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Happy 2026! A new year means it’s time for a new thread of all the games I beat this year! I love tracking this in real time as I go. Feel free to follow along! You can also follow my progress over on my podcast’s Patreon if you prefer: www.patreon.com/posts/147431...

1. Ristar - 3 hrs I had always been curious about this & never got around to playing but I'm so glad. Excellent 2D grapple platformer where you grab ledges, enemies, bosses, everything. Gorgeous expressive sprites with some truly unique world design. Music by Tomoko Sasaki was top notch as well.

2. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - 15 hrs 9 min Narratively this is a mixed bag. Mechanically however it's excellent. It's the Metroid Prime combat you know with some new abilities & twists. The exploration & puzzles were fun. The open world ultimately felt unnecessary. Music was top notch as always.

3. Big Hops - 13 hrs 42 min This game is a must play for any 3D platformer fan. The game is bursting with charm and heart. Delightful characters. Bright and challenging design. Great music. Tight controls. It's a fun ride with a few hiccups here and there but all in all a great time.

4. Marvel Cosmic Invasion - 3 hrs The folks over at @tributegames.com never miss but this might be my favorite beat 'em up I've ever played. Character variety is excellent. The pixel art & level design is top notch. Easter eggs abound for Marvel fans. A killer 16 bit inspired OST. So fun to play.

5. Hollow Knight: Silksong - 31 hrs 37 min I mean what else is there to say. I mainlined this game over two weeks. It's all I played till I was done. Incredible world building. Memorable characters. Incredible exploration. Tight & precise platforming & combat. Visually stunning. Phenomenal music.

6. Metal Gear Solid - 12 hrs 15 min Boy my assumptions about this were wrong. I loved it. The camp. The drama. The story. The music. Perfect. Was the writing bad sometimes. Were the boss fights terrible. Were the shooting controls awful. Yes. Did that ruin my good time. Nope. I really enjoyed this.

7. Indika - 3 hrs 30 min What a weird & fascinating game about the nature of faith. It looks gorgeous. The writing & voice acting are some of gaming's best. Phenomenal cinematography in the cutscenes. Cannot recommend this enough. I can't promise you'll enjoy it but you'll get something out of it.

8. The Saboteur - 10 hrs 14 min Most "fuck yeah dudes rock" game I've played & it rules. Dialogue was straight out of a cheesy action movie & was perfect. The gameplay was tight. Story & setting kept me hooked. Not sure whether it was the right timing or quality or both but I loved my time with it.

9. Scott Pilgrim EX - 2 hrs 52 min If you love beat 'em ups & Scott Pilgrim this is an easy recommend. Fun new story by Bryan Lee O'Malley. Delightful characters. Incredible OST by Anamanaguchi. Gameplay is tight &fun. Pixel art & world design look like its jumping right out of the comic/anime.

10. Cloudpunk - 12 hrs 18 min The world design & setting were top notch. Incredible dialogue & voice acting. Phenomenal world building. Flawless synth cyberpunk soundtrack. Gameplay became a little repetitive but the story kept me invested. The voxel sprite work was on another level. A must play.

11. GRIS - 3 hrs 40 min A heartbreakingly beautiful experience. Emotionally devastating. The art direction is the strength of this game. Stunning visuals. A gorgeous score. Incredible platforming & puzzle solving. I was blown away by this. It left me a weepy mess. I miss you and I love you Dad.

12. Mega Man 4 - 2 hrs 30 min Still to this day one of my favorite games in the franchise. The stages rule. The music is killer. Some of my favorite robot masters. Love the misdirect with Dr. Cossack. Gameplay is tight with challenging but fair platforming. I love it and it remains top tier.

13. Minishoot' Adventures - 16 hrs 18 min I 100% this game. I never do that. It's incredible. I would not have thought to mash up a 2D Zelda, a metroidvania & a twin stick bullet hell shooter but here we are. This is a one of a kind game. This is a must play indie and an all timer favorite for me.

14. Streets of Rage 4 - 3 hrs Everything I could have wanted from an new entry in one of my favorite beat 'em up series. The art & animations were like a cartoon come to life. The soundtrack was a banger. Gameplay was a blast. A love letter to Streets of Rage fans and I absolutely loved it.

15. fishbowl - 14 hrs 42 min @imissmyfriends.bsky.social have made something special. If you like incredible writing with equal parts heart & hurt then this is for you. Phenomenal story that captures grief, family & friendship like I've never experienced. A must play. Written review coming soon!

16. Dispatch - 8 hrs Easily one of my favorite pieces of superhero media to date. I love the the world, the characters & the storytelling. The dispatching minigame is so much fun. The soundtrack was flawless. Song choices were impeccable. I'm all in on whatever @adhocstudio.com does next.

17. The Beginner's Guide - 1 hr 40 min Having played this before and knowing where it's going doesn't dull the impact it in fact enhances it. On a second playthrough it continues to be a profound, thought provoking & heartbreaking experience. This game is absolutely worth your time.

18. Replaced - 10 hrs 29 min Zero hyperbole when I say this is one for most gorgeous pixel art games I've ever played. A capital "V" vibes game firing on all cylinders & a phenomenal take on the cinematic platformer. Intriguing world. Killer soundtrack. Fun combat & platforming. It is exceptional.

20. Mixtape - 3 hrs First piece of media to dead on strike how I saw the world in high school. I am Stacey. I never left home without my Discman. Every moment had a song & friend a mix. I love the cast, story & song choices. I understand that it won't reach everyone but it reached me & I adore it.

21. Coffee Talk Tokyo - 10 hrs This series gets better with every entry with it's chill vibes & excellent character writing. Slice of life stories mixed with discovering new recipes is always fun. If you are looking for a cozy game where you sling beverages & chat up customers then this is for you.

22. Immortals of Aveum - 20 hrs A flawed game that I'm conflicted on. I loved the characters & world but was bored by the story & writing. I loved the unique take on FPS combat but hated most of the boss fights. Graphically gorgeous. Musically bald. I wanted to love it but mostly just fell short.

This is next on my list after I finish People of Note

That’s hilarious. People of Note is next on my list after this!