Vault Games 2025 Gaming WRAPPED

Chat with TRENT:
Flip 7 is an obvious choice from me. My grandfather is in his 90s and usually quite a stern man, usually not engaging very much when family events come around. However, Christmas rolled by and I brought a copy along for the family to try. I've not seen him so animated and enthusiastic for over a decade. Just a phenomenal experience. It truly is a well-designed, simple yet effective game. I would compare it to games like Uno, Monopoly etc. in the sense that it feels so fundamental to the family game experience, but would put it many leagues higher in quality.

Chat with DYLAN:
2025 was an interesting year for me. With so much work to do around the stores, and a one-year-old at home, it became harder to play and enjoy gaming as much as I use to. But, there was some games that managed to grip me and pull kicking and screaming back into gaming. Both Combat Patrol and Spearhead got me back into wargaming. The accessibility of the format through low model counts, the speed of the games, the variety between different forces, and the ability to actually finish painting them all meant I've played more Combat Patrol and Spearhead games in the last 12 months, than I played full-scale warhammer in the last ten years... and I'm not looking back. I'll still play full-scale Age of Sigmar (after all, the new Helsmiths models drew me in), but Combat Patrol and Spearhead are my go-to wargaming experiences at the moment. In terms of board games, it's a shame this one is out of print, but Tyrants of the Underdark has gripped me. Jennah and I played 4 games of it over PAX in 2025, and then immediately tracked it down second hand. It's a great strategy game that blends deck building with area control with just enough take-that to mess with your opponents without putting anyone too far behind. And hey, if I can use it as a stepping stone to getting Jennah to play Game of Thrones with me, I'll take it.

Chat with TEDDY:
I really loved playing The Hobbit There and Back Again game! My husband and I had a great time adventuring together, but I particularly loved trying it again solo. I just appreciate it so much when games like this have considerations for people who want to have a full and rewarding single player experience.

My friends and I all had a blast playing Ransom Notes, it's the perfect party game! We were all falling out of our chairs with laughter every round! It's better than so many other similar card based party games, like Cards Against Humanity because Ransom Notes has literal endless replayability. It's perfect for any group and any vibe 10/10

Chat with BRENDAN:
Last year, the 3rd Edition of Warhammer: The Horus Heresy dropped. Ever since, I’ve found myself infatuated with the new edition. For fans of any of the Space Marine Legions of old, it’s a wonderful mix of flavour and gameplay all around. While I haven’t played as many full games as I’ve wanted to, the product releases and the army building options have been exactly what I wanted from a new edition of Heresy. I remember a concern many players had before release was potential ‘dumbing down’ of the system to fit a ‘new-player friendly’ approach. But with the addition of a bunch of legacy units and wargear, it’s absolutely scratched that kitbashing and customisation itch. As for the game itself, it’s been magnificently streamlined. Many of the rules now have properly defined interactions while keeping the crunchy feel that sets Heresy apart from other Games Workshop (GW) offerings.

The new Challenge sub-phase in particular is one of my favourite mechanics that come out of 3rd Edition. The ability to play out epic duels between characters has long been something I wanted from a modern GW system. The ability to choose from so many different gambits during the duel (a lot of them flavourful army-specific ones!) is one of the best additions to Heresy to date. It provides so much more drama than just looking at a stat sheet and rolling for a single weapon. Given that Heresy 3rd Edition is in its first year with so many more releases like Super-Heavies, Mechanicum and Custodes on the way, it’s given me something to really sink my teeth into for the foreseeable future.

Chat with ROWAN:
2025 saw the release of some really exciting TTRPG’s - Daggerheart was one we’d been waiting for for ages and so getting it in store was a delight! As a Critter and a fan of roleplay heavy games, I love the way that the team at Darrington Press have married story telling into game mechanics, giving structure to story beats and making everything feel impactful an meaningful. I found the section on campaign frames really useful, giving structure to the narrative that underpins the campaign - what I like is that you can use it for any system, too, to really nail down your campaign ideas!

Also really enjoying His Majesty the Worm - I like that it nods back to the old school feeling of a dungeon crawler, but updated for a modern audience in its feeling, adding some nuance and humanisation so it doesn’t feel like bland exploration. I love the way the book is written, and the illustrations throughout, which perfectly capture the pen and ink illustrations of an old fantastical tome.