Branching Path: Dave Francisco’s Top 10 Games of 2025
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Despite a busy schedule, I managed to find time to play some great games released in 2025. Here’s a quick list of my top picks.
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Despite a busy schedule, I managed to find time to play some great games released in 2025. Here’s a quick list of my top picks.

Honestly, did the show really need another trip to a nursing home just to fill time? The episode starts with Angela getting $10,000 from her husband with a suggestive FaceTime call – the first moment that felt a little forced. It gets even stranger when the nurse, Margaret, keeps calling Angela “cool” while the residents enjoy frozen margaritas on the way to the casino. Then, Angela tries her luck at roulette, losing a lot of money betting on the same color over and over until she unexpectedly starts winning big.
It seems our Mr. Costello, the last of a rather dĂ©classĂ© gathering of Teesside associates, has found his digital holdings – those fleeting cryptocurrencies – subject to the rather vulgar scrutiny of the courts. Convicted, you see, of participating in a global network of, how shall we put it, unconventional commerce.

The idea of letting species evolve naturally, which seemed like a good ethical principle, was central to the ambitious goal of space exploration in science fiction. The ‘Prime Directive,’ while intended to be ethical, allowed for the possibility of letting entire species disappear, and the burden of making such a difficult choice for a starship captain and crew revolutionized science fiction television, paving the way for some of the most compelling and thought-provoking series the genre has ever seen.

In December 2025, Mickey Rourke received a notice demanding he pay around $60,000 in unpaid rent or face eviction from his Los Angeles home. His friend, Liya-Joelle Jones, has started a fundraising campaign to help, aiming to raise $100,000. As of this writing, the campaign, titled Help Mickey Rourke Stay in His Home, has collected $12,950.

If you’re new to Star Trek, it can seem overwhelming because there’s so much of it! While most episodes are enjoyable on their own, a few are essential viewing. Here are some great episodes to start with – they’re either really fun or perfectly showcase what makes Star Trek so special.

Pete Davidson explored horror-comedy with the 2022 film Bodies Bodies Bodies, but fully embraced the genre in a 2025 release. That year was also significant for Sydney Sweeney, who starred in several projects, including Americana. While both films premiered on Starz on January 1st, Davidson’s horror film, despite receiving negative reviews, ultimately gained more popularity.

Despite working on acclaimed films like the horror hit Talk to Me, as well as What Lies Beneath and War of the Worlds, actress Katie Otto says people rarely ask her about a particularly memorable scene from The Lord of the Rings. When asked by The Guardian what fans are most curious about, she shared:

A recent article in The Wrap explored whether the upcoming 2026 movie lineup will help or hurt the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Analyst Dave Gonzales argued in the piece that Marvel’s insistence on tightly connecting all its films is a continuing problem. He suggests Marvel might be better served by abandoning this approach altogether.

After almost ten years, the final episode of Stranger Things aired on December 31, 2025, bringing the show’s decade-long run to a close. Fans had very different reactions: some loved the heartfelt moments and goodbyes, while others felt the episode was rushed, left some storylines unfinished, and made questionable choices in how the story was told, leading to a lot of online discussion and criticism.