10. Blue Prince (DNF)
Spent quite a bit of time in Blue Prince and while I really wanted to enjoy it more, the random nature of drawing rooms made the game feel unnecessarily padded and more irritating than fun and clever. Sorry my sweet Prince.
A silhouette of a man in the distance staring into a bright pillar of yellow light.
9. Cyberpunk 2077 & Phantom Liberty
Went in thinking I’d hate it, came out 140 hours later utterly amazed by what CD Projekt Red accomplished. It’s not perfect, but damn - the base game is great and Phantom Liberty is fantastic. Gonna have this one on the mind for a long time.
Another huge loss for the games media 💔
INSULINDIAN PHASMID - I exist.
YOU - I exist too.
A blue-haired Hunter with impeccable abs, a pre-teen male, a woman who is a shoe-in for the next teen movie makeover, and a cat dressed like an octopus stare reverently into the light.
8. Monster Hunter Wilds
Two rad ladies and I saved the Forbidden Lands despite having a whiny child as baggage in my fav Mon Hun so far due to the improvements in accessibility. Now I can grind for hours to create the perfect outfit to highlight Hunter’s abs.
If you think about it being a baby is a Metroidvania because you see doors and stuff but you have to come back later when you’ve learned new skills to open them
A screenshot of the tutorial from the Roottrees are dead, presented as a corkboard with red pins and strings connecting images, names and relationships to accurately place all family members.
7. The Roottrees are Dead
Genealogical mystery game? Sign. Me. Up.
I 100%ed this bad boy in a couple days, then gasped with giddy delight when a whole *second half* opened up to me. First half is stronger, but the second gets real Maury Povich.
Lo-fi black and white graphics depict a complicated interface and disfigured Japanese girl.
6. World of Horror
Lo-fi and Byzantine, an 80s point and click adventure game with a modern sensibility. Intensely replayable yet strangely frustrating in its presentation.
A small humanoid bug stands on steps amidst four pillars, each with a glowing orb of a different color embedded.
5. Cocoon
A unique puzzle game that hints at a fascinating world yet somehow failed to grab me like it has many others.
A flock of birds fly close to the shore on a grey day.
Algae-covered rocks form tide pools along the coast.
A small light orange spiral shell, housing a hermit crab, rests gently on the sand.
A cluster of rocks along the shore that have been carved away by centuries of erosion.
Visiting some tide pools on a rainy day may seem counterintuitive but is highly recommended. Fewer people around and the most active hermit crabs I’ve ever seen - basically my ideal world.
Well on your way and absolutely killing it!
Lord help me that salt and pepper sheen is making me weak at the knees.
Glen was correct.
Seven trains wait at their platforms with a skyscraper in the background under a blue sky.
Bummer: Train was delayed for over an hour.
Upside: Got to enjoy some train photography time and hey, any day on a train is a good day.
Thinking about Echoes of Wisdom and how Null really just wanted some peace and quiet, when all of a sudden the Goddesses came and created a bunch of noisy neighbors who partied all night. I ask you, who is the true villain of the game?
Best girl Eunie asks Noah if she can slug someone for being a git.
4. Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Put this one down in 2022 because I didn’t want it to end, but I finally finished it. This series, XC3 in particular, is truly special despite its flaws. The care and passion for the series and its fans is evident, and I can’t wait to see what Monolith does next.
Help, I can't stop researching obscure Secret of Mana lore. But yeah, this character shows up in a lot of other games, in a sense, but she's hard to spot if you don't do your homework. www.thrillingtalesofoldvideogames.com/blog/phanna-...
Why do I feel like I’m being cruised in the bathroom of a gay bar?
What a stunningly stupid journey we've been on here
An image of a watermelon with crafted eyes, headphones and gardening boots sitting on a bench. A cinder block wall is behind the watermelon, and grass colored a pale blue is visible in the foreground. Manila folders with post-it notes affixed sit next to the watermelon.
3. Viewfinder
I was enamored with the concept of this game long before I got around to playing it. A low-pressure puzzle game that continues to find new ways to keep its gimmick fresh while telling a simple yet thematically appropriate tale. And yes, you can pet the cat.
#JusticeforCait
An image of simple hand-drawn creatures found within Minit in black and white, including a fish and other stylized animals such as a bird, frog, and mushroom. The main character wields a sword and watering can.
2. Minit
Part of my “Indies to Catch Up On” list, I enjoyed bopping around a charming pixel world in one-minute chunks, stabbin’ stuff with my cursed sword and solving puzzles. Doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, but great for those who love to optimize runs.
Title screen for Visions of Mana, depicting an enormous tree in the middle of a serene lake during sunset.
2025 Completed Games Megathread!
1. Visions of Mana
My holiday break obsession - a fun and (mostly) lighthearted game with a surprising amount of depth. Gorgeous graphics and art style with a Mana Tree that looks as you imagined it did when you were a kid. A return to form for Mana. GRRRRRIZZLY!
Natsu-Mon is half off for like the third time already, so I imagine they'll keep finding reasons to discount it! To recap, it is the Bokunatsu spiritual sequel you should've played https://store.steampowered.com/app/2839280/NatsuMon_20th_Century_Summer_Kid/
Did you play the Secret of Mana or Trials of Mana remakes? Secret is… fine… but Trials is quite good.
I loved it as well! It’s the closest we’ve gotten to recapturing the essence of the original SoM, and I hope it finds its audience and the dev team lands on their feet
Can’t wait to read this one! Played through Visions over the holiday break and found it to be a solid entry overall - and absolutely gorgeous.
Opening Bluesky on the train home has been an emotional gut-punch. This man was truly something else, and to see the outpouring of love for his work and what he stood for has been painful yet cathartic. May we all strive to be the most authentically and unapologetically weird versions of ourselves.
Drawing of the red room from Twin Peaks. Link from "Link's Awakening" is dancing like The Little Man. York from "Deadly Premonition" and Maria from "Silent Hill 2" are seated in the armchairs. There's a statue of Ransom the Clown from "Thimbleweed Park." Agent Cooper from Twin Peaks is peeking in from behind the curtains
drew this 4 years ago for @retronauts.bsky.social's podcast about video games inspired by Twin Peaks
David Lynch in sunglasses saying "i hope you all are having a lot of fun working on your favorite projects"
Honor his memory by doing something strange, unraveling a riddle within yourself, and working on your favorite projects.
