12 Months. 24 Games. Let’s Do This.
2023 was an incredible year for games—so much so that many of us are still playing catch-up. If you find yourself gazing at your shelf or digital library more than you’d care to admit, you’re not alone. This is The Punished Backlog; having a neverending pile of games, films, books, and shows on the docket is just part of the camaraderie around these parts.
I bought a dizzying number of games last year, from big hitters like Tears of the Kingdom to smaller titles like Dave the Diver, but have yet to complete many of them, let alone start others. In past years, that backlog would have been cause for concern. But 2024 is surprisingly lean-looking, giving everyone—myself included—a unique opportunity to make a dent.
And that’s exactly what I intend to do.
How the Challenge Works
We’ve done challenges on this site in the past—most recently our 2022 Summer Backlog Challenge and 2023 Signalis summer playthrough. And while I imagine we’ll have some version of a summer challenge again this year, I’m doing something a little different to kick off 2024.
The 2024 Backlog Challenge is simple: I try to complete 24 games in my backlog before the end of the year. Each time I complete a game, I’ll write a little something about it. No group involved; no prize at the end of it all. Just me and a stack of plastic boxes.
I took inspiration from Goodreads’ annual reading challenge, which prompts readers to select a goal of their choosing—whether realistic or lofty—and then encourages them to see it through. This year, both here and on Goodreads, my goal is 24. It works with the year, and it divides nicely by 12 months. Two games per month. Should be simple!
Of course, I know nothing’s ever quite that easy. Persona 3 Reload and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth are just weeks away, meaning I’ll soon have my hands full with two massive, time-consuming RPGs. To beat this challenge, I must be strategic with my picks and diligent with my play.
Here’s how I’m going about it.
My Current Picks for 2024
As I kick off this challenge, I have no shortage of great games to choose from.
In 2018, I wrote about my extensive AAA gaming backlog. Back then, I had amassed a staggering list of titles, from the rebooted God of War to Grand Theft Auto V, Rise of the Tomb Raider to The Witcher 3. Today, many of those remain uncompleted.
Since then, the backlog has only grown more potent. 2019 had its share of victims (Control, Astral Chain) as did 2020 (Ghost of Tsushima) and 2021 (Deathloop, Metroid Dread). 2022 was particularly egregious, as I failed to finish Horizon Forbidden West, Neon White, and Elden Ring. Yes, even Elden Ring got relegated to the shelf.
Then came 2023 and its deluge of games. Need I say more?
While my list will likely change, here are my current candidates:
- Bioshock 2
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Chicory
- Control: Ultimate Edition
- Dishonored
- Donkey Kong Country
- Elden Ring
- God of War (2018)
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Half-Life 2
- Hi-Fi Rush
- The Last Guardian
- Lies of P
- Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
- Octopath Traveler
- Persona 5 Royal
- Pyre
- Titanfall 2
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
- Returnal
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Super Mario World
- XCOM: Enemy Within
I’ve settled on a healthy mix of genres and game lengths. Even the particularly long games (Elden Ring, Persona 5 Royal, The Witcher 3) are ones I was already close to finishing.
I’m also considering two reserve candidates: Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen and Pokémon: SoulSilver. Both are lengthier RPGs that I own but haven’t started. Ideally, I’d complete them both by March, to coincide with the launch of Dragon’s Dogma 2 and 15th anniversary of SoulSilver. We’ll see if I can make it happen.
What I’ve Played So Far
We’re three weeks into the year, meaning the challenge has technically already begun. And I’ve already struck a big name off the list.
On January 7, I completed Elden Ring after logging 115 hours into the Lands Between. No, I didn’t marathon it—I had about 90 hours invested before 2024. Still, 25 hours in a week is some hustle!
What can I say about Elden Ring that hasn’t already been said? It truly is one of the goats—massive, foreboding, and tough, yet never insurmountable. Where Dark Souls felt niche, and Sekiro outright oppressive at times, FromSoftware’s latest work strikes the perfect balance between challenge and accessibility. It still won’t convert die-hard Souls haters, but Elden Ring does its damnest to try.
In short: A great game that offered something new at practically every turn. Now, we wait for the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.
What’s Up Next
I’m currently playing through two other games this month: Lies of P and Persona 5 Royal.
Like with Elden Ring, I already had plenty of time recorded with P5R—around 80 hours. As I near the end of the core game, I’m looking to fly through the third semester before Persona 3 Reload drops on February 3. That’s about 30 hours of additional content. A tall order, but I’m looking to get it done.
Lies of P may throw a wrench in that plan. I picked this up on Xbox Game Pass after a glowing endorsement from our own Gary Wilson. And though I may not echo 100% of his thoughts—it’s not better than Elden Ring, Gary!—I’m still having a damn good time in the city of Krat. I could prioritize Royal over Lies of P, but I’m finding a groove with the latter.
No stress! I’ll complete them both eventually.
Interested in the Challenge? Join Me!
I know I tend to sweat the details—but seriously, this challenge is meant to be simple fun. Stress-free!
If you’re interested in partaking—and this goes for my peers at The Punished Backlog as well—by all means, please do! Use the comments below to tell me what games you’re thinking of tackling, and keep me updated on your progress. I’ll be sure to do the same.
Happy gaming!
