A games backlog refers to the collection of video games a person owns, bought, or acquired but has not yet started or finished. Often called the “pile of shame,” this ever-growing list includes unplayed, half-finished, or forgotten titles that gamers intend to play, usually accumulated through sales, digital bundles, or subscription services.
So, here I am, absolutely swamped with games. It’s a luxury problem, really. My shelves and hard drives are getting crowded (this article focuses on downloadable games — a new post covering Blu-ray disc games is coming), but the real issue isn’t space. It’s that far too many games lately have bored me to death.
These are some examples of games I genuinely thought would be awesome, but that ultimately turned out to be… well, let’s just say not for me.
Joe Danger 2
I loved the first game — it absolutely oozed quality. This sequel, however, is just plain boring, both to look at and to play.
Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise
The original was special and had something no other game quite captured. This sequel fixes many of the first game’s problems, but in doing so it loses its soul. It no longer feels special. (And the trophies were a major let-down.)
The Unfinished Swan
I know I’ll get a lot of flak for this, but I found the game barely playable. The concept and visual style are fantastic, but the execution is poor, in my opinion.
Killzone HD Remake
I was really looking forward to this, as I enjoyed it a lot on the PS2. But after Killzone 2 and 3, MAG, and Resistance, my expectations for a good FPS have changed. Killzone HD feels stale — much like Medal of Honor: Frontline HD did a couple of years ago — and it just isn’t much fun in the long run.
GoldenEye 007: Reloaded
I loved the original and really wanted to love this version too. Sadly, just like Killzone HD, it became very boring after only a few hours.
Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
It just felt completely soulless. 🙁
Deep Black
Once again, an awesome concept ruined by poor execution and a total lack of soul.
Silent Hill HD Collection
A major let-down. Even after the updates, it’s still broken and simply not fun to play.
Puddle (Vita)
Confusing and badly executed.
Table Ice Hockey AR (Vita)
I can’t get this game to work properly at all. Unlike other AR games on the Vita, this one refuses to line up correctly between the camera and AR cards, making it a complete mess to play.
Chronovolt (Vita)
Awesome concept with great style, graphics, and music — but badly executed. UPDATE: Article done.
GEM’Z (Amiga)
Wonderful music, but the gameplay feels slow and slightly off. UPDATE: Article done.
Maybe I’ll return to some of these games in the future, but for now they’re staying untouched — at least until I’ve completely run out of better options.
2026: Heck, now 13+ years later I still haven’t tried most…
