Our Favorite Games of 2025

Listen, we've been through the Game Awards, we've seen the announcements, and we've perhaps even finally gotten some new gear for Christmas to work with in the New Year. It's cold (maybe? Sometimes?) and, if you're anything like us, you're out of money to go out.

What's that mean? Well, it's a great time to go back and play some of the best games of 2025 you just didn't have time to. We're choosing our favorites while we gear up for what's to come in 2026 and wanted to take you along for the ride. If these weren't on your list, consider adding them, and if there's some you think we shouldn't miss, let us know!

Consume Me: 

I ran across Consume Me six years ago at an indie games festival called Bitbash that was being held at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. It stood out in my head because it took a hard topic - specifically, the sometimes fraught relationship you have with food as a person in a female body going through puberty and facing societal and family pressures - and created representation.

Not only that, it handled the topic with care, humor and relatability that were on a whole new level. Consume Me doesn’t just weave a poignant, thoughtful narrative - it brings you into the conflict between calories and happiness (as well as, later in the game, relationships, education, family and social responsibilities) in a palpable way using precisely absurd mechanics to help you experience what your character is experiencing and to literally feel what she’s feeling, whether that’s the panic of carefully balancing calories and still not being able to avoid snacking later, or the ungraceful way your body betrays you when you’re trying to exercise.

In this candy colored world, everything’s incredibly real, and when you finally put it down, it’ll change you. I know it did for me. Play this game because games are art, and art is therapy. Consume Me made me feel seen in my struggles, past and present, and encouraged me to redefine my goals and rediscover myself. 

You may say “that’s a lot” but that’s the power of good art. 

Split Fiction:

To be quite honest, I wasn’t sure if this game would make my end of year list. It’s not because it wasn’t good, it’s just because, quite simply, it was. See, developer Hazelight Studios and the man at the helm know how to build impactful narratives (see: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons) with great mechanics, and also know how to make co-op games that are fun on the couch and over the internet for gamers of all types/skill levels. 

A Way Out was an action packed blast of a prison break game with a somewhat disappointing ending, but It Takes Two packed the gravitas of a crumbling marriage/family with the sort of glittering, imaginative candy colored world of storybooks and adds amazingly congruous and super fun co-op mechanics. 

There’s that sequel thing that comes into play here - once you’ve had your darling, can the next compare? The answer is a solid “No, but maybe.”

Split Fiction isn’t so emotionally fraught at first, with more of an “evil corporation stealing our creativity” bent. And the protagonists, Mio and Zoe, aren’t as immediately sympathetic, as they both kinda hate each other’s writing styles - but that’s an interesting and fun dynamic, and as the game takes shape, and you explore each of their worlds - Mio, a sci-fi type, and Zoe, a bubbly fantasy writer, you unwrap the deeper meaning behind their created worlds, and the more you learn about the other, the stronger the bond grows. It’s something that echoes in real life, as you’re playing with a partner or friend who’s not necessarily “just” like you, and might even rub you the wrong way sometimes, but who is someone you need very much. 

Add in more fantastical worlds, more pushing of the boundaries of asymmetrical co-op play and more incredibly satisfying mechanics that complement your partner’s perfectly and you’ll absolutely find the fun. At its core, Split Fiction is about the simple but powerful joy of interactive play with others, and what you can learn from it. And while it doesn’t quite get to that high mark It Takes Two did, it certainly tops the list for “most fun” I’ve had all year gaming - and that’s why it made the list.

Donkey Kong Bananza: 

In a year headlined by the long-awaited return of Samus in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, I was certain a Nintendo title would top my Game of the Year list—I just didn't expect it to star Donkey Kong. While Prime 4 is a solid entry, it didn't quite hit the 'extraordinary' bar I hoped for. Donkey Kong Bananza, on the other hand, is a revelation. Think of it as the spiritual successor to Super Mario Odyssey, but with a chaotic twist: total terrain destruction. Smashing through the underground layers with Pauline to stop Void Company isn't just a gimmick; it’s the most satisfying 3D platforming loop Nintendo has created in years. 

BallXPit:

I’ve always had a soft spot for classics like Arkanoid and Breakout, but BallxPit takes that ball breaking foundation and evolves it into something entirely new. It injects the genre with unique characters, game-breaking items, and a roguelike structure that creates the same 'just one more run' obsession I haven't felt since the original Binding of Isaac. The highlight is the fusion system: the strategy of combining characters to create overpowered, screen-clearing synergies turns a simple arcade concept into a deep tactical experience. In terms of pure dopamine, nothing else in 2025 came close. If I had to choose the single most fun game I played all year, it would be BallxPit.

Escape Simulator 2:

Most escape room games give you a set of puzzles and a credits screen. Escape Simulator stood out by giving players the tools to make their own, and the sequel doubles down on that promise. With significantly upgraded graphics and a more powerful editor, Escape Simulator 2 meets the high bar I set for it. It deserves more recognition this year, not just for the solid base content, but for its longevity. It has evolved beyond a simple puzzle game into a full-blown escape room engine, and the community is already proving that the potential is limitless.

Absolum:

We all know Dotemu as the masters of modern nostalgia thanks to Shredder’s Revenge and Streets of Rage 4, but Absolum proves they don't need a licensed IP to strike gold. While the mainstream hype was focused on Marvel Cosmic Invasion, Absolum quietly stole the show by mashing up classic brawler combat with deep roguelike mechanics. Whether I was mixing quick  and slow strikes with Galandra or blasting away with Karl’s blunderbuss, the loop of stacking Rituals and Trinkets to create powerful synergies was addictive. It might be a little on the short and easy side, but it’s an absolute gem that stands as Dotemu's best work yet.

There's a lot to look forward to with games in 2026, so stay tuned as we dive in!