How To Survive The Summer Gaming Drought

Beat back the backlog.

This is probably one of those no-brainer tips, but we have to get it out of the way. While you're waiting around for all the fall blockbusters, it's time to tackle the games that got left behind. Maybe you didn't finish that one title you were really excited about when it launched. Maybe you never opened a game because you bought it on sale. Maybe you have a Steam account—you know how those libraries get after a Humble Indie Bundle.

Create a schedule for yourself. Try to finish a game within a set time period. Take a full day and dedicate it to one title to squeeze out everything it's got left in it. Remove Modern Warfare or whatever multiplayer fare you've got in your disc tray and try to get to that final boss fight.

Beating a game can offer so much more satisfaction than a high score or victory in a multiplayer-focused title. Don't let the immediate gratification of competitive gaming dissuade you from the higher achievement (including those high-value Achievements).

Play with friends.

People have time off. If you're in school, there is plenty of people just like you with more time than they know how to handle. Being at home during the summer can get really lazy, and gaming is great for that kind of attitude, but that doesn't mean you can't socialize while you're at it.

Yes, this is counterintuitive to the first tip I said above, but knock back a few beers (or soda, I don't know how old you are) and get rowdy. Play Super Smash Bros Melee. Haul that analog TV to a friend's house and have an old-school Xbox LAN party. Or take your desktop and have an actual LAN party.

Getting face to face with people is fun gaming. I played a ton of Xbox Live in college because my group of friends was spread out all over California. When we were at home, it was time for split-screen.

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