2025 is the 12 months that broke me on the subject of video video games. The years of a continuing barrage of recent AAA releases, virtually all of which have to be 50+ hours, has worn me down, particularly when juxtaposed with rampant layoffs, studio closures, and the overall state of capitalism within the trade.
I’ve discovered some solace within the indie and AA area, nevertheless you wish to outline these phrases. And there have been nonetheless some fascinating AAA video games on the market this 12 months. Donkey Kong Bananza is a good journey that is as enjoyable as it’s playful, and Doom: The Darkish Ages turns the Doom Slayer into Captain America if he have been bathed in hellfire.
Within the not-so-AAA area, I cherished enjoying Peak for a pair weekends. It is a unbelievable solution to kill time with buddies. Ball x Pit is a genius mixture of Arkanoid, metropolis constructing, and roguelike components that provides good bite-sized gaming classes. And I discovered a brand new solution to zone out with PowerWash Simulator 2, which provides simply sufficient upgrades over the earlier to make it simpler however not too braindead.
However let’s draw the arbitrary line within the sand right here and begin diving into my high 7 video games of 2025, in some vibes-based order.
Break up Fiction
I performed Break up Fiction with my accomplice within the first half of 2025, and granted, partway by means of the sport, we received just a little bored. Each new set of powers and upgrades was novel and fascinating, however the size of time with every mechanic dragged on only a tiny bit in some sections. It was like, “Okay, we get it.”
However the last race to the end line actually caught with us. It felt recent, progressive, and chaotic, enjoying with the literal cut up fiction that your complete recreation units up. Speeding between worlds and seeing issues mix collectively felt like a fever dream.
Very similar to Brothers: A Story of Two Sons or A Method Out earlier than it, Josef Fares’ group has one large, distinctive, genuinely cool concept on the finish of Break up Fiction that makes it definitely worth the journey.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Can I defend Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii in a scholarly GOTY debate with fellow friends? In all probability not. At this level, you are both tremendous into Like a Dragon video games, wish to get into them, or completely do not get them. I fall within the first camp, and regardless that Pirate Yakuza is not nearly as good as among the different current video games within the sequence, it is nonetheless a tonally distinctive and wild journey.
The protagonist, Goro Majima, will get amnesia, finally ends up on the shores of Hawaii, and turns into a pirate on a whim. His journey is kicked off by a campy musical quantity, and he performs an exquisite position mannequin for a younger boy, regardless of being tough across the edges.
With foolish mini video games, pirate ship dying matches, and the power to summon spectral monkeys, Pirate Yakuza—and the franchise at massive—injects some levity into its unserious machismo. There actually is not something like these video games, and I will all the time exit of my solution to play the most recent releases.
Loss of life Stranding 2: On the Seaside
Truthfully, Kojima received me over with this one. I used to be Loss of life Stranding’s largest hater again within the day—I even argued in opposition to it being one in every of our few 10/10 video games—however one thing about this sequel simply hits completely. It streamlines among the extra tedious components of the primary recreation, and also you get to the enjoyable components sooner.
It would not take lengthy so that you can construct up a collection of instruments and autos to optimize your routes. Doing aspect quests will get simpler as the sport goes on, and even the tedium of constructing roads and rails turns into simple, if not only a tiny bit tedious nonetheless. Even higher, there’s all types of foolish and new methods to play the sport. You may damage individuals with pizza fu, journey a hoverboard, and bounce off ramps with no consequence.
I feel with Loss of life Stranding 2: On the Seaside, I discovered a zen state that the gameplay was going for. Fight sequences are extra easy too, making it simpler to mode shift between supply man and demolition man.
In fact, the story remains to be completely ridiculous. It is a world the place the rule of cool is arguably extra necessary than the substance, the place it is extra vibes-based than the rest. The sport’s most memorable moments come from when the sport would not take itself that critically, even when the dramatic pressure soars.
Dispatch
Dispatch was a shock late addition for me on this checklist. It takes all the pieces I cherished concerning the basic Telltale components however streamlines it for the higher. Episodes are tight and filled with twists, making it a particularly lean package deal that trims out all of the fats.
It pulls you into the narrative and offers you a entrance row seat to steer the story. Your decisions actually really feel like they matter, even after they in the end do not. It is that perception and immersion that makes Dispatch work so effectively, particularly for the massive decisions that change the overarching journey (just like the one on the finish of episode 3).
Whereas the principle characters are nice sufficient, the most effective individuals in Dispatch are the smaller aspect characters who all deliver completely different ranges of comedy aid. The scene of Phenomeman slowing freeway site visitors on the information whereas Waterboy disgustingly cleans the TV completely encapsulates the vitality of Dispatch’s finest moments. It concisely and successfully reveals who each of those characters are proper whenever you want to select related to them. Plus, it is hilarious.
Blue Prince
Blue Prince received our web site’s general recreation of the 12 months, and it is a well-deserved award for such an enthralling recreation. I performed it with my accomplice this 12 months, and it was a lot enjoyable determining its myriad secrets and techniques collectively. I distinctly bear in mind the second we needed to pull out a notepad and pen collectively, realizing how deep the waters beneath us have been.
Granted, the roguelike gameplay in the end undermines and weakens the puzzle gameplay, weakening the general package deal. Earlier than the magic wore off although, Blue Prince was simply one of the crucial enthralling experiences I’ve had in 2025. Even after I wasn’t enjoying it, I used to be excited about all of the completely different attainable options.
All the things about this recreation is intelligent, even right down to its title. I typically nonetheless mistype the sport as “blue prints” as a result of it appears like each names completely match the sport.
Hades II
Hades received our Sport of the Yr Award in 2020, so it isn’t shocking to see its sequel on my checklist. Hades II actually is only a greater, higher, bolder model of its older brother. It has twice as many ranges, however it appears like quadruple the quantity of content material.
The motion takes a barely completely different strategy contemplating Melinoe’s slight aversion to close-ranged fight, however it’s nonetheless a riveting, rewarding story filled with intense fight, touching tales, and fleshed-out characters.
Her wrestle to kill time is framed by means of a (considerably) relatable household battle, and with the post-release patch, the ultimate components of the story wrap up properly. The excuse to proceed doing runs within the post-game feels just a little far fetched, however it works as a result of the fight is ridiculously satisfying.
When a construct works, it simply hits so completely. Constructing round one mechanic, whether or not it is your forged or your omega particular, merely feels so good. Hades II is greater than all the pieces I needed in a sequel. The motion, music, and narrative all hit excellent.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
You may need missed this little-known gem, however Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 merely blew me away in 2025. It was sudden and continues to shock all over the ultimate act. The hype for it’s positively overplayed and annoying, although the hatred for it’s simply as equally obnoxious. No matter the place you fall on the fence, let’s do not forget that different video games apart from those you want might be good to completely different individuals as effectively.
Sadly, sure, using generative AI in Clair Obscur is not supreme—AI generally is an advanced subject within the trade. I personally am not a fan of it being utilized in any recreation because it’s such a artistic area, and that features with this recreation. However whenever you take the general package deal for what it’s, it is compelling and filled with coronary heart, tragedy, and twists.
The rock-solid turn-based gameplay feels so satisfying, particularly whenever you set off a combo of results. In some unspecified time in the future although, it evolves into one thing that rewards you for breaking it. Certain, this makes the ultimate couple hours stupidly simple, however by then, I used to be extra invested within the story relatively than the gameplay.
The narrative takes some large swings, deconstructing what you thought have been the boundaries of this world for the sake of highlighting its characters and emotional struggles. It will get surreal, however in that area, Clair Obscur delivers a memorable story concerning the some ways individuals course of grief—or postpone processing it.
