Michael's Top 10 Games of 2025

It's become a tradition. As a celebration of the "joy of gaming" - which we very much believe can help heal a world struggling with mental health - our co-founder, Michael Sapiro shares his annual top 10 games of the year.

Keep in mind, these are not all games released in 2025. (I'm much too cheap to buy games at full price.) Rather, these are the top 10 gaming experiences I've had this year.

TEN

Lost Judgement: I love the Like a Dragon/Yakuza games. So when I saw this spinoff, I absolutely had to put it into my backlog. And there it sat. For far too long. Even though I prefer the turn-based direction of the more recent games, this game's action combat is wild. It's a blast and I the fighting much better than some of the earlier Yakuza games. Even more fun, though? Being a high school dance team coach. No matter which game it is, Ryu Ga Gotoku studios always blends thrilling, dramatic, and ridiculous in ways that shouldn't work - but always do. This game is no exception.

NINE

Resident Evil Village: I'm scared to death of vampires. Thus, it took me a few years to work up the nerve to play RE Village. Sure, Lady D looks cool, but being chased by an eight foot tall vampire woman while running around an old mansion sounds like a great way to have a panic attack. And you know what - it was a great way to have a panic attack. Depending on when you ask me, this could be my favorite Resident Evil game. It's certainly the freakiest.

EIGHT

Street Fighter 6: I had no choice on this one. For about 7 months, my son was obsessed with Street Fighter. We listened to the soundtracks. We played almost all the games. We even went to a fighting tournament. And you know what? Street Fighter is still the GOAT when it comes to fighting games. (Though I do like King of Fighters quite a bit). This is probably the best playing Street Fighter game to date. And the modern control system helps make sure things are balanced between new and old players. Plus, the "yakuza-lite" campaign mode was a fun addition. This series still has tons of life left in it.

SEVEN

Trails from Azure: The Crossbell duology of the Legend of Heroes series will not wow you with it's graphics. Both games, including Trails from Azure are old, originally for the Play Station Portable but now ported to modern systems. What they lack in graphic appeal they more than make up for in story. Particularly Trails from Azure. From the get go it hits the gas and does not let up until the final credits. I'm not sure I will ever get through the rest of the Legends of Heroes arcs, but this was a satisfying duology to complete and an intriguing glimpse into it's massive world.

SIX

Dredge: Who would have thought to combine horror and fishing? And who would have imagined it would turn out so well? Dredge is never outright scary, but it has an eldritch horror atmosphere that keeps the suspense going throughout. I think the last fishing game I played was Blue Marlin for the NES over 30 years ago. I'm not a huge fan of fishing in games (besides Stardew), but Dredge had me hooked. Pun intended.

FIVE

Avowed: Why this game got dragged by the critics, I will never know. I thought this was Obsidian's best game of the year, even as they had a very strong year of releases. Avowed is like if Skyrim trimmed the fat and had better graphics and combat. The minute to minute of this game was so fun that it had to be near the top of my list.

FOUR

Octopath Traveler 0: My family members are huge fans of Octopath Traveler. When the second one came out, my wife even baked a cake to celebrate. However, I had reservations about this one. It's a remake of a "gatcha" mobile game, which felt like it could have been saddled with compromises. Within the first hour, my fears were laid to rest. This is not only another great game in the series, it brings in fun and cozy elements like town building, crafting, and relationships. It's a great step forward for one of my favorite series.

THREE

Elden Ring: Well, for a guy who founded a cozy gaming company - this is the pretty much the antithesis of anything resembling cozy. It's a brutal, dark, fantastical world that I never expected to like. I'm not a fan of "get good" games typically. But this game's world captured my imagination big time. And when I killed a boss, it felt like winning the Superbowl. There's a reason it's considered by many to be the best game of this generation.

TWO

The Alters: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have made different choices in life? Who would you be now if you said yes to that opportunity? What if you handled a situation with less anger? What if you studied a different field in school? In the Alters, this concept is explored in a pristine sci-fi story that blends brutal survival with self-discovery. It's a gem of a game and one that more people should be playing.

ONE

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: This may be a bit of a cliched pick. I mean, Clair Obscur cleaned up at the game awards, blew away any and all sales predictions, and is rumored to even be the next major franchise that Hollywood is looking to capitalize on with television and movie treatments. Not to brag - but before all the hype and surprises - this was my most anticipated game of the year. I have been watching this game throughout its development and bought it the day it released. And I'm going to pat myself on the back for the foresight. Clair Obscur is a masterpiece. The world, the writing, the combat. It's a once in a generation game and you should play it now.