From action-packed adventures to strategic role-playing games, 2025 was packed full of new video games that both surprised and delighted at the same time. Here are just a few of the most notable releases from this past year.
Clair Obscure: Expedition 33
Let’s get this out of the way; those who watched the Game Awards know that Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 absolutely swept the board, winning nine total awards: Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Performance, Best Music, Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie Game and Best RPG. This broke the record holder by two awards, which was in 2020 by The Last of Us: Part II. Did it deserve all of these awards? No comment. But it certainly deserves praise for its unique and entertaining story, accompanied by beautiful music that competes with stunning visuals.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
This game did not go invisible in the slightest. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach stands as the second runner-up in the Game Awards and is certainly one of the greatest Kojima experiences you can witness in this game. The nonsensical plot hits hard with amazing visuals and a straight-up bizarre cast of characters. Every silly or weird moment, ranging from holographic Japanese dance concerts to guitar final boss battles and emotionally impacting scenes, is executed perfectly when desired. Many contend that this game was “snubbed” at the Game Awards, winning no awards, even with its strong critical reception.
Donkey Kong Bananza
The high reception around Donkey Kong Bananza was abundantly clear; its distinctive playing style captured the attention of many people, ranging from adults to children. It provided a playing experience that everyone could truly enjoy. Some expressed that rather than a platformer, it was more akin to the video game Super Mario Odyssey, as the game really took the opportunity to create a unique play style, from destroying terrain to punching objects to truly represent Donkey Kong’s character. Overall, it is a blast to play this game and earned its right to be a contender for the game of the year.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
This game surprised players with its abrupt and under-the-radar release, but playing the game firsthand really made many appreciate the wait. The intriguing art and characters of the world of Hollow Knight are expanded in Hollow Knight: Silksong, along with its difficulty. The only thing that upsets fans more than combat is when their favorite game is ignored at the Game Awards. Thankfully, Silksong was rightfully able to pull through and avoid that fate, achieving the title of Best Action/Adventure game.
“Hades II”
Although the second installment of Hades II is not quite a sequel, it used the building blocks of the first game and added a little more on top. It feels as if the developers of Hades II, Supergiant Games, took the “don’t fix what isn’t broke” approach — an approach that paid off well for its efforts, considering they were able to win the best Action Game Award as well. It is still a rough-like and similar distinct art style that keeps players engaged, though this iteration expands on gathering and crafting, as well as weapons and gods, in addition to giving much more story content to absorb.
“Kingdom Come: Deliverance II”
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II has surprisingly flown under the radar amongst popular discussion, considering that it was in the top six in the Game Awards this year. This action role-playing game, developed by Warhorse Studios, apparently had a previous game; it is complemented by amazing historical immersion during the year 1403. It contains excellent writing and voice acting, along with the inclusion of expansive maps – not just one, but two.