The 20 best games of 2025 – Minority Mindset

Wow, 2025 has been a wild ride! I was really looking forward to GTA 6, like everyone else, but honestly, some of the games that came out of nowhere have totally stolen the show. We did get big titles like Ghost of Yotei and Death Stranding 2, but it’s been the smaller, indie games that have really captured my attention – games like Clair Obscur: Expedition, Ball x Pit, and even Umamusume! With so many amazing releases this year, it’s tough to pick just one, but it’s got me wondering… what is the best game of 2025?

Our writers have spent the year reviewing new products and giving them scores from 1 to 5. This list features the very best ones – those that earned top ratings from our team.

20. Umamusume: Pretty Derby

Release date: March 31, 2025
Developer: Cygames
Platforms: iOS, Android, PC
Genre: Racing / Simulation

Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a fun game where you train anime girls based on famous Japanese racehorses to become racing champions. It’s a sports simulation with a strong focus on characters – you’ll build up their skills, experience daily events, create bonds with them, and then compete in exciting races that feel like real sports dramas. You guide your horse girl from a beginner all the way to a potential champion!

Umamusume is incredibly engaging because it creates sports drama that feels genuinely intense—you’ll find yourself as invested as a professional coach! What starts as simple training quickly evolves into compelling stories with rivals, setbacks, unexpected successes, and relatable everyday moments. You’ll go from calmly improving your horse girls to anxiously cheering them on as they pull off last-second victories.

The game is captivating because each character feels unique and full of personality. They aren’t just interchangeable pieces; they have their own flaws, dreams, and storylines that change with every playthrough. This creates a surprisingly engaging experience – it’s like a gacha game that transforms into a sports anime you’re directing yourself, which is why it’s so hard to stop playing.

19. Ball x Pit

Release date: October 15, 2025
Developer: Kenny Sun
Platforms: Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: Roguelike

This game involves sending a team of special characters into challenging levels to defeat enemies by launching fireballs. These fireballs have different effects – some cause direct damage, while others create smaller, additional projectiles. The result is a chaotic and visually exciting barrage of attacks. Between each attempt, you’ll develop a city to recruit new characters, improve their abilities, and unlock features that will help you on your next playthrough.

Ball x Pit is a standout roguelike this year. What makes it so enjoyable is its incredible replayability – every attempt feels fresh thanks to the variety of balls, passive abilities, and powerful evolutions you can unlock. The short, 10-15 minute runs are perfectly paced, and the constant stream of upgrades keeps you coming back for more whenever you have a free moment.

The most satisfying part of this game is how a single choice can completely change everything. Unexpected bounces, powerful combinations, and sudden bursts of strength force you to think on your feet. Building and designing your city is also incredibly engaging, offering long-term benefits for future runs. You’ll even find yourself strategizing when you’re not playing, constantly thinking about what to build or place next.

18. Megabonk

Release date: September 18, 2025
Developer: Vedinad
Platform: PC
Genre: Roguelike

Megabonk is a roguelike game that plays a lot like Ball x Pit and takes heavy inspiration from Vampire Survivors. You’re dropped into a randomly generated world and have to survive endless waves of increasingly difficult enemies. The unique thing about Megabonk is that you don’t directly control attacks – everything happens automatically. Instead, you make choices about which new weapons, abilities, or upgrades to get. The fun comes from building a super-powered character and trying to beat your own high score.

Vampire Survivors was incredibly popular in 2022, and for good reason. It simplified gameplay, letting players control movement while everything else happened automatically – a unique take on the ‘bullet hell’ genre. Now, in 2025, Megabonk delivers a similar experience, but with a fresh twist. By switching to a third-person perspective, it ramps up the intensity of the already frantic action.

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of rescuing a Megabonk run that seemed destined to fail. It’s incredibly rewarding and a game you can play over and over again.

17. Mario Kart World

Release date: June 5, 2025
Developer: Nintendo
Platform: Switch 2
Genre: Racing

Mario Kart is back! The latest installment launched with the Nintendo Switch 2, offering the same fun, chaotic racing fans love, with familiar characters and unpredictable items. This version features improved graphics, a fantastic soundtrack, and a brand new open-world experience – and hopefully fewer dreaded Blue Shells!

Despite a somewhat empty open world, Mario Kart still delivers incredibly fun racing. The game features a larger roster of characters, beautifully designed tracks, and a more satisfying driving experience thanks to new techniques like wall-riding and grinding. It’s a game with a high skill ceiling, meaning you can spend hundreds of hours perfecting your racing skills and mastering every curve.

Knockout Tour was a surprisingly fun addition to Mario Kart. Its elimination-style races were packed with excitement. As the 24-player race progresses, players are gradually knocked out, leading to a truly intense final lap where you’re head-to-head with just one opponent.

You can read our full Mario Kart World review here.

16. Where Winds Meet

Release date: November 14, 2025
Developer: Everstone Studio
Platforms: PS5, PC, Android, iOS
Genre: Action RPG

Where Winds Meet is a free-to-play action RPG set in a fantastical ancient China. You play as a student searching for your lost teacher, and your quest will uncover secrets about your own history and a larger conspiracy. The game features exciting martial arts combat, challenging boss battles inspired by the Souls series, a huge world to explore, and lots of unique weapons and abilities to unlock.

Where Winds Meet truly captures the feeling of a Chinese fantasy world. You can move around in amazing ways – running across water, gliding with a fan, and scaling mountains with ease. The game’s environments are just as impressive, featuring stunning locations like vibrant city streets, vast grasslands, and mysterious bamboo forests that are as beautiful as those in Ghost of Yotei.

Battles in the game feel dynamic and exciting, using a parry system similar to Sekiro that makes each fight a quick, intense exchange. The diverse range of weapons and abilities – like breathing fire, transforming into a giant frog, using Tai Chi to launch opponents, gliding with a petal-firing umbrella, or summoning spirit rats – really makes combat stand out. This unique approach is what sets Where Winds Meet apart from other open-world games.

15. Dispatch

Release date: November 12, 2025
Developer: AdHoc Studio
Platforms: PS5, PC
Genre: Adventure

This is an interactive story where you play a former superhero now working at a call center. Your job is to dispatch reformed villains—who are trying to become heroes—on missions to help the city. Over eight episodes, your choices shape the story, from funny one-liners to important relationship decisions. You’ll connect with this quirky group of characters in a beautifully animated adventure that’s both funny and heartwarming.

Episodic adventure games are making a comeback! While Telltale Games previously led the way with hits like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, the studio struggled with later releases. Now, former Telltale developers have created Dispatch, a fantastic choose-your-own-adventure game – easily one of the best in recent years. It’s truly excellent, as the game’s protagonist, Robert Robertson the Third, might say.

Dispatch boasts a fantastic voice cast and a story that immediately grabs your attention. The unique gameplay, where you manage emergency calls and guide heroes, keeps things interesting, and your choices have real consequences that unfold throughout the game. It’s addictive – you’ll want to check the stats after each playthrough, see what others did, and immediately start a new game to try different approaches. We’re already excited for the next season!

14. Donkey Kong Bananza

Release date: July 17, 2025
Developer: Nintendo
Platform: Switch 2
Genre: Platformer

Donkey Kong is launching on the Nintendo Switch 2 with a fantastic platforming adventure! The game features a uniquely destructible world – almost everything can be broken – letting you create your own routes to collect bananas and find clever solutions to challenges.

Donkey Kong Bananza is a blast because every level feels like a fresh, open space to explore. You’re free to choose your own route and playstyle, meaning no two players will have the exact same experience. It’s all about powerfully making your way to victory, and that’s incredibly satisfying!

The game looks fantastic and runs incredibly smoothly on the Switch 2. Seeing the aftermath of your actions, and the sheer scale of everything, is especially impressive when played on a handheld console.

You can read our full Donkey Kong Bananza review here.

13. Monster Hunter Wilds

Release date: February 28, 2025
Developer: Capcom
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: Action RPG

The newest Monster Hunter game lets you prepare for battle against powerful monsters. You’ll collect resources and craft new equipment to help you defeat increasingly challenging bosses.

The core gameplay of hunting monsters, returning to base camp to improve your gear, and then heading back out for more is incredibly satisfying, and Monster Hunter Wilds delivers this experience better than ever before. Battles are more impactful no matter what weapons you use, the monsters are smarter and more challenging, and the game world feels more vibrant and detailed than previous installments.

Honestly, this game just sucks you in! It builds such a cool world that I really wanted to live in and keep discovering. And the best part? As I got stronger, I could take on bigger and bigger challenges. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finally defeating a massive creature after a tough fight – it’s so satisfying when your hard work pays off!

You can read our full Monster Hunter Wilds review here.

12. Elden Ring Nightreign

Release date: May 30, 2025
Developer: FromSoftware Inc.
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: Multiplayer roguelike

Nightreign is a fast-paced game mode for up to three players inspired by Elden Ring. In just three days, you’ll journey across The Lands Between, facing challenging enemies from various FromSoftware games. Each attempt starts fresh, meaning you’ll need to collect new equipment and improve your character with each run. The ultimate goal is to defeat a randomly chosen Nightlord before time runs out.

Elden Ring is TopMob’s all-time favorite game, and it’s easy to see why. The game offers an incredible sense of discovery and the excitement of conquering difficult challenges, creating a truly unforgettable experience. Now, with Nightreign, players can enjoy that experience repeatedly, and even team up with friends to defeat massive bosses.

Nightreign builds on the popular roguelike style, and you’ll definitely want to play again after each attempt. You might reach day three, or discover a powerful item that completely changes how you play. This randomness keeps each run both difficult and thrilling.

You can read our full Elden Ring Nightreign review here.

11. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Release date: September 4, 2025
Developer: Team Cherry
Platforms: Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: Metroidvania

Hollow Knight: Silksong is the sequel to the popular 2017 game, Hollow Knight. This time, you play as Hornet, a quick and nimble character players may remember as a boss from the first game. Silksong promises challenging combat and precise platforming, and players will discover new abilities as they explore a completely new world called Pharloom.

It’s debatable whether Silksong lived up to the hype after an eight-year wait, but it definitely delivered on its promises. The developers, Team Cherry, created another beautifully detailed world called Pharloom, filled with interesting characters, compelling quests, and challenging boss fights. The story is more engaging than before, and the new abilities keep the gameplay fresh and exciting, even when it gets difficult.

Beating a tough opponent after a long struggle isn’t for everyone, but finally overcoming that challenge can be incredibly satisfying and empowering.

You can read our full Hollow Knight: Silksong review here.

10. Battlefield 6

Release date: October 10, 2025
Developer: DICE, Ripple Effect Studios, Criterion Games, & Motive Studio
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: FPS

Battlefield 6 marks a return to the series’ roots, offering a complete modern warfare experience. It includes a full story campaign, a wide variety of multiplayer modes, and a unique ‘Portal’ mode where players can create their own battles. Plus, the free-to-play ‘Battlefield RedSec’ adds a Battle Royale option, making this a packed and endlessly replayable shooter.

Battlefield 6 is a fantastic return to form for the series, focusing on spectacular destruction and thrilling action. Although the single-player campaign is fairly standard, the multiplayer is truly impressive. Every match feels unique with a huge variety of vehicles, weapons, and unpredictable moments. Plus, with ongoing updates and new content, it offers excellent value for your money.

You can read our full Battlefield 6 review here.

9. Blue Prince

Release date: April 10, 2025
Developer: Dogubomb
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: Roguelike Puzzler

You’ve inherited your great uncle’s mansion, but there’s a catch! To claim it, you must find a hidden 46th room within a building that constantly rearranges itself. It’s a challenging puzzle where you decide how the rooms connect each day, and time is running out. Every move you make is important if you want to succeed and claim your inheritance.

Blue Prince is unlike any game you’ve played before. It takes a little while to understand the unusual puzzles and how to build rooms, but once you do, it’s incredibly addictive. You’ll need to choose and arrange rooms carefully, and time your movements just right. What makes this game special is that you improve through learning, not by gaining stats or power-ups.

Get comfortable, have a notebook handy, and put your detective skills to the test – you’re in for a truly satisfying experience!

8. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Release date: February 4, 2025
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: Action RPG

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a detailed, first-person role-playing game set during a civil war in 1403 Bohemia. Your choices as the character Henry truly matter, influencing how people react to you and even changing the story’s direction. The game prioritizes realism, offering a slower, more immersive and authentic experience.

We enjoyed Kingdom Come: Deliverance because it took a slower, more thoughtful approach to both fighting and storytelling. You have to carefully consider each swing of your sword, and think through your dialogue choices, as they both have a real impact on the game and its world.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance truly captures the atmosphere of 15th-century Bohemia with excellent acting and beautiful graphics. The game effectively portrays the hardships of the era and encourages players to assist others. From the main storyline to casual conversations, everything is remarkably consistent, creating one of the most immersive and believable medieval settings in recent gaming history.

You can read our full Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review here.

7. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Release date: June 26, 2025
Developer: Kojima Productions
Platforms: PS5, PC
Genre: Action-adventure

Hideo Kojima’s latest game, a sequel to Death Stranding, once again stars Norman Reedus as Sam Porter Bridges. This time, he’s focused on rebuilding connections in Australia. Like the first game, it’s primarily about making deliveries on foot – it’s still the most straightforward ‘walking simulator’ out there – but this new installment adds more intense shooting, better hand-to-hand combat, and improved vehicle sections.

Death Stranding 2 is a fantastic sequel that builds upon everything players loved about the first game, adding fresh and exciting features. While it might sound strange, simply walking and exploring the world is incredibly engaging, and the new vehicles make driving just as fun. If you enjoy games focused on exploration, this delivers like no other.

The game boasts incredible performances from a talented cast and represents some of Hideo Kojima’s most heartfelt storytelling. You’ll be captivated from beginning to end, not only by the challenge of delivering packages perfectly, but also by the surprising plot twists and turns.

You can read our full Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review here.

6. Silent Hill f

Release date: September 25, 2025
Developer: NeoBards Entertainment
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: Survival Horror

Hinako Shimizu, a high school student, finds herself lost in her hometown after a strange fog rolls in. What she discovers within the fog is truly terrifying – so much so that it even disturbed the actress who voiced her character. It’s a disturbing and unsettling horror experience, but one that’s impossible to look away from.

The Silent Hill series has had its ups and downs, with some games becoming legendary horror titles and others quickly being forgotten. However, Silent Hill f is a standout success, firmly establishing itself as one of the best in the series despite its unique characters and environment.

The combat isn’t particularly special and is often best avoided, but the story’s deep exploration of a traumatized teenager is truly captivating. Combined with disturbing monster designs and unsettling settings, the game creates a deeply unsettling experience that stays with you long after you’ve finished playing.

You can read our full Silent Hill f review here.

5. Ghost of Yotei

Release date: October 2, 2025
Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Platform: PS5
Genre: Action-adventure

Ghost of Yotei features a new protagonist, Atsu, a mercenary seeking revenge for her family’s death. Instead of Jin Sakai, players will follow Atsu’s journey through a large, open-world Japan in 1603. The game offers plenty to do, including hunting bounties, battling challenging bosses, and even finding foxes to befriend.

Ghost of Yotei improves on the popular Ghost of Tsushima by featuring a bolder, more forceful main character. Atsu fights with a quicker, more intense style than Jin, changing the feel of battles while still keeping the core gameplay enjoyable. The game world is also bigger and more diverse, encouraging players to venture off the beaten path and discover new areas.

Atsu’s story is deeply moving, and Erika Ishii’s performance is powerful enough to rank her among iconic PlayStation characters like Aloy, Kratos, and Ellie. The members of the Yotei Six have earned their fate, but the city of Ezo is so beautiful that you’ll frequently find yourself stopping to admire it before continuing your mission.

You can read our full Ghost of Yotei review here.

4. Split Fiction

Release date: March 6, 2025
Developer: Hazelight Studios
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PC, Switch 2
Genre: Action-adventure

After winning Game of the Year in 2021 with It Takes Two, Hazelight Studios faced high expectations. They’ve delivered again with a fantastic new co-op game where two writers, Zoe and Mio, find themselves trapped inside their own stories. To escape back to reality, they must team up and overcome challenges using platforming, puzzles, and inventive combat, all while unraveling the mysteries within each story.

We loved Split Fiction because Hazelight Studios consistently delivers incredible games, and this one is no exception. The game shines with creative level design, constantly surprising players with memorable and inventive moments – all experienced with a friend. From start to finish, the variety of gameplay is impressive, clearly designed from the ground up for two-player cooperation.

You can read our full Split Fiction review here.

3. Arc Raiders

Release date: October 30, 2025
Developer: Embark Studios
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: Third-person extraction shooter

Arc Raiders is a fast-paced shooter where you’ll face danger from both robots and other players. You drop into a match with a simple goal: defeat AI robots called ARCs and escape within 30 minutes with any loot you find. However, it’s more challenging than it sounds! The AI are tough opponents, and competing against other human players can quickly turn the match chaotic. Despite the risks, the excitement of successfully escaping with rewards will keep you playing.

Despite strong competition from games like Battlefield and the latest Call of Duty, Arc Raiders emerged as the most impressive shooter of the year. Its striking visuals, excellent sound design, and genuinely scary enemy machines all contribute to a consistently exciting and thrilling gameplay experience.

Arc Raiders is a challenging extraction shooter where a single mistake can cost you everything. But even when other players betray you right before you try to escape, the game still manages to be enjoyable. You’re constantly making real progress, which means you’ll eventually be able to turn the tables and betray other teams – perhaps even after they’ve defeated a tough boss like The Queen. We definitely haven’t done that ourselves, though!

You can read our full Arc Raiders review here.

2. Hades 2

Release date: September 25, 2025
Developer: Supergiant Games
Platforms: Switch 2, Switch, PC
Genre: Roguelike

Hades 2 is the sequel to the popular, award-winning game Hades. In this version, you play as Melinoë, the Princess of the Underworld, and your goal is to defeat Chronos, the Titan of Time. You’ll battle your way through different environments, using a variety of weapons and gaining new abilities. Each attempt starts over, but you gradually become more powerful with each run, eventually preparing you for the final showdown with Chronos.

Hades was an almost flawless roguelike game, and Hades 2 builds on everything that made the original so great. This is Supergiant Games’ first sequel, and thankfully, it doesn’t try to drastically change the formula. Instead, it delivers a delightful new group of characters, a variety of powerful weapons, and countless ways to customize your abilities.

Okay, so after playing Hades 2 for a bit, I gotta say, it’s different than other roguelikes I’ve tried. Most games don’t really push the story forward after each run, but this one really does. It doesn’t matter if I barely make it or actually get pretty far, I always feel like I’m actually progressing. Seriously, I blinked and three hours were gone – it’s super addictive!

You can read our full Hades 2 review here.

1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Release date: April 24, 2025
Developer: Sandfall Interactive
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PC
Genre: Turn-based RPG

Okay, so I’m playing this really cool dark fantasy game set in a twisted version of late 1800s France. Basically, everyone has to deal with the fact that they’re going to die, and this creepy being called The Paintress just decides when it’s time for a whole bunch of people to get wiped out. I’m part of a team called Expedition 33, and we’re desperately trying to reach her and stop it, fighting in these intense, turn-based battles. It’s a race against time, and honestly, it’s pretty awesome!

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a fantastic game, especially when it comes to its story and characters – they really draw you in. The combat is also excellent; it’s turn-based, but feels dynamic and exciting thanks to its focus on timing, even after many hours of play.

You’ll find yourself truly invested in the characters and world you’ve struggled to save. Everything – the writing, performances, and visuals – blends seamlessly, making this easily the best RPG of the year.

Read our full Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review here.

2025-12-05 15:26