Game Scoop! 837: The 2025 Daemie Awards

Release Date: December 20, 2025
Host: Daemon Hatfield
Guests: Justin Davis, Nick Limone, Sam Claiborne

Episode Overview

This extra-special episode is the annual "Damie Awards," where host Daemon Hatfield takes center stage to count down his personal top five games of the year and hand out imaginative, tongue-in-cheek awards to the biggest (and weirdest) gaming, TV, and movie moments of 2025. The IGN crew—Justin, Nick, and Sam—add lively debate, nostalgia, and their own lists, making for a rapid-fire, entertaining recap of the year's highs, lows, and hidden gems in gaming and pop culture.

Main Segments & Timestamps

[02:41] Introduction to the Damie Awards
[03:21] Daemon’s Top 5 Games of the Year
[24:43] IGN Crew’s Own Top Games of the Year
[29:03] “Other Awards” for Notable 2025 Games
[40:43] Non-Gaming Awards: Movies & TV
[51:03] TV Awards
[58:42] Final Thoughts and Upcoming Holiday Gaming
[59:03] Game Scoop 20 Questions - Fire Emblem Three Houses (minigame)
[68:35] Holiday Gaming Plans

Daemon Hatfield’s 2025 Top 5 Games (Damie Awards)

5. The Outer Worlds 2

Why it made the list: "A slow burn...bigger, more epic than the first. At 50 hours, I'm just about to wrap up." (04:06)
Notable moment: Described an intricate mission involving a supercomputer and faction betrayal:
“I became their sworn enemy of the faction. They all attacked me. I had to kill everyone that helped me clear out the facility. And now I’m an enemy to that faction. If they ever see me, they’re just going to attack me on sight. Oh, [the computer’s] my friend now.” — Daemon, [04:58]
Game highlights: Meaningful choices, impactful side quests, improved gunplay.

4. Ghost of Yote

Visuals: “Probably tied with Assassin’s Creed Shadows for best looking game of the year.” (05:56)
Combat & Side Content: “Combat in this game feels so good...I could just spend a whole evening doing bounty hunter missions.” (06:21)
Quibble: Too much “walking and talking”—a broader critique of cinematic, agency-limiting moments in big PlayStation games.
Fun detail: “Bears play a surprisingly big role in this game.” (07:06)
Lively banter:
“I like the deceptive ones where they’re trying to be somebody else. Then you’re like, you’re the person I’m looking for.” — Sam, [06:38]

3. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Legacy: "The 13th Shinobi game, but not an unlucky number."
Format shift: "Reimagines Shinobi from a straightforward arcade action game into a hand-drawn collection of mini Metroidvanias." (08:10)
Replayability: “Lots of secrets, new traversal unlocks — built for replayability.”
Gameplay: "Hop and chop. I'd much rather hop and chop than walk and talk!” — Daemon, [09:19]

2. Donkey Kong Bonanza

Near-perfect comparison: “Very, very close to the perfection that is Mario Odyssey. If Mario Odyssey's here, Donkey Kong Bonanza is like—right there.” — Daemon, [11:52]
Redesign praise: “I like Donkey Kong's redesign a lot."
Best map of the year: "Gorgeous dioramas...I want a 3D print of just the maps.”
Movement & Mechanics: “You don’t need to master everything, but if you’re a sicko like me, you can do insane things that get you to parts of the map you shouldn’t be able to access early. The game does not punish you for it.” — Nick, [12:51]
Music: “It’s because of the transform music. That’s what people like.” — Sam, [14:07]
Ending (mild spoilers): "The build up and eventual reveal of K Rool is incredible, and the execution of the boss fight is like... although it's ten times harder than anything else in the game." — Justin, [15:45]
DLC: Emerald Rush mode lauded as “a fun way of approaching this game from a roguelite experience.” — Nick, [17:05]

1. Monster Train 2

Genre: “Roguelite deckbuilder perfection for me.” — Daemon, [18:35]
Premise & Progression: Mixes classes and decks, focuses on creative synergies, and includes higher difficulty unlocks akin to Balatro.
Surprise inclusion: “They also put the entirety of Monster Train 1 in the game, too.” (20:17)
Quote: “Monster Train 2. Eleven out of ten. Off the charts. Off the charts for me.” — Daemon, [22:10]

IGN Crew: Alternative Game of the Year Picks

Nick’s List:

Donkey Kong Bonanza
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
Silksong
Doom: The Dark Ages
Claire Obscure: Expedition 33

Justin’s Faves (New & Classic):

Donkey Kong Bonanza
Claire Obscure
Spent a ton of time in Vampire Survivors DLC, modded Factorio, and played Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Sam’s List:

Metroid Prime 4 - “Not my favorite Metroid, but a Metroid Prime game is still pretty good no matter what.” [26:41] 2/3. Assassin’s Creed Shadows & Ghost of Yote (tied)
Death Stranding 2 – “I basically 100%’ed that game. I like everything about it. Connecting the world and seeing other players use my stuff.” [27:17]

Unique & Humorous Damie Awards (Select Highlights)

"Hey, this actually turned out pretty great" Award: Avowed
“I just had no hype... Didn’t seem to have a personality. But, no, the game is really, really fun. ... Very close to Skyrim quality.” — Daemon, [29:10]
"I really like this when I played it for preview but never got around to playing the final version" Award:
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound — Finished and praised by Nick, especially for the opening boss fight. [30:01]
"Most questionable cooperative game to play with a five-year-old" Award:
Split Fiction — “There’s some comical violence and they use the s-word once, but Kingo didn’t notice.” — Daemon, [31:32]
"Densest Foliage" Award: Assassin’s Creed Shadows — “You go off the path there, you end up in the bushes and can’t see anything.” — Daemon, [34:13]
"Best Sega Genesis Game Released in 2025": Earthion
“A new Sega Genesis shmup, runs on actual Genesis hardware but looks like it shouldn’t... made by OG Sega developers.” — Daemon, [39:16]

Movie & TV Awards & Pop Culture Highlights

Film

Best Movie Experience with Kids: Dogman (DreamWorks)
“If you haven’t read the books you’ll be confused, but if you have, it’s a great time.”
Best Movie No One Else Saw: Black Bag - “A subtle spy movie, like Tinker Tailor but not boring.” — Nick, [42:54]
Funniest/Most Imaginative Kill Gags: Ballerina (John Wick spin-off)
“Norman Reedus wraps a guy in a tarp and shotgun-blasts him. ... Then there’s a grenade necklace. That’s the best one.” — Daemon, [45:39]
Subverted Callback Line: “On your left” from Thunderbolts
"I’m not mad about it, it’s just weird" Award: Death Stranding 2

TV

"Holy crap, that is actually terrifying" Award: Paradise episode 7—depicting the event that destroyed the world. [51:24]
Best Substitute for Cancelled Scavengers Reign S2: Common Side Effects—"Very similar animation, great writing, very funny," [52:35]
Funniest Show: The Studio (Apple TV Plus)
Best Genre Turn: Pluribus — “This is just another banger from Vince Gilligan.” — Daemon, [54:08]
"We Do Not Deserve This" Award: Andor Season 2
“One of the greatest things, not just Star Wars, but on television in the last decade.” — Justin, [57:58]
- “The last four episodes are just incredible.” — Daemon, [57:05]

Noteworthy Quotes & Banter

On Outer Worlds 2 Missions:
“By the end of the quest, I kind of liked the computer. ... I think I'll keep the computer for myself." — Daemon, [04:50]
On DK Bonanza’s Art:
"I do think this game is incredibly ugly. ... Just the art palette and just the level design... deeply unappealing to me." — Justin, [13:16]
On Monster Train 2:
“[It’s] Roguelite deckbuilder perfection for me.” — Daemon, [18:35]
“They also put the entirety of Monster Train 1 in the game, too.” — Daemon, [20:17]
On Death Stranding 2:
“I basically 100%’ed that game. At the end I just wanted to do more. I love connecting the world and seeing other players use my stuff.” — Sam, [27:17]
On Movie Spin-Offs:
“Ballerina is totally fun... like Donkey Kong Bonanza is to Mario Odyssey—almost as good.” — Daemon, [45:14]
On Awards Show Format:
“See, Justin, you can come up with a top five but then you can also just make up awards for any other game you want to mention.” — Daemon, [33:55]

Holiday Gaming Plans & Nostalgia [68:35]

Sam: Finishing Metroid Prime 4, Ball Pit, and possibly Outer Worlds 2.
Justin: Starting a family Minecraft world over break, playing Metroid Prime 4 “for some old-school action adventure.”
Nick: Hopes to finish Baldur’s Gate 3 (at 84 hours!), Metroid Prime 4, plus a “secret game.”
Daemon: Plans some classic retro gaming (Super Mario Bros. 2, NES favorites), watching his son play Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 for the first time.

Notable Moments

[03:24–03:30] “This is the one time a year Damon gets to take over the show.” — Justin
[14:29] “Jig and Dig”—genre coined for DK Bonanza by Justin and Sam
[40:19] Genesis nostalgia: “You can set an audio filter to make it sound like it’s coming out of a TV in the 90s.”
[57:29] “Recontextualizing Star Wars as ‘Oh no, the Empire are committing war crimes here.’” — Nick on Andor S2
[67:00] Advice for devs: “If you add anime dating to your game, no matter what it is, it’s going to work 100%.” — Sam

Game Scoop! 20 Questions

Answer: Fire Emblem: Three Houses

[65:33] Sam correctly identifies the game after a spirited deduction about Nintendo co-developed strategy games.

Closing Notes

Tone:

Warm but sharp, sarcastic where needed, brimming with affection and goofiness for gaming and pop culture.
Nostalgic and celebratory end-of-year energy.

For New Listeners:

The Damie Awards are a great intro to the show’s mix of humor, sharp insight, and gaming deep-cuts.
Expect quick-witted banter, retro nods, and friendly feuding among knowledgeable hosts.

Listen for:

The annual “Top Five” Daemon episode—a holiday tradition
Rare picks and passionate defense of favorites (even the most nagging flaws)
Innovative awards categories: “Densest Foliage,” “Best Sega Genesis Game of 2025,” “Most Questionable Co-op Game to Play With a Five-Year-Old”
Unfiltered, rapid-fire opinions on everything from open-world fatigue to why anime dating always works

End of episode. Happy holidays from the Game Scoop! crew. Play lots of games, and see you next year!

Game Scoop! 837: The 2025 Daemie Awards

Release Date: December 20, 2025
Host: Daemon Hatfield
Guests: Justin Davis, Nick Limone, Sam Claiborne

Episode Overview

Main Segments & Timestamps

[02:41] Introduction to the Damie Awards
[03:21] Daemon’s Top 5 Games of the Year
[24:43] IGN Crew’s Own Top Games of the Year
[29:03] “Other Awards” for Notable 2025 Games
[40:43] Non-Gaming Awards: Movies & TV
[51:03] TV Awards
[58:42] Final Thoughts and Upcoming Holiday Gaming
[59:03] Game Scoop 20 Questions - Fire Emblem Three Houses (minigame)
[68:35] Holiday Gaming Plans

Daemon Hatfield’s 2025 Top 5 Games (Damie Awards)

5. The Outer Worlds 2

Why it made the list: "A slow burn...bigger, more epic than the first. At 50 hours, I'm just about to wrap up." (04:06)
Notable moment: Described an intricate mission involving a supercomputer and faction betrayal:
“I became their sworn enemy of the faction. They all attacked me. I had to kill everyone that helped me clear out the facility. And now I’m an enemy to that faction. If they ever see me, they’re just going to attack me on sight. Oh, [the computer’s] my friend now.” — Daemon, [04:58]
Game highlights: Meaningful choices, impactful side quests, improved gunplay.

4. Ghost of Yote

Visuals: “Probably tied with Assassin’s Creed Shadows for best looking game of the year.” (05:56)
Combat & Side Content: “Combat in this game feels so good...I could just spend a whole evening doing bounty hunter missions.” (06:21)
Quibble: Too much “walking and talking”—a broader critique of cinematic, agency-limiting moments in big PlayStation games.
Fun detail: “Bears play a surprisingly big role in this game.” (07:06)
Lively banter:
“I like the deceptive ones where they’re trying to be somebody else. Then you’re like, you’re the person I’m looking for.” — Sam, [06:38]

3. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Legacy: "The 13th Shinobi game, but not an unlucky number."
Format shift: "Reimagines Shinobi from a straightforward arcade action game into a hand-drawn collection of mini Metroidvanias." (08:10)
Replayability: “Lots of secrets, new traversal unlocks — built for replayability.”
Gameplay: "Hop and chop. I'd much rather hop and chop than walk and talk!” — Daemon, [09:19]

2. Donkey Kong Bonanza

Near-perfect comparison: “Very, very close to the perfection that is Mario Odyssey. If Mario Odyssey's here, Donkey Kong Bonanza is like—right there.” — Daemon, [11:52]
Redesign praise: “I like Donkey Kong's redesign a lot."
Best map of the year: "Gorgeous dioramas...I want a 3D print of just the maps.”
Movement & Mechanics: “You don’t need to master everything, but if you’re a sicko like me, you can do insane things that get you to parts of the map you shouldn’t be able to access early. The game does not punish you for it.” — Nick, [12:51]
Music: “It’s because of the transform music. That’s what people like.” — Sam, [14:07]
Ending (mild spoilers): "The build up and eventual reveal of K Rool is incredible, and the execution of the boss fight is like... although it's ten times harder than anything else in the game." — Justin, [15:45]
DLC: Emerald Rush mode lauded as “a fun way of approaching this game from a roguelite experience.” — Nick, [17:05]

1. Monster Train 2

Genre: “Roguelite deckbuilder perfection for me.” — Daemon, [18:35]
Premise & Progression: Mixes classes and decks, focuses on creative synergies, and includes higher difficulty unlocks akin to Balatro.
Surprise inclusion: “They also put the entirety of Monster Train 1 in the game, too.” (20:17)
Quote: “Monster Train 2. Eleven out of ten. Off the charts. Off the charts for me.” — Daemon, [22:10]

IGN Crew: Alternative Game of the Year Picks

Nick’s List:

Donkey Kong Bonanza
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
Silksong
Doom: The Dark Ages
Claire Obscure: Expedition 33

Justin’s Faves (New & Classic):

Donkey Kong Bonanza
Claire Obscure
Spent a ton of time in Vampire Survivors DLC, modded Factorio, and played Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Sam’s List:

Metroid Prime 4 - “Not my favorite Metroid, but a Metroid Prime game is still pretty good no matter what.” [26:41] 2/3. Assassin’s Creed Shadows & Ghost of Yote (tied)
Death Stranding 2 – “I basically 100%’ed that game. I like everything about it. Connecting the world and seeing other players use my stuff.” [27:17]

Unique & Humorous Damie Awards (Select Highlights)

"Hey, this actually turned out pretty great" Award: Avowed
“I just had no hype... Didn’t seem to have a personality. But, no, the game is really, really fun. ... Very close to Skyrim quality.” — Daemon, [29:10]
"I really like this when I played it for preview but never got around to playing the final version" Award:
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound — Finished and praised by Nick, especially for the opening boss fight. [30:01]
"Most questionable cooperative game to play with a five-year-old" Award:
Split Fiction — “There’s some comical violence and they use the s-word once, but Kingo didn’t notice.” — Daemon, [31:32]
"Densest Foliage" Award: Assassin’s Creed Shadows — “You go off the path there, you end up in the bushes and can’t see anything.” — Daemon, [34:13]
"Best Sega Genesis Game Released in 2025": Earthion
“A new Sega Genesis shmup, runs on actual Genesis hardware but looks like it shouldn’t... made by OG Sega developers.” — Daemon, [39:16]

Movie & TV Awards & Pop Culture Highlights

Film

Best Movie Experience with Kids: Dogman (DreamWorks)
“If you haven’t read the books you’ll be confused, but if you have, it’s a great time.”
Best Movie No One Else Saw: Black Bag - “A subtle spy movie, like Tinker Tailor but not boring.” — Nick, [42:54]
Funniest/Most Imaginative Kill Gags: Ballerina (John Wick spin-off)
“Norman Reedus wraps a guy in a tarp and shotgun-blasts him. ... Then there’s a grenade necklace. That’s the best one.” — Daemon, [45:39]
Subverted Callback Line: “On your left” from Thunderbolts
"I’m not mad about it, it’s just weird" Award: Death Stranding 2

TV

"Holy crap, that is actually terrifying" Award: Paradise episode 7—depicting the event that destroyed the world. [51:24]
Best Substitute for Cancelled Scavengers Reign S2: Common Side Effects—"Very similar animation, great writing, very funny," [52:35]
Funniest Show: The Studio (Apple TV Plus)
Best Genre Turn: Pluribus — “This is just another banger from Vince Gilligan.” — Daemon, [54:08]
"We Do Not Deserve This" Award: Andor Season 2
“One of the greatest things, not just Star Wars, but on television in the last decade.” — Justin, [57:58]
- “The last four episodes are just incredible.” — Daemon, [57:05]

Noteworthy Quotes & Banter

On Outer Worlds 2 Missions:
“By the end of the quest, I kind of liked the computer. ... I think I'll keep the computer for myself." — Daemon, [04:50]
On DK Bonanza’s Art:
"I do think this game is incredibly ugly. ... Just the art palette and just the level design... deeply unappealing to me." — Justin, [13:16]
On Monster Train 2:
“[It’s] Roguelite deckbuilder perfection for me.” — Daemon, [18:35]
“They also put the entirety of Monster Train 1 in the game, too.” — Daemon, [20:17]
On Death Stranding 2:
“I basically 100%’ed that game. At the end I just wanted to do more. I love connecting the world and seeing other players use my stuff.” — Sam, [27:17]
On Movie Spin-Offs:
“Ballerina is totally fun... like Donkey Kong Bonanza is to Mario Odyssey—almost as good.” — Daemon, [45:14]
On Awards Show Format:
“See, Justin, you can come up with a top five but then you can also just make up awards for any other game you want to mention.” — Daemon, [33:55]

Holiday Gaming Plans & Nostalgia [68:35]

Sam: Finishing Metroid Prime 4, Ball Pit, and possibly Outer Worlds 2.
Justin: Starting a family Minecraft world over break, playing Metroid Prime 4 “for some old-school action adventure.”
Nick: Hopes to finish Baldur’s Gate 3 (at 84 hours!), Metroid Prime 4, plus a “secret game.”
Daemon: Plans some classic retro gaming (Super Mario Bros. 2, NES favorites), watching his son play Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 for the first time.

Notable Moments

[03:24–03:30] “This is the one time a year Damon gets to take over the show.” — Justin
[14:29] “Jig and Dig”—genre coined for DK Bonanza by Justin and Sam
[40:19] Genesis nostalgia: “You can set an audio filter to make it sound like it’s coming out of a TV in the 90s.”
[57:29] “Recontextualizing Star Wars as ‘Oh no, the Empire are committing war crimes here.’” — Nick on Andor S2
[67:00] Advice for devs: “If you add anime dating to your game, no matter what it is, it’s going to work 100%.” — Sam

Game Scoop! 20 Questions

Answer: Fire Emblem: Three Houses

[65:33] Sam correctly identifies the game after a spirited deduction about Nintendo co-developed strategy games.

Closing Notes

Tone:

Warm but sharp, sarcastic where needed, brimming with affection and goofiness for gaming and pop culture.
Nostalgic and celebratory end-of-year energy.

For New Listeners:

The Damie Awards are a great intro to the show’s mix of humor, sharp insight, and gaming deep-cuts.
Expect quick-witted banter, retro nods, and friendly feuding among knowledgeable hosts.

Listen for:

The annual “Top Five” Daemon episode—a holiday tradition
Rare picks and passionate defense of favorites (even the most nagging flaws)
Innovative awards categories: “Densest Foliage,” “Best Sega Genesis Game of 2025,” “Most Questionable Co-op Game to Play With a Five-Year-Old”
Unfiltered, rapid-fire opinions on everything from open-world fatigue to why anime dating always works

End of episode. Happy holidays from the Game Scoop! crew. Play lots of games, and see you next year!

Game Scoop! 837: The 2025 Daemie Awards

Powered by Wave AI

Summary

Game Scoop! 837: The 2025 Daemie Awards

Episode Overview

Main Segments & Timestamps

Daemon Hatfield’s 2025 Top 5 Games (Damie Awards)

5. The Outer Worlds 2

4. Ghost of Yote

3. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

2. Donkey Kong Bonanza

1. Monster Train 2

IGN Crew: Alternative Game of the Year Picks

Unique & Humorous Damie Awards (Select Highlights)

Movie & TV Awards & Pop Culture Highlights

Film

TV

Noteworthy Quotes & Banter

Holiday Gaming Plans & Nostalgia [68:35]

Notable Moments

Game Scoop! 20 Questions

Closing Notes

Listen for:

Summary

Game Scoop! 837: The 2025 Daemie Awards

Episode Overview

Main Segments & Timestamps

Daemon Hatfield’s 2025 Top 5 Games (Damie Awards)

5. The Outer Worlds 2

4. Ghost of Yote

3. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

2. Donkey Kong Bonanza

1. Monster Train 2

IGN Crew: Alternative Game of the Year Picks

Unique & Humorous Damie Awards (Select Highlights)

Movie & TV Awards & Pop Culture Highlights

Film

TV

Noteworthy Quotes & Banter

Holiday Gaming Plans & Nostalgia [68:35]

Notable Moments

Game Scoop! 20 Questions

Closing Notes

Listen for: