The calendar has turned to 2025, and like clockwork, my mind fills with that familiar mix of excitement and resolution. ✨ I love this time of year—the ritual of planning, of deciding who I want to be in the next 365 days. But this time, one of my biggest goals isn't about looking forward to new horizons; it's about looking back to tie up loose ends. You see, 2024 left me with a pile of incredible gaming experiences that I started but never finished. The conversation around them has moved on, but my save files are still sitting there, waiting. This year, I'm determined to give them the endings they deserve.
It's a strange feeling, isn't it? Games from last year occupy this weird limbo. They're not the hot new thing everyone's tweeting about, but they're also not yet considered "classics" you play for historical value. They're like that amazing show you're three episodes into—you know it's good, but other shiny things keep grabbing your attention. As someone who writes about games, the pressure to stay current is real. It's so easy to get swept up in the hype of the next big release while the fantastic games you were genuinely enjoying gather digital dust.
So, I made a list. A concrete, no-excuses list of the 2024 games I am going to finish this year. No more "I'll get back to it someday." The time is now.
My 2025 Finish Line
The 2024 Headliners:
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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - I got lost in that gorgeous open world and need to see this chapter through.
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Star Wars Outlaws - My scoundrel's story is only half-told.
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Metaphor: ReFantazio - The premise hooked me immediately; I owe it to myself to see the full fantasy.
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Dragon Age: The Veilguard - I've waited years for this; letting it languish feels wrong.
But it's not just about the new(ish) stuff. My backlog has layers, like an onion of neglected adventures. So the list continues with older titles I began in 2024 but, for one reason or another, put down.
The Carried-Over Backlog:
| Game | Why I Stopped | Why I Must Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Maquette | Got stuck on a puzzle | It's a beautiful, mind-bending experience |
| Uncharted 3 | Life got busy | It's the final chapter in a trilogy I love! |
| The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks | Put it down for a "quick break" | It's a charming, unique Zelda title |
| Tyranny | The depth was overwhelming | Its morally gray storytelling is unparalleled |
| Judgment | Got distracted by a new release | The Yakuza-verse storytelling is always top-tier |
| The Case of the Golden Idol | ??? (No good reason!) | It's pure, brilliant detective gameplay |
| Bloodborne | ...I got scared 😅 | It's a masterpiece I need to conquer |
Two weeks into 2025, and I already have some wins to report! ✅ I powered through the final puzzles of Maquette and finally sailed off into the sunset with Nathan Drake in Uncharted 3. That felt amazing. It wasn't about checking off a new game, but about providing closure to a journey I'd already invested in.
This approach—finishing what I've started—feels like a kinder, more achievable goal. In the past, I've set myself up for failure with goals like "beat the entire Metal Gear Solid series" or "finally finish Bloodborne from scratch." Those felt like massive mountains to climb. But picking up Bloodborne from my last save? That feels like hiking the final ridge to the summit. The hard part (getting gud) is already done!
Of course, I know myself. The siren song of new 2025 releases will be strong. Game Pass will add something fascinating, a surprise indie hit will drop, and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will inevitably consume my soul for a month. The arbitrary line between December and January doesn't erase my curiosity for new worlds.
But here's my new mindset: The calendar is a tool, not a prison. A year is a helpful frame to set intentions, but it shouldn't be a chain that prevents me from enjoying stories at my own pace. If I bounce between a 2025 blockbuster and a 2024 gem I'm finishing, that's okay! The goal isn't to punish myself for not keeping up; it's to enrich my experience by seeing stories through to their end.
Maybe I won't finish all these games by December 31st, 2025. And you know what? That's perfectly fine. If Tyranny or Spirit Tracks roll over into my 2026 list, so be it. The point is the intentionality—the active choice to honor the time and emotion I've already invested in these worlds. I'm not just playing games; I'm completing journeys. And that, to me, is a resolution worth keeping.