Welcome to part one of six for Big Nerd Gaming’s year-end content!
The coming weeks will feature many lists with very serious rankings that I truly poured my heart into. Today, things are a bit less prestigious, but I still put a lot of effort into tracking these all year!
The Nerdys are my way to honor the bad, dumb, beautiful, stupid, and random from 2025. Despite all the extensive ranks and blog posts I write for year-end, there’s still tons of games that can go a bit under the radar for me during all of my coverage. And in the end, the reason I do all that I do is because it’s so much fun to relive everything games had to offer from the year that was.
Hopefully, these awards offend you, make you smile, and make you reflect on another wonderful year of video games. Much like the past few years, this has genuinely been one of the best video game years of my lifetime, and I’m so excited to continue to share how awesome this year was with you. Enjoy!
Dumbest Design Decision
Pokemon Legends Z-A- Skipping From Rank V To Rank F
Admittedly, this is one game I didn’t play this year, but I did hope to. This game went from a potential buy to an absolute *not* after hearing about one of the most insane bait and switches I can recall.
I want to love the Pokémon games so much, as the franchise meant a lot to me as a kid, but I’ve slowly grown tired of them over the years. I just haven’t felt like there has been enough innovation, and the one-on-one battles are rarely interesting to me compared to many other JRPGs. After not enjoying Pokémon Violet for a variety of reasons, I swore off the series until they did something that seemed interesting to me.
And it looked like that might finally happen with Pokémon Legends Z-A. I was interested in Arceus, but it seemed a bit too much like one giant series of side quests. I was compelled by the concept of Z-A, as your goal was to move up the ranks from Z to A one by one in the game. As a guy who loves ranking things, this seemed very appealing to me, and the exact kind of different hook I needed to jump back into Pokémon.
But before buying the game, I was informed that despite the marketing talking about this gimmick, it was all a lie. In reality, you actually skip all the way from rank V to rank F in the game. As I type this, I still can’t believe it. I know there are plenty of people out there who still love the game, and maybe it is good. But the level of dishonesty to build a game around this, and then still just make it so you essentially only move up 8 ranks (which, of course, is the standard amount of Pokémon gym leaders), is crazy to me. Fuck Game Freak for doing this. This was your chance to win me back over, and YOU BLEW IT.
Worst Performance
Masumi Tsunoda As Naoe In Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
As much as people like to shit on this franchise, it remains one of the biggest in gaming today. Each Assassin’s Creed game has generated tons of money for Ubisoft. So it confuses me as to why this massive franchise still has such mediocre voice acting across the board.
I’m not sure I really loved any performance in this game, but I thought the voice acting was the weakest by far, with Masumi Tsunoda as Naoe. The voice acting is just oddly monotone and stunted throughout. There’s next to no emotion in anything she says, and there are lots of slight pauses that I found offputting. I didn’t switch to the Japanese voice acting when I played the game, but I probably should have. This one just didn’t work for me.
Worst Complete Snub At The Game Awards
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo
Admittedly, Pipistrello only had one realistic path to making it into The Game Awards, and that was in the “Best Indie” category. Yeah, it could be in “Best Action/Adventure,” but indies always have a very uphill climb to get into those categories.
I wasn’t mega confident that Pipistrello would make it in because “Best Indie” was very stacked this year. However, if you had told me that there would be six games in that category, I would have changed my tune a bit, and I would have fully expected it to make it in. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and I think it’s a bit of a travesty.
Yes, it’s only by a few points, but Pipistrello is rated better than both Absolum and Ball x Pit this year. And while I don’t think Pipistrello took over the world the way Ball x Pit did for a bit, it still had a decent amount of buzz when it was released. Every game that made this category is a well made game, but I think Pipistrello deserved better.
Most 7/10 Game Of The Year
Is This Seat Taken?
To be clear, this award isn’t some big slight. I like a lot of 7/10 games. My ideal 7/10 game is one that is short but pleasant, something that feels like a perfect palate cleanser. Last year, this honor went to Little Kitty, Big City, a game that I had a nice bit of fun with.
This year, we have Is This Seat Taken? This is a game where you have to place people in different seats in public spaces in a way that aligns with where they want to sit. For example, if I’m on a bus, I like window seats and being in the back whenever possible. In this game, you’d try and place me in that spot, and everyone else where they want to sit.
It’s such a clever idea, and the art and music are both really cute and well done. I also thought the puzzles were fun, but not quite imaginative enough sometimes. There were also a few missing quality of life elements that made finishing the bigger puzzles a bit cumbersome. But despite that, I enjoyed it, and it was the perfect game to drop 15-20 minutes into if I had a short stretch of time to relax.
Most 8/10 Game Of The Year
Avowed
My joke heading into Avowed is that Obsidian is mostly an 8/10 machine for me, so I was fully expecting another 8/10. And sure enough, that’s exactly where it landed for me on the dot.
Avowed excels for me in a lot of ways that past Obsidian RPGs haven’t. It has crunchy combat, and it gives you a really impressive array of weapons and tools. You can dual-wield various weapons and quickly swap loadouts on the fly too, so the game really lets you play in just about any way you want. I’m not usually a ranged guy in these types of games, but I thought the magic was tons of fun, and I had a blast with it. The game also has some pretty strong platforming and really compelling exploration. Basically, it’s good at almost all of the things that I don’t usually love with Obsidian games.
That should mean that this is a 9/10 or better and one of my favorite games of the year. Unfortunately, I don’t think Obsidian hits the mark quite as well with its story and characters. I was disinterested in both for most of the way, and I even genuinely hated one major story thread in particular.
Despite that, Avowed actually has some really compelling moments where you can decide which way the story goes. It’s not too often that I pause as long as I did to make some of the major decisions in this game. Admittedly, I wasn’t emotionally invested in what would happen, but I viewed them as interesting intellectual exercises.
With all the ups and downs, Avowed ended up where pretty much every Obsidian game ends up for me: a rock-solid 8/10. Nothing wrong with that!
Most Overrated Game By Fans
Blue Prince
Look, if you’ve been following me for a while, you knew this one was coming.
I’m not going to sit here and say Blue Prince is trash. Even though I didn’t care for the game, I have to respect its unique concept, some clever puzzles, and some really fascinating lore. There’s a lot going on here, and this really is unlike anything else out there.
But games that are this innovative can often come across big issues, and I’ve constantly been surprised at how willing people are to overlook some of the most annoying elements of the game. The Blue Prince fans are so fanatical that I see more fear to talk shit about this game than I do about just about any other “Game of the Year” contender this year.
As cool as the game can be, I just found the RNG to be a bit unforgivable in spots. I also think that this is the reality of doing a roguelike with a puzzle game. With action or even deck-building roguelikes, yes, there is luck involved. Sometimes I will lose because of luck, but my own skill is always part of it too. The difference with Blue Prince is there are many runs where you will know exactly what you need to do and still fail. That is just not enjoyable for me.
I also thought a few puzzles in the game were a bit ridiculous. Blue Prince is a puzzle game that is meant to be experienced by talking to other people about it and gleaning hints and solutions from them. Alternatively, you might need to consult a guide occasionally. I’m sure there’s someone out there who played the game solo in a complete bubble, but I haven’t personally talked to anyone who did that. This is not how I want to experience a puzzle game. I get satisfaction and enjoyment from doing it myself. And thus, for that variety of reasons, I just haven’t been able to get on board with the hype this year. I respect the game, and I respect those who like it, but I also think many fans gloss over some issues a little too freely.
Most Overrated Game By Critics
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
I wasn’t shocked that the critics loved Blue Prince. It’s a game designed to get good scores from the press because of its general innovation and the other things it does well.
The scores that really shocked me this year were the ones for Xenoblade Chronicles X. The original Wii U game received an 84 on Metacritic, and this “definitive edition” ended up at an 87 on Metacritic. I think the score bump is bizarre for this one.
First off, this game has the kind of open world that would almost assuredly get dumped on in most modern games. It’s an open world with a million icons and feels check the box in every way. Also, the main thing hyped up about the Xenoblade series is the story, and Xenoblade Chronicles X has a terrible and unremarkable story. I also don’t think the MMO-styled combat is anything special.
I’m not shocked the fans loved this one, but even with a few quality of life enhancements, it was very odd to me that the critics ended up solidly higher on it than the original, as this is the exact formula that has become increasingly out of style.
Funniest Game Of The Year
Dispatch
Dispatch is a superhero game, so it has plenty of serious moments. But at its core, this is a workplace comedy, and it consistently nails that. There’s just a great mix of sharp writing, occasional pop culture references, and shock factor to keep you laughing. I never knew in which way the laughs would come, and sometimes they come immediately after a serious moment. Dispatch would always find ways to surprise me.
Jeffrey Wright is probably the highlight as the very vulgar Chase. His delivery and the writing for Chase are both so great. But every character has funny moments snuck in at certain points.
And also, if you aren’t laughing at the karaoke scene at the end of episode 5, I just don’t know what to say. I watched the entire credits of the episode because that song was so peak. What a great game.
The Game That Surprised Me The Most
Rematch
It’s unbelievable how many factors were working against Rematch for me. First off, I rarely ever play sports games. I love sports, but sports video games just don’t work for me for a myriad of reasons. I also almost never spend any time in competitive multiplayer games. Those games tend to feel like a time sink to me. Also, I was actually annoyed when I saw the first trailer for Rematch. I thought Sifu was a really well made single player game, and I couldn’t believe that the developer was pivoting to a multiplayer sports game instead.
But thanks to Xbox Game Pass, I decided I’d still give the game a look out of respect to the developer, and holy crap, it wasn’t long before I realized that I was in love.
I’ve played a fair bit of indoor soccer in my day, and Rematch perfectly blends arcade with realism for me. The physics, movement, and general strategies all feel so much like real soccer, but the addition of some fancy shots and Rocket League walls gives it just enough arcade flair.
I also love how the game genuinely requires teamwork in order to succeed. The beauty of team sports is having to rely on your teammates, and managing many of the emotions that can come with cooperating with others in order to succeed. Few multiplayer games reach these highs, but Rematch does, and it is beautiful. I haven’t been able to play it for months because I’ve been trying to play the insane amount of new releases that have come out in the back half of this year, but I imagine this is a game I will be popping back into occasionally for a long time to come. Don’t sleep on it!
The Game That Disappointed Me The Most
Cattle Country
When I get a review code for a game, it tends to end up being a game that I like. I have a hard time keeping up with game releases as it is, so I don’t play a game just because I can get a code for it. It has to be something that I’m pretty interested in.
So when I give a game a 5/10 that I’m reviewing, it’s safe to say that I am extremely disappointed. That is not a situation I’m looking to be in.
I was excited for Cattle Country for a few reasons. First off, while I don’t play tons of them because I’d get burned out otherwise, I do enjoy farm sims. They have an addictive quality. I essentially view them as RPGs where you can actually visually see the progress you are making, which can be really satisfying when done right. Also, the same developer made the Blossom Tales games, which were really solid Zelda clones with tons of personality.
So I was pretty shocked to see Cattle Country fail in pretty much every regard. It had zero quality of life elements from the 15 hours I played. Shopkeepers didn’t even have signs to tell you when they’d be open, and the game doesn’t even really tell you how you can complete the various objectives it gives you to improve the town. You could craft things and have no idea how to use them or if they gave any benefit at all. There were also several little bugs and plenty of other dumb issues. Beyond all that, the game had next to no personality as well. The villagers were all incredibly dry and generic. There were only a few “festivals” during the year, and they were all pretty unremarkable. It was just a lifeless game in all regards.
I have heard that the game has had several patches that have fixed quite a few issues that I pointed out in my review, but the lack of personality and character felt almost impossible to fix, which is shocking given the developer’s past games. This one was a massive disappointment.
The Game I Keep Forgetting That I Played
Wheel World
I was honestly pretty hyped for Wheel World. It had a really cool look, and cycling video games aren’t particularly common. The open world exploration also felt like it could be fun.
In practice, the game ended up having some strong elements but was also pretty underwhelming in so many ways. The cycling physics feel great, but the difficulty balancing in the races was awful until the later portions of the game. I won most races by very large margins. The open world ends up being pretty bland and not nearly as rewarding as I’d hoped. The story is also non-existent, and even the music isn’t quite as good as I had hoped.
But the parts of the game that I liked were strong enough for this to still be a decent experience. The cycling, in particular, really does feel good. I just wish there were some stronger design decisions around it. This put the game right in that zone where it wasn’t good enough or bad enough for me to think about it at all after completion.
The Most Embarrassing Game To Play With My Wife Around
Promise Mascot Agency
I didn’t happen to play any games that were totally outrageous with the “boob-age” this year (that is definitely a word, okay?). So the only game that comes to mind for this category is Promise Mascot Agency.
Promise Mascot Agency doesn’t have fan service or anything too wild, but it constantly puts you in situations that might be difficult to explain to an outsider. Why are you driving around with a giant pinky? Why is that giant leg hitting on you? Why is that giant piece of tofu crying? Why are you fighting a card battle related to a mascot being stuck in a door?
The game is constantly bizarre, and that might be the best part about it. But yeah, it was kind of weird explaining things to my wife. Luckily, she has watched plenty of anime in her day, so she (kind of) gets it.
Worst Menu Of The Year
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
This one hurts, as Kingdom Come: Deliverance II actually has beautiful menus in many ways. Each quest has tons of flavor text in the menu, and the hand drawn map is lovely.
Unfortunately, the game’s text in these menus is too small for me. For both the quest menu and the menu at the top of the screen when you are in-game, I always had to lean forward to read or figure out exactly where I was trying to go.
As lovely as the map is, I always found it to be really buggy and awkward to navigate. You have to use both joysticks to move it around, which always felt unintuitive. It also tended to open up at the corner of the map and force me to move it to find the town I was actually in. There were a few reasons why I didn’t finish KCD2, and being a menu heavy game where I hated navigating the menus was at least 25% of why I didn’t make it.
I also want to note that if I had played it, I almost guarantee Monster Hunter Wilds would have won this award based on everything I’ve seen.
Best Menu Of The Year
The Seance of Blake Manor
The key to The Seance of Blake Manor is that it manages to put tons of info in its menu in a very digestible way, and that happens to be very important for the gameplay as well.
Blake Manor is a whodunit where you have to figure out who abducted someone during a gathering at a giant manor. The game has “mind maps” for each person in the manor, and as you discover more info about them, the map expands. It’s really satisfying to see new threads pop up on the mind map every time. Each character also has a bullet point list of important facts about them that summarizes everything you learn as you go and lets you cross off people when you decide that they aren’t the culprit.
This game had tons of info in its menu, and it’s really impressive that they were able to keep it from getting overwhelming.
My Non-2025 Game Of The Year
Doom (2016)
This is never a particularly crowded category for me. 2025 was so packed that I only played four games not released this year: both Doom games, Final Fantasy IX, and It Takes Two. All of those games are really good to great, but DOOM (2016) was the clear standout for me.
More than anything, I love the way DOOM has so many systems and forces you to engage with all of them. It’s the same with its weapons. I was forced to use pretty much every weapon in the game during different situations, and that really helps the experience stay varied and interesting. The sound design and level design are both incredibly strong, and it’s just badass every step of the way. I played this game to prep myself for DOOM: The Dark Ages, and I was very glad I did. There aren’t nearly as many great FPS single player campaigns as I’d like these days, and I can’t believe I missed out on the new DOOM games for so long.
Coming later this week, my top 20 moments of the year! And I’m hoping to have a special Christmas surprise as well.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider following me on social media, or checking out The Big Nerd Gaming Podcast!
The Big Nerd Gaming Podcast on Youtube
Big Nerd Gaming 
Leave a comment