Has Death Stranding 2 Overtaken Expedition 33 as This Year’s GOTY Frontrunner?

Game of the Year is a coveted award, and 2025 is shaping up to be an incredible year. Numerous games have been released that can claim to be a 10/10, and it is only August. With several months still left in the year, there is an opportunity for titles to release and claim this spot. Determining what game is the best of 2025 will be a challenging spot, but the discussion is pointing to a handful of frontrunners already. Two games in particular are in talks to win GOTY 2025, and the debate over which has the edge has become heated.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach are the two games seemingly poised to claim Game of the Year. Each has various supporting reasons, which is no surprise. One is a brand new game while the other is a sequel, and both are in different genres. That isn’t even taking into account the other games that could potentially be named GOTY.

2025’s Game of the Year Contenders So Far

Few years have seen such tighter competition for Game of the Year. Each month, new games are released that have the potential to scoop up this prestigious award. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach are just two titles that could claim the honor for 2025. However, these are not the only contenders for game of the year.

Nintendo is making a strong case with both Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. Both titles have seen great success on the Nintendo Switch 2, with the latter being the first 3D Donkey Kong game since Donkey Kong 64. Nintendo games ooze charm, and while they target a younger audience, older games continue to pick them up as well. Nintendo consistently finds new ways to innovate gameplay and make it fun, even in longer-running series, as it has proved with these two releases.

Nintendo isn’t the only one aiming for GOTY. Split Fiction, the latest title by Hazelight, has also thrown its hat into the ring. It follows in the footsteps of It Takes Two and capitalizes on its brilliant storytelling and engaging co-op gameplay. Blue Prince is another surprise contender. This indie title took players by surprise and quickly became one of the most acclaimed games of 2025.

GOTY 2025 will prove to be a difficult choice. There are still many games releasing this year that may also be contenders. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Borderlands 4, Silent Hill f, Ghost of Yotei, and Battlefield 6 are just some of the upcoming games players should consider when deciding what the best game of 2025 is. There are also more acclaimed games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds to consider as well.

Expedition 33 Was the Game of the Year Frontrunner

That said, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is proving to be the frontrunner for GOTY to this point. It seemingly revitalized turn-based RPGs, even leading to rumors of Square Enix returning to its roots and considering a turn-based Final Fantasy game. It still holds the #1 spot according to Metacritic when eliminating Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games. With a leading score of 93, it’s no wonder the game is at the top of the list for GOTY.

Sandfall Interactive is the studio behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and it marks its debut title. The fact that this is Sandfall Interactive’s first game makes this accomplishment all the more impressive. However, the gameplay, narrative, and visuals are more than enough to stand on their own. A big part of the game’s success is its attention and focus on tight gameplay and pacing. Add a star-studded cast and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was almost bound to succeed.

Turn-based RPGs have certainly been less popular than action RPGs and soulslikes in recent years. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 chose to release in the face of this and succeeded thanks to using ideas from classic and modern JRPGs, as well as implementing its own. It is hard to imagine any game claiming GOTY over Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but one title is in the running to do just that.

Is Death Stranding 2 Good Enough to Beat Expedition 33?

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is one of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s strongest competition for GOTY. Hideo Kojima has seemingly improved on nearly every aspect of Death Stranding and added even more for players to enjoy. The game has seen no end of praise, but is it enough to dethrone Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as the 2025 Game of the Year frontrunner?

Metacritic places the game below Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at 89, but the true difference is in the two games’ user scores. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach boasts a user score of 8.8, which still falls below Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s 9.7. However, this isn’t to make light of the game’s accomplishments, as Death Stranding 2: On the Beach proved to be one of the PlayStation 5’s best-selling games.

Kojima’s legendary storytelling combines with Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s unique and varied gameplay to create what many consider a masterpiece. Norman Reedus leads an equally star-studded cast in one of the most creative games of all time. Many who wrote Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach off as a walking simulator were proven wrong. Only a handful of games have what it takes to turn player views around like this, and Kojima Productions has done just that.

But has Death Stranding 2: On the Beach overtaken Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? One title is a strong performing debut, the other is a refined and improved sequel. Both games have their criticized elements, such as Death Stranding 2: On the Beach playing it safe compared to other Kojima sequels, or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lacking polish and movement feeling clunky.

Both games are strong contenders and are likely to be among the top games considered for GOTY. However, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 still seems to be in the lead, but it remains to be seen if this changes. Both games are receiving updates still, and there is plenty of time left in 2025.

What do you think the Game of the Year 2025 will be? Is it Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, or something else? Let us know what you think in the comments below!