A new year means a new round of Operation Backlog Completion, a goal in which in theory will help me conquer my game backlog and in reality only makes me realize that my backlog is an unstoppable force of doom.

But hey, last year I set a 50-game goal for myself, and this year I’m going to do the same.

(I’ve also decided to change the post title to reflect the year rather than the round number. It makes more sense and will be less discouraging as the years go on.)

I also listed 16 games I intended to play during the year, of which I played 6. Here’s hoping it goes better this year, as my new list includes the games I skipped from last year’s list, another crowdfunded game I backed, and my most-anticipated games of 2020.

And Color Splash. Just because I have a friend who really wants me to play it.

• Batman: Arkham Knight (and maybe Origins, but let’s try for one thing at a time)
• The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• Dragon Quest XI
• Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
• Yooka-Laylee
• Aviary Attorney
• Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan
• Dies Irae
• The Great Gaias
• Bug Fables
• RE3make
• Tales of Arise
• Yakuza 3 (what, you thought I was going to put the entire Remastered Collection on this list?)
• Psychonauts 2
• Final Fantasy VII Remake
• Paper Mario: Color Splash

Special mention goes to Aviary Attorney, which I intend to play not only before the end of 2020, but before the end of January, since Aviary Attorney is coming to the Switch on January 30.

Do you have any video game goals for this year?

It’s a new year, and that means a new year’s worth of attempts to make a dent in my video game backlog. Last year, I challenged myself to play at least 40 games in 2017.

I succeeded!

…and my remaining backlog is larger than it was a year ago. I blame Humble Bundle and several free game promotions.

Therefore, it’s time for Operation Backlog Completion: Round 3! I was tempted to raise the goal again, but 40 feels like a reasonable number. In 2018, I’ll complete 40 more games.

Last year, I also set two additional goals: I would play all of the games I had previously listed as my most-anticipated games of the year, as well as any games I backed on Kickstarter.

I did not get through all of these games on the list, but I will play them in 2018! (Along with my most-anticipated games of 2018, assuming they aren’t delayed, and additional Kickstarter games that came out last year.)

So, in 2018, I will play:

• Cosmic Star Heroine
• Batman: Arkham Knight (and possibly Arkham Origins)
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (after playing The Witcher 2)
• Vampyr
• Dragon Quest XI
• The Wolf Among Us: Season 2
• Project Octopath Traveler
• Kingdom Hearts III
• Yooka-Laylee
• Aviary Attorney
• Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan
• Dies Irae
• Shadows of Adam
• A Hat in Time

These are my gaming goals for 2018. What are yours?