It’s been a solid year in video games. We had Battlefield beat Call of Duty for the first time in a very long time. We have the upcoming Marvel Cosmic Invasion, as well as Ghost of Yotei, the long-awaited sequel to Ghost of Tsushima. While gamers were hit with the news that Grand Theft Auto VI wouldn’t be coming out until 2026, there was plenty of positive news, announcements, and releases to keep people busy. I wanted to highlight a few of the things that made me happy in gaming this year. You may already be familiar with most of these, but there may be some you’re not.
Much of the gaming news in 2025 was about layoffs, acquisitions, and mergers. You know, the kinda crap that gets nobody excited except for the bean-counters at these respective companies. Even through all the commotion within the industry, we still had some truly amazing gaming stories throughout the year, and I want to touch on a few of them in this short article. I’ll include links to these games, and I’ll try to ensure the links feature the lowest prices; however, you may still want to run a check if something in this article really tickles your fancy. You can’t be too sure, and the prices are really low during Black Friday.
Split Fiction is a truly fantastic co-op action-adventure game. Developed by Hazelight Studios, the same company behind A Way Out and It Takes Two, Split Fiction is a story of two authors who are thrust into a world of technology, books, and the concept of ownership. Players are forced to work together to solve puzzles and uncover the technology behind the company, which is trying to profit from publishing their books. Hazelight Studios is one of the few developers still putting out couch co-op games, and they rarely receive ratings lower than 8 or 9. If you’ve never played one of their titles, I highly recommend this one. You can grab it on most systems for $30 on Black Friday.
One author favors science fiction stories while the other favors fantasy. Unfortunately for our two protagonists, if they wish to survive, they will have to work together and compromise their preferences. My partner and I truly had a blast playing this game. It made perfect sense for us since she likes fantasy, and I like science fiction and superheroes. Split Fiction was an ideal mashup of our preferred gaming genres, all packaged in a truly wonderful story featuring tons of incredible gameplay loops. If you grew up loving couch co-op games, then you’re going to love this one. Give Split Fiction a chance this holiday season.
Up next is a recent release named Dispatch. If you were a fan of Telltale Games like The Wolf Among Us or The Walking Dead, then you’re going to love the newest game from Ad Hoc Studios called Dispatch. An episodic adventure game, Dispatch is the story of a failed superhero now assigned to serve as a dispatcher for other superheroes. Similar to a 911 dispatcher, your job is to send the right superhero to the right job. The cast features major Hollywood stars as well as known streamers like Charlie “MoistCr1TiKaL” White. While there isn’t a lot in the gameplay department, as it’s mostly quick-time events, the story is truly amazing, and the game has been receiving extremely high review scores from critics and gamers alike.
Formerly known as MechaMan, Robert Robertson III now finds himself a dispatcher for former villains-turned-superheroes after his suit is destroyed during a mission. You must navigate your role while also uncovering elements relating to your own story. Dispatch is a cleverly designed narrative that reads and plays a lot like a really well-written comic. Honestly, it felt like I was playing something written by Jason Aaron or Garth Ennis. Whether you’re hacking, working on dialogue trees, or simply just navigating the different calls, each interaction has been crafted into a unique experience that you’re bound to think about long after you’re done playing. You can grab Dispatch for $30 on either Steam or the PlayStation Store.
The Yakuza Kiwami series has been a real driver for Sega. Originally released in the PS2 era, these games have been reworked, retooled, and rescripted to match the creator’s original vision for them. The remade games were given the title of Kiwami, and they have been slowly releasing them to the public. The Switch 2 just received Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2, with Yakuza Kiwami 3 set to release in 2026. I truly didn’t realize what I was missing out on until I began to play Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut on my Switch 2.
I immediately pre-ordered the remakes of the first and second games, which I picked up earlier this month. I’ve been slowly working my way through it, and truly taking my time so I can enjoy every aspect the game has to offer. As an orphan myself, the story of Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima really resonated with me. It made the series something I could appreciate and understand on a visceral level. If you’re looking for a GTA-style game but without having to worry about cars, then the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series could be right for you. You can grab all three available games for the Switch 2 for right around $100, and that would provide someone with well over 300 hours of entertainment.
Anyhow, these are a few game franchises that I am really thankful for in 2025. I hope this helps you with some shopping, and don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions. I’m always happy to answer reader questions if you need me to. 2025 has been a wild year, and sometimes video games were my only reprieve from the daily onslaught of awful news. These were the games that could take my frown and turn it upside down. Sometimes a reprieve is all you’re going to get in life, so you have to learn to find your moments where you can. Happy Holidays, and may you find your peace in 2026.
