The 2025 Game of the Year race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. Critics and players alike have praised this year’s biggest releases and hit indies for their creativity, ambition, and polish, making the final lineup feel stacked with heavy hitters across genres. From groundbreaking indies to massive AAA blockbusters, the year has delivered an impressive blend of innovation and technical mastery, raising the bar for what modern games can achieve. With review scores being high across the board, the competition has never looked more intense or more exciting.
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However, with the nominees revealed, fans can now begin discussing which game will take home the coveted GOTY trophy. Between the games selected, it will be hard, but only one can actually win 2025’s Game of the Year title.
6) Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – 88
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II continues Warhorse Studios’ commitment to grounded, historically rooted RPG design, and its 88 Metacritic score reflects how well it executes that vision. The sequel refines everything that made the original a cult favorite: a realistic combat system, deep role-playing mechanics, and a richly detailed medieval world shaped by authentic Bohemian history.
The game’s dedication to realism, forgoing traditional fantasy tropes, makes it stand out in a crowded RPG field. Players must manage stamina, weapon handling, reputation, and social interactions in ways few titles attempt. Coupled with an expanded open world, handcrafted quests, and a commitment to historical fidelity, Deliverance II provides an immersion level few games match.
5) Death Stranding 2: On the Beach – 89
Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2: On the Beach scored an 89 on Metacritic, signaling strong critical acclaim for a sequel that doubles down on its genre-defying identity. Rather than simply expanding its predecessor’s unconventional systems, the game reimagines them with more cinematic ambition, broader environmental challenges, and a stronger emotional core. Sam Porter Bridges returns in a more mature, thematically resonant story about connection, grief, and the rebuilding of humanity.
Gameplay improvements help the sequel earn its position as a Game of the Year contender. Traversal is deeper and more varied thanks to enhanced tools, dynamic terrain, and more meaningful cooperative elements. The enemy factions and BT encounters are more threatening and visually striking, while the expanded building systems give players more ownership of the world’s reconstruction. Nearly every mechanic feels more cohesive and purposeful, and Death Stranding 2 remains one of the most visually impressive games of the generation.
4) Donkey Kong Bananza – 91
With a 91 Metacritic score, Donkey Kong Bananza has become one of the most celebrated Nintendo platformers in years. It revitalizes the Donkey Kong franchise with a blend of old-school charm and modern destruction mechanics, offering some of the series’ most creative levels and most polished mechanics. The game preserves classic DK energy, rhythmic movement, weighty jumps, and high-intensity platforming, while introducing inventive stage gimmicks, lush environments, and expressive animation.
What propels Bananza into Game of the Year contention is its impeccable craftsmanship. Dynamic set pieces, layered secrets, and tight controls reflect Nintendo’s highest design standards. The game also offers one of the best soundtracks in recent DK history, blending jazz, tribal percussion, and orchestral flourishes to elevate every moment. Its difficulty curve, accessibility features, and replayability give it broad appeal across age groups and skill levels.
3) Hollow Knight: Silksong – 91
After years of anticipation, Hollow Knight: Silksong arrived with a 91 Metacritic score and immediately earned a place in the Game of the Year conversation. Team Cherry delivered a sequel that evolves the beloved formula of the original while introducing a faster, more acrobatic combat system and a world even more expansive and thematically ambitious. Hornet’s fluid mobility transforms exploration, giving the game a distinctive identity compared to its predecessor.
Silksong’s strengths lie in its worldbuilding and handcrafted design. Its labyrinthine interconnected regions are filled with new enemy types, beautiful environments, and secrets that reward curiosity. The bosses are among the best in the genre, and the atmospheric soundtrack and narrative subtlety deepen the game’s emotional impact and sense of mystery. All in all, Silksong proved to be worth the long wait.
2)Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – 92
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stunned critics and is well-deserving of its 92 Metacritic score and a place among GOTY contenders. Developed by Sandfall Interactive, it blends turn-based combat with real-time skill checks, giving battles a rhythm and immediacy that keep players constantly engaged. Its painterly, surreal world creates a visual identity unlike anything else released in 2026 and makes it stand out amongst other titles.
The narrative follows a group of explorers racing against an apocalyptic cycle, touching themes of hope, sacrifice, and the fear of repetition. Emotional storytelling, cinematic presentation, and strong character writing help the game resonate beyond its striking aesthetic. The adventuring structure encourages creativity and experimentation, making each encounter feel fresh. What truly elevates Expedition 33 into Game of the Year contention is its complete synergy of style and substance.
1) Hades II – 95
With a 95 Metacritic score, Hades II stands at the top of the 2026 rankings and is widely considered the frontrunner for Game of the Year. Supergiant Games delivers a sequel that expands every aspect of the original while preserving the fast, addictive combat and emotionally resonant storytelling that made Hades a modern classic. This time, players step into the role of Melinoë, which, while different, still allows for deeper builds and more strategic mastery.
The roguelike progression is richer than ever, with new regions, complex enemy design, and a vast array of weapons and boons that encourage experimentation. Supergiant’s signature narrative style shines, blending character-driven storytelling with branching interactions that evolve as players progress through repeated runs. The voice acting, music, and art direction reach new heights, making each escape attempt feel like a meaningful piece of the larger mythological tale. What secures Hades II’s position as a GOTY contender is its near-perfect fusion of gameplay, writing, pacing, and style that has been enhanced since the first Hades.
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