Backlog
The Anti-Backlog: What’ve you guys been playing?
Sep 1st
I’ve been incredibly busy these past few weeks, as have the rest of us, so I thought I’d just open things up for discussion.
What have you been playing lately? Old or new, fun or not, we’d love to talk about it.
If I had been playing games, I’d probably be neck-deep in the classic cyberpunk espionage action of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Alas. I haven’t even had a chance to augment my vision yet, meaning JC Denton’s still got the upper hand on Adam Jensen.
So yeah — Leave a comment! Let’s talk about some games.
Backlog: Return of the Back(log) Edition
Jun 20th
Once again, we have returned from a brief hiatus to discuss what in the world of video games has been on our mind and taking up our time. It’s been a little while so we’ve had plenty of time to get some games in during the early summer — Nick and Tyler both have thoughts on InFamous, Aaron’s now one of us, and Doug’s catching up with two of 2010′s best action games. Nick also weighs in with what is easily one of the most bizarre recommendations we’ve ever made.
Anyways, without further ado (do do), TO THE BACKLOOOOOOG!
The Backlog: No Need for a Memorial edition
May 30th
We honestly can't remember what Snake is memorializing here, but the old soldier sure is rocking an appropriately solemn mustache
Don’t call it a comeback? We’ve been through down periods before, and we’ve come back stronger before, but this one feels good. We’ve got a four-man strong Backlog that is incredibly lengthy (helped along by Tyler’s mini-article about RPGs) and features as disparate things as L.A. Noire, Fallout 3, Chrono Trigger, LAN parties, Doug’s sports games, Bayonetta, and more.
There are also more promises to write again, so please be on the lookout online, on Twitter, on Facebook, in RSS feeds and via smoke signals to see when we’re publishing great articles once again. So, without further ado, TO THE BACKLOG!
The Backlog: This is Why We Play edition
May 17th
We’re celebrating the joy of gaming this week. Sometimes, it takes a little time away to appreciate how great gaming is; sometimes, it just strikes you after coming back to a recent classic. Other times, it’ll sink in despite frustrations.
Doug has hit the track again, Tyler has wound through the Mass Effect 2 DLC, and Nick has finally settled down in the great state of Texas and has time to play lots of games again. So without further ado, on to the Backlog!
The Backlog: Party Like it’s 2010 edition
May 8th
The Backlog is, of course, for the games we’ve been playing as of late and, ideally, games that are brand new. The cutting edge!
That’s how it turns into our Backlog being full of brand-new bangers like…um…Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Quest IX? Riiiiiiiiiight. Well. At least we’ve got things to say about these games, plus honest-to-god newer wares, too.
Anyway. To the Backlog!
The Backlog: Triumph Over Adversity edition
May 2nd
Things don’t always go right in life. Hell, they rarely do. But this week in the Backlog, we have to pat ourselves on the back for getting over some issues in gaming.
Aaron and Tyler have each crafted ingenius methods to deal with PSN being down, while Doug has continued to play old games because that’s what you do with limited resources. Of course, this being life, not everything has gone perfectly well, but to say any more would spoil the fun!
And with that, to the Backlog!
Backlog: Portals to a New World edition
Apr 24th
Happy Easter! Or, in particularly snarky corners of The Internet, Zombie Jesus Day! We’ve got Tyler back again extolling the virtues of digital downloads, Nick and Aaron digging into Portal 2, and Doug still playing innkeeper and digital tyrant. So without further ado, to the backlog!
Backlog: Let’s Play Two edition
Apr 16th
Usually the turn of phrase “let’s play two” comes about for baseball — specifically for a double header. Kind of fitting, then, for the Portland Timbers, who opened the newly renovated Jeld-Wen Field in front of an international TV audience for the first ever home MLS game. After all, JWF (née Civic Stadium) was primarily thought of as a baseball field for a long time. Also kind of fitting because the Timbers get two home games in four days, since we’re hosting Dallas on Sunday.
Of course I won’t get the chance to actually see the new park for a while since I’m, you know, busy. Busy preparing Backlogs! Tyler joins the fray again this week, Aaron has been digging into Pokémon and back into New Vegas, Nick is contemplating some new computer parts, and Doug is burning iPhone battery on another Kairosoft game.
Onward to the (sizable) Backlog!
Backlog: Dueling Backlogs edition
Apr 13th
I really dropped the ball on this one, guys. Everything was all ready to go well ahead of schedule last week but I just never got around to compiling the damn thing and getting it out the door. I sincerely apologize; I take this stuff seriously, and I’m still trying to figure out how to balance work and free time.
There’s another Backlog dropping within the next 48 hours, but hopefully this one won’t appear too stale in comparison.
Let’s just get right to it: Aaron and Doug have some great stuff to share, and I’ve got this bangin’ new 3DS to talk about. Baller.
Backlog: For What It’s Worth edition
Apr 6th
Former Chairman of the Fed Alan Greenspan knows what things are worth. And he doesn't think this Backlog is worth much, apparently.
Dig into our writing and you’ll find the editors of Silicon Sasquatch are a value-oriented breed. As we’ve explained many times before, we buy the games we review and only rarely are we sent review copies from the developers and publishers themselves. Which is O.K. — we know our clout hasn’t developed enough to afford the more lavish side of videogame journalism and blogging: free crap.
But we’ve made do with what we have, and each time a game is dissected and discussed there’s always an element of the worth of that product. That value assessment is approached in a multitude of ways; we might be looking at the cost of a DLC pack one day and judging the necessity of a sequel the next. Worthiness is a hard concept to grasp because it means so many things to people, especially when it comes to videogames.
So read this week’s Backlog as us making statements on three things: downloadable content, pay walls and sequels. These are important, modern issues in today’s software marketplace, and topics I’d like us to revisit in length down the road. However, we’ll make do with skimming the surface for now.