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Topic: Your review on every game you started in 2025

Posts 1 to 15 of 15

CobaltFan

[Edited by CobaltFan]

Warning: Spicy opinions like "M&Ms are overrated." may leak from this unit!

CobaltFan

@Tasuki I can see that, but I kind of thought it would be weird to put every game I've played in 2025 in a thread like Games You Recently Beat. So, I figured it would be nice to make a thread for people who would want to do the same. I can understand if you think this one shouldn't exist.

Warning: Spicy opinions like "M&Ms are overrated." may leak from this unit!

D-Star92

2025 isn't over just yet, so I'll write my thoughts on the games I've played for the first time this year as of now. Putting them in the order I played them in.

Shadow Generations - OK, this might be a bit of a hot take, but I'm not a fan of this one. Though mainly because it kind of made me realize that I just don't enjoy the boost gameplay that modern Sonic games have. I just don't like how the controls/physics are, especially when I got to the later levels. I do like the music and graphics at least. But yeah... I wanted to enjoy this one, but it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment for me.

Pikmin 4 - A pretty good game for what it is, but for some reason, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Maybe it's partially because it's been a long time since I played a Pikmin game, though. I do like the rescuing and treasure hunting, but I don't like the dandori challenges too much. I also ended up getting a little frustrated because of how many of my Pikmin died on me. Maybe Pikmin isn't for me after all... which does make me a little sad because I'm a lifelong Nintendo fan. Oh, well.

Boxboy + Boxgirl - Not much to say about this one. I like the Boxboy games and this one is a solid entry in the series.

Axiom Verge - A really good Metroidvania, and one I'm proud to have finished. Love the exploration and the atmosphere of the game's world. Considering that I played it for the first time in 2025, I'm surprised by how long it's been around. I did play a bit of its sequel, but I feel like the first one is more fun.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus - I'm not a huge Pokemon fan, but I do like this one quite a bit. I got a pair of NSO game vouchers and I used one of them on this game. It's very much like Breath of the Wild, but with Pokemon... I wanted to give this one a shot since I've finished Tears of the Kingdom back in 2024. I put a decent amount of time into this game already and I intend to play more of it.

Okami - What an awesome game! I've heard about this one for a good while, and I finally decided to give it a shot after getting it from the Switch eShop. I do like a good Zelda game, and it does play similarly to that. Love the ancient Japanese art style and music, as well.

Mario Kart World - I'm a huge Mario Kart fan, of course I had to play it. I got it bundled with my Switch 2 last month. While I don't think it's better than Mario Kart 8, I still have a great time with it. I like the new mechanics like the rail grinding, and the new tracks are really solid. Knockout Tour is a lot of fun too, it's essentially a combination of Mario Kart and F-Zero (particularly the rank-out system), and I can really feel the pressure in that mode, lol! I also like the fun costumes you can get for each character. The music is absolutely stellar. It may not be a perfect game by any means, but I think it's still a very good entry in the series.

There's still more games I want to play this year, like Donkey Kong Bananza... and I'll be sure to post my thoughts when I play them.

"Give yourself the gift of being joyfully you."

Playing: Mario Kart World, Disney Dreamlight Valley

Ask if you want to be Switch friends with me, but I'd like to know you first. Thanks! ❤️

My Nintendo: D-Star92

FishyS

[Edited by FishyS]

FishyS

Switch Friend Code: SW-2425-4361-0241

Zuljaras

Up until now in 2025 I have beat those games. I have put a tag "First time" to indicate that I have never beaten this game before:

1 - The Witcher 3 (PS5) - First time - It was a nice experience, the graphics and the story. But the controls are really clunky.

2 - Resident Evil 2 Original (N64) All 4 scenarios - First time - masterpiece! And as added bonus the N64 version have analog controls so I did not have to struggle with tank controls

3 - DUSK (Switch) - amazing indie shooter with atmosphere and retro graphics!

4 - Castlevania Curse of Darkness (Steam Deck) - First time - Castlevania is everything that is good in gaming for me! I REALLY enjoyed this one! The crafting mechanics are awesome!

5 - Castlevania Lament of Innocence (Steam Deck) - First time - Good game and loved every minute of it! It is Castlevania after all!

6 - Castlevania 64 (Steam Deck) - First time - I do not know why people hated this CV game. Yes, the platforming can be excruciating at times and yes, the time limit is stupid but underneath the game is worth it!

7 - Castlevania 3 Dracula's Curse (Switch) - First time - really had game but absolute masterpiece from the NES era! When I beat it, it was so damn satisfying!

8 - Castlevania Bloodlines (Switch) - First time - NOT as good as Super Castlevania IV but the soundtrack and the protagonists are making this game special!

9 - Resident Evil 1 HD (PS5) - Do i need to say anything? Masterpiece!!!

10 - Castlevania The Adventure (Switch) - First time - It is an ok game. Not great but ok for a playthrough or 2.

11 - Castlevania II Belmont's Revenge (Switch) - First time - HUGE improvement over The Adventure. Still on the harder side.

12 - Resident Evil 2 Remake VR (Meta Quest 3) - First time - One of the best games ever created and in VR is damn horrifying! Especially the RPD ...

13 - Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow (PS5) - Masterpiece!
14 - Castlevania Portrait of Ruin (PS5) - Masterpiece!
15 - Castlevania Order of Ecclesia (PS5) - Masterpiece!

16 - Elden Ring (PS5) - This game will become timeless. I do not know how they can create such a thing ...

17 - Diablo 3 Eternal Collection (Switch) - Addicting ...

18 - Chronicles of the Wolf (Switch) - First time - As a Castlevania fan I loved the game. The levels were amazing, but the itemization is lacking.

19 - Sanitarium (Steam Deck) - One of the BEST point and click adventure games ever created!

20 - Serious Sam The First Encounter (Switch) - fun and gun

21 - Diablo 2 Resurrected (Switch) - Same as Diablo 3 but multiplied by 100

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/05/random-doom-fan-has-a-novel-way-to-display-a-destroyed-switch-cartridge
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/07/random-fan-transforms-their-nintendo-64-into-a-starcraft-battlefield
My Sculptures

gcunit

@CobaltFan I too like threads like this, and particularly enjoyed reading all of your reviews. You're making me feel bad about Moonlighter - I got it when it first came out, I have it physically and digitally, but I've still never played it. You probably already know this, but Wind Waker HD is a better experience, but I can appreciate the hype to play the og. You've got me really wanting to play DK Bananza, It's This Seat Taken, and King of Cards.

I'm not sure I can contribute much on the way of reviews to this thread, though. Thanks to Switch's pants activity log, I couldn't tell you what I've played this year.

The one game I can remember beating was Blade Chimera. I think I have reviewed it somewhere, but I can't remember what I wrote. Memory suggests I wasn't overly impressed by it. Maybe gave it a 68 or 70. The gameplay was alright, but nothing else about the game really worked for me.

Otherwise, I've been spending too much time earning tickets to unlock missed themes in Tetris 99, and just dossing around in Animal Crossing. Just recently resumed my Tears of the Kingdom save - it just doesn't keep my attention the same way BotW did, due to the world being less appealing and more cluttered. I also need to finish Hollow Knight.

You guys had me at blood and semen.

What better way to celebrate than firing something out of the pipe?

Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.

My Nintendo: gcunit

CobaltFan

@gcunit Thanks for appreciating my reviews! I also had trouble thinking of all the games I started this year. It took a good 15 minutes just to get the list together. I think I went on for way too long about Mario Paint, but I had to explain my feelings for that game.
Also, I agree with your thoughts on BotW and TotK.
I wish Nintendo put Wind Waker HD on switch, but here's hoping to Twilight Princess HD. (I have that game on the wii, I just haven't done it much because I dislike using the motion controls too much.)

Warning: Spicy opinions like "M&Ms are overrated." may leak from this unit!

kkslider5552000

I do a thread of my favorite games I played every year at the end of the year already so I'm just gonna put really short reviews here.

-Wario Land 3: Super cool ambitious game that is unfortunately defined by being consistently mildly frustrating, to the point that I think its a lesser game in its series.
-Xenoblade Chornicles: Definitive Edition: Highly appreciated improvements to an all time great game, compared to 2 and X, in hindsight, its just as important that it has great parts that it also has a lack of bad parts. (it being very user friendly was part of its appeal going into it and Definitive Edition goes further with that). Extra story was good enough for what it was.
-Kirby Star Stacker: Fun enough puzzle game I guess but for a lot of it, too easy for its own good (a rare time that's a problem for a Kirby game).
-Nier: Automata: Incredible music with great if not peak Platinum gameplay with story and themes that are...on the verge of being an all timer but I know I have a ways to go so that's still to be determined.
-Marvel vs. Capcom Collection: I am not great at these but of the three games I've played, I've had a lot of fun anyway. All video games could look like this forever and I'd be fine tbh, even great looking 3d games often pale in comparison.
-Sayonara Wild Hearts: Pretty great experience, but I'm considering playing it again since it feels like it could be an all timer but it isn't based on my one playthrough.
-Klonoa 1's latest remake: Is still probably awesome but felt a bit off compared to when I played it on Wii. Unsure if that's more on me or this version of the game.

[Edited by kkslider5552000]

Non-binary, demiguy, making LPs, still alive

Megaman Legends 2 Let's Play!:
LeT's PlAy MEGAMAN LEGENDS 2 < Link to LP

CobaltFan

Now that the year is almost over, I'd love to hear other people's game reviews! Merry Christmas.

Warning: Spicy opinions like "M&Ms are overrated." may leak from this unit!

UpsideDownRowlet

Okami HD
Paint attacks were fun, but overall the game was nothing special. 6/10

Hollow Knight
Hallownest was a joy to explore. My only problem was that the lack of save points near most bosses created some unnecessary tedium. 9/10

Wavetale
Combat was bad and the surfing mechanic failed to impress. 4/10

Mario Kart World
The best feeling Mario Kart game I've played, especially with rail grinding and wall riding. While there are fewer tracks than in MK8DX, I'd say the quality of the tracks are better overall. My main criticisms are that Free Roam lacks a well-structured gameplay loop and that online Knockout Tour doesn't use random routes, making it repetitive. 8/10

Deltarune
The RPG/Bullet Hell combat system is extremely addictive. The writing is both humorous and thoughtful. The only thing I dislike about the game is that it has an aspect ratio made to fit CRTs in 2025, but that is an incredibly minor complaint. 10/10

A Short Hike
I just couldn't get into this one. 4/10

Cuphead
Run and guns were sort of annoying. The quality of boss design was pretty variable with some being great and some being abysmal. 6/10

Donkey Kong Bananza
A well-designed 3D-platforming sandbox. DK controls super well and the gameplay loop is well designed. There were some moments where the gameplay felt repetitive, though. 9/10

Portal
A short and enjoyable puzzle platformer. 8/10

Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World
My favorite Switch game in 4K60 continues to be a masterclass in 3D platformer design. While the new Starry levels didn't do anything revolutionary, they were an enjoyable addition to the overall experience. 10/10

Celeste
A challenging and well-executed 2D platformer with a delightful story. 9/10

Hogwarts Legacy
Walking simulator. 3/10

Pokémon Legends: Z-A
The gameplay loop of exploring wild zones and battling rogue megas during the day and training in battle zones at night was extremely addictive and fun. Mega evolution is finally executed well, and plus moves allow Pokemon without megas to not fall behind. That said, the game has a major pitfall in its map. Wild Zones are placed super haphazardly (just random city streets get closed while some actual parks are left alone), few buildings are accessible, and the map does not take full advantage of the urban setting. 8/10

Portal 2
Another fun puzzle platformer. 8/10

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
A great Metroidvania, but one which would have benefited from more interesting combat and set save points. 8/10

Kirby Air Riders
City Trial is a blast. Air Ride and Top Ride are both decently fun in their own right. Road Trip is a fantastic introduction to the game. 9/10

I am still in the process of completing Hades II, Metroid Prime 4, and Super Mario Galaxy.

[Edited by UpsideDownRowlet]

"well it appears I am upside down. what ever will I do?"

Currently Playing: Hollow Knight: Silksong, Pokémon LeafGreen
Nintendo Switch 2 Username: Owlex

Retrodouche

Live a live

This one had its moments but in the end fell short. The battle system was too basic with little to no strategy at all and that's not a good thing when most of your gameplay time consists of battling. The scenarios (and characters) had variety but lacked depth because they were so short. Music was great. Not training everybody equally kind of f**ked me over in the very end and I had to try the last gauntlet and the boss multiple times. I rushed through the last chapter because I couldn't be bothered anymore 6.5/10

Soul Reaver remastered

Played the original way back in early 2000 and again in my teens around 2010 ish. Finally fully understood the dialogue. The shakesperean style is not that simple to grasp for a foreigner. The atmosphere, the music and the little story it has are all great. Voice acting and dialogue is amazing. Puzzles are okay (mostly just pushing blocks). The gameplay suffers a lot because of clunky and slow movement. Combat, jumping, swimming and gliding all feel very outdated. The camera gave me a lot of trouble sometimes, but what can you expect for a game originally from 1999. I also encountered some bugs where mechanics didn't work as intended, which made me doubt my approach to some puzzles and platforming even though I was doing the right thing. Just had to do it multiple times and eventually it would work. Wasting a lot of time running around feeling like an idiot just because the game isn't working properly doesn't feel great though, especially when you have limited time for this hobby. Over all, the whole experience felt lacking, but the rest of the series somewhat fills that void if I remember right. I think in the future I'd rather just watch the story content from a video than play this game. Still 7/10.

Witcher 3

This game was a great time! Difficulty was kind of all over the place (mostly in the beginning because of the lack of resources like money, armor, weapons, potions, food etc.) and the combat became a bit monotonous in the long run, but that's all the critique I can think of. Highlights were the storytelling, my incredible companion Roach always surprising me in new ways 😂 and the adrenaline rush of defeating/escaping foes with red skulls in their HP bars. 9.5/10

Metroid Prime 4

I found this one to be lackluster besides the graphics. It was a bitter pill to swallow as Metroid is one of my favorite franchises. It's a mediocre 7/10 game when I needed it to be 9 or 10/10. My in-depth thoughts can be found in the Prime 4 discussion.

Xenoblade Chronicles (switch)

Finally got around playing this. I also have a wii copy on the self so it's been awhile😅
Few hours in and the game seems promising. Dialogue is bit campy/ cheesy at times but turning the language to japanese helped a bit. Don't quite get the battle system as I've been dying many times. So far 8-9/10.

Tactics Ogre reborn

Started this when I was tired and the game dumped so much names and mechanics early on that my brain couldn't keep up at the time. Have to return to this.

Retrodouche

HammerGalladeBro

Rusty's Real Deal Baseball is now a hidden gem of the Nintendo 3DS.

Switch Friend Code: SW-0197-9566-9983 | My Nintendo: AlexHGB

JaxonH

I mean, it's hard for me to review games because so many I feel are 10/10 games despite not being perfect.

Tell ya what. I'll do it under the precondition of not rating anything a 10.

Fantasy Life i: 9.5/10

Donkey Kong Bonanza: 9.4/10

Split Fiction: 9.3/10

Metroid Prime 4: 9.3/10

Xenoblade Chronicles X: 9.2/10

Cyberpunk 2077: 9.1/10

Mario Kart World: 9.0/10

Trails In The Sky 1st Chapter: 9.0/10

Street Fighter 6: 8.9/10

Yooka-Replaylee: 8.8/10

Monster Hunter Wilds: 8.8/10

Star Wars Outlaws: 8.6/10

Tomb Raider Reboot: 8.5/10

Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma: 8.3/10

Yakuza 0 Director's Cut: 8.2/10

Hyrule Warriors AoI: 8.1/10

Sonic Racing Crossworlds: 8.0/10

Pokemon Legends ZA: 7.7/10

Kirby Air Riders: 7.5/10

Drag X Drive: 6.9/10

Switch 2 Welcome Tour: 6.5/10

[Edited by JaxonH]

Psalms 22:16 (1,000 yrs before Christ)
They pierced My hands and feet
Isaiah 53:5 (700 yrs before Christ)
He was pierced for our transgressions

Switch Friend Code: SW-1947-6504-9005

JaxonH

@HammerGalladeBro
I think if you approach Metroid Prime 4 with an open mind, and not expect it to conform to prior entries beyond the mechanics and basic gameplay, you'll have a blast. I imagine not everything will land perfectly for you, but if you think of it as a brand new game in a vacuum without comparing it to what you think it "should be like", you'll have a fantastic time. I know I loved it.

Psalms 22:16 (1,000 yrs before Christ)
They pierced My hands and feet
Isaiah 53:5 (700 yrs before Christ)
He was pierced for our transgressions

Switch Friend Code: SW-1947-6504-9005

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