2025 is going out with an ugh as I’ve now been sick for nearly two weeks with some sort of nasty cold. I feel tired, have a hard time sleeping, and use a substantial amount of Kleenex day and night. But, the blog traditions must continue!
This year, more than ever, I felt like I had almost no down time – each event poured seamlessly into the next with little room to breathe. Along with the concerts, conferences, festivals, summer camps, performances, lessons and new responsibilities at work, it’s a wonder that I was able to fit in any games at all (which is something I seem to say every year now).
I finished eight games in total in 2025. All but one were new to me. Let’s not waste any more time. Read on to hear my thoughts on what I played this year!
NieR: Automata
(Various, 2017)
My “Favorite Game of 2024” according to the year-in-review stats from nintendo.com, and boy oh boy, what a game it was! Sporting multiple endings, I finally achieved its true ending in February of 2025.
NieR: Automata toes the line between video game and art; an absolute masterpiece that explores deep, philosophical questions, challenging the very meaning of existence altogether. What is life? What is love? What is family? I was urged to keep playing, learning more about the fall of civilization with each new perspective.
The game, in my opinion, offers one of the most meaningful resolutions I have ever come across in all my years of playing. Please, do yourself a favor and check it out!
My rating: 9.5/10
The Messenger
(Various, 2018)
One fateful day, I watched a YouTube video about games that completely change halfway through, and lo! The Messenger caught my attention immediately. What starts as a typical level-by-level, side-scrolling, 8-bit platformer like Ninja Gaiden, The Messenger gets flipped on its head completely after the main character finishes the Tower of Time and is thrust into the future.
Not only do the graphics switch over from an 8-bit to 16-bit style, but the game opens up into a fully-connected Metroidvania where the player can explore freely. From that point forward, puzzles must be solved going back and forth between the two styles, forcing gamers to consider time and its effects on your environment.
I’ll admit, it became somewhat tedious toward the end as I tried to collect all the items, and a few of the bosses felt a little unfair – but I pressed on for a pretty awesome experience.
My rating: 7.5/10
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
(Switch, 2025/2015)
At long last! Xenoblade Chronicles X managed to encompass the same wonder and joy that I originally felt when playing Breath of the Wild for the first time. I spent more time than I care to admit meticulously unlocking every map tile and completing the “collectopedia” which challenges players to find every type of item in each region of Mira.
Exploration was the key to maintaining my interest, starting on foot and forcing me to experiment with creative ways to reach new locations. After dozens and dozens of hours, I unlocked my first “Skell,” a gigantic self-piloted robot with immense power that can travel the world through flight. The sky was literally the limit, and I took it all in as I visited new lands for the first time.
One of my final obstacles to reach 100% was defeating the optional superboss “Telethia,” a massive dragon-like entity who is virtually invincible against certain types of attacks. After cruising the reddit forums about how to handle the beast, I learned he could be defeated in just ONE hit if I customized my Skell with a certain series of weapons and augments. The grind began and a mere….20 hours later…I achieved my goal! I was in disbelief. Not only did he go down in one shot, but now pretty much every other enemy/boss in the game was defeated just as easily.
The only ping I’d give to this game is the lackluster story found in the new content of Chapter 13, created especially for the Definitive Edition 10 years after the game first released. Taking place after the game’s original ending, this new quest essentially undid everything you worked so hard to achieve in the main plot. I don’t think it necessarily undoes the joy I garnered from the first 12 chapters, but the disconnect between the Wii U and Switch versions was distinct.
My rating: 8.5/10
Luigi’s Mansion 3
(Switch, 2019)
Luigi is back with his trusty, new Poltergust G-00, ready to tackle the spooky spirits of the The Last Resort Hotel. Having played and enjoyed the first two Luigi’s Mansion games, I expected roughly the same experience with the third entry. I originally started it back in 2022 but became slightly sidetracked by another game at the time (maybe Kirby and the Forgotten Land?).
In truth, LM3 was a perfectly fine experience but in comparison to the other entries, I think it’s the weakest of the three. However, I maintain that if I were to play the entirety of the game with a second player, I would rate it at least a point and a half higher!
I had the opportunity to try this out with a friend for one of the floors, and the level of problem solving and communication brought me straight back to my childhood where every game was a team-effort in finding your way forward. Furthermore, the game was just generally easier because you had twice the suction power at your disposal!
My rating: 7/10
Demon’s Crest
(SNES, 1994)
After beating Luigi’s Mansion 3, I knew I needed something I could take in small chunks before I headed back to teaching. Demon’s Crest had always been on my radar, but I hit some obstacles in my earlier attempts. Now with it freshly on the Nintendo Switch Online service, I had a way to give it a fair shot.
Well, I played it to 100% completion, achieving the true ending, and I’m sorry to say that it didn’t live up to my expectations. Apparently I’m in the minority, too, as this game is deeply lauded by those who have nostalgia for it. They cite the gothic graphics and themes along with the horror-induced soundtrack.
Perhaps I played too much Hollow Knight before going up against this game. Apart from a few bosses (namely the final two), I found it be a relatively easy experience. Levels were not fun to explore as Firebrand could usually just fly over everything. A few of the upgrades, like the Earth Gargoyle, became essentially worthless once other upgrades were unlocked. Tracking down all the items at the end was a chore. And, finally, there’s a required (for 100%) skull-bashing mini game that uses a horrendous headbutt mechanic that is nearly impossible to aim.
I’ll take the original Gargoyle’s Quest for Game Boy over this one – one of the first games I ever beat!
My rating: 6/10
The Adventures of Lolo
(NES, 1989)
September arrived and I was in full teaching mode at that point. So, a little palate cleanser like The Adventures of Lolo was just the ticket. I first played this game in elementary school at a friend’s house, and it was one of only a few games they owned – this very well may be one of the first Nintendo games I had played EVER.
As such, everything about Lolo was familiar and cozy. The music, the colors, the mechanics, I was very comfortable with the experience. I also went in knowing that this was a game that I’ve been able to finish in just one sitting (albeit, that was during a speedrun challenge with my friends). An added bonus to playing this on Nintendo Switch Online was the fact that I could save my game at any point without having to write down any passwords. Very happy to have added a little Lolo to my year!
My rating: 9/10
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster
(Switch, 2023/1987)
At some point during 2025, I decided I really needed to tackle ye olde backlog (starting with Luigi’s Mansion 3, I suppose), and the games of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection were giving me the stink eye. I finished Final Fantasy V in 2023 and Final Fantasy IV and II in 2024. It was time to continue the journey.
I had attempted the original Final Fantasy game on the PS1 “Origins” collection, but my journey was cut short by a mob of cockatrices who kept turning me to stone. With the quality-of-life improvements on the Pixel Remasters, I knew I might have an easier go this time around. I was right!
I don’t have much to say about the game itself. It is Final Fantasy through-and-through, and it’s a wonderful part of video game history to see how it began. All of the classic elements from the series are there: your standard spells/items, classes, enemies and story tropes. I knew it was coming, but I was also so thrilled to board the airship, a staple of nearly every game in the franchise.
I’m rating it just above Final Fantasy II – only because I prefer the traditional leveling system. Glad to have this one under my belt!
My rating: 6/10
Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster
(Switch, 2023/1990)
Sneaking in one more FF game before 2026, I figured Final Fantasy III was something I could manage well enough between my other adult responsibilities. My only other experience with this entry was the Nintendo DS 3D Remaster which I borrowed from a friend back in 2008 (I remember essentially nothing about it except that it was a heavy grind in the final dungeon).
The Pixel Remaster version was a surprisingly charming take on the experience, adding a fresh coat of graphics and music with which I could easily connect. Honestly, anything that looks like FF4 is going to pique my interest by default. As a result, I found myself more excited about exploring, and I was impressed with the scope of this game – trying out features never before used in a Final Fantasy game. In particular, I remember having to cast “mini” on myself in order to explore a cave leading to a village of gnomes.
Like FF1, the quality of life improvements made the game very easy to play. Auto-battle was my most-used feature, giving me the power to essentially watch tv while I let the game grind for me. And, of course, being able to run around the maps made dungeons far less of a crawl.
While Final Fantasy III built upon the first two titles, it still falls far behind 4 and 5. The characters just don’t have the draw of future games where I truly felt like I was embodying their stories. If you asked me to try to name a character from any of the first three games, I wouldn’t be able to do it. But, I can name people from 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12…well, every other game I’ve played! It was clear the series was headed in the right direction.
My rating: 6.5/10
Stay tuned for next 2026’s Gaming Year in Review to hear my thoughts when I inevitably wrap up Final Fantasy VI – the last of my Pixel Remaster games! Here are a few other games I have on deck or in the backlog:
Metroid Prime 4
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remaster
Outer Wilds
Blaster Master Zero 3
Witcher 3 (I may never go back to this…)
Super Mario Odyssey (the moon-hunting continues)
Check out my previous “Gaming Years In Review!”
Thanks for stopping by to read my post! What was your gaming like in 2025? What hopes do you have for 2026? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!
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Eric Hagmann Music 
i always look forward to your gaming year in review posts!! You’ve really sold Xenoblade Chronicles especially – I might have to pick it up in Q3 of next year!
Maybe we should endeavour to get It Takes Two on the gaming review in 2026, eh? 🙂
Have a very very happy new year when it comes!!
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