2025 is finally done and dusted. It’s been a big year with a lot of great game releases, despite some incredible turbulence in the industry. As we always like to do at DDNet, we’re taking a look back at the year that was, and some of our highlights. Matt spent most of the year playing “learn how to make a game yourself,” but that didn’t mean he wasn’t able to find plenty of time to play a bunch of great games as well.
Most disappointing: Civilization VII
I hate to start this by being negative, but I really have to call out the awful job 2K and Firaxis did with Civilization VII. I went into this game fully expecting it to me one of my favourite things ever. Civilization II and VI are both in my top 10 of all time, the others in the series aren’t far behind. I love Civilization with a passion, and Civilization VII singlehandedly killed my interest in anything that Firaxis puts out going forward because, as far as I can tell, the team doesn’t even understand what made the series tick for fans. I mean, one of the big features of Civ VII is the fact that every so often you’re forced to do a “soft reset” and start playing with an entirely new civilisation. Now, the developers have come out and said that one of the big upcoming patches will be to allow you to play as the same civilisation throughout the campaign… with is what every Civilization before it did. They’re making a massive patch to walk back to the absolute minimum feature for the series. Hopeless.
Read my review of the game here.
Most played: Wingspan
Technically not a new game (it’s been out for years), but there was a new DLC released which means I can talk about it here. I put an obscene amount of time into Wingspan this year, all of which in multiplayer, where my brothers, friends and I have made is an almost daily habit. It is my favourite board game of all time, and the digital edition of it is gorgeous, with a wonderfully serene soundtrack, gorgeous art, and a simple yet endlessly replayable gameplay loop. We’re getting really good at it, too. 130-140 point score games are fairly standard for the winner now and while that won’t mean much unless you play Wingspan, to Wingspan veterans you’ll know that’s pretty good.
Switch 2 highlight: Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster
The Nintendo Switch is the greatest console ever, and the Switch 2 picked up that baton when it launched this year. Some might say that it’s a relatively mundane iteration on the previous generation’s technology, but sometimes the saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” does apply. It’s all about the games, and the Switch 2 has an amazing library of games, both from the Switch original, and its own lineup. Of everything released I’d have to say Bravely Default is my favourite. I’ve wanted to play this again for ages (and I’m not sure where my 3DS is any more), so for it to finally make its way to modern hardware has been a treat. Now Square Enix just needs to give us the sequel as well.
Nicest surprise: Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
I went into Tainted Grail expecting a half-baked Elder Scrolls-like featuring King Arthur. What I got was a highlight of the year. An incredibly grim, dark, and yet fascinating world, combined with some of the best “Eurojank” RPG gameplay I’ve seen. As a fan of the Risens, Elexes and Gothics of the world, Tainted Grail is one of those that takes the creative vision of this particular niche and pushes so very close to the top tier of the genre. In this way I was reminded of Greedfall, and Greedfall is one of my favourite games of all.
Smart game of the year: Shujinkou
I always approve of games that are both excellent to play and also educational in some way. That’s part of the reason that I love Civilization so much (above) – over the years it has inspired me to look into all kinds of history. I want to highlight Shujinkou for this too. An indie project driven by the passion of one person, Shujinkou is an excellent dungeon crawler in its own right. But what makes it really noteworthy is that it will help you learn Japanese as well, with the text starting out in English and slowly changing to Japanese as you play on and learn new words. Inspired work.
Home console highlight – Dynasty Warriors Origins
I didn’t spend much time at all playing games on home consoles – between the handheld PCs and Switch 2, I found the convenience of portability combined with the power of these devices to be more than adequate for my gaming needs. There was one exception though. Dynasty Warriors Origins is a massive step forward for the series, giving players the full, epic scope of the books while delivering the most exciting and fluid action we’ve seen yet. It’s a running joke that I’ll play any Warriors game to death, but this one has claimed even more time from me than usual for the series. And it’s coming to Switch 2 next year!
The game that brought me pure joy: Snow Bros. 2 Special
Snow Bros. is my favourite arcade game of all time. I still spend a substantial amount of time playing it on my arcade table, as well as the remake on Switch. It’s colourful, cheerful, challenging and I love the aesthetic and style. Snow Bros. 2 isn’t quite as good as Snow Bros., but it’s still pure happiness, and the remake here is more than adequate. Whenever I’m feeling a bit blue or moody, this game has been my go-to to perk right back up.
The finest game of the year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
It is unfortunate that Clair Obscur got hit with some mild controversy for using AI generation for some relatively minor art assets (which have thankfully been patched out). That’s not to excuse it, but it is a pity because the actual game is just a masterpiece of art and creativity. A genuinely French work that makes good use of the JRPG structure and traditions to tell its heartfelt story, backed with a soundtrack that is breathtaking, Clair Obscur is the kind of experience that you savour as a good example of the full potential for video games as works of art.
I too really enjoyed Tainted Grail!! Getting the “Nicest Surprise” award is perfect! ⭐️ Life really got in the way of my gaming this year – only got to play 3 games. Beginning of ’24 to spring was DQIII HD-2D remake, then Tainted Grail through the autumn & am now playing Broken Roads. I know it came out in ’24, but Broken Roads tops my ’25 truly shortlist (though I’d recommend all 3).
Happy New Year to all!! May it be a good one! 🤞🏽