Every time I complete a game, one of the first things I do is head to a notepad file on my computer and update my ranks for the year based on how I feel.
I do this for a few reasons. First off, I just find it fun. But also, by doing this as I go, I think it saves me from a recency bias that is prevalent in so many game rankings out there. I think the very best games do fine if they come out early in the year. I don’t think Expedition 33 will have any problems despite coming out in April, for example. But I think a lot of those games just one tier below absolute greatness start to get forgotten about as the year goes along. It was astounding to me how absent Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was on most game of the year lists last year, and I can’t help but feel like an October release would have made that a different story.
So, in part because I’m just excited to get some ranks out, and in part because I think a lot of games released in the first half of the year fight an uphill battle at year’s end, I like to highlight great games that had the bravery to release early in the year. I already released my first half of the year awards earlier this week, and now, in this article, I will reveal my top 10 games of the year so far.
A few weeks ago, I said that 2025 was a bit behind 2024 and 2023 in terms of game quality. I firmly believed that. But in the weeks since then, I have now played what I’d currently say are my #2, #4, and #5 games of the year. Suddenly, 2025 might be a better gaming year than the last two years, which were both phenomenal years. It’s such an exciting time to play video games, even if the industry remains a complete mess right now.
With that, let’s celebrate some wins. Here are my top 10 games of the year so far.
10. Monster Train 2
The original Monster Train was in my top 10 games of 2020, so I was very excited to find out that a sequel was coming out this year. As expected, Monster Train 2 has lived up to the hype for me.
While there are a lot of roguelike deckbuilders out there, I still haven’t seen anything else quite mix tower defense and deckbuilding the way this game does. So even though this game kind of feels like Monster Train 1.75 instead of Monster Train 2, it doesn’t matter all that much. It still feels pretty dang fresh.
Monster Train 2 has just enough smart tweaks to make jumping back into this gameplay loop a total delight. There is so much depth and so many ways to build a great deck. I’ve won some runs by having a really cohesive build, and I’ve won some runs by finding the perfect upgrades for one card and just letting it carry me. I love it when games have as many options as this one does. I’ve won something like 5 runs so far, and I hope to win many more before the year is up.
9. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
I did not care for Kingdom Come: Deliverance for a variety of reasons. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II feels like it’s the game where the developer’s true vision has come to life.
Immersion is a word thrown around pretty loosely at times, but this game truly embodies it. This game actually makes me feel like I’m in the 1400s in Bohemia. There was so much care poured into every detail of this game. Every single thing you do feels earned, from making potions to sharpening your sword. The game also is no slouch on its story. It has one of my favorite stories this year, and a lot of great stories in every side quest, too.
The game can also be kind of annoying and janky in spots still. I also still do not care for the combat all that much. But everything else around it is so good that I know I need to finish it before the end of the year. I’m a little over halfway through it as it stands. This is a tough one to jump back into after a hiatus, because there are so many different systems to learn, but there’s enough quality here where I’m going to suck it up and do it eventually.
8. Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Assassin’s Creed Shadows probably has the best gameplay of any game in the series. It feels like everything has been tweaked to be a bit better than past games. The combat feels great. The enemy AI in stealth is a little better. The exploration surprisingly has some really cool organic elements to it that make it much more interesting than past games. The mission board is also by far the coolest in the series. Watching the mission board update after accomplishing something never gets old.
Now, I’m not going to deny that the game as a whole can’t get old. There is just a lot here, and the story isn’t all that compelling, But I was very into this game for like 40 hours before slowing down on it, and it’s really not easy to keep my attention for that long. Also, while I am complaining about the story, I think it’s worth noting that I have encountered three incredible story moments as I’ve played it. So, while it can be meandering, there are some very high highs tucked in there.
This is one of those games I like to pick up for a few hours in between games at this point. I am going to keep poking away at this one until I finish. Because the core stuff is worth seeing through to the end, even if there is a freaking lot of it.
7. DOOM: The Dark Ages
DOOM: Eternal felt like a pretty bold leap from DOOM (2016). DOOM: The Dark Ages somehow feels even bolder, but the vast majority of the risks they took paid off big time. The implementation of a shield in particular is dang near flawless. I found the new parry mechanic to be a lot of fun, but the new shield thrust is the real star of the show. Zooming forward with the shield and bashing enemies with it never gets old. It’s one of the coolest combinations of mobility and power that I’ve ever seen in an FPS. The Dark Ages also feels like the game where they finally really nailed the exploration elements of the game, which I often found annoying in past games.
A few swings miss as you’d expect with anything that tries to be brave, but this is one hell of a shooter (ahh shit, that was unintentional, I swear). I do think the game loses a little bit of steam in the back half of the game, but I still have three levels to finish. If the game ends with a bang, this could still move up a few ranks by year end.
6. Wanderstop
Cozy games are very funny, as the most used trope in these games is that someone is burned out on the big city life, so they want to live in a more tranquil, stress-free space. The person then proceeds to have a far busier and more stressful life than they probably ever had working a 9-5. But hey, I’m not one to judge!
I like to say that Wanderstop is one of the only *actual* cozy games in existence. You play as character dealing with burnout, which leads them to working in this odd tea shop in a forest. However, the game actually takes this burnout theme seriously. The whole game is built around it. The gameplay manages to be relaxing, but it’s involved enough, so it still has a lot of fun attached to it. The story is also pretty interesting throughout, and it ends in a great way. Wanderstop also has one of my favorite characters of the year. A great art style and music complement the whole vibe of the game perfectly as well. All of its strengths have led to me still holding it in higher regard than several AAA titans that have been released this year. If you like the cozy genre at all, this is a must play.
5. Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo
There’s nothing better than when an indie game completely sneaks up on you and storms up your top 10 list. That happened to me with Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo. This is a Metroidvania game with a Game Boy Zelda flow to it, and the game nails both elements of that. The exploration and ability to go back and use new skills to unlock more areas the game goes along is consistently satisfying. There are secrets packed everywhere you go here. The game also rewards you nicely for your hard work, which is good, because while I wouldn’t say that the game is super hard, it also isn’t easy.
Similarly, it does great with its mix of puzzle solving, platforming, and combat. I’d say the core of the game is its puzzle solving, and that is easily on the level of any old school Zelda game for me. I actually think some of the puzzles are a bit trickier than Zelda puzzles, but they never get too out there in my view. The combat and platforming aren’t quite as strong as the puzzles, but they each have a surprising amount of depth and are well done as well.
4. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
It feels weird not to have this game at #2, as I am fully anticipating it being at least at that spot for my year-end list. It is also the one game on this list that has the potential to become my #1. But I’m only on episode 4 so far, and while I’m having a good time, the game hasn’t grabbed me quite on that #2 level yet. I’ve been fine with passing it up to play other stuff at times, which is usually a pretty clear sign that I’m not “all in” on a game yet.
It takes a bit for Death Stranding 2 to get going. Episode 1 is a decent sized tutorial with not much going on plot wise, but once things pick up, it’s hard not to get invested. I love a lot of the gameplay tweaks here as well. There’s some nice quality of life improvements to the deliveries, and actually being excited to fight enemies instead of actively avoiding them is a very nice change. I’m having a great time, but I’m also ready for the gameplay and the plot to continue to evolve. I have a lot of faith that they will, given the man helming this game. I can’t wait to see where this one lands at year end.
3. Split Fiction
It’s tough for Split Fiction that I consider it the best game ever designed purely for co-op, and yet it still sits at #3, and could go down another spot once I get a little further into Death Stranding 2. Split Fiction just has the bad luck to be released in an absolutely packed year. That doesn’t take away from how great it is.
Split Fiction takes everything that Hazelight learned from It Takes Two and amps it all up to the next level. The game alternating between science fiction and fantasy allows them to truly let their imaginations run wild. Split Fiction throws one crazy scenario after another at you. The pacing is incredible, as are the number of different gameplay mechanics you get to play with. As great as the main story is, the game probably is even better with its side quests, which will have you playing as a pig, flying on kites, and doing a bunch of other random things. This game is so imaginative at every turn, and I have absolutely no idea how they can one-up it for their next game.
2. Rematch
I’m more shocked than anyone that I have Rematch at #2 currently. I almost never play sports games, and multiplayer games usually don’t keep my attention for much more than a week or two. I thought Helldivers 2 was awesome last year, yet I still only logged about 15 hours into it.
But Rematch is different. I think I will be playing this game all year at the very least.
I think what separates Rematch for me is that it is obviously an “arcade” style sports game. It is very easy to pick up and play and is way faster paced than any soccer game striving to be accurate. It’s only 5 v 5 at the maximum, and you play in an enclosed arena that allows for wall shots and no out of bounds. Despite the sci-fi aesthetic and faster pace, the game still feels incredibly grounded. Each one on one encounter with an opponent feels a lot like how I would defend someone in space in real life. When I play as a goalie, I make all the same strategic decisions that I would make as one in real life.
It also takes all the stuff that was really fun in Rocket League, but takes out a little bit of the massive learning curve that it took to get really good at that game. Yes, this feels like Rocket League except with real soccer. That always feels dumb as hell to say, but it is actually true. Rematch could use a few more ranked modes and has a few janky elements to iron out, but the core gameplay is so damn good. This game is only going to get better as time goes on. Sloclap pivoting from Sifu into making this game just shows how unbelievably talented they are as developers.
1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
If you read my “BigNerdGaming Mid-Year Awards” earlier this week, you probably knew this was coming. Expedition 33 is currently my #1 game this year for story, combat, music, art direction, performance, and characters. It is absolutely dominating.
And it’s not just necessarily #1 for this year. Expedition 33 very well might have my favorite video game story of all time. It’s probably in my top 5 ever for art direction. The soundtrack also might be top 5 for me. It is likely in my top 5 favorite turn based combat systems ever, too. There are a few annoyances with quality of life things and exploration, but that’s not enough to detract from a very special experience, and one I would consider in my top 10 of all time. I truly hope another game comes along and surpasses this one this year because if one does, this year will be even more unbelievable than it already is.
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