The best games of 2025 (so far)

There’s no beating around the bush, 2025 in video games is a bit of a win/lose situation. On the one hand, Nintendo finally got around to release the Switch 2. On the other, an estimate of nearly 3500 people have lost their jobs with more likely to come. The realms of escapism and reality collide on the regular now in gaming, but creative people in this space continue their work however they can. As such, games this year have pulled through the fire to challenge us and give us relaxation in equal measure. The year is only half over, and plenty more bangers are to come, but these are some of the best games of 2025 so far! 

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

The follow up to this editor’s favorite game of 2022, Citizen Sleeper 2 hits every expectation and goes far beyond. Gareth Damian Martin’s high quality writing gets an extra layer of complications from additions to the RPG system. Being able to risk further damage to rolls and even perpetual harm puts even more significant weight decisions. The lore of this universe becomes deeper as well, including some surprise returns from the first game. At the core is the same questions of self, humanity (and the lack of it), and alienation that the original game dug into. Starward Vector puts new spins on these questions through the new relationships that this Sleeper can form and the desperate race for freedom they are sent on. Despite being primarily text and profile images, events are exciting, instructive, tear-jerking, and more. There’s a lot of RPGs hitting this year, but don’t miss out on this one.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Sandfall Interactive’s love letter to RPGs is a slam dunk (disappointing AI use notwithstanding) across the board. Dropping players into a fully realized world without dwelling on the why’s and how’s – to start with, Expedition 33 reminds players why these kinds of RPGs are so iconic and beloved. This game isn’t all imitation, that world does a lot of unique heavy lifting to reinforce the potent feeling of grief in the air. Much of the game is about the processing of loss and learning to let go, reinforced by some truly shocking early game reveals that open up truly tantalizing questions. All of this is tied up with a well thought out turn based system that can be broken in half for those who want to commit to the bit and be just comfortably skill testing as players need for those who aren’t interested in mastery. The game is a truly impressive balancing act usually accomplished by the best of the best in this space. Regardless of how big this team was or wasn’t, everyone who contributed to Expedition 33 contributed to a strong Game of the Year contender.

The AI does not get any credit.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox, Steam, and Epic Games.

Into the Restless Ruins

The roguelike deckbuilder has exploded in popularity over the last few years, and there’s still room for innovation in the space. For instance, Into the Restless Ruins from Scottish developers Ant Interactive offers a new twist that it’s surprising no-one has thought of yet. The game brings the deckbuilder back to its dungeon crawling roots with your deck of cards constructing a dungeon for your character to delve into during rounds. Basically, it’s a roguelite deckbuilder. The game’s story involves Scottish and Celtic folklore, which isn’t often seen in the genre, and helps give a game a unique identity. There’s not quite a deckbuilder experience like Into the Restless Ruins on the market. There’s elements of Vampire Survivors, Slay the Spire, the ‘90s classic sim Dungeon Keeper, and any number of traditional roguelikes, without seeming like it’s borrowing from any one of those titles. The game only has five dungeon maps with no procedural generation, but the game is new enough and challenging enough that there may be more to come from this extremely promising title. – Ryan Gibbs

Into the Restless Ruins is available on Steam.

Kero Kero Cowboy

Some games are in lists like these entirely on charm. Kero Kero Cowboy is that kind of game. Setting out as a frog to clean up the wild west, Kero Kero Cowboy takes players on a Game Boy inspired platforming adventure that both looks way too good for the console it’s mimicking and also perfect for it. Analogue Pocket compatibility means that it also can be experienced just as if it was released more than 25 years ago for a very different kind of handheld (and other devices, wink wink.) Kero Kero is adorable with his Kirby-esque eat and spit up mechanics, but with the added benefit of just having a button to pull out a gun. Ironically, the gun doesn’t break the game wide open, because of course it’s a limited bullet six shooter. That adds an element of strategy to the platforming, to challenge players a little bit, but not in a way to be accessible. That doesn’t preclude the real challenge underneath the surface for those willing to dig deeper. Games like Kero Kero Cowboy are a great reminder that hardware evolution isn’t itself a reason to abandon aesthetic or design sensibilities of the past.

Kero Kero Cowboy is available on itch.io.

Mario Kart World

At first blush, a Mario Kart might not make sense as the big launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. But Mario Kart World is the first new title in the franchise in just over a decade. Whatever came next would have to be huge, and Nintendo knew it. The jury is still out on whether or not Open World Mario Kart was the right way to go as hardcores keep finding themselves running up against Nintendo’s intention. However, beyond that is one of the most refined Mario Kart titles yet. Customization shifts away from individual kart parts and back to their drivers, reinforced by a slew of unlockable costumes and fellow racers. The Switch 2 being the most potent hardware Nintendo has tinkered with in generations gives a natural boost to the visuals and overall performance of the game race to race as well. The new Knockout Tour is easily a highlight, delivering a digestible battle royale experience via non-stop racing. It’s inarguable that this one’s going to be the one every Switch 2 owner ends up having in their collection. Seriously though, seventy bucks?

Mario Kart World is available on Nintendo Switch 2.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Issues with forcing open worlds aside, Capcom really has once again delivered another rock solid Monster Hunter entry. The scale has been blown out without becoming too barren. New monsters are compelling designs and the returning ones get shifts without giving up the franchise’s titular appeal. A healthy stream of post game content – built in and through regular patching keeps up the tradition of Monster Hunter being a regular rotation game for years to come. Wilds does add some promising weapon enhancements on top to give players new layers to peel back. There’s also one of the most genuine accomplishments: characters that are memorable. Alma, Gemma, and even Rove stand out both in design and personality every time they’re in a scene. Even the community punching back Nata at least has the decency to be annoying in a way that makes sure you never forget him. That’s a really proper first for Monster Hunter as a series, and will keep Wilds at the top of the most enjoyable of the series for years to come.

Monster Hunter Wilds is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Steam.

Paradise Mascot Agency

There is something super compelling about Kaizen Game Works’ ability to take familiar and beloved game design and start building some very unique ideas into them. In Paradise Mascot Agency, they take the management sim and lather it up in some real absurd nonsense. As a disgraced yakuza member, players are tasked with hiring and managing living mascot characters, rehabilitating their image and yours before a curse comes to end your life. To accomplish this task, we’re given an indestructible truck and a living thumb named Pinky. Yes, it sounds nuts – it very much is – but the city is full of events to make it worthwhile. Paradise Mascot Agency is full of great zingers both in the dialogue and in the physical comedy mascots encounter while on jobs. Those mascots also have dreams, aspirations, and needs of their own that make each member of staff come away far more distinctive than a simple resource to manage from members. The whole game is worth it for Pinky alone, who seems one bad day away from turning this quiet town into an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This game is one for those always looking for something a little different and they’ll get exactly what they are looking for.

Paradise Mascot Agency is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection

Yes, a collection of Konami’s various attempts to adapt a complicated card game with dubious results may seem strange to mention. Most of the games in the collection are barely curiosities rather than transcendent classics, even with various modifiers to try to grant some modern functionality. Yet, the Early Days Collection has historical value that can’t be ignored. The collection goes back to before the anime card game’s base rules had even been sorted out and it is fascinating to see continuations of manga plotlines alongside nostalgic playground icons. As more and more games become lost to time, it is a net good that Digital Eclipse is able to put their preservation and restoration work towards maintaining a way to see the historical history of an iconic franchise and take the long view of its creative journey. Even if most of the individual steps are – at best – middling. Next, let’s give the speedrunners Forbidden Memories. 

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is available on Nintendo Switch and Steam.