{"id":42174,"date":"2026-03-10T04:35:55","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T06:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174"},"modified":"2026-03-12T05:31:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T09:31:43","slug":"vgu-tv-goty-2025-day-2-best-re-release-best-debut-studio-most-fun-games-as-a-helping-hand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174","title":{"rendered":"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align: center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" style=\"border: 0px; --darkreader-inline-border-top: 0px; --darkreader-inline-border-right: 0px; --darkreader-inline-border-bottom: 0px; --darkreader-inline-border-left: 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/q8_VhA8YylE?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en-US&amp;autohide=2&amp;wmode=transparent\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New year, same club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Welcome back to The Player\u2019s Club Podcast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s been a while, but we haven&#8217;t been doing nothing all this time. Al, Graydon, Emmett, and Josh have all gotten back together to talk about the best games they played in 2025. There are 4 whole days of deliberations, so let\u2019s keep the party going in this second episode! Day two includes the following categories: Best Upgrade\/Re-Release, Games as a Helping Hand, Best Debut Studio, and Most Fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-pocket-casts wp-block-embed-pocket-casts\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"VGU.TV GOTY 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand - VGU.TV Podcasts\" src=\"https:\/\/pca.st\/embed\/ay0y3yii\" style=\"border: 0; border-radius: 8px; width: 100%; height: 200px;\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You can listen to the show on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/los-harrow-games\/id1440699489\">iTunes<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/1JL6h6RpSc4z7zscRVc6pq\">Spotify<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pca.st\/29RP\">Pocket Casts<\/a>, on this article, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/vgutvpodcasts\/episodes\/The-Players-Club-Podcast-Ep-93-Activisions-Still-Actin-Up-and-Kirbys-Still-Suckin-Up-e1h9919\">m<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/73BU8yB227n72Vlo5KAJjW?si=YTwgSKyqToamKVBC7ccJrA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ore<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Timestamps:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>00:00 Start<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Best Upgrade\/Cash Grab\/Re-Release\u00a0 \u00a0 8:35:15\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Games as a Helping Hand\u00a0 \u00a0 34:32\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Best Debut Studio\u00a0 \u00a0 51:48\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most Fun\u00a0 \u00a0 1:04:14\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Let&#8217;s Wrap It Up!\u00a0 \u00a0 1:24:58\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Housekeeping:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42137\">Darwin Paradox | VGU Test Drive<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42122\">Malibu Bikini Volleyball l Game Olympics<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42090\">The Player&#8217;s Club Podcast Special: Black Jeopardy 2026 &#8211; VGU.TV<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=41844\">The 25 Best Video Essays of 2025 &#8211; VGU.TV<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=41423\">Emmett&#8217;s 2026 Gaming Resolutions &#8211; VGU.TV<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCYNf0R9uHJCv-oJnEijWTWQ\">Check out YouTube Channel here!\u2060<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/vgutv.bsky.social\">\u2060Follow us on Bluesky, @vgu.bsky.social!\u2060<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV\">\u2060Like us on Facebook!\u2060<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/vgu_tv?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==\">\u2060Follow us on Instagram!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New year, same club.<\/p>\n<p>Welcome back to The Player\u2019s Club Podcast!<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a while, but we haven&#8217;t been doing nothing all this time. Al, Graydon, Emmett, and Josh have all gotten back together to talk about the best games they played in 2025. There are 4 whole days of deliberations, so let\u2019s keep the party going in this second episode! Day two includes the following categories: Best Upgrade\/Re-Release, Games as a Helping Hand, Best Debut Studio, and Most Fun.<\/p>\n<p>  \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>     Timestamps:<\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          00:00 Start<\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          Best Upgrade\/Cash Grab\/Re-Release\u00a0 \u00a0 8:35:15\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          Games as a Helping Hand\u00a0 \u00a0 34:32\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          Best Debut Studio\u00a0 \u00a0 51:48\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          Most Fun\u00a0 \u00a0 1:04:14\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          Let&#8217;s Wrap It Up!\u00a0 \u00a0 1:24:58\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>  \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>     Housekeeping:<\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          Darwin Paradox | VGU Test Drive (<a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42137\">https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42137<\/a>) <\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          Malibu Bikini Volleyball l Game Olympics (<a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42122\">https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42122<\/a>) <\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          The Player&#8217;s Club Podcast Special: Black Jeopardy 2026 &#8211; VGU.TV (<a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42090\">https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42090<\/a>) <\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          The 25 Best Video Essays of 2025 &#8211; VGU.TV (<a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=41844\">https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=41844<\/a>) <\/p>\n<p>       \u2022  <\/p>\n<p>          Emmett&#8217;s 2026 Gaming Resolutions &#8211; VGU.TV (<a href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=41423\">https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=41423<\/a>) \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Check out YouTube Channel here!\u2060 (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCYNf0R9uHJCv-oJnEijWTWQ\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCYNf0R9uHJCv-oJnEijWTWQ<\/a>) <\/p>\n<p>\u2060Follow us on Bluesky, @vgu.bsky.social!\u2060 (<a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/vgutv.bsky.social\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/vgutv.bsky.social<\/a>) <\/p>\n<p>\u2060Like us on Facebook!\u2060 (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV<\/a>) <\/p>\n<p>\u2060Follow us on Instagram! (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/vgu_tv?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&#038;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/vgu_tv?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&#038;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":139948128,"featured_media":42202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[682621100,682628809,682621147,682626577],"tags":[682628807,682628814,682628813,682628444,682628502,682622130,682628815,682628816,682628817,682628649,682628812,682622010,682628818,682628743,682628652],"class_list":["post-42174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-game-of-the-year","category-goty-2025","category-podcast","category-videos","tag-clair-obscur","tag-donkey-kong-bonanza","tag-dragon-quest","tag-ej","tag-eternal-strands","tag-goty","tag-lost-records-bloom-and-rage-2","tag-mindseye","tag-ninja-gaiden-4","tag-ninja-gaiden-ii-black","tag-powerwash-simulator-2","tag-suikoden","tag-suit-for-hire","tag-sword-of-the-sea","tag-the-finals"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.1 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand - VGU.TV<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From Mindseye to Donkey Kong Bonanza, the VGU Crew talk about the best games of 2025, including best Re-Release, Most Fun, and Best Debut.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From Mindseye to Donkey Kong Bonanza, the VGU Crew talk about the best games of 2025, including best Re-Release, Most Fun, and Best Debut.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"VGU.TV\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV\/?eid=ARDE84r-3jN3IdyC7titleE19Nt39CxR8um7mdh83scPowYtsH4cSXt7MKyeYtsaU_GN-XOI5_9qwJ7L\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-10T06:21:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-12T09:31:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-5.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Emmett Watkins Jr\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@VGU_TV\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@VGU_TV\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Emmett Watkins Jr\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Emmett Watkins Jr\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/21a4a46e2bf5b54ba76b977feddec67c\"},\"headline\":\"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-10T06:21:17+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-12T09:31:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174\"},\"wordCount\":210,\"commentCount\":1,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/maxresdefault-5.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Clair Obscur\",\"Donkey Kong Bonanza\",\"Dragon Quest\",\"EJ\",\"Eternal Strands\",\"GOTY\",\"Lost Records: Bloom and Rage\",\"Mindseye\",\"Ninja Gaiden 4\",\"Ninja Gaiden II Black\",\"Powerwash Simulator 2\",\"Suikoden\",\"Suit for Hire\",\"Sword of the Sea\",\"The Finals\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Game of the Year\",\"GOTY 2025\",\"Podcasts\",\"Videos\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174\",\"name\":\"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand - VGU.TV\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/maxresdefault-5.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-10T06:21:17+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-12T09:31:43+00:00\",\"description\":\"From Mindseye to Donkey Kong Bonanza, the VGU Crew talk about the best games of 2025, including best Re-Release, Most Fun, and Best Debut.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/maxresdefault-5.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/maxresdefault-5.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":720},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=42174#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/\",\"name\":\"VGU.TV\",\"description\":\"Honoring The Past, Embracing The Future\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"VGU.TV\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/cropped-square-logo.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/cropped-square-logo.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1\",\"width\":500,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"VGU.TV\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/VGU.TV\\\/?eid=ARDE84r-3jN3IdyC7titleE19Nt39CxR8um7mdh83scPowYtsH4cSXt7MKyeYtsaU_GN-XOI5_9qwJ7L\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/VGU_TV\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCYNf0R9uHJCv-oJnEijWTWQ\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/21a4a46e2bf5b54ba76b977feddec67c\",\"name\":\"Emmett Watkins Jr\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/bbde0e6bd45086073bee0f6b2bfcbe9993e4241eb1bca927c780a7044b35928b?s=96&d=identicon&r=r\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/bbde0e6bd45086073bee0f6b2bfcbe9993e4241eb1bca927c780a7044b35928b?s=96&d=identicon&r=r\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/bbde0e6bd45086073bee0f6b2bfcbe9993e4241eb1bca927c780a7044b35928b?s=96&d=identicon&r=r\",\"caption\":\"Emmett Watkins Jr\"},\"description\":\"Games \ud83c\udfae ~ Rap, Pop, &amp; R&amp;B \ud83c\udfb5 ~ Podcasts \ud83c\udfa7 ~ Movies \ud83c\udfac Writer for VGU.TV, YouTuber, @KindaFunnyVids Prom Prince \ud83e\udd34\ud83c\udffe, Southern Braptist, 100% Negus\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?author=139948128\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand - VGU.TV","description":"From Mindseye to Donkey Kong Bonanza, the VGU Crew talk about the best games of 2025, including best Re-Release, Most Fun, and Best Debut.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand","og_description":"From Mindseye to Donkey Kong Bonanza, the VGU Crew talk about the best games of 2025, including best Re-Release, Most Fun, and Best Debut.","og_url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174","og_site_name":"VGU.TV","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV\/?eid=ARDE84r-3jN3IdyC7titleE19Nt39CxR8um7mdh83scPowYtsH4cSXt7MKyeYtsaU_GN-XOI5_9qwJ7L","article_published_time":"2026-03-10T06:21:17+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-12T09:31:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-5.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Emmett Watkins Jr","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@VGU_TV","twitter_site":"@VGU_TV","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Emmett Watkins Jr","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174"},"author":{"name":"Emmett Watkins Jr","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#\/schema\/person\/21a4a46e2bf5b54ba76b977feddec67c"},"headline":"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand","datePublished":"2026-03-10T06:21:17+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-12T09:31:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174"},"wordCount":210,"commentCount":1,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-5.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","keywords":["Clair Obscur","Donkey Kong Bonanza","Dragon Quest","EJ","Eternal Strands","GOTY","Lost Records: Bloom and Rage","Mindseye","Ninja Gaiden 4","Ninja Gaiden II Black","Powerwash Simulator 2","Suikoden","Suit for Hire","Sword of the Sea","The Finals"],"articleSection":["Game of the Year","GOTY 2025","Podcasts","Videos"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174","url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174","name":"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand - VGU.TV","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-5.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","datePublished":"2026-03-10T06:21:17+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-12T09:31:43+00:00","description":"From Mindseye to Donkey Kong Bonanza, the VGU Crew talk about the best games of 2025, including best Re-Release, Most Fun, and Best Debut.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-5.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-5.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","width":1280,"height":720},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42174#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"VGU.TV Game of The Year 2025 Day 2: Best Re-Release, Best Debut Studio, Most Fun, &amp; Games as a Helping Hand"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#website","url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/","name":"VGU.TV","description":"Honoring The Past, Embracing The Future","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#organization","name":"VGU.TV","url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cropped-square-logo.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cropped-square-logo.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1","width":500,"height":500,"caption":"VGU.TV"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV\/?eid=ARDE84r-3jN3IdyC7titleE19Nt39CxR8um7mdh83scPowYtsH4cSXt7MKyeYtsaU_GN-XOI5_9qwJ7L","https:\/\/x.com\/VGU_TV","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCYNf0R9uHJCv-oJnEijWTWQ"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#\/schema\/person\/21a4a46e2bf5b54ba76b977feddec67c","name":"Emmett Watkins Jr","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bbde0e6bd45086073bee0f6b2bfcbe9993e4241eb1bca927c780a7044b35928b?s=96&d=identicon&r=r","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bbde0e6bd45086073bee0f6b2bfcbe9993e4241eb1bca927c780a7044b35928b?s=96&d=identicon&r=r","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bbde0e6bd45086073bee0f6b2bfcbe9993e4241eb1bca927c780a7044b35928b?s=96&d=identicon&r=r","caption":"Emmett Watkins Jr"},"description":"Games \ud83c\udfae ~ Rap, Pop, &amp; R&amp;B \ud83c\udfb5 ~ Podcasts \ud83c\udfa7 ~ Movies \ud83c\udfac Writer for VGU.TV, YouTuber, @KindaFunnyVids Prom Prince \ud83e\udd34\ud83c\udffe, Southern Braptist, 100% Negus","url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?author=139948128"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-5.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbjQ5s-aYe","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27790,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=27790","url_meta":{"origin":42174,"position":0},"title":"The Player&#8217;s Club Podcast Ep 136: Franchise Playthrough Updates, Underrated GOTY Picks, and 4 Years of VGU!","author":"Emmett Watkins Jr","date":"November 7, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"You ready for this, Playa? Well, it sure as hell has been long enough, so you better get ready! We have returned with another episode of the Player\u2019s Club Podcast and this time we\u2019re celebrating 4 years of VGU.TV! This means we got the gang back together, which means Al\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Podcasts&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Podcasts","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682621147"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Players-Club-Ep-136.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Players-Club-Ep-136.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Players-Club-Ep-136.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Players-Club-Ep-136.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Players-Club-Ep-136.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42237,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42237","url_meta":{"origin":42174,"position":1},"title":"VGU.TV Game of the Year 2025","author":"Emmett Watkins Jr","date":"March 12, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"It's that time of year again! That's right, Emmett, Al, Josh, and Graydon have all come together to decide the best games of 2025 in 16 categories. You can see the winners of each below, but if you want to hear how we came to these final picks, you can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game of the Year&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Game of the Year","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682621100"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GOTY-2025-Header.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GOTY-2025-Header.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GOTY-2025-Header.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GOTY-2025-Header.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GOTY-2025-Header.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42215,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42215","url_meta":{"origin":42174,"position":2},"title":"VGU.TV GOTY 2025 Day 4: Best Narative, Most Wholesome, Best Soundtrack, &amp; Overall Game of the Year","author":"vgutvstaff","date":"March 12, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"New year, same club. Welcome back to The Player\u2019s Club Podcast! It\u2019s been a while, but we haven't been doing nothing all this time. Al, Graydon, Emmett, and Josh have all gotten back together to talk about the best games they played in 2025. There are 4 whole days of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game of the Year&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Game of the Year","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682621100"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-9.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-9.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-9.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-9.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/maxresdefault-9.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22906,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=22906","url_meta":{"origin":42174,"position":3},"title":"The Player&#8217;s Club Podcast Ep 84: Game of the Year 2021 Deliberations P5","author":"Emmett Watkins Jr","date":"February 3, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"You ready for this, Playa? That\u2019s right, MORE Game of the Year podcasts! Today you're getting Emmett Watkins Jr, Allan Muir, Josh Miller, and Graydon Webb all reuniting to hash out about 5 different categories. Come hear us record the shortest GOTY podcast we\u2019ve ever done! In this episode, we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Podcasts&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Podcasts","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682621147"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Players-Club-Ep-84.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Players-Club-Ep-84.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Players-Club-Ep-84.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Players-Club-Ep-84.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Players-Club-Ep-84.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42149,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=42149","url_meta":{"origin":42174,"position":4},"title":"VGU.TV Game of the Year 2025 Day 1: Best Look, Zeitgeist of the Year, Biggest Gaming News, &amp; What Took So Long?","author":"Emmett Watkins Jr","date":"March 9, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/t4aSb1b8n50 New year, same club. Welcome back to The Player\u2019s Club Podcast! It\u2019s been a while, but we haven't been doing nothing all this time. Al, Graydon, Emmett, and Josh have all gotten back together to talk about the best games they played in 2025. There are 4 whole days\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;GOTY 2025&quot;","block_context":{"text":"GOTY 2025","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682628809"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/VGU.TV-GOTY-2025-Day-1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/VGU.TV-GOTY-2025-Day-1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/VGU.TV-GOTY-2025-Day-1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/VGU.TV-GOTY-2025-Day-1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/VGU.TV-GOTY-2025-Day-1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":26582,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26582","url_meta":{"origin":42174,"position":5},"title":"The Player&#8217;s Club Podcast: Game of the Year 2022 Deliberations P2","author":"Emmett Watkins Jr","date":"April 11, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"You ready for this, Playa? Welcome back to yet another day of deliberations for our Game of the Year 2022 categories! We got Al, Graydon, Josh, and Emmett all back to deliberate over everything from The Callisto Protocol and Rumbleverse to Elden Ring and The Quarry. Tune in to see\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;GOTY 2022&quot;","block_context":{"text":"GOTY 2022","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682627600"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Players-Club-GOTY-2022-P2.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Players-Club-GOTY-2022-P2.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Players-Club-GOTY-2022-P2.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Players-Club-GOTY-2022-P2.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Players-Club-GOTY-2022-P2.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/139948128"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42174"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42224,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42174\/revisions\/42224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/42202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}