It’s finally that special time of the year where families physically assault each other for 10% off a TV in Walmart at 3 am. Gamers are notoriously civilized folk; however, we get our deals from the comfort of our homes, and boy, do we have some games for you to keep an eye out for this Black Friday weekend.
PEAK
Platforms: PC | Price: $8
Peak is one of those games meant for a group of close friends, and it provides a sandbox for all kinds of hijinks. Peak has you flying out to remote areas, having yourself a wee plane crash, and having to work your way higher and higher through various biomes in your quest to reach the Peak and hopefully figure out a way to be rescued. Regretfully, my girlfriend and I never made it to the top, but we had a fun time bumbling through a few biomes and many deaths. I think with a bigger group, I would have enjoyed it more, but I can see the appeal that made this game have its time in the viral spotlight on PC. It’s a great price, grab some friends, maybe a couple beers, and see if you guys have what it takes to reach the Peak! (Frank)
SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation & Xbox | Price: $20.99 until 12/3 (MSRP: $29)
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance brings Joe Musashi into the modern age with a modern action platformer that feels incredible to play. The way the Shinobi series has evolved continues with Art of Vengeance, showing a clear Shinobilution from Shinobi on the DS. An army containing soldiers and supernatural beings attacks the Oboro clan, and the only one who can stop them is Joe Musashi himself. With a set of very large and open levels, there are plenty of enemies to kill, secrets to find, and collectibles to collect all over every stage.
The enemy variety is great, with players fighting enemies on land, in tunnels, or in the sky. And the various devices that assist with navigation open up areas the player has already completed for further exploration, offering more power-ups and delicious collectibles. Aside from the combat, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance has some really beautiful art. This comes as no surprise, as the developer, Lizardcube, made Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap and Streets of Rage 4, two games with incredible art styles. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is an incredible experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome and provides fun, action gameplay with loads of map to explore and lots of secrets to discover. (Nick)
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is an absolutely beautiful game with super dialed-in beat ’em up vibes, mixed in with hardcore bosses to fight.. From the second I started the game, I was 100% dialed into the gameplay, mixing up combos and trying to extend the combos I knew. Shinobi manages to please both parts of me, the super hard gameplay along with the fighting game-like combo system that has me doing every move I can to get just a LITTLE bit more damage The visuals are great, the music is absolutely pumping the whole way through, and Shinobobi: Art of Vengeance has had my attention glued to it the whole time i’ve played it. (Frank)
This fucking game, man. When I tell you this game had a GRIP on me for the ten hours I blasted through it, and every bit of it was an adrenaline-fueled ride. I adored Streets of Rage 4, and hearing the same folk were going to work on a Shinobi game immediately had my attention. From the jump, I was on board with the game’s setup of having these focused levels that encouraged you to replay them to find secrets you might’ve missed on a first go. It’s a good balance of having a linear game that mixes a bit of Metroidvania elements into it. The combat, however, is what kept me enthralled and had me actively seeking enemies, just because it’s so much fun to get into fights. The combat is probably one of the most fluid systems I’ve played since Guacamelee. Dancing around enemies as I chain together combos, making smart use of my ninpo, then securing multiple executions, was endlessly satisfying. A gorgeous art style, boss fights that leave you going “hell yeah”, super-gratifying platforming sections, and an actually pretty decent plot round out this package for a game you really shouldn’t miss. (Diego)
Elden Ring Nightreign
Platforms: PC, PlayStation & Xbox | Price: $24.99 (Standard Edition: PlayStation, Xbox)
When I tell you I had a blast with Elden Ring, I mean it. I played it so much, and really dug into it, especially with friends. I’ve always wanted a dedicated, persistent co-op experience in a From Software game instead of the “summoning” that it is known for, and Elden Ring Nightreign showed me just what could be possible if we had that. Taking on a roguelite formula, you and two other adventurers enter into the arena to power up as quickly as you can, building up a collection of weapons, items, and accessories to help you progress through 3 nights, ending with a huge, exciting boss fight. I really found myself enjoying strategizing my build to be the best I can against whatever final boss we are currently hunting, with what we find. Since the game has been out for a bit, a lot of my more successful hunts have been me chasing more experienced players as they zip from objective to objective, but I’ve gained enough knowledge in the game to be a more driving force when I enter matchmaking. Elden Ring Nightreign gives me a glimmer of what I’ve always wanted from From Software games, while also serving up an exciting and engaging co-op adventure with fun roguelike elements. (Frank)
I’ve been hit or miss with From Software titles over the years, and while Bloodborne remains at the top of my list, Elden Ring has slotted into a close second. So when a standalone, rogue-lite experience in the form of Nightreign came out, I was excited to check it out. It’s amazing how nothing has managed to blend a cooperative multiplayer experience with the skilled combat required to not die in an action-RPG game. Nightreign takes a condensed Elden Ring package and turns it into a repeatable, run-based experience that’s enjoyable even when you can’t find two friends to party with and have to match with randos (the life of a new dad). The meta-progression feels meaningful, so even when I just had an hour to play, I felt like I was learning, getting better, and even walking away with some upgrades. Soulslike roguelite genre vomit aside, Elden Ring Nightreign is a mashup of two things I didn’t know I needed, and something I hope more developers will be inspired to create. (Austin)
Clair Obscur Expedition 33
Platforms: PC, PlayStation & Xbox | Price: $39.99 (Standard Edition: PlayStation), $47.99 (Deluxe Edition: PC, Xbox)
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has the framing, pacing, and cadence of a real, regular JRPG. But what Sandfall has accomplished within that space is unbelievably compelling. Taking place in a world on a timer, where every time it ticks down a number, everyone of that age evaporates. The people of Lumiere live with a zest for life, knowing full well what lies ahead. Every year, an expedition embarks to try to stop whoever controls this clock, and so far, none have survived.
Typically, I’m turned off by reaction-based combat, but the parrying system works so beautifully with every other RPG system in place that it would almost be a crime to leave it out. A project clearly made with a lot of love and some very well thought-out design principles makes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 one of my contenders for Game of the Year. This isn’t just a love letter to RPGs but the people behind those RPGs. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is truly a one-of-a-kind experience right now, and I can’t recommend it enough. (Nick)
Man, France is so cool, I wish it were real. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is by far and away the best RPG of 2025. It’s gripping, exciting, and feels incredibly fresh in what is a well-worn genre. Every moment you spend on the continent, you can’t help but wonder what’s next. Will you be meeting up with a creature of legend? Investigating a village of silly little dudes? Fighting a 70-foot-tall flesh beast made of nightmares? At no moment do you feel like you know what’s going to happen next, and what a rare treat that is. (Joe)
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 does what few games are able to successfully do, and that’s hooking you with its story’s premise within the first hour. I’m just barely ten hours in, but what’s here is already more compelling than most RPGs get in thirty hours, as I’m immediately enraptured with Gustave, Maelle, and Lune’s characters. It’s also been a good while since I’ve played an RPG with reaction elements in a turn-based RPG, and man, are they satisfying to pull off in a tense fight. Getting through a fight with zero damage is such a gratifying experience once you get a good handle on each enemy’s combo patterns and can manage to dodge or parry everything. The presentation of it all adds wonders to the experience, too, as Lune floats into the air to send an enemy Nevron’s attack right back at it with a wild flourish; it’s an entirely beautiful experience. Speaking of, exploring The Continent is a complete treat, as every new zone I encounter feels like I just look around and wonder how the hell the artists came up with some of the imagery on display. I’d been hearing nonstop praise for this since the start of the year, and I’m excited to see that it lives up to everything I’ve heard and can’t wait to play more. (Diego)
A multi-hour, dense, turn-based RPG isn’t something I really have time for in 2025…. But maybe that’s because I just haven’t played one like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in a long time. Its art style is detailed, and starts very grounded, with characters to match. As someone who is quickly approaching their 40s, the premise of a big bad killing all people born in a certain year, and slowly rolling it back, is an interesting concept that I haven’t seen explored much before in video games. What really hooked me, though, is the way the combat layers on mechanics in a manageable way, making the repetitive nature of turn-based combat much more dynamic and active. If you somehow haven’t tried Expedition 33, you are doing yourself a disservice and potentially missing out on one of the best games of 2025. (Austin)
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1-4
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation & Xbox | Price: $44.99 until 12/3 (MSRP: $74.99)
I actually never played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 or 4 as a kid, as I only had the first two for my Dreamcast. I figured there was no better way to try the sequels out than through this handy bundle of remakes, especially given how fantastic the first two remakes are. As expected, the remakes of 3 and 4 are just as fantastic, offering me a plentiful bounty of arcade skating challenges in meticulously crafted little hub levels, each filled with goofy characters and tasks. It was a real blast back to the early-to-mid 2000s, but it looked and handled even better than I had hoped. Whether or not you played the originals, I can’t recommend these remakes enough, as they’re fantastic modernizations of some of the most arcade-y and simply fun skateboarding games ever made. (Spencer)
BALL x PIT
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation & Xbox | Price: $15
A run-based autoshooter within the block breaker framework is something I didn’t know I needed in my life. Ball x Pit just nails the fusion of genres, and even peppers in some light base-building progression to help folks understand how to spec their characters and unlock additional stages. In the wake of Vampire Survivors, it’s easy to feel a little burned out on the whole autoshooter setup of killing lots of enemies, collecting experience, and leveling up weapons. But the level of depth, the difference in characters’ starting abilities, and the ability to catch and aim your shots make the gameplay loop a lot more active, with a lot more strategic thinking required. If you like the rogue-like experience of getting weapon and ability combos that feel game-breaking, you need to experience the highs that Ball x Pit has to offer. (Austin)
