Play
As Dusk Falls (PS5) - Completed
An interactive "telltale" like game about a family whilst relocating to St. Louis are forced to stop at a motel and chaos ensues.
An enjoyable story with multiple characters that does end on a mild cliffhanger, not sure if the studio Interior Night has any plans to continue the story.
It even has a waterfall scene!
Sword of the Sea (PS5) - Completed
A stunningly beautiful game where you ride a hoverboard and help to bring back water to a desert. Who else but Austin Wintory with yet another amazing soundtrack. If you enjoyed Journey you will love this & it has some amazing waterfalls!
Clair Obscur - Expeditions 33 (PS5) - Playing
With the extended break from work it was time to start another physical game from my backlog & what else but the darling of award shows and many gamers GOTY, Clair Obscur Expeditions 33.
I can't say anything about the game that you have not already read or listened but yes it lives up to the hype. If not the sountrack then the art style or engrossing story and characters. Maybe it's the turn-based battles with it's parry/dodge mechanic or that each character has a unique fighting style to master.
I was hoping I may be able to complete it before the end of the year but I don't want to rush it and enjoy every beautifully crafted section of the game.
In summary I wish Square Enix are taking notes, this is what the Final Fantasy games should have been.
Oh! and yes it has some beautiful waterfalls!
Game of the Year 2025
Overall I'm happy with my gaming year starting with the juggernaut that is Cyberpunk 2025 & what a game it was! A pleasure to explore Night City and uncover it's many secrets. Without going any further let me just say this is my game of the year! even before I started playing the Phantom Liberty DLC.
I then enjoyed some british humour in Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe before going back to the 80s for Robocop Rogue City. We can ignore Pure Mini Golf a 32p purchase for an easy platinum lol!
Road 96 was the first of many interactive "telltale" like games I would enjoy this year and no year is complete without an RGG game and Like A Dragon Ishin! scratched that itch!
Balatro should come with a warning label, easily the most addictive game I've played in a long time and even now I keep coming back to just to have one more run!
Ghostwire Tokyo was an unexpected surprise that I enjoyed very much including the scary school sequence! Fantasy Life i told me how fragile a human being I am with constant RSI pains due to it's lack of accessbility options for the quicktime events. It also taught me I should always quit playing games if I am not enjoying.
Dredge was a relaxing fishing game with a mysterious story to enjoy & Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 1 another interactive game from one of my favourite developers Don't Nod.
Messenger an impressibe acheivement for a short browser based game, The Invincible is a first person sci-fi adventure based on the 1964 novel.
I then found my digital crack in Wordle, Connections & Strands. I still play all three daily but did give up on Spelling Bee & Pips.
Promise Mascot Agency was an enjoyable "Kairosoft" like game with a yakuza backstory, it is also the first game I have purchased in years that I started playing straight away.
Hole.io kep me entertained for a few days gobbling up buildings. Then back to back interactive titles in Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 2 & As Dusk Falls. Finishing off the year with Sword of the Sea.
2026 Gaming Resolutions
New year! and some new resolutions that I can break!
1. Purchase no more physical games until I have reduced my backlog to 3 titles (currently at 13!).
2. I did well in 2025 and avoided buying the PS5 Pro and Switch 2, I need to keep that going in 2026, no new hardware purchases except if required PS5 controllers.
3. I have £80 on PSN credit and this all I can use until I reduce my digital backlog to 10 titles (either by playing or dropping, currently at 35 games). No more shopto top up codes!
I will renew PS+ at the essentials tier in November, I don't need the extra tier it just adds more titles to my backlog!
4. I did really well this year with FOMO, I did not go back to Fortnite even with the Simpsons map or the current BTTF skins, I also avoided purchasing Arc Raiders. I don't have the free time for these type of games. Need to avoid the hype and just play what I already own.
Backlog
Digital Games (35) - +4 See shopping below
PS+ Subscription (3) - Reduced by 1, Sword of the Sea & As Dusk Falls completed & Planet Coaster 2 added.
PS+ Monthly (19) - Reduced by 1, can't remember what title I dropped?! It was Viewpoint!
Physical Games (13) - added two see shopping below
Total = 70 Games (gone up by three from last month!)
Shopping
Stupid end of year sales!
Shadow Gambit - Cursed Crew - £8.74 - Backlog
Steamworld Heist 2 - £6.24 - Backlog
Beyond Galaxyland - £7.49 - Backlog
Gears of War Reloaded £15.99 - Physical Backlog
Helldivers 2 £19.99 - Physical Backlog
A Way Out £4.49 - Backlog
The Quarry £8.44 - For Nemo/Sam to enjoy
and Roger £4.29 - First game I have purchased on the switch in a long time!
2025 Total £399.72!
2026 Target is spend less than £100
Want
Quite a few titles I'm interested in from The Game Awards show including
The First Shepherd, Bradley the Badger, Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic, Control Resonant, Gang of Dragon, No Law, Tomb Raider Catalyst & Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis, 007 First Light & Pragmata.
Bin
My own weakness for buying more games when I have enough games to enjoy already!
Happy New Year!
