Branching Path: Bryan Vitale’s Top 10 Games of 2025

This is my ninth top ten list for RPG Site, and I noticed I mostly played games that fit the site’s focus. I always feel a little awkward about that, as it makes this list similar to other ‘best of’ lists here. Considering how many RPGs came out each month in 2025, I’m happy I managed to play so many! However, I didn’t have as much time to explore older games or try titles outside the RPG genre as I’d hoped. I’ll aim to do more of that next year.

I was really excited about the games Obsidian Entertainment planned to release in 2026, and I was surprised by the positive buzz around Sandfall Interactive’s first game. I also tried some games people recommended and a few that just caught my eye. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have been so sure about how things would turn out.

Honorable Mentions

Pokemon Legends: Z-A – I was surprised to look back and not see Pokemon Legends: Arceus on my 2022 list. I am pretty fond of that game for successfully breaking out from the tried-and-true Pokemon formula and largely succeeding in many ways. We’ve seen the mainline series also take similar swings at shaking things up on that front, but Arceus, in my opinion, was the most successful. While I did also enjoy Pokemon Legends: Z-A, it didn’t quite stick with me in the same way. The new battle mechanics and UI elements felt very natural evolutions of the tried and true formula, but I felt that the gameplay itself only just pushed past the “proof of concept” phase on the idea. I still hope that Nintendo and The Pokemon Company keep experimenting with revisiting old settings with a new perspective in the Legends sub-series.
Drova: Forsaken Kin – This one is listed as an Honorable Mention by default because of its 2024 release date, but it was a game I played in 2025 based on strong word of mouth and I’m glad I did. I think it’s best to probably just point to my belated review of Drova: Forsaken Kin that I only wrote a few months ago because I felt obligated to have the game see its coverage on this site. It was probably the most friction that I felt in a game this year (outside of maybe the early parts of my playthrough of Kingdom Come Deliverance) with some interesting narrative hooks and a huge emphasis on exploration and wanderlust. It didn’t land quite perfectly, but it was a fun indie romp that I am glad I made time for in an otherwise packed year of 2025 releases.

10) Fantasy Life I: The Girl Who Steals Time

RPG Site has enthusiastically praised Fantasy Life I: The Girl Who Steals Time, even ranking it among our top five games of the year! I wasn’t sure what to expect from it initially and might have mistaken it for games like Rune Factory or Story of Seasons, but it quickly proved to be something special. Thanks to strong recommendations, I decided to give it a try, and it turned out to be ideal for the Steam Deck. I could easily play in short bursts, consistently making progress no matter how much time I had.

I didn’t quite fall in love with Fantasy Life, but I really appreciate its charming art style and overall presentation. It’s surprisingly good at making simple tasks incredibly engaging – I often found myself playing for hours! What impressed me most was the huge range of things to do. Each of the different professions feels really detailed, there’s a gameplay mode similar to Animal Crossing, a large open world to explore, and even recently added roguelike challenges. Despite all this variety, the game doesn’t feel cluttered or overwhelming. I can definitely see myself returning to Fantasy Life from time to time in the future just for a bit of fun.

9) Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon

Out of all the games listed, this one really stands out. So many games draw from Arthurian legends that they’ve started to feel very similar. That makes it tricky to introduce Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, as it’s a dark and gritty take on those familiar stories. But really, this game feels like a labor of love from a new studio that was clearly inspired by games like The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Skyrim. For a more detailed look, you can check out my full review on this site.

Overall, I surprisingly enjoyed Tainted Grail despite initially thinking its dark and gloomy atmosphere wouldn’t appeal to me. I particularly appreciated how quests were handled – you had to actually talk to people to discover them, rather than having them marked on a map. Now that the game has received a significant update and DLC, I’m considering playing it again. My previous concern was that it needed more development time, and after six months, it might be worth revisiting, though I’m not making any guarantees!

8) Digimon Story: Time Stranger

I wasn’t ever a big fan of Digimon, but I did watch the original TV series as a kid. The only Digimon game I really played was Digimon World 2, which I just happened to pick up at the store one day. I didn’t even realize it was a ‘mystery dungeon’ type of game at the time! Still, I had some fond memories of Digimon, and when Digimon Story: Time Stranger came out, I was interested in trying it. I’d heard good things about other games in the Digimon Story series, and since Time Stranger was also getting positive reviews, I decided to give in to my nostalgia and see what it was like.

I had a lot of fun discovering both classic and new Digimon throughout a long and engaging story. I was particularly impressed with how Digimon evolved and devolved, which made me frequently change up my team. While it was sometimes easy to exploit type matchups and stats, I still enjoyed the game overall. It’s not likely I’ll rush to play every Digimon game that comes out, but this one, Time Stranger, came along at just the right moment and I was able to really appreciate it.

7) Avowed

Honestly, if someone had told me a couple years ago that Obsidian would release both Avowed and The Outer Worlds II so close together, and that I’d actually end up loving both enough to put them on my top ten games list, I wouldn’t have believed them. Though, I would’ve hoped they’d rank higher on that list. It feels right that they both ended up in the bottom half, though. Especially with Avowed, it felt like everyone was constantly comparing it to Skyrim for years. Obsidian never really wanted that comparison, but it just kept happening, and it’s tough to shake off that shadow.

Playing Avowed felt a bit strange, honestly. It’s set in the same world as some older RPGs that a dedicated group of us really loved, but weren’t huge mainstream hits. That meant people like me were super hyped, but I worried it might be confusing or intimidating for newcomers. I really enjoyed the game, but I think it would have been a tough sell to a wider audience anyway. The characters were good, though they could have been more captivating. I loved exploring the world and the first-person combat was a blast, but the main story just didn’t fully pull me in. Every good thing I have to say about Avowed feels like it comes with a ‘but…’. I’d still recommend giving it a shot, but I think I got the most out of it because I was already familiar with the previous games in the series.

6) The Outer Worlds II

It’s difficult to discuss The Outer Worlds II without acknowledging its clear connection to the first game. However, it’s a significant step forward, improving on the original in almost every way. What I particularly appreciated was that, unlike many similar games, you couldn’t master everything. My choices were limited by my character’s skills – I couldn’t achieve certain quest outcomes because I specialized in Engineering, not Medicine. The ‘Flaw’ system, which offers powerful benefits alongside noticeable drawbacks, was also a consistently pleasant surprise. Ultimately, the game’s emphasis on character roleplaying and building a unique character is why I enjoyed The Outer Worlds II more than Avowed.

I surprisingly enjoyed the gameplay of these titles more than their stories, which is unusual for a game made by Obsidian Entertainment. In this particular game, I became very engaged with the mechanics despite not being invested in the narrative. It felt like the satirical style of The Outer Worlds was forced to stretch across two games, and I didn’t find the extra content appealing. Despite this, the solid RPG systems and overall fun first-person gameplay keep it from being a top five game for me.

5) Saga Frontier 2 Remastered

I’ve been a fan of the Saga series for years, with several games appearing on my top ten lists – Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven even topped my list last year! So, I was surprised when Saga Frontier 2 Remastered was announced and released so quickly in early 2025, especially since I only mildly enjoyed Saga Frontier Remastered. However, I discovered the sequel is quite different. While it retains some core Saga elements, it largely stands on its own. I actually found Saga Frontier 2 more engaging than the first game. Its focus on just two main characters and a more focused, story-driven approach – rather than the open-ended, sandbox style of the original – kept me hooked. Having to explore the same areas with eight different characters in the first game felt less appealing.

What I especially loved about Saga Frontier 2 was its more traditional fantasy world and the way it told one complete story over several years. The character interactions felt more genuine and heartwarming because you spent so much time with each character. I also thought the art style was really unique and matched the game’s atmosphere perfectly, and thankfully, the remaster preserved most of its beautiful, watercolor-like look. The original game was known for its unpredictable difficulty, but the remaster fixed this, making the game consistently enjoyable even with the time-shifting mechanics.

4) Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

As a longtime fan of Falcom’s series, I was really excited to replay the original game, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, ever since I first saw footage of it during a Nintendo Direct presentation. This review will likely be pretty simple and predictable. While Trails in the Sky FC isn’t my personal favorite from that time, I still have a lot of good memories of it.

What I loved most about Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is how it perfectly captured the feeling of the original game while still feeling fresh. Remakes often fall into the trap of changing things for the sake of surprising fans or setting up future installments, but this one stayed remarkably true to the source material. It genuinely felt like revisiting a familiar favorite. The updated combat system flowed seamlessly, and the new artwork beautifully modernized the characters and world without losing what made them special. My only minor complaint was that the English translation differed slightly from what I remembered, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. It’s fantastic to have such a great entry point into the series, especially with the next game coming out later this year.

3) Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake

I didn’t get into the Dragon Quest series until recently, starting with Dragon Quest XI and trying out a few others since then. I enjoyed Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake last year, but mostly because it felt like I was experiencing a classic game I’d missed. However, with Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake, I found a game I can genuinely recommend to any fan of classic JRPGs. Since I hadn’t played the original versions, I can’t say how faithful this remake is to them, only that it feels modern and enjoyable. Dragon Quest II, in particular, feels like a complete, standalone JRPG, and I wouldn’t have guessed it was based on a 40-year-old game if I hadn’t known.

What set Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake apart for me, unlike Dragon Quest III, was its strong story, particularly in Dragon Quest II, and a more balanced difficulty. Now considered the conclusion to the HD-2D trilogy (released in the unusual order of 3, 1, and 2), Dragon Quest II feels like a fitting end to three games that, while all Dragon Quest, each offer a slightly different RPG experience. It’s a good reminder that even within the Dragon Quest series, there’s room for interpretation and variety in what defines an RPG. The HD-2D visuals really enhance the game’s classic feel, making it feel timeless rather than old-fashioned.

2) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

When Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was first revealed, it was clear the game had potential to be something truly special. I saw firsthand at Denver Fan Expo just a couple of months after release – with fans already creating impressive *Expeditionthemed costumes and sharing artwork – that it was resonating with players. The game draws clear inspiration from other works, but it still manages to be a unique and captivating experience. And the soundtrack, a debut project from Lorien Testard, is exceptional – I genuinely believe it’s among the best in video game history.

Expedition 33 isn’t just a collection of good ideas – it feels truly special. It expertly blends familiar RPG elements, like strategic turn-based combat and action-oriented parrying, with flexible crafting and a beautiful, though sometimes inconsistent, art style. What really sets it apart is how these elements come together – it offers a fresh perspective, and feels driven by a strong, unwavering vision. The game builds towards a specific theme, suggesting a project with a clear goal that wasn’t watered down. I particularly appreciate the ending, which is emotionally resonant and realistically complex – a refreshing change from stories that often aim for neat, tidy conclusions. Though, of course, that kind of ending won’t appeal to everyone.

I don’t think Expedition 33 is meant to revolutionize existing games, and that’s perfectly fine. In fact, I hope it helps the genre attract new players worldwide. Maybe it will introduce people to the games that originally inspired Sandfall Interactive, or even inspire new developers to create their own unique projects, just like Clair Obscur did.

1) Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

The first game I played in 2025 was Kingdom Come Deliverance, and since then, including the sequel and all the downloadable content, I’ve spent around 300 hours playing as Henry of Skalitz in a realistically depicted medieval world. Looking back, it feels almost inevitable that it would become my favorite game of the year. I wouldn’t have predicted before last year that a realistic, open-world RPG would captivate me as much as Kingdom Come Deliverance has. As I mentioned in RPG Site’s year-end list, what impresses me most is how the game manages to be both vast and incredibly focused. The story, spanning both games, starts small but grows into something much larger, all while remaining grounded and believable. Everything about the storytelling – the direction, voice acting, and motion capture – feels high-quality and well-crafted.

Honestly, the depth of this game goes way beyond just the story. The way everything plays is incredible. You’ve got tons of different ways to approach combat, a really thoughtful item system, and you actually have to manage your resources. Plus, things like day/night cycles, lockpicking, how your character’s morale affects things, your reputation with different groups, and even how durable your gear is all come into play. I know a lot of games have these features, and some do them really well, but this game just blends them together so seamlessly. It feels natural that guards would be less forgiving if I’ve been causing trouble or if I’m covered in…well, you get the idea. It all just makes sense.

For years, RPGs have been judged on how immersive, lived-in, and believable they feel, and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 really sets a new standard in all those areas. While other games might have bigger worlds or cities, this one truly made me lose myself in the experience. From the realistic sounds of people chatting in the streets of Kuttenberg to the small details like carefully crafting potions, everything feels incredibly authentic. Combined with the game’s excellent storytelling – where even local events feel more important than world-ending threats in other games – it’s clear that Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is a complete and impressive package.

2026-01-05 08:00