Craig Donaldson’s 5 favourite issues of 2025

It is exhausting to imagine it is already that point of yr once more, however with New Yr’s simply days away and the yr winding down, I’ve naturally been reflecting on a few of my favourite issues from the previous 12 months. 2025 introduced so many nice exhibits, video games, and tech releases that narrowing my checklist to only 5 wasn’t simple.

Past the time I spent with household and mates — loads of which made this yr memorable — these are the 5 issues that actually stood out, had a constructive influence on me, and persistently put a smile on my face. From video games and exhibits to new gadgets and even my favourite sports activities group making historical past, listed here are my 5 favourite issues of 2025.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

My Sport of the Yr

When Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was introduced in early 2024, I used to be completely thrilled. I performed the primary Kingdom Come: Deliverance when it launched in 2018 and liked each minute of it. It rapidly turned my favourite RPG of all time — sorry Skyrim — because of its partaking fight system and immersive open world. So naturally, when the sequel was lastly launched this previous February, I dove in and performed it nonstop.

In the event you’re unfamiliar, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a practical medieval RPG set in 1403 Bohemia, in what’s now the Czech Republic. You play as Henry, a blacksmith from the city of Skalitz, and comply with his journey as he seeks to avenge his mother and father. With out entering into spoilers, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 picks up instantly after the primary recreation and drastically expands on it. The scope is bigger in each method, with enhancements to the graphics, fight system, storytelling, and the open world itself. I really like open-world video games, and as a fan of historical past and medieval instances, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 exceeded every little thing I hoped for in an RPG. I’ve already spent 100 hours on it this yr, and it is my private recreation of the yr.

Andor

The perfect Star Wars present ever made

Credit score: Disney

If there’s one factor my family and friends find out about me, it is that I really like Star Wars. I grew up in the course of the prequel trilogy, so the franchise has all the time been an enormous a part of my life. When Disney acquired Lucasfilm, I used to be excited concerning the new movies. Whereas the sequel trilogy had its moments, Rogue One immediately turned my favourite because of its grit and its nods to the unique trilogy. So when the primary season of Andor premiered in 2022, I used to be hooked straight away — it follows Cassian Andor, one among Rogue One’s central characters, and his journey to becoming a member of the Rise up.

This previous April, Andor season two lastly premiered, and Disney+ dropped three episodes each week. For 4 weeks straight, it felt like getting a brand new Star Wars film each Tuesday, and I watched every batch with mates. With out entering into spoilers, season two leads immediately into the opening of Rogue One, and watching these threads come collectively — how the characters and occasions line up — was fascinating, emotional, and genuinely a few of the finest Star Wars storytelling ever placed on display.

If you have not seen Andor but, do your self a favor and test it out. Sure, it is Star Wars, nevertheless it’s additionally probably the most grounded the franchise has ever been.

Nintendo Swap 2

The Swap 2 is extra highly effective and pleasant than the unique

After years of rumors a few successor to the unique Nintendo Swap, 2025 lastly delivered it: the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo revealed the console in January, showcased it in additional element in April, and launched it in June. As an enormous fan of the unique Swap, I rushed to select one up — not simply to play Mario Kart World nonstop with mates, however to revisit The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom with much better graphics and a clean 60FPS body fee.

Whereas I liked the unique Swap, its efficiency and visible limitations held me again from enjoying it extra typically. The Swap 2 fixes that in an enormous method with its extra highly effective Nvidia Tegra processor and a beautiful 7.9-inch 1080p show, which makes the outdated 6.2-inch 720p display on the Swap 1 look historic compared. After six months with the Swap 2, it is simply been one of many highlights of my yr because of how a lot enjoyable it’s to play and one among my favourite methods to unwind after a busy, traumatic day.

iPhone 17 Professional Max

This was my improve yr, and I am very pleased with my selection

I do know a brand new iPhone comes out yearly, so the iPhone 17 Pro Max may not appear particularly thrilling to everybody. However since this was my improve yr, and I moved up from an iPhone 14 Professional, it is exhausting to not be excited. That is my first time utilizing a Professional Max mannequin, and though I used to be initially frightened the 6.9-inch display would really feel method too large in comparison with my outdated 6.1-inch show, I adjusted a lot sooner than anticipated. The additional display actual property has been implausible for studying and watching movies.

One of many greatest highlights of the iPhone 17 Professional/Professional Max is the redesigned chassis: a brand new unibody aluminum construct and a big rectangular digital camera bump, a noticeable change from the iPhone 16 Professional and all earlier Professional fashions. I actually like the brand new look, and I selected the deep blue mannequin, paired with a dbrand Ghost case to ensure I do not dent the factor by chance and to maintain that blue seen.

The iPhone 17 Professional Max additionally brings some glorious upgrades, together with the blisteringly quick A19 Professional chipset and a triple 48-megapixel rear digital camera system, which I’ve used to take some beautiful images, a lot of which I’ve proven off right here on Pocket-lint as function photographs for tales.

The Toronto Blue Jays

A historic common season and postseason

All my life, I have been a fan of baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays, and this yr has been one of the crucial memorable for me as a fan of each the game and the group. On the finish of the 2024 season, the Blue Jays completed final within the AL East with a 74-88 document, a disappointing end result on the time. However in 2025, the Jays bounced again in a method I by no means may have imagined, ending the season 95-68, and turning into American League East champions.

Their postseason run was nothing wanting historic and an absolute pleasure to look at night time after night time in October. They crushed the New York Yankees (Daaa Yankees Lose) within the American League Division Collection after which beat the Seattle Mariners in a nail-biting Sport 7 to clinch the American League Championship Collection. There have been standout performances throughout the roster, together with All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Trey Yesavage, George Springer, Ernie Clement, and plenty of extra.

The Blue Jays reached the World Collection for the primary time since their 1993 championship run. Though they in the end misplaced to the LA Dodgers in a really shut Sport 7, it was nonetheless an unbelievable season — one which left me extra proud than disillusioned. Watching them nearly each night time for six months was an absolute blast, and attending to see a number of video games in particular person this yr made it much more particular. These are reminiscences I am going to cherish for a very long time, and I can not wait to go to the ballpark in 2026.