So it’s only a matter of months until the world ends, right?  How could I ever forgive myself if I let that happen and never completed some of the BEST games of all time?  I have a games of shame list longer than Santa’s Naughty list (okay, maybe not that long) and I’m going to take the next 11 months before we all transcend to the great open world game in the sky to play through some of them.

Both fortunately and unfortunately, this year isn’t lacking must-play games.  Just taking a look at the hours that will need to be put into playing Kingdoms of Amular: Reckoning, Mass Effect 3, Xenoblade, Borderlands 2, Diablo III, and Radiant Historia (reprint in late March!) is staggering.  And those are just the ones I pre-ordered!  Most likely, I’ll also be picking up at least a few out of Tales of Abyss (If I get a 3DS), Tales of Graces f, Dragon’s Dogma, Asura’s Wrath, Bioshock Infinite, and a few others that are unconfirmed as of yet.  That’s a TON of games in such a short period of time!

So with so many games coming out, why would I pick 2012 to go back?  The answer is simply that I’d really like to move on from some of these games.  These have been the bane of my video game existence, always a thorn in my side when I have to turn off a podcast or not read an article because they talk about spoilers from a game so old.  As a podcaster and “hardcore RPG gamer”, these are staples that not only should I have beat when they came out, but I should have beat multiple times since then!

1. Chrono Trigger

The Game:  The first game on my list should be no surprise for those who listen to KVGT.  I’ve been playing it already since the first week of January and have gotten about 8 hours in.  This game is AMAZING!  It is on my top 10 list even though I’ve never seen any of the endings it offers!

The Reason:  I’ve played through the majority of this game a few times.  The reason I never played it when it first came out is because I didn’t have a SNES!  I first played it on a ROM when I got my laptop back around 2003.  It quickly became a favorite of mine (FROGGGG!) and I was determined to beat it, until I lost my save.  This seemed to be a reoccurring as I’d get a good distance into the game, then stop playing for whatever reason.  Last time I attempted to play was probably 3 or 4 years ago via ROM again and I couldn’t even tell you what happened there!

What’s Different:  I bought it on PSN and have been playing it on my PSP.  For one, the save file is pretty safe, but also if I choose, it’s easy enough to transfer it to my PS3 and play on the big screen!  I’m not tied down to my computer or Playstation 2 to play, I can literally play anywhere!

2. Xenogears

The Game: Xenogears is a PS1 game that has a deep story line dealing in both politics and religion!  It was originally banned in the USA because of this, but was later allowed to be released.  The game has some of the most memorable characters and an awesome Mech combat system!  With all that, it’s the story that really sets this game above many others, making you really think about the world around you.

The Reason:  This game is LONG!  From what I remember, it’s a 70 hour game at it’s core and there is a segment towards the end that almost ruins the game, which is where I got stuck when I played it before.  When it first came out in 1998, I didn’t play it myself, but watched my Dad play it.  He never finished it, so a few years later, I believe it was after the PS2 came out, I sat down and played it myself.  When I got to the segment I talked about above, I never got past it.  I just lost interest, even though the first 80% of the game was so awesome and I hear the ending is great also!

What’s Different:  I can’t say much about this.  I don’t know if it’ll actually happen, but with the ability to play it on PSP (or Vita if I get it), along with on PS3 it’s very possible.

3. Lost Odyssey

The Game: Lost Odyssey is a game about an immortal man who has forgotten what happened to him in the past.  Throughout the game, you meet others who are the same and also unlock story points (beautifully written pieces) from some of the characters past.  In the end, you find there’s more to this than just being immortal and there is a reason you’ve forgotten.

The Reason:  This is probably the biggest game of shame on my list because I still have my save, it’s right before the final dungeon, and I’m over powered for the final boss.  When I played this game originally, I was so into it I wanted to level up and max all my characters out so that I could do the optional dungeon.  The problem with this was it takes a while and it is a little boring!  I don’t know what game it was, but something came out and took my attention away from the game and I never finished the last 2 or 3 hours, so sad really.

What’s Different:  I don’t actually plan on replaying this game from the beginning, although I’m sure I’d enjoy it just as much a second time.  I am hoping I can either find video’s or a website that can give me an in depth story synopsis so that I can just continue my save and go from there.  Being stronger than needed for the final dungeon should make the game pretty easy to get back into and not too frustrating to finish.

4.  Final Fantasy XIII

The Game:  Final Fantasy XIII is the first of the Final Fantasy series on the current gen, which is just sad on it’s own.  It follows characters who are thrown into a fate that they didn’t choose.  The game gets a little political, but for the most part keeps to the light hearted story that Square-Enix likes to.  There is a few side themes that also fit really well into the characters, like a love story, struggle of growing up, guilt of the past, and more.

The Reason:  This game isn’t great.  I’ll just say that.  Like Lost Odyssey, I have a save that’s relatively close to the end (End of Chapter 12), but unlike Lost Odyssey I didn’t stop playing because of a different game, I stopped playing because I lost interest!  I love Final Fantasy and I really want to beat this game and even play Final Fantasy XIII-2, so it’s something I really want to work on.

What’s Different:  Final Fantasy XIII-2 got me excited about the series again, until I played the demo that is.  It was disappointing and I figured it would be another let down.  However, a lot of people who didn’t like XIII are giving this game good ratings, so that makes me think maybe it was just the demo.  I don’t plan on replaying it from the beginning, but if I did I’d buy it on PS3.  I found a youtube channel that has a COMPLETE PLAYTHROUGH in video of the game in about 60 videos.  I’ve already watched the first 25 or so to help refresh my memory of the story before I continue on with my save.  The hardest part about this is getting back into the combat system, although I think it’ll only take a few fights before I remember how to play.

So that’s it for now.  4 games that I am determined to beat in 2012 above and beyond all those that are coming out.  I’ll keep my progress updated while I play in case anyone cares to give me their feedback on any specific game.

If you’d like to let me know your list of old games you must beat, or games you want to go back to, please comment below!