by Myles Obenza
Like previous years, my top 10 games of 2025 was pretty tough to nail down. There are some easy lock-ins, considering some of these were among my most anticipated titles in recent memory, and definitely a few surprises that affected me in powerful ways. 2025 was a big year for me, both personally and professionally, and experiencing this 365-day rollercoaster with these titles as a way to deal with the joys and stresses of life felt more special than usual.
And like last year’s list, I’ll be giving each game a Mini Award for a little bit of extra fun and levity. Let’s get to it!
Spoilers for some titles ahead.
10. South of Midnight – Xbox Series X|S, PC
South of Midnight isn’t necessarily breaking the mold when it comes to gameplay. Its combat, level design, and mechanics — while well-designed — play it relatively safe. What earned its spot on my top 10 is everything else around that. The animation style, setting, characters, and performances are some of the most unique and impressive I’ve seen in a while. And the music. The music. The Southern influences are masterfully composed, and the lyrics help give context to the game’s most tragic characters. If you don’t play it, at least put the soundtrack on.
South of Midnight also gets the Mini Award for biggest snub at the Game Awards: No nom for Best Music? Adriyan Rae for Best Performance?? What the hell, Keighley.
9. and Roger – Switch, PC
and Roger is something special. It started out as a simple narrative puzzle game with what appeared to be horror elements with a minimalist art style. But as you progress, you’ll learn it’s so much more than that. and Roger deals with the trials and tribulations of individuals dealing with dementia, told through the perspective of the one suffering. On a personal level, it was a powerful reminder of the importance of patience and understanding with those afflicted. Please play this game, it’s only about an hour long.
The Mini Award for best mother-in-law of all time goes to: Lisa. Love you.
8. Silent Hill f – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
The resurgence of the Silent Hill franchise is something I’ve been extremely happy about, and I look forward to the future of what the iconic horror series holds. 2025 was stacked with great horror games, but Silent Hill f easily takes the cake this year. Say what you want about the combat system, but the classic Silent Hill formula is on full display here; immaculate atmosphere, terrifying enemy design, and great sound design for maximum immersion. Bonus points for taking place in a small Japanese village. And of course, it wouldn’t be Silent Hill without a deep, introspective story that calls on us all to face our deepest insecurities and personal traumas.
The Mini Award for the most tense moment of the year goes: The terrifying scarecrow puzzle. Fuck those little bastards.
7. Avowed – Xbox Series X|S, PC
I had a bit of a tough time deciding the placement of Avowed and the next game for this list, but as always, nostalgia is a powerful drug. That’s not to take away from the incredible accomplishment that is Avowed, Obsidian’s take on the fantasy WRPG genre based on the Pillars of Eternity universe. Compared to Elder Scrolls titles, the combat is insanely addictive, fast-paced, and flashy. The customization and character build options were some of the most abundant and free-flowing for any game in the genre. Casting a spell with a grimoire, then blasting an enemy with a blunderbuss, feels amazing. I’m very interested to see what Obsidian can do with a game like this in an original setting.
The Mini Award for Homie of the Year goes to: Kai. I love my friendly blue man.
6. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Now we’re talkin’. The most anticipated game of my life is The Elder Scrolls VI, so when Oblivion Remastered was surprise-dropped earlier this year, I was ecstatic. I’ve done everything you could do in Skyrim, but have only played the original Oblivion a couple times (and admittedly have minimal experience with Morrowind). This modern remaster doesn’t change much mechanically, but the visual upgrades, remastered music, and quality-of-life improvements to combat have ensured this is one I’ll revisit often until the next installment is out.
The Mini Award for best questline of the year goes to: The Dark Brotherhood, obviously.
5. Donkey Kong Bananza – Switch 2
Donkey Kong Bananza was not on my bingo card for the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal, but it was one of my favorite surprises all year. I absolutely adore DK’s redesign, and the glorious return to 3D is something fans have been begging for for literal decades. The fact that this was created by the Super Mario Odyssey team is another testament to its quality. It was some of the most fun I had wandering aimelessly all year, beating the environment to a pulp and finding what goodies are hidden around.
The Mini Award for voiceline permanently seared into my brain goes to: “Ohhh, banana.” Make it stop.
4. Dispatch – PS5, PC
I’ve never been part of the “stories in games don’t matter” crowd, because they clearly do if that’s what the game is going for. Enter Dispatch, an episodic superhero workplace comedy with some of the best writing, performances, and character moments all year. While some of the actual gameplay mechanics get in the way of the story’s pacing, I enjoyed these moments more than most. Implementing some sort of interaction was crucial, and the dispatching parts are a novel idea. But the reason it’s so high on my list is that I grew to truly care for this band of misfits, and every decision involved frantically weighing my options. I will absolutely being playing through this a couple more times to see every outcome.
The Mini Award for one of the many moments that made me tear up this year goes to: “Keep up.” Who’s cutting onions?
3. Ghost of Yōtei – PS5
Ghost of Tsushima is one of my favorite games of all time, so of course, its sequel is one I’ve been looking forward to since its announcement. And while it doesn’t quite hit the same narrative highs as its predecessor, Ghost of Yōtei improves on the combat mechanics to a near-perfect degree. It’s more of the same, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing — clearing out a camp in both games offers almost endless player agency, allowing you to take out enemies in any way you desire. And the character loadout options are sick. I spent an embarrassing amount of time kitting Atsu out with Charms and making sure her outfits fit the playstyle I was going for. I’m a sucker for good character customization.
The Mini Award for one of the hardest fights of the year goes to: Takezo. Fuck this dude.
2. Hades II – Switch, Switch 2, PC
The reveal trailer for Hades II goes down in my personal history book as one of the sickest reveals in recent memory. Like Ghost of Yōtei, Hades II iterates on what made the original game great. But unlike Yōtei, it expands on the formula massively, offering so much more variety for players to chip away at. Having the option to take two different routes this time around means there’s so much more story to experience, and boy, did Supergiant deliver. It’s genuinely impressive the amount of dialogue this game has, and even at over 50 hours, I have yet to achieve the real ending — there’s just so much game here, and every second of it is incredible.
The Mini Award for character I have a huge crush on goes to: Take your pick.
1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 checks every box for me personally. I adore turn-based RPGs, deep character customization, and an emotional story rich with lore and history. Sprinkle in some light humor and a freakin’ overworld map, and voila, my game of the year for 2025. It’s clear that the team over at Sandfall Interactive intended this to be a love letter to a genre so many of us grew up with (and is a big reason why we’re in this industry at all), and its influences are clear without feeling too derivative. The inclusion of dodge and parry mechanics in a turn-based combat system helps the fights feel fresh and kept me engaged throughout the entirety of my playthrough. One of my favorite aspects of any turn-based RPG is boss battles, and Clair Obscur has some of the most cinematic, grandiose, mechanically unique encounters I’ve played in a while. The game’s story tugs at my heartstrings pretty hard, opting for some unconventional narrative decisions and misdirection that truly pay off. The conversation around this game in the broader industry has now fallen victim to annoying discourse, but I assure you that this one is special if you give it the chance. For those who come after.
The Mini Award for cutest lil’ big guy goes to: Esquie. Or Noco. Or Monoco. I can’t decide.
Another year, another top 10 list. There are plenty of games I’d like to mention honorably, such as Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, Ball X Pit, and Cronos: The New Dawn, but they sadly didn’t quite hit the highs I needed for them to make the list. Of course, as there are sadly only 24 hours in a day, there were some critically lauded games I had no time to play that I’d like to check out in the future, such as Kingdom Come Deliverance II. Whatever the case, 2025 was another banner year for our hot-and-cold industry, and I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing what 2026 has in store, especially now that the Switch 2 era is in full swing. And from what I’ve played at events, I already know Resident Evil Requiem will be on my top 10 next year.