I knew I was going to love REANIMAL, but I'm absolutely floored by it as I approach what's presumably the final few chapters. If this game doesn't get nominated for best audio design and art direction at the end of the year, then WTF are we even doing!? Tarsier Studios is in a league of their own.

My one and only contribution to today's discourse:

Stoked for the Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE Switch 2 update (and I hope the other games get updated as well soon), but I think the text is way too small still (and they apparently improved the text size in this version!) my eyesss

I guess anything is on the table at this point in terms of being axed/shutdown. I have no confidence in Sony when it comes to keeping Team ASOBI and Housmarque around. Dissolving Japan Studio was the first sign of PlayStation losing its identity for me. What is even happening anymore?

Gym tunes youtu.be/cYak3K4Rzn8?...

This is still one of the best Shoresy scenes to date. It's going to be nearly impossible for us not to binge Season 5 on Saturday. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBfb...

It is time for the return of the best slo-mo shots on TV accompanied by the most immaculate choices in music.

The TL;DR My Top 10 Games of 2025: 10. Lumines Arise 9. Earthion 8. Cronos: The New Dawn 7. to a T 6. Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo 5. Keeper 4. Öoo 3. Promise Mascot Agency 2. Donkey Kong Bananza 1. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Probably a hot-take but whatever (now that I've played enough of Sons of Sparta); I don't think The Game Kitchen, Lizardcube, and now Mega Cat Studios were the best fit for their respective 2D action-whatever games. The jury's still out on that new Castlevania game...

I'm posting this way late, but here's my Top 10 Games of 2025 post, which includes my "B-Side", Honorable Mentions, and favorite Remakes/Remasters of the year. I feel very strongly about my Top 5. Thanks if anyone gives this a read. unexpectedgames.blog/2026/02/13/m...

That 2D Legacy of Kain game doesn't look good, either. Can we put a moratorium on 2D pixel art with HD UI elements and effects? Sorry, I've been on one lately haha

Sorry, but that 2D God of War game from Mega Cat Studios looks like ass lol I'm a little shocked that Santa Monica Studio would put their name on this. Maybe the game's decent (I'll give it the benefit of the doubt until I play it), but why not get a more competent dev like The Game Kitchen, etc.?

FFXIII is making its rounds on my feed for whatever reason but it's just another excuse to share the trailer that featured Leona Lewis's My Hands. I unapologetically love this song lol and I can't tell you how many times I watched this leading up to its release. youtu.be/4H1UEHX_7X8?...

Lovish is excellent. It's like someone made a fun, modern-day The Tower of Druaga. They also more or less distilled a Metroidvania into a stage-based experience where each level is a single-screen. It feels very arcade-y but there's permanent progression and the like. I can't recommend it enough!

I've also been replaying Super Mario Galaxy 2 on Switch 2 and holy shit is this game impossibly polished and so incredibly well-made. Makes me wonder what an Odyssey 2 could have been. I haven't played this game to completion since the original Wii release, so it feels brand new to a degree.

I finally started Stray Children proper this year and while there are certain aspects of the battle system I'm not feeling, god-damn does it rule.

This is the most Escape From Bug Island/Disaster: Day of Crisis, Wii-coded game I've seen in the longest time haha and it's from the Ender Lilies/Magnolia dev!? It looks like ass and I need it lol www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZUT...

Play this if you haven't already. It made my Top 5 for 2025. Can't wait for Project εïз (I have no insider information, just wishful thinking haha)

My (un)reasonable expectations/wants from tomorrow's partner direct: -The Big Catch re-reveal (maybe release date) -Mina the Hollower shadow drops for all platforms (if not, Switch 2 exclusive for 6 months) -Dragon's Dogma 2 port (updates for PS5, etc.) -M2 collection of all the Wii ReBirth games

Gaming in 2025: In-Review Part I of II, which includes writeups for my favorite "WARNING Screens", "Bestiary/Enemy Books", "Environmental Visual Progression", "Title-card Sequences" of the year and more... My Top 10 (20) and Part II will follow (at some point) unexpectedgames.blog/2026/02/03/g...

Beast of Reincarnation looks like it has everything but the kitchen sink lol parries, stagger bars, FFXVI wolf companion, stealth attacks, menu-based commands, QTEs, a literal ass skill tree, etc. It looks like a mess but I want to play it haha. Also, I bet Monaca is the studio behind its OST.

Big Hops is my first 2026 new release and while I've been (mostly) enjoying it, it's super buggy still and has performance issues (stuttering) on PS5 Pro. The dev has been addressing issues quickly, but maybe wait for a few more patches if you're interested. It hopped out of the pond STEAMING HOT.

Game #1 of 2026: NINPEK (UFO 50); an auto-scroller arcade shooter where you play as a ninja whose sandwich has been stolen by an octopus. I'm counting each game from UFO 50 as a single entry since they have their own title screens/credits. I beat it twice and got the 🍒 completion. Loved it!

Thoughts and impressions on the games I played/finished during Q4 of 2025, including Promise Mascot Agency, Herdling, Lumines Arise, Hollow Knight: Silksong, to a T, Little Nightmares III, and more... unexpectedgames.blog/2026/01/15/w...

Forgive me Grand Mother Silk for I am about to create Discourse (with a capital D) sin. I'm not sure if anyone has said this, but... Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is the Final Fantasy XIII of our time. *disappears and leaves rosary beads neatly grouped together around a tower of unplayed games*

I have so much writing to do 😭 I'm giving myself an internal deadline of January 15 for my two GOTY posts, which is something I've been doing for the past few years. I feel like most people don't give a shit about end-of-year game write-ups in the new year, though. But this is more for myself.

Don't forget to go to the market and buy the best eggs and cheese youtu.be/V8KP49teQrU?...

To a T is so photogenic. I feel like any screenshot of the game can look like an indie album cover for some alternative band lol I'm nearing the end of the game and it honestly might find its way into my top 10 at this point.

I think all three of the "Year of the Ninja" games have all been disappointing for me. I didn't like Ragebound and I'm in the back-half of both Shinobi: Art of Vengeance and Ninja Gaiden 4 and they too aren't entirely doing it for me. Total bummer. I was really looking forward to each of these.

I'm introducing a new fun category for my GOTY write-ups this year; my favorite "Environmental Visual Progression" (EVP) or "Visual Meta Progression" (VMP) — it's a work-in-progress lol I think this was first established for me in Super Metroid with its golden boss statue...

Metroid Prime 4 feels like it has 3 enemy types (I'm exaggerating, there's more than that, but it sure feels that way). I think there's an argument here that combat has never been the primary focus for a Metroid game, but the encounter design and enemy variety in Prime 4 is super questionable.

Thinking about how Ace Combat is the best shit ever. youtu.be/_h6QFqGla7E?...

Prepare for me to not shut the fuck up about this game next year.

This was expected but damn, I really hope they hit their launch date next year, whenever that will be. The Big Catch is my most anticipated indie game (or game in general) at the moment. I've got mountains of games to play, but I really just want to play this! 😭

I'm so torn on Metroid Prime 4 so far. The art direction and use of HDR — it looks incredible at times. You're constantly getting new upgrades, items are hidden well and there's a good sense of discovery. The rest of the game (NPC dialogue, tone, level design, etc.) I'm not sure about yet...

Wario World rules. I bought it along with a bunch of other obvious games when I first got my GameCube. I miss Treasure so damn much 😢

This game came out in 2024, but I played through it this year. I love the ending theme. It sounds like something you'd hear during a modern-day Xeno-game ending haha The story & characters were a bit melodramatic, but in an earnest/endearing sort of way. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAO2...

My top 2 most-played games this year serve as a reminder of "time wasted" lol I sorta regret my brief relapse with Destiny 2 back in April/May, catching up on the previous year's content. I liked Banishers ultimately but a haunting case is bugged preventing me from 100% 😭

Thoughts & impressions on the games I played/finished during Q3 of 2025, including Donkey Kong Bananza, Öoo, Earthion, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound, Mario Kart World, and more... (reposting — made some adjustments and had to fix something with the link) unexpectedgames.blog/2025/12/02/w...

My favorite video game-adjacent thing from 2025; my husband stays on top of a lot of new shows. I often play a portable on the side while he watches them. In Down Cemetery Road, at one point, a character is shown playing Air Twister on mobile with a fake streamer chat overlay 😂 whyyyy!?

I've captured various "WARNING BOSS APPROACHING" title card screens from the handful of 2025 releases I've played this year. I will be declaring my favorite (best) one in my GOTY writeups. Please look forward to it (or not) lol

Lumines Arise is kinda/sorta the first Lumines game I've played for more than an hour and... I suck complete ass it lol I've been playing Journey mode on Normal and have been barely getting C Ranks 😭 time for tutorials, I guess.

One of today's views.

If I see one more sideways air walk animation in Lost Soul Aside I'm going to lose my mind lol I think this is one of the funniest (worst) games I've played all year. It feels like the product of someone who loved Final Fantasy in high school, watched the Versus XIII trailer and then made a game 🥴

I've been playing the Paper Mario: TTYD remake (haven't played the game since the original on GC) and I'll probably be sent to GamerJail for saying this, but I find the individual chapter scenarios to be relatively uninteresting? I've kind of found my revisit of the game to be somewhat of a slog 😭

Nintendo Music is now a permanent 7:00 PM Listening Device. youtu.be/xYNjxk6iIL0?...

I was Michi from Promise Mascot Agency for Halloween @kaizengameworks.com I can feel it. I understand Fighting Dreaming.

It was too late for the Baker family.

Perhaps one of the most important releases of the year. I can't believe this is finally out. Shamelessly sharing the blog piece I wrote 5 years ago about Onion Games, Yoshiro Kimura & company, Little King's Story and why their games mean a lot to me: unexpectedgames.blog/2020/10/01/i...

WayForward didn't have anything to show yet for Shantae 7 because they were too busy preparing for rereleases of Shantae 1-6 again through LRG, this time natively on Switch 2 cartridges. Sorry.