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Summer Update (July/August) - Pirate Alan

2026-09-02T10:56:21.121+01:00

Play

Pirate Yakuza & Alan Wake (PS5) - Completed

During the summer months, life is much busier and I inevitably have less time for gaming but I did manage to complete Pirate Yakuza & Alan Wake.

Pirate Yakuza follows the tried and tested RGG formula but this time you get to enjoy your adventure with Majima.

Alan Wake has been on my backlog for ages and it was a tense mild horror experience, I will go back at some point to enjoy the DLC

2026 Gaming Resolutions Update

1. Purchase no more physical games, yes this resolution is even tougher now!

Still sticking to this, I have not purchased anything the last two months.

2. Focus on PS+ Backlog

I've decided to not renew PS+ at all, so will try to play as much before my subscription expires in December.

3. No more PSN Credit!

Yep, not giving Sony any more money for now.

Backlog

PS+ Extra (2) - I've deleted quite a few games off this list and only down to 2 now in Planet Coaster 2 & The Thaumaturge

Digital Games (45) - Decided to drop Sea of Stars so down to 45, I don't expect to start any of these until after my PS+ subscription has expired

PS+ Monthly (7) - Again reduced the list down to a handful of game I want to play.

Physical Games (9) - Decided to sell on a few titles so reduced down to 9 now.

Total = 63 Games

Shopping

2026 Target is spend less than £100 - Total spent £66.00

I think I will stick at this, I have no plans to buy any more games this year.

Want

Added Lego Skylines, Witcher 3 Remastered & No Law.

Bin

Lack of gaming time during the summer months but I did manage to complete two games so that is a positive!

June Update - oh Sony!, you bunch of idiots!

2026-07-13T15:23:09.246+01:00

Play

Prey (PS5) - Completed

I've mainly been distracted by the World Cup but I did manage to complete Prey, the ending sequence is tense and has you making some big choices.

I still hate Mimics!

Seas of Stars (PS5)

A shame, see bin

Like A Dragon:Pirate Yakuza (PS5)

A full game with nothing but Majima! I've completed chapter one and unlocked the ship, I need to understand the mechanics of sailing around the opening area to develop my skill/experience.

A RGG game is like your favourite blanket

Animal Busters (Android)

Still playing but I'm getting bored of it so will bin it soon.

Rogue Legend (Android)

This is much more enjoyable than Animal Busters & has regular updates with new content.

2026 Gaming Resolutions Update

1. Purchase no more physical games, yes this resolution is even tougher now!

Another good month, nothing purchased.

2. Focus on PS+ Extra Backlog

I got annoyed with the Sony news and decided to start a physical game instead in Pirate Majima.

3. No more PSN Credit!

Not keen to give Sony any more money given their recent news.

Backlog

PS+ Extra (12) - Cleared out a lot of titles that I have lost interest in playing

Digital Games (46) - Another month with no further additions

PS+ Monthly (13) - Nothing new added

Physical Games (12) - Again, no more purchases

Total = 83 Games

Shopping

2026 Target is spend less than £100 - Total spent £66.00

No change, nothing purchased

Want

Added Momento & Calame to my wishlist.

Bin

Where do I start?

Sony - The death of physical games

Let's go with Sony news of the end of physical media in 2028.

My initial reaction was what a bunch of idiots! & I still feel angry.

My game shopping process since forever is to buy physical media over digital for all AAA game releases. I don't keep games; I play them and then sell them on to buy the next game.

Digital game shopping started with the Xbox 360 and indie games (my first purchased games were Marble Blast Ultra, Puzzle Quest & Geometry Wars). I don't think I purchased anything on the PS3, and on the PS4 I continued to buy indie titles but did purchase AAA games when they were on sale. To date, Red Dead Redemption 2 was the only game I purchased fully digital on release because I knew I would play it forever.

So how will not having physical games change my gaming habits?

For now, it doesn't. I have a massive backlog of physical/digital games to enjoy. I'm not buying any more physical or digital games, but going forward I'll continue to purchase older titles on my wishlist on physical media and everything else when it is on sale digitally.

I will be reducing my PS+ subscription down to essentials from premium, mainly because too much choice is dangerous!

After 2028, when AAA games will go fully digital, I will set myself a budget and stick to that; currently, for physical games, that is £25 (occasionally I break this). For digital, I'll probably set the limit lower, like £15 & wait until they are on sale.

I've been a PlayStation gamer (slight blip with the 360 but I ended up finishing that generation on the PS3) since my first JAP imported console, so I'll probably purchase a PS6 console at some point, but if the astronomical figures of £1000! is true, then my day one PS5 console is going to be serving me a lot longer.

Sea of Stars (PS5)

A lovely "old school" JRPG with beautiful visuals and a lovely soundtrack but an old school save system that resulted in me losing about 3 hours gameplay because I went exploring and ended up down a cavern surrounded by ant bruisers who kept on re-spawning & eventually died.

For now I've not gone back to the game because to combat this save system I will just end up grinding levels to be over-levelled to ensure I don't die and lose gameplay time.

May Update - In the words of MC Hammer "That's word, we Prey"

2026-06-05T17:03:28.812+01:00

Play

Prey (PS5)

The Talos space station has many areas to explore from your opening Simulation Lab to the central lobby area that leads off to many areas including Psychotronics, Hardware Labs & the main lift that takes you to the Arboretum. Each area is uniquely designed and have lots of hidden secrets to find.

I have now unlocked quite a few neuromods and stuck with human skills only to ensure I can take my trusty turrets with me when I explore.

Mimics are now the least of my worries and the Nightmare, Poltergeist & Weavers are far more challenging!

Animal Busters (Android)

Not sure how I got into playing this?! It is an idle game where you have gacha tickets to get Animal Busters and slowly begin their progression with upgrades, weapons and armour. There is a main campaign to play, dungeon challenges & a PvP arena mode.

Rogue Legend (Android)

Throw a dice to advance your hero along the map, when you level up select a skill from Fire, Ice, Thunder or Poison. Battle monsters to gain coins to spend in the shop to unlock more skills. You get the idea lots of skills, lots of fights and then eventually you will die. It's the standard formula used by most roguelikes and much easier to play on mobile when I have ten minutes free to do a run.

2026 Gaming Resolutions Update

1. Purchase no more physical games, yes this resolution is even tougher now!

So far so good, I have not purchased any more physical games.

2. Focus on PS+ Extra Backlog (21 Games)

Hopefully I am close to completing Prey and then I will play some shorter indie tiles in Season, Exit 8 & A Space for the Unbound.

3. No more PSN Credit!

I have done well to ignore the Days of Play sale & also have not purchase any additional credit.

Backlog

PS+ Extra (22) - Added The Thamaturge (a turn-based isometric RPG)

Digital Games (46) - No further additions

PS+ Monthly (13) - No further additions this month PS+ selection is pretty poor, thank god!

Physical Games (12) - No change, nothing added or removed.

Total = 93 Games

Shopping

2026 Target is spend less than £100 - Total spent £66.00

No change, nothing purchased

Want
It is the start of not E3 season so I expect quite a few games will get added to my wishlist!

Added God of War Laufey, Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis, Onimusha Way of the Sword & 007 First Light

Bin

Nothing really, just the lack of time for gaming!

I could probably pin this sentence for the whole year!

Not that late! April Update

2026-05-13T08:09:54.840+01:00

Play

Star Wars Outlaws (PS5) - Completed

Well would you look at that! I have completed another game!

I started this back at the end of January, it's a very good game. Possibly the best Star Wars game made so far, exploring the open world and the many cities bustling with life and idle conversations.

I completed the main story but I will go back to enjoy the DLC content

Prey (PS5)

This game has been on my backlog for a while, I did start it a few years ago but turned it off at the first mimic jump scare! I'm a wimp!

I have turned down the difficulty to make the game easier to play for my "old-school" reactions but it does not adjust the fear factor!

I love the sci-fi setting, you have a small area to explore and metroidvania like not everything is unlocked so you need to figure out passwords or find keycards.

Watch out for the mimics!

2026 Gaming Resolutions Update
I am updating my resolutions

1. Purchase no more physical games, yes this resolution is even tougher now!

I just need to ignore all sales & delete the HOT UK Deals app!

2. The hardware challenge was too easy, I have no intention of buying any new consoles. so let's focus on my gaming backlog especially the PS+ Extra which expires end of December and I planned to renew at only the essentials tier.

Currently I have 21 games on my PS+ Extra backlog, some of these are quite short but I am never going to complete all 21 before December so let's go with completing at least 10 of these titles!

3. I have £80 on PSN credit and this all I can use until I reduce my digital backlog to 10 titles (either by playing or dropping, currently at 35 games). No more shopto top up codes!

I am going to stick with this the current balance left is £46 & this is all I can spend for 2026. However I don't plan on buying anything and looking at the physical games I own, none of them have any DLC content. So I should be able to use some of this credit to pay for my PS+ Essentials renewal in December

4. The FOMO challenge again was too easy, I don't really care enough and will just play what I want instead of what is the flavour of the month. So I am deleting this resolution and just sticking with the three above.

Backlog

PS+ Extra (21) - I have until the end of December to crack through as many of these as possible! Good luck!

Digital Games (46) - Added both Star Wars DLC which were not included and Graveyard Keeper (I did not purchase it was free).

PS+ Monthly (13) - Reduced by 6, I've had a bit of a clearout and remove games I have no intention of playing, truthfully I must of done this a while ago because I have no idea what games I deleted!

Physical Games (12) - No change, nothing added or removed.

Total = 92 Games

FALSE ALARM - I do have access to a gaming PC but sorry I'll just stick to PS5 gaming for now. So no Steam backlog list.

Shopping

2026 Target is spend less than £100 - Total spent £66.00

No change, nothing purchased

Want
Added The Artful Escape, Mixtape, Replaced & Outbound to my wishlist

Bin

Nothing really, just the lack of time for gaming!

End of March Update - I am weak!

2026-04-07T16:17:00.002+01:00

Play

Star Wars Outlaws (PS5) - Playing

After taking a gaming break for Ramadan, I'm back into playing this on a regular basis.
I'm currently planet hopping collecting resources to upgrade the speeder & ship.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (PS5) - Binned
I've binned this, sorry I'm never free in the evenings for PMG gaming.

2026 Gaming Resolutions
1. Purchase no more physical games until I have reduced my backlog to 3 titles (currently at 13!).

Fail - Purchased Eriksholm

2. I did well in 2025 and avoided buying the PS5 Pro and Switch 2, I need to keep that going in 2026, no new hardware purchases except if required PS5 controllers.

Still Intact! Sort of, I did purchase a Switch 2 but that was for my daughter to enjoy Pokopia.

3. I have £80 on PSN credit and this all I can use until I reduce my digital backlog to 10 titles (either by playing or dropping, currently at 35 games). No more shopto top up codes!

Still intact - I have not purchased any new PSN credit.

4. I did really well this year with FOMO, I did not go back to Fortnite even with the Simpsons map or the BTTF skins, I also avoided purchasing Arc Raiders. I don't have the free time for these type of games. Need to avoid the hype and just play what I already own.

Still intact, no FOMO

Backlog

Digital Games (43) - Purchased quite a few including Death Stranding 2

PS+ Monthly (19) - No change, nothing new added

Physical Games (12) - Added Eriksholm

Total = 74 Games

Alert - Steam Backlog inbound!

Shopping

2026 Target is spend less than £100 - Total spent £66.00

Purchased Death Stranding 2, Sea of Stars & Eriksholm.

Want
Added Stranger Than Heaven & R Type Cosmos to the Wishlist.

Bin

Being weak and buying yet another physical game!

UGVM PMG - I don't game in the evenings so can't really take part in these anymore.

A few days late! - End of February update - I'm still an Outlaw!

2026-03-05T14:43:00.001+00:00

Play

Star Wars Outlaws (PS5) - Playing

Still playing Star Wars Outlaws.

Currently exploring Akiva and unlocking it's many mysteries.

I'm really enjoying this, it's easily the best Star Wars game I have played. Space Combat took me a while to figure out but it has now clicked. You just need to figure out which combat options you want and upgrade the defences.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (PS5) - Playing

It's Ramdan so I've not had much time to play it

2026 Gaming Resolutions

1. Purchase no more physical games until I have reduced my backlog to 3 titles (currently at 13!).

Still intact, no further changes

2. I did well in 2025 and avoided buying the PS5 Pro and Switch 2, I need to keep that going in 2026, no new hardware purchases except if required PS5 controllers.

Still Intact! Nothing purchased, I have been tempted by pre-owned Steam Decks.

3. I have £80 on PSN credit and this all I can use until I reduce my digital backlog to 10 titles (either by playing or dropping, currently at 35 games). No more shopto top up codes!

Still intact, no new games purchased, the kids used up some my PSN credit to purchase some Resident Evil games.

4. I did really well this year with FOMO, I did not go back to Fortnite even with the Simpsons map or the BTTF skins, I also avoided purchasing Arc Raiders. I don't have the free time for these type of games. Need to avoid the hype and just play what I already own.

Still intact, no FOMO

Backlog

Digital Games (37) - No new additions

PS+ Monthly (19) - Same again nothing new added

Physical Games (11) -Ditto, nothing new added

Total = 67 Games

Shopping

2026 Target is spend less than £100 - Total spent £0.00

Kids spent £7.98 of my PSN credit on Resident Evil 5 & 6

Want

Nothing new, to be honest I have not really been following up on gaming news

Bin

Severe lack of gaming time due to Ramadan and just life!

End of January - C'est Magnifique

2026-02-01T14:29:00.001+00:00

Play

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 (PS5) - Completed

Believe the hype!

Just tick off the checklist below and go and play.

1. Do you enjoy turn-based action RPGs like the old school Final Fantasy games?

2. Do you enjoy a story with a great cast of characters?

3. Do you enjoy a lovely soundtrack and gourgeus graphics?

It also has waterfalls!

Star Wars Outlaws (PS5) - Playing

Sticking with the physical backlog time to enjoy some science fiction action with Star Wars Outlaws.

You play as Kay Vess a young theif/scoundrel who has to escape her home planet after a heist mission goes wrong, with her companion Nix she escapes and lands on Tosharra a planet covered in windswept plains & canyons.

You can explore the planet on your speeder and find treasure, interact with one of the many factions including the Imperials to unlock contracts & missions. You also have the Trailblazer ship to explore outerspace & begin your adventure!

Yes, it has waterfalls!

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (PS5) - Playing

The Claptrap Boys are back! with a weekly PMG enjoying another Gearbox game in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands which is set in a fantasy-themed tabletop world. It plays just as you expect, you get lots of missions and lots of loot!

I've gone with the Spore Warden class which also has a toxic mushroom companion that helps attacks nearby enemies.

It's good to be back playing with the crew and thankfully everything worked smoothly with party chat!

The game also has waterfalls!

2026 Gaming Resolutions

1. Purchase no more physical games until I have reduced my backlog to 3 titles (currently at 13!).

Still intact reduced down to 11 (Started Star Wars Outlaws/Tiny Tina Wonderlands).

2. I did well in 2025 and avoided buying the PS5 Pro and Switch 2, I need to keep that going in 2026, no new hardware purchases except if required PS5 controllers.

Still intact, nothing purchased.

3. I have £80 on PSN credit and this all I can use until I reduce my digital backlog to 10 titles (either by playing or dropping, currently at 35 games). No more shopto top up codes!

I will renew PS+ at the essentials tier in November, I don't need the extra tier it just adds more titles to my backlog!

Still intact, no new games purchased, I spent £13.99 from the exsisting PSN credit on Star Wars Outlaws season pass.

Still intact, I have been tempted by ARC Raiders but thus far have managed to avoid being weak!

Backlog

Digital Games (37) - +2 added The Witcher 3 DLC that I purchased a few years ago but have never played.

PS+ Subscription - I scrapped the PS+ Extra list because it is not a backlog for games that I have purchased just titles that are avalable on the subscription service that I want to enjoy.

PS+ Monthly (19) - Unchanged, my main focus in on the Physical Games list.

Physical Games (11) -2 Started playing Star Wars Outlaws & Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

Total = 67 Games

Shopping

Star Wars Outlaws Season Pass £13.99 (from exsisiting PSN credit)

2026 Target is spend less than £100

Want

I did enjoy playing the demos of Tainted Grail which scratched my Skyrim itch & Dragon Quest VII Reimagined just looks gourgeus!

Both added to the wishlist.

Bin

Nothing at all this month.

2026 - Happy New Year & 2025 GOTY is obviously not Clair Obscur.

2026-01-02T13:23:00.003+00:00

Play

As Dusk Falls (PS5) - Completed

An interactive "telltale" like game about a family whilst relocating to St. Louis are forced to stop at a motel and chaos ensues.

An enjoyable story with multiple characters that does end on a mild cliffhanger, not sure if the studio Interior Night has any plans to continue the story.

It even has a waterfall scene!

Sword of the Sea (PS5) - Completed

A stunningly beautiful game where you ride a hoverboard and help to bring back water to a desert. Who else but Austin Wintory with yet another amazing soundtrack. If you enjoyed Journey you will love this & it has some amazing waterfalls!

Clair Obscur - Expeditions 33 (PS5) - Playing

With the extended break from work it was time to start another physical game from my backlog & what else but the darling of award shows and many gamers GOTY, Clair Obscur Expeditions 33.

I can't say anything about the game that you have not already read or listened but yes it lives up to the hype. If not the sountrack then the art style or engrossing story and characters. Maybe it's the turn-based battles with it's parry/dodge mechanic or that each character has a unique fighting style to master.

I was hoping I may be able to complete it before the end of the year but I don't want to rush it and enjoy every beautifully crafted section of the game.

In summary I wish Square Enix are taking notes, this is what the Final Fantasy games should have been.

Oh! and yes it has some beautiful waterfalls!

Game of the Year 2025

Overall I'm happy with my gaming year starting with the juggernaut that is Cyberpunk 2025 & what a game it was! A pleasure to explore Night City and uncover it's many secrets. Without going any further let me just say this is my game of the year! even before I started playing the Phantom Liberty DLC.

I then enjoyed some british humour in Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe before going back to the 80s for Robocop Rogue City. We can ignore Pure Mini Golf a 32p purchase for an easy platinum lol!

Road 96 was the first of many interactive "telltale" like games I would enjoy this year and no year is complete without an RGG game and Like A Dragon Ishin! scratched that itch!

Balatro should come with a warning label, easily the most addictive game I've played in a long time and even now I keep coming back to just to have one more run!

Ghostwire Tokyo was an unexpected surprise that I enjoyed very much including the scary school sequence! Fantasy Life i told me how fragile a human being I am with constant RSI pains due to it's lack of accessbility options for the quicktime events. It also taught me I should always quit playing games if I am not enjoying.

Dredge was a relaxing fishing game with a mysterious story to enjoy & Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 1 another interactive game from one of my favourite developers Don't Nod.

Messenger an impressibe acheivement for a short browser based game, The Invincible is a first person sci-fi adventure based on the 1964 novel.

I then found my digital crack in Wordle, Connections & Strands. I still play all three daily but did give up on Spelling Bee & Pips.

Promise Mascot Agency was an enjoyable "Kairosoft" like game with a yakuza backstory, it is also the first game I have purchased in years that I started playing straight away.

Hole.io kep me entertained for a few days gobbling up buildings. Then back to back interactive titles in Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 2 & As Dusk Falls. Finishing off the year with Sword of the Sea.

2026 Gaming Resolutions

New year! and some new resolutions that I can break!

1. Purchase no more physical games until I have reduced my backlog to 3 titles (currently at 13!).

2. I did well in 2025 and avoided buying the PS5 Pro and Switch 2, I need to keep that going in 2026, no new hardware purchases except if required PS5 controllers.

3. I have £80 on PSN credit and this all I can use until I reduce my digital backlog to 10 titles (either by playing or dropping, currently at 35 games). No more shopto top up codes!

I will renew PS+ at the essentials tier in November, I don't need the extra tier it just adds more titles to my backlog!

4. I did really well this year with FOMO, I did not go back to Fortnite even with the Simpsons map or the current BTTF skins, I also avoided purchasing Arc Raiders. I don't have the free time for these type of games. Need to avoid the hype and just play what I already own.

Backlog

Digital Games (35) - +4 See shopping below

PS+ Subscription (3) - Reduced by 1, Sword of the Sea & As Dusk Falls completed & Planet Coaster 2 added.

PS+ Monthly (19) - Reduced by 1, can't remember what title I dropped?! It was Viewpoint!

Physical Games (13) - added two see shopping below

Total = 70 Games (gone up by three from last month!)

Shopping

Stupid end of year sales!

Shadow Gambit - Cursed Crew - £8.74 - Backlog
Steamworld Heist 2 - £6.24 - Backlog
Beyond Galaxyland - £7.49 - Backlog
Gears of War Reloaded £15.99 - Physical Backlog
Helldivers 2 £19.99 - Physical Backlog
A Way Out £4.49 - Backlog
The Quarry £8.44 - For Nemo/Sam to enjoy
and Roger £4.29 - First game I have purchased on the switch in a long time!

2025 Total £399.72!

2026 Target is spend less than £100

Want

Quite a few titles I'm interested in from The Game Awards show including

The First Shepherd, Bradley the Badger, Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic, Control Resonant, Gang of Dragon, No Law, Tomb Raider Catalyst & Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis, 007 First Light & Pragmata.

Bin

My own weakness for buying more games when I have enough games to enjoy already!

Happy New Year!

Playstation Wrap 2025

2025-12-10T13:08:00.005+00:00

Overall less hours played than in 2024 (884) with only 647 hours & 215 of that spent enjoying Cyberpunk 2077.

I was more ruthless with quitting games I was not enjoying (although I did persist with Fantasy Life i) after a few hours like recent examples Pacific Drive & Thank Goodness Your'e Here.

Hoping to start on one of the big hitters from my physical backlog over xmas.

December - Is it that time of the year already!

2025-12-02T10:32:00.001+00:00

Play

Wordle, Strands & Connections (Android)

Still playing these three games on a daily basis, Wordle streak is at 65 days! Connections is the tougher game of the three and my max streak is 37 days with 21 Perfect Puzzles & Strands is all perfect, 67 games played with 100% solved.

It Takes Two (PS5)

Very slow progress on this, always waiting for my co-op partner to be available. But I do like beating her at the mini-games

Lost Records Bloom & Rage - Tape 2 (PS5) - Completed

Continues from the first game with the girls reliving their memories and looking for closure. It's a telltale-like game with freedom to explore but does have the dreaded timer to pressure you into decisions.

Hole.io (PS5) - Completed

Sometimes the simple games are the most fun, perfect for a few minutes of gaming.

Of course I end with a Waterfall video from Pacific Drive which I started but just could not gel to it and enjoy.

December Gaming Plans

Hopefully some more time enjoying It Takes Two, starting and completing As Dusk Falls & Sword of the Sea (both of which are short games, according to HLTB) & deciding which of my physical games I start for Christmas?! I'll leave that as a surprise for next month's post!

Backlog

Digital Games (31) - No change including no new purchases!

PS+ Subscription (4) - Reduced by 1, I completed Lost Records Tape 2, I did add Pacific Drive & Thank Goodness but then promptly took them off (see bin)

PS+ Monthly (20) - No change

Physical Games (12) - +1 in Dragons Dogma 2

Total = 67 Games

Shopping

Purchased Steamworld Dig 2 & Steamworld Build on digital & Dragons Dogma 2 on Physical (I had £10 bonus points to use on Game Collection), and yes I still need to play the first game!

Want

Wishlist is reduced by 2 because Pacific Drive & Thank Goodness were added to Playstation Extra

Bin

Trophies - I've now turned off all notifications for trophies to allow me to just enjoy games the way I want to and not have some tickbox exercise, it really helped me enjoy Lost Records Tape 2 not having to worry about collectables or pointless trophies.

Pacific Drive

I was curious about this but maybe it's the UI or playing with a controller I found it quite cumbersome and got bored of the crafting. It did have a waterfall in the game!

Thank Goodness You're Here

Another game that was on my wishlist and I'm glad I did not purchase, yes it's a comedy game but it's very crude comedy with sexual innuendos and yeah not for me, deleted!

Xbox 360 - "Happy 20th Birthday"

2025-11-18T07:15:00.002+00:00

20 years old this year, Happy Birthday Xbox 360

The "Xbox 360" has a special place in our household; it was, and still is, the "best" console ever. I am outvoted by my five kids!

Around 2004/5 (PS2), I was done with console gaming and went back to the PC. In 2008, whilst browsing Gumtree, I came across a listing for an Xbox 360 with 20+ games for £240! which was a stupidly cheap price. Phoned up, and it was still available. The seller was leaving the country and could not take it with him.

Games included Halo 3, Burnout Revenge, Perfect Dark Zero, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Skate & Crackdown

I was partway through playing Bioshock on the PC (still haven't completed it!) and was gobsmacked by Halo & Burnout.

It was my kids' first "family console", sorry, Nintendo. My kids were 11, 8 & 6, and they loved Halo 3, Skate & the indie games like Keflings. It cemented the joy of local co-op gaming, started the "Claptrap Boys" (a group of friends that I played with every week), and I have played some of the best games ever on the 360

Notable Mentions (2008 to 2014)

Halo 3 - The best local co-op experience playing with my son & Halo 3 Forge mode kept my kids entertained for years! Duck hunt, anyone?

Fallout 3 - Bethesda at their best!

Shadow Complex - One of the best Metroidvania games I have ever played

Batman: Arkham Asylum - which I purchased for £1 from a car boot sale!

Borderlands - The start of the "Claptrap Boys"

Assassin's Creed Games - They are still making them? Why am I still playing them?!

Limbo - A masterpiece of "indie" gaming

Skyrim - Bethesda at their best! It was all downhill after that!

Mass Effect Trilogy - Who knew that there would be a better sci-fi video game than Halo!

Red Dead Redemption - "Chef's kiss"

Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Will this IP ever come back alive?

Skate, Toy Story 3, Keflings, Geometry Wars, Forza Horizon, Walking Dead, Dead Space, Call of Duty Modern Warfare, Minecraft, Left 4 Dead, Braid, Trials, Peggle, Plants vs Zombies, X-Com, Puzzle Quest, Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons & lots more I can't think of at the top of my head & the kids are not around to chime in with their favourites.

So for the Khan household, the XBOX 360 is the GOAT & it is still set up so the kids can have a nostalgia trip whenever they want.

November - Autumnal Vibes

2025-11-09T12:27:00.001+00:00

Play

Currently Playing

Wordle, Strands & Connections (Android)

Finally got a perfect with a video game category!

I'm enjoying playing daily Wordle, Connections & Strands. I've given up on Spelling Bee (requires in-app subscription to progress) & Pips (is pretty easy on the first two levels and Hard is difficult to play on mobile phone).

Hole.io (PS5)

A simple game where you start off as a tiny hole and have to eat things to get bigger, lol it's great fun!

Balatro (PS5)

Back at this trying to crack the Purple Stake on the Yellow Deck!

It Takes Two (PS5)

I missed this off last month post but started this with Nemo, now I just need to get here attention off Simpsons Fortnite & Skate to get back to playing it!

November Plans

To play Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 2 & Sword of the Sea

Completed

Lost Records Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 (PS5)

Developed by Don't Nod (I do enjoy playing their games!), this is a story about four girls who go back to the town of Velvet Cove to relive the summer of 1995, will be starting Tape 2 soon.

8/10

Messenger (Browser)

Gobsmacked that it runs in a browser, nice and short, 20 to 30 mins max with a handful of fetch-type quests, but lovely to explore.

Go play it https://messenger.abeto.co/

5/10

The Invincible (PS5)

A video game adaptation of a science fiction novel by Stanislaw Lem, looks stunning; gameplay is mainly a walking sim type.

7/10

Promise Mascot Agency (PS5)
For the first time in forever, I purchased, played & completed a game in the same month!

Really enjoyed this, it feels like a large-scale "Kairosoft" game with a funny cast of characters & a Yakuza story. This would not look out of place in a RGG Yakuza game.

8/10

Yet another Waterfall!

Backlog

Current Backlog

I have had a proper look through my backlog to remove games I have no intention of playing or have expired in the subscription service.

Digital Games - 31 with new purchases inc Darkest Dungeon & Steamworld Dig 2.

PS+ Subscription - 5, I've added As Dusk Falls (looking forward to playing this story game)

PS+ Monthly - 20 (recently added Cocoon & Alan Wake 2)

Physical Games - 11 (no new additions)

Total 67 Games (Reduced by 25 from last month!)

Shopping

I've added a new Shopping page to the top, current total is £310.27!

https://www.gospvg.com/p/2025-shopping.html

I upgraded Alan Wake 2 to the Deluxe editiion to get the DLC, purchased and completed Promise Mascot Agency in the same month!, Papa Quiz for £1.99 is something to enjoy with the family & Darkest Dungeon, I blame Abbas who was singing it's praises!

Want

Current Wishlist is at 27 Games (added Paradise Killer) but I need to focus on the games above!

Bin

Nothing again, I think I'll remove this section going forward if nothing to add.

October - Once a gamer always a gamer!

2025-10-03T12:43:00.004+01:00

Play

Dredge (PS5) - Completed

Once a gamer, always a gamer. I took a few weeks off gaming to rest & had a doctors/physio appointment for my RSI. Anyway enough of that and back to gaming, Dredge has been on my PS+ Subscription backlog for a while and I was keen to play it before it left the service.

It is a nice short indie title where you steer a boat around collecting fish/loot to sell and use that cash to upgrade your boat. There is a main quest that has you collect trinkets for a mysterious man (all is revealed in time).

Be careful when going out at night & always make sure you get your sleep!

Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 1

From the makers of Life is Strange (which is still on my backlog) Don't Nod this is a story about four girls who reunite 27 years later after spending a summer together in 1995

It is not a game that can be played in small chunks due a checkpoint system so I'm only really paying at weekends to ensure I can complete a story section.

Wordle

I've heard about it but I've only gotten into this from the kids mentioning it, it is part of my daily routine now to spend a few minutes completing or on a couple of occasions failing and not guessing the correct word.

I play on the New York Times games app & thus have also been enjoying Pips (Domino puzzle game), Spelling Bee, although this only let's you play up to the solid rank before promoting the subscription. Connections which I'm really bad at! & Strands which I do enjoy.

Backlog

I've purchased a few more games in Shadowrun Trilogy & Shadow Warrior Trilogy both were recently on sale and on my wishlist.

Current Backlog

Digital Games - 44 (added six with Shadowrun & Shadow Warrior Trilogy)

PS+ Subscription - 16

PS+ Monthly - 24

Physical Games - 11

Total 95 Games

October Targets

- Don't buy anymore games!

- Carry on playing shorter length games with Sword of the Sea next

Want

Current Wishlist is at 27 Games (added two in Harmony - The Fall of Reverie & Tactical Breach Wizards)

Bin

Nothing for September, I enjoyed my time off gaming catching up on TV shows.

September - RSI Pains

2025-09-10T09:38:00.002+01:00

Play

Fantasy Life I (PS5) - Completed

I should have quit playing this game on the first button-tapping mini game, it just aggravated my RSI pain.

Thus for now I have taken a break from gaming & catching up on some TV shows, if you have not watched already I would strongly recommend Shogun (Disney+) & The Penguin (Now TV/Sky)

Backlog

I have not purchased anything else, I did spend a bit of time moving from the google spreadsheet over to Backloggd to track what games I have to play.

Want

Nothing

Bin

Mohsin spent a bit of time taking the PS5 controllers apart to fix the stick drift issues, thank you kid.

Fantasy Life showed the lack of disability features in some games are very poor.

August 2025 - It's going to be a takedown!

2025-08-06T11:38:00.001+01:00

Yes I've watched K-Pop Demon Hunters!

Play

Fantasy Life I (PS5)

It's been a while since I have played an Animal Crossing/Stardew Valley style cosy game. Fantasy Life I has many different classes from fishing, combat to crafting.

Ghostwire Tokyo (PS5) - Completed

The last few boss battles were a bit challenging but completed last month, there were still many activities left on the map but I am not a fan of the Ubisoft style of filling a map with icons.

Backlog

Shopping

Added Fantasy Life I & Indiana Jones & the Great Circle.

I spent a bit of time sorting out my PlayStation Library into Subscription, Monthly & Purchased games. Currently sitting at 93 games!

I'll focus on the subscription games before they leave the service.

Want

A few more titles added to my wish-list in Promise Mascot Agency & Thank Goodness you're here.

Bin

Stick drift, one of my PS5 controllers has started to drift.

July 2025 - It's too hot to play video games!

2025-07-09T10:29:00.005+01:00

Play

Ghostwire Tokyo (PS5)

You can fight the supernatural with Wind, Water or Fire attacks, but I like the stealth approach with the bow. It does have mild jump scares, but overall, it's fun to explore Tokyo. I also like there are lots of pets in the game.

Like A Dragon Ishin (PS5) (Completed)

I enjoyed this very much; always a good feeling playing a RGG game, and the Wild Dancer style is so much fun.

Balatro (PS5) (Completed)

I'm done with this, I've completed as many decks as I can It's an addictive game, and I've spent enough hours with it already.

Backlog

Shopping

Added more purchases to my backlog! in Atomfall, Like A Dragon Pirate Yakuza, Tiny Tina Wonderlands & Claire Obscur.

Want

I enjoyed the many not E3 showcases and added more games to my wishlist.

Bin

I need to stop buying more games, although I am at least playing on a regular basis.

June 2025 - I completed two games in a month!

2025-06-04T11:57:00.006+01:00

Play

Like A Dragon Ishin (PS5)

I did not know this was a remake of a 2014 PS3 title, I'm enjoying the new setting and the game play is the familiar yakuza style.

As always I am distracted by the side content, this time fishing & gardening.

Balatro (PS5)

The addiction is real, I've completed the first few decks but trying to manage the digital crack and have left it alone to enjoy Ishin.

Robocop Rogue City (PS5) - COMPLETED

I enjoy this janky action shooter and even went and got the last few trophies for the platinum.

Road 96 (PS5) - COMPLETED

Completing two games in a month! A miracle I know!

This is what happens when you avoid huge open world games, Road 96 is a procedural indie game that has you helping teenagers escape from a politically charged country.

Backlog

Shopping

Purchased two physical games in System Shock & Star Wars Outlaws.

Want

I'm not interested in the Switch 2 but looking forward to the many Not E3 showcases this month.

Bin

Nothing, the bin is empty

May 2025 - Finally completed Cyberpunk 2077!

2025-05-02T12:58:00.000+01:00

Play

Phantom Liberty (PS5)

I completed Phantom Liberty and finally waved goodbye to Cyberpunk 2077. After 220 hours of gaming it was finally time to move on from Night City.

Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe (PS5)

I need to take a break from long timesink gaming and returned back to the indie scene and enjoyed and completed The Stanley Parable.

Robocop Rogue City (PS5)

Next up I recently started Robocop Rogue City which has an old school shooter feel including janky voice acting & character animation.

Backlog

Shopping

Nothing purchased in April, now that I have finished Cyberpunk I can focus on my backlog and I'm specifically looking at games that can be completed in less than 50 hours. I need to try and avoid timesink games.

Want

Great reviews for Clair Obscur Expedition 33 and I hope to enjoy this at some point during the year.

Maybe Oblivion which was shadow dropped, I have never played this game. Skyrim is my only elder scrolls game.

PS+ games for May have been announced and I'm looking forward to playing Balatro. What did I just say about timesinks?

Bin

Games coming off PS Plus subscription service, I wish all additions had at least a year or they clearly show when they are leaving the service so you can decide to start playing or not.

April 2025 - I have finally finished Cyberpunk 2077, well sort of!

2025-04-07T10:54:00.001+01:00

Play

Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5)

After exploring every nook and cranny of Night City & enjoying the multiple different endings. I've finally completed Cyberpunk 2077 and got the platinum.

Except ...

Phantom Liberty (PS5)

I have gone straight into playing the the Phantom Liberty DLC.

One annoyance I did have with the game is in place it it very dark and there is no brightness setting or torches in the future?!

Backlog

Shopping

£23 spent on a pre-owned Metaphor ReFantazio

PlayStation Plus (To Play)

Yet another game I want to play in Robocop was added.

Want

I have no interest in the Switch 2 but interesting to see the RRP of games increasing with Mario Kart World (the obvious spiritual successor to Burnout Paradise)

Bin

Lack of time to gaming, I'm always too busy doing something else

March 2025 - Yes I am still playing Cyberpunk 2077!

2025-02-28T10:36:00.000+00:00

Play

Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5)

I have gone past the 100 hour mark in this game now, I have fully decked our Gold Tier Cyber Implants and I still tend to default to using hacking skills and stealth combat, usually by hacking a camera and using that to take out nearby enemies preferably by explosive devices.

I am focusing on increasing my Solo & Shinobi skills so default to Shotgun/Assault Rifle when required, the other skills are nearly all maxed out. Truthfully combat with guns is way too easy with the Smart Assault Rifle.

I love exploring and finding side quests or an NPC mission, it is a huge open world.

I started the game at the beginning of the year so it is going to take me a long while yet before I complete it!

It Takes Two (PS5)

My daughter wanted to try this and it's an enjoyable co-op action platformer with some light puzzle sequences. We played for a few hours and hopefully I can convince her to get back to it so we can complete it.

Backlog

On the shelf

Annoyingly, I only lasted 5 weeks into the new year before purchasing a game!

Fist of the North Star (£3.99 in a PSN Sale) released by RGG Studio (Now you can understand my weakness!) for that price it was too good an offer to say no & RGG can do not wrong.

No idea when I am going to play it because Cyberpunk 2077 is eating up all my gaming time & I have not even got to the Phantom Liberty DLC!

PlayStation Plus (To Play)

Star Wars Jedi Survivor & Dragon Age Veilguard was recently added to PS+ so looking forward to enjoying those games.

Want

Nothing, nothing at all, I just need more time to enjoy gaming!

Bin

Starting a game, one annoying little gripe with Cyberpunk 2077 on the PS5 is having to press continue four times to load the game, I do wish there was a continue feature on the PS5 dashboard like Infinite Wealth that took me straight into the game from my latest save file. I do miss the Xbox Quick Resume feature.

February 2025 - I'm a netrunner baby!

2025-02-06T12:12:00.001+00:00

Play

Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5)

It has taken me a while to understand all the systems at play in the game but I finally have my Netrunner V, going in with Contagion & using Overdrive for Synapse Burnout. If all else fails my trust Tier 5 pistol can headshot for 150% damage!

The star of the game is Night City, just an amazing city to explore and so much to discover from random gang fights to gigs.

I am currently about 75 hours in but I expect I will be playing this game for all of February and maybe even March!

Want

I stayed strong and avoided purchasing Star Wars Outlaw, I just need to focus on enjoying what I own.

I have added a few more titles to my shopping list and currently it is quite long but I won't be buying anything for a long while.

Baldurs Gate 3, Star Wars Jedi Survivor, Shadow Gambit Cursed Crew, Star Wars Outlaws, Ghost of Yotei, Metal Gear Solid Delta, Death Stranding 2, Like a Dragon Pirate Yakuza, Assassin's Creed Shadows, Mafia The Old Country, The Alters, Clair Obscur Expedition 33, Kriegsfront Tactics, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream & Dispatch.

Bin

Nothing except maybe my lack of gaming time at the moment being limited to a few hours a week.

January 2025 - Happy Cyberpunk 2077 New Year

2025-01-03T09:35:00.002+00:00

Play

After completing the Kaito Files DLC for Lost Judgement, I've just been dabbling around trying the odd PS+ title like Forspoken, Nobody Saves the World, My First Gran Turismo etc but nothing really grabbed my attention.

My daughter is still playing Final Fantasy 7 Remake so the PS5 disc drive slot is full & Spider-Man 2 will have to wait, I purchased Cyberpunk 2077 and the Phantom Liberty DLC in the recent Black Friday sales on digital. The physical release of the game only has a code for the DLC.

Cyberpunk 2077

There are quite a few game mechanics to get your head around and the map opens up very quickly for you to explore. It got me thinking about how a video game introduces a player to the a world and it's mechanics. I think Horizon Zero Dawn did a very good job with only giving the player a small area and introducing each mechanic slowly to ensure the player knew how to control Aloy before opening up the world. Cyberpunk 2077 takes a different approach and throws a lot of mechanics at you almost immediately and opens up the world map for you to explore. Thus I'm taking it a little bit slowly to understand how best to use the hacking skills, combat & all the various different side quests/jobs you can take on before I venture out to explore the world.

Want

I double stacked on PS+ during Black Friday sales so this will be my main source for new titles, I have quite a bit on my backlog that I have purchased either physical or digital & plan to enjoy these before going shopping.

Spider-Man 2 & Shadow Tactics (Physical). Outer Wilds, Empire of the Sin & Front Mission 1st (Digital), Like A Dragon Ishin, Disco Elysium, Sackboy & Bioshock Collection (PS+)

There are quite a few games released (Star Wars Outlaws, Shadow Gambit, Baldurs Gate 3) or coming soon (Like A Dragon Pirate Yakuza) that I want to purchase but nothing that I need now so they can all wait.

Bin

Fortnite - The one game in 2024 that sucked so much of my gaming time.

Playstation Wrap 2024

2024-12-13T11:32:00.005+00:00

2024 Playstation Wrap, I have played far too much Fortnite this year and glad I have finally broken free from the addiction!

884 hours played across 54 games (some which I abandoned or just played for an hour to see if it would bite) but gaming will always be my number one past time

gospvg - getting old and still playing video games

December Update - Game of the Year 2024

2024-12-03T10:04:00.000+00:00

Playing Now

Football Chairman 2 & Suika (Android)

After what feels like forever I am back playing on mobile! I got a voucher from the Play Store and use it to purchase Football Chairman 2.

Rohan Rovers are currently in Division 2 and fighting for promotion.

Another mobile game that I've been playing is Suika a simple game like 2048 where you join fruit together to challenge for a high score.

Kaito Files (PS5)

I've completed Lost Judgement and purchased the Kaito Files DLC in the recent Black Friday sale, it's a short 4 chapter story but thankfully has no sidequests and you can get stuck into the story.

Playing Complete

Lost Judgment (PS5)

Back with Yagami and Kaito on another detective adventure, I do enjoy the slower pace of these games and the addition of the skateboard makes traversal around the map much easier. I complete some of the sidequests but soon got bored of these and just focused on the main story. I've nearly caught up with the RGG games just Like A Dragon Ishin left to enjoy & the release of Pirate Yakuza next year.

Shopping/Playing Next

With 30% Black Friday offer I renewed Playstation Plus and managed to get the offer to double stack until December 2026.

For once I did not purchase any Physical Games at all during the sales.

After Kaito Files I'm going to take a bit of a break to catch-up on some films/tv shows I want to enjoy and then will start Spider-Man 2 over Christmas.

Game of the Year 2024

Excluding Fortnite/FC 24 & my return to mobile gaming it's been a bit of a poor year for completing games with only eight games completed but I enjoyed kicking of the year with Assassin's Creed Mirage, a much shorter game not filled with the usual Ubisoft bloat.

Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth had a great story especially Kiryu's. Like always these games have a stack of side content that just eat the hours away.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake also had a stack of side content but went for the ubisoft formula of copy/paste all over the map and I soon gave up on this to just enjoy the main story which was a a bit of a rollercoaster but not bad for a remix.

I expected Dave the Diver to be a short indie title but how wrong was I when I completed the game over fourty hours later!

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden was my surprise of the year and way better than I was expecting with a great storyline and satisfying combat.

Miasma Chronicles was an X-Com style strategy title by the developers of Mutant Year Zero and whilst the story is pretty much boring the combat was enjoyable especially with the various skills at your disposable.

I manage to catch-up also on both the Judgment games whilst reusing the assets of the Yakuza games, RGG introduces new characters in the form of Yagami an ex-lawyer & Kaito an ex Yakuza who form a detective agency. It is a much sower format than the Yakuza games but both games have a main plotline that slowly unravels to reveal it's secrets.

Assassin's Creed Mirage (PS5)
Yakuza Like A Dragon - Infinite Wealth (PS5)
Final Fantasy 7 Remake (PS5)
Dave the Diver (PS5)
Judgment (PS5)
Banishers Ghosts of New Eden (PS5)
Miasma Chronicles (PS5)
Lost Judgment (PS5)

Yakuza Infinite Wealth is my game of the year just because of how RGG managed to connect Kiryu & Ichiban stories together and fill the game with so much varied side content that you never get bored. A special mention also to Banishers Ghosts of New Eden (PS5).

October/November 2024 Update

2024-11-13T12:33:00.005+00:00

I’ve been away a few weeks thus the lack of an October update

Playing Now

Lost Judgment (PS5)
I’ve gone off a few games in The Plucky Squire (looks lovely but getting back from holiday I was just not enjoying it) & Rise of Ronin was not what I expected, it is a very janky game and the spoonfed tutorial put me off. So back with RGG and this time Lost Judgment which see the crew team up again for another investigation. Loving the skateboard traversal.

Playing Complete

Miasma Chronicles (PS5)
A turn-based strategy title from the studio behind Mutant Year Zero, it uses the same engine with slight changes to gameplay in abilities. The plot and voice acting is very B-tier and can mostly be ignored, I play these games for the gameplay and enjoy pulling off overwatch kills or long range snipes.

Fortnite (PS5)
I need to break free from this game, it has taken up far too much of my time this year and with my limited gaming time I need to enjoy my backlog.

Playing Next
I am working my way through my backlog and have only three physical games in Like A Dragon Ishin, Spider-Man 2 & Shadow Tactics. I have quite a bit more in digital purchases most notably CyberPunk 2077 + DLC & Outer Wilds.

I’m not going to be buying anything for a while but my shopping list is below and my PS+ subscription expires next month so need to consider if I wish to renew or not?

Physical Purchase Shopping List
Star Wars Outlaws (I'm going to wait for a game-of-the-year edition with all the DLC)
Ghost of Yotei (I expect will get delayed to 2026)
Metal Gear Solid Delta (Will wait for reviews)
Death Stranding 2 (More Kojima goodness/weirdness)
Like A Dragon Pirate Yakuza (I may purchase on release if I can find a decent pre-order)
Star Wars Jedi Survivor (I expect this will come to PS+ at some point soon)
AC Shadows (I do enjoy the AC games, stealth....stealth..stab!)
Mafia The Old Country (Again I expect will get delayed to 2026)

Digital Purchase Shopping List
Baldurs Gate 3
Shadow Gambit