Favorite Things 2025
Characteristically late to the party, I'm sitting down to write about some of my favorite things from 2025 as we roll in on Feburary 2026.
As I'm looking through journal entries from last year, looking at little pixel art drawings I made of my 10 favorite games in 2024, I got the idea to just compiling a list of things I enjoyed so that I can look back and remember fondly about my time spent on hobbies. But I also don't have it in me to make 10+ pixel art illustrations right now for fun.
10 favorite games Played in 2025
Disclaimer I'm going to order these in a certain way. 10-6 will be games from previous years that I happened to play last year, and 5-1 will be games that released in 2025. I collect retro games, and this is my way of chipping into my backlog or replaying old favorites. I couldn't possibly begin to keep up with only modern releases while still wanting to enjoy things from my collection. I've got more money than time, and jump around a lot - often not even finishing things I start. Sometimes I play a game to revisit or gain more appreciation for a certain art style or genre. Sometimes I might just play enough of something for research to brush up on how something in the game's design feels to play for personal or work related reasons. But I take note of ones that left a strong impression.
1. Fantasy Life i
This was my first Fantasy Life game. After hearing praises sung about the 3DS game by some close friends, I was certainly intrigued. I was never a Runescape player, and the appeal of something like this definitely made more sense to me after I played Animal Crossing for the first time on the Switch and craved something with a little more... mechanics. I, like many, enjoy seeing the numbers go up. Big number make lizard brain feel good. This game ended up dominating my summer, and I spent hours upon hours on the satisfying grind of slowly increasing my proficiencies at various jobs and collecting shinier and prettier equipment! This is a Desert Island kind of game. It was also a great mental escape after a long day, when I could just turn my brain off and grind while my wife and I watched/listened to something in the evenings.
2. Hollow Knight Silksong
I enjoy a good Search-Action game. A Metroidvania, if you will. But I never beat the first Hollow Knight; at the time I was put off by the Soulslike element of chasing down your corpse when you died from a foolish mistake. I appreciated the art and the tenacity of such a small team, but didn't have the time or patience to devote to the first game at its release. As of writing this, I haven't beaten Silksong either, but I'm just shy of beating Act 2. I've given up the idea of attempting Act 3 regardless of if I get there. I got what I wanted to from this game. The challenge and triumph of getting through The Last Judge was sort of my "end" to the journey, if you will. I continued exploring past that, and making some headway into the 3 items you track after reaching the next area, but I'm plenty satisfied with putting the controller down here. There are really high highs and deep lows while playing this game. It's brutally punishing, and toes the line of what I might just call bullshit (contact damage is nonsense and really fucked with my brain after dozens of games where you are invulnerable while dashing through an enemy). BUT, when I was able to overcome the challenge at hand, even making through a difficult pattern of a boss fight without taking damage... oh boy, few games have delivered me such a rush of adrenaline and exhilaration.
3. Battlefield 6
This was a real treat to play with friends who I have been playing Battlefield with since the heydays of Bad Company 2. There's certainly flaws with this game; I wish that there were larger non-urban locations, maybe even some island hopping maps. But largely I really enjoyed the return to form with how this game felt and played compared to the last couple games. I enjoyed 2042 more than most, but the maps and game pacing with so many players were a huge slog and I eventually found myself spending most of my time with friends in the Portal mode where we'd play variants of BF3 and BFBC2.
4. Metal Gear Solid Delta
What a delightful game. I had my expectations low with the lack of involvement from Hideo Kojima, but was pleasantly surprised. The quality-of-life features introduced were very welcome. I for one appreciate the change in camera perspective, even if it made things easier. This was also my wife's introduction into the Metal Gear franchise, and it was a real trip, but I adored our shared time with this one. She was a little confused by the tone in the opening hours, with the whiplash between deadly earnest line delivery to slapstick comedy, but by the time the opening song kicked in it clicked and she was like, "Oh, so it's like James Bond!". Henceforth she referred to Snake as "James Booty".
5. Sword of the Sea
I think I was a litter hotter on this game than most were. I liked Abzu, and Journey. This shares DNA with some of those developers. This game is all about the vibes man. The art direction was stunning. The music was beautiful. The gameplay was...fun enough. This is where I think this game will either resonate or fall flat with a lot of people if they were to try it. The "hoverboard" gameplay, if you will, was really tight. But I think it really straddled the line of depth, and often felt like it wasn't deep enough. There's a reveal for a UI option to turn on a score counter after beating the game once, after the reveal that the game had been secretly tabulating points in the background. The game flirts with trick systems and collect-a-thon mechanics. But ultimately it doesn't do a lot with these elements, other than adding an extra thing to do. There was one level in particular where you're navigating some sunken ghost-like ships, and lighting lanterns (I think by grinding or tricking off the ship). I saw one lantern light up, saw all of the other lanterns in the area, and thought there would be a secret to unlock by lighting all of them in the area. Heck, even a Trophy/Achievement. When I lit all of them I was presented with... nothing. I realized then that this game is simply focused on vibes... the aesthetic... and that's OK. But the gameplay is good enough that I was disappointed that it wasn't a deeper game, systems wise that is. I really enjoyed this one, but wish I loved it.
6. Eastward
I'm still working through this one. But I'm enjoying my time enough that I'm putting it at the top of my "old" games list. It's an inspiration. What a beautiful game and a monumental achievement for a small team. I love the developer story behind it. I love the art and the world! Everything is beat-up... worn... lived-in. The characters are also so charming! It really reminds me of the world in Gurren Lagan, which is one of my favorite anime, which is probably why I love this one so much.
7. Splatoon 3
I was never much of a Splatoon person. I watched my roommates play a lot of Splatoon on my Wii U in college. I played a little of Splatoon 2, but was simply not at the right place in my life for a multiplayer game (I was mid-development on Borderlands 3, and the pressure and stress of work sorta pushed me into singleplayer games). But with the release of the Switch 2, and my friends and I getting our fill of Mario Kart World, we were looking for another game to be on rotation on our weekly game night. Had we not dipped our toes into Splatoon, I might have used this spot for another weekly favorite like World War Z. But Splatoon 3 quickly became the game that we were playing for a long time. Like any good game, it's easy to learn and hard to master. The skill ceiling is ludicrously high, especially if you're playing with gyro-controls (I am not). The matchmaking has a bit to be desired, as it swings from feeling like you're getting crushed to feeling like you're ganging up on a team playing their first match. It's got peaks and valleys for sure, but there's a lot to love and so much variety to enjoy. The systems and weapon types are broad enough that it allowed all of us to find a niche that we enjoyed. If we weren't in the mood to frag and go for kills, we could sit back and work on painting the map. When we felt like we were getting into a rut with competitive multiplayer, we'd switch it up for Salmon Run - the PvE horde mode - and would just have a blast. This game also helped us reconnect with some other college friends that were not part of our regular game nights. I really enjoyed the , and that's something special you can't say about every gaming experience.
8. Onimusha
This was my first time playing Onimusha. I played it with my PS2 on my RetroTink, which is always a fun time. Genuinely I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was intrigued because of the announcement of the new Onimusha. I'm a big Resident Evil and Ninja Gaiden fan, and was pleasantly surprised with the genre mashup of a samurai Character-Action game with the fixed camera horror of Resident Evil. Excellent game, I had an amazing time playing through this. Some challenges were a little iffy, caused by issues with the fixed camera, but overall I loved my time and look forward to playing more from this series!
9. Hitman World of Assassination
Picked this up towards the end of the year for my Switch 2 as a "Holiday Break" kind of game. I knew I was going to be in a lot of family situations where we'd be gathered around a TV, sort of hanging out, and I wanted something... check-listy to play. Something I wouldn't have to take very seriously, and something that was kind of sand-boxy that would allow me to just mess around if I wasn't fully paying attention to the task at hand. I had played a bit of Hitman before Hitman 2 came out and they merged those two game. I have been wanting to get back in at some point, and figured this was about a good a chance as any. Great game, great time. My wife also has enjoyed some of the nonsense I've put Agent 47 up to when she has watched. Knocking out a guard by throwing a banana at their head simply never gets old.
10. Counter-Strike 2
I think I've established that I'm not much of a multiplayer kind of person. But this became a fun past-time to catch up with my brother and his sons. Eventually my brother's friends and their kids joined in on the fun too, and for a while we had family game nights where we could fill a private server with all of us and the kids. It was a lot of fun, and made me reminisce to playing LAN games with friends in high school. Getting to spend more time with my nephews was also a welcome and wholesome experience, as my 9yo nephew met and surpassed my competitive shooter skills in about half a year!
10 Favorite Movies of 2025
1. SINNERS
I've been a fan of Michael B. Jordan since first encountering him in Chronicle and Friday Night Lights. He absolutely stole the show, and I was not at all disappointed with this pulpy vampire period-piece.
2. WEAPONS
Amazing theater experience with my wife. We loved Barbarian, and were completely stoked when we heard that Zach Cregger had something new coming out. Hot Dog date night became a thing after this. IYKYK. Also, can't wait to see Cregger's take on Resident Evil.
3. Wake Up Deadman
Rian Johnson does it again. Knives Out and Glass Onion are such delightfully fun movies, and have been getting a rewatch at least once a year. My wife and I just really adore the Agatha Christy-type murder mysteries (we even went on a trip rewatching old and new Poirot movies this (err, last) year... more on that later). Johnson has a way of getting his hooks into you with an interesting premise and taking you for a ride. While the first two movies of the trilogy were a little more light-hearted, I appreciated the nuanced dissection of religion and the complex character of Father Jud. Josh O'Connor has been on my radar since his enthralling portayal of King Charles in The Crown, and this was my first time experiencing him in another role. Fantastic performances all around, and a fun mystery that keeps you guessing.
4. 28 Years Later
This wasn't what I was expecting, coming off the haunting teaser trailers. But I was pleasantly surprised. Incredible cinematography, and a deeply moving coming-of-age story.
5. The Long Walk
I went in blind on this one. My wife wanted to see it on date night, and I vaguely knew that it was based on a Stephen King story, so I figured we'd be in for some fuckery. Wasn't expecting what we got, but this was a tragic journey in a hellish distopian US. The camaraderie of the cast is exceptional. You believe the chemistry with the cast of characters, and their portrayal of these kids that have been deeply broken by the system. Shout outs to the soundtrack, which I was shocked to find out was scored by Jeremiah Fraites... the drummer from The Lumineers. I was never much of a Lumineers fan, but didn't realize this guy had it in him. The song Olson has been on constant rotation since watching this, and has been a mainstay in my playlist with soft music to work to. It's just a haunting track, and in context with the movie was such a beautifully poignant moment that will stick in my brain for a while.
6. LISTERS
Finding out about competitive birding through an excellently crafted documentary that got served up to me in YouTube's alogrithm wasn't what I expected going in. I watch a lot of camera/photo/travel type stuff, so I appreciate my watch habits pigeon holing me here. I was entranced by the subject and the production value. The editing is tight. The narration/voiceover is funny and informative. The journey that these two brothers went on is simply super charming, and inspired me to go on more photo trips myself for the fun of it. One of them is a former wildlife cinematographer the NatGeos and BBCs, and the other is basically former art student who's making an illustrated birding guide after getting high and finding the family book on birdwatching. It's a trip, and a hilariously entertaining watch. There's a kind brilliant throw away quote in there by one of the brothers, where he's describing getting into a new hobby, and how the best way to really learn about something is throwing yourself at the deep end and trying to learn at the height of what a hobby has to offer - and I dunno, that just sort of resonated with me and my ADD addled brain that hyperfixates on one hobby every 3-4 months.
7. Superman
I dunno. I've been burnt out on superhero and big blockbuster movies for a while now. Certainly there's been very little to write home about on the MCU front since Endgame. Even less to cheer for from the depressing and drab Snyderverse. Look, I genuinely like Man of Steel, but it didn't all need to be that serious or moody. I also kind of disagree with the takes of Superman as this Christ-like depiction of God among men. There's not a lot of nuance or relatability to a character that more often than not tends to be shown as an outcast. James Gunn had a lot riding on his shoulders with this one, though I was more-or-less confident after his run on The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, his take on Suicide Squad, and his HBO show Peacekeeper. What I didn't expect was how earnestly hopeful this movie would make me feel. I think Gunn met the challenge of rebooting a universe and giving us a hero that felt... heroic? At a dark point in modern day society and culture... this movie feels like a depiction of heroes that we needed. It's a fun ride. It's not a perfect movie. But I love the creative decisions, and the use of wide angle lenses to really capture the scenes and the action of Superman flying. I love how much of a goofball Clark Kent is. And I love Krypto, and how delightfully chaotic he was in the story. Superman feels like the most human character in the movie; hell his anger and frustration are justified! I'd crash out too in similar circumstances! More of this please.
8. Companion
Fun sci-fi horror, that feels unexpectedly smart with its narrative choices. The pacing really moves, and the performances are great.
9. Mickey 17
I'm here for the post-Oscar bankroll films. Let Bong Joon Ho get weird and freaky with it. It's a wild ride. Marc Ruffalo was maybe laying it on a little too thick with the Trump impersonation, but I can't say I was disappointed with his or anyone else's unhinged characters.
10. Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro in his element. The effects are insane. The sets and costume design are exquisite. Loved this one. It's not my favorite film of del Toro, but it's a beautifully crafted film, and frankly I just his passion for monster movies and practical effects.
Favorite Photos of 2025
This is already running long, and I think my favorite photos I'll end up breaking out into their own separate posts.
Favorite Food of 2025
Hands down my favorite meal would be the omakase sushi course that I had booked for my wife and I on our first night in Japan. We were extremely jet lagged. But had just enough time to get to our hotel, shower to rinse off the flight, before hopping on the rail to experience our first meal in Japan. And it did not disappoint. Maybe it was partially the exhaustion from the flight really kicking in, but each dish left us speechless, savoring all of the flavors with each new bite. It was easily the best sushi I've ever had. But it kicked off an exceptional and truly memorable trip that we had been looking forward to taking for years.
Favorite Experience of 2025
Japan. My wife and I had originally meant to go to Japan on our honeymoon, but at the time the country was still closed due to COVID travel restrictions. We ended up going to the UK, and had an amazing time there, but we've been meaning to finally make the trip to Japan. We had put off the trip a couple times due to other life events or prioritizing other family travels. But! We knew heading into 2025 that it was going to be the year. Now, I'm not much of a planner when I travel, often eschewing making itineraries to the chagrin of some friends and family. I'm very much a go with the flow kind of person. Honestly this trip sort of validated that mindset for me, and is especially the case as a first time visitor in non-English speaking country. It's definitely how I'd recommend others traveling if, like me, you never get that feeling of relaxation while traveling... almost like you need a vacation from your vacation when you return home. My wife and I had set out a rough outline of the trip, making reservations in the "Golden Path" of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. I had made one dinner reservation in each city. But besides that we sort of took each day as it came, usually just going out exploring and taking pictures. I wasn't sure what to expect, but being there it really feels like a country built for those with introverted sensibilities (which... as a couple of introverts was great). There were plenty of hi-jinks, getting on wrong trains, missing train stops, losing a piece of family heirloom jewelry (which the hotel found and mailed back to us!), getting food poisoning, being sore all over from walking for hours... but I adored getting to experience the country and culture with my wife. We've made tons of memories, and will certainly be missing the late night konbini runs.