The Best Games I Played In 2025

Only a handful of these games actually came out this year, but I simply can't do a best of the year list with only 4 games on it! So here's the 10 best games I played this year, even if they aren't all new.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

  • Genre: Soulslike Metroidvania
  • Why you should play it: The sequel to one of the most celebrated indie games of all time somehow manages to live up to the hype with improved platforming, tough-as-nails bosses, a bounty of side quests and collectibles, an eccentric cast of NPCs, a variety of playstyles, vibrant environments, smooth animations, a killer soundtrack, and lore that goes as deep as you'd like. With an impressively long playtime especially if you're a completionist, it still never manages to overstay it's welcome. If you're a fan of the genre, you owe it to yourself to play this future masterpiece - just play Hollow Knight first if you haven't already, because it's very hard to go back to that one after this beast.

Inscryption

  • Genre: Deckbuilding Roguelite
  • Why you should play it:Inscryption is one of those games where it's best to go into it as blind as possible. Do yourself a favor and don't look up any spoilers. All you need to know is that the game's mechanics mainly revolve around playing an exceptionally fun and addictive MTG-inspired card game with your abductor in a setting that might actually be the one and only example of true cozy horror. Not all is as it seems, however... The twists are sensational and impossible to predict. You're just along for the ride. Perhaps not for those who have trouble distinguishing fiction from reality, however.

Donkey Kong Bananza

  • Genre: 3D Platformer
  • Why you should play it: I wasn't sold on this game from the trailers despite being a huge DK fan, but the many stellar reviews that billed this as a stealth sequel to Super Mario Odyssey absolutely did. And that's exactly what it is. A charming and fun platformer that rewards creativity and encourages destruction. They managed to hit the sweet spot in regard to the number of collectibles, the bananza themes are catchy as hell, and the worlds are a treat to explore with interesting themes and remixes to common environments, such as an snow layer full of ice cream and molten chocolate. The bosses are mostly disappointing, but I can forgive them solely for the fact the finale is truly showstopping.

Dark Souls Remastered

  • Genre: The Original Soulslike
  • Why you should play it: The most challenging and grueling game I've played, and my masochist ass loved every minute of it. Memorizing enemy placements and attack patterns, learning how to properly parry and block, growling when I would lose thousands of souls after a particularly cringe-worthy death, exploring every nook and cranny of the grim environments... While it's hard to recommend to someone who doesn't like their games to be punishingly difficult, or those who lack patience, it's an experience that will stick with me for a very long time. Defeating Smough and Ornstein after hours of grinding and failed attempts was such a rewarding high that I think I'll be feeling it's aftershocks for years to come.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

  • Genre: Action Adventure
  • Why you should play it: I was disappointed when the first LOZ game starring Zelda didn't center around Sheik, nor had the princess using traditional weapons, but I forgot those gripes quickly upon booting it up. It's a clever and fun game in the Link's Awakening HD style populated with amusing characters and top-notch dungeon design. The puzzles often have multiple solutions, allowing you to get pretty creative with your echo summoning, and the Link transformation ability is rarely forced on you, letting Zelda truly shine on her own. It's a shame that Nintendo hasn't come up with a better menu for selecting items since Tears of the Kingdom, but that mild frustration doesn't stop this from being yet another fantastic LOZ game.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

  • Genre: JRPG
  • Why you should play it: I first played this game back on my Wii when I was a teen but abandoned it after the mechanics proved too complex and the adventure too time-consuming for college. I finally gave it another go on the Switch and this time I was in my element. Yes, there's over 100 tutorials, and yes, the plot is fairly convoluted and a bit silly at times, and yes, it's a long game. But if you love customization, min-maxing, skill trees, side quests, and fast-paced action RPG battles, this game was made for you. The world is gorgeously rendered and huge, it's easy to get attached to the characters, and the battles never felt like a grind, even when I was trying to find a rare drop, due to how fun they are. If you're in the mood for a beefy RPG, this will certainly satisfy you.

Borderlands 2

  • Genre: Looter Shooter
  • Why you should play it: In late Summer and early Autumn, my friend would visit on Saturdays, and we would play BL2 together for hours at a time, pausing only to eat. Those Saturdays are the most fun I've ever had playing a multiplayer video game. BL2 is addictive. It's full of absurd characters and laugh-out-loud dialogue, although be warned that not all of it has aged well, as there's a fair share of wince worthy elements. The art style, however, still holds up after all these years, and it always feels like you're getting something out of every action you take, be it from earning badass ranks, experience points, or new loot that will either make you overpowered as fuck or sell for big money. We laughed so hard at various points where we'd fuck up in new and entertaining ways that our stomachs hurt. If you want a good couch co-op experience, this is THE game to play.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

  • Genre: Metroidvania/Adventure
  • Why you should play it: Metroid Prime 4 didn't quite live up to the hype the way that Silksong did. Even though I adore this game, I can't deny that. But it's still a worthy sequel to the Metroid name, and while the open world may be barren and uninspired, and Samus' Galactic Federation comrades may ruin the atmosphere, it's still a fantastic game. In fact, I actually enjoyed quite a few moments of these new elements - the characters are (mostly) not annoying, and riding around in vi-ol-a is smooth. But the real meat and potatoes of the game is intact and as good as ever. Exploring new areas, collecting upgrades, the combat, the lush, layered music - it's all sublime. Samus' new psychic abilities also don't come off as a gimmick but are instead a great addition. I haven't finished the game yet, but I'm having a blast.

Blasphemous 2

Unsighted

  • Genre: Metroidvania
  • Why you should play it: This top-down, Zelda-like Metroidvania should be way more popular than it is. Placed in the shoes of an amnesiac automaton, you discover that yourself and your companions will lose your self-control within days, becoming violent and 'unsighted' if you don't find a way to reach the source of anima, the power that gives you life. Unlike most games with supposed time limits, you don't actually have the freedom to do whatever you want without the plot progressing further. Instead, time actually passes in-game and NPCs (and even yourself!) can die permanently if their timers run out. Luckily, by finding anima, you can gift it to friends (or yourself) to extend your timers. If this sounds stressful, sure, it can be - but you can also toggle it off with no consequences. It's a win/win for everyone. I'm playing right now with the timers off so I can explore the world and collect everything at my own pace, but I'm already planning a second playthrough with the timers on. This is a gem of a game with great characters, satisfying combat, clever puzzles, intense bosses, and hard decisions.