Looking back on gaming in 2025, it’s hard to not think about it as a year that the industry took several black eyes. Layoffs, controversies, fallout from mergers, and rising costs are the main things that defined the medium this year. More than previous years, there’s a sense that players and critics came to alignment that things are off. Sure, we’ll eventually see Grand Theft Auto 6, but that’s coming with a possible $100 price tag. Console and PC part prices skyrocketed thanks to an administration that also tried to co-opt the language of gamers in the same breath. Politics are always a factor in gaming but this is the year it really was unavoidable.
Truly in spite of all this, individual games thrive. More and more independent and “independent” games are getting attention from wide audiences and press. Creative risks like Promise Mascot Agency are carving out a niche of games reminiscent of the wide experimentations of the PS2 era. Dispatch proves that choice driven narrative games still have weight beyond horror and Life is Strange. And even in a rough year, there are too many quality games to list them all here. For us at InBetweenDrafts, these are the ones we love the most.
Here are the best games of 2025.
10. Baby Steps
Baby Steps, about a grown man in a onesie falling down, is one of the most emotionally resonate and thoughtful games of the year. Yes, that sounds like a joke – and Baby Steps is truly one of the funniest games of the year too – but it’s also very true. Nate’s undying odyssey through the wilderness is one that constantly confronts masculinity through its absurdity.
As Nate QWOPs his way to freedom (and a private bathroom) the game’s wacky mechanics subtly trick players into projecting frustration and humiliation onto Nate. The way the game pays that off are worth experiencing unspoiled, but it’s extremely clever. Despite these tricks, the game avoids turning the irresponsible Nate into a sympathy project; avoiding the mistake of coddling a male character for their own actions. [Travis Hymas]
Baby Steps is available on PC/Steam and PlayStation 5.
9. Mario Kart World
In 2025 we finally got the Nintendo Switch 2. And with that new console came the first fully new Mario Kart title in a decade: Mario Kart World. These games are everyone’s favorite racing game to play with friends, family, significant others and children, because it has the power to make or break relationships for decades. This time around, Mario Kart World takes that love and adds a new open world element to it to drive around and explore a decently sized map of interconnected tracks. Along with that and some gorgeous looking graphical improvements thanks to the power of the Switch 2, Mario Kart World keeps up the tradition of making game nights exciting and full for years to come. [Tyler Carlson]
Mario Kart World is available on Nintendo Switch 2.
8. Peak
Peak, a cooperative game that strands players on a deserted mountain island, originally was just a funny little game jam idea between studios Aggro Crab (Another Crab’s Treasure) and Landfall (Totally Accurate Battle Simulator) to unwind. The end result is a fun adventure of debating between weighing down with food and asking “why does my friend suddenly look so delicious?” The response to the game has led to an expansion of content, culminating in a special end year in-game concert with artist bbno$ and streamers Ironmouse and Vanillamace, giving a stamina boost to give players an easier time climbing the mountain. Either with friends or solo, Peak really is a mountain worth the climb. [Drea H.]
Peak is available on Steam.
7. Ball x Pit
Ball x Pit is the kind of game that scratches so many itches that it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what makes it work so well. The closest comparison is clearly Vampire Survivors, another game that mixes bullet-hell gameplay with retro aesthetics and roguelike progression; but Ball x Pit adds city planning and Breakout ball bouncing action. Both modes play off each other perfectly, placing players in the “just one more run” mentality that these kinds of games live or die by.
Once you get deep enough into the game the true star of the game comes to light – “special” balls evolve into new ones once they are leveled enough, then fusing these balls together (even ones that have already been evolved). This feature elevates an already addictive experience into one in which players creatively make game breaking combinations that will leave you feeling like you pulled off something that shouldn’t be allowed. It’s an achievement of gameplay design that makes Ball x Pit stand tall alongside its competitors. [Quinn Parulis]
Ball x Pit is available on PC/Steam, macOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch/Switch 2.
6. Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
Once again, designer Gareth Damian Martin uses TTRPG mechanics and beautiful prose to reflect an uncaring space in Citizen Sleeper 2. The game expands the reach beyond the first game’s space station to an entire slice of the galaxy and a full ship crew. Doing this introduces mechanical depth to the dice system and a whole new slew of anxieties.
Citizen Sleeper 2 does not miss a beat in these changes. Instead of adding new bells and whistles, refinement of what works and evolving those good systems does wonders for a run-through. Every risky action has larger consequences, with more timers breathing down the Sleeper’s neck, immediately connecting the player to their character. What’s more, the design of Citizen Sleeper 2 serves as a companion to the first game rather than a strictly better version. This means the two together make a magnificent double feature. [Travis Hymas]
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is available on PC/Steam, macOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
5. Blue Prince
Blue Prince designer Tonda Ros sought to create an indie game inspired by board games of his youth and indie hits of the 2010s like The Witness and Gone Home. The game allows players the freedom to navigate through the elusive mansion’s randomly sorted rooms by selecting rooms to choose from in a “drafting” process as they make their way through each door. The tricky bit is the ever descending footstep counter that limits the player’s ability to search the entirety of the mansion in a single run, making a true challenge of reaching the antechamber. Much akin to Outer Wilds, Blue Prince pulls off some magnificent long term reveals and puzzles that provide information to players that they’ll carry with them later into the journey, making an itch to keep playing new runs over and over and optimize their routes. [Evan Griffin]
Blue Prince is available on PC/Steam, macOS, PlayStation 5, and Xbox.
4. Hollow Knight: Silksong
The original Hollow Knight is a legend, a success story of a game developed by a small and passionate team inspired by old platformers that is held up as a modern classic upon its release for its quirky art style and incredibly tight and challenging gameplay. After over six years in quiet development, Hollow Knight Silksong (originally a DLC expansion) became one of gaming’s white whales. When it finally dropped with only a week’s notice, it came with a release note stating that the developers only took so long because they were having too much fun making the game. That sentiment, practically unheard of these days, shows in every facet of the game.
Building upon an already solid foundation, Silksong is a labor of love that fleshes out literally every aspect of what made the original work. There’s a bigger and more diverse map, creative boss fights, adorable new bugs to love, a protagonist with actual dialogue, and a more thematically weighty quest than anything hinted at in Hollow Knight. Silksong is a monument to the type of singular visions that can only be achieved by the unified teamwork of a group that truly loves what they do. [Quinn Parulis]
Hollow Knight: Silksong is available on PC/Steam, macOS, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch/Switch 2.
3. Hades II
Supergiant did it again, but we knew that when Hades II launched into early access in 2024. Thankfully, the sequel’s core 1.0 version has refined not just the early version of the game, but has greatly extrapolated and refined the core Hades experience. That refinement feels so pivotal, that many are clamoring for the same kind of quality of life edits to the original game. Melinoe’s powers, while different from her brother Zagareus, are robust with impressive variety and strategy available to players.
The combat is as tight as ever but even returning to Erebus after each run is filled with witchcraft, planting, shopping and character interactions that expand upon the routine visits of the first entry. The successor to the Mirror of Night in Arcana Cards expands Melinoe’s grasp by sorting upgrades to her abilities with a limited number of points available to really push creative builds. As players invest more into these abilities and skills and crafting equipment, Melinoe’s strength grows considerably, and player progression is thusly as satisfying as ever. [Evan Griffin]
Hades II is available on PC/Steam, macOS, and Nintendo Switch/Switch 2.
2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Being the most talked about video game in an incredibly strong year is a remarkable achievement. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the winner of nearly every game of the year award, (mostly) skirts criticism through force of charm. It comes a (mostly) independent French studio, blends historic RPG tropes with clever and (mostly) original mechanics, features quirky characters with strong voice acting in a colorful and unique setting; all wrapped together by one of the tightest narratives of the year.
That narrative unabashedly wears its inspirations on its sleeves and is unafraid of the kind of contradictions rarely seen in games of this scope. The existentially tragic and grounded expedition is balanced by the prominence of baguettes, berets and whimsy. “Learn from the ones who came before, and lay the trail for the ones who come after” perfectly encapsulates the experience of playing Clair Obscur – a motto of reverence and ambition that should serve as a reminder that gaming as a platform should equally champion art and entertainment. [Quinn Parulis]
Editors note: There has been a lot of discussion since we began working on this list regarding Expedition 33 and use of generative AI tools. As a publication that celebrates the creative process, InBetweenDrafts has a strong stance against generative AI tools and it is disappointing to see their use. As AI generated material has been removed from the game and Sandfall Interactive appears to regret the use and will not be using it in future, we are taking this on good faith and leaving Expedition 33 in its place.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PC/Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox.
1. Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Bananza takes the top spot in our list by a single point, and for good reason. It’s fun as all hell. Many games try – and often fail to – solve the big world dilemma of giving players enough to do. Bananza successfully solves this problem by making the world itself one giant toy and dedicating nearly every button to playing with it. Punching increasingly harder through the ground, walls, and ceilings of the planet is fulfilling all on its own, with golden rewards almost always one punch further in to hit the dopamine receptors hard.
It’s all so much fun that the mechanics completely obfuscate that Donkey Kong Bananza is one big escort mission. Taking Pauline to the core of the planet is an enjoyable time start to finish in practice, but her characterization adds a sweet layer on top. She’s never frustrating, which is critical given she’s the only actual speaking role in the whole game. The Switch 2 needed an all-timer to launch with to even come close to matching its predecessor’s first year, and Donkey Kong Bananza absolutely is that all-timer. [Travis Hymas]
Donkey Kong Bananza is available on Nintendo Switch 2.
