Craig Donaldson’s 5 favourite issues of 2025

It is laborious to consider it is already that point of 12 months once more, however with New 12 months’s simply days away and the 12 months 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 straightforward.

Past the time I spent with household and mates — loads of which made this 12 months memorable — these are the 5 issues that really stood out, had a optimistic affect on me, and persistently put a smile on my face. From video games and exhibits to new gadgets and even my favourite sports activities staff making historical past, listed here are my 5 favourite issues of 2025.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

My Sport of the 12 months

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 grew to become my favourite RPG of all time — sorry Skyrim — due to its participating fight system and immersive open world. So naturally, when the sequel was lastly launched this previous February, I dove in and performed it nonstop.

When you’re unfamiliar, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a sensible 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 moving into spoilers, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 picks up instantly after the primary sport and tremendously expands on it. The scope is bigger in each means, with enhancements to the graphics, fight system, storytelling, and the open world itself. I like open-world video games, and as a fan of historical past and medieval occasions, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 exceeded all the things I hoped for in an RPG. I’ve already spent 100 hours on it this 12 months, and it is my private sport of the 12 months.

Andor

The perfect Star Wars present ever made

Credit score: Disney

If there’s one factor my family and friends learn about me, it is that I like Star Wars. I grew up in the course of the prequel trilogy, so the franchise has at all times been a giant a part of my life. When Disney acquired Lucasfilm, I used to be excited in regards to the new movies. Whereas the sequel trilogy had its moments, Rogue One immediately grew to become my favourite due to its grit and its nods to the unique trilogy. So when the primary season of Andor premiered in 2022, I used to be hooked immediately — it follows Cassian Andor, one in every of 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 moving into spoilers, season two leads straight 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 number 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, however it’s additionally probably the most grounded the franchise has ever been.

Nintendo Change 2

The Change 2 is extra highly effective and pleasing than the unique

After years of rumors a couple of successor to the unique Nintendo Change, 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 Change, 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 price.

Whereas I liked the unique Change, its efficiency and visible limitations held me again from taking part in it extra typically. The Change 2 fixes that in a giant means with its extra highly effective Nvidia Tegra processor and a beautiful 7.9-inch 1080p show, which makes the previous 6.2-inch 720p display on the Change 1 look historical as compared. After six months with the Change 2, it is simply been one of many highlights of my 12 months due to how a lot enjoyable it’s to play and one in every of my favourite methods to unwind after a busy, disturbing day.

iPhone 17 Professional Max

This was my improve 12 months, and I am very proud of my selection

I do know a brand new iPhone comes out yearly, so the iPhone 17 Pro Max won’t appear particularly thrilling to everybody. However since this was my improve 12 months, and I moved up from an iPhone 14 Professional, it is laborious to not be excited. That is my first time utilizing a Professional Max mannequin, and though I used to be initially apprehensive the 6.9-inch display would really feel means too massive in comparison with my previous 6.1-inch show, I adjusted a lot quicker 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 verify I do not dent the factor accidentally 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 gorgeous photographs, lots 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 12 months has been one of the memorable for me as a fan of each the game and the staff. On the finish of the 2024 season, the Blue Jays completed final within the AL East with a 74-88 document, a disappointing consequence on the time. However in 2025, the Jays bounced again in a means I by no means might have imagined, ending the season 95-68, and changing into American League East champions.

Their postseason run was nothing in need of historic and an absolute pleasure to observe night time after night time in October. They crushed the New York Yankees (Daaa Yankees Lose) within the American League Division Sequence after which beat the Seattle Mariners in a nail-biting Sport 7 to clinch the American League Championship Sequence. 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 Sequence for the primary time since their 1993 championship run. Though they finally misplaced to the LA Dodgers in a really shut Sport 7, it was nonetheless an unbelievable season — one which left me extra proud than upset. Watching them virtually each night time for six months was an absolute blast, and attending to see a number of video games in particular person this 12 months made it much more particular. These are recollections I am going to cherish for a very long time, and I can not wait to go to the ballpark in 2026.