On a podcast a good while ago I opened a can of worms with my "pile of shame" -- the ever growing stack of games still locked away in their shrink-wrap that I mean to play. The awesome Squadron of Shame turned tackling the list into a group adventure and has logged a number of successful missions. Meanwhile, I let my pile grow unattended. That ends in 2010.

A few years ago I committed to finishing more games just for me. I'd gotten lost in a sea of half-started efforts. The only games I was finishing were for review. The first credits I saw roll after that lit a spark that's burned stronger with each game since.

The effect might not be quite so dramatic this time around but for 2010 I'm extending that commitment to include finishing games in my pile of shame. Which ones? Well, I'm not sure. Okami definitely makes the cut, as does the Witcher. After those two I probably have to reassess but as much as I loved two and regretted skipping three it's pretty likely Civ 4 will get the nod too.

With a strong lineup of 2010 games that starts to sound ambitious but it should make for a sweet payoff.