What videogames are you playing in 2025?

[Old Fezziwig]

I got pretty fortunate; on day 18 I got a Shrine boon that added 8 Courtyards to my deck (which I had upgraded to provide 2 gems); the following day I placed the Root Cellar (which increases the number of digging spots). I ended up with a full house, like 11 minor keys and 20 gems leftover, and way more than enough steps to get everything done to get into Room 46.

I haven't read anything about Blue Prince yet so that I avoid spoilers, but I read this and realized that I have no idea if this is true or if this is an Elden Farmland type thing. I'm really looking forward to finding out.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I did support the Huana in the end; it’s their home and I reckon they should be allowed to make their own mistakes and fix their own problems. It seemed at least they were on an upward trend by the end, even if I needed to get my hands dirtier than I would have liked.

I found the ship combat relatively painless, though tedious enough that I usually went straight to boarding and melee combat to save a couple of minutes.

Anyhow, on to my next playthrough!

I will just mention that it's possible to complete the game without completely throwing in with any faction.

 

[Pale Violet Light]

I suppose they're technically QTEs, but it's a lot more comparable to the Judgment Ring system in the Shadow Hearts series, if you've played that. The parrying and dodging part makes it more like a turn-based Sekiro, which I love.

I very much appreciate the attempt at an explanation, but the references are totally lost on me. Can you rephrase, making comparison exclusively to 90s turn-based tactics games?

 

[Retros_x]

I very much appreciate the attempt at an explanation, but the references are totally lost on me. Can you rephrase, making comparison exclusively to 90s turn-based tactics games?

I don't know any 90s turn-based tactics game that have real-time active elements in them, to my knowledge there is no such a reference that could be applied here.

The active elements in Claire Obscure remind me of the Mario & Luigi RPGs or Paper Mario RPGs

I honestly don't know if you would enjoy this game so much, its very much an european take on JRPGs. Maybe wait until its on sale and try it out then.

 

[Pale Violet Light]

I will just mention that it's possible to complete the game without completely throwing in with any faction.

Thanks. I think I’m saving that for playthrough #5, though I’m unsure if I’ll ever get there. This time I’m going with the Royal Deadfire Company for the full colonialist experience.

 

[trappedslider]

not playing it this year but still

 

[Gradine]

The puzzle progression in Blue Prince is so wild...

Blue Prince: Here's a basic logic puzzle to solve.
Me: Oh neat, I love these
BP: We also have basic arithmetic puzzles but we use color instead of function symbols.
Me: Cool... hope you've got a good colorblind accessibility setting for that, but it's pretty neat so far.
BP: They're gonna get harder as you solve more puzzles...
Me: C'mon, these are the only puzzles I've found, this is a cakewalk
BP: Yes... the only puzzles... heh heh heh...

<Several weeks and multiple hidden ciphers cracked later>

Me: Well, that's gotta be the worst of it, right?
BP: Have you been taking notes on our fictional geography and historical lore?
Me: Yes, actually.
BP: How about this additional mathematical system we're calling "Algebra" but is really just a bunch of random symbols we'll never directly explain to you and that you'll have to solve on top of the color-based arithmetic?
Me: You'd think that would throw me for a loop, but I've played enough darts to have to brute force my way to understand what those all mean. What else have you got?
BP: Fine, learn this conlang.
Me: ...
Me: ...
Me: Why are you like this?

 

[dbm]

I’ve just started playing Songs of Conquest which is a love-letter to Heroes of Might & Magic 3

 

[Ruin Explorer]

BP: Fine, learn this conlang.
Me: ...
Me: ...
Me: Why are you like this?

My brother has reached this point in BP, and I'm like "Well I dodged a bullet with that one...". I'm glad people are enjoying it though!

I have to admit it would probably have got me if they'd just gone for like, "ancient lost civilization" aesthetics (i.e. exploring ruins and tombs) rather than "big mysterious house" aesthetics.

(I assume an ancient lost civilization is involved somehow given some of the screenshots I've seen but the aesthetic primary very much appears to be "mysterious post-Victorian mansion".)

 

[Ruin Explorer]

not playing it this year but still

Looks fantastic, but does it look "Buy a PS5 good?" is the question, given it's not coming out on PC at initial release (and there is obviously no point in buying an Xbox Series X/S). And I'm not sure of the answer to that. I guess I have about a year to work it out!