2026 - Happy New Year & 2025 GOTY is obviously not Clair Obscur.

Play

As Dusk Falls (PS5) - Completed

An interactive "telltale" like game about a family whilst relocating to St. Louis are forced to stop at a motel and chaos ensues.

An enjoyable story with multiple characters that does end on a mild cliffhanger, not sure if the studio Interior Night has any plans to continue the story.

It even has a waterfall scene!

 

Sword of the Sea (PS5) - Completed

A stunningly beautiful game where you ride a hoverboard and help to bring back water to a desert. Who else but Austin Wintory with yet another amazing soundtrack. If you enjoyed Journey you will love this & it has some amazing waterfalls!

 

Clair Obscur - Expeditions 33 (PS5) - Playing

With the extended break from work it was time to start another physical game from my backlog & what else but the darling of award shows and many gamers GOTY, Clair Obscur Expeditions 33.

I can't say anything about the game that you have not already read or listened but yes it lives up to the hype. If not the sountrack then the art style or engrossing story and characters. Maybe it's the turn-based battles with it's parry/dodge mechanic or that each character has a unique fighting style to master.

I was hoping I may be able to complete it before the end of the year but I don't want to rush it and enjoy every beautifully crafted section of the game.

In summary I wish Square Enix are taking notes, this is what the Final Fantasy games should have been.

Oh! and yes it has some beautiful waterfalls!

 

Game of the Year 2025 

Overall I'm happy with my gaming year starting with the juggernaut that is Cyberpunk 2025 & what a game it was! A pleasure to explore Night City and uncover it's many secrets. Without going any further let me just say this is my game of the year! even before I started playing the Phantom Liberty DLC.

I then enjoyed some british humour in Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe before going back to the 80s for Robocop Rogue City. We can ignore Pure Mini Golf a 32p purchase for an easy platinum lol!

Road 96 was the first of many interactive "telltale" like games I would enjoy this year and no year is complete without an RGG game and Like A Dragon Ishin! scratched that itch!

Balatro should come with a warning label, easily the most addictive game I've played in a long time and even now I keep coming back to just to have one more run!

Ghostwire Tokyo was an unexpected surprise that I enjoyed very much including the scary school sequence! Fantasy Life i told me how fragile a human being I am with constant RSI pains due to it's lack of accessbility options for the quicktime events. It also taught me I should always quit playing games if I am not enjoying.

Dredge was a relaxing fishing game with a mysterious story to enjoy & Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 1 another interactive game from one of my favourite developers Don't Nod.

Messenger an impressibe acheivement for a short browser based game, The Invincible is a first person sci-fi adventure based on the 1964 novel.

I then found my digital crack in Wordle, Connections & Strands. I still play all three daily but did give up on Spelling Bee & Pips.

Promise Mascot Agency was an enjoyable "Kairosoft" like game with a yakuza backstory, it is also the first game I have purchased in years that I started playing straight away.

Hole.io kep me entertained for a few days gobbling up buildings. Then back to back interactive titles in Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 2 & As Dusk Falls. Finishing off the year with Sword of the Sea.

2026 Gaming Resolutions

New year! and some new resolutions that I can break!

1. Purchase no more physical games until I have reduced my backlog to 3 titles (currently at 13!).

2. I did well in 2025 and avoided buying the PS5 Pro and Switch 2, I need to keep that going in 2026, no new hardware purchases except if required PS5 controllers.

3. I have £80 on PSN credit and this all I can use until I reduce my digital backlog to 10 titles (either by playing or dropping, currently at 35 games). No more shopto top up codes!

I will renew PS+ at the essentials tier in November, I don't need the extra tier it just adds more titles to my backlog!

4. I did really well this year with FOMO, I did not go back to Fortnite even with the Simpsons map or the current BTTF skins, I also avoided purchasing Arc Raiders. I don't have the free time for these type of games. Need to avoid the hype and just play what I already own.

 

Backlog

Digital Games (35) - +4 See shopping below

PS+ Subscription (3) - Reduced by 1, Sword of the Sea & As Dusk Falls completed & Planet Coaster 2 added.

PS+ Monthly (19) - Reduced by 1, can't remember what title I dropped?! It was Viewpoint!

Physical Games (13) - added two see shopping below

Total = 70 Games (gone up by three from last month!)

Shopping

Stupid end of year sales! 

Shadow Gambit - Cursed Crew - £8.74 - Backlog
Steamworld Heist 2 - £6.24 - Backlog
Beyond Galaxyland - £7.49 - Backlog
Gears of War Reloaded £15.99 - Physical Backlog
Helldivers 2 £19.99 - Physical Backlog
A Way Out £4.49 - Backlog
The Quarry £8.44 - For Nemo/Sam to enjoy
and Roger £4.29 - First game I have purchased on the switch in a long time!

2025 Total £399.72! 

2026 Target is spend less than £100

 

Want

Quite a few titles I'm interested in from The Game Awards show including

The First Shepherd, Bradley the Badger, Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic, Control Resonant, Gang of Dragon, No Law, Tomb Raider Catalyst & Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis, 007 First Light & Pragmata.

Bin

My own weakness for buying more games when I have enough games to enjoy already!

 

Happy New Year! 

Playstation Wrap 2025

Overall less hours played than in 2024 (884) with only 647 hours & 215 of that spent enjoying Cyberpunk 2077.

 

I was more ruthless with quitting games I was not enjoying (although I did persist with Fantasy Life i) after a few hours like recent examples Pacific Drive & Thank Goodness Your'e Here.

Hoping to start on one of the big hitters from my physical backlog over xmas. 

 

 

 

December - Is it that time of the year already!

Play

Wordle, Strands & Connections (Android)

Still playing these three games on a daily basis, Wordle streak is at 65 days! Connections is the tougher game of the three and my max streak is 37 days with 21 Perfect Puzzles & Strands is all perfect, 67 games played with 100% solved.

It Takes Two (PS5)

Very slow progress on this, always waiting for my co-op partner to be available. But I do like beating her at the mini-games

 

Lost Records Bloom & Rage - Tape 2 (PS5) - Completed

Continues from the first game with the girls reliving their memories and looking for closure. It's a telltale-like game with freedom to explore but does have the dreaded timer to pressure you into decisions.

Hole.io (PS5) - Completed

Sometimes the simple games are the most fun, perfect for a few minutes of gaming.

 

Of course I end with a Waterfall video from Pacific Drive which I started but just could not gel to it and enjoy.

 

December Gaming Plans

Hopefully some more time enjoying It Takes Two, starting and completing As Dusk Falls & Sword of the Sea (both of which are short games, according to HLTB) & deciding which of my physical games I start for Christmas?! I'll leave that as a surprise for next month's post!

 

Backlog

Digital Games (31) - No change including no new purchases!

PS+ Subscription (4) -  Reduced by 1, I completed Lost Records Tape 2, I did add Pacific Drive & Thank Goodness but then promptly took them off (see bin)

PS+ Monthly (20) - No change

Physical Games (12) - +1 in Dragons Dogma 2

Total = 67 Games

Shopping

Purchased Steamworld Dig 2 & Steamworld Build on digital & Dragons Dogma 2 on Physical (I had £10 bonus points to use on Game Collection), and yes I still need to play the first game! 

Want

Wishlist is reduced by 2 because Pacific Drive & Thank Goodness were added to Playstation Extra 

Bin

Trophies - I've now turned off all notifications for trophies to allow me to just enjoy games the way I want to and not have some tickbox exercise, it really helped me enjoy Lost Records Tape 2 not having to worry about collectables or pointless trophies.

Pacific Drive

I was curious about this but maybe it's the UI or playing with a controller I found it quite cumbersome and got bored of the crafting. It did have a waterfall in the game!

Thank Goodness You're Here

Another game that was on my wishlist and I'm glad I did not purchase, yes it's a comedy game but it's very crude comedy with sexual innuendos and yeah not for me, deleted!

 

 

 

 

 

Xbox 360 - "Happy 20th Birthday"

20 years old this year, Happy Birthday Xbox 360

 

 

The "Xbox 360" has a special place in our household; it was, and still is, the "best" console ever. I am outvoted by my five kids!

Around 2004/5 (PS2), I was done with console gaming and went back to the PC. In 2008, whilst browsing Gumtree, I came across a listing for an Xbox 360 with 20+ games for £240! which was a stupidly cheap price. Phoned up, and it was still available. The seller was leaving the country and could not take it with him.

Games included Halo 3, Burnout Revenge, Perfect Dark Zero, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Skate & Crackdown

I was partway through playing Bioshock on the PC (still haven't completed it!) and was gobsmacked by Halo & Burnout.

It was my kids' first "family console", sorry, Nintendo. My kids were 11, 8 & 6, and they loved Halo 3, Skate & the indie games like Keflings. It cemented the joy of local co-op gaming, started the "Claptrap Boys" (a group of friends that I played with every week), and I have played some of the best games ever on the 360

Notable Mentions (2008 to 2014)

Halo 3 - The best local co-op experience playing with my son & Halo 3 Forge mode kept my kids entertained for years! Duck hunt, anyone?

Fallout 3 - Bethesda at their best!

Shadow Complex - One of the best Metroidvania games I have ever played

Batman: Arkham Asylum - which I purchased for £1 from a car boot sale!

Borderlands - The start of the "Claptrap Boys"

Assassin's Creed Games - They are still making them? Why am I still playing them?!

Limbo - A masterpiece of "indie" gaming

Skyrim - Bethesda at their best! It was all downhill after that!

Mass Effect Trilogy - Who knew that there would be a better sci-fi video game than Halo!

Red Dead Redemption - "Chef's kiss"

Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Will this IP ever come back alive?

Skate, Toy Story 3, Keflings, Geometry Wars, Forza Horizon, Walking Dead, Dead Space, Call of Duty Modern Warfare, Minecraft, Left 4 Dead, Braid, Trials, Peggle, Plants vs Zombies, X-Com, Puzzle Quest, Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons & lots more I can't think of at the top of my head & the kids are not around to chime in with their favourites.

So for the Khan household, the XBOX 360 is the GOAT & it is still set up so the kids can have a nostalgia trip whenever they want.

November - Autumnal Vibes

Play

Currently Playing

Wordle, Strands & Connections (Android)

Finally got a perfect with a video game category!

 

 

I'm enjoying playing daily Wordle, Connections & Strands. I've given up on Spelling Bee (requires in-app subscription to progress) & Pips (is pretty easy on the first two levels and Hard is difficult to play on mobile phone).

Hole.io (PS5)

A simple game where you start off as a tiny hole and have to eat things to get bigger, lol it's great fun! 

Balatro (PS5)

Back at this trying to crack the Purple Stake on the Yellow Deck!

It Takes Two (PS5)

I missed this off last month post but started this with Nemo, now I just need to get here attention off Simpsons Fortnite & Skate to get back to playing it!

November Plans

To play Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 2 & Sword of the Sea

Completed

Lost Records Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 (PS5)

Developed by Don't Nod (I do enjoy playing their games!), this is a story about four girls who go back to the town of Velvet Cove to relive the summer of 1995, will be starting Tape 2 soon.

8/10 

Messenger (Browser)

Gobsmacked that it runs in a browser, nice and short, 20 to 30 mins max with a handful of fetch-type quests, but lovely to explore.

Go play it https://messenger.abeto.co/ 

5/10 

The Invincible (PS5)

A video game adaptation of a science fiction novel by Stanislaw Lem, looks stunning; gameplay is mainly a walking sim type.

7/10 

Promise Mascot Agency (PS5)
For the first time in forever, I purchased, played & completed a game in the same month!

Really enjoyed this, it feels like a large-scale "Kairosoft" game with a funny cast of characters & a Yakuza story. This would not look out of place in a RGG Yakuza game.

8/10

 

Yet another Waterfall!

 

Backlog

Current Backlog

I have had a proper look through my backlog to remove games I have no intention of playing or have expired in the subscription service. 

Digital Games - 31 with new purchases inc Darkest Dungeon & Steamworld Dig 2.

PS+ Subscription - 5, I've added As Dusk Falls (looking forward to playing this story game)

PS+ Monthly - 20 (recently added Cocoon & Alan Wake 2)

Physical Games - 11 (no new additions)

Total  67 Games (Reduced by 25 from last month!)

Shopping

I've added a new Shopping page to the top, current total is £310.27!

https://www.gospvg.com/p/2025-shopping.html 

I upgraded Alan Wake 2 to the Deluxe editiion to get the DLC, purchased and completed Promise Mascot Agency in the same month!, Papa Quiz for £1.99 is something to enjoy with the family & Darkest Dungeon, I blame Abbas who was singing it's praises! 

 

Want

Current Wishlist is at 27 Games (added Paradise Killer) but I need to focus on the games above!

 

Bin

Nothing again, I think I'll remove this section going forward if nothing to add.

October - Once a gamer always a gamer!

Play

Dredge (PS5) - Completed

Once a gamer, always a gamer. I took a few weeks off gaming to rest & had a doctors/physio appointment for my RSI. Anyway enough of that and back to gaming, Dredge has been on my PS+ Subscription backlog for a while and I was keen to play it before it left the service.

 

It is a nice short indie title where you steer a boat around collecting fish/loot to sell and use that cash to upgrade your boat. There is a main quest that has you collect trinkets for a mysterious man (all is revealed in time).

 

Be careful when going out at night & always make sure you get your sleep! 

 

Lost Records Bloom & Rage Tape 1

 

From the makers of Life is Strange (which is still on my backlog) Don't Nod this is a story about four girls who reunite 27 years later after spending a summer together in 1995

 

It is not a game that can be played in small chunks due a checkpoint system so I'm only really paying at weekends to ensure I can complete a story section.

 

Wordle

I've heard about it but I've only gotten into this from the kids mentioning it, it is part of my daily routine now to spend a few minutes completing or on a couple of occasions failing and not guessing the correct word.

 

I play on the New York Times games app & thus have also been enjoying Pips (Domino puzzle game), Spelling Bee, although this only let's you play up to the solid rank before promoting the subscription. Connections which I'm really bad at! & Strands which I do enjoy. 

 

 

Backlog

I've purchased a few more games in Shadowrun Trilogy & Shadow Warrior Trilogy both were recently on sale and on my wishlist.

Current Backlog

Digital Games - 44 (added six with Shadowrun & Shadow Warrior Trilogy)

PS+ Subscription - 16

PS+ Monthly - 24 

Physical Games - 11 

Total  95 Games

October Targets

- Don't buy anymore games!

- Carry on playing shorter length games with Sword of the Sea next 

 

Want

Current Wishlist is at 27 Games (added two in Harmony - The Fall of Reverie & Tactical Breach Wizards)

 

Bin

Nothing for September, I enjoyed my time off gaming catching up on TV shows.

September - RSI Pains

Play

Fantasy Life I (PS5) - Completed

I should have quit playing this game on the first button-tapping mini game, it just aggravated my RSI pain.

 

Thus for now I have taken a break from gaming & catching up on some TV shows, if you have not watched already I would strongly recommend Shogun (Disney+) & The Penguin (Now TV/Sky)

 

Backlog

I have not purchased anything else, I did spend a bit of time moving from the google spreadsheet over to Backloggd to track what games I have to play.

Want

Nothing

Bin

Mohsin spent a bit of time taking the PS5 controllers apart to fix the stick drift issues, thank you kid.

Fantasy Life showed the lack of disability features in some games are very poor.

August 2025 - It's going to be a takedown!

Yes I've watched K-Pop Demon Hunters!

Play

Fantasy Life I (PS5)

It's been a while since I have played an Animal Crossing/Stardew Valley style cosy game. Fantasy Life I has many different classes from fishing, combat to crafting.

 

 

 

Ghostwire Tokyo (PS5) - Completed

 

The last few boss battles were a bit challenging but completed last month, there were still many activities left on the map but I am not a fan of the Ubisoft style of filling a map with icons.

 

Backlog

Shopping

Added Fantasy Life I & Indiana Jones & the Great Circle.

I spent a bit of time sorting out my PlayStation Library into Subscription, Monthly & Purchased games. Currently sitting at 93 games!

I'll focus on the subscription games before they leave the service.  

Want

A few more titles added to my wish-list in Promise Mascot Agency & Thank Goodness you're here.

Bin

Stick drift, one of my PS5 controllers has started to drift.

July 2025 - It's too hot to play video games!

Play

Ghostwire Tokyo (PS5)

You can fight the supernatural with Wind, Water or Fire attacks, but I like the stealth approach with the bow. It does have mild jump scares, but overall, it's fun to explore Tokyo. I also like there are lots of pets in the game.

Like A Dragon Ishin (PS5) (Completed)

I enjoyed this very much; always a good feeling playing a RGG game, and the Wild Dancer style is so much fun.

 

Balatro (PS5) (Completed)

 

I'm done with this, I've completed as many decks as I can It's an addictive game, and I've spent enough hours with it already. 

 

Backlog

Shopping

Added more purchases to my backlog! in Atomfall, Like A Dragon Pirate Yakuza, Tiny Tina Wonderlands & Claire Obscur.

Want

I enjoyed the many not E3 showcases and added more games to my wishlist.

Bin

I need to stop buying more games, although I am at least playing on a regular basis.

June 2025 - I completed two games in a month!

Play

Like A Dragon Ishin (PS5)

I did not know this was a remake of a 2014 PS3 title, I'm enjoying the new setting and the game play is the familiar yakuza style.

As always I am distracted by the side content, this time fishing & gardening. 

Balatro (PS5)

The addiction is real, I've completed the first few decks but trying to manage the digital crack and have left it alone to enjoy Ishin.

Robocop Rogue City (PS5) - COMPLETED

I enjoy this janky action shooter and even went and got the last few trophies for the platinum.

 

Road 96 (PS5) - COMPLETED

Completing two games in a month! A miracle I know!

This is what happens when you avoid huge open world games, Road 96 is a procedural indie game that has you helping teenagers escape from a politically charged country.

Backlog

Shopping

Purchased two physical games in System Shock & Star Wars Outlaws.

Want

I'm not interested in the Switch 2 but looking forward to the many Not E3 showcases this month.

Bin

Nothing, the bin is empty

May 2025 - Finally completed Cyberpunk 2077!

Play

Phantom Liberty (PS5)

I completed Phantom Liberty and finally waved goodbye to Cyberpunk 2077. After 220 hours of gaming it was finally time to move on from Night City.

Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe (PS5)

I need to take a break from long timesink gaming and returned back to the indie scene and enjoyed and completed The Stanley Parable.

 

Robocop Rogue City (PS5)

Next up I recently started Robocop Rogue City which has an old school shooter feel including janky voice acting & character animation.

Backlog

Shopping

Nothing purchased in April, now that I have finished Cyberpunk I can focus on my backlog and I'm specifically looking at games that can be completed in less than 50 hours. I need to try and avoid timesink games.

 

Want

Great reviews for Clair Obscur Expedition 33 and I hope to enjoy this at some point during the year.

Maybe Oblivion which was shadow dropped, I have never played this game. Skyrim is my only elder scrolls game.

PS+ games for May have been announced and I'm looking forward to playing Balatro. What did I just say about timesinks?

Bin

Games coming off PS Plus subscription service, I wish all additions had at least a year or they clearly show when they are leaving the service so you can decide to start playing or not.

April 2025 - I have finally finished Cyberpunk 2077, well sort of!

Play

Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5) 

After exploring every nook and cranny of Night City & enjoying the multiple different endings. I've finally completed Cyberpunk 2077 and got the platinum.

Except ...

Phantom Liberty (PS5)

I have gone straight into playing the the Phantom Liberty DLC.

One annoyance I did have with the game is in place it it very dark and there is no brightness setting or torches in the future?!

Backlog

Shopping

£23 spent on a pre-owned Metaphor ReFantazio

PlayStation Plus (To Play)

Yet another game I want to play in Robocop was added.

Want

I have no interest in the Switch 2 but interesting to see the RRP of games increasing with Mario Kart World (the obvious spiritual successor to Burnout Paradise)

Bin

Lack of time to gaming, I'm always too busy doing something else

March 2025 - Yes I am still playing Cyberpunk 2077!

Play

Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5) 

I have gone past the 100 hour mark in this game now, I have fully decked our Gold Tier Cyber Implants and I still tend to default to using hacking skills and stealth combat, usually by hacking a camera and using that to take out nearby enemies preferably by explosive devices. 

I am focusing on increasing my Solo & Shinobi skills so default to Shotgun/Assault Rifle when required, the other skills are nearly all maxed out. Truthfully combat with guns is way too easy with the Smart Assault Rifle. 

I love exploring and finding side quests or an NPC mission, it is a huge open world.

I started the game at the beginning of the year so it is going to take me a long while yet before I complete it! 

It Takes Two (PS5)

My daughter wanted to try this and it's an enjoyable co-op action platformer with some light puzzle sequences. We played for a few hours and hopefully I can convince her to get back to it so we can complete it.

 

Backlog

On the shelf

Annoyingly, I only lasted 5 weeks into the new year before purchasing a game!

Fist of the North Star (£3.99 in a PSN Sale) released by RGG Studio (Now you can understand my weakness!) for that price it was too good an offer to say no & RGG can do not wrong. 

No idea when I am going to play it because Cyberpunk 2077 is eating up all my gaming time & I have not even got to the Phantom Liberty DLC!

PlayStation Plus (To Play)

Star Wars Jedi Survivor & Dragon Age Veilguard was recently added to PS+ so looking forward to enjoying those games.

 

Want

Nothing, nothing at all, I just need more time to enjoy gaming!

 

Bin

Starting a game, one annoying little gripe with Cyberpunk 2077 on the PS5 is having to press continue four times to load the game, I do wish there was a continue feature on the PS5 dashboard like Infinite Wealth that took me straight into the game from my latest save file.  I do miss the Xbox Quick Resume feature.