Etrian Odyssey HD - How Do I Move Forward

This was the first game I started in 2025, and I was really looking forward to go through it. I've had past experience in Wizardry and another Etrian Odyssey from friends, so I was excited to play through a full game myself and draw lots of maps. I did love that aspect! But I found it really difficult to progress forward. I didn't and still don't really understand what the gameplay loop is that lets your grow beyond just the first level. I'll figure it out one day.

Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo - Great Game That Did Not Spark Joy

I'm proud of myself for stepping out of my usual game comfort zone here by hopping into an indie I had no previous knowledge or anything going into. This was also a good practice for me to work on separating my opinion vs trying to look at a game objectively. Very cool game, it just didn't fill some kind of void in my heart while going through it.

Sonic X Shadow Generations - Realizing The Blue Blur Isn't For Me

This is a game I'm really glad I played, cause it gave me tangible evidence to forge my opinion on Sonic. Getting an old game combined with a new game feels like I got to have a fairly decent sample size of what it was vs what it is now. Am I confident that these were the best options? No. But I'd like to think they are. I won't be playing further entries, but I will continue to enjoy from a distance.

Yakuza 4 Remastered - It's More! Of the Same!

You really Can't go wrong with the Yakuza/Like a Dragon formula, but I think it needed to be pushed a little further than 4 did from 3. I did like the new things that 4 brought to the table in its playable cast, but I do think I generally overall prefer what 3 is, with Okinawa and its story. Maybe a cool combo of both would be ideal? We'll see what 5 brings later.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Not Nothing Redemption of a Nothing Region

While this game definitely centered itself around a part of Pokémon I don't prefer as much as what its predecessor did, Z-A was still a fun experience that gave Kalos and Zygarde more than what they had, which was super needed. I still think the Pokémon Company is lacking in certain areas of their games, like the look, or the amount of stuff that they're charging for, but I do think the direction is right.

Miitopia - Silly Concept, Silly Game

This was a really fun game to set up, and I think was a big piece of me forming my opinion on I think making unique ideas even if they don't work out is good, healthy, and honestly needed. It might have had some wonk with the execution and smoothness of the experience of playing the game vs making miis, but I think all of the parts were still enjoyable. I'm also really glad I got to get this game off my backlog at long last.

Rift of the Necrodancer - Really Solid Rhythm Game

What a great rhythm game. What a HARD rhythm game. I still listen to the soundtrack constantly to this day; I don't think it'll leave me anytime soon. That said, the difficulty (plus being busy elsewhere) and the intensity on my fingers is why I haven't really continued with it, but I can't deny the joy I got. Maybe next year I'll venture into the DLC, but like Theatrhythm, when a lot of it is from games I've never played, it makes it a little hard to spend money on it.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles - Another Key Slot of My Final Fantasy Journey

Tactics is so good dude; I'm really really glad it got this remaster around the time I was going to play it anyways. I feel like playing it filled a really core part of the puzzle that is looking at FF as a whole, seeing how it affected everything after it. I do still think if I were to revisit either of them, I'd rather play Advance just a little more, but honestly it's really only the gameplay that prevents me from ranking it any higher in this list. The story was incredible.

Dispatch - Great Combo of Show and Game

Both an expected game and a surprise, Dispatch was definitely a case of "what do you mean this came out already" that I think 2026 is going to hit me with a lot. I really liked the cast and the balance of behind the computer gameplay vs watching a show choosing dialogue. I honestly wish there was more of it.

ENA: Dream BBQ - Perfect Translation of Video To Game

Yet again, another surprise drop; I'm really not good at paying attention to game release dates. The videos already had a video game vibe to them, so the translation to something playable really worked out. I loved the multiple paths, the exploration, which was helped by the supporter edition; it really is just a textbook example of quirky indie with weird as fuck goals and I love it for that. I can't wait for the rest of the game to drop. Bathroom.

Balatro - Pure, Unadulterated, Number Go Up

Balatro really is magic in a jar. It had a great premise, but also goals to reach, which I really need in a game. I've had other things fill the gap of what I initially intended it to fill (ranging from video games to depression), so I haven't played it as much on the latter half of the year as I did at the start, but that doesn't change the fact that it completely absorbed me for a bit, and I totally get why it was a GotY contender.

Pokemon Black Version + Pokemon Black Version 2 - Revisiting An Old Favorite With A Modern Brain

A little "project" that kind of changed how I approach my writing about the games I play, being a replay intended to compare the two games rather than just knock something off the backlog. I don't think either game is better than the other, but I do think Black has its strength in a first playthrough, while its sequel is the better longterm experience. Both are great, when I consider them together they're the peak of the franchise. N is still the best character.

We ♡ Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie - Rolling Perfection

It's Katamari. I love it. But unlike Yakuza 4 just being more Yakuza, We ♡ actually makes more interesting levels while still being the same base formula (They're not complete equivalent experiences to compare, so it is kinda apples and oranges). If it wasn't for the fact that my game crashed trying to collect 1,000,000 roses (what the fuck), I would have 100%ed it. Me actually going all the way with a game is nice. I think my major complaint is that the music wasn't as iconic as the first, but at least this version gave me Lonely Rolling Star.

Umamusume: Pretty Derby - Stupid Horse Game

Another game that kinda changes how I think I'm gonna write in the future, as in I Can't Really Beat it. This stupid game has more influence on me than it should. I'm ACTIVELY excited for future characters to see their writing and learn their story, and every day I log on and I do a hopeless run to hopefully get the right sparks to make the strongest El Condor Pasa that I can. Like I said in my post; if this wasn't a gacha, it would be my uncontested 2025 game of the year. It might still be anyways?

ShadowMarioXLI's 41 Alliance + Mega Squad 2 Custom Wargroove 2 Campaign - Can This Be Game of the Year????

The last (first?) of my trilogy of games that make me reconsider what this... series? is? (Am I allowed to call it that?) Cause it's not TECHNICALLY a full game. It's just a custom story with custom levels for an already existing game. But in the same vein, the amount of effort put into it makes it above that. It isn't JUST a little custom thing. We in the community (Hi Eric, I know you're reading this) have all done our own playthroughs and reviews, talking in depth about the quality of each level and so on; but there's one thing that's still clear here at the end of the year. This was a labor of love, with a whole bunch of effort put into it, and that's what I really love about it. main character btw

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - There's Nothing Like it

With the other two choices of this tier being pretty nontraditional game shaped games, Morrowind here is the easiest pick for my favorite game this year. Even if it wasn't as "perfect" of an experience as some, smaller games might be, Morrowind is such a unique experience that ALSO manages to have a lot of fun baked into it. The world is like no other, the vibes are grimy, the gameplay is so sandboxy, (most of) the quests are memorable - It's a genuinely amazing game. I could even still go back to it, cause there are some quest lines I wasn't able to do on one character! I could do a different build! Best of all, I don't think the idea of doing so is like, abysmal or anything. There truly are a few ways you can do this, and the choice is yours.