We’re already two months into 2025, and soon enough, some more big games will be coming to our consoles/PCs. Some have already been released, so let’s see which of those games and others some of our Gaming Respawners have been playing.
Peter Keen
God of War, Dynasty Warriors: Origins, Sniper Elite: Resistance, and More
There hasn’t been a huge change in what I’ve been up to this month. I’ve dabbled in Dynasty Warriors: Origins, Hitman, and Sniper Elite: Resistance, but the urge to play a big PlayStation blockbuster exclusive game has won me over. So, it’s been back to 2018’s God of War on a platinum run.
I have played the game at least 3 times before, but now, stopping to soak in all the game truly had to offer, I’m discovering a whole new side of the game I didn’t even know was there. I’ve literally just unlocked the trophy for discovering all the places to find from the Lake of Nine on my fourth playthrough!
For me, there are games with good platinum trophies and those that don’t. The God of War 2018 trophy hunt is quite honestly a little suffocating. The collectibles aren’t too bad, it’s the not one but three trials I’ll need to complete to earn the platinum trophy. In previous God of War games, there was only one trial (and that was bloody difficult), so the fact this one has three really feels like they are rinsing the game for all it’s worth. Be that as it may, I know they will be on the fun side of challenging. So, I’m slowly and methodically plodding my way through the game, savoring every moment, completing as many tasks, collectibles, and side missions as I can before I move on with the story.
Kyle Moffat
Pokemon Platinum, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, High on Life
Regarding gaming, 2025 has started bizarrely for me. I initially hoped to make a sizable dent in my backlog of at least 30 titles. Alas, I’ve found myself spontaneously distracted with other titles not present on this backlog, although they were worthwhile experiences.
Over the course of the past month, Pokémon Platinum has been consistently returned to in a brand-new save. An undisputed classic dear to my heart, it’s a regular occurrence returning to arguably the best main-series Pokémon title of all time (at least in my eyes). Returning to the Nintendo DS generation of Pokémon remains such a nostalgic experience that I doubt will become stale.
Conversely, I’ve explored some other titles for the first time. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 received some praise for its campaign, and I completely understand how and why. It’s not perfect – partially due to a pretty underwhelming main character – but there are some fantastic missions present in the latest CoD. Most notably, Emergence is a superb level incorporating assets from the Zombies Mode, creating a genuinely unnerving experience in an unexpected turn. It’s one of the best campaign levels in a CoD in years!
In addition – as it released with PlayStation Plus – I ventured through High on Life. Now, while at times the humour was either repetitive or unsuccessful, functionally, the title is solid, and where credit is due: I chuckled a few times. High on Life is worth a playthrough for free. However, to justify a sizable price tag, you require a specific sense of humour.
