It’s hard to believe that we’ve come to the end of 2014! In fact, tomorrow will be the last post of the year, and we’ll be back ready to kick more strategy guide ass in 2015. Which also means that I’ll wrap up the last few strategy guides I have outstanding for 2014 in January. I hate that that happens, but I can only do so much on my own. I probably could have delegated a couple of these out, but that’s just crazy talk. I wanted these!

The kids are at their grandparents until Christmas Eve, so that means I have two kid-free nights. That also means that finishing Dragon Age: Origins or die trying starts TONIGHT. I think I have a decent save I can fall back on to get myself properly prepared, and if not, well, I’ll be replaying a bit more than planned. It happens to the best of us. You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to sticking a fork in this game so I can move on to Awakening.

And speaking of games I’m ready to be done with, I’m ready to Platinum in the PS3 version of Diablo 3. I’ve had a lot of issues getting motivated to play that one, and while it mostly has to do with the lack of time, I’m also bored. I’m so tired of running through the game over and over with the same maxed out character. So I had a thought; I have a Barbarian that I originally started with this game, so why I don’t I play with that character and run through all the way to Inferno with that one? Then keep going with new characters until I reach the 5 million gold obtained trophy? Then, THEN I can import those characters into my PS4 version and I’ll be well on the road to getting all of the characters to level 70, which is another trophy. It’s all about getting these Platinum trophies, as dumb as it is. I see that these are obtainable, so I must have them. I MUST!

But as for wrapping up as many strategy guides as we can before 2014 comes to a close, Chris has turned in his review for Super Smash Bros. and I finally have my review for Skylanders Trap Team. That one is so timely, I know, but at least it’s getting done. Better late than never and all that jazz.

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season! We’ll be ready to rock 2015 with this wonderful roll we’ve been on, including more podcasts! Chris and I are having a blast with those, and we hope you all are loving them just as much.

I really hope that games publishers don’t do this every year, where they keep so many months dearth and then cram everything into late October and early November. I really want to have time to play nearly all of the games through completion that are released in the same year, and not have the mad rush where I realize that things just ain’t gonna get done. It affects not only what I vote on for Game of the Year for work, but I hate not getting all of the strategy guides reviewed that I wanted to get done either.

There are two games I have purchased but have not been able to touch at all, and both make me extremely sad (and you can’t blame my obsession on Diablo 3 for either, as I haven’t touched that game in weeks). Nope, Dragon Age Inquisition isn’t on that list of regrets, because I knew by July I couldn’t get that game in.

However, I did think I could play and finish both Call of Duty Advanced Warfare and LEGO Batman 3 by the end of the year. I most likely couldn’t platinum in LEGO Batman 3 as I am wont to do with LEGO games, but I could at least finish the story and the freeplay mode. And maybe have a strategy guide review for the game of all the crazy things.

At least I’m not traveling for the Christmas holidays this year, so I should be able to get some gaming time in, possibly for one or both. Yet I know I have other games I’ve already started and I need to finish for strategy guide review reasons. It’s such a #firstworldproblem, having too many games to play, and I’m well aware of that. I want to be able to do it all and remain sane. IS THAT ASKING TOO MUCH?

Any games you wish you could have played or finished this year? Help me out, I can’t be alone in this.

I don’t have to do all of these markers…AUGH OKAY YES I DO.

You know that thing I’m supposed to do here? Review strategy guides or something? Yeah, I’ve been severely slacking to say the least. I definitely couldn’t have survived without all of Chris’s help, from reviewing his strategy guide load, to his new column, to kicking off our podcast.

Now that I have turned in my second-to-last review of the year for work, it’s time for me to kick my own ass and get in gear with review my stack of strategy guides. I’d love to say that I’m going to get all of these done by the end of the year, and that may happen, but I’m doubtful. It’s a great goal, though!

My first priorities are going to be Assassin’s Creed Unity, Skylanders Trap Team, Sunset Overdrive, and Far Cry 4. I hope to squeeze in Call of Duty Advanced Warfare, but I’ve already started/finished those other games, so they take precedence. Sad thing is, I can’t stop playing Assassin’s Creed Unity even though I have finished the main campaign. I have so many side quests to tackle! And the co-op is still an absolute blast to play. I WILL clear out all of those side quests and hopefully play enough co-op to buy all of the skills so I can unlock all of the chests. Yes, I have a problem, but it’s not a problem. Really, it’s not.

And you know, with all of these guides I still have to review, I’m kind of glad that a strategy guide for Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD ReMix didn’t release, because I definitely wouldn’t have time for that. Even though…my strategy guide bookshelf is quite lopsided without the 2.5 partner to my 1.5 HD ReMix strategy guide. It looks so incomplete and lonely.