One other 12 months has come and gone, one other journey round our solar accomplished. For the online game trade, it was an odd and turbulent one — layoffs, studio closures, corporations being purchased and offered. However not less than we acquired some nice video games out of it, proper?
As at all times, the tip of the 12 months brings with it the inevitable flood of “Finest Video games of the 12 months” articles. I needed to do one thing slightly totally different. This isn’t only a record of my favorite video games of the 12 months, however a set of standouts for very totally different causes — some good, some irritating, some unexpectedly private.
Earlier than I begin itemizing off the video games I performed and wish to chat about, let’s deal with a couple of of the apparent absences.
The primary is the mighty Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, winner of each award identified to mankind and a number of other that aren’t. As a Scotsman, the intense Frenchness of the sport is already a tough hurdle to beat. However that flaw apart (I’m joking, clearly. Or am I?), I did fireplace up Expedition 33 on Sport Go and performed for about an hour.
I truthfully don’t know why I ended. I used to be busy with different video games on the time, and Expedition 33 hadn’t been despatched in for evaluate whereas others had, so that they took precedence — and I simply by no means went again. I’m hoping to seek out the time in 2026.
Hades 2 is one other shocking omission. Hades is one in all my favorite video games of all time, however I didn’t really feel any hype for the sequel. I believe partly as a result of I didn’t need one. Hades felt full. With that mentioned, I’ve a sneaking suspicion that once I do lastly get round to Hades 2, I’ll find it irresistible too.
Lastly, I didn’t play any of the video games competing for Sport of the 12 months at The Sport Awards: no Loss of life Stranding 2: On the Seashore, no Hole Knight: Silksong, no Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Is that loopy? Most likely. However this 12 months, I discovered myself wandering different paths. Who is aware of — possibly 2026 will see me catching up.
The Outer Worlds 2
The Finest Sport Of 2025 That I Didn’t Overview
Typically it’s simply good to have one thing to your self, isn’t it?
Nearly all the pieces I play, I play with the intent of reviewing it and thus are inclined to blast by it as rapidly as I can, like a cocaine-fuelled monkey with a keyboard. That was the plan with The Outer Worlds 2, however as a substitute what truly occurred is that I’ve been slowly chipping away at it, and I’m extraordinarily grateful for that reality.
Obsidian has had a busy 12 months, managing to shove not one, not two, however three video games out the door. Avowed was respectable however finally slightly forgettable. The Outer Worlds 2, although, is a distinct area beast fully. I’ve been having heaps of enjoyable traipsing across the galaxy, accumulating weapons and finishing quests. In some ways, that is what I needed Starfield to be
The failings system is a specific spotlight. It didn’t take lengthy for me to be provided “dangerous knees” in alternate for higher sneaking, as a result of I spent all my time wandering round crouched. Now I’m tremendous quiet when sneaking, however the second I get up my knees pop so loudly that everybody on the planet — and possibly everybody in orbit — is aware of the place I’m.
Since then, I’ve additionally change into “simply distracted”, a perk that… is {that a} shiny object!? OMG!
Other than being enjoyable mechanically, the issues add an entertaining role-playing layer, giving further character to my mute adventurer.
Gunplay is stable, quests are entertaining, and the story is robust. The companions are sadly the weakest a part of the sport — an issue Avowed additionally suffered from. A pair are fascinating, however the remainder are forgettable bumpkins who simply kind of exist.
I additionally love what number of ability checks there are. Positive, they’re typically arbitrary and don’t transform outcomes, however there’s nonetheless a thrill in accessing areas or speaking your approach by conditions purely based mostly on the way you’ve constructed your character. It makes me wish to replay the sport with a distinct construct.
A very nice RPG. Not top-tier, however a stable 4 stars. Disgrace Microsoft buggered up the advertising and marketing for the entire thing by deciding to make it an $80 sport after which backtracking like loopy. Good job.
Marvel’s Cosmic Invasion
The Finest Factor Marvel Did In 2025
A side-scrolling beat ’em up, you say? From the chaps and chapettes who did TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge? With a roster of Marvel heroes, some massive, some small? Signal me the hell up!
Critically, this sport is stupidly enjoyable. I wrote my evaluate pretty just lately, so I’ve little else to say besides that this is likely to be my favorite sport of the 12 months. The beat ’em up gameplay is past satisfying, the roster is a superb mix of huge names and lesser-used characters, the co-op is a blast and grabbing the Platinum trophy felt extraordinarily rewarding.
And only for enjoyable, right here’s who I would like added as DLC: Gambit. His powerset can be good for this sport, and after his look in Deadpool vs Wolverine, he’s extra identified than ever.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
The Finest Sport From 2006 That I Performed In 2025
Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, isn’t it? Stepping again into Cyrodiil — rising from the sewers and into that vibrant land — felt like having nostalgia injected straight into my mind. That music. That wonderful fundamental theme.
In some ways, it’s aged with all of the grace of a clown on a pogo stick. There’s no getting round it. It’s practically twenty years outdated, and even at launch it was thought-about a bit tough, a bit janky. That outdated Bethesda allure that has since soured, however was in full power again then.
I don’t care, although. For all of its very apparent flaws, Oblivion stays a improbable first-person RPG stuffed with sturdy quest designs, levelling system, and it lets me create my very own stupidly highly effective spells. It was a pleasure taking part in by this once more, and I even discover myself pondering it was higher than Skyrim.
However then once more, they do say absence makes the guts develop fonder, and it’s fairly onerous fonder of Skyrim when it refuses to do the absence half and as a substitute retains getting re-released each 5 minutes.
Try my full evaluate right here.
Mafia: The Outdated Nation
The Finest Sport That Made Me Really feel Issues
I used to be deeply glad to see the return of Mafia, and even happier with the way it did it: a targeted expertise that makes sensible use of its double-A price range. It’s a powerful counterargument to an trade obsessive about bloated budgets and infinite growth cycles.
The story is the sport’s focus, a basic Mafia story of a younger man being “saved” from a horrible life by a Don and step by step turning into an increasing number of concerned within the household’s lifetime of crime, by no means realising he’s traded one kind of slavery for one more. Throw in a forbidden romance and also you’ve acquired the foundations for a compelling, albeit pretty simple, story of loyalty, love and loss.
Easy? Sure. Considerably predictable? Additionally sure. However, executed fantastically by well-written characters and stellar performances. It’s not fairly often a sport tugs at my meagre heartstrings, and but that’s what The Outdated Nation did. When the credit went scooting up the display screen, I put down my controller with the form of glad sigh I often reserve for ending e-book.
When it comes to gameplay, it’s nothing particular. Customary taking pictures, knife fights that lose their oomph after the primary couple, primary driving. However when you love story, that is the sport for you.
South Of Midnight
The Finest Sport With All The Swagger
With regards to its platforming and its fight, South of Midnight is about as memorable as a Pot Noodle. And never even one of many good ones, like…um. Okay, there’s no good one. However you ge the purpose.
However relating to the vibes, South of Midnight is one thing else fully, a folksy supernatural story wrapped in a stunning aesthetic and a placing stop-motion animation fashion, it oozes character. And the music — that’s what brings all of it collectively. Southern blues, heaps of soul.
I don’t keep in mind each gameplay beat, however I keep in mind the music. I keep in mind the characters. I keep in mind these moments the place the sport abruptly blooms right into a musical quantity. Actually, the builders ought to simply go and make an animated movie, as a result of I’d watch the hell out of it.
As a substitute, all that love and creativity is wrapped round a totally mediocre action-adventure core, leaving the sport struggling to seek out an viewers. Not less than Sport Go gave South of Midnight an opportunity to exist — and for that, I’m glad.
Additionally, the truth that it wasn’t nominated for Finest Music at The Sport Awards is an absolute travesty.
The Alters
The Finest Sport I Actually Need To Like However Can’t
The Alters is without doubt one of the cleverest video games of 2025, each conceptually and in execution. It’s sci-fi premise of being stranded on a hostile planet the place it’s important to fastidiously handle sources whereas staying forward of the solar is already a stable setup for a administration sport, however once you throw in a crew of clones you find yourself with one thing very cool certainly.
The one most spectacular side of the sport is Alex Jordan , the bloke who not solely performs the function of Jan Dolski, but in addition all of the clones. Since each clone is predicated on totally different paths Jan might have taken in life, they’re all totally different, from a logical scientist to a blue-collar miner to a therapist. All totally different, however all nonetheless Jan. Alex Jordan manages to seize that completely, giving every a particular voice. His work is spectacular, and he ought to have been nominated for his performances at The Sport Awards. As a substitute, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 acquired a number of nominations.
As a lot as I do know the sport is nice, although, I hated taking part in it. On the time, I used to be coping with the sluggish decline of my beloved canine’s well being on account of bone most cancers, and was confronted with making quite a lot of onerous choices over that and another private issues. In brief, my head merely wasn’t in a spot the place I may have interaction with a sport that consistently demanded onerous decisions underneath an ever-ticking clock. It made me really feel wired and anxious at a time once I didn’t want extra of both emotion being dropped into my mind chemistry.
The excellent news is that I wish to return to The Alters sometime. Possibly, given sufficient time and distance, the affiliation with that interval will fade sufficient for me to totally respect what the sport is doing.
Learn my evaluate of The Alters.
Shinobi: Artwork of Vengeance
The Finest Sport About Being A Ninja
2025 had an unusually giant variety of video games about being a ninja, and even weirder is that three of them have been all new video games in outdated franchises. After all, my declare is a bit daring: Shinobi won’t be one of the best sport about being a ninja as a result of I didn’t play the opposite ones, however a little bit of hyperbole is at all times enjoyable, isn’t it? And regardless, ninja-lovers did fairly effectively for themselves in 2025.
Stupidity apart, Artwork of Vengeance is a terrific return for the collection. Easy fight, stunning visuals, and a ninja known as Joe — probably the least ninja identify possible. It’s a kind of video games that simply feels good to play, letting you slip right into a zen-like state as you duck, dive, dodge, and decimate your approach by enemies.
Oh, after which I went and replayed it with the 8BitDo Xbox Arcade controller that I reviewed this 12 months. Holy shit, of us, that was a hell of an expertise! It already felt good, however once you throw in massive clicky buttons which can be designed to really feel like an arcade cupboard, it turns into one thing else fully.
Let’s hope this marks the return of Shinobi. We want extra of this.
And it’s good to learn my evaluate for Artwork of Vengeance.
Battlefield 6
The Sport That Made Me Suppose I’m Too Outdated For This Shit
What a 12 months for Battlefield, eh? First, Name of Responsibility poops the mattress, delivering one of many worst-reviewed video games the collection has seen in years, after which it brings in a lot decrease than regular participant numbers and gross sales. The timing was good for a returning Battlefield 6, which was not solely an awesome shooter but in addition targeted on key advertising and marketing factors designed to tempt CoD gamers. Hey, it mentioned, we don’t have these silly clown colors and Rick & Morty skins, so possibly it is best to come hang around with the remainder of us adults.
Now, again once I was however a wee nipper (I’m nonetheless wee, however now additionally older and extra irritated, on the whole) I used to be fairly good at Battlefield: Dangerous Firm 2. And through the years I maintained respectable multiplayer abilities. However these previous few years, I’ve barely ventured into the fabled lands of multiplayer, also referred to as the dominion of I Fucked Your Mum Final Evening. So once I stepped into Battlefield 6’s multiplayer, able to have time, what truly occurred was tantamount to the homicide of my ego. Poor bastard didn’t stand an opportunity.
Look, it isn’t the sport’s fault. Nope. Battlefield 6 is superior. I’m the problem right here. Each match, I used to be overwhelmed, attempting to determine the place I used to be and the place the enemy was. There’s a lot detailed stuff on the display screen today that I discover it onerous to select the pixels of a shifting enemy, not to mention shoot them rapidly sufficient.
Positive, if I put within the time I’d in all probability enhance, however my lasting reminiscence of Battlefield 6 is an easy one: am I getting outdated?
Then once more, does it actually matter once I’m laughing myself silly at a teammate by chance wedging a tank right into a tiny alley and blocking a whole route? Most likely not. What I actually need to do is settle for my mediocrity, embrace the chaos, and benefit from the spectacle.
Lengthy dwell Battlefield. It’s good to have you ever again.
A fast wrap-up
Wanting again, this seems like a 12 months the place video games mattered to me much less as “merchandise” and extra as experiences formed by time, temper, and circumstance. Some hit onerous. Some bounced off fully. Some shocked me by sticking round longer than anticipated. And truthfully? I believe I desire trying on the 12 months this manner.
Let me know when you most well-liked this over a normal “Better of 2025” record.
