Tim, Blessing, and Roger's Top 10 Games of 2025 - Kinda Funny Gamescast

Summary

Kinda Funny Gamescast: Tim, Blessing, and Roger's Top 10 Games of 2025

Date: January 13, 2026
Hosts: Tim Gettys, Blessing Adeoye Jr., Roger Pokorny
(with contributions from Andy Cortez)

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Overview

This episode of the Gamescast is an in-depth roundtable as Tim, Blessing, and Roger each share their individual Top 10 Games of 2025. The crew breaks down the highs, lows, and surprises of the year, analyzing trends in game design, sequel expectations, platformer innovation, creative indies, and the “competing with yourself” struggles of top studios. Each list is revealed in turns, starting from #10, with conversation triggered as each game hits its highest ranking on someone’s list.

If you want to know what made 2025 distinctive in gaming, what games captured imaginations and debates, and what trends are shaping the industry’s future, this is a must-listen, energetic discussion — complete with shoutouts to developers, confessionals around Game of the Year anguish, and some unforgettable quotes.

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Episode Structure and Notable Format

1. The Format Explanation:
   • Lists revealed in reverse, starting from #10. If someone has a game ranked higher, discussion is reserved until its highest spot is reached.
   • "If you’re watching live, be part of the show by super chatting…"
   • Credit to Patreon producers and encouragement to check out their full team Game of the Year deliberations posted the previous day.
     ([04:00]–[04:45])

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Major Discussion Points & Highlights

1. The Art & Turmoil of Game Ranking

• Hosts reflect on the difficulty of organizing ranked lists in such a stacked year.
• The need to balance personal joy, innovation, and technical excellence.
• “We’re so back. Video games are back. We’re saved.” — Roger ([74:31])

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2. Spotlight on Standout Games

Donkey Kong Bonanza

Highest: Andy (#4), Blessing (#5), Roger (#10) — [60:08]–[67:35]

• What Worked:
  • Nintendo delivers a 3D platformer revitalizing DK with tactile “smash” mechanics.
  • Strong art style, clever physics systems, wild use of environmental destruction, and memorable endgame moments.
  • “Donkey Kong is back in 3D. The world has fucking healed…” — Blessing ([61:19])
• Critical View:
  • “I liked the beginning…diminishing returns…by the ending I found myself enjoying it, but did not love the way they scaled the destruction.” — Roger ([61:31])
• Design Praise:
  • Innovative camera praised as “unbelievably impressive” ([63:05])
  • Discussion of Nintendo’s ability to spin off Mario mechanics but maintain DK’s distinct vibe and physics.

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Rematch

Blessing (#10) — [05:32]–[11:01]

• A soccer-inspired physics team game from Slow Clap, mixing DNA from Sifu, FIFA, Rocket League.
• Blessing: “It’s a me-ass video game…They found something here with team play and position, the style…execution is brilliant, content is thin, cosmetics aren’t strong, but so fun I return every break.”
• Future hopes for Sifu 2 and live service tweaks.

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Split Fiction

Roger (#8), Blessing (#9), Andy (#10) — [17:00]–[23:53]

• The new Hazelight co-op 3D platformer.
• Technically brilliant for its local split-screen, creative gameplay variety, but struggles a bit in narrative and character likability.
• “Technological advancements…60fps split screen…magnificent experience,” — Roger ([17:52])
• All agree: gameplay is top tier, but story/characters “leave a little to be desired.” Discussion on the studio competing with their own legacy (It Takes Two).

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Keeper

Blessing (#8) — [24:03]–[27:19]

• Control a massive moving lighthouse in a stylish, atmospheric exploration game reminiscent of Shadow of the Colossus.
• “You’ve never played as a lighthouse. And they nail it.” — Andy ([25:57])
• “A consistent 7.5 to 8, but about experience, not gameplay highs” — Andy ([26:41])

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Metroid Prime 4

Andy (#5), Roger (#9) — [54:58]–[59:29]

• Returns to the series’ strengths, with best-ever controls and presentation.
• “The game is gorgeous. This is the best looking video game Nintendo has ever published.” — Roger ([57:36])
• Feels a bit more linear and segmented, but fantastic for both newcomers and longtime fans.

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Claire Obscure: Expedition 33

Andy's #1, Roger (#4), Blessing (#6) — [85:44]–[90:16]

• A boundary-pushing JRPG blending Persona-style combat, Mario & Luigi action elements, and Devil May Cry-inspired mechanics.
• Ambitious and creative world design, though some find Act 3 a bit unintuitive.
• “The parrying…never tired of it. Perry, Perry, Perry, group Perry…can’t believe this game exists.” — Andy ([88:53])
• Praised for its handling of grief, one-of-a-kind systems, and “so much special stuff as far as creating something that feels like one of one and has something to say.” — Blessing ([88:12])

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Dispatch

On all three lists (Blessing #3, Andy #6, Roger #5) — [71:48]–[74:38]

• Narrative, choose-your-own-adventure superhero story — “takes a genre I love ... and brings it forward.” — Blessing ([72:05])
• Episodic structure, excellent writing, and “choices that actually matter.”
• “Perfect. It just does everything right.” — Roger ([74:38])
• Only game that made every voting member’s Top 10.

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Hades II

Blessing (#2), Andy (#3) — [77:26]–[78:47]

• “They did it again. 40 hours in, feels as fresh as hour one.” ([77:55])
• New music, technical upgrades, effortless polish, and deep replay value.

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Kirby Air Riders

Roger’s #1 — [90:35]–[97:15]

• The rogue-like, maximalist revival that “screams fun” and is “a masterclass in game design.”
• “I saw the Matrix…this was pure adrenaline and speed…this is what I wanted from Mario Kart and Sonic, combined in a way I could have never dreamed of.” — Roger ([90:40])
• Road Trip mode especially praised for being Warioware-esque, bite-sized, high-octane challenges.
• The difficulty in mastering but joy in finally “seeing the Matrix” was a running theme.

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Blueprints

Blessing’s #1 — [83:20]–[85:44]

• A first-person, puzzle-heavy rogue-lite that “spoke to an addictive part of my personality.”
• “I can’t put this video game down … it’s like an everlasting gobstopper, goes so deep but you don’t have to interact with it at the deepest ways.”
• “So well designed … truly blew my mind.”

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Other Notables

• Seance of Blake Manor ([31:41]–[36:42]):
  • Mystery detective game with clever structure; praised for puzzles, setting, and voice acting.
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance:
  • Old-school, challenging 2D action making the genre feel new.
• South of Midnight:
  • Standout Southern Gothic adventure with stunning music and art, let down by unengaging combat but leaves a lasting impact.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Mario Kart World:

  • "People forget: when Mario Kart 8 came out, it wasn't a 10 out of 10 video game. And I never stopped playing." — Andy ([40:42])
  • “Why would you show me this if I can’t have it?” — Blessing, channeling “Uncut Gems” in relation to the open world function ([46:26])

• On Split Fiction’s narrative conceit:

  • “How do you hate ‘fantasy’ or ‘sci-fi’? They’re so broad… that makes no fucking sense.” — Roger ([23:05])

• On Death Stranding 2:

  • “One of one. You will never play a video game other than Death Stranding that is this weird… and this authentically bizarre.” — Roger ([69:19])

• On Expedition 33:

  • “I don’t think a day’s gone by that I haven’t talked to somebody about this game since it came out.” — Andy ([88:50])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:00] — Format explanation and intro to personal lists
• [05:20] — Reveal and discussion of #10 picks
• [17:00] — Split Fiction discussion
• [24:03] — Keeper breakdown
• [54:58] — Metroid Prime 4 analysis
• [60:08] — Donkey Kong Bonanza
• [67:35] — Top three countdown begins
• [71:48] — Dispatch (multi-list presence)
• [77:26] — Hades II
• [83:20] — Blueprints (#1, Blessing)
• [85:44] — Claire Obscure: Expedition 33 (#1, Andy)
• [90:35] — Roger’s #1: Kirby Air Riders

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Thematic Trends & Insights

• 2025 was a watershed year for creative sequels and “one-of-one” indie experiments.
• Studios like Hazelight and Supergiant face expectations from their past successes; current work often measured against prior peaks.
• Nintendo continues to define platformer innovation, with increasingly sophisticated physics systems and design language.
• The rise in praise for unique movement (“playing as a lighthouse!”) shows the audience’s hunger for mechanical novelty.
• Visual presentation (“this looks like Newgrounds Flash… but gorgeous in motion”) remains key to indie breakout success.
• Episodic/branching narrative games are finding new footing, with Dispatch as a highlight.

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Closing Reflections

The Gamescast team offered a snapshot of gaming’s vibrant present — where personal resonance and technical achievement intertwine, and where the lines between indie and AAA are blurrier than ever. Whether dissecting the physics joy of Donkey Kong Bonanza, the narrative precision of Dispatch, or Roger’s new addiction to Kirby Air Riders, this epic episode is an essential recap of the year’s best in video games.

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Listen for:

• Lively, honest back-and-forth about what makes a game “all-time” versus merely “excellent.”
• Hot takes on the perils of high expectations and sequel-itis.
• Recommendations (and warnings) for nearly every major release of 2025.

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Recommended Sections:

• [54:58] — Metroid Prime 4 nostalgia and evolutionary leaps
• [61:19] — DK Bonanza and the art of “smash mechanics”
• [83:20] — Blessing’s case for Blueprints as Game of the Year
• [90:40] — Roger’s passionate defense of Kirby Air Riders

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Missed the episode? This summary brings you every major debate and highlight — minus the ads and side-convo digressions.

Transcript

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[Andy]

What's up? And welcome back to the Kind of Funny Gamescast for Tuesday, January 13th, Nick Scarpino's 46th birthday. 2026.

[Blessing]

Okay, I don't want.

[Roger]

I don't know what. The bit ends.

[Andy]

That's real. That is. That is the real, real number. There's no look there.

[Blessing]

He looks great for 40.

[Andy]

He does look great. I like the smile on your face there.

[Roger]

There was no. There was no smile.

[Andy]

Honestly, Nick. Better with age. We can all agree.

[Blessing]

Good looking again.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Roger]

Great looking.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Roger]

I think the mustache has really elevated him. Cut down 20 years, which is unfortunate.

[Andy]

You know what I mean? I didn't want it to work that way. Yeah, I really did.

[Roger]

You wanted to work.

[Andy]

Punches said that Nick looked like a cop. Those are the greatest moments of my life. That was pre mustache too, because I

[Blessing]

can hear it in Ron Fuente's voice. Yeah, it makes sense.

[Roger]

Did you want your mustache to work out?

[Andy]

No. I knew that wasn't gonna happen.

[Roger]

I think it kind of worked.

[Andy]

No, I. I forget that you have one. I'm looking at you. Yeah. I don't. I don't think.

[Blessing]

I think the mustache really, like, it

[Andy]

just became part of you.

[Roger]

Yeah, it's part of me.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Roger]

I mean, it's always been. It was before that. Yeah.

[Blessing]

Like crystallized Roger's look.

[Andy]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it really did.

[Roger]

Yeah. I had the goatee for a little bit. I didn't like that. I don't like that. My brother does a goatee sometimes. I don't like. I don't like it.

[Blessing]

I can see it. Yeah, you look like a cop.

[Roger]

No, I did. I had a goatee once and I showed up to work and then I was like, hey, you notice anything different? You're like, what? Nothing.

[Blessing]

No

[Andy]

goatee. Speaking of goatees.

[Blessing]

He's on it.

[Andy]

We're talking about them today. Our top 10 game of the year for 2025. We're doing them in 2026, though. Looking back at the last year of video games, of course, you can already check out our kind of funnies overall game of the year gamescast. We posted that yesterday and it is freaking awesome. I highly recommend you go check it out. It's where all of us kind of gave our list to Barrett and they aggregated it together and came up with the 1 list to represent kind of funny as a team. But of course, that list has to be made up of people and their individual thoughts. So we're going to go through every member of the team's individual top 10 list, starting with this group of people today. Me, Blessing and Roger Pokorny. If you're watching live, be part of the show by super chatting on YouTube.com kindafunnygames remember, we couldn't do this without our producers on patreon.com kindafunny so shout out to James Hastings, Carl Jacobs and Omega buster. But for now, let's begin with the topic of the show. It's our top 10 games of 2025. This is how we're going to do this, everybody. We're going to start at the bottom of the list. We'll start with our number tens, go around the table one by one. But if somebody Has a game higher on the list. We will refrain from talking about it until we get to the highest point of that game being on somebody's list. Just so we can all properly give our thoughts and get into the. The nitty gritty and like maybe have a slight conversation about why one person might have had it higher. One person had it lower for their own personal list and all of that. So without further ado, we got to start with our number 10. Let's start with Roger. What do you got at number 10 there?

[Roger]

My number 10? Donkey Kong Bonanza.

[Andy]

DKB.

[Blessing]

DKB.

[Andy]

I have that higher on my list.

[Blessing]

I have it higher on my list as well.

[Andy]

Then we will refrain for now.

[Roger]

We will refrain plus.

[Andy]

What's your number 10?

[Blessing]

My number 10 is rematch. Oh, I know Tim probably has that higher.

[Andy]

I do not.

[Blessing]

Roger.

[Roger]

Oh yeah, number one. Oh, no, no, no, no.

[Andy]

I think you were probably to have rematch on your list.

[Blessing]

Maybe Mike, but I doubt it knowing how Mike feels about the game because it really comes down to post launch content that made the game fall off for a lot of us. That said, rematch is the most fun I've had playing a video game this year despite I think some of its shortcomings. It's the game. This. It was between this and night rain for that bottom spot. And for me they do both have certain things that kind of bring them down on the like in. In different ways. Rematch, though, I think still maintains for me as such a brilliant idea. And it's brilliant when you're playing it. When you have your hands on the sticks. It doesn't get more fun than rematch in my opinion. Before this game even came out. I mean, going back to when they first revealed this game at game awards about a year ago, right? This is when I super popped off for. We love slow clap here. We love their art style. We love what they did with sifu. I was playing Sifu actually two days ago.

[Sponsor]

Funny enough.

[Roger]

Why?

[Andy]

Just for fun. You just have that urge. It's one of those games for me too. Like does how long did it take you until all of a sudden you're like I'm back.

[Blessing]

Oh, like two minutes, right?

[Andy]

Yeah, but it's like you're trash for those two minutes. And then all of a sudden it's

[Blessing]

like, it's like oh yeah, this is yes. Oh yeah. It's funny.

[Roger]

I think it feels like it's built for you though. Like, you know what I mean? Like completely from the ground up. Like the reveal and everything. Like it's just. It's It's a you video.

[Blessing]

Oh, it's a me ass video games. Because of course I love slow clap. I love what they do, what they did with sifu. I also love FIFA. I'm somebody who loves a soccer game. I love Rocket League as well. And so this kind of being, being a combination of all those things in different ways really just markets directly to my heart. But this is on my list because the execution, I do think that they found something here as far as like some of the physics of Rocket League. Rocket League is way more of a physics based game. Right. But I think even more so it's the positioning. It is working with your teammates and going for runs and trying to find out or trying to find placement of being open, calling for the ball, making sure you're working with your team. And the more you work as a team, the better you're going to do in this game. It nails all of that, the style of it as well. I absolutely love I I There's so much that this game does. Right. That it does make the parts that it doesn't get right feel a bit worse. When I think about things like the amount of content, you know, I think about what this game launched with versus what a Rocket League launched with. Rocket League even had like single player content with bots and simulated seasons that you can do. Rematch didn't really have any of that. Rocket League with its cosmetics had like the kind of funny flag and different sorts of collabs that they did with various creators or team Fat, I guess I should say.

[Roger]

Yeah, yeah.

[Blessing]

We got kind of funny in there eventually though, right?

[Andy]

I don't think we did.

[Blessing]

Oh man, did we.

[Roger]

I think we might, I think we do have a kind of funny thing in there.

[Blessing]

Yeah. So in those things that might not matter as much to me as they do to maybe a mic. Right. Like it kind of fell short. But overall this is the game I still come back to. I went back to it over Christmas break and and really liked it.

[Andy]

The mom said we did get a kind of.

[Blessing]

There we go.

[Andy]

That's good. So yeah, I mean bless. Like I love that this is here for you. I love that it actually kind of lived up to your expectations in some ways, maybe not always, but I also think you weren't thinking this was going to be the greatest thing ever. It always kind of felt like a smaller project from them, especially given how tight a turnaround it was. Like I feel like it was kind of a surprise that this game came out as close to the announcement as it did, right?

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

What do you. What do you expect next from them? Like, do you think that we might see more rematch? Do you think we'll get a sifu too? Or do you think it's time for something?

[Blessing]

I think it'll be. I think it'll be a sifu too. That's my prediction. I did an interview with the lead of Slow Clap back during the summer a little bit after Rematch came out, and they did say that they're working on like the next thing. Rematch to me strikes me as a game that they want to stick around. A game that they want to update and hopefully maintain a player base that's large enough to just support what that game is while they work on other things. And so, yeah, I expect to see more. I expect to see like cool updates for this. They are adding in a one v one mode. They had a trailer for season two. That was exciting. That got me back to. To playing it a little bit. But I'm also ready for sifu too. I think a lot of the fan base of Slow Clap is ready for a Seafood two or just a new action game. And so I hope they have kind of a back and forth thing there.

[Roger]

Part of me was surprised that this game came out and it wasn't free to play. Like, do you think that that is in the future that would kind of re.

[Andy]

Re.

[Roger]

Read. Invigorate this whole game and this community a little bit?

[Blessing]

No, because the cosmetics aren't good enough.

[Roger]

Sure, yeah.

[Blessing]

If the live service, if like the microtransaction kind of stuff spoke more, it feels more exciting then yes. If they had bigger collabs, they did get certain players. They had Ronaldinho as a skin here. They had. I forget the name of the goalkeeper, but Chat, you can correct me, right? They had like a famous goalkeeper in there. Was it Tur Terror? Something like that? They have some collabs. They had a puma collab, if I remember correctly. That's not exciting enough though. It's not enough to what that would make me go, oh, let me spend $10, let me spend $15. It's not that level of exciting. So I would say no to that. And I think that's fine. Yeah. I just want this game, I want rematch to be successful enough that it can just exist. I think even they know based off of this first year of it being around that this isn't the next fortnite. This isn't the next big thing. Maybe they wanted it to be, but it's just not. Yeah, but it's but it's fine because it is good. It is good enough. So I hope they keep that.

[Roger]

Hell yeah.

[Blessing]

Was the keeper, by the way. I was there.

[Roger]

Sounds like a Game of Thrones character.

[Andy]

I mean, the Thrones is back next week.

[Roger]

I haven't seen it.

[Andy]

House of the Dragon, another spin off.

[Roger]

It's like goofier, right?

[Andy]

Or something like that.

[Roger]

What's like Goofier, Right?

[Andy]

It's like.

[Roger]

No, that's the vibe of the trailer. Game of Goofs, maybe.

[Andy]

Maybe Game of Goofs.

[Blessing]

Goof on the Thrones.

[Andy]

We'll have to wait. My number 10 is split fiction. Does anyone else have Split Fiction higher on their list?

[Roger]

Sorry, that was number nine. I have higher.

[Blessing]

I have higher on my list as well.

[Andy]

Okay, well, there we go then. Let's move on to Rogers. Number 9.

[Roger]

Number 9. Is Metroid Prime 4 higher on my list?

[Blessing]

Okay.

[Andy]

Imagine you don't know. You didn't even.

[Blessing]

No, it's not on my list.

[Andy]

Yeah. Then we go to Bless is number nine.

[Blessing]

My number nine is Split Fiction.

[Andy]

Roger. Is it higher on yours?

[Roger]

It is higher on my.

[Andy]

It's high. We go to my number nine. Shinobi Art of Vengeance. This was a probably. Actually, no. This was the final game I added to my. My top 10. I beat this in the last couple weeks. Oh, wow. During the break. And it was a very good year for me in with video games with genres that I really adore, Specifically these like 2D action games, whether it is a Metroidvania or more of an old school kind of platformer, just action style game like a Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, Hollow Knight, Silk Song, obviously. And Shinobi Art of Vengeance. It's like, yeah, I was eating really, really good. And it's funny because it really does kind of feel like you need to choose between, are you a ninja guy and Ragebound guy or a Shobi Art of Vengeance guy? And the good news is you don't. You don't need to choose between the two. You can play both. But when I'm making my top 10 list, I decided I had to choose between the two. And which one am I going to put here? And I am honestly kind of surprised that I put Shinobi over Ninja Gaiden because I think that I think Ninja Gaiden Ragebound is a better game than Shinobi Art of Vengeance. But I think that Ragebound, in more ways than not, it's kind of a bend, they're done that type situation. I think Shinobi Art of Vengeance really is pushing things Forward. And it's not just, oh, it's a retro game. It's like, no, this is. This is new. Like, this is very, very fresh. The combat is so satisfying. Some of the best 2D combat I've ever played. And I really love how much they tried to push the genre forward here without feeling the need to constantly have nostalgic things going on while also being able to deliver on all of that. Just because this is a retro franchise, right? This is not necessarily most people's favorite IP of all time. I have a soft spot for Shinobi. I've always loved the games, specifically the PS2 one, for some reason. Sick ass scarf. You guys remember this?

[Blessing]

I do not. I didn't know a snow beam without coolest scarf ever.

[Andy]

Like, it's the type of tech that you see today and you're just like, damn, we had it so good back

[Blessing]

then with shinobi for PS2. Was that still 2D?

[Andy]

No, it's 3D, like running around and his scarf would just like, that's all you. In like, the tightest way possible. Anyways, Shinobi Art of Vengeance, like, this is the type of game that I feel looks kind of ugly in screenshots, is gorgeous in motion. Like, it kind of has that look of like, oh, is this like a Newgrounds flash game type?

[Roger]

Oh, yeah.

[Andy]

And then when you actually are playing it, like, even watching a video, I don't even think makes it look as good as playing it does because it is so buttery smooth. And I love the way that they have the kind of voice acting and the. The way that the story's presented. It just. It feels very modern. I can't wait for more. Lizard Cube's really on a roll with these games.

[Roger]

And what other games have they made?

[Andy]

Streets of rage 4.

[Roger]

Okay.

[Andy]

And yeah, I feel like SEGA has been really making wise calls of pairing up different developers with their old IP and trying to find new life. And they've been very successful so far, so I want to see that continue. But yeah, Shinobi Art of Vengeance is very, very cool. And one of the biggest kind of unique things about it for me is that it's stage based, but the stages kind of feel like mini Metroidvania. Like, it's not like there's this one giant map that you're kind of going through. And I think that that kind of allows for some unique ways to kind of get fun gameplay experiences that don't just feel like the bender done that. That of every game that comes out, that is a 2D action platformer to some extent. Right.

[Roger]

So, yeah, that's. I guess I didn't know what this game was in terms of like, I thought this was a Metroidvania for some reason. I don't know, like a full on Metroidvania. So that's actually, if I. If I heard that pitch a little earlier, I think I would have checked that out because I enjoyed Ninja Guiding, Rage Bound a lot. But I felt a lot when I was. When I was looking through my top 10 and trying to build it, I was like, oh, it's kind of been there, done that. A lot of retro, you know, nostalgia bait type deal. And it does it really well. But this kind of looking at the trailer, by the way, this trailer is fucking awesome. The way that they're matching like the. The movement with all the different stages. Super sick. Yeah. I want to check this one out. This is actually kind of neat.

[Andy]

Yeah, very, very cool stuff.

[Blessing]

Tim wasn't joking about shinobi for PS2, by the way. If you Google image shinobi, PS2, that scarf stands out so much.

[Andy]

Kev, can you find even the trailer?

[Blessing]

Even the COVID art on PS2 is mostly scarf.

[Roger]

Oh, damn.

[Andy]

That's dope as hell, man. The game was very, very, very hard. Like, this was like, I like this. This looks cool. It's so sick, man. Like, I don't think the game's that good. It's definitely. Shinobi on PS2 is a swimming in sevens, like definition.

[Roger]

I can't believe I've never played it, cuz that's my entire childhood.

[Blessing]

Scarfs.

[Roger]

Yeah, Scarves and also swimming in sevens. Yeah.

[Blessing]

Like, look how long that scarf is long.

[Roger]

Dude, that's a. Oh my God.

[Blessing]

Why is the scarf that.

[Roger]

Why is the technology so good though?

[Andy]

Shout out to the PS2 generation where running on walls was like, if your game didn't have running on walls, you didn't exist.

[Roger]

So I'm still such a mark for running on walls. Anytime you get to run on a wall in a game.

[Blessing]

I'm so impressed by the scarf. It adds such a level of style to the game.

[Andy]

Hell yeah.

[Blessing]

Look at that.

[Roger]

This might be. Might be goaded.

[Andy]

Nobody's back, everybody. All right, let's get to Rogers. Number eight.

[Roger]

Number eight, Split Fiction.

[Andy]

So that must be the highest on the list.

[Blessing]

Yes, that is the highest.

[Andy]

Okay, cool. So I had split fiction at 10. Bless. Had it at 9. Roger. Had it at 8. Roger. Why did it get there for you?

[Roger]

Yeah, I started. I bookended my year with Split Fiction of Course, it came out early in the year I played, I would say 70% of it through with Lianza. And I was having an amazing time. She was having less of an amazing time. She's not. This is not the type of game that she's into. But I. We put it down and then literally a few weeks ago we picked it back up and actually, I'm not finished. I'm actually right at the ending, so. But I. It still made my list because it's best. I know. Yeah, I'm. I'm literally like slow playing it because it's that good. I was so stunned that I picked. I'm picking it up at the ending of the year about how much this. I forgot about how good this game is. You know what I mean? Like, I picked it up at the

[Blessing]

end of the year.

[Roger]

I'm like, oh, my gosh. Like, the gameplay, the mechanics, the technological advancements that they have and the fact that they're able to keep 60fps with a split screen doing insane things on both sides of it, it is truly a magnificent, magnificent experience. Of course, I think the story has a lot to be wanted and desired. I do think it's a step backwards comparatively to his other games. I don't. I don't love these characters. I think it's very annoying and very predictable. But this game is so fucking fun. And the amount of content in it, the. The way that they're able to change it up and the amount of hidden stuff that they have in it that you can completely miss. Like entire worlds that, you know, they have one call out here and there, but you can miss that and move past it. And it's an entire, essentially level of the game that it completely does different things, art styles. Really, really impressive stuff. And again, I. I gave for the Smileys Hazelight my studio of the year because they found their niche, they're killing it, and they're doing some of the most inventive stuff in gaming and they're putting out a clip that rivals most studios. So really, really impressive stuff. And I'm sure if I beat it, I would actually put it a little higher. But number eight seems like a good place for a game that I still have not even beat.

[Andy]

Plus, you had a number nine at a number nine.

[Blessing]

Yeah. This is a game that I. I maintain is incredible. I think this is, in my opinion, one of the 10 best games of the year. Right. I think they're in such a tough place where they're so good that now they're competing against themselves and so when you put out, it takes two and it takes the world by storm like that, and you put out Split Fiction and it's iterative, but in my opinion is a level up in so many ways. You still kind of get put against yourself. And like, I. I feel for them because I think this game is so incredible. And I think, you know, the further we get out from it and the more we look back on Split Fiction and people return to it, they're going to be like, oh, this was amazing. When you think about all the different gameplay styles and the things that we know hazelight for, I think the ending of this game is still moment of the year for me in a video game just for how crazy they go with some of the dev stuff to the point where me and Barrett as we were playing, I'm sure most people at this point, you get there and it's like, this should have been the whole game. Granted, that probably would have taken so long to make and develop if you've seen the ending of this game. But it makes you desire that level of polish and that level of game design from them consistently throughout the whole thing, even though what they bring already is so. Is so incredible. So I'm with you as far as story and characters and stuff. Right. It leaves a little bit to be desired. Wasn't the worst, obviously, but, like, wasn't the greatest at the same time. That's one thing I want to see them improve on. I look at a way out as like a man, you guys, this had a great story. This had at least a fun story. And so I hope they kind of like, honestly, what I want from them in the future for their next thing is for them to maybe take a break from the 3D platformer style and maybe go back to the way out style and then come Back to the 3D platformer thing afterwards. But either way, I'm in for whatever they make next.

[Andy]

Yeah, I had it at number 10 on my list, and I think that that's a perfect spot for me because it definitely deserves to be on the list, but I can't help but feel very negative about the game every time I talk about it or think about it. And I. Maybe a lot of that just had to do with Greg and I played through it. I don't know that me and him playing together was necessarily the right pairing for the game and. But I. We had a great time, but I. I do feel like you feed into the energy. Right. I feel like both of us kind of like were let down by so many aspects of the game as it was happening that it kind of soured the experience. But to what y' all are saying, it's like there's an amazing game here and like, technically what's happening, like, I love the. This co op 3D platformer genre that they have going on, and they're so good at it. You were saying that they're kind of competing with themselves. I think the bigger problem for me personally is that they're not even competing with themselves. They're competing with my idea of them. Like, they're competing of like what? Like, you see the technical prowess here, you see the fun that it's. You're able to have in, I'd say the majority of the game. And then when you're in parts that are a little less fun, I feel like I'm even more critical of them. And when you get a story that like is. I feel actively bad and characters that I just truly don't care about and I want to skip through that stuff, it's like that is too core and too important to this overall experience for it to. For me to feel that way. Right. And I just feel like I just need likable characters or at least an interesting story with unlikable characters. But I feel like I didn't get either of those. And because of that, it's like we're getting a lot of amazing gameplay moments, like moment to moment to moment to moment. But everything that gets the. The, like the skeleton of all of it is what I like the least. And I think that that's the. The biggest problem with it is that the game is constantly reminding me of the things I don't like about it. And that is a bummer. And that's why it's low on the list. Having said that, though, it's like the game's so incredible and I think if you have the right person to play with, it is going to be an amazing experience. I want these games to continue forever. I really hope that we get more. Like, I'd be interested in what a way out 2 type situation spiritual successor looks like, but I'd be down for way more 3D platforming stuff. I just think that there's a couple things that need to be tightened up here or there. I don't know what the solution is, but maybe get a different story lead, different writing team for that stuff. Because the gameplay side of it is spot on. They got that stuff.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Roger]

It feels like they worked backwards on this one almost. They had a great idea of let's split the fiction. Let's have these two different competing fictional worlds. And then okay, well, maybe one person hates fantasy. Another person also. That's the biggest thing that I hated about. I hated that. That doesn't make any fucking sense. How do you hate fantasy or how do you hate sci fi? They're so broad of genres. It's not like, oh, I hate specifically horror gore. You know what I mean? Like, you can't. I understand that just the broad fantasy makes no fucking sense. So I think that conceit and that whole idea just. Yeah, that kind of broke it for me.

[Andy]

Yeah. And I also think it's really cool that the two characters had such wildly different play styles. Like, oh yeah, thing to thing that you were doing. And I liked that it felt fairly balanced. The amount of times I was jealous of what Greg was doing versus the times I was like, I'm doing the cool thing right now, you know.

[Blessing]

Oh yeah.

[Andy]

So that was cool. Let's move on then to number eight from blessing.

[Blessing]

My number eight was Keeper.

[Andy]

Hell yeah.

[Blessing]

Nice. Was that else's list?

[Andy]

Not on my list, but it was definitely in my. That would have been right under there as like in the 11 to 13 range.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

But yeah. Bless. Tell me about Keeper.

[Blessing]

This is a game that caught me so off guard from the reveal trailer. I was looking forward to it a way that a lot of us were like, whoa, this looks cool. What is this? And it really lived up. When you get your hands on the sticks and you start controlling this big ass tower that moves in the weirdest ways. I get flashbacks to things games I love funny enough like Shadow Colossus. And that's not just for the fact I'm controlling a big structure. It's more so just the awe of the way that it moves. The awe of looking at something that is unlike anything else that I've seen in Moment to Moment. I think the presentation of it in the technical aspects of it, living up to it. Like you look at these scenes and it's like, wow, this is beautiful. You listen to it and hear the sound design and it's like, wow, this sounds crazy. You hear the music and it is, wow, this sounds unlike a lot of music I've heard in video games before. I think they did something really good and really artful with this game and gave you a game that was, I think, moment to moment snappy in terms of not keeping you in too long. There are things, things that I have that I don't love the most as far as like where the game goes. In its second and third act and how it switches things up. I. I think there are things about that that are inspired, but then there are things about that where I'm like, ah. But I like the gameplay style in the first arc better. And so that unevenness does keep it down for me a little bit. But overall, I was enthralled. Like, I. I couldn't put this game down as I was playing it.

[Andy]

Yeah, I. I recently beat this one as well. And it. It's. It's a fun little special game. And I think that the most important thing about it is the feeling of the movement where, like, you. You know how Mario feels, you know how Sonic feels, you know how these different characters feel. Like Ryu in Street Fighter. Like, we've played games for so long, you kind of understand different archetypes. You've never played as a lighthouse.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

And that really feels like their challenge of, like, what would that feel like? And they nail it in a way that, like, you don't even need to think about it. You just hold the controller and all of a sudden when you're moving, it has that, like, inherent. Just vibe check with your. Your body. Like, muscle memory. Yeah. The top heaviness of it all and, like, kind of just the way that you're moving and then the way you have to turn the. The light itself, like, it just feels right and it's slow, but it doesn't feel slow. It feels, like, purposeful. And the dynamic between the lighthouse and the. The bird, like, I. I love that this game could be, like, incredibly pretentious and, like, beat you over the head with some, like, story about the environment or some shit. They don't. It's just like, they do, like, they do it in a way that I like. Yeah.

[Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Andy]

It's like, not like, okay, I never rolled my eyes playing this game. I think that's, like, the. The way I'd want to put that. But, yeah, it's gorgeous. It sounds great. It controls unlike anything I've ever experienced, but that's perfect. I don't know that the gameplay ever, like, reaches true highs. You know, like split fiction where it's, like, a little unbalanced, but the highs are so high. I think this is just like, a consistent 7.5 to 8 in terms of gameplay, but it's not about the gameplay. It is about the experience. And also the entire thing is, like, four hours.

[Blessing]

Yeah, it's very cool.

[Andy]

And I do think that they keep things fresh enough where I rarely, if ever was like, okay, I'm tired of doing this right now.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

You know? Yeah.

[Blessing]

There was only one part where I kind of felt that in the second act of the game, but then third act brought me back in third act. Like, they, they introduced something where I'm like, okay, y', all are.

[Andy]

Y'. All.

[Blessing]

This is a fun studio right here. I love, I love Double Fine. Y' all are some weirdos.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

In the best way possible.

[Andy]

It is my favorite Double Fine game that I played. And granted, I haven't played too many Double Fine games, but there was something about this one that I'm like. I really, I connect with it. I like. Then number eight for me, south of Midnight. Did anyone else have this on their list?

[Roger]

No.

[Blessing]

No, not for me.

[Andy]

No. Not surprised about that. But this was my, this was my.

[Blessing]

Called us haters.

[Andy]

Yeah. No, but I, I, I totally, I totally understand the criticism of this game, but I love it, man. And this was my game of the year for a good chunk of the year.

[Roger]

Wow.

[Andy]

Until there was the onslaught of, you know, like Expedition and Hades and, and Hollow Knight and all that stuff.

[Roger]

Had a good two months and.

[Andy]

Yeah, exactly. And. But then this, it did rapidly fall down the list, but this is a game I think about a lot. I listen to the soundtrack constantly. I'm still blown away by the, the look of the game. I. This is definitely on my list of like, please God, let us get a sequel. And I don't think that's ever going to happen for a ton of reasons, but.

[Roger]

Really, you don't think so?

[Andy]

No, I don't.

[Roger]

You think they're just gonna do another thing, a new thing, or.

[Andy]

I don't know if they're gonna stay open. They open. And that, that's so unfortunate because, like, they, they really did something special. I mean, it is coming to Switch 2 and PlayStation, so we'll see if they give that a proper push.

[Roger]

Listen, if Hellblade is potentially gonna get a third game, we gotta get it.

[Advertiser]

You know what?

[Blessing]

That's true. I'll take another south of Midnight.

[Andy]

Y. Yeah, but no, I really, I really loved this, man. I loved the story. I loved the, the energy that it had from a gameplay perspective. Like, I know that the biggest criticism is how simple the Combat is and PS2. Like, it is. I love that stuff. Like, another huge win for this game, for me is my brother beat this game.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Andy]

There hasn't beat a modern game in decades, but because of the look and style of it, like, he committed to it. He loved it too. But yeah, I, I really love this one. And I feel like it just like kept getting better to me. Like the, the boss fights were so creative and fun. I've talked so much about how the. The music of the boss fights, telling the story of the fight, but also the character's backstory. So cool. Two toed Tom, my guy. But yeah, once you get towards the. The very end of the game, like I don't want to spoil it but like the whole. All the sections at the end, I'm like this is the dopest ever. I really, really love this. Yeah. Would love a sequel. There was the teaser trailer that. The announcement trailer for this game that had a character that you don't really see too much of in the core game. And I'm like, I want that, I want that. So maybe I'm holding out hope. But yeah, love this a lot.

[Blessing]

Yeah. This is one that I always wonder like was I too hard on it when it came out? Because I think I was very focused on combat and like gameplay that didn't resonate as much with me as in addition to even like the ending of the game felt a little bit more abrupt than I'd like. But that said, when I think back to it, I think back fondly on the overall experience. When I think about the artfulness. When I think about the. I mean just the pure art style of it and how the characters look and move. So beautiful. When I think about the setting. Right. So inspired. When I think about the story and like what's going on in this world. The music that you talk about, I think so much of it comes together in a way that talking about Keeper, I think this game has a lot of that same energy as far as wow, this was a really creative team that went into this and made something special here. And so I. This is one that I'm sure one day maybe I'll get back to just to re experience it and look at it through a different lens. Hopefully we get this out to midnight too. But yeah, I might have been hard on it.

[Roger]

No, yeah, I get that. I think you and I shared a lot of the same criticisms Blessing. But I was a little higher on it. But I think I felt the same way. And I thought about. I was like, well, gameplay is such a big part of this game. You know, I mean like it's not like it's like just a few sections here and there and I actively did not like that combat by the ending of it. And I do think that that ending just kind of stopped. But again I look at these trailers like man, that was an animated series, if that was. I want to recommend that people, when it comes out on PS5, I know people in my life that I'm like, yo, play this game. You're going to enjoy this one. So it's still recommended. It's still. Still a good game. But, man, I wish it was on my top ten. Yeah, right there.

[Andy]

So that was my number eight. Let's get to Roger's number seven.

[Roger]

Yeah, my number seven is Seance of Blake Manor.

[Blessing]

No, not on mine. Yeah, I wish. I wish. Come out earlier in the year.

[Roger]

Yeah, I saw you playing a little bit of it on Steam.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Roger]

I was hoping that you would get through it, but, yeah, sans of Blake Manor was my Christmas break game. I booted it up on a whim. I saw I got a lot of great reviews earlier on in the year, and it really impressed me. I thought it was a really, really good experience. The idea behind it is that you are a detective coming to a hotel in the outskirts of Ireland, and you were hired through an anonymous tip to find this woman inside of a hotel. She's gone missing. And in a few days, there's going to be a seance. They're going to talk to the dead. It's this big, huge event that a lot of rich people have come to this hotel for. So you are now walking around and interviewing all of the guests, all the people that work at the hotel, and trying to figure out what happened to this woman. And of course, the mystery expands and becomes something way bigger. So it's.

[Blessing]

It.

[Roger]

To me, this is like the perfect, like, meld of puzzle and mystery and narrative, and it was the. The story that actually pushed me forward. That was the thing that held me back. For blueprints. For blueprints. I just didn't really get the story. I didn't feel like I wanted to solve this mystery because it was just a lot of puzzle boxes, which I know is what works for a lot of people, but I need the contextualization. I need to be able to be like, hey, I'm solving this thing because I'm gonna save this person's life, or I'm going to find out the true mystery behind it all. And that's what this does. Really great, where the way that they break it down becomes very convoluted. But they have a great UI and some good guidance for throughout it, where every single person in the hotel. I think there's maybe 18 guests. I think there's probably more, honestly. They all have their own mystery that you can solve. So by if you solve their mystery, then they don't go to the seance at the ending of the game and they survive. So that is the thing that you're going towards. And of course you're trying to solve this greater mystery. It's an interesting also concept because you. Every single time you talk to somebody or interact with somebody, you are progressing one minute in the day. So you start off around 9am every day, and you end your days around 7 to 8pm so you have a good amount of time and a good chunk of time to kind of really delve into what you want to do. But it is a lot of like, okay, well, fuck, I. I'm waiting for this person to get out of this meeting that they're in. So what do I do? Oh, I have this other thread over here and I'm running around. They also do a good job of basically being able to just break into everybody's apartments in the game and they section that off pretty well. So in the beginning of the game, you get a key and then you're able to kind of break into someone's apartment and just find evidence and kind of figure out their vibe and then confront them and then be like, hey, I figured out what your whole deal is. And it kind of does the golden idol thing, where it's like a word puzzle, where it's like it has all these words putting together the story. Yeah, exactly. And it's like, oh, this person. I love that shit. This person's obsessed with angels or whatever. And then you kind of confront him, then he's like, okay, this is my thing. But now you have to solve my final objective to then solve my thing and make me not go to the seance. So it's a lot of pieces going together. I think the thing that stopped it from actually climbing up the ranks, because in the beginning of this game, I was like, this might be game of the year. This is incredible. By the ending, I was like, oh, a lot of these solutions for these specific people aren't as creative as I wanted them to. Once you start the story, you kind of understand where it's going. And the final act, I thought, was just kind of like a lot of not convoluted nonsense, but it's just a lot of like, we have a seance, and then we have this thing, and we have gods and we have monsters. It's just like, okay, we're doing a lot here. And it just didn't really connect with me. But playing the game was super fun. Like, the act of getting to the ending was really good. I just didn't love that ending and I didn't like the story found itself. But a really creative game, small team, indie team and they. This is only their second game and they have a lot of voice acting, a lot of writing. It is super impressive stuff and I implore everyone who is interested in my pitch right here to check it out. It's totally worth your time. It's a really cool experience.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

I only played the first hour of it, but I was already like kind of into it even for the voice acting and the. The tone that was being said. I love that we're having a moment for these kind of games.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

He's like. More and more we're getting like these puzzle, detective, mystery, get to the bottom of what's going on here style of games that I absolutely love. But it's also getting the point where I'm like, oh shit. But I'm getting burnt out a little bit.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Especially starting the. Starting the year with outer wilds and then hopping into blueprints. I was like, that's enough for me for 2025 right there. So when I started this, like during Christmas break, I was like, oh, man, this seems real good. But I don't know if I have the energy, slash time, you know, But.

[Roger]

And I also float you off mic that I don't think you would love it just because the puzzles are super simple. Not super simple, but like they. They get to the point where it's like you think it's going to build towards this big thing. It's just like, oh, okay. I figured that out within, you know, just looking at every. All the things they ever play.

[Blessing]

Forgotten City.

[Roger]

No, you keep on pointing telling me to do this one.

[Blessing]

You might want to check out Forgotten City.

[Roger]

Yeah, it's a lot of this. It's a lot of talking to people. Connecting dots.

[Blessing]

Yes. Okay. In different ways, but yes.

[Roger]

Okay.

[Andy]

Okay.

[Roger]

Might give a shot.

[Andy]

Bless your number seven.

[Blessing]

My nice. My number seven is. And Roger. Is this on anybody else's list?

[Andy]

This was not on my list. This was another one that's in that 11 to 13 where I did consider putting it on here, but it's tough year.

[Blessing]

I'm pleased by how much I've gotten to talk about. And Roger, in the last week between our game of the year top 10, which I didn't expect fully, and Smiley's and again here, this is a game that caught me very off guard. We've been comparing this game to Florence a lot. I think for the presentation and the way that you interact with it being very much like you are interacting with these 2D images, slash puzzles and doing, like, simple interactions that are telling you this greater story about subject matter that is deeply personal to the characters. And if you relate to what's going on here, probably deeply personal to those who have experienced this kind of thing. For me, one of the special things that video games can do is put you in the shoes of somebody else or allow you to kind of look at something that exists in a totally unique way. I look at a gone home or a Florence is one of those. Right. I think this is right there with it as far as. Oh, damn. Okay. This is telling a story of something that I've never experienced, but really was a gut punch when I realized what we were doing here. And I. And yeah, it was one that I had to hold back tears as I was playing this game on stream. Really special game, super short. Took me about an hour and a half to finish. But I think for anybody who's into a game that has a deeper story to tell, Slash. Like, if you're looking at the gameplay, a game that has this sort of art style to it, I think it's for sure worth the hour and a half.

[Andy]

Yeah, oh, it's definitely worth the hour and a half. We've said this a couple of times now, but, like, it's just such an amazing example of what video games can be of combining storytelling with interaction. And there's no other medium that this story could be told. Yeah, this. It is the gameplay itself and like, how you were playing the game is part of the story and figuring it all out. And yeah, I. I did not know what it was about. And when it hit, I did not hold back tears. They were everywhere. And it was. It was a lot. And it's a weird thing where I think that, you know, your mileage may vary on this of, like, how hard it hits you based on the experiences you may or may not have had in your life so far. But for me, with this, there was a moment in the game that I've never ever in a video game experienced a character that I'm like, oh my God, that's me. Like, oh, what was just said? I. I feel so fucking targeted and seen right now. And like, just the way your songs and it, like, I kind of had to stop for a bit. I texted Greg and like, we're going back and forth, but I had to stop playing the game. Just kind of sit there because it's like kind of fucked my life.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Andy]

Like, it really hit me in a way of, like, a lot of reflection of those. Like, it's not stuff I didn't know, but it's like, definitely, like, oh, man. Like, I can't believe I'm not alone in this feeling and that other people feel that the thing that I feel beautiful. And it's like, that's crazy. That's. You know, that's the power of good storytelling in video games. So definitely recommend playing it, even if it might be tough for a lot of people.

[Blessing]

Yeah. Very beautifully made video game.

[Andy]

Yep. And then my number seven is Mario Kart World, which I imagine I'm the only person that put Mario Kart on the top 10 of anybody.

[Roger]

Which, first of all, Wild, if you were to start in the beginning of the year and say, hey, listen, there's gonna be a new Mario Kart, and it's called Mario Kart World, and only one person will put it on their top.

[Andy]

Yeah. I mean, that's. That's the complicated thing, because, like, yes, that's true. But I have such a conflicting relationship with this game because I wish it wasn't $80. I feel like anything I could possibly forget that part. Yeah. I don't. Anything I could possibly say about it to defend the game. Because I. I do feel a drive to defend this game.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

Because I love it. I truly love this. I think it is an incredible Mario Kart. I think that the biggest problems are what isn't there. Like, what I wished was there, and the kind of unfulfilled promise that wasn't even fully made. Exactly. But, like, was made enough that it's like, this should have been Forza Horizon Mario Kart, and it wasn't, and they never said it was going to be. But the kind of colors are on the table to be painted, and they didn't paint, you know, the title. And that. That stuff, like, definitely is. Is a bummer. But the $80 thing, I just think is just so ridiculously egregious. But the thing about Mario Kart is, like, people. A lot of the majority of people act like they played any Mario Kart for longer than they played Mario Kart World. Like, it's like the game comes out, you play it a bit, and then you stop playing into the. Until there's dlc. Maybe you play it with friends or whatever. But the reality is, When Mario Kart 8 came out, it's not like it was a 10 out of 10. Video game was even a 9 out of 10. It was like an 8 out of 10 video. And I never stopped playing. Barrett never stopped playing, you know, and I would continue to go back to market, especially after Deluxe came out and all the dlc. And just the thing that blows my mind though is how critical people are of Mario Kart World when the things it does it delivers so well on, I think that easily it has the best Grand Prix in the series. The best levels of Mario Kart 8 were the like Wario Snow Mountain. Right? And the reason of that is it was not every lap. You're just doing the same thing. Every lap was different. Every single course in Mario Kart World is that way. And there's just so much good stuff. Yes, there's a lot of getting from one area to the other area. And like that's not as fun necessarily, but it's like within that there's also a ridiculous collection of old retro tracks that you just find around the world of like recreations of the original SNES courses or all that. Like, there is so much amazing here. There's just also a lot of like, not quite, almost, whatever. And I will say the thing I am most critical of is I don't like the trick system in this. Like, I don't like the. That the advanced play just doesn't feel right to me. Like the jumping off of things and the grinding and all that stuff. Like you watch people play on YouTube nowadays and it's just like, Jesus Christ. Like the skill level of this game is much higher than previous Mario Kart games. But I'm like, I'm not playing that way. I don't know anyone that's playing that way. I'm never going to play that way. So that's a bummer. But any chance I get to talk about the soundtrack, I'm going to Greatest soundtrack and video. Incredible Freaking love it.

[Blessing]

I'll shout out Knockout Tour and Knockout Tour is great.

[Andy]

Like Knockout Tours so damn good. So yeah, it's brilliant idea. It's just one of those things where I feel like this game gets a deserved bad rap because of a lot of reasons, mainly the $80 price tag. But I also think that there's like a groupthink mentality of like misremembering how people are with Mario Kart games and like what Mario Kart games actually mean to the majority of people playing it. It's not going to be this breath of the wild experience for you, you know? Yeah, it can't be.

[Blessing]

It's the tough thing where I think for me, Mario Kart World gets caught in innovation. Like, I Think there's what we want Mario Kart World to be, and there's what Mario Kart 8 was in. Mario Kart World is in the middle in ways that kind of make it a little bit messy. When we talk about the intermission tracks, when we talk about, like, the empty world and we would talk about things that it's like, oh, okay, I understand what you had to do to, like, get it to where we're at. But we had to go all the way. Like, we. If you're going to do this. We had to make this open world a bit more engaging and interesting and fun to be around. We had to figure out, I think, making the intermission tracks either more fun or less prominent. And they did that over updates for the online stuff. Right. Because that was one of the issues with online, is that you're more likely than not to pick an intermission track for an online thing. Then they fixed that, which is awesome. But by the time I fixed that, I feel like so many people were already kind of finished playing the game. Yeah, it's a lot of small things that I think added up, at least

[Andy]

for me, but it definitely is. And it's just funny because, like, I don't play Mario Kart online like that. So it's like that stuff just never affected me. And whenever I played the Grand Prix, which I do all the time, whether it's with friends or just myself, it's like, that's when the intermission tracks are, like, very well designed into telling the story of that Grand Prix, which is excellent. Like, when you get to the Rainbow Road in this game, it's like, that is special, Dan. But, yeah. And also, it's just funny because it's like the open world, again, we make it out to be more than it is, where it's not even the mode of the game, right?

[Blessing]

Oh, yeah.

[Andy]

You're just kind of like. You press start, and then you're just kind of in the open world. But it's like, what is the core game of Mario Kart World? It's the Grand Prix and it's Knockout Tour, and it's all these things. Just. I just wish they didn't charge $80, and I wish they didn't even touch the open world stuff. If they didn't have it, I think it would have been a better game.

[Blessing]

I agree.

[Andy]

Yeah, that sucks. Yeah.

[Roger]

Part of it feels like a marketing issue. Like, I feel like calling it world, showing the open world. Would you say open world in any way? Like, people have their expectations.

[Andy]

Absolutely.

[Roger]

Yeah. I think maybe if that was like a side mode that was like, deep in the game. And then on top of that, we just didn't call it World, I think that the game would have been, well, way more well received.

[Andy]

But even with World, though, it's like, I. I'm fine with it being titled that because of, like, the. How varied the, like, Grand Prix are in terms of parts of the world and like, the music being represented and all that stuff. I think they nailed so much of it. It's just they made a couple major blunders.

[Roger]

It's like almost like calling like Halo Infinite. Like, you know what I mean? It's like, it's like you're going tune for the moon. Like when you say World, it just feels so big and it's like, I don't know.

[Andy]

But I mean, like, all the different, like, food outfits and all that stuff, like, I get the World can mean multiple things.

[Blessing]

Yeah, whatever. For me, it's the uncut gems scene of Was it Kevin Garnett that was like, why would you show me this if I can't have it? Yeah, that's how I feel about the open skateboard. I'm like, I understand it is like a side thing, but like, you put me in there. When you put me in there, I'm like, wow, I can explore, I can go anywhere. They're like, but it's just a side thing. Just get the P blocks. I'm like, ah. Why would you show me this? Why I can't have it.

[Andy]

Before we move on with the rest of our list, I want to let you know you can get the kind of funny membership on Patreon, Spotify or Apple Podcasts or YouTube to get the show ad free. But for everyone else, here's a word from our sponsor.

[Sponsor]

This episode is brought to you by Rocket Money. The amount of times Mike has signed up for something, forgotten about it after the trial period ends, and then been charged month after month after month is, quite frankly, terrifying. He didn't even realize he was paying for SoundCloud for 10 years until Rocket Money helped find and cancel his unwanted subscriptions. But he is not alone. So many people have at least one paid subscription going unused each month. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings. Thanks to Rocket Money, you can see all of your subscriptions in one place and cancel them within the app with just a few taps, saving time and avoiding charges. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. [e-mail] kinda funny that's RocketMoney.com kinda funny RocketMoney.com kinda funny this episode is brought to you by Factor. It's a new year, which means new goals and even more things to take up our time. That's why so many of us here at Kinda Funny love Factor. Factor makes it easy with fully prepared meals designed by dietitians and crafted by chefs so you can eat well without the shopping or cooking. On many occasions, Factor has completely saved me and Jen when we needed it most. Choose from a wider selection of weekly meal options including premium seafood choices like salmon and shrimp at no extra cost. Enjoy even more GLP1 friendly meals and new Mediterranean diet options packed with protein and good for you fats. Feel the difference no matter your routine? Head to factor meals.com kindafunny50 off and use the code kindafunny50OFF to get 50 off your first factor box. Plus free breakfast for a year offer only valid for new Factor customers with code and qualifying auto renewing subscription purchase. Make healthier eating easy with Factor. Hey you. Join us in person for our live in review of Howard the Duck. That's right, Howard the Duck joins MCU in review Wednesday, January 28th at 7:30pm at Cobb's Comedy Club for SF Sketch Fest. You can come watch me do all the podcasts within a podcast you love. Andy will be going, Nick will be shopping for pants during it, but everybody else will be there too for you to come hang out and see. All you have to do is go over to kind of funny.com right now to get your tickets before they sell out because come and watching a bunch of people talk about a very old Howard the Duck movie is really selling tickets fast.

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[Roger]

Before I do that really quick, I want to shout out over on our Instagram, YouTube all of our socials. We are putting up little shorts of all of our top 10. So right now mine is up there if you want a spoiler and Tim's is up there. Blessings will be up in a few hours. So every single day we're going to be putting those up. So run those up and comment how much you hate them or love them. Number six, Siri came over here. Okay, I'm assuming none of y' all had that on the list. Yeah, but Sactoria came out of nowhere. It's developed by one person, an ex Housemarque developer. And guys, it's just. We're just doing Resogun. We're just doing one of these games again and it's awesome. It is so cool to play a top down twin stick shooter and in 2025 that feels this good. And I was making the joke with blessing and it's, it's so real because like when you play this game, it feels like it was made by the entirety of Housemarque. It has the same insane, same game feel and it feels insane. It has the, the strike button where you are able to boost through other enemies. It has the upgrades. It feels. Feels exactly like what I remember Resogun feeling. And it's made by one person.

[Andy]

What is the game though? It's not resogun. Cuz Rs like yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Roger]

Res.

[Andy]

What is the game that this looks exactly.

[Roger]

Sorry, it's. I only played Resogun. I know that they're. They made other ones.

[Andy]

I don't think the one I'm thinking of, I don't even think it was.

[Roger]

It's kind of like this and also Geometry Wars. Geometry which is not by, but it's also like a geometry war type deal. But yeah, it has that same feeling. So the idea here, it is like a, it is a Roguelite. So actually no, I guess not Roguelike because you restart every time and you don't have Upgrade. Actually it is Roguelite. Yeah, it is a Roguelite. So you're going in there and as you're shooting, you're picking up these crystals and you then are able to. If you get a certain amount of crystals, you have an upgrade and you can kind of hold off for the upgrade all the way at the top, which is like the missiles or like the super upgrade. So you're kind of always playing this game of Chicken of like, okay, well right now I have enough for the speed. Okay, if I, I can wait and I can wait and I can get all the way to the missiles. But maybe I don't got it in me. So maybe I just got to keep on going for the speed. It's this really fun. Okay, well, do I have it? It's super twitchy. And man, I was like, man, I don't think I have it in me anymore to play these types of games. And then I had it one day I was here. I was here a little late and I was like, you know what? I need a break from editing. Kind of funny day. Fucking, let's run it up. And I was just locked in and I got to like the third boss. And I was like, I saw Jesus Christ. I saw God in my eyes.

[Andy]

Zach in the chat says I played this in front of my grandma and she started screaming Bible verses at the tv.

[Roger]

That's what it felt like. And it is so dope. And yeah, old man Shy says it's crazy that Roger went to resolution before geometry was. I just played resogon. That was the one that I played. And it has that same feeling, has the same energy. And again, made by one person. It is wild. The only reason it's so low on my list is because I just didn't get time to play it more. I want to play it more. I want to. I want this game to be on Switch too. That is the ideal place for me to play it. But everybody needs to try this out. It sucks because this game got such great reviews, but it just not. Is not selling well. So if you are interested in this game, fucking run it up.

[Blessing]

Last I saw, I think they reported 15k copy man, which is. Which he said was good, but like, it should be doing more.

[Roger]

Way higher. This game is awesome, guys. If you are interested in this at all, at least download it. Download it. Try it out for a little bit. I think you're going to be hooked. It's well worth the money.

[Blessing]

Yeah, I played this. I got to the second boss. Not played like that much of it. But the biggest compliment I can get to this game will also be a very simple compliment. This game make my brain happy.

[Roger]

Yep.

[Blessing]

There's something about playing this game where I'm like, ah, yes, this is. It's like somebody's like massaging my fucking.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Brain, seeing all the going on.

[Roger]

And then that part where the boss comes in, the whole camera turns to the side like it has so much sauce for days and it just feels great. You got to try it out.

[Andy]

Everybody Bless your number six is clear.

[Blessing]

Obscure Expedition 33.

[Andy]

Hey, I have it much higher than that. Put a pin in this. But I do want to talk later about why number six, like why this didn't even make the top five. I want to have that conversation and then for me, number six, I had dispatch, which I have higher. That's higher. Okay, so then roger, number five dispatch,

[Blessing]

which I have higher.

[Roger]

Okay, cool.

[Andy]

And then bless number five.

[Blessing]

My number five is Donkey Kong Bonanza, which I have higher. Oh, okay.

[Andy]

Not much, but my number five. I think I'm alone in having this on my list. Oh, no, no, no. Raj had it at number nine. I have it at number five. It's Metroid Prime 4.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

Truly love this game. Understand it has some faults, but this is a perfect example of the things that I like about the game are the things that I focus on, the things I don't like. Didn't really bother me too much. Just having. It's so rare that we get a Metroid prime game, so getting another one. We've only had four now, and I'm thrilled. I've loved every single one. Having some time to reflect on it. I really stand secure in this being my second favorite, Metroid Prime. I think this is a couple steps above Echoes and Metro Prime 3. And I again understand a lot of criticism of this, but for me, the thing that I will always hold on to is the control scheme of this and the tech. Finally meeting Nintendo where they wanted to be with the art design of all this just was so seamless and amazing. And I was constantly blown away by not just the sounds. Metroid Prime's always sounded great. Not just the aura and vibes of the atmosphere being off the freaking charts like they obviously are here. But now we have HDR and we have 4K. We have 120 frames per second. And I love the motion controls in this game, like being able to. To control it with the joy cons. I never thought that that'd be the way I want to play this, but Metroid prime trilogy kind of broke my brain when it came out on Wii. And being able to play Metroid prime, which the youngins out here bless. Yeah, you included. You don't know. You understand Metroid prime remastered now and thank God you do. Yeah, but like Metroid prime didn't control it like that. You had to stop at AIM if you wanted to shoot.

[Roger]

Oh, really?

[Andy]

Yeah. Oh yeah. Very, very different type of game back then. I loved it then, I love it now, but I never. I feel like a Metroid Prime's never felt as good as this. And that's my unique journey to get here. And again, I know there are people that have played just remastered and jump onto this. I totally understand. It just kind of feels like been there, done that. Because two years ago the best Metroid prime came out in its best form we've ever had. But yeah, I really love this stuff and I feel like one of the bigger criticisms of the game is a lot of it is very Halo campaign. Like I love Halo campaigns, so was stoked on all that. And yeah, I just, I really, really can't believe we actually got this game and that it lived up to my expectations of a Metroid Prime 4 should be. I'm very hopeful that their next project is beginning to end Retro Studios modern project of what they're trying to do. No matter what, I'm here for it. But yeah, truly love Metroid prime for beyond. Roger, you have at number nine.

[Roger]

This was my first ever Metroid prime game. I listened to the advice of you and Logan and tried this one out for the first time because I heard that it was pretty beginner friendly. I liked it a lot. I think my issues with it are, from what I'm hearing, fixed and solved in Metroid prime one where I didn't like how separate everything was. I wanted this to kind of be one big Metroidvania and one kind of large area that I'm exploring and finding things and doubling back in. I've actually kind of found love in doubling back in these Metroidvania games, which was the thing that was stopping me from falling in love with this whole genre before. But that's kind of the point to me now. So having it all spread out, it felt a little linear, a little like whatever, been there, done that. But I enjoyed my experience. I had a really fun time. The game is gorgeous. I mean, I personally think this is the best looking video game Nintendo has ever published. Especially when you're playing it on handheld at, you know, 60fps. When you put it up on the TV and HDR, it's fucking incredible. And yeah, it was just a. It felt like a Halo campaign and I love those as well. So yeah, it was just a solid like 7, 5 to 8 out of 10. It didn't blow me away. But also I didn't look into this like go into this looking for to blow me away. I just wanted a fun experience to kind of get my appetite tight wet for potentially going down the Metroid prime remaster route and exploring all that. But yeah, it. I also didn't mind the characters in this game. I thought the story was pretty solid. Like the, the supplementary characters that are in there that people didn't like, I thought was super camp and fun and yeah, just a, just a fun time and some Some interesting level designs. And I also like that motorcycle. It is fun brain go burr when you go through green crystal. And I had to go through a lot of fucking green crystals by the ending of that game. So, yeah, I wasn't too mad at it, but also I was mad at it.

[Andy]

Then we have number four.

[Blessing]

We're getting up there for Roger.

[Roger]

Oh, shit. Number four for me is exhibition 33.

[Andy]

I have it higher. Yep. We move on to bless his number four.

[Blessing]

My number four is Death Straining two.

[Andy]

Wow. Talk about it.

[Blessing]

Roger has a higher.

[Andy]

Oh, Roger has a higher.

[Roger]

Well, yeah.

[Andy]

Wow. Then my number four is Donkey Kong Bonanza, which I have higher.

[Blessing]

Oh, wait, no, did I get this wrong? Donkey Daniels is my number five.

[Andy]

Okay. Oh, wait, so we skipped you?

[Blessing]

Yeah, we skipped now.

[Andy]

Now I have it.

[Blessing]

Oh, I see, I see, I see.

[Andy]

And then Roger, I have 10.

[Sponsor]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Okay, so this is how we talk about.

[Roger]

It's Donkey Kong time, everybody.

[Andy]

DK Bonanza time. Kick us off. Bless.

[Blessing]

I mean, come on. We're so back. Donkey Kong is back in 3D. We're hanging out. We're doing 3D platforming. The world has fucking healed, except for all the bullshit that's happening in the government. No, this is a game that I think really took what they established with mainly Mario Odyssey and combined it with so much of what we love about Donkey Kong, but also just had such an inspired direction that I think really worked for what it's trying to do. We talked about this yesterday during Game of the Year, but I really like how much Smashing things is the central mechanic that the entire game is designed around. And I think it works right. I think the inherent act of breaking through shit is fun. And I really like the platforming challenges that they designed around it. I like the new art style for dk. For me, this feels like a franchise that I love getting such new life breathed into it. And I love what they do with it. I love what they do with Pauline. I love what they do with, like, even the power ups and all in the music and all that shit. So much of it for me just works. And so much of it for me is just like a. A game that really is locked in on game design and level design and platforming challenges. And I. This game was a joy front to back for me to play.

[Andy]

Rog.

[Roger]

Yeah, I'm probably the most critical, other than Barrett in the office of this game. I liked the beginning of it as I played it more and more. I think it was just kind of diminishing returns. And by the ending of it. I found myself enjoying it and, you know, still putting it on my list at number 10. But yeah, I did not love the way that they scaled when it came to the destruction. I did not love a lot of those. The whole transformation stuff, that just did not work for me. It felt like kind of an extra layer on top of something that was already pretty solid and it just kind of all fell apart for me. But of course the vibes are up. It's, you know, Hulk ultimate destruction. I can never be mad at that. Just destroying stuff is super fun. I got lost so many times, so many countless hours just digging down to the ground, trying to find chests and everything. And it just makes me smile. Especially that ending, which I know did not mean a lot to me because I'm not a Donkey Kong person per se. I know meant everything to you too, right? Like it meant everything to you guys. But it made me smile and it made me super happy. And yeah, I have a lot of issues with it. But having this and also Mario Odyssey as two separate things, like two separate worlds that we can go down, I think is valuable for the Switch and for Nintendo to go towards vision. Because this feels distinctly Donkey Kong. And this design is so great because I'm not scared of him anymore and that's huge.

[Blessing]

You were scared of the other dinky.

[Roger]

He doesn't look great. Lance is very scared of him. Lance would have nightmares. First person viewpoint of Donkey Kong running up to her and smashing her into a pancake. So this is. This has kind of saved her life.

[Blessing]

That sounds like some Mario party post pts.

[Roger]

Probably.

[Andy]

Yeah. So, yeah, Mr. Callahan, 30 in the chat says in the review, Tim literally called the camera innovative and I think he's talking shit about me, But I'll say the camera in this game is innovative. I can't believe how impressive it is, how much it keeps up with you. And like, yeah, there are times it kind of doesn't compare that to any other game ever within 3D where you have to do anything complicated. The camera is going to flip the fuck out. This game, I can't believe how successful it is at following you, breaking through layers and layers and layers of different materials throughout the entire game. Even just things like this where your shadow is. Like you always know where your character is. You know the direction you're going. And that's because of an amazing sense of character, movement and control. And that is where Nintendo shines and always has both. You were saying this in different ways, but I. I'm so thrilled that this isn't Mario Odyssey 2, I definitely on paper and pretty much in any way would have told you I prefer a Odyssey to or prefer a new 3D Mario than this. Even though I love Donkey Kong and I wanted him to to come back. And I'm so happy that I didn't get what I would have asked for. I got this game which is a completely different type of thing while still having so much of the DNA of what matters most about a Nintendo platformer. But this is Donkey Kong's kind of reemergence and re coming out as a new design, new relationship with this baby Pauline character. A different gameplay style that is is now something that we'll be able to have that sits up there with the 3D Marios and the Mario 3D world style, 2D, Mario 2D, Donkey Kong, all of that. Like this is awesome. And I think this was such a great first step for this type of tech and this type of gameplay experience. In the end. I mean we've talked about it so much. But to me it's not just the end moments and like how exciting that all was. It's the build up to it throughout the entire game and being more and more convinced as I was playing this game that they were going to do what I thought they were. And then they did and it was awesome. And then it went even further than I expected them to with connecting it to other things. But music. Incredible that I talk about this a lot. But I think one of my highlights of this game are the challenge levels. Whether the 2D ones or the 3D ones. I think that they are the peak that we've had so far of this team when it comes to platforming challenges. And the amount of them that we have in this game is just so satisfying. And I. I judge these type of games based on how incentivized am I to want to do everything. 100% it. This game made me want 100% every single thing. I had fun the entire time playing it. And I can't say enough nice things about Tom Kong Bonanza. And I can't wait for what's next for that team.

[Blessing]

One thing I'll shout out to one thing that I love in a video game is a good physics system. I love when games allow you to get kind of like tinkering with how you interact with the world around you. I think that's why I love and we love Breath of the Wild so much. Right. I think that's why I really like a Metal Gear Solid five or a Hitman. Right. Like I like systems. And not saying that DK Bonanza is that complex is like what those games do, but I think what they do with the materials of the. Of like the different services that you can pick up and throw and do shit with, I think it's just so inspired and makes me really excited of where they go with this thing. Right. I want to see way more of that. Even the. Oh, they had a fun name for it for like the goo. There's like a goo that you can like punch or whatever and it'll like disappear on one side and it'll reappear on the other side.

[Roger]

It's like this is.

[Blessing]

This is what I'm talking about. Like this is the type of the way that gold will explode. Right. Or like other services will have different properties like that. That shit speaks to me so much as far as what you're doing with game design. So the fact that they were able to dumb that down for like a family game or a kids game, man, I. I love that shit.

[Andy]

So. Yeah. And I mean everything you're saying, I. I totally agree with. Specifically in the sense of. We've seen it before from Nintendo with Galaxy and then Galaxy 2. Yeah, Galaxy. One of the best games ever made. But like such a great proof of concept of like, look what we can do with this gravity stuff and with light motion controls. And what can we do with Mario platforming that we know but like twisted up and this is. Now that. What is their Galaxy 2 going to look like? You know what I mean? Of like. Because I. I do think that one of the letdowns for me is how few times that system is used in the game of the. The blue and pink.

[Blessing]

Kind of like the switcheroogu is what they call it.

[Andy]

Rugu.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Roger]

Nice.

[Blessing]

I like it.

[Andy]

We got good stuff coming, I'm sure. Then we are at top three.

[Blessing]

Top three.

[Andy]

That's crazy. Roger, what's your number three?

[Roger]

Death Training two.

[Andy]

Time. Let's talk about. Hit me.

[Roger]

Yeah. Death Training two. I was super hyped about this game because we had just played Death Stranding 1 and that was my first experience with that. So literally a month later we ran it back, we did the marathon stream and it's such a. It was such a fun experience to see the ways in which they added the quality of life when it came to the Porter stuff going around the world, the vehicles and making just that so much easier because I remember in Death Stranding 1. Holy shit. Just fucking trying to be on this motorcycle. I'm doing a wheelie because Chris Anka told me that's the best way to go around. And it just never worked. Right. But for Death Training two, it really completed the whole fantasy that I wanted, which is just to go around this entire up world and deliver stuff. And that to me is what makes this game so fun. Of course there's an insane story around it which I think has a lot of super high highs, but a lot of, I would say just Kojima isms and weird things that I just don't think stuck the landing. But it is a incredible experience and one that is one of one. And I think that is the reason why it's so high. Because you know you will never play a video game like this. You will never play a video game other than Death Stranding one that is this weird, that is this bizarre and this authentically bizarre. It's. It really solidified this universe is something that I'm interested in. And I was so hyped by the ending of this game for the next one. Like so fucking hyped for Death Stranding 3 if and when they do that one. That is going to be my most anticipated game of whatever year. Because that is such an interesting way to end that game and set up the next future for the franchise. Very, very excited.

[Blessing]

Hell yeah.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Dare I say I think this game is a little underrated. Genuinely, when I think back to the times of me being all the way into playing death training 2 during that review period, I had to play the first 30 hours of this game twice because I played it once for the preview and then I played it again for the review. And I didn't hate it the second time. Like the second time I was all the way into being in this world. I think just the pure. Esthetically there is so much shit you see in this game where it's like, what am I looking at right now? I can't believe you're pulling this off in this. With this level of fidelity and this level of like different art styles being pulled together here in such inspired ways. They nail so much of it. Yoshi Shinkawa is on his bullshit in this game as far as a lot of the design, a lot of the art design, the industrial design. My fucking puppet homie over there, right? Like so much of it is so crazy to look at. But then you get into what they're tackling in the game thematically and story wise. And so much of it I think is really, I think both heartwarming and personal in ways that I really connected to. And I really Appreciated. Right. Like there are chapters in this game early on. Even though one of my biggest complaints is Norman Reeves character being kind of a nothing character. Sam Porter Bridges.

[Roger]

It's actually distracting in this game.

[Blessing]

Yes. More so than even in Death Raining one. There's something about him in this game where it's like you're giving me nothing.

[Roger]

Yeah. I mean this one is not spoil anything so personal to him and having these moments of incredible actors next to Norman Reedus who is literally just doing oh, what? Yeah, like fuck, man.

[Blessing]

So yeah, that is kind of distractingly bad. But even beyond that, what they tackle with what his character is going through in the first place, few acts of the game, it's like, damn, this is where you're starting. And then they go on to, you know, give you these moments with the cast, with the different characters within the game that all really hit, you know, whether it be my guy, Neil.

[Sponsor]

Right.

[Blessing]

Whether it be Rainy, whether it be tomorrow, whether it be the guy who captains the ship, Inkman, whatever his name is. Like they give you these backstories for all these characters that are so fucking weird and crazy but also really make you connect with them. There's so much good shit I can say about this game. But then you also get into the gameplay and there's so many elements that they upgrade and add in. Whether it be improving combat, whether it be adding in like new ways to get around. Whether it be me surfing on a coffin like the. On the ending of this game. There's so much good shit I can say about this game. This. This game blew me away.

[Roger]

Yeah, for sure.

[Andy]

Bless your number, car man.

[Blessing]

Not even car man.

[Andy]

You're number three.

[Blessing]

Dispatch.

[Andy]

I had dispatch at six.

[Roger]

I dispatch a five dispatch time.

[Andy]

And remember, Dispatch is the only game that made it on every voting member of Kind of Funny's list this year.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

Which got it the number two spot for Kind of Funny. Yeah. Even though you were the one that had it highest on the list.

[Blessing]

Yeah, like I. I guess as a preview of like kind of where I came down on the. For the top six. Because the top six was really hard for me. Really? The three through six range was the hardest for me and I think I kind of ended up trying to align with how I reviewed the games and I forget what I gave Dispatch, but I think I either gave it a 9.5 or a 10. Yeah, I was somewhere in that range because I think this game takes a genre of video game I love so much, which is the cinematic. Choose your own adventure style game. You know, I think me and Greg are very aligned with how much we love A Life is Strange. I. I'm even a crazy person that likes the Quantic Dream games, right? That, like, that's how much I fuck with this genre. Will's interactive games that are fmv. Like, this is a genre that means a lot to me as far as how I love to engage with story and video games. I just love making choices. I love seeing the different paths I can go. I love putting myself into the main character and trying to embody, okay, what would I do in this situation? There's something that's so inherently fun about that to me. And there's something that I think Dispatch captures in that, that does bring this genre forward. I think the presentation of it, the art style of it really brought me in as far as, wow, this game really looks good to look at. But even beyond that, just the ways in which you interact with the game, the gameplay of it, the dispatching system, super fun. The choices here, really well done as far as, you know, giving me choices that I really care about and making the. This character Will remember that notification actually mean more to me than it has in a while playing. Playing a lot of these games. Beyond that, even the story, the superhero stuff, that has been kind of tired, right? Like, we've gotten so much superhero media in the last decade and a half

[Andy]

and more than that too. We've gotten so much. Here's the Z, here's a bunch of bad guys that are good.

[Blessing]

Suicide Squad, Thunderbolts, Guardians. We've gotten so much of this shit and somehow they're able to keep it fresh and keep it interesting and make me fall in love with this cast of characters. There's no reason why this should work for me. And it worked so well.

[Andy]

They did it. I mean, they just pulled off the impossible in so many ways of making this all work. We keep talking about it, but the episodic structure actually working. Them delivering what they said, when they said, and it all playing off. Love this game.

[Roger]

Yeah. Super funny too. The writing is just so funny. Yeah. Just again playing with my brother and us just laughing the entire time, smiling, debating over the. Over the choices, and again getting to a place where I don't. I mean, we know there's romance in this game, but like, we got the. The lowest of lowest. We got the 1% or whatever. And it's like us being like, holy shit, we did that naturally. We didn't realize that, like, it's. Man, we're back. We're so back. Video games are back. We're saved. Yeah, it's perfect. Yeah, we're perfect.

[Andy]

Yep. Let's get then to my number three, which is Hades two, but I think it's higher on someone's list.

[Blessing]

Oh yeah, it's higher on my list.

[Andy]

Higher on Bless his list. So then let's get to Rogers Number two.

[Roger]

Number two, Ghost of Yote. Ghost of Yote is my number two.

[Blessing]

I think it's only on your list.

[Roger]

Yeah, I think it's only on my list. Yeah. Ghost of Yote is an incredible experience. I was so blown away with what they were able to do with a follow up to Tsushima, which I just thought was just going to feel like an expansion pack. And I think they made a lot of fundamental changes to the way that the story is broken out, the way that the story comes to you and feels organic and natural. And then also adding on top of that, the flashbacks and incredible character moments and twists and turns. I was enthralled with the entire experience. I had so much fun. The gameplay is, you know, just a better version of Tsushima, which was already great. And by the ending of it, I was just smiling and I could not wait to, you know, play it again or try to platinum it or just be in this world because I just was started going around and started doing all the camps, started taking out all the bounties and kind of living my best life as a bounty hunter running around this land. I had so, so much fun and this was a special, special experience for me and did not expect it again after coming off of Tsushima. Liking that game, fine. Loving, loving this game again. This is what a sequel in a PlayStation game. I want. I want it to be like a ragnarok where you're taking the base element of it and you're just adding on top of it. And that's what Yotei felt like to me, is a really special experience for me this year.

[Andy]

Oh yeah, got a couple super chats here. We got Christopher Burnett saying cowards. Just kidding, guys. Death 72 was my number one game in 2025 and it wasn't even close. Love the content. Can't wait for Kojima's physics game. I can't wait for all eyes on fizzing.

[Roger]

All eyes on Fizzle.

[Andy]

And then Golden Spider says breaking news. Sense of Time remakes been rated by the esrb rated T for Teen.

[Roger]

That made me laugh. Breaking news, everybody.

[Andy]

Well, it's breaking news only because it adds up to the rumored January 16th release. Oh, is that really shadow I mean,

[Blessing]

January 16th, that's what people.

[Andy]

That's what the streets have been saying. That's what they've been saying.

[Roger]

That'd be awesome.

[Andy]

We'll see. I. I will say, worst possible time for you, boy.

[Blessing]

Yeah. I was gonna say the one person

[Andy]

that actually gives a about this game.

[Roger]

No, no, no.

[Blessing]

I play.

[Roger]

That was one of my first. I love that.

[Andy]

The Tastemaker has taste.

[Roger]

I love it.

[Andy]

There we go.

[Roger]

I love that game so much.

[Andy]

God, man. My baby.

[Roger]

I got it for my birthday.

[Andy]

Hold off, hold off. It's not a long game. We should be fine. All right, let's get to my number two, which. Wait, no, no. Bless his number two.

[Blessing]

My number two, Hades two, which I

[Andy]

had at number three.

[Blessing]

Nice. I mean, what more can we say about Hades?

[Andy]

I know.

[Blessing]

Good ass video game. They did it. All right, super giant. We get it. You're good. You're good at making videos.

[Roger]

Stop making games. They're so good.

[Andy]

Kevin, thank you for having this trailer. This is what I was talking about. Yeah.

[Blessing]

Oh.

[Andy]

Where it's just like the animations that they, they got for Hades two are just like so unbelievably dope looking and. Yeah. This game is just so cool.

[Blessing]

Yeah, yeah, it's so like, it's so. It's an effortlessly amazing video game as well. There's something about it where it's like, as I'm playing this game, I'm like, wow, I can't believe this. I'm 40 hours into this game. This shit is hidden. Like it's the first five hours still. Like, this shit remains good throughout. Yeah, no, this was. I mean, talking about rematch being the most fun I had in a video game this year. Hades2 is right there with it. As far as the amount of fun I had during runs, Making decisions, finding different builds, learning that the cast is actually good. So many good moments in this video game and. But in so much, like so much really good aesthetic. Whether it be just the art popping from area to area or the music popping from area to area. Especially as you get much later in the game and they start introducing like new genres of music. I'm like, holy shit.

[Andy]

What?

[Blessing]

I didn't know y' all had this in you. Like, that's crazy. This sounds like Star Wars. Yeah. There's so much good in this video game. I absolutely loved it.

[Andy]

Well, I mean, that's the thing with the music is like, I, I didn't know this until like playing through it, like, there's those moments that kind of like caught me off guard. Where I'm like, where is this coming from? And then I looked into it inside. Of course. Darren Korb does the majority of the music, but he also partnered with Austin Winery from Journey and stuff to do some of the. The upper area music, which is like, oh, you can hear that. Yes, man. What a great decision. So, so damn good. And also the chat's gone now. Sorry, I can't see it. But someone was praising, like, how well this game runs. And it is kind of mind blowing. Like, I was watching this, like, breakdown of Hades one compared to two. And this is some Roger nerd shit for sure. Like, the way that the character models were made, like, they were actually like just hand drawn or like drawn in Hades 1, which made the file sizes insane.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Andy]

So Hades 1 was like a lot bigger and like, like making the game was like, harder in a bunch of ways. This. They just made it look that way. But it is just like 3D models. File size got to be a lot smaller. And it allowed them to do a lot more different things, which is very cool on the tech side. But what I love about this game is how playable it is in different places. And I am so happy that I have the situation. I do. Of my big theater and my Steam deck and my ultra wide. Not even nuts. Not. Not even. Just like, like, like super ultra. That's what it is. Not just ultra wide monitor. Super ultra wide monitor that I have at work. Right. Like, it's like 49 inches of insanity. 32 by 9 aspect range.

[Blessing]

About me. Roger. Sorry. Come on.

[Andy]

And like, this game looks great in just normal, but, you know, it runs flawlessly, 120 frames per second in 32 by 9 aspect ratio. And it's just like stunning to look at. You know, no matter what you're doing, this game's amazing. Moving on to my number two. I can't believe I'm the only one at this table that has this on the list. Hollow Knight Silk Song. And yeah, I know Roger would be on your list if you didn't.

[Roger]

I got slapped. My brain's all broken.

[Andy]

Yeah, exactly. And. And bear or bless. One day. One day.

[Blessing]

One day I'll give it more of a shot.

[Roger]

And you're gonna be like, with this game, this Hollow Knight game.

[Blessing]

Yeah, like, y' all heard of this Hollow Knight Silk Song game?

[Andy]

Yeah, Silksong. I mean, dude, it lived up to every expectation. And I am one of those guys that tried Hollow Knight one multiple times and just the beginning just never grabbed me. Like, what's really funny? Not to do the fucking like a fucking called it shit. But I'm do it. Like I need to find the clip because I remember bringing Hollow Knight trailer to the kind of funny morning show and just being like, what the fuck is this game coming to the Nintendo Switch? Like how this looks incredible.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Andy]

And I was like before anybody was talking about it, the Kickstarter people knew before I did. I'm not saying I'm the first person to ever know, but this was like back in like early, early, early Switch days. And I remember being very let down because I'm like, oh, this is on paper. And looking at it a Tim Gettys dream game. And then the more I heard about, I'm like, this is a Tim Gettys nightmare. A game that looks this good, that is like a Metroidvania, but it's like insanely difficult and it like all the Dark Souls sicko shit. Like I don't like that stuff at all. And just forcing myself to keep playing Silksong in the beginning was such a journey because it so quickly went from forcing myself to being forced like, like to just being like, oh my God, I. I can't stop. Like I. I'm so addicted to this. And it just. Everything anyone says about this game is true, good or bad, you know, because I understand so many people being turned off of just like the. That they have. You do because there's a lot of. But if you like that, there's nothing better. And if, if you don't, it's still worth pushing through because the amount of moments that this game has. The boss fights are some of the best boss fights in any game, period. They're so good. There are so many of them. The music's incredible. The look of it. Every single screen is. Is fantastic. Like some of the boss fights remind me of some of the best Smash Brothers one on ones I've ever had.

[Roger]

We'll talk about Smash Brothers in a second.

[Andy]

Yes, we will. Yes, we will.

[Blessing]

But Sicko.

[Andy]

Yeah, I. I love this game. I just beat Act 3 a couple weeks ago and that just made me feel even higher. I did really have to debate if I put this at my number one spot this year or not. And at the end of the day, I put it at number two. But God, love Hollow Knight Silksong. Can't wait for the dlc. Andy was right, everybody.

[Blessing]

He was right.

[Andy]

Now let's get to our number ones. You know what? I want to start with Blessing.

[Blessing]

Yeah, let's start here. Let's start in a more sensible place.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Number one was blueprints, of course, blueprints. We could hear Kevin cheering in the background. Blueprints is a first person puzzle. Roguelite, kind of detective like, you know, kind of tough to put into any box, which is one of the things I really love about it. Right. It takes so many ingredients from different types of games and creates. That's a puzzle y experience that for me, like, spoke to what I didn't realize I had in terms of an addictive personality. Oh, wow. Oh, I have a problem. I can't put this video game down. Right. And I'm not even the most addicted person at this office to this game. Right. When Kevin is sitting over there, like, that's how much I was into this game. I think, you know, during Game of the Year yesterday, I compared it to an everlasting gobstopper of a video game. And comparison. Yeah. And I think that for me, maintains of why I like this game so much. It goes so deep, but you don't have to interact with it in the deepest ways. You can play it at the surface level. Just get to that final room and be like, that was fun. But if you like a nerd, an idiot. But if you post on Twitter that, oh, man, I rolled credits on blueprints, so many people are gonna be like, no, you didn't. No, you didn't. You rolled credits. You didn't beat the game. There's so much left for you to do. In discovery. You just started the game. Like, that was the tutorial for the game. It just goes crazy. It goes crazy deep.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Like there's something about figuring out the strategy and learning how to play the game and then relearning how to play the game, coming to work and talking to Kevin about, like, so where do you put the rooms facing up? You know, And I'm like, well, I usually put it at the middle. And Kevin being like, well, if you put them at the sides, that's two paths up. And me being like, you're right, let me start doing that and strategizing around that, finding clues within the game that kind of also tell you how to play the game. But it's so weird to describe, but it's so well designed of a thing. It's a game that truly blew my mind as far as how deep you can go in designing an experience that the player is slowly going to unravel over the course of however long it takes for them to play the game. And so love this game. You know, it's an all timer for me. It's one that I'm hopefully going to return back to now that I know I can reset the rooms.

[Roger]

I just realized that Raw Fury published this and Seance of Blake Manor. No, they're.

[Andy]

They're going crazy.

[Blessing]

They got taste over there.

[Andy]

And then let's get to my number one.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Andy]

Which is Claire Obscure Expedition 33, which Raj had a number four.

[Roger]

Yep.

[Andy]

And Les had at number six. Plus I want to start with you.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

Like circling back to it. Number six. I mean, I'm not trying to act like it is. I understand. I hate with what the. Where the year is at. Right.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

But 6 lower than I would have even thought you would put it on the list. I would, I would think three, maybe four if you're trying to be like, I got something to say. But six.

[Blessing]

It was tough. It was really tough. Like, legitimately it was me looking at that three through. Through six and being like, how do I order this? And me kind of coming back to where I landed in the review period for each of these games where, like, I remember sitting down for death for not that Strange. For a clear, obscure exhibition. 33 in the review and having those nitpicks, having those lists of things that did bring it down to me. When I say bring it down, it brought it down to what? A nine out of ten. Which is what I think did mean. You both give it a 9 out of 10.

[Andy]

I don't remember what I ended up actually giving it, but I think I went 8.5.

[Blessing]

I think I might have went 9. And honestly, like, that was the difference for me. Right. It was me kind of nitpicking and being like, all right, what didn't hit for me as much in each of these games and for me with Expedition 33, it was some of like the level design and how like some of those paths didn't feel as intuitively made. And like, it's the thing that people hate me for.

[Andy]

Right.

[Blessing]

Of like, I think this game maybe could have used a compass or some kind of thing to help you point you in the right direction. Right. Combined with some of the Act 3 stuff. Like the open ended design of Act 3 not necessarily hitting for me. I didn't love exploring the world. The overworld. I like the fact that there was an overworld. I think the overworld was beautifully made. But exploring it and figuring out leveling in comparison to where I wanted to go and figuring out where I've already been, a lot of it didn't feel as cleanly done to me. And like a lot of Things I think that Clear Obscure does great. What I don't think hit me as much as like a lot of other people. It did hit me, right? But when I hear other people talk about Clear Obscure, it doesn't feel the same of when I think about Clare. And I. I think that was the thing for me where I was like, okay, maybe I just don't love this game as much as, like, people love it. I love this game. That said, like, talking about the good stuff, right? Oh my God. Like, the amount of inspiration they took from various JRPGs, the amount of good inspiration they took from various RPGs, whether it be some of the battle stuff, like the flow of battle that they have in a Persona, some of the Perry Dodge stuff that you might have in a Mario and Luigi.

[Andy]

Right.

[Blessing]

Some of the even like, what's his name, my Guy Verso, having the unique combat style that is inspired by Devil May Cry. Like, I love how much creativity was put into the gameplay systems and then also how much creativity was put into the story and what they have going on and the overarching narrative of this game. I think this game does so much special stuff as far as creating something that feels like one of one and having something to say, having a story to tell about grief and really nailing that in so many ways. This is a game that deserves to be in the conversations that it is throughout the industry.

[Andy]

Yeah, Rog.

[Roger]

No, just echo everything that Bless is saying. For sure.

[Andy]

Yeah, it's a tough thing where it's like, I. I feel like I could talk about this game forever. Like, how much I love it. And it's definitely one of the ones of. There's so much I love about the game, but, like, just specifically, like, the parrying of how good it feels and how varied it is throughout the game and exciting, like, I was never tired of it. And when you get the Perry, Perry, Perry Group Perry, like, it's just, I can't believe this game exists. Like, I can't believe it looks the way it does, plays the way it does, sounds the way it does. And obviously the story we've talked about so much, but, like, I don't think a day's gone by that I haven't talked to somebody about this game since it came out. And like, that's cool to me because I'm still not over talking about it. And like, even just today, my best friend Karen was asking me, he's like, beat it again last night. And it's just like he just like felt the need to go I think this is time number three for him. But, yeah, it's such a, such a special game. And I, it, I know. I love this game because of how many times I find myself seeing someone streaming it online. And I'm like, well, I gotta watch at least until this moment or that moment or that. You know what I mean? It's like, there's just so many moments that I want to see people experience, whether it's their first time or their fourth time. But it's like, still. It's just so Damn cool. Yeah. Exhibition 33, baby. My game of the year.

[Blessing]

The music. Got the music. Got the music.

[Roger]

Are we done talking about baby games or what's up?

[Blessing]

Yeah, let's talk about.

[Andy]

Just real quick. I will just say babies, games, stuff. It's like, yeah, this game means so much to me. Like, my unborn child, soon to be born, middle name, my L, right? Like, like after this game. Like, that's so crazy to me. But like, yeah, this game is very special. But baby game, A literal baby game.

[Roger]

Literal baby game.

[Andy]

Roger, what is your game of the year?

[Roger]

It's the real men's turn to talk about video games. And that is.

[Blessing]

Tell us about your big old dick game.

[Roger]

Hey, listen all around, it's called Kirby Air Riders, everybody. And that is my number one game of the year. Here's the thing, right? I came into Kirby Air Riders with a little chip on my shoulder. Leanna loves the franchise. She loves Kirby Air Rider. It's one of her favorite games of all time. She literally cannot play Mario Kart correctly because she thinks about Kirby Kirby Air Rider, right? Like, that is just the way that her brain is kind of broken. So, so I played the technical test, and I'm like, I don't get this, man. I, I, I echoed everything you were saying when you played the preview. I'm like, this doesn't make any sense. When you wobble the stick. Why? I don't get this. Why I have to stop. There's no going forward button. You're just stopping and then you're boosting. This doesn't make any sense to my brain. And then during Thanksgiving break, I picked up Leanna's switch, and she's like, you gotta play bit a little, little bit. Come on, just play a little bit, please. Sure, fine. I play a little bit. I boot up Road Trip, and I play as my guy, Rick, of course, starting off as Rick. And I'm playing it, and I'm like, okay, this is good. And then two and a half hours go by, and I saw the Matrix and I understood what this game was. It was. I was playing pod racing, the video game and I, it all clicked in for me of this was pure adrenaline and speed and I had so much fun. Specifically when it comes to the road trip, which I think is such a, a great mode to get everybody that first taste of what this game could be. Because it's like almost like warioware but for air riders where you're just getting all the roguelike, it's a roguelite, but you're also, you're also getting all the different. Oh road, like, sorry, I apologize. You get all of these different modes within Kirby Air Riders and it is just these quick hits, right? 15 seconds a pop, 30 seconds a pop and you're just going, you're going, you're fighting all these, these tax. You're. You're beating up a bunch of people. You're trying to beat. You know, a 5, 15 second race. Like it is such a hit of dopamine over and over and over. And by the ending of it, I beat it right as the trip was ending. Road trip. And I was like, one more again, let's go. And I'm in the middle of that road trip right now. I'm playing multiplayer. I'm online, I'm all over the place. This game screams fun to me and I understand, like it's the meme Roger games, yada yada yada. I think I realized this year what I love in video games and that is just the core mechanics. I love when a game has such simple core mechanics and is able to make me fall in love with the game so deeply, it feels I am always learning new new abilities, I'm learning new ways to beat people. And also like I can never beat a moment this year of going down the straightaway and feeling so excited, of like I'm about to hit first place. And then out of nowhere a fucking daroach is flying and he's about to get right in front of me. What do you do? Roger, you have three seconds to figure out what you're about to do because this motherfucker is about to win. Do you stop? Do you spin around? Do you try to get in front of him? And I try to get in front of him and he goes right past me. I'm like, shit, I should have. That was a game time decision. I should have figured it out. And those moments add up every single time I'm playing this game. It is such a master class in game design. The game is gorgeous. The music's incredible. And man, the UI is absurd. It is like. It is such a maximalist video game in every single way when it comes to the. The effects, the courses. It is so much in your face. And I understand that that is a turn off for so many people. But once you are in it and you understand the core mechanics of it, it just all makes sense. And you see the Matrix and that's what this game was for me. It is just pure bliss. And I was playing it last night and I'm just so excited to beat it again. See the final, the super real ending of Road Trip. I'm so excited. And it's still my number one. I haven't even seen that yet. It is just so fucking fun.

[Blessing]

Everybody, Roger said the roach is coming. If you're listening, you don't know who the roach is.

[Roger]

Look up the roach, everybody look up the roach. Because I learned a lot about what the Kirby characters are spell.

[Blessing]

Duh Roach.

[Roger]

He is the leader of the Squeaks and I love this guy. Okay. I did my first playthrough with Rick, of course, who's just a hamster and he's running around, he's great. Look at Daroach, maybe the coolest guy in the world. He is a mouse with a. Roger

[Blessing]

called this guy and went, oh, he's coming Squad bro.

[Roger]

The Squeak squad. But yeah, no, genuinely, I unironically love this game. I think it's incredible. And it is. It is what I wanted from Mario Kart and from Sonic. Combined it to something that I could have never dreamed of. It is a special, special video game. And you guys fucked me. If either of you put this as number 10, it would have been on the list. But then you guys, oh, look at this game. This game exists.

[Blessing]

Here's the Roger.

[Roger]

Here, here's some. Here's some crack cocaine. Why don't you try it? Now I'm addicted. And now you guys fucking stopped.

[Blessing]

Somebody on the Reddit recommended like a category for the smileys. That is a game that you love, like game of the Year. And I could see that. I could see career writers maybe making it there for me. The thing is, I loved my time with this game. But I can never forgive the fact that they won't let you choose your fucking gear or whatever the fuck it's called. Not gear, that's Sonic, the thing you're riding.

[Andy]

Good.

[Roger]

Just figure it out.

[Blessing]

Your machine. Yeah. Is it really called a machine?

[Andy]

Isn't it?

[Blessing]

Yeah, it is actually. Weird ass game. But they won't let you choose it before you go into the thing in

[Roger]

road trip mode, figure it out.

[Blessing]

You have to lose first. And then.

[Roger]

Well sometimes. Sometimes in between the rest stops you can change road.

[Andy]

Like.

[Roger]

Yeah, it's a road. Like he said it.

[Blessing]

That is such.

[Roger]

You just don't.

[Blessing]

Crazy game design.

[Roger]

Sakurai saw it all. You just didn't see it.

[Blessing]

Like if they fix that one thing, maybe. Maybe it would have been my number 11.

[Roger]

I. I totally get that. I totally got that. But I. For me it was like all about figuring out here's my one. Like right now I'm as Daro. I am just doing the Shadow Star and that's like kind of my main one that I'm going towards. And that's my base. And then if I need a change, I need to change. It's whatever. Also, the currency is just. You get so much currency. It doesn't matter, man. So much fun. What a special video game.

[Andy]

Special video game. I mean I. I love this game. There was no chance it was making my top 10 though. There's just simply no chance.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy]

Like it wasn't even a consideration. Roger. I didn't let you know that I

[Blessing]

couldn't even meme it into my list.

[Andy]

But I love the game. It is very special. And I said this during the review. But like this game is just all of my least favorite parts of Smash Brothers games design. But that's just the whole game. And hey, he's real good at game design.

[Blessing]

Oh yeah.

[Andy]

So it's like there's. There's a lot.

[Roger]

I should have listened to that review before. I kind of got my hopes up. I should have just kind of figured out if you liked it or not. Yeah, it's. It's also me experiencing so much Sakurai's game design from the the. Not for the first time, but you know, I mean like truly like I've played Smash Brothers here and there, but I've never played like the modes in Smash Brothers. And seeing running around with the PNGs of the the food is insane. Like there's so much Sac Sakurai isms

[Andy]

that it doesn't get more Sakurai than this.

[Roger]

Yeah. It's incredible. It's awesome. This is. He's my guy.

[Blessing]

Like, he's like cute, wholesome. Kojima.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

In the way where it's like you, me, we really let him run rampant on like what he did.

[Roger]

Yeah. This is the one for you. And then. Yeah, now you got to make us another Smash Brothers. Now we own your ass.

[Andy]

Thank God we got a couple more super chats here. BJ Bernardo's Bernardo says here's the top five games I tried in 2025 because of kind of Funny in no order. Hollow Knight, Silk Song, south of Midnight, Citizen Sleeper 2, Expedition 33 and blueprints.

[Blessing]

Blueprints.

[Andy]

Hell yeah. Pretty cool. Pretty cool.

[Blessing]

And then those other games.

[Andy]

Stubby420 says just watch the Game of the Year. I'm gonna watch this later. Hell of an episode in production was great. Sad no Tim soon but happy for him. Thanks and be good people. Thank you so much. And yeah, I'm excited for you to check this out and the rest of the episodes this week where we'll go through the rest of Kind of Funny's top 10 games of 2025. Thanks for joining us for this amazing Game of the Year season where anything can happen.

[Roger]

Anything can happen.

[Andy]

Anything can happen.

[Roger]

Air Riders, everybody.

[Andy]

Yep, the goat. Until next time, we're about to do the Kind of Funny podcast. I love you all.