Wait, you mean to tell me 2025 is almost over? But it feels like it only started… Well then, I guess the time has come, huh. Compared to last year, this was perhaps the first one where I managed to closely witness a console’s release, with the Nintendo Switch 2 being the first ever system I pre-ordered. Additionally, there were so many releases over the course of the year that picking just 10 of them is quite the ordeal.
Normally, I would say there is a theme of games that I aim for, but when it comes to 2025, there is simply no such thing. So join me as we look back this year, and maybe you, too, will find a new game that you might want to acquire during this holiday season.
10. The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II
I’m telling you, I spent days debating whether I would choose The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II or Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter to make my list, because these two titles were equally amazing, at least for me. But in the end, I decided that the award must go to Daybreak II.
Thinking about it, Trails through Daybreak could be considered the first Trails game I have finished from start to finish, because I loved the character cast, especially Van Arkride. While Daybreak II does have its quirks, I still loved going through the story in both Japanese and English. Honestly, I might even just replay this game again, as we prepare for the western release of Trails beyond the Horizon next year.
9. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma. Now there’s a title that did something extremely unique. Honestly, I’m part of the crew that just thinks the series has had a rough patch during the release of Rune Factory 5. And well, as someone who has a soft spot for the Japanese aesthetic and culture, Guardians of Azuma‘s character design and backgrounds are clearly something that appeals to me.
This is also the first game I reviewed for Final Weapon on the Nintendo Switch 2, because the release was actually delayed to coincide with the Switch 2’s release. I was super impressed with how smooth the performance was. The introduction of the Rewoven Fates system was also a welcome addition to allow you to marry whoever your heart desires. It does make me wonder: How will Rune Factory 6 innovate even further? That’s something I’m looking forward to finding out.
8. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
After that tease on Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake‘s trailer, the HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest I & II is probably up there as one of 2025’s most highly anticipated releases. With this, the Erdrick trilogy is now finally complete, and honestly, were it not for the fact that one came out last year, I would also include it in this list.
I can’t stress this enough, but if you were ever curious to try out the series that basically solidified the term JRPG, then I would strongly recommend that you give Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake a try. Square Enix clearly poured a lot of love and effort into upgrading these old Famicom gems, turning them into accessible experiences that manage to be extremely enjoyable.
7. No Sleep for Kaname Date: from AI the Somnium Files
Somehow, I feel every year, a Spike Chunsoft game makes its way into my lists. Oh well, that’s not a bad thing! This year, we had the third title in the AI: The Somnium Series, with No Sleep for Kaname Date: from AI the Somnium Files. I will admit that I discovered the series on a complete whim back when I was browsing Nintendo eShop for some new mystery adventure titles to play.
No Sleep for Kamane Date: from AI the Somnium Files is yet another certified banger of a game that just hits hard on its plot twists. The new Escape Room system is also a clear inspiration from Zero Escape, and I absolutely loved each and every puzzle. In fact, I’m even thinking of getting the game’s PlayStation version, which is planned to be released next year, just in order to get the Platinum trophy on that platform.
6. Blue Prince
When it comes to rougelites, you’ll quickly find that I’m not too fond of them. But when Blue Prince was made available via PlayStation Plus, I was interested. I mean, can you even mix puzzles with rougelites? The answer is yes, you definitely can. And that makes Blue Prince a highlight for me. There were so many times when I was there, scratching my head, thinking of what room I would draft next.
As I said in my review, Blue Prince thrives on making you ponder and jot down your journey as you go. By the end of the review process, my phone’s Notes app was so full of notes that even after I found Room 46, the game still had a substantial amount of secrets to find. I would even go as far as to say there are still mysteries to be found, as players continue to unearth new developments from Mt. Holly. I still think this game should’ve won Best Indie Game at the Game Awards, but I digress.
5. Pokémon Legends Z-A
The moment I saw that developers were pleased with the power of the Nintendo Switch 2, there was, of course, one team in particular that I was hoping would use the console’s power. And that was GameFreak. In fact, at the beginning of this year, I even got myself Pokémon Violet and played through all of it over the course of the week on the Switch 2, since it had received a free update that made the game run a lot better.
Pokémon Legends Z-A was the same thing. Honestly, forget the haters on social media. Yes, the game may not be the best graphically, but I still believe that it makes up for it with its addictive gameplay. I was amazed by just how much content they actually managed to extract from what is but a single city in the Kalos region. The real-time Pokémon battles also brought a breath of fresh air that I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did, too.
4. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
“LEVEL-5 is back!!” Do you remember when everyone said that? I do. Unfortunately, a lot of titles from their 2023 Vision broadcast ended up getting delayed due to development complications. And among them, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is most certainly up there. This game could’ve joined the graveyard of unfinished projects after the departure of Keiji Inafune from LEVEL-5. But thanks to LEVEL-5’s CEO, Akihiro Hino, who took over as the game’s producer, we finally got a finished product.
And honestly, the delays were clearly worth it, as we got a really nice, polished title that is capable of giving you hundreds of hours of gameplay. Its story may not really be that extensive, but the amount of time I’ve spent exploring Ginomorsia, playing with my friends online, and even decorating my island all amounted to time well spent in 2025, and it seems that the team is keen on bringing more content.
3. Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar
The Story of Seasons franchise has been, honestly, in a rough patch lately, with the release of Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town being a very interesting release. I’m not going to sugarcoat it; that game had a lot of issues. So when it came to remaking Grand Bazaar from Nintendo DS, I was perhaps a bit wary about whether Marvelous would be capable of doing so.
But after playing through over fifty hours of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, I still stand by what I said in my review of the game. This manages to be more than just a remake of the DS original, and it certainly rekindles my hope for what the team will have planned for the franchise in the future. If this is the new standard for remakes, then I will be extremely hyped for a Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns remake. Or another one from the DS.
2. Digimon Story: Time Stranger
Eight years. That’s how long it took for us to finally get a new Digimon Story game. I cannot stress just how many times I’ve just read vague teases from Japanese interviews until the official reveal. But we finally got Digimon Story: Time Stranger. And this is one of those games that I enjoyed so much that I even platinumed it on Steam.
The story does have its ups and downs, and I do agree the game can feel a bit unpolished in some places. Honestly, though, any issues I had with the game were pretty minor overall and didn’t detract too much from the experience. This still takes what I enjoy about the Digimon Story series, but it does so much, much better. And I’m not alone in this, as many of my friends who also got their hands on the game echo my thoughts.
1. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
After much deliberation, the 1st place on my list is definitely going to Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. When Nintendo started bringing some Wii U exclusives to Nintendo Switch, I was always wondering when the company would finally touch on Xenoblade Chronicles X. And the company did not slack on this. The Definitive Edition moniker on it is certainly not there just for show.
The brand-new graphics, the story, and of course, the endless stream of side quests and affinity missions are just the tip of the iceberg of just how big Xenoblade Chronicles X can be. This is the type of game that you can easily just spend almost 100 hours, and still not manage to 100%. Of all the releases, this is the one that deserves to be at the top of my list. It takes me way too long not talk someone’s ear off about how this is my must-play of 2025 recommendation.
