The Backlog Games of the Year ft. Esper Quinn

Here it is, our 2025 games of the year…..oh crap we forgot to play any video games! This year join Kyle, Jorge, and special guest Esper Quinn (wahoo!) as your esteemed judges presenting their picks for Backlog games of the year. With so many good games, why did these must-plays just barely miss the mark for us? Enjoy such awards as “Best Game That Got Overhyped for Me and Now I’m Pushing Back on Principal”. In this extra long extravaganza we also share our actual games of the year and even a christmas skit full of humor just for the gamers (tm). Happy holidays y’all!    Questions, Comments, Suggestions? CONTACT US: [email protected]  Kyle - Cute Monster Props   Jorge - JMV Special Guest - Esper Quinn THINGS DISCUSSED  Puzzled Artist (warning: thick ladies), Sonic Adventure 2, Megaman Battle Network, Klanoa: Door to Phantomile, Blue Prince Best Game That Was Too Rich for my Blood (0:11:40) Donkey Kong Bananza, Donkey Konga, Donkey Kong Tropical Beat, Pokemon ZA, James Turner - Character Artist for Sword and Shield    Best Multiplayer Game I Can’t Seem to Find a Group for(0:33:41) Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros, Tekken, FBC: Firebreak, Control 2, Alan Wake, NieR: Automata, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, Elden Ring: Nightrein, Dark Souls   Best Indie I Ought to Get Around to (0:49:55) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ball x Pit, Vampire Survivors, Balatro, Quartet, Quintet, Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, Despelote, Consume Me, Pokemon Snap, Baby Steps, 1000xResist, Horses, Molleindustria   Best Game I Clearly Want to Play but Imma Let This Cook a Little Longer (1:05:09) Isopod, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Cid Meier’s Civilization 7, Hades 2, Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, Stardew Valley,    Game Ratings: Games we DID play in 2025 (1:20:44) To a T, Promise Mascot Agency, Paradise Killer, Candy Rangers, Sin and Punishment, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure, Sonic Racing Crossworlds, Marvel Rivals, Look Outside, The Magical Realms of Tír na nÓg: Escape from Necron 7 – Revenge of Cuchulainn: The Official Game of the Movie – Chapter 2 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa, Demon School, Lost Odyssey, Final Fantasy X, The Best Game That’s Too Big for me to Get Through As A Person Working Full Time (2:02:51) Silent Hill F, Sekiro, Paper Mario, Earthbound, Slitterhead, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Noita, Death Stranding 2 Best Game that Came Out in December What Were You Guys Thinking I am Far Busy for That (2:13:39) Corgi Space, Spin Rhythm, Sockpop Collective, UFO 50, Gruun, Unbeatable, Angeline Era  Best Game That Got Overhyped for Me and Now I’m Pushing Back on Principal (2:26:21) Umamusame: Pretty Derby (a game that is on Jorge’s Backlog and therefor means he really really wants to play it and just can’t seem to be a goo-goo baby), Love Live, Mahjong Fight Club  The Wrap Up (2:55:30) Final Fantasy Tactics Remake, South of Midnight, Deltarune Ch 3+4, Absolum, Lies of P, Keeper, Ena Dream BBQ, Metal Gear Solid Delta, Mina the Hollower, Ghosts of Yotei, Tokyo Extreme Racer The Question Zone (3:01:12) A Less Cute and More Monstrous Kyle asks - Do you think that being Microsoft-published actually hurts games being nominated and winning awards? For example, Troy Baker gave a hell of a performance with the handicap of also keeping up an impressive Harrison Ford impression. People aren't really talking about it even if he's been nominated for a few awards. Some of this may be due to the release timing, but I've seen similar reactions to other Microsoft owned games and Epic Games Store paid exclusives. Microsoft BDS Boycott, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus Also, Hades II is my game of the year. Screw anyone saying Early Access disqualifies it. Bowl of Lentils asks - Have you ever returned to a game in your backlog and it ended up becoming one of your all-time favorite games? For me that was Valkyria Chronicles on the PS3. Only played an hour or two and then dropped it for years. But when I finally got back to it, I ended up absolutely loving it and playing the rest of the series. Demon’s Souls, Culdcept Saga got kin assigned luigi by clients - at what point would an indie studio no longer be considered "indie" enough for the indie award categories its luigi but i had more to say - do you think with how the push for games to be showcased during TGA is exacerbated because E3 died tragically from disease, and should E3 or something similar be brought back Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Tomb Raider The Rec Room (3:20:01) UFO 50, TMNT 4K Restoration Trillogy,  Stop!! Hibari Kun!, Blippo+, Buying Ramune in twist off bottles. The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic, Magic the Gathering Pauper format, Nirvana The Band The Show The Movie, Insert Credit, 52 Pickup, DC Action News, Topic Lords, Esper Quinn!