As 2025 draws to a close, GamesIndustry.biz staff have compiled their personal highlights from a year packed with new releases. The selections span genres from action adventures to puzzle games, reflecting diverse tastes among the team. Published on December 31, the roundup celebrates titles that stood out for their innovation and enjoyment.
The annual tradition at GamesIndustry.biz involves team members picking the games they played and enjoyed most during the year. Editorial Director Jon Hicks highlighted ARC Raiders as a standout PvE title, praising its visual and audio design, challenging drone enemies, and fresh Mediterranean apocalypse setting. He also enjoyed Ballionnaire and Ball X Pit for modernizing classic mechanics, alongside narrative explorations in The Roottrees Are Dead and Seance at Blake Manor.
Staff Writer Sophie McEvoy named Ghost of Yōtei her top game, a sequel to Ghost of Tsushima featuring a female lead, Atsu, voiced by Erika Ishii. She appreciated its introspective revenge story, zen atmosphere in the Ezo wilds, and interactive elements like petting foxes and a wolf companion.
Features Editor Lewis Packwood started the year with Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, noting its evolved dice-rolling mechanics in a sci-fi setting. He lauded Donkey Kong Bananza for its silly, fast-paced ideas and crystal banana collectibles, Ball X Pit for its Arkanoid twist, and The Horror at Highrook for atmospheric card-crafting horror. He also gave five stars to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Reporter Vikki Blake passionately endorsed Blue Prince, a puzzle game with shifting rooms and deep storytelling, comparing it to Portal 2. She lamented its release timing alongside Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which overshadowed it despite her view of Blue Prince as potentially game-of-the-year material.
Commercial Lead George Corner was moved by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's emotional narrative around the Paintress and Gommage, despite combat challenges. He discussed Monster Hunter Wilds' lively ecosystem and cinematic hunts, like against Rey Dau, and Easy Delivery Co.'s shift from cozy delivery sim to psychological horror.
Overall, the list underscores 2025's abundance of creative titles, with recurring praise for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ball X Pit.
