Call it being stingey or savvy, getting your money’s worth out of anything you purchase with your hard earned cash is always a great feeling.

In the past year I have experienced the most significant change in my life in welcoming my daughter into the world and becoming a dad, so naturally I have started to stretch every pound as far as it will go.

Overall it’s been an excellent whirlwind that has brought positive new functions to light, particularly when it comes to my gaming habits.

Of course having a baby means less time for gaming but also means more consideration needs to be given to the games you purchase, as there simply isn’t enough time or money to indulge otherwise.

Plus, you have your partner to consider as well. I quickly learned that it isn’t all about you and your need to conquer the most current mound of pixels, but for real this time.

Now it sounds as if I am about to go off on a good moan about it, but in all honesty, I wouldn’t have it any other way now.

If anything I have got back to really appreciating games and taking more time to enjoy everything on offer as opposed to a fly-by tour of all content, which admittedly was the worst habit I picked up covering and reviewing games.

It was great practice for deadlines but terrible for the completionist in me, and rinsing games top to bottom quickly became a thing of the past.

Before this year I never even went near a platinum trophy, simply because there would be something newer to move on to barely by the time I finished the mainline game.

But now, I am starting to appreciate them as both a challenge and an engaging way of really getting my money’s worth out of a game.

Granted, some are hard to the point of being crusty and others are barely even worth getting, but for the two titles where I have actually achieved a platinum trophy in this year, it’s been a blast.

Those two titles were none other than Assassins Creed: Origins and God of War, two excellent games that offered up weeks and weeks of content to play through.

In both cases going for the platinum started out as a by-product of rinsing the game top to bottom, but eventually morphed with my intent to get maximum value out of my time with the game.

Steadily chipping away an hour or so every few nights I eventually clinched the platinum on both, doing all the little things I normally would have zoned out of in the past.

On both occasions I felt the thrill of finally getting a platinum but also got a new sense of satisfaction knowing that the money I had parted ways with was well and truly worth it.

So what? Do I want a medal for all this? Well, aye if I can pawn it…

To sum up, I am growing thankful for this change in my gaming habits, which is surprising as it was something I thought I would struggle with.

Am I playing less than I was before? Yes. But, am I seeing more of the games I play? Also yes.

It’s a positive pivot and one I don’t see changing anytime soon. If anything, it has made me appreciate the time I have to engage with my passion for games all the more.

All that being said though, you would be quicker in saying I am just another sad dude trying to convince himself that he is not slipping away into a purgatory from indulgence…

Either way, I recommend it.