And just like that, we’ve reached the end of another year. 2025 has been… a lot. A year filled with personal challenges, moments of joy, difficult times for friends and loved ones, and plenty of reflection along the way. Through all of that, games once again became a place of comfort, distraction, creativity, and sometimes even healing.
Best Games of 2025: James’ Choice
It’s fair to say the big-budget end of the industry didn’t quite hit as hard as expected this year. A few releases stumbled out of the gate, and while there’s still hope for a strong comeback in 2026, it was the indie scene that truly carried 2025. That space continues to prove there’s no shortage of imagination, heart, and risk-taking left in gaming.
As always, these picks are personal. They’re not necessarily the highest-scoring reviews or the most technically impressive games of the year. Instead, they’re the titles that stuck with me, surprised me, or simply brought a smile when I needed one. Each comes with a completely unofficial, invisible award, and all are well worth your time.
So, without further delay, here are my favourite games of 2025.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins
Award: Return to Form
Let’s start with the one high-budget title on the list. Dynasty Warriors: Origins felt like the moment this long-running series finally remembered what made it special in the first place.
After years of formula fatigue, Origins pulled things back into focus. A single protagonist-driven story, English voice acting returning, and most importantly, combat that felt weighty and engaging again. Multiple weapons, deeper move sets, and tense one-on-one encounters brought new life to those enormous battlefields.
This wasn’t just another entry. It felt like a statement: Warriors games still matter, and when done right, they can still deliver that unmistakable battlefield thrill.
Cave Hikers
Award: Family Happy Game
Although technically released at the tail end of last year, Cave Hikers left such a strong impression that it earns its place here. Also, I did review it this year, so it counts.
This point-and-click adventure plays out like a fictional David Attenborough documentary set in an underwater world. It’s funny, warm, visually inventive, and full of heart. The puzzles revolve around spotting details on-screen, making it perfect for younger players to watch along and shout suggestions. It’s a game that proves family-friendly games don’t have to be linked to a kids’ TV show to make an impact.
Every time I think about Cave Hikers, I smile. That alone earns it this award.
Dice ’n Goblins
Award: Die Game of the Year
Dice games quietly took over a chunk of my gaming time this year, and Dice ’n Goblins was one of the highlights.
Dungeon crawling, loot hunting, and dice-based combat combine into something that feels welcoming rather than intimidating. Its hand-drawn art style softens the experience, making it inviting for players who might usually shy away from dungeon crawlers.
Rolling the dice has rarely felt this satisfying. This is one gamble that absolutely paid off.
Wings of Endless
Award: Retro Inspired
Wings of Endless might fly under the radar for many players, but it clicked with me almost instantly.
There are clear echoes of Wonder Boy in Monster World here, a favourite of mine from the Mega Drive. From the pacing to the world design. You play as three characters with distinct playstyles, journeying through a fantasy world to save it from collapse. While it doesn’t reinvent the genre, everything it does feels confident and well-paced.
Sometimes a game doesn’t need to surprise you. It just needs to feel right, and Wings of Endless absolutely did.
Herdling
Award: Sheep Game of the Year
This one hit close to home.
Herdling is a quiet, emotional experience about guiding fictitious fluffy animals through harsh environments, and it resonated deeply with me due to my time volunteering with a shepherd a few years ago. Managing stragglers, navigating difficult terrain, and dealing with loss brought back memories I didn’t expect a game to stir up.
It’s mostly about walking, with light puzzle-solving along the way, but every step felt meaningful. Herdling felt like a game made just for me.
Easy Deliver Co.
Award: Best Job
Easy Deliver Co. takes a simple delivery loop and turns it into something surprisingly immersive.
Driving a truck through a cold, grey city inhabited by animals shouldn’t feel special, but it does. Lowering your tailgate, securing packages, and listening to the radio while snow falls, it all adds up to an experience that feels thoughtful and oddly calming. Despite its grim messaging about the power of corporations, there was light in this game in the form of you, the player.
What looks mundane on paper becomes something quietly wonderful in practice. A game that really needs to be experienced.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault
Award: Early Access Standout
Moonlighter 2 easily earns the early access spot this year.
It improves on nearly everything from the original: a new visual style, more varied combat, deeper dungeon crawling, and that wonderfully relaxing shop management loop. Even in its current state, it feels incredibly polished.
It also continues to live comfortably on my Steam Deck, which says a lot. Moonlighter 2 has a very bright future ahead.
Yooka-Replaylee
Award: Son’s Favourite
I let my young son watch only a small handful of games this year, and Yooka-Replaylee was the clear winner.
He laughed at the characters, loved the silly voices, and did a happy dance every time we collected a new pagie for the book. Even without his enthusiasm, this remake stands tall as a refined and joyful 3D platformer that improves on the original in meaningful ways.
But seeing it through his eyes made it extra special.
The Bench
Award: Elderly Representation
Games don’t often focus on older characters, and it’s something I notice more as time goes on.
The Bench is about an elderly man, his pigeons, and moving from bench to bench while building a feathery army. You name them, customise them, and solve puzzles by flinging pigeons at problems. It’s funny, heartfelt, and unexpectedly uplifting.
It’s rare to see ageing handled with this much warmth and humour.
Monsters Are Coming! Rock & Roll
Award: Roguelike Way
No year is complete without a roguelike from me, and Monsters Are Coming! Rock & Roll takes the crown this time.
Mixing survivor-style gameplay with tower defence mechanics, you protect a moving city against relentless threats. It’s simple to pick up, incredibly hard to put down, and consistently fresh run after run.
Another strong reminder that this genre still has plenty of life left in it.
R.E.P.O
Award: Co-op Surprise
I’m cheating slightly here, as I didn’t review R.E.P.O. officially. It was a gift from a good friend, and it left a lasting impression.
Playing as robots scavenging derelict locations while being hunted by nightmarish horrors makes for unforgettable co-op sessions. The low-resolution visuals somehow enhance the tension rather than weaken it.
This was my friend’s game of the year, and given his excellent taste and his support throughout the year, it felt right to include it.
Goodnight Universe
Award: The Sunshine Award
The final award goes to one of the last games I reviewed this year, and one that meant more to me than I expected.
Goodnight Universe is an emotional, innovative experience where you play as a baby with psychic powers, optionally using a webcam to deepen immersion. It explores family, conflict, and childhood innocence in ways games rarely attempt.
This year also marked the birth of my daughter, a moment of immense joy surrounded by life’s usual challenges. She’s known for her smile, and every time I see it, I’m reminded to hold on and not sweat the tough stuff too much.
This award is for her, and for Goodnight Universe, as a reminder that sometimes, innocence and warmth are exactly what we need.
That’s a Wrap for 2025
Before closing, a few quick thank yous as I like to do.
Thank you to Paula and Yvonne for keeping the site running and allowing me to contribute.
Thank you to the patrons for keeping the lights on for the site.
Thank you to the developers and publishers for trusting me with review codes, even for the games I didn’t enjoy. Making games is hard work, and it’s always appreciated.
Thanks to my close friends and family for their ongoing support.
And thank you to everyone who took the time to read.
Finally, if there’s one thing I’ll always say: if you’ve ever wanted to follow a passion, writing, music, or anything else, it’s never too late, no matter your age.
Here’s to 2026.
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