3 Up, 3 Down – August 2025
August 2025 was another great month in a year of phenomenal video games. This is the first month in a while where there were more than 3 games that scored above 90. Shout out to Sword of the Sea, which didn’t make the cut for this article, but still hit that 90 mark. It’s an indie game, where the player surfs across different terrain in an open world. Without further ado, here are The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games August 2025:
The Good
Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant
***click here for our review***
Chained Echoes is a JRPG made by a single person. It came out in 2022, and got a 92 from COGconnected. Our reviewer loved Chained Echoes and wrote “Since [reviewing it], I’ve platinumed the game, and had time to sit with it, and my love for it has only grown stronger. Chained Echoes is a perfect 100/100 game”. Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant is 20 hour long DLC for Chained Echoes that takes place right before the end of the game. It scored 95/100, which makes it the highest rated game on The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games August 2025. If you’re a fan of JRPGs, then Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant is must-play.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
***click here for our review***
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a gorgeous remake of the PS2 classic of the same name. It’s loved by many as the best game in the series (although yours truly prefers MGS 1, 2, and 4). And it’s the earliest game, chronologically, acting as a prequel to the other Metal Gear games. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a fairly straightforward remake, with gorgeous graphics, and mild quality of life upgrades. It keeps everything that makes the original so special. Our reviewer called it “an authentic recreation of a masterpiece”. There might not be a better place to get into the Metal Gear series of you haven’t taken the plunge. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater scored 90/100, making it an easy inclusion in The Good section of The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games August 2025.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
***click here for our review***
2025 is proving to be a fantastic year for revitalizations of older franchises. We’ve got new entries in the Ninja Gaiden and Onimusha series on the horizon. And Sega has chosen to bring back Shinobi! Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a 2D ninja action game by the same developers who created the excellent Streets of Rage 4. Our reviewer wrote “Its layered combat system lets you stylishly cut down foes, while clever level design delivers platforming challenges that make full use of your abilities”. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance scored 92/100. It’s rare for a game to crack 90 on the COGconnected rating scale, which makes it a 100% inclusion in The Good section of The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games August 2025.