2025 has come and gone. While I’ve struggled quite a bit mentally, it’s good to note the plethora of great games I’ve played in the past 12 months, both new and old. Continuing almost endless games like Tears of the Kingdom, My Time at Sandrock and UFO 50 helped ease my mind. While replays of Witcher 3 on Death March difficulty, as well as 100% runs of Dark Souls 1 and 2, were probably more questionable decisions stress-wise, they’re choices I’m glad I made!
Games like Frogmonster, Cult of the Lamb and Animal Well were all decent titles but left me feeling slightly disappointed. On the flipside, picks like Control, Resident Evil 4 (Remake) and Slime Rancher 2 just fell short of the top ten. I’d also love to chuck both Dead Estate and UFO 50 back on this list from last year, but I should probably stick to no repeats.
Alright, let’s get cracking.
10. Nine Sols
I’ve played a lot of great Metroidvanias in the past few years, so for a new one to really stick out, it needs to have an edge over others in the now-saturated genre. Red Candles’ decision to make parrying the main combat focus in Nine Sols was a brilliant one, as it creates a harshly satisfying learning curve to master. The art style and character design also shouldn’t go without praise, as the Taopunk style, blending both Eastern mythology and cyberpunk aesthetics, makes every screenshot a work of art. The final boss is one of the most challenging and rewarding fights I’ve ever beaten, and the rest of the game is no walk in the park either.
I’ll give a hint to the top two spots by saying they also fall under parry-heavy and Metroidvania respectively. If you watched The Game Awards, you can probably guess what they are!
9. Watch_Dogs 2
This isn’t even a joke. I was not expecting to go back to Watch_Dogs 2, a title I haven’t touched in almost TEN years, and find myself enjoying it way, way more than I ever did back in 2016. I’d say that the false gameplay trailer for the first game cast a long shadow over the Watch_Dogs series, even though the first game was pretty decent, if not (in part) an Assassin’s Creed reskin. While the original can be faulted for being a bit too grey and bleak, the second game is full of energy, colour and life despite being about megacorporations controlling the world. The rebellious attitude doesn’t feel forced or cringey (mostly), and the San Francisco of this game is a lot closer to reality now, ten years on, minus the ability to regain control via hacking. Modern tech woes aside, I think it’s bonkers that a Ubisoft title feels this lively, and I highly recommend giving it a second chance in 2026.
8. Hotline Miami 2
Back to the respectable picks. If we’re talking balls-to-the-wall action set to a backdrop of absolutely stellar Synthwave, then the only game that comes anywhere close to Hotline Miami 2 is Hotline Miami. Why the hell was this sitting in my Steam library for the best part of five years, and why, after one level, did I initially not play more? I think perhaps the more narratively complex structure might have put me off from seeing it through the first time round. Stupid me. There are so many memorable levels and moments in this game, which again I cannot stress enough, are underlined by heavy, oftentimes monstrous tracks that go so unbelievably hard even when you’re failing over and over again. The use of ‘Le Perv’ by Carpenter Brut in this game gives my brain no other choice than to believe it’s the greatest song of all time, and it’s not even my favourite CB track. It’s without a doubt the most violent and brutal anti-violence game I’ve played, and I imagine that’s a torch that may never be passed on.
7. Elden Ring: Nightreign
Reworking Elden Ring into a Roguelite, which in turn adds a degree of luck-based gameplay, isn’t the nicest idea to digest, but it’s pulled off rather remarkably. The worst of this new format is when you die during the new Night Three bosses, as it’s a 40-minute run back just to retry the fight and get used to their attack patterns. This being said, once you’ve learnt how best to spend your time leading up to the final encounter, the runs become incredibly satisfying. You’ll knock out tons of bosses in quick succession, utilising your character’s unique strengths and abilities, pulling out ultimate arts at optimum moments and once you’ve got good momentum, every minute playing can be an absolute thrill. The DLC Forsaken Hollows is a bit naff, but we’ll see if that improves with time.
6. Astro Bot
I think the best way to sum up The Game Awards GOTY 2024 winner Astro Bot is pure joy. As a fan of both 3D platformers and phenomenal games, it’s not surprising how much I enjoyed Astro Bot, despite being initially sceptical about it warranting an AAA price tag, as the last we saw of the lil’ guy was the tech showcase that came bundled with the PS5. It’s very much a love letter to all iconic PlayStation and adjacent properties, with full-on levels being based around Ape Escape and God of War, to name just two. That’s not to say it’s entirely nostalgia-bait, as the individual levels are all a joy to behold, so much so that when it was time to pack it in, I felt a genuine sadness that I’d have to leave such a joyful title behind. This lasted until they released some extra levels, including a great Christmas level, all for free! Isn’t that lovely.
5. Kingdom Hearts 3
I hate how consistently enjoyable the Kingdom Hearts games are, even with all their massive, glaring flaws. KHIII is not only as corny, dialogue-wise, as the last three main titles, but also attempts to tie together the overblown and convoluted story they’ve built over the past decade, which includes key plot points from handheld spin-offs. I don’t know if it’s because I played 0.2 (a prelude to this game) beforehand or that I’m just a sucker for Yoko Shimomura’s orchestral arrangements, but man, did I get sucked up into this mess. I’ll keep my thoughts on this brief as I should probably finish up a review on it, but overall, I spent many happy hours in this extremely well put-together package, and that’s something no stupid overblown narrative can deny.
4. Slay The Princess: The Pristine Cut
I’m not usually a Visual Novel enjoyer (he says despite how much of Persona is dialogue), but if the premise is interesting enough, then I’m always willing to give ‘em a chance. Slay the Princess is an absolutely brilliant concept that is executed almost flawlessly. Going in blind is the best way to go into most things, but that’s especially true for titles like this. Basic intro: “Slay the Princess, don’t fall for her lies”. How you choose to interpret those instructions is up to you. I’ll say no more other than this may be the best use of the Choices Matter tag on the Steam store.
3. Look Outside
If you’ve read the review I’ve made for Look Outside, you’ll know how fucking much I adore this game. I feel sad that I can’t give it my game of the year, but I do agree with the widely accepted view that #1 and #2 are the very best this year has to offer. Not only is Look Outside severely underlooked and under-appreciated, but it was also primarily developed by a single man. Since writing a review, the 2.0 update is out, and there’s even more to love about the twisted, comedic world that Francis Coulombe has created. It’s highly replayable, wholly original and is something I constantly return to whenever I want more, which I tend to every month.
2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
I don’t need to say much about Expedition 33, as The Game Awards have already solidified it as the biggest game of 2025, which is impressive from a first-game studio and not one owned by PlayStation or Xbox. Not only did it win the coveted Game of the Year award, but it also swept the entire show, winning nine of the ten categories it was nominated for, and for good reason. Expedition 33’s narrative structure, acting performances, and engaging take on turn-based combat make it feel like a huge leap in the right direction for these sorts of games. You could definitely argue that the formula created by PlayStation’s AAA titles from the past ten or so years has grown a bit stagnant, so it’s great to see a new team bring forth an exciting new take. It’s the second-best game on the list to follow a three-act structure, and the first is, of course…
1. Hollow Knight: Silksong
Are we that surprised? I think I’ve probably joked in the past about Silksong winning my GOTY for whichever year it eventually released, but there was every chance a game like Expedition 33 could have outdone it in my eyes, or even (god forbid) not have been any good. I’ve said it in the review, and I’ll say it again. The wait was well worth it. The sequel to the definitive modern Metroidvania is on par with the original in almost every way, and builds upon what made the first one so damn great. Hornet’s a more interesting protagonist, the fights are more challenging, and the world of Pharloom has even more threads to follow than Hallownest (no pun intended). I’m looking forward to braving a Steel Soul playthrough (no deaths), and they’ve also announced the first free add-on, “Sea of Sorrow”, which, judging by the additional content we got for the first game, will be sublime.
I’d say overall it’s been a pretty great year for game releases. While only four spots here came out in 2025, that includes my top three of the year, plus there are plenty more I’ve yet to check out for various reasons (usually price). Of the games I’ve yet to experience (and are not seventy quid), Deltarune Chapters 3 & 4, Dispatch, and Hades II are likely the first I’ll try out, while titles like DK: Bonanza and Metroid Prime 4 will be played as soon as I finally bite the bullet and buy a Switch 2. I pray the dependence on AI/the stories of greedy publishers (Krafton) trying to buy out devs will all blow over, and that 2026 will be an equally hopeful year for the industry.
What I’m looking forward to in 2026:
In AAA terms, we’ve got some exciting (albeit expensive) sequels to look forward to next year, including Resident Evil Re9ium, Nioh 3 and a new Lego Batman game. There’s also Insomniac’s Wolverine, which should be a bloody good time. I don’t really care much for GTA 6, other than hoping it will somehow match up to the public hype (I don’t think it can), and I’m very sad that Witcher 4 won’t be coming out until at least 2027.
More importantly, the indie scene has a whole load of great things to look forward to. Witchbrook might finally come out this year, which would be astounding. Edmund McMillen’s Mewgenics is out in February, and as someone with over seven hundred hours in Isaac: Rebirth, I fear what this new title will do to my social life. I’m hoping that one of my favourite studios, Amanita Design, will finally release their upcoming title, Phonopolis, which was announced back in ‘22. Their last release, Happy Game, was disturbingly charming, but its short length made me desperate for more, so here’s hoping this’ll be the year!
Thanks for reading!
