2025’s Most Underrated and Snubbed Game Is One of the Best of All Time

2025 has been packed with massive AAA releases, long-awaited sequels, incredible indies, and blockbuster remakes that have dominated headlines and awards shows. As players jump between sprawling open worlds, multiplayer giants, and cinematic epics, it’s become harder than ever for smaller or stranger titles to carve out their place in the conversation. Yet, every year, fans get incredible games that aren’t talked about simply because they are buried by other titles. 2025 saw Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and so many more. But another game rivals these.

2025 delivered one such masterpiece: an imaginative, mesmerizing, and downright unforgettable experience that captured the hearts of critics and players alike. Blue Prince, despite soaring review scores and a passionate fanbase, somehow slipped through the cracks during the industry’s biggest award show. In a year overflowing with major releases, Blue Prince didn’t get the spotlight it deserved, even though it may just be one of the greatest games of all time.

Blue Prince Is One of the Best Games of All Time

Blue Prince isn’t just good, it’s extraordinary. Designed as a puzzle-driven roguelike set inside an ever-shifting manor, the game takes a concept that could have easily been gimmicky and elevates it into something poetic. You navigate a labyrinthine estate whose rooms rearrange themselves with every attempt, revealing new story threads, strange characters, and deeply clever environmental puzzles. Every failure isn’t just a reset, but discovering more of this hidden but enchanting narrative.

What truly sets Blue Prince apart is the way its mechanics and narrative reinforce one another. The roguelike structure gives the game endless replayability, but the puzzles make every run feel meaningful, encouraging experimentation rather than punishment. Layered atop this is a narrative that slowly unfurls itself in fragments. Uncovering this was my favorite part of the game. I was counting steps, constantly worried I’d stop just short of learning more about the manor and story. Notes tucked behind secret panels, cryptic conversations, and artifacts that appear only after certain sequences of events. It’s the kind of storytelling that respects the player’s intelligence and curiosity, rewarding observation and intuition, and drawing them in.

Its atmosphere is equally striking. Surreal, dreamlike visuals blend with a soundtrack that’s equal parts soothing and unsettling. The manor itself becomes a character: alive, mysterious, and unpredictable. It’s no wonder Blue Prince has become one of the highest-rated games of the year across multiple outlets. Critics have praised its ingenuity. Players have filled forums with theories and discoveries. Blue Prince even has physical merchandise for hardcore fans. It remains one of my favorite games this year, and that’s saying something considering how long I waited for Hollow Knight: Silksong. In a year filled with great games, Blue Prince stands apart. It isn’t just one of 2025’s best; it’s a revolutionary title that deserves more time in the spotlight.

The Game Awards Majorly Snubbed Blue Prince

Given the universal praise Blue Prince has received, one would expect it to be a centerpiece at The Game Awards. Even amongst the giants of this year, a Game of the Year nomination seems appropriate, yet, shockingly, Blue Prince walked away with just a handful of minor mentions. It received a nomination for Best Debut Indie Game and Best Independent Game, two categories with heavy competition. Fans have been vocal about this baffling omission, and I completely agree.

Why did it happen? Several theories have circulated. Some believe Blue Prince simply didn’t have the marketing presence or publisher weight behind it to compete with AAA titles or hyped-up indie games. Others suggest its genre-blending identity made it harder to categorize and fit into more niche avenues. There’s also the unfortunate truth that awards shows often struggle to properly recognize quieter, more experimental works unless they become runaway mainstream hits. And even then, it largely remains a popularity contest for the games that win.

Regardless of the cause, the result was the same: one of the best games of the year, and arguably one of the best of all time, was overshadowed during the industry’s biggest moment of celebration. The absence stung not because Blue Prince needed awards to validate its greatness, but because its artistry deserved to be shared with a wider audience. Just being nominated brings more attention to a game, and Blue Prince deserves the recognition. Yet perhaps the snub may end up working in its favor. Gamers love an underdog story, and Blue Prince’s lack of spotlight has already led many curious players to discover it for themselves. Ironically, the very neglect that frustrated its fans may help cement its cult-classic status.

What’s Next for Blue Prince and Its Developer

Even as Blue Prince continues to find new fans and climb year-end lists, its developer has already begun teasing their next project. And while some players hoped for a direct sequel, another journey through the shifting manor, the studio has confirmed their next title will not be a continuation of Blue Prince’s story. The developer revealed that it would rather each project stand on its own, giving the example, “That’s just the type of sequels that I like. I like Myst followed by Riven, not Myst 2.”

This is exciting news for several reasons. It shows that the developer isn’t content to repeat themselves. Their strength lies in crafting imaginative, deeply atmospheric worlds, and moving on to something entirely new suggests a fearless commitment to creativity. Part of the reason I love Blue Prince so much is because of how unique it is. A sequel would be welcome, but it would lose this aspect. I cannot wait to see what Dogubomb has planned next, especially if new genres are tackled and blended.

The developer has openly thanked their passionate community, acknowledging how much the game’s surprising popularity, even down to its physical merchandise success, has empowered it to take bigger leaps with their next project. Fans have speculated on everything from a sci-fi mystery to a surreal open-world dreamscape, though nothing concrete has been revealed yet. Meanwhile, Blue Prince itself continues to reach new players as they discover it. Because the core structure is built around infinite permutations, Blue Prince remains endlessly replayable even without major post-launch updates.

Looking forward, the game seems destined for the same long-tail acclaim enjoyed by classics like Return of the Obra Dinn, Hades, and Outer Wilds. It’s a game that will be recommended to and enjoyed by new players for years.

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