It’s already becoming a cliche to say “it’s been an incredible year for games”, yet despite so much negativity, it truly has been a banner year for that thing we love doing with a controller.
From the beautifully written and told stories that were part of the indies that kicked the year off, such as Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, to the games we never thought we’d see that closed out the year, like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (and of course, Silksong), there’s rather been something for everyone.
If you’re looking for a long list of (almost) everything we reviewed, you can find that here. Likewise, if you fancy a look forward to what’s coming in 2026, that’s here for you too. And also, if you prefer to see how we came to this eventual list of a top ten games of 2025, we did that in a (very) long-form podcast, which you can see below this very text, along with other episodes where we break down the year into some other fun, sometimes silly, but always totally serious categories. Oh and of course, we did that in audio form, too, so you can enjoy that.
But this is our top ten list, so we’re going to do just that: list the top ten games of 2025, and tell you what we said about them. First up then, let’s talk about the other 9 games that made our top ten. Or… you could scroll down and be angry / happy / sad / confused / excited about the game that won our Game of the Year for 2025, then re-read the rest of the list. The choice… is yours!
10. Baby Steps
Kieran: It’s a struggle to think about what to say about it. If you’ve not listened to Day 3 of the LLC Podcast 2025 Awards yet then it’s where we get into the nuts and bolts of what makes Baby Steps such a special game. Rather than talking about how moreish the game is despite a difficulty level that borders on being unfair, or the batshit crazy improv dialogue that’ll have you laughing out loud regularly, I just want to focus on the fact that Baby Steps simply isn’t what you expect it to be.
Yes, it looks like meme-y streamer fodder, and the slapstick physics and janky Goat Simulator-style gameplay definitely suggests that’s all this is, but persevere and you’ll find Nate’s story and character are so much more than that. It’s a sad, personal story of anxiety, fitting in and bettering oneself, with moments that are more bittersweet or touching than you’d ever expect from what you see in the first few hours. It feels far more open to interpretation and analysis than any game I’ve played in recent times, which is partly why it stuck around in my brain for so long. It’s not an easy game to love, and I don’t blame anyone for bouncing off it, but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with an engaging gameplay loop, excellent story and more donkey dicks than you’ll know what to do with.
9. Monster Hunter Wilds
What we said: “As with World and Rise before it, Monster Hunter Wilds feels like a true evolution of the series, maintaining everything that gives it it’s identity but tweaking multiple elements to improve and streamline systems that stir felt a little sluggish. Granted it could be tougher in places, but this was never hard on a Dark Souls level in the first place, and the pay off is an incredibly playable and addictive action game with hours and hours of replayability. After twenty years of such regular releases you might expect Monster Hunter to be showing its age, but Capcom continue to deliver the best possible standard for their biggest selling series, and frankly, that’s just wild.”
8. Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor
What we said: “It may be a little soon to declare that the King is dead, long live the King, but Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is the most genuine threat to Vampire Survivor’s rule yet. It’s so smooth and addictive, so easy to jump into and so well-balanced that it easily stands as one of the best in the genre, and the innovations make it stand out among the steadily growing crowd. Genuinely brilliant.”
7. The Alters
What we said: “There were times when The Alters worked so hard I could see the seams, and sometimes the stitching threatened to come undone altogether, but despite it being a highly stressful game and despite the bugs, it’s the most unique and interesting survival-crafting sim I’ve ever played. Well written, well executed, and well worth your time, The Alters is a genuinely moving, compelling, and exciting game that delights in punishing you for the very real sin of being a fallible human.”
6. Donkey Kong Bananza
What we said: “Donkey Kong Bananza is a truly special game, one that rewards you for your ideas, and one that I don’t think could have been achieved with this level of quality on the original Nintendo Switch. It wasn’t a launch title and perhaps should have been, but it’s here now, and it’s easily one of the most enjoyable games of the year so far. I never thought I’d be okay with not having an Odyssey sequel, so kudos to Nintendo for delivering Donkey Kong Bananza, a game I didn’t know I wanted until I got it. Bravo.”
5. Ghost of Yotei
What we said: “I got lost in this world, not through lack of direction but simply in the wonder of it. I found myself ignoring the fast travel because I just wanted to ride places, ignoring the standoff option in enemy camps because I wanted to engage with the stealth mechanics, and then relishing it when I made mistakes because combat is at its gloriously messy best when you’re surrounded by enemies. In a year of surprise hits, Ghost of Yotei surprises no one by taking up the mantle dropped by Tsushima and running with it. Quite simply, this is a genuine masterpiece.”
4. The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy
3. Ball x Pit
Lyle: In a year full of wonderful Roguelikes, it was Ball x Pit that captured the hearts of the team the most. By blending Breakout gameplay with all sorts of random powerups, Ball x Pit becomes a mad explosion of balls and effects that’s truly something to behold. Combined with the city building elements and so many unlockable characters that completely change the game, Ball x Pit is a title that I’m just not sure I’ll ever be able to quit.
As well as ranking highly on our overall top ten list, Ball x Pit was also our nicest surprise. This year there were so many games that appealed to our varied tastes, but Ball x Pit was one of a very small number that we all agreed was fantastic. There’s even more content coming to the game soon, so don’t expect us to stop talking about balls anytime soon.
2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
What we said: “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is that rarest of treasures: a AAA adventure that feels fresh, presenting old concepts in new ways. Its dazzling, dangerous world is like nothing I’ve ever played through, at turns gorgeous and gruelling, offering puzzles aplenty and numerous intrigues. More than this though, it tells a story that delivers genuine emotion with characters who feel real and human, in tandem with its hypnotic art style and stirring score. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 truly feels like something unique and artistic, and reminds us how moving, exhilarating, and provocative big-budget adventure games can be.”
1. Dispatch
Kieran: In an era where superhero stories can feel tired and played out, Dispatch brings something exciting and expertly told, with a star-studded cast that deliver every line with panache and gorgeous visuals that eliminate any evidence of the seams that used to regularly strain in Telltale games. It’s rare that a game makes you laugh out loud, and rarer still that one does it so effortlessly and frequently as Dispatch does, and it’s made all the more impressive by the fact it does this while still telling an emotive tale of justice and personal growth for Aaron Paul’s Robert Robertson.
Some might balk that the game is mostly watching a story unfold, although the actual act of dispatching superheroes is genuinely inspired and really fun to do, but it does it all within a package that’s higher quality than basically anything else in the same ballpark. There’s a reason why everyone on the Loot Level Chill team loved it, and I’m confident that anyone even remotely interested in these narrative adventure games will be equally enthralled by it.
