As I am sitting here, typing out the first post, I find it amusing how this has come to be. Like most people, I love to load up my PC and lose myself in a game or two. The problem is the trappings of everyday life sometimes make it rather difficult to play for long durations or consecutive days.
And with so many titles coming out regularly, I always find myself adding to my backlog library rather than actually playing them. Then, when I finally get around to doing that, I find myself stuck on what to play - sometimes, so much so, that I abandon any attempt and waste that time messing around on my phone.
I cannot recall exactly what made me think of this personal challenge. I just know that at the start of December 2023, I decided to set myself a challenge. It probably started because I wanted to see if I could commit to it. Or probably because I had nothing better to do.
But then, after completing the letter P, I realized a couple of things. The first being that I was excited for the next game in the sequence, and since I had it all mapped out, I knew exactly what was coming up. The second was, that I no longer had the frustrations associated with choosing a game to play next.
So what is this challenge?
Simply put, I have challenged myself to only play games following the letters of the alphabet (A to Z) with a numerical title at the end. Then rinse and repeat once I reach the end of the list. I’ve made it a point that I cannot deviate from the list; so if there is a new release I really want to play, I need to be patient until the game’s title matches the letter of the alphabet I am in. I am also not allowed to change the game I have selected for that letter once I have started it (not unless the game is an unplayable mess).
The list will only cover games on PC. So anything that I may have on the major platforms (Steam; GoG; Epic etc…) or even from Abandonware sites. I am also selecting games that I know can be completed, so I am avoiding multiplayer or sandbox games. Out of preference, I am also avoiding or limiting these genres:
Horror - I don't mind a little suspense or gore. But I don't do well with horror games. I may have an exception or two. But unlikely to have a lot on the list.
Souls-Like - While I am slowly getting into these games, I don't play them often. Most of the time, I need a game that I can pause because something comes up.
Open World - I would prefer to limit these games in the list as I don't want to get stuck in a 60+ hour game before I can move to the next. With my schedule, 60 hours practically equates to 4 or more months. And that's assuming I don't get overwhelmed with the vastness and amount of things to do.
RPG - Similarly, I may not choose too many RPGs, at least not in the same run, as that can take up a lot of time. However, I am more likely to invest in one of these than the above.
Originally a blog wasn’t part of the challenge. In fact, I had completed a good chunk of my challenge before it was suggested to me by my brother. I didn’t even need that much convincing either. It seemed like a great idea, and I could share the experience of my challenge.
I could write a post every time I completed a letter; would list the name and date and share some thoughts about the game itself. I don’t intend to go into massive detail about graphics, audio, and all that. Just simply things that left an impression on me - good or bad.
Before I knew it, I was already writing up my opening post and looking forward to finding a home for it.
First up will be - Alfred Hitchcock Vertigo
Comments