Ep. 427 - Game of the Year 2025

Insert Credit nominates and ranks the fifteen best video games of the year 2025.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

Watch episodes with full video on YouTube (youtube.com/insertcreditshow)

Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums (forums.insertcredit.com)

(Finalized list appears at the bottom of the show notes, don’t spoil yourself!)

SHOW NOTES:

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Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure (mobygames.com/game/7802/boogerman-a-pick-and-f…)

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“Displeased! If I breathe, if I live, I am displeased. Only the dead are satisfied.” (mobygames.com/game/246839/hollow-knight-silksong)

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52 Pickup (insertcredit.podcast.audio/@52pickup)

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Video Game History Foundation Digital Archive (archive.gamehistory.org)

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store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/Demonschool

1: Ash Parrish’s First Nominee (05:20)

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South of Midnight (mobygames.com/game/240054/south-of-midnight)

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bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott

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Ahmed Best (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Best)

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Jar Jar Binks (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jar_Jar_Binks)

2: Brandon Sheffield’s First Nominee (09:27)

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Yakuza series (mobygames.com/group/8208/ryu-ga-gotoku-like-a-…)

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Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (mobygames.com/game/237734/like-a-dragon-pirate…)

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Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (mobygames.com/game/217192/like-a-dragon-infini…)

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Ichiban Kasuga (yakuza.fandom.com/wiki/Ichiban_Kasuga)

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Kazuma Kiryu (yakuza.fandom.com/wiki/Kazuma_Kiryu)

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Goro Majima (yakuza.fandom.com/wiki/Goro_Majima)

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Yakuza 0 (mobygames.com/game/83460/yakuza-0)

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadpool

3: Frank Cifaldi’s First Nominee (14:46)

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Wanderstop (mobygames.com/game/235851/wanderstop)

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Davey Wreden (mobygames.com/person/558046/davey-wreden)

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The Stanley Parable (mobygames.com/game/62249/the-stanley-parable)

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The Beginner’s Guide (mobygames.com/game/76046/the-beginners-guide)

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Animal Crossing series (mobygames.com/group/4468/animal-crossing-series)

4: Ash’s Second Nominee (20:34)

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Blue Prince (mobygames.com/game/240176/blue-prince)

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Escape Academy (mobygames.com/game/188126/escape-academy)

5: Brandon’s Second Nominee (24:50)

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Asura the Striker (mobygames.com/game/241131/asura-the-striker)

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Space Harrier (mobygames.com/game/1434/space-harrier)

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OutRun (mobygames.com/game/16/outrun)

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Darius (mobygames.com/game/22038/darius)

6: Frank’s Second Nominee (28:01)

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The Roottrees are Dead (mobygames.com/game/235942/the-roottrees-are-dead)

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The Séance of Blake Manor (mobygames.com/game/249546/the-seance-of-blake-…)

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HowLongToBeat.com (howlongtobeat.com)

7: Ash’s Third Nominee (32:37z)

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Dead Take (mobygames.com/game/245815/dead-take)

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Tales of Kenzera: Zau (mobygames.com/game/222622/tales-of-kenzera-zau)

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Assassin’s Creed: Origins (mobygames.com/game/97558/assassins-creed-origins)

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Full-motion video (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-motion_video)

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Ben Starr (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Starr_(actor))

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Neil Newbon (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Newbon)

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Final Fantasy XVI (mobygames.com/game/204724/final-fantasy-xvi)

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Baldur’s Gate III (mobygames.com/game/150689/baldurs-gate-iii)

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Matt Mercer (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Mercer)

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Jeffrey Epstein (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epstein_files)

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Harvey Weinstein (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MeToo_movement)

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Alan Wake series (mobygames.com/group/9457/alan-wake-series)

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Sam Lake (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Lake)

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Max Payne series (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Payne)

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Palworld (mobygames.com/game/215998/palworld)

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Meet The Unconventional Publishers Trying To Unfuck The Games Industry (aftermath.site/indie-game-publishers-outerslot…)

8: Brandon’s Third Nominee (37:53)

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Call of Ponchy : Mahjong Warfare (store.steampowered.com/app/3431340/Call_of_Pon…)

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Fortnite (mobygames.com/game/104208/fortnite)

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D3Publisher Inc. (mobygames.com/company/5495/d3publisher-inc)

9: Frank’s Third Nominee (43:24)

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Silent Hill f (mobygames.com/game/248025/silent-hill-f)

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Silent Hill 2 (mobygames.com/game/5870/silent-hill-2)

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Sonic the Werehog (sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_the_Werehog)

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Bonk (mobygames.com/group/4907/bonk-series)

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Bubsy (insertcredit.com/show/426)

Frank’s Top 5 Albums of the Year (54:01)

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The Tune-Yards - Better Dreaming (tune-yards.bandcamp.com/album/better-dreaming)

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Deep Sea Diver - Billboard Heart (thedeepseadiver.bandcamp.com/album/billboard-h…)

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Tunde Adebimpe - Thee Black Boltz (tundeadebimpe.bandcamp.com/album/thee-black-bo…)

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Wet Leg - moisturizer (wetleg.bandcamp.com/album/moisturizer?from=foo…)

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Wet Leg: Tiny Desk Concert (youtube.com/watch?v=AzUHNjKMeV4)

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Wednesday - Bleeds (wednesdayband.bandcamp.com/album/bleeds)

10: Ash’s Fourth Nominee (59:31)

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Hollow Knight: Silksong (mobygames.com/game/246839/hollow-knight-silksong)

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Hollow Knight (mobygames.com/game/84194/hollow-knight)

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Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (mobygames.com/game/244242/death-stranding-2-on…)

11: Brandon’s Fourth Nominee (01:05:41)

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Hypogea (mobygames.com/game/250542/hypogea)

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Quake (mobygames.com/game/374/quake)

12: Frank’s Fourth Nominee (01:08:50)

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Windswept (mobygames.com/game/250385/windswept)

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Donkey Kong Country (mobygames.com/game/5199/donkey-kong-country)

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizo

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Super Mario series (mobygames.com/group/10044/super-mario-series)

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Oh, Deer! (mobygames.com/game/88428/oh-deer)

13: Ash’s Fifth Nominee (01:14:37)

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News Tower (mobygames.com/game/217591/news-tower)

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Citizen Kane (1941) (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane)

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Game Dev Story (mobygames.com/game/50321/game-dev-story)

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Home of the Underdogs (homeoftheunderdogs.net)

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Superhero League of Hoboken (mobygames.com/game/1559/superhero-league-of-ho…)

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Mad TV (mobygames.com/game/2831/mad-tv)

14: Brandon’s Fifth Nominee (01:22:01)

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (mobygames.com/game/241065/clair-obscur-expedit…)

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Promise Mascot Agency (mobygames.com/game/240344/promise-mascot-agency)

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Insert Credit Gaiden #13 - The Intended Game, with Oli Clarke Smith (insertcredit.com/gaiden/icg013)

15: Frank’s Fifth Nomination (01:27:41)

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (mobygames.com/game/241065/clair-obscur-expedit…)

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Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater (mobygames.com/game/243161/metal-gear-solid-%CE…)

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Hideo Kojima (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hideo_Kojima)

16: Alex Jaffe’s First Nomination (01:33:29)

THE INSERT CREDIT GAME OF THE YEAR 2025 TOP 16:

• Silent Hilf ($69.99) [14 hrs]

• News Tower ($24.99) [9.5 hrs]

• South of Midnight ($39.99) [11.5 hrs]

• Wanderstop ($24.99) [10.5 hrs]

• Hollow Knight: Silksong ($19.99) [28 hrs]

• Blue Prince ($29.99) [26.5 hrs]

• Dead Take ($14.99) [4 hrs]

• Promise Mascot Agency ($24.99) [12.5 hrs]

• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii ($59.99) [36 hrs]

• Windswept ($19.99) [9.5 hrs]

• Hypogea ($9.99) [2.5 hrs]

• Asura the Striker …