Insert Credit nominates and ranks the sixteen best video games of the year 2025.
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(Finalized list featured at the bottom of the show notes, don’t spoil yourself!)
SHOW NOTES:
- Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure
- “Displeased! If I breathe, if I live, I am displeased. Only the dead are satisfied.”
- 52 Pickup
- Video Game History Foundation Digital Archive
- Demonschool
1: Ash Parrish’s First Nominee (05:20)
2: Brandon Sheffield’s First Nominee (09:27)
- Yakuza series
- Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Ichiban Kasuga
- Kazuma Kiryu
- Goro Majima
- Yakuza 0
- Deadpool
3: Frank Cifaldi’s First Nominee (14:46)
4: Ash’s Second Nominee (20:34)
5: Brandon’s Second Nominee (24:50)
6: Frank’s Second Nominee (28:01)
7: Ash’s Third Nominee (32:37z)
- Dead Take
- Tales of Kenzera: Zau
- Assassin’s Creed: Origins
- Full-motion video
- Ben Starr
- Neil Newbon
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Baldur’s Gate III
- Matt Mercer
- Jeffrey Epstein
- Harvey Weinstein
- Alan Wake series
- Sam Lake
- Max Payne series
- Palworld
- Meet The Unconventional Publishers Trying To Unfuck The Games Industry
8: Brandon’s Third Nominee (37:53)
9: Frank’s Third Nominee (43:24)
Frank’s Top 5 Albums of the Year (54:01)
- The Tune-Yards - Better Dreaming
- Deep Sea Diver - Billboard Heart
- Tunde Adebimpe - Thee Black Boltz
- Wet Leg - moisturizer
- Wednesday - Bleeds
10: Ash’s Fourth Nominee (59:31)
11: Brandon’s Fourth Nominee (01:05:41)
12: Frank’s Fourth Nominee (01:08:50)
13: Ash’s Fifth Nominee (01:14:37)
14: Brandon’s Fifth Nominee (01:22:01)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Promise Mascot Agency
- Insert Credit Gaiden #13 - The Intended Game, with Oli Clarke Smith
15: Frank’s Fifth Nomination (01:27:41)
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 ($14.99) [0.5 hrs]
- The Roottrees are Dead ($19.99) [11.5 hrs]
- Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater ($69.99) [12 hrs]
- Call of Ponchy: Mahjong Warfare ($0.99) [??? hrs]
- Demonschool ($24.99) [31.5 hrs]
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.
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Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.