Ori and the Will of the Wisps not only managed to live up to the original game, but also expand on it in almost every way you can imagine. The new combat system, boss fights, story, music and world design all come together for an unforgettable experience that I would recommend to anyone.
Ghostrunner is one of the most fun games I’ve played this year. The fast and difficult one-hit-kill gameplay is constantly thrilling, whilst a surprisingly decent story and progression system help keep things interesting. Not to mention the killer soundtrack and fantastic visuals. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got my times to beat. I won’t stop playing this one for a while.
Endwalker does exactly what it sets out to do. It ends a long-running story with style, and give us even more of the game that we love. Such a fantastic end to the storyline, and I am looking forward to what the future holds for Final Fantasy XIV.
When the Resident Evil 2 Remake was released back in 2019, I believed the series had peaked and that it couldn’t get any better. I was completely wrong. The Resident Evil 4 Remake takes everything that worked about the original, taking away the few things that didn’t work, and then bringing in some modern features to create an entirely new masterpiece. Finding a perfect balance between new and old. This is for everyone to enjoy.
As a whole, Split Fiction does everything that you’d expect from a Hazelight game. And that’s an uncompromised focus on cooperative gameplay that is unmatched by pretty much anything else out there. The vast amount oft gameplay variety and exciting moments makes this a must-play; even if the story doesn’t quite hit the heights that we were expecting from other titles from the same company, the sum of its parts still makes it superior in every other aspect, and especially when compared to other outings from 2025 thus far.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is truly something special, combining some fantastic turn-based combat and RPG progression with a heartfelt and well-told story about dealing with loss and paving the way for the future. It’s one of the finest RPGs in years and will likely be remembered for years to come.
Two years ago, I fell in love with CrossCode. Playing this brand new port on the Switch just reminded me of why I loved that game so much back in the day, and to be fair, this might even be the superior version of this already pristine game.
Monster Hunter Rise is an excellent continuation of the Monster Hunter franchise, feeling more like a refinement to its predecessor's already excellent Iceborne expansion. This is a game I will be coming back to over and over again. I’m very much looking forward to the PC release next year.
Neon White is not only the most surprising game of the year so far, but also my personal favourite of this year. It provides an interesting story told in the strikingly beautiful visual novel format. It also provides one of the most addicting and satisfying gameplay loops since Ghostrunner. The thrill of moving up those leaderboards and cutting down your times millisecond by millisecond never gets old. I really hope we see a lot more from Neon White in the future.
Signalis pretty much perfects this new wave of retro survival horror. It has a surprisingly engaging world that just pulls you in and never lets go. If you are a fan of the genre this is an absolute must-play. Signalis is easily one of my favourite games of this year.
EA Motive has done an excellent job recapturing the magic of the original game, whilst expanding and improving on several key areas. Managing to take what was already a superb game and make it even better. Although, a couple of extra tweaks really could have brought it to the next level. The Dead Space remake stands up there with Resident Evil in “how to do a remake”, and it’s one that I highly recommend for fans and newcomers alike.
Phantom Liberty is a bittersweet ending for Cyberpunk 2077. It’s culmination of all the efforts made to make the game something special. A stellar expansion that dramatically improves on the base experience, whilst delivering an epic spy-thriller storyline.
V Rising is not only an exceptional survival game but a great ARPG as well. With great combat, boss design mixed in with a healthy dose of well-balanced and meaningful survival crafting systems that make progression fun. This makes for a uniquely engaging experience that lets you live out the ultimate vampire fantasy.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is one of the best games I’ve played in the past few years. A game that calls back to the glory days of Xbox 360 gaming, being nothing more than just an absolute blast to play. Even if it is a little light on content, its core gameplay loop was addicting enough to keep me busy for many hours, never making me ever hope to reach its very end. This is straight-up a must-play and an easy Game of the Year contender. Praise the Omnissiah!
The Crowbar Collective knew exactly what needed to be done to improve on the original. Not only is this a great game for fans of the original, but this is a perfect new entry point into the franchise.
Invisible Inc. is one of my favourite stealth games in recent years. Its smart and unique blending of multiple genres provide a fun and challenging gameplay experience I would recommend to anyone. If you’re a fan of stealth, rogue-likes, and tactical turn-based combat, you can’t let Invisible, Inc. pass you by.
Othercide is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played this year so far. Despite the slightly repetitive map and mission design, the addictive core gameplay loop, harsh but impactful instances of decision making, good soundtrack and strong visual aesthetics featured in here just keep me coming back for more.
The PC release of Nioh 2 may not be perfect but it’s still well worth visiting. The locales are stunning, the combat is as great as ever and the boss fights will have you on the edge of your seat most of the time. I’ve died much more than I’d like to admit, but I’ve loved every minute of it.
It’s been a surprisingly long time coming for CrossCode: A New Home, and it was definitely worth the wait. It’s an excellent excuse to dive back into the world of CrossCode with its interesting characters and phenomenal combat system. If you are fan of the base game then this DLC will give you a lot more to dig into.
DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods Part 2 is a brilliantly designed expansion providing some of the most fun and fast-paced shooting action I’ve ever seen. Each of the DLC’s main missions provide plenty of variety and challenging encounters to really dig into.