW5 Mercs can be grindy if you costly mistakes) Street Fighter 6 - 75 hours. Friend told me to play the story mode if I wanted to play and he wasn't there. I got addicted to unlocking everything in story mode, got into zombie mode from lack of sleep. Definitely was not worth it. Would've been more fun to just play other people (though the 2 days I did play against randoms, it's so weird because everyone had severe lack of knowing on fundamentals, and kept mis-inputting. I'm so used to spectating professionals playing traditional fighting games instead) Helldivers 2 - 75 hours. Game was really fun, until I felt like I had to grind to get medals for unlocks. Definitely killed my sleep with this game 'cuz friends wanted to play it so much. Kiiinda wanna play it a bit to mess around with the mechs that got added, but everyone has moved on from the game, and I have other games higher on my priority list of what I want to play Monster Hunter Wilds - 50 hours. Would've been more, but game log killed enjoyment due to thinking about how much time was used. Also I fell behind my friends in gear, levels, and gameplay experience so I quit around when elder dragons started 1 shotting me constantly with even rather fast attacks (though apparently was on the last few bosses anyways) League of Legends - 30-50 hours Friends love playing it, so I get dragged into it from time to time. League is just an okay game, but I don't see why people get so addicted to it. Though I am a weirdo that mains jungle... Also Arcane just got some more episodes... They're poking me again! There's definitely some other games, but most of them were played for a day or two and then not touched again. Lethal Company at 16 hours feels like a crime because that game is so much fun with friends. The inner gamer inside me feels ashamed that there's not more hours, especially since most of the hours on these games are probably just sitting in a menu afk while I was doing stuff IRL. I was just so much more focused on IRL stuff this year. It actually made me cut into sleep to get IRL stuff done, which made video games feel like crap. That said, next year I'm going full on for IRL stuff, and learning blender, sooo next year proooobably going to have a quarter of the time this year T_T But yeah this year 3 things really got shoved in my face: 1. Relax and get some friggin sleep! Stuff can wait! 2. Don't eat crappy food. I was particularly addicted to energy drinks this year, but any year I have caffeine always wrecks me 3. Body feels like crap if you don't stretch & exercise, which makes playing games feel like crap. (.... I swear I normally don't say crap this much) So yeah, don't underestimate self-care. Don't be like my co-workers, actually make sure you're not dying = ) (....... Now I'm going to go to sleep so I stop leaving oversized comments like this on UA-cam. Had little to no sleep to get stuff done this morning, sooooo hard to resist the urge to ramble about games lol)
Dealing with all kinds of health issues and a life that has completely fallen apart….leveling up slowly in Diablo IV gives a nice sense of accomplishment away from “reality”. The other night I realized I was just too tired/depressed/disinterested and left it for another day. Sometimes you just gotta read a book. LOL. I agree about all the weird economies and microsystems and bs in “modern gaming”, feels like something of a scam…much of the world is starting to feel that way to be honest.
The 30 minutes a day really is a powerful concept. A few years ago I wanted to start reading more books. I am so glad I came across this video called "book stores". In it the point made is if you read 30 minutes a day you could be a great reader that's read 1000 books as opposed to 50 books in your lifetime. I now read at least 15 books a year. Some big ones like a way of kings I never would have imagined. Video: ua-cam.com/video/lIW5jBrrsS0/v-deo.htmlsi=5jURkrAAJ_dmEI-9 (timestamp - 4:35)
Beating the game sucks the fun out of it. You can keep coming back to that game for years & years & years if you never bother to beat it. Motivation to do so is surely lost once the game is beaten. I have of course beaten games before so I know this is true.
I stopped multiplayer games because I realize most multiplayer games wont last forever and only play singleplayer games now and not dealing with multiplayer games has been a huge relief and I don't feel rushed to complete anything. I would rather play singleplayer game and master it and have something I can always go back to and play whenever I feel like it. You cant do that with multiplayer games.
Hey man, I love the videos! Can you start putting the name of the game in the corner of the video? There are a few that I'd love to check out, but I can't tell what they are!
Thank you very much! I did that in this video (I do with all my videos the last couple of months), with the exception of ratchet and clank rift apart which premiere just didn't render the text. Is there a timecode for a game you are curious about, as mentioned I put that text at the start of each games segment
@ Ah, I see! It was Pseudoregalia! Thanks, man! Keep up the good work! I’m inspired to start my own channel and finally put my broadcasting/film/English degree to use with my free time. And to game, of course!
the idea that you need to finish a game is wrong from the start, a game must feel like an attraction from start to finish, if you play 30 minutes then those minutes must be worth, enjoyable and relaxing, otherwise the game you playing is bad or not for you.
I think the biggest thing I had to teach myself over time was if I wasn't enjoying a game, I needed to stop playing it. Regardless if it was the new popular game or the game everyone was playing at the time. I got such burnout from games like Destiny because of this. Single player is almost always my go to for gaming now!
Ohh man another Guardian in the wild. How long did you play for. Vet since D1 and grew up with it for the full 10 yrs. You pretty much said it. I've been playing all my single player games that everyone has told me. Finished GoW Ragnarok not too long ago. AC2 I've been playing to satisfy the cool factor again. Playing Red Dead 2 for the first time and man it's so damn sexy. Love getting immersed in it.
I played D1 from day one lol stuck through to D2 and finally burned out after the first few months post launch. Love all the games you mentioned too! I'm getting through my backlog of games currently and just finished up Sonic Frontiers the other day! Think I'm getting the itch to revisit Cyberpunk 2077 again as well.
@Prowler71 I've heard good things from 2077. I've wanted to try it but my backlog is already 20+ games. Good gamin brotha 🫡
Same. Multiplayer is not my thing.
I would rather enjoy a well crafted experience with different segments (stealth, action, dialogue) than repeating the same levels over and over again.
Exactly
Embracing the "30 minutes a day" mindset as been my game changer both for gaming and for work. I commute 2.5+ hours by car everyday and work from 9 to 5 (or sometimes 630am to 630pm), so I had to shift my mindset when it came to doing anything outside of work. Getting over the need to have at least 1 hour and just be ok with a shorter timespan actually let me make progress on things instead of always feeling like I didn't have time to study ( learning German and working on a Project Management certification) or enjoy a hobby (gaming and reading) and not making any progress at all. Spending those little bits of time everyday really adds up and let's me relax at night instead of stressing about being unproductive.
I need to try this.
I'm kinda the same as you with my work, I'll try that too!
Take care!!
I mentioned this in a recent video of yours but I get up at 4:30am every day and get a few hours to game before the day starts without interruptions. And it’s amazing. Since 2020 I have logged in a spreadsheet which games I have played in a year. So far this year I am at 76 games played and about 70 of them I have beaten. I don’t ever play multiplayer games. I haven’t since the ps3 days. My 3rd kid is about to be born and I work full time and have a house and all the responsibility that comes with all that. Before I had kids I beat maybe 20-30 games a year. Honestly probably less. I’ve just learned to be better with the time I do have. And sometimes that comes at the cost of me optimizing fun out of things. I am working on that though.
This channel is a GOD send for me, because I've recently discovered it and I've been going through a really rough time in my life, I've been trying to do better and even though I make lists and all, I've not been able to execute consistently, maybe it's the anxiety of it all which makes me procrastinate and I've been treating games as escapism at times even though I mostly play to relax only, whatever it maybe this video was really helpful.
When you said "knocking out the responsibilities is the key to relaxation" and it clicked and made me realize how stressed I've been all this time while playing games and few times have been able to relax and I think it was on day's my responsibilities were relatively done, and I love you said "Some days you won't be able to knock everything out and that's fine somedays you don't play at all" and not "Some days you're not able to do the stuff still play a little" and I know in reality we do not stick to this ideal, but honestly it made me realize that if we don't get our stuff don't we will be stressed and won't be able to relax or enjoy the game we're playing.
Seems common sense ryt ? well it seems I've been trying to fix the stress from unfinished tasks with games which is escapism not relaxation, and a very temporary solution, but this video was really helpful, thanks I'll change my habits and replace them with ones which serve me more and I hope I turn my life around :D
Keep up the amazing videos man :D
I recently got a PC and have been wondering how I'm going to balance work, writing, life, and gaming. This video is super helpful for more than just games. Thank you so much!
A big problem for me as a retro collector is when I sit down to play, i can’t help but be excited for what comes next after this current game. I have a backlog of hundreds of retro games that I’ve never experienced, many of them considered all-time greats. And as an adult, my brain is constantly like “you have an entire game room to play and very little time! You’re going to miss out on playing it all!” It sometimes makes me subconciously start rushing through my current game just to get to the next one, then it happens with THAT one, so on and so on… I found that pretending my current game is the only game I actually own has made me really appreciate and be more thorough with each game I play. I did that with the first Jak and Daxter game recently (my first time playing it) and it did wonders for my enjoyment, I 100% completed it and was sad to see it end. If you’re struggling with “backlog excitement/anxiety”, just sloooow down and pretend you’re a kid again with only one or two games.
I'm kinda new to collecting and still have a rather small collection (like 60-70ish games), but yea, I can relate to backlog anxiety to some extent
One thing that helps (at least for me) is trying to consolidate every now and then and selling off games that you tried out but didn't quite like all that much, or that you ended up losing interest in playing (for instance, I tried Kingdom Hearts earlier this year but it just didn't really click with me, so I ended up selling my copy; another example for me was when I got a Switch last year along with Breath of the Wild and a few other games, but ended up not playing BotW that much and eventually realized I wasn't all that interested in that game anymore)
But that's something I like about physical media, that you can always sell it off whenever you feel you're done and get some of your money back
Oh, I also played Jak & Daxter earlier this year and 100%ed it too, can confirm it's a great game
@ I’m glad you liked it too, I thoroughly enjoyed it! And that’s an excellent strategy, I find that often the more focused collections are “better” than the vast expansive libraries full of shovelware, at least to me. What some of us call the “all killer, no filler” collections. For me I usually hold on to stuff I didn’t enjoy all that much because I know SOMEbody who comes to visit has a vague chance of wanting to play it. I don’t enjoy KH either but I know that one of my friends who grew up with it may come and want to play it to relive childhood a little, so I have a copy of the first game. That’s just me though, really as long as you’re enjoying the hobby you’re doing it right! :D
Relate to this so much, it really sucks
Your brain will always lie to you. Don't listen to your brain.
I had to have a massive reset of my gaming collection this year and have been treating it as though I've got no games
In October I got my PS5 and since then I've been taking this advice to play only a few games at once. Since then I have put in 138 hours, which was enough to beat Doki Doki Literature Club, Ghost Of Tsushima, Ghostwire Tokyo and to complete all the goals for the Overwatch Classic event and to complete Overwatch 2's season 13 battle pass. I'm at the final boss in Final Fantasy X as well, but I seem to be seriously underlevelled and am seriously considering to just watch the ending on youtube rather than waste time grinding.
Looking forward to moving onto playing Dead Space over Xmas!
Get Yuna's Celestial Weapon and you'll knock out that final boss easy 😎
Hey BBK I just want to tell you that your videos are great and they help me with a lot. I find them relatable. I wish I could have a short conversation with you lol. I have accumulated a lot of games and I wanna know how can I practically finish them. I'v been following your content for a few years now and I like how over the time your videos have evolved.
I started this journey just like you at the start of this year.
My original comment was much longer and more elaborate, but let me boil it down for the sake of readability.
I have never played (and finished) as many titles in different genres that I genuinely wanted to play.
It's not even close. I've played indies, classics, and early access gems.
The act of intentionally and actually avoiding PvP/live-service slop just because I was tired and overwhelmed at the end of the day was harder than I thought, but it was also way more rewarding than I had imagined.
I feel glad to have been on this journey with you throughout this year. This is the first year that my backlog has actually shrunk. Unbelievable!
Lastly, I also learned to let go and stop when I wasn’t feeling it. These skills (intentionality, planning, and tracking) helped me push past obstacles in other areas of my life as well.
Thank you so much! ❤
The most important thing is when you’re gaming, don’t burn yourself out, do what you can, and don’t overload yourself!
I took some time off of gaming in the first half of the year (and life in general because I spent ~5 months hiking the Appalachian trail) and I definitely found I had a renewed passion for it after so much time away. Also, just actively thinking about what games I'm excited about to play next rather than forcing myself to play something because I should. I was so excited for months to get home and play Shadow of the Erdtree but when I actually got home in August I just didn't have the desire to play a difficult game right then. So I played Horizon Forbidden West which I was excited about and in the mood for. After that I played a bunch of shorter games (Gris, The Forgotten City, Death's Door, Cocoon) until I started to feel the kick for a souls like again. So I played the souls likes I already but had never played (Dark Souls 3 and Lies of P) and then finally started Shadow of the Erdtree about two weeks ago and it's been a blast. I definitely second everything you say about focusing on a game or two at a time, playing things you're excited about and interested in, and not being afraid to drop something you aren't enjoying. There's a few games in my backlog that I'm pretty sure I'll love (witcher 3, rain world, disco elysium) but I just haven't found myself in the right head space for them yet. But I'll get there!
Pretty insane that we are expected or required to work 40+ hours per week just so we can spend 3.5 hours doing what we want to do
Agreed…it’s the “system”. Same as ever..
Your channel has been a blessing this year. Always a real talk with good advice, cheers friend, gaming is my passion and you been helping me have a healthier relationship with it
Working full time and being in a relationship of 3 years im really appreciating the small details in games. Single player games have been the go to besides some zombies here and there.
Great video, BBK. This has been hindering my enjoyment of games for quite some time. Games are also so huge nowadays I feel apprehensive about even starting something new. I always find myself falling back to comfort games. Things I know I enjoy and don't have to sink a ton of time into to get to the good bits. It feels weird to say but I think I'm just outgrowing the AAA/Multiplayer space. And I'm cool with that.
Slowly working on being more intentional about my games, trying to focus down to a few/ one per console (eg ocarina of time on my switch, black mesa on the pc) and its helped me get through to the end of games im enjoying without getting distracted by all the other options. Although sometimes found it to be good to allow myself to just follow the vibes some weeks, especially when its a stressful period and I just wanna play skirmish in a few different command and conquers instead of what I am currently playing. Makes for a good break and helps me feel a bit less cooked
I'm changing my gamestyle to one at a time, I have just finished the first Tomb Raider that have neverplayed before in 3 days, that after completing No place like home and investing 40 hours in 100% that game. No mmos at the moment, just going through those stories I always wanted to play and never did. Totally worth it.
"this year I shifted gears"
*gears of war footage is playing on screen*
nice
Im playing through mario 64 for the first time emulated on my steam deck. I love being able to go back and play old classics
Just wanted to say ever since I found you from me searching the word "backlog", you have been awesome to watch every week and look forward to the next one 👍
thanks BBK for these vids lately. they are super relatable! i'll admit ive become addicted to online multiplayer games. ever since i got internet thats what i mostly play. it really is difficult to detox from online though but i will try. i have a huge library of single player games ive always wanted to play but they are just wasting away because i just play online. lol it sucks.
Your step-by-step guide is exactly what I needed.
"Not in the mood? Don't force yourself"
My ADHD brain: Good idea! let's NEVER be in the mood to finish a game you absolutely love and leave it there unfinished for the 1000th time!
I'm over here LOOKING for ways to force it otherwise I'll never play anything ever XD
Your brain always lies. Don't listen to it.
I caved and started playing marvel rivals. However im actually having so much fun playing it unlike any other pvp. Its such a nice change of pace
Just started a few months ago to log my completed games (NOT any games in my BL) on hltb.
I've got some time on my hands these last two months and completed Alan Wake 2, GRIS and Life is Strange 2. Because I stuck with them.
But now I'm only leveling in WoW Classic because it's immensely fun and relaxing.
It's very mood dependent what I enjoy.
Love your videos
This year i played so many amazing games here is my list
1- like a dragon infinite wealth
2- persona 3 reload
3- persona 5 strikers
4- Final fantasy crisis core
5- Final fantasy 7 remake
6- Final fantasy 15
7- rise of the ronin
8- Alan wake 2
9- Armored core 6
10- Yakuza PSP
11- Tekken 8
12- Silent hill 2 remake
Thanks!
Thank you!
Games i played this Year:
Dishonored
Dark Souls 1
Bioshock
Stellar Blade
Red Dead Redemption 2
Bioshock 2
Shadow of the Erdtree
Black Myth Wukong
Kingdom Come Deliverance
Alan Wake
Alan Wake 2
Currently playing Dark Souls 3.
I also really enjoyed this Year. Especially RDR2 and Alan Wake 2 were really great Games.
I was more intentional in the second half of 2024 with my gaming. I went back and finished Metal Gear Solid 2, and then finished Resident Evil 4 Remake. I am playing Indiana Jones now, but not sure if I want to finish it. I think if I focus on the main quest, and moving through quickly, then maybe. Maybe Fantasian New Dimension next. Waiting for Metal Gear Solid Delta to be released. I also moved away from multiplayer games, and have been having a lot more fun.
I'm honestly still struggling with blocking out my life in a way where it's easy to follow and I don't just end up doing my own thing. Any tips for making sure you follow the plan you set out for yourself?
Also, I'm guilty of scheduling gaming time. But I like what you said about only gaming when you have all the day's tasks finished. It's all too easy to game because it's on the schedule whether or not you finished all the things you needed to do that day or not. Free time always feels better when you don't feel guilty having it.
PLS MAKE A VIDEO ON "THINGS TO DO IN FREE TIME BESIDES GAMING" .
fantastic video, super well written too
Impossible to play every great game out there. So go for quality over quantity. Also in my time with game log this year, try not to be too strict about your game choice either or else video games start feeling like a chore
As for how much time I've spent, it's gotta be over 1,000 hours. Some games off the top of my head:
Smash Bros. Ultimate - At least 100 hours. It's my go-to competitive game 'cuz nostalgia bait along with easy to pick up, hard to master gameplay... even if the online makes me want to cry, especially when returning from other fighters with rollback.
Rain World - 100+ hours. Game file corrupted during spearmaster 'cuz PC shut off in a weird way, but I love the game so much I replayed it all. I can't get enough of this game!
MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries - Approximately 50-100 hours because friend wanted to do campaign and half the DLCs with me. PPC X is friggin OP. Also tried out YAML weapons, and some of them were OP. Had a good chuckle with SRM infernos neutralizing everyone, and made up for the fact it was just 2 players, instead of 4 players playing.
MechWarrior 2 - 20 hours of playing my first PC game ever while waiting for MW5 Clans. Shocked it stood up to the test of time. It was an absolute blast to play!
MechWarrior 5 Clans - 90 hours (currently) to see the difference in almost 3 decades of gaming is like. I had low expectations, but it was actually really fun! Also feels really weird to play a game nowadays that just has a set of missions, and then you're done since I'm so used to friends dragging me into grindfest games (and MW5 Mercs can be grindy if you costly mistakes)
Street Fighter 6 - 75 hours. Friend told me to play the story mode if I wanted to play and he wasn't there. I got addicted to unlocking everything in story mode, got into zombie mode from lack of sleep. Definitely was not worth it. Would've been more fun to just play other people (though the 2 days I did play against randoms, it's so weird because everyone had severe lack of knowing on fundamentals, and kept mis-inputting. I'm so used to spectating professionals playing traditional fighting games instead)
Helldivers 2 - 75 hours. Game was really fun, until I felt like I had to grind to get medals for unlocks. Definitely killed my sleep with this game 'cuz friends wanted to play it so much. Kiiinda wanna play it a bit to mess around with the mechs that got added, but everyone has moved on from the game, and I have other games higher on my priority list of what I want to play
Monster Hunter Wilds - 50 hours. Would've been more, but game log killed enjoyment due to thinking about how much time was used. Also I fell behind my friends in gear, levels, and gameplay experience so I quit around when elder dragons started 1 shotting me constantly with even rather fast attacks (though apparently was on the last few bosses anyways)
League of Legends - 30-50 hours Friends love playing it, so I get dragged into it from time to time. League is just an okay game, but I don't see why people get so addicted to it. Though I am a weirdo that mains jungle... Also Arcane just got some more episodes... They're poking me again!
There's definitely some other games, but most of them were played for a day or two and then not touched again. Lethal Company at 16 hours feels like a crime because that game is so much fun with friends.
The inner gamer inside me feels ashamed that there's not more hours, especially since most of the hours on these games are probably just sitting in a menu afk while I was doing stuff IRL. I was just so much more focused on IRL stuff this year. It actually made me cut into sleep to get IRL stuff done, which made video games feel like crap.
That said, next year I'm going full on for IRL stuff, and learning blender, sooo next year proooobably going to have a quarter of the time this year T_T
But yeah this year 3 things really got shoved in my face:
1. Relax and get some friggin sleep! Stuff can wait!
2. Don't eat crappy food. I was particularly addicted to energy drinks this year, but any year I have caffeine always wrecks me
3. Body feels like crap if you don't stretch & exercise, which makes playing games feel like crap. (.... I swear I normally don't say crap this much)
So yeah, don't underestimate self-care. Don't be like my co-workers, actually make sure you're not dying = )
(....... Now I'm going to go to sleep so I stop leaving oversized comments like this on UA-cam. Had little to no sleep to get stuff done this morning, sooooo hard to resist the urge to ramble about games lol)
Dealing with all kinds of health issues and a life that has completely fallen apart….leveling up slowly in Diablo IV gives a nice sense of accomplishment away from “reality”. The other night I realized I was just too tired/depressed/disinterested and left it for another day. Sometimes you just gotta read a book. LOL. I agree about all the weird economies and microsystems and bs in “modern gaming”, feels like something of a scam…much of the world is starting to feel that way to be honest.
How much gaming I did this year: Nowhere near enough!
The 30 minutes a day really is a powerful concept. A few years ago I wanted to start reading more books. I am so glad I came across this video called "book stores". In it the point made is if you read 30 minutes a day you could be a great reader that's read 1000 books as opposed to 50 books in your lifetime. I now read at least 15 books a year. Some big ones like a way of kings I never would have imagined. Video: ua-cam.com/video/lIW5jBrrsS0/v-deo.htmlsi=5jURkrAAJ_dmEI-9 (timestamp - 4:35)
I don’t want to finish games. I have no desire to actually “beat” any game that I play tbh. I ain’t about that life.
Beating the game sucks the fun out of it. You can keep coming back to that game for years & years & years if you never bother to beat it. Motivation to do so is surely lost once the game is beaten. I have of course beaten games before so I know this is true.
I needed this video. I've lately been addicted to League again and I'm hating it lmao
Awesome vid I like that you combine gaming and everyday life stuff together, those are some of the things I think about most. What game at 6:35 ?
Mass effect ?
add the name of the game pls
in every vid
I stopped multiplayer games because I realize most multiplayer games wont last forever and only play singleplayer games now and not dealing with multiplayer games has been a huge relief and I don't feel rushed to complete anything. I would rather play singleplayer game and master it and have something I can always go back to and play whenever I feel like it. You cant do that with multiplayer games.
*Thanks for reminding me I've never beat a Mass Effect game* 😐👌
Can’t fix that sleep thing
W BBCDRAGOON
Hey man, I love the videos! Can you start putting the name of the game in the corner of the video? There are a few that I'd love to check out, but I can't tell what they are!
Thank you very much! I did that in this video (I do with all my videos the last couple of months), with the exception of ratchet and clank rift apart which premiere just didn't render the text. Is there a timecode for a game you are curious about, as mentioned I put that text at the start of each games segment
@ Ah, I see! It was Pseudoregalia! Thanks, man! Keep up the good work! I’m inspired to start my own channel and finally put my broadcasting/film/English degree to use with my free time. And to game, of course!
You see basically I don’t balance games with real life. Just play when I get off work
What do you use to log your games and playtime?
Backloggd
I have 236 hours only on Snowrunner 😢
the idea that you need to finish a game is wrong from the start, a game must feel like an attraction from start to finish, if you play 30 minutes then those minutes must be worth, enjoyable and relaxing, otherwise the game you playing is bad or not for you.
For me I scroll TikTok
Just give up life ain't it... Stalker 2 is my life now
Faz o L