2025 is the year I went back to school to study computer science (I’ve completed 3 credit-based courses and 1 lab as of this writing – my last Final was yesterday for the fall term). I had less time to play games, but that didn’t really stop me! I played only a few new releases, but spent quite a bit of time diving into my backlog. Enjoying CRPGs, and went back and replayed the FF7 remake series, Death Stranding 1 and the Spider-Man series. Looking at the Steam year in review, I played LOADS of ‘survivors’ like games such as ‘Soulstone Survivors’, ‘Deep Rock Galactic Survivors’, Conquest Dark, Night Swarm and MegaBonk. Apparently I’m addicted to these games, they’re great.
Best games I played this year, in no particular order:
- Survivors-alike Games – I think collectively I played this genre across Soulstone Survivors, Night Swarm, Deep Rock Galactic Survivors, Conquest Dark and MegaBonk the most this year and would recommend all of them. It’s amazing to sit in front of the TV, turn on a podcast or book and zone out yet feel like you’re making decent progress for the time spent. This connects with me at a psychological level that I don’t fully understand. All the games listed are very similar, with some differences in the ‘trimmings’, but I lump them under the same heading for the purpose of this list.
- FF7R Series – This includes Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. I finished Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion. I enjoyed both, though Remake a bit more. FF7 Remake is a cinematic masterpiece. Crisis Core is a good time, but I was done with it when I rolled credits. I’m still playing Rebirth, I’m at chapter 10 of 14 and burned myself out a bit on it, so I will return before the next game in the series is released. Regardless, this series is an amazing, well executed artistic vision.
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Very few pieces of media impact me emotionally, this one did in the first 30 minutes. Expedition 33 is an amazing blend of music, gameplay systems, voice and motion performances, artistic vision and graphical design. This is a very special game that should be experienced rather than discussed. There’s a reason why this game is (as of this writing) amassing double-digit awards for games of 2025.
- Loot Slot Machines (Diablo 4, Last Epoch, Path of Exile 2) – ever since the first Diablo game came out, these loot slot machine games have had a special place in my heart. The details (graphics, sound, mechanics) have matured over the last few decades, but the maturation has underscored the core spirit and atmosphere of these games in a way I always enjoy coming back to. This year, I’ve played and enjoyed Last Epoch most, with Path of Exile 2 just behind. It’s been fascinating watching and playing the different versions of Path of Exile 2 and watching it inch out of early access. I look forward to seeing how this genre matures in the coming decades.
- Dispatch – Dispatch is the telltale formula with a dash more gameplay. The storytelling and narrative is the star here, I played each chapter the day it was released, and I was hooked. This game was a very good time.
- CRPGs – Nothing new, just going back and playing old ones. As of this writing, I’ve been playing Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition. I’d like to finish this game and restart a new play through of Divinity Original Sin 2. Off and on I’ve dabbled in Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous, Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader, Pillars of Eternity 1 (Turn based mode beta!) and 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Spider-Man series – I picked up the Spider-man series (2018+) on sale and played through the original and Miles Morales. I love both of these games. I think in 2026 I will end up replaying Spider-man 2 (2023) and I am looking forward to it.
That’s mostly my 2025 in gaming. Other honorable mentions are that I played through the original Death Stranding in anticipation of Death Stranding 2, started playing Death Stranding 2 immediately after a 50-hour play through of Death Stranding and realized I burned myself out on it (whoops). Death Stranding is great and artistic and completely surreal. I’ve also been slowly working through Avowed from Obsidian, I like the game, but I don’t feel anything playing through it. I’m not sure if it’s me, or it’s the game in a way I can’t quite put my finger on. Honestly, I think it’s just that Skyrim-adjacent first person RPGs aren’t really for me anymore. They feel bland to me. I also played a bit of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The game is beautiful, but it really didn’t hook me, so I bounced off fairly quickly. It’s so odd to me because I used to love these games and would finish them until credits, this one just didn’t do it for me. I’ll revisit it in the future, maybe it will hook me then. The biggest honorable mention I spent quite a bit of time play testing is Marvel Heroes, a game I loved when it released ~2012/2013 which shut down in 2017. A fan driven server emulation project written in c# is nearly feature complete as of this writing. I’m very much looking forward to jumping back in outside of testing to play on TAHITI!
Most of the games released this year that interested me were indie, AA, remakes or re-releases, which is odd for me. There are a couple of games that came out this year that are in my backlog. I’ll look to put out a backlog post and games I’m looking forward to in 2026.
