David McDarby

9) Gale at Tokyo Disneyland
10) Minsc and Boo at the stairs at the end of Makoto Shinkai's Your Name

Thank you all for joining me on my adventure! Remember that we only get 1 shot at this Roguelike called Life, so make it a good run! 5/5

5) Astarion at Kabukicho
6) Lae'zel at EVO Japan
7) Minthara at Shibuya Crossing
8) Karlach at Ryogoku Kokugikan

1) Jaheira at Fuji-san
2) Wyll at Tokyo Tower
3) Shadowheart Fushimi Inari
4) Halsin at Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

Last year I went on an impromptu trip to Japan with some of my best friends in a sort of a "What am I doing with my life?" journey.

During our travels, I took @magic.wizards.com cards featuring the party of Baldur's Gate 3 by @larianstudios.com on my adventures to places they might like! 1/5

Yeah, they really got that dang elf boi!

Had a great time dipping my toes back into Competitive Card Games in Portland at SCG CON!

Went 4-3 and 6-2 with Kai’Sai in Riftbound with most of the losses being my fault which is unironically awesome.

Pomni’s expression was me every time in my 6 Kai’Sa Mirrors but hey; I at least won all those!

Another great entry for me, in the “You Make, I Play” genre of games!

Just play with worse cards and it won’t be so bad!

"When you feel heavy metal?"

And thank you for putting so much joy into the world!!

Bai 2025! Ken will be good in 2026!

Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike by @capcom.bsky.social

Hey, I never said they had to come out in 2025! This is the game I played the most this year. Met a lot of cool people, and maybe games are just a way for people to connect with others?

SEICHUSEN GODANZUKI!

Dispatch by @adhocstudio.com

Don't wanna spoil this game too much, but even for "nongamers", it was a tight, experience jam packed with a great script, amazing characters, and unbelievable voice acting.

Plus, just look at this family! Wouldn't you want to just be a part of this Z-Team!?

Rift of the Necrodancer by @braceyourselfgames.com

Cadence gest even cooler celebrating one expression of magic in this world: Music.

A mix of Osu! and Guitar Hero featuring @dannybstyle.bsky.social and other game's music.

@foxesforsale.bsky.social and I got to celebrate at their launch party!

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II by @warhorsestudios.bsky.social

You rarely get to see a simulator made with this much love, respect, and care.

As a practitioner of Historical European Martial Arts myself, it lets me uniquely connect with that era.

(I'm on the left here with a Master Strike:)

Blue Prince by @blueprincegame.bsky.social

I've done hundreds of Escape Rooms, and really the high I'm searching for is just this game. It's a mystery in the best sense.

I also liked it so much, I cosplayed as a puzzle from it and made tons more setups to test people at @dragoncon.org this year!

Hades II by the Staff at @supergiantgames.bsky.social

I was just baffled how Supergiant could Head up Hades. Well, they did on all Axes, and Coated this game in such love and polish. They Gunned to be the best action roguelike ever made, and were Firing on all cylinders.

Oh, and the Best Part was:

Hollow Knight: Silksong by @teamcherry.bsky.social

Hegale! Fren? Nah, Finestra. Get Gud! Huh-hah!

TROBBIO!!!

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
by @square-enix-games.com

It didn't stick when I played it on PSX (That means PlayStation 1), or on the PS Vita.

BUT STICK BEN STARR IN THERE, AND IT GETS MY 80 HOURS, THANK YOU @benstarr.bsky.social!

(He didn't voice Argath, but the script is *fire*)

Elden Ring: Nightrein by FromSoftware

I've never been a big Dark Souls guy being another 22'er who started with Elden Ring, but apply the genre du jour of Roguelike to a "get big sword and bonk bigger bad guys" makes it a like a Soulslike Roguelike that I like.

Arc Raiders by Embark Studios
@arcraiders.bsky.social

Goin' Topside as solo or a team of 3 has truly made me feel some emotions, and isn't that what video games are for?

It's a great exercise in Prisoner's Delimma, "trusting" strangers, and using various methods of online communication to express:

It's Time for Darby's Top 10 Video Games of 2025!

These are my favorite games I played this year. Nothing super Indie (like last year's Mouthwashing by @wrongorgan.bsky.social (go play it!!), but these are the games that brought me joy, and I hope they can bring you joy too.

This is Mario and me:

Hey, we should play some DDR, then some BotC, then finish with a Twobert and record a podcast episode.

Deal?

The Greatest Era of All Time!

Thank you for facilitating so much joy for so many people.

I myself have started at your site for SO long; it's been a huge impact on me!

Nice! Where PDS means: Pretty Darn Strong!

Who faction you repping? Perhaps a new Thunder’s Edge one?

This sounds like the best usage of 11 mana I’ve ever heard.