Welcome to another edition of Best Games of the Year with Ladiesgamers!
2025 has been a year full of surprises, discoveries and little favorites. My picks aren’t ranked in any particular order. Instead, I tried to find a fun category for each of them, especially since not all of these picks are singular games. So, enough chit-chat from me. Let’s dive right into my best games of 2025 podium.
Category: I Was Not Expecting It …
“Bob’s Crystals is a quirky adventure game where a hidden-object puzzle suddenly becomes the key to saving an entire planet. Kind of intense, right?”
Bob’s Crystals was a genuine surprise. On paper, the concept feels fairly simple, so I really wasn’t expecting to have that good of a time with it. And yet… here we are.
The game is cleverly designed, and I absolutely loved how the supporting character is written; the AI helper is genuinely hilarious. Time just slips away without me realising it. The levels are smart and gradually become trickier at just the right pace, keeping things engaging without ever feeling frustrating. Bob’s Crystals truly deserves its place on my podium.
Category: Who Could Have Thought ? …
I need to confess something. Knowing how much Yvonne loves this series, I might as well be fired for saying this…I had never played a single Harvest Moon or Story of Seasons game before. I know, I know. You’re probably thinking, “What?! Such blasphemy!” I don’t have any grand excuse. It just… never really crossed my radar. That said, after reading YvoCaro’s great review, I decided to finally give it a try. And wow, it’s so good.
Every in-game day brings something new to do. Sometimes my to-do list feels almost overwhelming… but I guess that’s just a farmer’s life. I really appreciate how the game makes time feel like it’s genuinely moving forward. And can we talk about the clouds? The moving shadows drift across the ground. Such a small detail, but I love it !
I can tell this is going to be a long game. That’s usually not my favourite thing, but here it works. Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar feels like the kind of game I’ll sink into for a few days or weeks, then step away from, only to happily return to later. And honestly? I’m perfectly fine with that.
Category: Not Really A Game … More of an Intriguing Genre …
This year, I fully discovered the world of idle / productivity games, the kind that sit quietly at the bottom of your screen (though not always) and are supposed to help you stay focused. Think Not Monday Cafe, reviewed by Kalina, or Lakeside Bar, reviewed by Mina. Now, for the ones I’ve tried, I’m not entirely sure I can vouch for the “focus” aspect…
But these games are strangely fascinating to me. I don’t know if it’s the novelty or if it’s truly the concept itself that keeps grabbing my attention. But does it really matter? What matters is that I now have a whole year to explore this interest further and see whether it solidifies… or quietly withers away like so many of my temporary hyperfixations. I’ll keep you updated next year!
Category: It Took My Heart …
Here, I’m very happy to present Master Lemon: The Quest for Iceland.
“Master Lemon: The Quest for Iceland is your chance to become the kind of hero no one expects, not a sword-wielding warrior, but a language master. And, through that, a world builder. You play as Lemon, a young man passionate about discovering new words, new worlds, and more than ready for his long-awaited trip to Iceland. A once-in-a-lifetime journey… or so he thinks.”
This game is creative, clever, and deeply touching all at once. It’s frustrating just enough to stay entertaining, never crossing into annoyance. I loved the lore, the mechanics, and the overall charm of the experience.
You can check out my full review, where I go into much more detail about why Master Lemon: The Quest for Iceland deserves a spot in any game library. One character of the game said this, “What are games if not sorcery in code ?“ I think we can all hear the mic drop here. Just trust me on this one!
Category: On The Side …
I also want to take a quick detour to talk about the Wholesome Direct showcases.
I truly love these presentations, and I imagine many of you do as well. They’re colourful, playful, and consistently introduce me to passionate development teams and lovely upcoming games.
I’ve been following the Wholesome Directs since their very first one back in 2020, and as someone who is often disappointed by Nintendo Directs (too many licences, not enough originality, but let’s not go down that rabbit hole…), the Wholesome Directs feel like a real breath of fresh air.
I especially love the sense of community they’ve built around what has now become a regular and much-anticipated event. If you haven’t checked them out yet, which I doubt, but you never know, don’t hesitate any longer! Yvonne even made you a recap of the last instalment.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, my best games of 2025 podium! This gaming year was rich with discoveries, and I truly hope to be just as surprised by the gems that 2026 will bring.
On a more personal note, my gaming resolution for 2026 is to find a better balance between enjoying games and managing real life. A lack of organisation caused a few hiccups this year, and I’m determined not to let that happen again.…Or at least, I’ll do my very best.
So tell me, what’s your podium? Do you have any gaming resolutions for 2026? Or do you prefer to skip them altogether? I’m curious.
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