For years, the gaming world has been bracing for the cultural earthquake that will come with GTA 6. It was supposed to be the uncontested champion of 2025, the title that would overshadow everything else.
Then Rockstar pushed the release to 2026, and suddenly the year opened up. With the giant temporarily out of the way, 2025 became a far more interesting battleground, giving other studios a chance to dominate the spotlight.
What followed was a surprisingly competitive year packed with imaginative sequels, long-awaited indies and bold new games that might have been swept aside in any other year.
1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
The year’s most acclaimed release brings a level of artistic confidence rarely seen in a major title. Clair Obscur blends surreal French fantasy with turn based combat and a story about resistance in a world trapped in cycles of destruction. Its gorgeous aesthetic and elegant mechanics have made it a defining work of the past year. The animations, music and voice acting align to create a tone that feels haunting. Players have praised its approach to storytelling and its ability to deliver emotional weight without sacrificing gameplay depth.
2. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Platform: PlayStation 5
Hideo Kojima’s long-awaited sequel expands the original’s strange and compelling universe. Death Stranding 2 widens its scope with more ambitious landscapes and a more emotional narrative focused on connection and sacrifice. The game’s blend of exploration, cinematic presentation and inventive traversal systems has resonated with players seeking something atmospheric. It pushes technical boundaries with highly detailed environments and some of the most striking environmental effects seen on PlayStation 5. Its cast of Hollywood stars delivers grounded performances that contrast with the surreal setting, creating a compelling balance.
3. Hades II
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC
Supergiant Games returns with another masterfully crafted roguelike. Hades II is a mix of fast paced action, character driven storytelling and expressive art which has made it one of the year’s most captivating releases. The sequel also introduces a richer overworld, more complex upgrade paths and a broader supporting cast that grows with each run. Players have embraced its balance of challenge and accessibility, where every defeat teaches something useful. Hades II continues Supergiant’s tradition of presenting games with warmth, personality and unmistakable identity.
4. Hollow Knight: Silksong
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC
After years of anticipation by the most ardent gaming fans, Silksong arrived this year. Team Cherry elevates the Hollow Knight formula by focusing on the agile Hornet, creating faster traversal, more expressive combat and a world that is denser, more vertical and filled with new biomes. Its handcrafted environments and demanding boss encounters have made it an essential action platformer. What distinguishes Silksong is its sense of fluidity. Hornet’s movement style encourages aggressive play and inventive routes through each region, giving speedrunning and exploration new depth.
5. Blue Prince
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Blue Prince is the indie success story of 2025. Its shifting mansion, clever puzzles and time-based runs provide a constant sense of discovery. Each playthrough reveals new rooms, secrets and narrative fragments that reshape the player’s understanding of the estate. The game celebrates experimentation and has earned strong praise for its bold design. The mansion feels alive, almost unpredictable, and players are encouraged to study patterns and architectural logic. Blue Prince rewards careful observation rather than brute force problem solving, creating a meditative rhythm of exploration. It has become popular among streamers and puzzle fans, giving it reach far beyond typical indie titles.
6. Split Fiction
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC
This experimental narrative adventure is one of the year's most inventive titles. Split Fiction asks players to navigate parallel storylines in scifi and fantasy worlds that intersect in unexpected ways. It is a reminder of how games can explore structure in ways film cannot. The game challenges players to consider how decisions in one timeline might ripple subtly into another. It rewards attention to detail and invites replaying sections to uncover different branches.
7. Mario Kart World
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo’s latest kart racer brings the franchise into a larger, more interconnected world. Mario Kart World offers open hubs, refined drifting, creative track design and a roster that spans decades of Nintendo history. Its accessible handling and strong online features make it one of the year’s most widely enjoyed releases. The expanded world design changes how players engage with the series. Instead of selecting tracks from menus, players can explore themed regions and discover new challenges organically. Dynamic weather and environmental effects add variety to races, and the multiplayer features are richer and more stable than in past titles.
8. Donkey Kong Bananza
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo’s iconic ape returns in a colourful platforming adventure filled with rhythmic movement, lush environments, and environmental puzzles. Its upbeat tone makes it suitable for all ages, while secret routes and challenges reward dedicated players. Bananza embraces the charm and humour associated with the Donkey Kong brand. The level design encourages playful exploration rather than straightforward progression. Each region introduces new mechanics that feel inspired by classic platformers, yet reimagined for modern audiences.
9. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds embraces multiverse themed tracks and team-orientated mechanics that encourage co-ordinated play. The game offers vibrant environments, a lively soundtrack and a competitive online scene. CrossWorlds has become one of the strongest arcade-style racers of the year. Each course is designed around momentum and precise cornering, making skilled racing feel rewarding. The multiverse approach allows for creative track themes inspired by different Sonic eras, giving long-time fans a sense of nostalgia. The team mechanic, which allows players to support each other with shared boosts, adds a fresh strategic layer to the experience.
10. Doom: The Dark Ages
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Doom: The Dark Ages retains the intense speed and aggression that defined the series while offering new ideas that feel surprisingly natural for the franchise. The game’s arsenal includes brutal melee weapons such as a shield blade that allows rhythmic close combat. Levels are filled with vertical structures, collapsing castles and large-scale battlefield moments that introduce new pacing. The heavy metal soundtrack returns with thunderous percussion and distorted instrumentation that suits the medieval aesthetic.
