The games that had the biggest impact on Robin Bea in 2025 were about bringing people together.
Madeline Blondeau Reflects On Finding Faith At The Arcade And The Feet Of Mother Mary | Winter Spectacular 2025
We welcome Madeline Blondeau back to the site as she finds faith in a sub-par arcade.
Will Borger Is Begging You to Believe in Something | Winter Spectacular 2025
2025 was a great year for people who stand for nothing and believe in nothing too. So with that in mind, Will Borger is here to beg you to believe in SOMETHING, and stand for SOMETHING.
The startmenu Awards 2025 | Winter Spectacular 2025
The startmenu Awards return for another year with the debut of the first site-wide vote for startmenu’s Game of the Year! But before that, we’ve got a selection of critics’ choice awards highlighting the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2025.
Michael Beckwith Unpacks The Hundred Line's Most Challenging Question: How Far Would You Go To Save the Human Race? | Winter Spectacular 2025
The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is about many things and for Michael Beckwith, it's about the lengths we're willing to go to avoid extinction and whether it's actually worth it.
Alex Green Tries To Pin Down Why Everything Is So Expensive And What Exactly We Are Paying For | Winter Spectacular 2025
It’s a weird time to observe games industry trends. Call of Duty is full of AI slop and threadbare updates and costs up to $130, while Clair Obscur, Dispatch and Peak explore a range of price below the standard. But Alex Green’s biggest question is, “Where is all the money going?”
Alex Orona And Super GG Radio's Best Betas And Early Access Games Of 2025 | Winter Spectacular 2025
We welcome back Alex Orona and Super GG Radio to run down the best betas and demo of games coming in 2026.
Hollow Knight Taught Louise Chase Hard Lessons About Herself And What She Could Do | Winter Spectacular 2025
Hollow Knight is a lot of things to a lot of people. To Louise Chase, the once-intimidating game has served as a source of newfound confidence. If she can beat Hollow Knight and its sequel, Silksong, well… what can’t she do?
Review | Goodnight Universe - Don’t Blink Twice
You might play as a baby in Goodnight Universe, but the game has big shoes to fill. Made by developers who worked on the critically-acclaimed Before Your Eyes, it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as its predecessor. Brandon Craw reviews.
The 2025 Games That Made Carlo Azzari Hopeful About Our Industry | Winter Spectacular 2025
There was very little good in 2025, yet despite it all, Carlo Azzari has found some games that gave him hope for the future of the video game industry.
Deniz Amasya Reflects On Social Vs. Anti-Social Writing: Visual Novels And Adventure Games | Winter Spectacular 2025
Deniz Amasya joins us to take moment to reflect on espressos in Cologne, philosophers, and Sega Saturn visual novels.
David Cole Craves Ownership | Winter Spectacular 2025
Are our game collections doomed to disappear along with us when we die? David Cole unpacks the problem of ownership when it comes to digital libraries, as well as what it means to hold a cartridge in your hands in 2025.
Zackary Edwards Finds Meaning In The (Monster) Hunt | Winter Spectacular 2025
Zackary Edwards muses on the cathartic power of “Proof of a Hero” — an iconic theme in Monster Hunter that only rears its head when you face the series’ most formidable foes — in the epic fight against the dragon Fatalis.
Phil Salvador Believes MindsEye Is The Game Of 2025 | Winter Spectacular 2025
OK, OK… Hear us out. Phil Salvador actually has a pretty damn well-reasoned argument for why MindsEye is “The Video Game Of 2025.”
Mik Deitz Has Survived A Hard Game, Hard Year, Hard Life: Silksong, Celeste, and Sadomasochistic Joy
Mik Deitz delves into the worlds of Pharloom and Mount Celeste with a blood-soaked smile. Real world woes are no match for moral penance and difficult boss fights.
Not A Herd, An Ensemble: How Herdling’s Music Brought KM Nelson Closer To Her Calicorns
KM Nelson’s experience playing Herdling was shaped by the power of its music. The soundtrack’s emphasis on the physicality of each instrument’s performance engenders closeness, cementing your bond with your herd.
Knoebel Outlines The Joys Of Controller Passing Co-Op Games | Winter Spectacular 2025
In this Winter Spectacular guest piece, Knoebel is here to sell us on a new sub-genre designation: Controller Passing Co-Op games, or CPCO for short.
![[PATREON UNLOCK] Update Patch - November 2025](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5caf2dea93a63238c9069ba4/1765217445424-VD9D5K60NQ7D8C128M5F/Update+Patch+000.jpg)
[PATREON UNLOCK] Update Patch - November 2025
Simon Estey brings us November’s gaming news highlights.
Gabriel Deleon’s Top Ten of 2025 Sans Metroid Prime 4 | Winter Spectacular 2025
We welcome 8-4 Play’s Gabe Deleon to the site to run down their 10 favourite games and hand out some fun made-up awards too!
Which, to be fair… all awards are “made-up.”
Adam W Gives Yuuka Her Flowers in Fantasy Maiden Wars | Winter Spectacular 2025
In Fantasy Maiden Wars, Yuuka gave Adam W a run for his money. While she’s not the game’s biggest boss, her role in the story, flair for drama, and climactic final confrontation give her an outsized impact.