Every Game of the Year Contender Released So Far in 2025

2025 has been a phenomenal year for video games, and we're only halfway through it. Across many platforms and genres, both AAA blockbusters and the smallest indie titles have found ways to impress gamers, whether they're casual or critics. We want to shine a light on some of the best games of the year and have compiled a definitive list of the highest-rated games of 2025 and those most likely to receive a Game of the Year award.

• Developer(s) - Sandfall Interactive
• Release Date - April 24, 2025
• Platforms - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
• Average Critic Score - 92

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a story-driven JRPG that pays homage to the 90s era of JRPGs. It combines turn-based combat with real-time action elements in a dark fantasy setting. The player must stop the Paintress, a mystical being that erases people of a certain age in an event known as the Gomage. Over more than 50 hours, the player will discover that this premise is far more complex than it initially appears.

The game is explicitly praised for its brilliant take on turn-based combat and its personal and emotional story. Not to mention the game's art direction and atmosphere.

• Developer(s) - Hazelight Studios
• Release Date - March 6, 2025
• Platforms - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
• Average Critic Score - 90

For fans of couch co-op experiences, Split Fiction is a co-op action-adventure game designed specifically for you. The game was created by the developer of 2021's Game of the Year, Hazelight Studios, the creators of It Takes Two. The players follow two protagonists who get pulled into each other's fictional worlds. The game's ability to maintain its momentum and constantly shift between light-hearted and serious tones while traversing multiple game genres is what makes it a standout title.

Split Fiction is a game for those who love video games.

• Developer(s) - Warhorse Studios
• Release Date - February 4, 2025
• Platforms - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
• Average Critic Score - 89

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a large-scale open-world RPG set in medieval Bohemia. The first Kingdom Come: Deliverance title is a cult classic, and this title has been able to garner much more mainstream attention. It takes an already real feeling game and dials it up to 11 with more realistic combat, survival, and overall world simulation. Fans and critics love Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 because of its stellar storytelling, excellent voice acting, and polish.

• Developer(s) - Dogubomb
• Release Date - April 10, 2025
• Platforms - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
• Average Critic Score - 89

For those who are willing to dive into brain-melting puzzles, look no further than Dogubomb's Blue Prince. The goal of this title is to design the layout of a mansion's room to find Room 46. It's a creative blend of mystery and puzzle design in the same vein as Return of the Obra Dinn. The game will not be for everyone, but for those who prefer their games to be unique and unafraid to alienate some of their audience, it's a must-play. Puzzle games are already a pretty niche genre, but sometimes the cream of the crop is enough to pull those in outside of its expected reach.

• Developer(s) - Capcom
• Release Date - February 27, 2025
• Platforms - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
• Average Critic Score - 89

Do not let the mostly negative reviews on Steam fool you; Monster Hunter Wilds is, without a doubt, one of the best games of the year, albeit with a few glaring content issues. This latest installment in the Monster Hunter action-RPG series is the most accessible entry to date. Everything has been refined, including the game's movement, weapons, and numerous quality-of-life improvements to the UI and progression.

The game is addictive, but not enough content to support its gameplay loop. After it receives its much-anticipated complete expansion, the narrative will surely shift around Monster Hunter Wilds.

• Developer(s) - Level-5
• Release Date - April 1, 2025
• Platforms - Switch, PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
• Average Critic Score - 87

A cozy life-simulation RPG and the follow-up to the original Fantasy Life, The Girl Who Steals Time is a masterful blend of Animal Crossing and action RPG mechanics. It's charming, colorful, and reminds players that cozy titles will always be available for you to sink countless hours into. The game is perfect for fans of the original title as it improves on the 3DS exclusive in every way. There's always something to do, and its core gameplay loop of endless progression is perfect for those willing to give it a fair shake.