What’s up, gamers? Welcome to our official best games list for 2025.
We’re halfway through 2025, so it’s due time to take a look at some of the best titles released this year. And I’ll tell you this for free – some may even be some of the best games released of all time.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 having just released, with more games on the way, it’s looking to be one of the busiest years in gaming yet. So, why not trial some of these quality games in the meantime before your backlog gets too hectic?
Here are our picks for the best games in 2025, so far.
The Best Games of 2025
1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was the game that caught my eye the most when it was first announced at Xbox Games Showcase last year. The moment I saw that combat, my social media unofficially became a Clair Obscur fan account. After getting my hands on the game, it is without a doubt my game of the year and one of the best games I’ve played in years.
The game takes place in a fictional post-dystopian France. Once a year, a giant looming figure called ‘The Paintress’ paints a new number and everyone who is that age dies. You play as Gustave (played by Charlie Cox in his most Stardust-like role), a member of Expedition 33, the latest expedition mounting its mission to kill The Paintress so that tomorrow comes.
After shortly arriving on an island near The Paintress, nearly all of your expedition is wiped out by monsters and a mysterious old man (played by Andy Serkis). From here, you find the surviving members of the expedition and launch a seemingly hopeless attempt to finish what you started.
If you’re a fan of Baldur’s Gate 3 or have been hanging for a cinematic game to sink your teeth into, Clair Obscur is for you. If you don’t come out writing at least on fan-fiction about the characters, then I will think less of you.
Play it on: PC, Xbox Series S | X & PS5
Buy it from: Amazon ($82), PlayStation Store ($69.95), Xbox ($74.95), Steam ($62.95).
2. Split Fiction
If you’ve been looking for a co-op game to play with your partner, look no further.
Split Fiction comes from Hazelight Studios, which made the wonderful It Takes Two. You play as Mio and Zoe, two aspiring writers hoping to secure book deals. Mio is an angsty writer penning science fiction stories, and Zoe is a people-pleasing country bumpkin drawn into fantasy worlds. Together, the two must team up to escape simulations of their stories and save their ideas from being stolen by a soulless corporation.
I could gush about this game for ages. It’s tough to balance a story between two genres (fantasy and sci-fi), while also making an engaging co-op game. But by god, they did it. I played this with my girlfriend (a non-gamer), and she fell in love with it. The game wasn’t too hard but offered enough challenge to keep things interesting.
The puzzles in the game were intuitive, so we could both figure things out as we played and brainstormed together. It’s a perfect couples game everyone should add to their list. Especially as we get into the colder seasons ahead and stay-in date nights become more common.
Play it on: PC, Xbox Series S | X & PS5
Buy it from: Amazon ($102.20), PlayStation Store ($69.95), Nintendo Switch 2 ($69.95), Xbox ($69.95), Steam ($69.95).
3. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is the most surprising sleeper hit of the year. But ooh boy, is it one of the most unique gaming experiences you’ll have in 2025.
The game takes place in 16th-century Bohemia, and the setting is as depressing as you might think. You play as Henry, a simple blacksmith-turned-knight sent to deliver a message across a war-ravaged region. Along the way, your party is ambushed, leaving you penniless and without any weapons. Now, you have to start fresh with no one believing your identity as a noble knight, which makes sense, as you look like every other smelly, blood-soaked peasant.
Starting from scratch, you’ll struggle to survive in your first few hours of playing. You’ll be bloody, smelly, penniless and met as a fraud defaming the king. Slowly, you’ll have to rebuild your reputation and skills as a noble knight. This means taking sword lessons, learning how to read, and generally helping Harry become less dimwitted. It’s a bloodied, gross and suspiciously moist rag-to-somewhat-riches story!
You can play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S | X and PC.
Buy it from: Amazon ($89), PlayStation Store ($114.95), Xbox ($114.95), Steam ($89.95).
4. Mario Kart World
I didn’t think it was possible, but Nintendo has somehow managed to make the perfect Mario Kart game yet again.
This isn’t just your regular run of the mill Mario Kart, they’ve entirely revamped the experience to flex the impressive upgrades to the brand new Switch 2.
From massive new tracks with plenty of secrets and shortcuts to find, to all the chaos that comes from 20-racers at once, this is Mario Kart at its peak. I’d be remiss if I also didn’t mention the massive open world you can drive through. If Nintendo just released this as a game, it’d already be one of the best Mario Kart‘s out there. But they didn’t stop there. They finally added new mobility into the game, letting you do some truly cooked shortcuts.
If you need a game to inject some life into a party, Mario Kart World is going to be a staple for sure.
Play it on: Nintendo Switch 2
Buy it from: Amazon ($104), Nintendo eShop ($119.95)
5. Monster Hunter Wilds
Does the idea of hunting down killer monsters with friends appeal to you? Well, Monster Hunter Wilds is sure to scratch that itch and more.
The Monster Hunter series has been a pretty niche title for awhile, but with the release of Wilds, we can comfortably say it’s broken into the mainstream. As of writing, the game has sold over eight million copies, becoming one of the best-selling titles of the year.
You play as a hunter chosen to investigate a strange, seemingly uninhabited land. Along the way, you discover an ancient civilisation threatened by a terrible monster. Surprise! It’s now your job to hunt it down and a bunch of other scary beasts along the way.
Killing monsters will net you goods and money, which you can turn into better gear and tougher hunts. Oh, and most importantly, you get to eat ridiculously mouth-watering-looking food with your cat pal.
Play it on: PC, Xbox Series S | X & PS5
Buy it from: Amazon ($127.72), Steam ($104.95), PlayStation Store ($114.95), Xbox ($114.95)
6. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Death Stranding 2 is easily the biggest surprise for me this year. I was lukewarm on the original, and the idea of spending another 80 hours hauling back-breaking cargo had me grimacing. In saying that, Death Stranding 2 has somehow managed to get its hooks into me, and I haven’t been able to put it down since its release.
The game does a good enough job getting you up to speed, so I would say if you haven’t played the first game, Death Stranding 2 is definitely worth picking up. (Or just watch a recap video, they exist, you have no excuse).
The sequel takes place 11 months after the climax of the previous game. In that time, the world has massively changed, with all of America reconnecting to the ‘Chiral Network’ (a pseudo-Internet-like system). Now, the new American government is looking to reconnect to the rest of the world.
If you’ve never experienced the absolute insanity that is a Hideo Kojima game before, Death Stranding 2 might feel a bit overwhelming, but if you stick with it, it’ll be one of the most unique gaming experiences you’ll ever have.
Play it on: PS5
Buy it from: Buy it from: Amazon ($99), EB Games ($124.95), PlayStation Store ($124.95)
7. Assassin’s Creed Shadows
After a pretty tumultuous development cycle, Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally dropped this year. Thankfully, the game was worth the wait and is a stellar return to form for the franchise.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes place in feudal Japan, one of the series’ most requested locations. You follow two characters: Yasuke, a legendary samurai who must confront his personal demons, and Naoe, a young shinobi on a quest for vengeance.
So, in classic Assassin’s Creed style, you hunt down big bad evil guys to stab them in the neck. How you do that is up to you and who you want to play as.
Naoe is your classic stealth-focused assassin, whereas Yasuke is a pure combat tank. Depending on your preference, you can switch between the two on a whim.
If you’ve been itching for a stealth game with satisfying combat and a (somewhat) compelling narrative, Shadows should deliver.
Play it on: PC, Xbox Series S | X & PS5
Buy it from: Amazon ($79), PlayStation Store ($109.95), Xbox ($109.95), Steam ($99.95)
8. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
In usual fashion, the Yakuza series is back with an absolutely balls-to-the-walls spin-off title. Breaking from its series formula, this time you play as Majima, a recurring fan favourite.
After the previous game’s events, Majima wakes up stranded on a beach with amnesia. Free from his Yakuza background, Majima dons the pirate title, sailing the seas and butting heads against enemy pirate gangs.
Eventually, you’ll start a shaky alliance with the leader of ‘Madlantis’, a local pirate hub. Here, you’ll pick up quests and complete a bunch of side content as well.
It’s surprisingly one of the best pirate-focused games released in a long time and one of the funniest camp gaming experiences of the year.
Play it on: PC, Xbox Series S | X & PS5
Buy it from: Amazon ($94.75), Steam ($99.95), PlayStation Store ($99.95), Xbox ($99.95)
9. Wanderstop
Wanderstop is one of the freshest spins on your typical cozy game.
Developed by the same developers as The Stanley Parable and featuring a score by C418 (of Minecraft fame), the talent behind this game is immense. Unsurprisingly, it’s fantastic.
You play as Alta, a former soldier who’s hung up the sword after a series of losses. She eventually lands a job at a small tea store, looking to give her space from the horrors of war. Here, you’ll brew special teas, grow unique blends and clean up the grounds as you play. As you continue playing, you’ll also help Alta recover from her traumas of battle.
Usually, cozy games don’t have a narrative and let you self-insert yourself into the story. They’re meant to help players de-stress and switch off from a chaotic world. Wanderstop gives it a meta twist where the character is also relaxing for the first time in their life, which makes them anxious and scared. It’s a powerful gut punch and often made me go “oooft”.
I’d put this up there with The Outer Wilds and Stardew Valley for refreshing indie titles that hit hard and make a grown man want to weep (which is an endorsement!).
Play it on: PC, Xbox Series S | X & PS5
Buy it from: Steam ($36.50), PlayStation Store ($37.95), Xbox ($36.95)
10. Avowed
Avowed was one of my most anticipated games heading into this year, and oh boy, did it live up to the hype.
The game is a fresh title from Obsidian Entertainment, which has made some of the best role-playing games of all time, including Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 and Fallout: New Vegas. With a solid resume like that, you better believe I was clutching to play this day one.
Avowed takes place in a world called Eora. You play as an envoy from the Aedyr Empire (basically a fantasy United Kingdom), assigned to the Living Lands to investigate a mysterious plague called the ‘Dream Scourge’. Your character is also part of a unique race of ‘Godlike’, beings with extraordinary physical traits relating to their god. Your character, unfortunately, has become part mushroom. Which is only a bonus if you wanna imagine your character as a fantasy Toad from Mario.
As a lore-head who loves dark fantasy narratives, Avowed was like crack for me. So go on and try it. All the other cool kids are playing it.
Play it on: PC & Xbox Series S | X
Buy it from: Amazon ($139), Xbox ($119.95), Steam ($119.95).
Image credit: Sandfall Interactive / Nintendo
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