2025 really was a good year in gaming.
Bigger studios like Hideo Kojima Productions and Sucker Punch both launched highly anticipated sequels/spiritual successors that stood head and shoulders above their predecessors in terms of scale, playability, environments, and combat.
And while some major studios made headlines for layoffs, price hikes, in-game economy-meddling, and production delays, it was the smaller and independent studios like Sandfall Interactive, Team Cherry, and 11-Bit Studios who really showcased what was possible with a dedicated team, fresh ideas, stellar actors, an uncynical eye, and a great story to tell.
This year TV Pulse Magazine recognizes originality, verve, strong narratives, deeper themes, emotional resonance, and outstanding development teams. The games honored in our Top 10 this year offered players unapologetic challenge in terms of playability, scale, realism, resource management, emotional decision-making, and more.
Before we discuss our Top 10 Games of 2025, let’s take a look at some honorable mentions.
All of our game reviews are thoughtfully and wholly written by humans without the use of AI. You can help support our gaming coverage with a follow @TVPulseMag on X and @TVPulseMag.com on Bluesky.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Mafia: The Old Country: A game so beautiful you’ll find yourself looking up property prices in Sicily, and a love story so poignant you’ll want to go back and play it all over again. This latest Mafia instalment may not reinvent the wheel but it nails a level of cinematic craftsmanship and period atmosphere few games this year can match. Its 1900s-Sicily setting is richly realised, with thoughtful worldbuilding, immersive details, memorable characters and a great story throughout.
Monster Hunter Wilds – Monster Hunter Wilds deserves recognition for delivering one of the most ambitious reboots the franchise has seen. The switch to a seamless, open-world design, sharper and more fluid combat, the option to wield a second weapon, and a willingness to reimagine a classic formula make Wilds a bold and memorable entry this year.
Donkey Kong Bananza – 2025’s Balatro! Surprise hit and landmark platformer Donkey Kong Bananza deserves praise for revitalizing a classic franchise. This bold reinvention, now offering fully destructible environments, inventive traversal mechanics, and sandbox-style exploration, was playful, mischievous, creative, and brimming with nostalgia value for gamers of a certain age. Ahem.
THE TOP 10
10. Cronos: The New Dawn
(Linux, macOS, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S)
Cronos: The New Dawn is a survival horror in the grand tradition. Evocative of past titles such as Dead Space, Silent Hill, and SOMA, this September entry was Bloober Team’s first big project after its buzzy adaptation of Silent Hill 2. All eyes were on the Polish developer to see if their flawless work on Konami’s classic might translate to their latest property. Boy, did it!
From the very first moments of navigating the ruined, post-apocalyptic city of New Dawn, the game establishes a tone of creeping dread and despair. As the mysterious Traveler, whose identity is sealed away behind a heavy, ominous suit — and a lot of gameplay hours — you’re tasked not just with surviving grotesque biomass monstrosities, but with uncovering the details of humanity’s end and the people who helped shape it, for better or worse. But who is the Traveler, and what is the Collective? Cronos has answers (and multiple endings) that require you to strap on your big girl boots and stride into the dark in oder to find out. That slow burn, coupled with the constant tension between scarcity of ammo and the faint hope in discovering clues, made every corridor, and every room feel alive with dread.
Combined with environmental puzzles, a time-rewind feature that can re-open pathways, the addition of Gravity Boots that give exploration a whole new dimension, and a moody, atmospheric soundtrack, the game balances action and psychological horror with the chilling ease Bloober is now synonymous with. There are even a few Silent Hill-esque mannequins to be found on your travels.
Visceral, unsettling, and intriguing, Cronos delivers something special. This is a classic sci-fi story wrapped in a survival-horror that Bloober Team can be proud of.
Read our Full Review here.
9. Split Fiction
(Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2)
Split Fiction succeeds where many co-op games are currently treading water by pushing the boundaries of what “you and a friend playing together” can mean. From the moment you and a pal take control of two authors, Mio and Zoe, each trapped in a machine that brings their written worlds to life, the game delivers a dizzying cascade of creativity, genre switches, and collaboration.
Whether you’re platforming through sci-fi cityscapes, sneaking through fantasy castles, suddenly hurtling down a gravity-bike track, or dancing in a hyper-coloured mini-game, every level feels fresh, unexpected, and designed to surprise.
What elevates Split Fiction beyond gimmick is its conviction. Every mechanic and shift in tone reinforces the premise that creativity is fragile, precious, and above all, best shared!
Our two protagonists’ very different narrative voices (sci-fi vs fantasy) makes their collaboration feel meaningful in a way that simply splitting the screen rarely achieves. The result is gameplay that feels immersive, emotionally varied, and joyful in its chaos.
Split Fiction stands out this year for daring to be wild, playful, sometimes absurd, and always unpredictable.
It’s one of 2025’s most memorable and rewarding experiences.
8. Hades II
(macOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Windows)
Hades II stands tall among 2025’s finest, proving once again Supergiant’s mastery of fast, expressive action paired with myth-driven storytelling.
As Melinoë carves her path through ever-shifting realms in this roguelike action RPG, the game delivers a combat loop that feels both familiar and boldly reimagined. It’s faster, more tactical, and layered, with clever new systems that invite experimentation.
What truly elevates Hades II though, is its signature Supergiant polish. Striking hand-painted art, a soundtrack that surges between brooding ambience and electric intensity, and writing that infuses even brief NPC interactions with personality and charm all serve to elevate this September offering.
The expanded pantheon, including witches, gods, titans, and shades, enrich the world with new dynamics and motivations, making each return to the Crossroads feel meaningful.
Taken together, these strengths make Hades II not only a worthy successor but a standout achievement, cementing its place as one of 2025’s most compelling and replayable games.
7. Hollow Knight: Silksong
(Linux, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, & Xbox Series X/S)
Love it for its acrobatic action or loathe it for its punishing difficulty, Hollow Knight: Silksong deserves a spot among the top ten games of 2025. Persistent, determined, focused, and driven are words that describe not only this Metroidvania’s adorable protagonist Hornet, but Australian independent developer Team Cherry (although we can’t personally vouch for their adorableness), who worked diligently and largely silently for 6 years to craft a sequel that excelled in scope, environment, combat, movement, and more.
From the moment you land in the strange new world of Pharloom, Silksong’s ambition is obvious. Vast, interconnected areas are packed with detail, weirdness, and beauty. Curious NPCs and hidden paths are waiting to be discovered. Hornet’s needle and silk thread-based mechanics open up a wealth of fluid, satisfying moves, from pogo-jumps, downward strikes, aerial combos, and retrievable harpoons, making every counter, once learned, memorable.
Pharloom’s world design is gorgeous, with varied environments and rich background art that draws you in, with the game’s crest system allowing different play styles, a welcome addition. Whether you go for nimble, agile strikes or range-focused precision, Silksong lets you tailor your journey in a meaningful way.
Yes, it’s brutal. Bosses deal heavy damage, benches are scarce and distant, and the learning curve is steep. But for players willing to invest time, patience and tenacity, that difficulty pays off. Each hard-won room conquered becomes a testament to skill and persistence. Silksong doesn’t hold your hand but it respects you enough to demand mastery. In a year where some games opt for comfort or spectacle, this one dares to challenge.
Read our Full Review here.
6. Blue Prince
(PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S)
Some games stay with you long after you think you’re through with them. Blue Prince, the roguelike puzzle adventure from Dogubomb, is one such title. This is the kind of unassuming game that quietly sneaks up on you as “just another puzzle-roguelike,” but soon reveals itself to be a labyrinth of strategy, mystery, and narrative that occupies your mind even when you’re not playing it.
What begins as a modest premise — inherit your great-uncle’s mansion by locating the mysterious Room 46 — blossoms into a sprawling crucible of deduction, planning, exploration, and discovery. The randomly generated rooms of this ever-shifting mansion make every run feel fresh, turning failure into a meaningful opportunity to learn, adapt, and inch closer to the truth.
Once you discover that some rooms want to belong on certain tiles, or that your blueprints don’t even begin to scratch the surface of what’s actually possible, or that your loops aren’t even really failures but building blocks of knowledge instead, it’s then that you really begin to understand the true nature of the game. It’s no surprise there are myriad youTube videos on the mysteries, lore and hidden themes of the game, as well as its characters, secret locations and more. The more you dig, the more you find.
Blue Prince transforms a simple quest into an immersive obsession. I was dreaming of rooms and connections for weeks after I finished the game. Scattered notes, cryptic clues and cosy environmental storytelling gradually build a layered narrative of secrets, family drama and hidden histories. Blue Prince trusts you to observe, deduce and return stronger each day. In that sense, it earns its place among the year’s best: not as a blockbuster spectacle, but as a quietly brilliant, ambitiously crafted journey of discovery that rewards your patience, curiosity, and trust.
Read our Full Review here.
5. Ghost of Yōtei
(Playstation 5)
For a tale of revenge there is something quite joyful about Sucker Punch Production’s latest action adventure. Set in 1603 in Ezo, Japan, we follow Atsu, a brave onna-musha seeking vengeance against the “Yōtei Six” for slaughtering her family sixteen years ago. Within minutes we are already facing down the first of the 6, and realising that this successor to Ghost of Tsushima has absolutely nailed its narrative, combat, and exploration elements flawlessly.
Beyond its emotional core (and albeit rather simple storyline), Ghost of Yōtei‘s beautifully rendered version of 1603 Ezo feels alive and immersive, with hand‑drawn maps, strikingly beautiful landscapes, and cultural authenticity informed by Ainu perspectives. Through natural navigation (using a spyglass to mark points of interest, or just getting on your horse and galloping through a cloud of white meadow flowers) and gentle emergent encounters (from spectral foxes to nomadic Ainu tribes) the game rewards curiosity, making every journey feel purposeful and the world alive and unpredictable.
In combat, Yōtei evolves the cinematic dueling of its predecessor into a deeply strategic and evocative fight system. Atsu can wield katanas, a chained sickle, a spear, or an odachi, and each weapon brings its own rhythm and weight. The dual health-and-spirit meter forces you to balance aggression and defense, while death is handled with generosity, respawning you just moments before failure so you can immediately reengage without frustration.
Add to that a skill‑tree built on altars, restorative hot springs that unlock memories and buffs, the crafting of calm moments through foraging and fire‑side nourishment, and it becomes clear: Ghost of Yōtei isn’t just about revenge. It’s a soulful, joyous journey of legacy and reflection, and easily one of 2025’s standout games.
Read our Full Review here.
4. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
(PlayStation 5)
This long-awaited sequel to 2019’s Death Stranding is another example of a developer with a singular vision. Whether Hideo Kojima leaves you with stars in your eyes or scratching your head in disbelief (that final shirtless guitar-solo boss fight?), he is undoubtedly a creative force that is always capable of surprise.
Death Stranding 2 sent Norman Reedus’ Sam Porter Bridges down under (to Australia that is) on a new mission, that in many ways reflected his last one: link the continent to the Chiral Network, deliver packages, stay one step ahead of Higgs. However the sequel overhauled the original’s combat and weapons structure, gifting players with a number of different play style opportunities. Coupled with day and night sequences, and new enemy types, DS2 felt fresh and inviting.
The narrative too received a darker coat of paint this time around, with themes on grief, loss, and connection taking center-stage, along with some pretty heartfelt and gut wrenching developments to keep players invested.
In our original review we said: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a refined, ambitious evolution of its predecessor’s vision. It’s a game that dares to be divisive, blending the mundane with the profound, the absurd with the heartfelt.
For newcomers, it’s a mind-bending introduction to Kojima’s world. For veterans, it’s a familiar road worth traveling again so long as you don’t expect a completely new path. If you’re ready to embrace its quirks and endure its grind, this is a journey down under that lingers long after the final delivery.
Read our Full Review here.
3. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
(PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S)
Boasting a main team of just 30 people, while at the same time crafting a game with high production values, beautiful art direction, a full orchestral soundtrack (shoutout to composer Lorien Testard!), strong voice acting and mo-cap, cinematic presentation, and narrative depth — all without the benefit of a large AAA studio’s manpower or infrastructure — Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was always going to be a fan favorite.
This little French studio that could is the epitome of what 2025 was all about in games. Sandfall showed how smaller and indie developers could go toe to toe with AAA behemoths and still come out on top. But it wasn’t just the success story that wowed fans. Expedition 33’s stellar voice cast including Jennifer English, Ben Star, Charlie Cox, and Andy Serkis also won hearts as their memorable counterparts fighting The Paintress, an unstoppable force that threatens all of humanity.
In our original review, we said: When prolific sci-fi author Isaac Asimov was asked in an interview what he would do if he knew he only had six minutes to live, he famously quipped “I’d type a little faster.”
That question, along with others on what gives life meaning, how we choose to live the remainder of our lives, what meaning we derive from art, and what manner of a world we wish to leave behind when we are gone, all persist at the heart of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
In an industry often dominated by expensive epics, rushed sequels, and remastered nods to yesteryear, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dares to be different. With its surreal and dark Belle Époque-inspired world, innovative combat, and a narrative that grapples with mortality and hope (and if early game channel chatter proves correct) then Expedition 33 is not just one of the best RPGs of 2025; it’s a contender for game of the year.
Moody, atmospheric, and emotionally devastating, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the surprise JRPG hit of the year. I dare you to watch the trailer without feeling any goosebumps.
Read our Full Review here.
2. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
(PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S)
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 as an exquisitely realized open world medieval RPG that builds on its predecessor with a vast, immersive Bohemian world, finely detailed environments, and rich storytelling. The game, a sequel to 2018’s Kingdom Come Deliverance, reintroduces us to the characters Henry of Skalitz (Tom McKay) and Sir Hans Capon (Luke Dale) who return for more high adventure as the turmoil of civil war sweeps the land of Bohemia.
KCD2’s punishing but fair combat rewards player patience and skill, while the game’s freedom of approach, whether through stealth, diplomacy, or swordplay, makes every decision feel meaningful — even if that decision is to be decidedly unmeaningful. (Did you paint penises on a cow like us?). The writing and character work are complex, and though the save system is unforgiving, it’s that very realism and challenge that makes every victory feel earned. For example, if yo rock up to a town in rags or with the dirt of travel or the blood of combat on your clothes you can expect a suspicious and unfriendly reaction — or worse — from the townsfolk.
Richly detailed, historically accurate to a degree that beggars belief, funny and poignant in turns, and steadfastly refusing to soften its learning curve, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is not just a sequel, but a masterpiece of vision, dedication, and substance that defines what a historically grounded open-world RPG can be.
This sequel can hold its head high among such greats as Oblivion, Morrowind, and Red Dead Redemption 2, and is hailed by some critics as one of the most important RPGs ever made. This is how it’s done.
Read our Full Review here.
1. The Alters
(PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S)
The Alters offered one of the most original and intriguing video game premises of 2025. And then layered it with an emotionally resonant exploration of the human condition: What if you could handpick different versions of yourself from infinitely branching timelines and bring them to life to assist you in a life or death crisis?
Stranded on a hostile planet with the imminent sunrise threatening to burn you and your base to a crisp, lowly Project Dolly grunt Jan Dolski does just that in 11 Bit Studio’s tense and emotional survival strategy sim.
Already masters in crisis management storytelling in games such as Frostpunk 1 and 2, and This War of Mine, 11 Bit Studios went beyond an exploration of how willing players might be to sacrifice their moral and ethical standards in order to achieve a particular outcome. To that end, they crafted a masterpiece of emotional storytelling, with a profoundly sound psychological core. Themes on trauma, shame, forgiveness, meaning, purpose, self-worth, responsibility, and authenticity were all handled with aplomb, and brought to life in 12 compelling characters, each one uniquely voiced by actor Alex Jordan, and with a superb script from the 11 Bit team including Magda Gamrot, Tomasz Kisilewicz, and Katarzyna Tybinka.
While The Alters may have slipped the net for the number one spot in some game awards ceremonies this year, we choose to recognize it for the uniquely compelling and definitive work of art it is.
In our original review we wrote that The Alters is a cohesive blend of exploration, survival, and base-building wrapped in a thoughtful exploration of the human condition.
The Alters is a complex, deeply original slice of sci-fi gaming, and our number one choice for Game of the Year.
Read our Full Review here.
