2025 Games of the Year

22. Únor 2026 v 11:00

Welcome to SUPERJUMP's annual Games of the Year celebration.As always, I like to introduce these awards by expressing gratitude for the year gone by.

Thank you game developers.
You are creating marvels of art and science - important cultural artifacts - under increasingly difficult circumstances. Whether you work for a large studio or you're a solo developer: thank you. We continue to live in an increasingly turbulent and intolerant world; your creative talents not only give many of us a brief escape from this reality, but importantly, you remind us of the importance of human creativity and connection.

Thank you SUPERJUMP team.
It is truly the honour of my life to work with so many extremely talented people who, aside from being brilliant creative minds, are also truly outstanding human beings. Our organisation is fuelled by talent, passion, and love: love for video games, love for the people who make them, and love for each other as friends and colleagues.

Thank you special guests.
We are joined every year by special guests from across the games industry - whether game development/publishing or media - who give up their time to craft GOTY reflections to share with our audience.

Thank you to our Backers.
Our ability to create that authors' coop environment is heavily influenced by our incredible Backers. Thanks to you, we are able to pay authors every single month. And thanks to you, we have avoided any need to gate our work behind pesky paywalls. On behalf of the entire team, I want to thank you for believing in us and supporting our hard work.

Thank you to our Editors.
Without our brilliant Editors, I couldn't keep this publication humming so smoothly. They also contribute an enormous amount of their time to edit this unbelievably large Games of the Year feature every single year. Thank you to Bryan, Rachel, Briana, and Cat. You are true superstars!

Finally, I'd like to make one final point, just in case there is any doubt: at SUPERJUMP, we believe video games are for everyone. Everyone. Everybody deserves dignity, respect, and - above all - safety. No exceptions. Nobody left behind.

And now, on with the show. Please enjoy this extraordinary and comprehensive celebration of 2025's best video games. And if you like what we're doing, how about buying us a coffee?

James Burns
Founder and Editor in Chief

2025 GAMES OF THE YEAR

We have very deliberately titled this feature 2025 Games of the Year. The plural matters. As per our tradition, SUPERJUMP does not award an overall “Game of the Year” trophy to any single game.

Rather, each contributor can select up to three of their favourite games released in 2025 to discuss. Naturally, some games have more contributions than others (so, if you like, you could deduce a “winner” on that basis).

In order for a game to be considered for this piece, it must have been released in 2025. This is a slightly rubbery criterion that also includes:

Games as a service experiences that have seen substantial updates in 2025.
Games that originally released in a previous year but were ported to a new platform this year or saw some form of new release.

SPECIAL GUESTS

This is our fifth Games of the Year feature, and as has become tradition, we've invited several special guests to join us. As always, our guests are people we love and admire from around the games industry. We're honoured that they took the time to join us in celebrating the best games of 2025.

Daryl Baxter

Naomi Jackson

James O'Connor

Amy Potter-Jarman

Nate Shearer

Jörg Tittel

Daryl Baxter is a writer, author, and podcaster. He is the author of three books (The Making of Tomb Raider, 50 Years of Boss Fights, and The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997 - 2000), and is a prolific tech and gaming journalist.

Naomi Jackson is a video editor and online presenter/community builder. In addition to editing national and international stories for the ABC Australia network desk, Naomi is a producer/podcast host at SIFTER and a video editor here at SUPERJUMP.

James O'Connor is a multi-award-winning author and narrative designer. His contributions to video game journalism are extensive (including a wide range of print publications from Edge and Hyper to IGN, GameSpot, and Game Informer among many others). James has also contributed to multiple video games as script editor, narrative lead, and narrative designer (including Power Rangers Mighty Force, Ava's Manor, and Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo). James' latest book project is about the making of Untitled Goose Game (check it out here).

Amy Potter-Jarman is the Director of Marketing at Synty Studios. She is the creative force behind Frosty Games Fest (a digital showcase of games made in Australia and Aotearoa, NZ), buzzbang.co (a boutique marketing service supporting ANZ indie game makers), and Pixel Explorers Club (a digital community for curious, short indie game lovers).

Nate Shearer is a video game journalist. He is a regular contributor to Qualbert (specialising in a wide range of game reviews) and NextPlay (crafting diverse stories from news and interviews to reviews and special features).

Jörg Tittel is a director, writer, producer, and publisher working across video games and film. He is the Founder and Creative Director of RapidEyeMovers, the studio behind the Golden Joystick-nominated C-Smash VRS. He is also the creative mind behind The Last Worker, and Skew.

THE GAMES

Presented in alphabetical order (this is not a ranking).

Select a game to begin

"9 Kings isn’t merely a good example of a burgeoning sub-genre —it’s something much closer to Slay the Spire, pushing out into brand new territory."

9 Kings

By Sad Socket

Andrew Johnston

On a personal level, I’ll say this about 9 Kings: This is the first time I've followed a game throughout its Early Access period, putting each individual update through its paces. It was worth the effort.

9 Kings is a simple concept at heart, but one that provides a diverse wealth of content. With its hour-long, city builder meets turn-based tactics mechanics, it’s a game riding the quick strategy trend. However, while most of those games are rigidly recreating 4X gameplay in a smaller package, 9 Kings offers a gameplay loop designed from the ground up with the busy strategy fan in mind. As such, it outmaneuvers its competition and stands out by a clear mile.

9 Kings isn’t merely a good example of a burgeoning sub-genre —it’s something much closer to Slay the Spire, pushing out into brand new territory. It’s an ever-evolving game full of little surprises and details, and a must-have for anyone with an interest in strategy.

"The game's sense of grief feels very real, and its cartoony rendering of Jakarta is lovely."

Afterlove EP

By Pikselnesia

James O'Connor

I've decided to use my submissions in this list to point towards some games that have, in my mind, been underrepresented on end-of-year round-up lists, and Afterlove EP is a game that I have a deep fondness for. It follows a young man, Rama, who lost his girlfriend Cinta a year ago.

As the game opens, he starts to figure out how to pick up the pieces of his life and carry on. He needs to reunite with his band, attend therapy sessions, and decide whether or not he's ready to date again. How the game ends will depend on your actions and choices. It's a lovely and heartfelt experience that was created in the wake of the team's own loss: creative director Mohammad Fahmi died in the middle of development.

The game's sense of grief feels very real, and its cartoony rendering of Jakarta is lovely. It's not a perfectly tight experience, but in some ways that makes it more endearing.

"But for what it's worth, I feel like I'm part of an active, living community, something I haven't felt since Elden Ring."

ARC Raiders

by Embark Studios

Ignas Vieversys

I know my populist choice for 2025 GOTY might send me straight into SUPERJUMP's purgatory (where game writers like myself are strapped in for the video game equivalent of Clockwork Orange's chair sequence, with footage of Indie Game: The Movie beamed right into our retinas), but I have to go for Arc Raiders, AI-related discourse be damned.

This is an extraction shooter that has my favorite bits of Hunt: Showdown, including sound design, that crunchy gun feeling, and an infinite pool of adrenaline. It shares the post-apocalyptic horror/tension of The Last of Us (played out in real-time, no script!), with enough No Country for Old Men bullets-whizzing-past-your-head moments (while being chased for dear life) to sustain Coen-heads like myself through this cold winter.

However, no matter how good the mechanics and those ray-traced sunsets in Buried City are, the real star of Arc Raiders is the proximity chat. You can talk your way out of being turned into Swiss cheese or thank a random stranger for deciding to revive you after shooting you from a mile away (and turning you into their pet monkey). You can trash-talk a team of three when being cornered while knowing the chances of survival are Prosciutto-slice slim.

Listen, I played a lot of great games in 2025 – Silksong, Total Chaos, Clair Obscur, Baby Steps – but none of them felt as refreshing as this cyberpunk-dystopian extraction shooter where people either team up against deadly robots or shoot each other Wild West style for a lemon or two and a dog leash. Sure, Arc Raiders doesn't exactly shovel a great deal of matter into the tube marked "Evidence for Video Games’ Potential as capital-A art." But for what it's worth, I feel like I'm part of an active, living community, something I haven't felt since Elden Ring. And for that alone, this game gets my GOTY lemon.

"And Roger is an unmissable example of the power of video games."

And Roger

by TearyHand Studio

Amy Potter-Jarman

One thing about me is I love a one-sitting game experience. This is a game I strongly believe is best played with as little prior knowledge as possible, so I will keep this brief. If you’re interested in an emotionally resonant game, with a beautiful two-tone, hand-drawn aesthetic, that packs an enormous narrative punch into its short 1 hour runtime, And Roger is an unmissable example of the power of video games.

"The dialogue and sound are hilarious - it’s all so wonderfully cruel and strangely affecting - there’s simply no other game like it..."

Baby Steps

by Bennett Foddy, Gabe Cuzzillo, and Maxi Boch

Jörg Tittel

Developed by indie greats Bennett Foddy (QWOP, Getting Over It) Gabe Cuzzillo (Ape Out) and friends, I like to describe Baby Steps as Daft Stranding.

In this game, all you have to do is control a hapless loser’s legs and feet and make it up a sprawling mountain full of increasingly insane challenges.

The dialogue and sound are hilarious - it’s all so wonderfully cruel and strangely affecting - there’s simply no other game like it and the less I spoil here, the better.

Just keep on your pajamas and clamber.

"I became absolutely addicted..."

Balatro

By LocalThunk

Cat Webling

Though the game came out in 2024, the community has absolutely exploded in 2025, unveiling collaborations with other popular titles like Don't Starve, Among Us, Stardew Valley, and even The Witcher 3! I became absolutely addicted; I now have the game on three different platforms, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"BallisticNG feels like both a love letter and a fully realised game in its own right."

BallisticNG (1.4 Update)

By Neognosis

Ben Rowan

In 2025, BallisticNG finally hit “feature complete” with its last major update, version 1.4. The update delivered a rebuilt physics mode, new ships and tracks, refreshed menus and UI, plus a stack of quality-of-life improvements including stronger modding tools and plenty of under-the-hood polish. More importantly, it marked the game’s final form and cemented it as one of 2025’s standout indies.

Boiled down, BallisticNG is the closest thing we have to a modern re-imagining of the classic PS1-era Wipeout series. It’s an anti-gravity racer that understands what made those original games so special: bold iconography, angular ship design, ridiculous speed, intense combat, razor-thin racing lines, and super satisfying airbrakes that let you carve through twisting hairpins and chicanes.

I still love Wipeout 3: Special Edition on the PS1, and I’ll drop back in anytime I need that hit of nostalgia and adrenaline. BallisticNG is the modern, fan-made follow-up to those late-90s classics that defined the genre. It nails the floaty rhythm that feels like surfing on magnets, where every mistake gets punished and you’ll lap a track so many times your left thumb starts to hurt.

First released in 2018 and refined over the past seven years, there’s a huge amount of accumulated content on offer too. Most ridiculous is the sheer number of tracks, with the quality matching the quantity. They’re gorgeous and varied, packed with smart lines, cheeky shortcuts and weapon placement that keeps every lap feeling fresh.

And when the speed classes get truly unhinged, the game stays smooth and responsive, letting you lock into the music and hit that tunnel-vision flow state. With the 2025 update putting the final polish on the whole package, BallisticNG feels like both a love letter and a fully realised game in its own right. It is easily one of this year’s best racers.

"The game is a nesting doll of mysteries. You think you figure things out, at first, and then something surprises you on the next run."

Blue Prince

By Dogubomb

Naomi Jackson

The subtle double meaning behind the name of this game captures its charm perfectly. In 2025 this game had me intrigued, entranced and utterly, hopelessly absorbed.

The simple controls, muted colours and faint, elegant music rightfully allow Blue Prince's spectacular story to take precedence as the mystery of Mt Holly and its previous inhabitants worms its way into my brain where it re-emerges long after I step away, beckoning me back to explore its halls once more.

Nate Shearer

After raving about this incredible puzzle game I was reviewing early last year, I somehow managed to convince my partner to play it. After sitting down next to her and talking her through the basics of the game, I went completely hands off, not wanting to spoil the experience. It was magical to see the things that sparked so much joy in me a month prior were also beginning to electrify her mind in the same exact way.

The game is so subtly moreish and well designed that I don’t share a love of video games with Chloe, so to see her get home from work each day and practically jump right back into my world was so important to me. For weeks on end, I got to share the thing I love most in the world with the person I love most in the world. Blue Prince was my GOTY for 2025 not only because of what the game was, but what it gave me.

Rachel Alm

I used to love puzzle game growing up. Nancy Drew was my go-to, and recently I've taken a keener interest in low-key games that I can play in a few sessions or generally just pick up and put down.

Blue Prince is not that game. I found myself up far too late or playing for far too many hours trying to unlock all of the mysteries of the darned maze-like manor house.

Blue Prince does not, typically, test my patience, as some puzzle games might (and certainly have). It is curious enough in its slipping of secrets to you that I felt like a cat pawing at a new toy. All I wanted to do was figure it out. I've taken a great deal longer to do that than expected, because my tendency to rush the game meant I didn't linger in its many rooms or search for any deeper clues; but as I played, I realized I had to play more thoughtfully.

The game is a nesting doll of mysteries. You think you figure things out, at first, and then something surprises you on the next run. It is a rogue-like, a genre I've only really experienced through Hades, but it is delightfully different in how "just one more" feels too much like I'm in a gambling house.

The number of times I'd say that to myself – "just one more day" – and I'd inevitably wind up playing through 4 more. Each new potential door feels like it might be the one you need, and I don't know how it manages it, but Blue Prince's randomization mechanics and execution of item dispersal and acquisition (being that they reset everyday) makes it more compelling to play.

"Clair Obscur is, to put it simply, a very important game."

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

By Sandfall Interactive

Rachel Alm

Enough will be said about this game this year by many people, but it really is that fantastic. I'm usually story-aspected when it comes to games, but Clair Obscur's gameplay was one of the reasons I kept coming back. The entire system of timing parries, dodges, and jumps combined elements of action and turn-based gameplay that I, personally, hadn't seen before. I'm often lazy when it comes to games that require "grinding", something I tend to more so associate with turn-based RPGs, but Clair's combat cycle and enemy variation make its battles addictively repayable.

Clair Obscur excels, likewise, in its art direction; its expansive world and general commitment to its core aesthetics create a beautiful, cohesive visual narrative that really is unlike anything out today. Maybe Bioshock? It fills rich, florid environments with sketchpad creations against a haunting backdrop of pseudo-Victorian/Regency iconography. It is breathlessly artful throughout the entire run. There are some levels, such as the musical desert of Sirene, that are so achingly lovely I spent the entire time immersed in the music and the setting to the point of not wanting to progress past it. Sirene, siren: it certainly became its name.

The story, usually my make-or-break when it comes to enjoyment of a game, is lovingly melancholic. The color scheme betrays its mood – dark black, bright gold, deep red – and we are left to start the game on an opening scene that treats tragedy as a surety, nonetheless worth celebration. We play in the beginning as a character – however briefly, just a walk down a crowded, flower-strewn street – who is dead by the end of its opening scene. Clair Obscur is, to put it simply, a very important game.

"Since finishing it, I’ve found myself enjoying this hobby of gaming again."

Consume Me

by Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P, Ken "coda" Snyder

Nate Shearer

Finishing Consume Me has been one of the most important gaming experiences I’ve had in a long time. Outside of the game’s clever, gamified design of everyday tasks and quirky art, I fell in love with the message of Consume Me. As someone that constantly puts too much on their plate, the game’s depictions of anxiety, societal pressures, and growing into oneself resonated with me on such a deep level.

Consume Me made me introspect more than I had done with any other piece of media last year, smacking me in the face with an ending that had me pondering the futility of stretching myself thin to the point of collapse. Since finishing it, I’ve found myself enjoying this hobby of gaming again. When I find myself beginning to slip, I know I can always revisit that tear-welling ending and reground myself.

"I adore the gorgeous 2D animation."

Contract Rush DX

By Team Ficus

Priya Sridhar

It was a delight to play Contract Rush DX this year. You get the joy of a shooting game with a fun story and boss battles that keep you on your toes. Or on the ledge, depending on which contract you have decided to complete. I do wonder how we can be discreet when at least one target has a huge ceremony to attend on television. But discreet we have to be, or our characters don't get paid.

Contract Rush's premise is simple. Times are hard; how do you pay bills when the coffee shop has so few customers? Simple: you assassinate! Use coffee and other cafe items to keep you energized. And you'll need the firepower – portals to hell open up at the wrong time, or you might fail to get the right power-up just when the boss has appeared. Time to load up, hope for the best, and try again if needed. Just watch out for monsters and unwanted witnesses.

Contract Rush DX makes sure to balance a high difficulty level with plenty of alternative strategies and ample ways to practice in the tutorial. It helps that you get multiple lives and checkpoints, so you don't have to go all the way back to the beginning each time a bad fall ends in spikes. Not being penalized makes a huge difference in the fun factor of the play experience.

I adore the gorgeous 2D animation. The game is hand-drawn, and the developers show a unique style that lends well to the gameplay. I fell in love with this world - even through the tutorial level - which decides to get demonic while showing us the ropes.

"Death Stranding 2 asserts its divisive and impressive storytelling regiment, reminding us that creativity is still possible in gaming's most expensive spaces."

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

By Kojima Productions

Brandon Chinn

There was a particular moment in Death Stranding 2, as I directed Sam Porter Bridges up a slope in Mexico. The overlarge moon was hanging like a luminescent disc over my destination, my sight artistically directed toward an unfamiliar bunker perched at the top of the ridge. The star-speckled sky oppressed the mountain ridge while Dancing Ghosts by Hania Rani played, and I thought, 'I'm home again.'

Death Stranding 2 accomplished what often seems artistically and mechanically impossible: Death Stranding is an incomparable experience, and somehow the sequel feels both immediately familiar and foreign, a tribute to both technical and creative expertise. Between the forest fires and the monorails and the endless trek through Australia, Death Stranding 2 asserts its divisive and impressive storytelling regiment, reminding us that creativity is still possible in gaming's most expensive spaces. Death Stranding, as a series, continues to not only be an outlet for Kojima's self-indulgence, but irrefutable proof that creative design and cohesive team-oriented development create spectacular experiences that cannot be replicated in any other form of media. Keep on keepin' on.

Daryl Baxter

I never understood the first Death Stranding, despite it being a perfect fit during COVID, due to its delivery system and isolation. But with On the Beach, Kojima sprinkled some action into the mix, complete with a bunch of MGS references, especially at the end. Having become a dad in 2023, several moments hit me hard, which made me understand Sam Porter Bridges' motivations far more than the previous game. It's also a great showcase of the PS5's power, with fantastic landscapes and moments.

James Burns

Why aren't more big budget games set in Australia? Sure, Death Stranding 2 isn't exactly an accurate depiction of my home country (although to be fair, it's set in a post-apocalyptic future, so it's not attempting any contemporary accuracy), but nevertheless, I think it does capture something about what makes this continent so magical and unique. From the vivid red soil of the outback to the strange liminality of massive pieces of infrastructure ferrying industrial cargo through empty deserts; there's something truly awe-inspiring about Death Stranding 2's depiction of Australia.

But even more importantly - and as Brandon said above - Death Stranding 2 really accomplishes something I didn't think possible: it brings back so many loveable elements from the first game while still ambitiously crafting its own identity that is truly compelling on its own terms. Yes, the emphasis has shifted: Death Stranding 2 assumes you've played the first game, resulting in a gameplay baseline that provides a platform for further expansion. This means there's less emphasis on finding your footing from moment to moment. Now you're delving into far more complex logistics management with much larger payloads and a significantly greater inclusion of combat (which feels so engaging and rewarding in and of itself).

In a world so focused on nostalgia, sequels, and risk aversion, Death Stranding 2 feels like something that really shouldn't exist in the current era (a big budget experience that is unapologetically weird on almost every level and doesn't rely on frequent callbacks from decades ago). But I'm so very glad it does exist. The art form of video games is all the better thanks to this series.

"I finished the game and immediately wanted to dive in again and see how my choices might play out differently for every character, which really made Dispatch a standout of the year for me."

Dispatch

By AdHoc Studio

Amy Potter-Jarman

This game reminded me how much I love the interactive narrative genre, as a worthy spiritual successor to the Telltale Games.

Half the game is dialogue-led story, and half is management style gameplay where you’re assigning a team of superhero misfits to a variety of jobs across an LA-like city. I found myself equally invested in the narrative cut scenes as I was in the management gameplay. I can’t believe how invested I was in playing what was ultimately call center work, but I really had a blast clocking gleefully in for each episode and learning the quirks of each character. And what a cast of ethically questionable super hero characters they are, thanks to the brilliant writing and incredible voice acting!

I’ve been burned by “choices matter” games in the past where decisions that should have been impactful were made to feel inconsequential, and vice versa. But in Dispatch I truly felt like I was building my own version of the protagonist. My choices were clearly played out in crucial narrative arcs, but also in minor interactions. I finished the game and immediately wanted to dive in again and see how my choices might play out differently for every character, which really made Dispatch a standout of the year for me.

CJ Wilson

As someone who loves games with branching stories that provide choices which can affect your relationships with other characters, I was cautiously optimistic about Dispatch. While I was confident in AdHoc Studio based on their seasoned pedigree, where many of the developers used to work at Telltale, I didn’t know what to expect from the story and gameplay. The idea of a superhero workplace comedy was intriguing to me, even though I wasn’t sure how I felt about the management-sim mechanics, where you choose which hero can compete a given task, like saving people's life's from a natural disaster or stopping a villain.

I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed playing through Dispatch. It even ran well on my Steam Deck with no issues. This game had some of the funniest dialogue that I have heard in a video game, which made me burst out laughing multiple times. The voice cast was outstanding, with each performer given the chance to shine through compelling delivery. Playing as Robert, a disgraced superhero who had to manage a team of former supervillains, was interesting to see. Many of the choices I made felt like I was bonding with my team, as they became friends in my eyes, while I tried to steer them toward heroism and having fun with them as well.

While I have yet to replay Dispatch, I can’t wait to start a new playthrough and see what new decisions I make that could get me to a new ending.

"If you haven't played Donkey Kong Bananza and you have even a passing interest in 3D platformers, you are absolutely missing out. It's a must-play experience."

Donkey Kong Bananza

By Nintendo

James Burns

As much as I love me some nostalgia, I'm a firm believer that we're currently living through Nintendo's most bold and creative era. The Switch/Switch 2 period has been remarkable in terms of Nintendo's willingness to innovate and push its core franchises much further than ever before.

Donkey Kong Bananza is the latest - and perhaps the best - example of Nintendo's unflinching boldness at the moment. Although nowhere near as commercially successful as Mario in the modern era, Donkey Kong remains Nintendo's original breakout mascot. And with Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo didn't just give him a shiny 2020s facelift; they cast aside much of his gameplay history in order to unleash entirely new possibilities. The result is an experience that doesn't feel like an iteration on past Donkey Kong games. It is, rather, a surprising and clever new 3D platformer that dramatically reinterprets the entire genre. Its simple core premise (the ability to almost completely destroy entire levels with DK's fists) is the anchor for an array of cohesive and lovingly-crafted systems that intuitively stack on top of each other in ways that will keep a smile permanently plastered on your face.

If you haven't played Donkey Kong Bananza and you have even a passing interest in 3D platformers, you are absolutely missing out. It's a must-play experience. Donkey Kong - and Pauline in her vibrant and loveable new form - is far from a call to nostalgia here. These characters are now, again, ambassadors of the truly cutting edge as befits their legendary status.

"Flaws aside, Doom: The Dark Ages’ combat experiment largely succeeds, with the defensive shield confidently rewriting the rules of engagement in a 30-year-old franchise."

Doom: The Dark Ages

By id Software

Antony Terence

This year’s Doom keeps its kills bloody and its firearms ultra-violent. While rapid movement has been a pillar of its predecessors, there’s a different rhythm at play in Doom: The Dark Ages.

One key addition shifts its pacing: the Shield Saw. While Doom: Eternal had you evade enemy projectiles, you now block and parry them. The shield isn’t just a defensive tool; you can throw it to pin large enemies or tear through small ones.

A shield slam lets aggressive players zip toward enemies at incredible speeds. At this distance, crunchy melee weapons tempt you to go Whac-A-Mole on some poor demons. The slower combat loop works remarkably well in The Dark Ages’ larger battlegrounds, which are packed with environmental puzzles and high-density hordes.

Having a shield means you’re pelted with even more bullets, but with a well-timed parry, green projectiles are returned to their senders. Parrying in quick succession felt like boxing bouts more than cross-dimensional demon hunting.

Stepping out of combat is when The Dark Ages’ power fantasy cracks. Tame fistfights with a 30-foot-tall mech and hovering on a dragon to dodge fire from stationary turrets made for dull digressions. Flaws aside, Doom: The Dark Ages’ combat experiment largely succeeds, with the defensive shield confidently rewriting the rules of engagement in a 30-year-old franchise.

"Gaming studios should be reminded that interesting multiplayer experiences can continue to happen, should companies be brave enough to create something new."

Elden Ring Nightreign

By FromSoftware Inc.

Brandon Chinn

Multiplayer gaming experiences feel fewer and farther between these days for gamers who are not interested in firing a motley of guns or building temporary structures. While FromSoftware has proven itself again and again, there was momentary doubt that the Elden Ring format could be so easily transferred over to a multiplayer, rogue-lite experience.

Endless hiccups and continual updates have marginally improved an experience that, while flawed, has become more than a bonding ritual for my siblings and I throughout 2025. Frustrating, difficult, and sometimes confusing, Nightreign might be a strange pick for Game of the Year, but after spending 200 hours in the game and playing it nearly every evening for months, the ritual has grown into something precious, the sort of experience that we have been woefully unable to find for nearly a decade. Gaming studios should be reminded that interesting multiplayer experiences can continue to happen, should companies be brave enough to create something new.

What do we think? Just one more run?

"There are a lot of games built on good and evil, but not many on naughtiness in the way Expelled! is. It's a real delight."

Expelled! An Overboard Game

By Inkle Studios

James O'Connor

There is perhaps no cooler narrative game studio than Inkle – in terms of both the games they make and the tools they've made available so that other people can also create narrative games. Expelled! is both a continuation and expansion of their previous "Overboard" concept, a reverse who-dunnit where each play session is focused on shifting blame and hiding your actions. It has a series of wicked, extremely fun twists hidden within, and the clockwork nature of the world they've built is truly a joy to poke at. There are a lot of games built on good and evil, but not many on naughtiness in the way Expelled! is. It's a real delight.

"The performances delivered within are continuously impressive, and made me feel like I was experiencing this well-trodden road for the first time again."

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

By Square Enix

Brandon Chinn

Does a thirty-year-old game deserve a spot on anyone's Game of the Year list? After seeing Final Fantasy Tactics make NPR's list of best games in 2025, it cemented for me what FFT has been for decades: the defining game of its genre.

It would be somewhat strange in any other genre for one game to completely dominate and dictate the good and bad for three decades, but Final Fantasy Tactics has continued to do just that, and with the many impeccable quality of life updates brought upon by the Ivalice Chronicles, it will be the defining version of the game from here on out. Not only is FFT: TIC responsible for bringing new players to this immaculate role-playing game, but it has again reminded gamers young and old that the life of a game is not beholden to launch cycles and updates and popularity contests. Final Fantasy Tactics has something to say, and as Yasumi Matsuno reminded us: "The will to resist is in our hands."

PJ Walerysiak

I imagine there existed a rather large club of Final Fantasy fans who trudged through less-than-ideal ways to play Final Fantasy Tactics over the years simply because we love that game. Playing it on an original PlayStation is great, but its aged complexion becomes noticeable, as we’ve grown accustomed to certain quality-of-life standards over time. The mobile version is fine. It works, it’s portable, but my hands and eyes would ache. It works well on a PlayStation 1 emulator, allowing for save states and the ability to fast-forward, but still, a void lingered.

Enter Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, its final Pokemon-esque evolution. The wait was worth it. This game, existing somewhere between a remaster and remake, is just SO damn good. Within its hearty stew of improvements, one ingredient rises to the top: the addition of voice acting. This new creative avenue adds incredible depth to every character, and thus enhances the game's overall storytelling. All the voice actors absolutely crushed their performances. I’ve played FFT a dozen or more times over the years, but only now do I find myself reevaluating characters, including ones I previously wrote off as one-dimensional assholes. I can even empathize with their positions, and more deeply care about characters that I felt were ancillary to the story.

I could sing the praises of the many other improvements all day. It all blends together to create an experience that feels and plays great. Yet I cannot say enough about the voice acting. So many elements contribute towards a game’s narrative design, and the original Final Fantasy Tactics already did a wonderful job with what it had. The performances delivered within are continuously impressive, and made me feel like I was experiencing this well-trodden road for the first time again.

"I love everything I’ve played from Supergiant Games. You can feel their dedication, passion, and joy for the craft come through in their games."

Hades 2

By Supergiant Games

PJ Walerysiak

Back in the original Hades days, I thoroughly devoured every bit of content the game had to offer. Months later I started anew and did it all over again. I wanted more Hades, even though it already provided a veritable smorgasbord of content and replayability. Thankfully, Supergiant felt the same!

There was zero doubt in my mind that Hades 2 would be an incredible game. Supergiant Games knows what they’re doing, and simply does not miss. As I expected, Hades 2 consumed a majority of my gaming hours from the moment of release to the moment I rolled credits.

Hades 2 gives you more, the flavor never fading over the many accrued hours and runs. Instead, it changes and develops as you continue to enjoy it. It makes me think of the everlasting gobstopper from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; You can likely enjoy this game for just as long! Each run feels unique thanks to the mindbogglingly intricate web of reactive dialogue, and the creative weapons, aspects, and customizations you can give Melinoe. One run can make you laugh, while another may stoke grim determination. One can frustrate you, while another results in you finishing triumphant and glowing with satisfaction.

The writing is phenomenal (of course), and so is the soundtrack (of course). I can give the same exact praise to every single aspect of this game, each with their own “(of course)”. I love everything I’ve played from Supergiant Games. You can feel their dedication, passion, and joy for the craft come through in their games. Some arcane spellwork of ethereal osmosis transmits that love and passion for their games into us, the players.

"...I feel it to be worthy of a mention here due to how uniquely special it set out to be."

Hell Is Us

By Rogue Factor

Charlotte Huston

There were a few games that had the unfortunate fate of releasing within the same window as Hollow Knight: Silksong. Hell Is Us was one of them, though as a AA game, it fared better than others. Nonetheless, while I believe there were better games in 2025, I feel it to be worthy of a mention here due to how uniquely special it set out to be.

Hell Is Us does not live in one genre alone. At heart, it is an immersive sim. There's no hand-holding in its semi-open world. You are thrown into the fictional nation of Hadea, a war-torn country based on Balkan culture. The atmosphere is bleak, the soundtrack liminal, the energy brooding like a constantly brewing storm on a hot summer day. It is held up by combat that is Souls-ish in style, though it refrains from falling into too many of the Souls genre's pitfalls. There are no RPG systems, really; it uses combat as a means to an end, keeping the game rather well-paced.

At times, it is also a puzzle game. Never a truly difficult one, mind you, but with puzzles along the lines of "comfortable" if nothing else. This works into my biggest lasting memory of Hell Is Us – the tone. The game is gritty and does not avoid the horrors of war when you're exploring. Some towns you'll visit are still burning, while another is still occupied, its civilians hauntingly gone as if vanished into thin air. Creative Director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête was a former Art Director on the Deus Ex series and that influence shines across the board here in what is one of the biggest hidden gems of 2025.

"Silksong is my top game of 2025."

Hollow Knight: Silksong

By Team Cherry

Naomi Jackson

A fantastically challenging, frame-perfect test of technique, this Aussie-made sequel to the popular Hollow Knight has the polish you would expect from a game seven years in the making.

The springy, fast-paced yet methodical nature of the combat will delight and entice you to give it 'just one more try'. This game weaves a web in more ways than one — the intelligent way areas of the deceptive map are hidden adds to the fun of untangling this game's story as if it were a really tight silk knot, while tools and map resources can only be purchased with hard-to-come-by currency that is easy to lose, cleverly forcing hoarders like me to accept and surrender.

My love/hate relationship with this haunted kingdom that's a dream to unlock, but a nightmare as I try to unlock it, grows more and more affectionate every day I dare to play it.

PJ Walerysiak

Silksong is my top game of 2025. There’s little I can write that I haven’t already written about its game design. Instead, I offer my experience within the realm of Pharloom, and what it made me feel.

Hope: For breaking free of imprisonment to discover a new world. For seeing a respected game studio deliver on an ancient promise, and having fun doing it.

Sorrow and anger: For the countless lives churned through in service to a flailing would-be god. For those downtrodden and brainwashed masses serving in pursuit of an artificial enlightenment that demands complete servitude. And seeing the real world reflected therein.

Wonder and an adventurous spirit: For the map that continued to grow in size and magic beyond all expectations. It turns out that repeatedly finding whole new biomes through hidden walls is one of my love languages.

Grief: For relationships, both budding and blossomed, that were suddenly demolished by brutal turns in a story, and for knowing that loss intimately.

Admiration and empathy: For the rebellion of community amidst despair, and persisting in a world rife with danger, religious manipulation, and disguised cruelty. And for those with a unique song in their hearts, shared only when a welcoming tune is played.

Silksong’s story is divided into acts, but the story I experienced felt like movements in a symphony. Slow and somber beats mingle with playful, curious notes peeking throughout the measures. Rapid blasts of danger and excitement. A steady, building rhythm leading to an emotional crescendo. Pace and feeling tied together, pulling the listener into adventure, summoned from string and wind. I can tell you what beats happened in each act, but those alone are hollow when compared against what they came together to create.

"It makes me appreciate the art that can only be told through a medium such as video games."

How To Walk Out The Door

by amptomp

Nate Shearer

Stumbling upon this right before the end of last year was a gift. How To Walk Out The Door delivers a succinct and poignant narrative in a game that lasts less than half a minute; one of love lost and how those bonds break easier every time we try and walk away.

It’s a testament to the beauty of the creative mind and what it can achieve despite the limitations that can be placed on it. It makes me appreciate the art that can only be told through a medium such as video games.

"Overall, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is my game of the year because it surprised me as a musou game, having an endearing story with peaceful undertones, charming characters, and satisfying combat."

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

By Koei Tecmo

Philip Adrian

I often identify with the character designs, personalities, stories, and powers of supporting characters in media. This even includes designated damsels of distress like Zelda and their ironically elusive magical powers. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment shines a light on the supporting characters within the Zelda: Breath of the Wild world. Kicking ass with a Korok, Zora Warriors, Zelda, and more, never felt so refreshing.

Zelda is woken up in a field by Rauru and Sonia, the king and queen of Hyrule. The group is then attacked, and Zelda holds her own using her explosive light magic. That alone got an astounding "YES, THIS IS WHAT I WANT" from me. The kingdom takes her in and teaches her how to hone her powers to help find her way back home.

Hyrule is later attacked by Ganon, creating a war throughout the continent. Zelda and company make allies from multiple tribes who have lost important people in their lives during battle. Rauru's approach to fighting for peace is to be cordial with other factions, even if there was recent tension. I found this premise to be quite inspirational, considering real-world current events.

Age of Imprisonment includes a cast of diverse and stylish characters. Raphica is a Rico who attacks with airborne spinning kicks and volleys of arrows, and his pompadour is amazing! Lago is a Zora warrior whose swift sword slashes kind of reminded me of fencing, and he mixes in whirlpools with his combos. Characters can even perform flashy team-up attacks to inflict more damage.

Overall, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is my game of the year because it surprised me as a musou game, having an endearing story with peaceful undertones, charming characters, and satisfying combat.

"Into the Emberlands becomes empowering when dealing with a darkness that you can face and survive while helping those who have been lost for so long."

Into the Emberlands

By Tiny Roar

Priya Sridhar

Into the Emberlands asks an allegorical question and makes it literal: how do we guide those who are lost out of the darkness? The answer: With a lot of patience, memory, and careful resource management.

When Miasma invaded the Emberlands, they deprived the Lightbringers of their magic and villages of their residents. Those lost in the Miasma fell to the darkness, unable to return home or travel to find others. When you enter a village in need of renovations, you are the first Lightbringer who hasn't gotten lost in ages. That means you can find everyone who wandered past the boundary and slowly rebuild people's homes and businesses. The trick is to know when your lantern will go out, or you will become lost as well. You also have an incomplete map (so, no pressure) as the Miasma lurks around you. With the right navigation, you can find tools to extend your lantern's light and carve paths back to the village.

A game about finding those struck by disaster and getting them to safety sure feels familiar. No one could predict the Miasma in Emberlands or the sheer cruelty in ours. It hits close to home to those suffering from similar nonsense, where you can't blame the evil on a purple fog. And yet, in here, you don't have to let it overwhelm you.

Into the Emberlands becomes empowering when dealing with a darkness that you can face and survive while helping those who have been lost for so long. The way back feels warm and comforting, while the way forward is mysterious and foreboding. Still, you have to go forward, or you will be mired in safety without knowing who else needs you.

"I love the cute little-shape characters and the simple yet challenging organization, as well as the convenience of being able to play it on my Switch 2 wherever I go."

Is This Seat Taken?

By Poti Poti Studio

Cat Webling

This cute and quirky puzzle game is exactly the kind of relaxing, thoughtful, but not overthinking experience that people look for when the world is too stressful, and we need to feel in control of something. I love the cute little-shape characters and the simple yet challenging organization, as well as the convenience of being able to play it on my Switch 2 wherever I go.

"...the point here is that there's a certain beauty to what Keeper provides, and how it speaks to why gaming as a medium is so meaningful."

Keeper

By Double Fine

Charlotte Huston

When it comes to artistic vision in gaming, one of the games that I felt was most representative of that in 2025 was Keeper, a little game from the studio Double Fine. It was released in an awkward spot, between major releases from other members of the Big Three – Sony's Ghost of Yōtei and Pokémon Legends Z-A. Unfortunately, this caused Keeper to get brushed under the rug to a certain extent, and I was shocked to find it wasn't even nominated for Best Art Direction at The Game Awards. Though, the point here is that there's a certain beauty to what Keeper provides, and how it speaks to why gaming as a medium is so meaningful. Keeper is so blatantly different than those aforementioned games, yet they all coexist within the same medium.

Keeper is essentially a walking sim mixed with a puzzler. Though there are some light platforming segments, a majority of the gameplay involves the player in control of a living lighthouse, with a bird companion sitting atop it. There is no dialogue whatsoever, and any semblance of story must be assumed or taken from the player's own perspective. Lee Petty is the Creative Director, and he was an Art Director for games such as Broken Age. They use a Tim Burton-like art style here that strums the line of Grimbright and Noblebright in tone. At times it is dark and melancholic, while at others it is bright and hopeful. I'd love to delve into it further, but out of respect for Lee Petty's artistic vision, I would rather you experience Keeper for yourself. Petty himself even said as much, intending for players to preserve "some of the mystery for others wherever possible." May you always experience art on your own volition and terms.

"Star-Crossed World contains a multitude of beautiful additions to the already lovely levels contained in this forgotten land."

Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World DLC

by Nintendo

Naomi Jackson

A stunning, sparkling wonderland awaits in this 2025 DLC. Star-Crossed World contains a multitude of beautiful additions to the already lovely levels contained in this forgotten land.

I inhaled the new small details and lore clues as if I were the pink blob himself and thoroughly enjoyed his new forms and the mechanics that came with them.

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders

by Megagon Industries

Jörg Tittel

The game that saw my son and I through the pandemic was Berlin based Megagon Industries’ Lonely Mountains: Downhill.

Published by Thunderful, the hyper stylised mountain biker was hard as nails but the instant resets, beautiful visuals and sound - and the almost endless shortcuts and hidden corners made it a game we kept coming back to - and still do to this day.

For Snow Riders, Megagon have gone without a publisher but that hasn’t made them any less ambitious. This one’s about skiing and while it dons an equally great single player mode, Snow Riders shines in (crossplatform) multiplayer.

Now my daughter’s into the game, too, and we’ve all been competing against each other - crossplatform multiplayer with a super simple code system enabling play between PS5, a Steam Deck etc...

A recent update also added a chase camera (as opposed to the largely isometric semi-fixed cameras of Downhill) which has become my new default.

"The unmistakable sights and sounds of coastal Australia fill this cozy, beautiful world which invites you to explore and become part of the community."

Letters to Arralla

by Little Pink Clouds

Amy Potter-Jarman

I’m being very self indulgent with my list of titles submitted for this, so there was no way I couldn’t include the cutest, coziest, juiciest ANZ-made game of 2025 (in my humble opinion).

On the surface, sure, this is a game about delivering mail in a new-to-you city, but on a deeper level this is a game about the impact one person can have if they are just the right amount of nosy… I mean curious. As you deliver (and open) the mail and meet the vegetable townsfolk, you learn what makes Arralla special, and you become a force for connection.

The unmistakable sights and sounds of coastal Australia fill this cozy, beautiful world which invites you to explore and become part of the community. ‘Letters to Arralla’ is a snack-size, wholesome experience which delivers many moments of humour, whimsy, and calm. Plus, you can take photos, which is what really matters to me in a game, let's be honest!

"My daughter and I love a good Vs Grand Prix, and it's safe to say I don't go easy on her, but I can see she enjoys the challenge. Either way, my daughter is obsessed with the game, and she especially loves playing with me and the time we spend together."

Mario Kart World

By Nintendo

Mike Wilson

2025 was not the best year of gaming for me. I spent most of my time playing catch-up with my already large backlog, but there is one shining light for me from this past year.

Christmas of 2024 saw my daughter get her very own Switch Lite, and since then, she's been hooked. Her playing time was mostly dominated by Pokémon. A few months later, Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2, and the very thing that caught her eye was Mario Kart World. Instantly, she told me she wanted to play Mario Kart. She was already hooked on Mario Kart 8, but she would not stop begging. After every advert she'd see for it, there'd be a "Dad, can we get Mario Kart World?!"

Safe to say that June 5th was quite the wait. Eventually, the Switch 2 and the game launched, and for the first time, I had to share my new console with someone else.

Now I'm not saying Mario Kart World is a perfect game; in fact, it's far from it. It's made some serious changes over the insanely popular Mario Kart 8, and sadly, most changes have brought their detractors; I still haven’t gotten used to the wall jumps yet. But they tried something new, something different, and that’s sometimes all you can ask for.

My daughter and I love a good Vs Grand Prix, and it's safe to say I don't go easy on her, but I can see she enjoys the challenge. Either way, my daughter is obsessed with the game, and she especially loves playing with me and the time we spend together.

Gaming was always my thing, now it’s ours.

"A true classic."

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

By Virtuous

Daryl Baxter

MGS returns, but as a way of reintroducing itself in 2025. Instead of reinventing the wheel, it was remaking it, with incredible graphics and a UI that helped cut down on that rare monotony of changing stolen gear and weapons. The crucial scenes still hit as they did when MGS3 came out in 2004, complete with the original voices. A true classic.

"Combat is fluid and punchy, and the open world is gorgeous to explore."

Monster Hunter Wilds

By Capcom

Lawrence Adkins

Looking through my Backloggd, it's easy to see that while I did a fair amount of gaming throughout the year, I didn't play very much that actually released this year. Observing everything new that I played, very few of those games compelled me to sink my teeth into them until the very end. One of those games was Monster Hunter Wilds.

I was bitten by the Monster Hunter bug ages ago, starting with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the Wii U, then diving deep into 4 Ultimate on my Nintendo 3DS. Since then, I've enjoyed a little bit of everything the series has had to offer, and Wilds sits as a near-favorite entry in the series, right behind Rise. While design decisions have pushed Monster Hunter to become more about getting to hunt large monsters as opposed to the slower emphasis on Man vs Nature those earlier entries highlight, I can't help but sing its praises when talking about Wilds. The character customization Capcom continues to offer ever since Street Fighter VI is robust, amplified only further by the riddance of gender-locked cosmetics. Combat is fluid and punchy, and the open world is gorgeous to explore. I often find myself thinking about the developer showcases where one of the developers was fishing and birding instead of joining in on the hunt.

It's been a while since I booted up the game, admittedly. Once I rolled credits, I explored some of the Artian weapons and postgame hunts, but never took the time to explore all the subsequent updates. With the announcement that the final update to the base game will arrive in February, I'm stoked to go back and revisit the game to see all the content that's been piling up.

"The dungeon-crawling, shopkeeping-sim mashup formula is back, but the pixel-art graphics have been replaced with a gorgeous 3D glow-up, and the experience is so much better for it."

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault

By Digital Sun Games

Bryan Finck

Seven years on from the original, getting Moonlighter 2 in Early Access was a wonderful treat as 2025 came to a close. The dungeon-crawling, shopkeeping-sim mashup formula is back, but the pixel-art graphics have been replaced with a gorgeous 3D glow-up, and the experience is so much better for it.

The switch to 3D allows for the existence of stages with multiple levels, and the sheer amount of stuff going on immediately elevates it above the flat design of the original’s dungeons. The second biome, known as The Gallery, features a background of moving cubes filled with artifacts, some of them living creatures. And the third biome, a Grecian-inspired level of floating islands, sees you zip-lining up and across the area to reach the next piece of land, where you’ll battle your foes.

The graphical glow-up extends to the characters and enemies themselves. You can see Will’s backpack bounce along as he swings his sword, watch the expressions on the faces of your enemies as they attack and perish, and see the grass waving lazily in the breeze as sparks and explosions cascade across the screen. It’s a level of detail simply not possible with sprites, and it gives the sequel a level of personality that was sorely missing from the original.

More interesting levels and enemies help make the combat more interesting, too, and the devs have done a great job of taking advantage of the extra dimension this time around. Rolling away from one attack to immediately execute a lunging attack on a ground enemy, then firing off your pistol to take out an airborne enemy, all while avoiding fireballs and lobbed grenades, makes for a smooth and exhilarating gameplay loop. I’m extremely excited to get my hands on the rest of the game once Moonlighter 2 leaves Early Access.

"Everything has changed since the first build of OFF hit the web, but the tale of the Batter is as impactful as it ever was — maybe even more so."

OFF

By Mortis Ghost

Andrew Johnston

The debt of gratitude that both indie developers and indie fans owe to people like Mortis Ghost is hard to wrap your head around.

OFF is, at its core, a very simple game, yet without simple games like this one, we wouldn’t have the landscape of games currently available. So yes, nearly every indie RPG is in the lineage of OFF, but with its formal release onto Steam, we can see that it’s also a brilliant little game. Where most RPG Maker titles of this era have aged in the worst of ways, OFF is every bit as elemental and engaging as it ever was.

Many developers have tried to imitate this cryptic, intentionally opaque style and fallen short, but the strange mystery at the heart of OFF is truly evergreen. Everything has changed since the first build of OFF hit the web, but the tale of the Batter is as impactful as it ever was — maybe even more so.

"I have a simple rule: if Wadjet Eye Games makes a new game, I play it."

Old Skies

By Wadjet Eye Games

James O'Connor

I have a simple rule: if Wadjet Eye Games makes a new game, I play it. Old Skies is the latest title from director Dave Gilbert, and follows time-travelling agent Fia Quinn as she escorts wealthy clients to different eras as an agent of the ChronoZen agency. All the while, unbeknownst to most of the population, the present radically shifts based on their actions. Wadjet Eye Games has always celebrated and streamlined the classic point-and-click experience, and Old Skies is perhaps their most celebratory take on the medium yet. It's not just a lovely story in and of itself, but an ode to the kind of lovely stories you can tell within this genre space.

"Pac-Man on Atari 2600 is still a fascinating artefact and surprisingly still fun and playable, while the newly commissioned Atari 7800 port is a fine piece of retro engineering that captures the magic of Pac-Mania."

Pac-Man: Double Feature

By Atari & Namco

Jahan Khan

The Atari x Namco collaboration in 2025 has just been a real dream-come-true for retro gamers. It gave fans more than just cool merchandise; it created an excellent Namco DLC pack for Atari 50, Pac-Man-themed Atari consoles, and an exclusive new Pac-Man release for Atari + platforms.

Pac-Man: Double Feature feels like an ultimate collector's edition for any retro and Pac-Man enthusiast. It brings together the highly controversial Atari 2600 port of Pac-Man with an all-new Atari 7800 port, all in one tasty cartridge featuring throwback 80s artwork. Pac-Man on Atari 2600 is still a fascinating artefact and surprisingly still fun and playable, while the newly commissioned Atari 7800 port is a fine piece of retro engineering that captures the magic of Pac-Mania.

"It has that same goofy yet uplifting vibe that the most recent Like A Dragon games have, and that's the kind of wholesome-ish gaming I can get behind."

Promise Mascot Agency

by Kaizen Game Works

Lucas Di Quinzio

It’s a great credit to Promise Mascot Agency developer Kaizen Game Works that not only have they managed to create one of the year’s most memorable characters, but that character is a mascot shaped like a dismembered pinky finger. Pinky is the fiercely loyal and fiercely funny sidekick to Michi, a disgraced Yakuza member sent away to a dying town, tasked with resurrecting a failing mascot agency. As you can see, this game is quite a big mishmash of things. It’s part management game, part open-world game, part vehicle-based platformer, with a story that’s full of humour and heart and political commentary.

It all comes together as a cohesive whole, with a compelling gameplay loop of upgrades to your agency or your trusty, beat-up truck, which allows you to uncover a new story beat, meet a new mascot, or get more jobs from a local business. Then there are the constant problems arising during jobs that are a constant source of gags – your perpetually crying tofu black is stuck in a door, your goth jelly baby is getting attacked by teenagers, Pinky is running for Mayor and keeps threatening violence.

It has that same goofy yet uplifting vibe that the most recent Like A Dragon games have, and that's the kind of wholesome-ish gaming I can get behind.

"Ratatan isn’t the game I spent the most time with in 2025, but it’s the one I’ll remember in years and maybe decades to come."

Ratatan

By Ratata Arts

Andrew Johnston

Before Ratatan was announced, I really thought that the world had forgotten the rhythm/strategy hybrid game Patapon — an absolute shame, as it’s one of the most charming video games ever made. I wouldn’t have even dreamed that such a strange, wild, beautiful, innovative title would come back.

Yet here we are, looking at the independent successor that Patapon always deserved. I’ve shown you a lot of music-focused games, but with Ratatan, we have a game where the mechanics and the sound can’t be separated. What you hear, what you see, what you do — it’s all one free-flowing current that doesn’t resemble anything on the market, including its predecessor.

Ratatan isn’t the game I spent the most time with in 2025, but it’s the one I’ll remember in years and maybe decades to come. Like Patapon before it, it’s about the art and emotion of the package, and nothing else felt the same way.

"Rogue Craft DX is a deceptively simple yet addictive roguelike RPG, using an isometric viewpoint to make its chess-like exploration engaging right from the get-go."

Roguecraft DX (Evercade)

By badger punch games

Jahan Khan

In 2025, Evercade went from compiling lost IPs to scoring major exclusives, and Rogue Craft DX was an enhanced edition of a homebrew Amiga game. The Amiga, as a vintage PC platform, continues to be a fascination for the British gaming scene. There's still a dedicated print magazine for it, while the Evercade platform itself captures the very vibe of retro gaming in the UK.

Rogue Craft DX is a deceptively simple yet addictive roguelike RPG, using an isometric viewpoint to make its chess-like exploration engaging right from the get-go. Plus, it has the meanest chickens ever seen in a video game since The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

"I have died a gazillion times in this game - the most I’ve failed in a game since Celeste perhaps - and like in Maddy Thorson’s classic, I can’t stop coming back for more."

Sektori

by Kimmo Lathtinen and Tommi Lahtinen

Jörg Tittel

Released in mid November, Sektori may have come in under most people recap radars, but it quickly garnered a dedicated fan base and much deserved rave reviews.

Developed solo over five years by former Housemarque veteran Kimmo Lahtinen, the twin stick shooter is the work of a master at the top of his game. I lied, Kimmo did not compose the banging electronic soundtrack - the tunes are by his brother, Tommy Baynen, and it matches the game in intensity and ingenuity.

At first glance, Sektori most closely resembles Bizarre Creation’s Geometry Wars, but very quickly you realise that it’s much much more than that. The game moves - and makes you move - in the most kinetic ways and it’s been ages since a game has put me into a trance state, where your survival instincts fade into your subconscious and you just…flow.

A Gradius-style upgrade system coupled with rogue-like perks adds an infinite amount of possibilities - sure, luck is involved, but ultimately when you fail it’s only down to you. And fail you shall. I have died a gazillion times in this game - the most I’ve failed in a game since Celeste perhaps - and like in Maddy Thorson’s classic, I can’t stop coming back for more.

"They had an artistic vision when creating Silent Hill f, and it deserves to be experienced firsthand."

Silent Hill f

By NeoBards Entertainment

Charlotte Huston

The return of the Silent Hill series arrived in the form of Silent Hill f, a brand-new mainline entry. It was one of the most unexpected surprises of the year in terms of storytelling. There are not enough games that dare to be different, to be so potently resonant with their themes that they have a lasting impact months later upon their player. Silent Hill f strives to bring the identity of the series back to something very imbued with Japanese culture, shunning the more Americanized approach. It does not pull its punches, and it shows that the concept of "Silent Hill" is much more than a town alone – it is a phenomenon, an occurrence that can happen anywhere.

While that is a great implication on its own, it is the psychological aspect of Silent Hill f that cuts so deeply. This is a game that is unafraid to tackle the themes the industry seems so afraid to handle in its storytelling. Going against the grain to this extent is very valuable to women, who the themes of this game represent in their entirety.

Spelling out what these themes are would be an absolute disservice to the creators of this game. They had an artistic vision when creating Silent Hill f, and it deserves to be experienced firsthand. In terms of 2025 releases, I believe Silent Hill f is the most important of them all, for how bold it intends to be, and for how willing it is to make its players uncomfortable.

"It has this great lo-fi, psychedelic aesthetic that still manages to be very readable, and a soundtrack to match."

Skate Story

By Sam Eng

Lucas Di Quinzio

I’m glad SUPERJUMP’s GOTY piece is published in January, because there is no fallow period for good games these days. December releases probably get the short shrift among the end-of-year lists and awards, so in a year where a bunch of great indie titles were competing for my top three, I’ve decided to give some props for the best game released this December.

Skate Story has a hell of an elevator pitch, figuratively and otherwise. You play as a demon who has one goal: they want to eat the Moon. The Devil gives you a skateboard to help you reach the Moon, but in exchange, turns you into a glass. You are going to skate through the underworld, and you are going to eat the Moon. If I was giving out specific awards, I would give this the Absolute Coolest Shit In A Game award. It has this great lo-fi, psychedelic aesthetic that still manages to be very readable, and a soundtrack to match. And there’s a streak of dry, absurdist humour throughout the game.

This is not to mention the skating itself, which is rock-solid. Well, not really, because your character shatters in a million pieces when you wipe out – but even that lends itself to the overwhelming style of Skate Story.

"I love how the music flows throughout the game, crescendoing into vocal songs that explain the various bosses’ backstories, one of the many things that makes the game so engaging to play."

South of Midnight

By Complulsion Games

CJ Wilson

I feel like South of Midnight is a game that’s going to be overlooked by many people. I always enjoy a good story-driven adventure game with smooth platforming sections and a compelling narrative, but I didn’t think I was going to embrace the Southern Gothic aesthetic that this game gives out in spades. I love the handcrafted nature that the developers at Compulsion Games created, which makes South of Midnight one of the most visually appealing games of 2025. While I would have wanted an expansive combat system with multiple branching trees to spend my skill points on, I’m glad that the gameplay didn’t become overly complex, as I wanted to find collectibles that could improve the abilities that were present to me.

I love how the music flows throughout the game, crescendoing into vocal songs that explain the various bosses’ backstories, one of the many things that makes the game so engaging to play. I found it fascinating that you use your weaver powers to unravel enemies to heal the world instead of killing them outright. I’m glad I got to play it via Xbox Game Pass, as I would easily recommend it to someone who wants to play something that isn’t a traditional single-player adventure game.

"The entire game is a testament to that wonder of creation – kernels of greatness nestled in half-finished ideas, some stories that might benefit from a rewrite, or old lullabies we sort of just sing to ourselves."

Split Fiction

By Hazelight Studios

Rachel Alm

My fiancé and I eagerly played Split Fiction together, pretty quickly after release. We'd blown through It Takes Two, and Split Fiction was more of the same couch co-op we'd loved.

It also starred two authors, and as an aspiring one – and one existing in the world of AI – the game's themes of corporate and computational thievery rang unfortunately close to home. But beyond that tagline – the idea that our core memories manifest and help us build the stories we tell – Split Fiction's true shining achievement is in the tremendous variety of its level design. It has fantastic gameplay, requiring you to flip-flop through two very different genre trappings: science fiction and fantasy. Both are speculative arts, but drawing from often different foundational tones.

Our two protagonists have their own inner battles that unfold through the narrative, and they're well-done stories that take time to tell themselves. One story, or "chapter", might tackle identity, another loss. There are even side stories that you encounter throughout the game, which boil down to racing, platforming, or snowboarding mini-games, and they are all executed (and mapped on the controllers) wonderfully. None of these swaps of gameplay styles feels jarring. There was one particular level involving magic and general witchery, where you could transform yourself into yarn and fly on broomsticks. It was as joyful as opening a toy box. The entire game is a testament to that wonder of creation – kernels of greatness nestled in half-finished ideas, some stories that might benefit from a rewrite, or old lullabies we sort of just sing to ourselves. Split Fiction is a paean to creatives, and it's a damn fun time.

CJ Wilson

This game easily provided me with one of the most enjoyable co-op experiences that I've had in a long time. Each new level was creative and exciting to play through, where I never knew what would happen next. While I would have preferred to play with another player by my side in person, I enjoyed my time with my fellow SUPERJUMP editor, Bryan Finck, who was along for the ride as we constantly commented on what we saw on our screens, making jokes and helping each other out along the way. One moment, I was riding a futuristic bike in a cyberpunk city, and the next, I was playing as a yeti in a fantasy world.

It constantly switched between the fantasy and science fiction genres to mix up the gameplay, which I greatly appreciated. Even some of the side missions that I found gave me some laugh-out-loud moments that I still think about to this day. I became attached to the stories of Mio and Zoe as aspiring writers who needed to process their issues by helping each other as the narrative progressed. Split Fiction is easily one of the most beautiful games that I played this year, running on Unreal Engine 5, where I didn’t notice any slowdown or glitches whatsoever. I knew that Hazelight was going to put out another excellent game after It Takes Two, but I never expected to have such a fantastic time with Split Fiction.

Lucas Di Quinzio

Split Fiction can be described in many ways – bold, endlessly creative, bursting with brilliant set pieces; a best-in-class co-operative experience. What the game, and its developer Hazelight Studios, can’t be called is subtle. The studio is led by Josef Fares, perhaps best known for shouting ‘fuck the Oscars’ at The Game Awards, among other outlandish quotes (my favourite is telling a journalist they can break his legs if they don’t like A Way Out), but he can keep saying goofy stuff if he and Hazelight can keep walking the walk so emphatically.

Split Fiction is a game that you have to play with another person, about a tech magnate trying to suck up all the story ideas from authors' minds, under the guise of testing out supposedly revolutionary new technology. The villain of the piece may as well be called Sham Shaltman from ShenAI. Not subtle, but maybe this is not the time for subtlety.

The hook of the game, in which the imagined worlds of a fantasy and a sci-fi author intertwine, allows for a constant stream of new ideas. Every level provides something new and impressive, whether it be a fresh twist on the central puzzle-platforming, a fun, breezy side-level, or an impressive boss fight (or all of the above). And it all feels so carefully crafted, by people who have, you know, spent years honing their skills by working on this particular kind of game. Skills and experience you cannot generate out of thin air, or rather, ones you cannot generate from litres of water evaporated into thin air to cool a room full of pointless computers.

Bryan Finck

Split Fiction was a truly sublime experience and is easily my favorite of 2025. Hazelight Studios was already well-known for its co-op formula, following the excellent It Takes Two, but their latest title quickly became their most acclaimed and best-selling release.

Every level brings a new delight from a gameplay standpoint, with different perspectives, mechanics, mini-games, and hidden side-stories around every corner. With the game itself so good, the story didn't need to be the star of the show, but I found it to be my favorite part of the experience. Protagonists Mio and Zoe grow together as they work to escape their predicament, from a pair of feuding individuals into a true team that supports each other. Some truly excellent moments bring emotional weight to the story, elevating the entire game.

By the time you've worked your way through each incredible level, especially the final act where things get turned up to 11, you feel like you've been part of a true AAA title. Hazelight may not be the biggest studio, but they continue to punch well above their weight and have legions of fans, myself included, waiting impatiently for their next amazing adventure.

"With its broader console release this year, it’s easy to recommend to basically anyone who likes action roguelites, shmups, or anything that rewards clean movement and smart builds, and it’s absolutely worth a nod on any end-of-year tier list."

Star of Providence

By Team D-13

Ben Rowan

In 2025, Star of Providence (originally called Monolith) finally broke out of its PC cult-classic bubble with a proper console release, including on Switch, and this gem absolutely deserves a place in the spotlight. The premise is simple: you’re a tiny ship climbing a mysterious tower, floor by floor, trying to reach the top. It’s twin-stick shooting meets bullet hell in a roguelite package, so you’re constantly moving, dodging, and threading the needle through dense patterns of enemy fire.

The movement feels great, and it’s backed up by a surprisingly deep loot and build system. Your starter weapon is fine, but you’ll quickly start finding guns with different firing styles, bullet sizes, ammo limits, and other quirks. On top of that, weapons can roll random modifiers that change their behaviour even more, so two runs with the same gun can feel completely different. Because secondary weapons have limited ammo and break when they’re empty, you’re constantly making decisions about what to carry and when to use it. Between floors, you’ll grab passive upgrades, stumble onto random modifiers, and choose buffs that slowly turn your tiny ship into something ridiculous. Then you hit the boss at the end of the floor, and that’s where this bullet hell really shows its teeth.

Since landing in 2017, Star of Providence has steadily grown into a much bigger beast, adding new enemies, room layouts, weapons, meaner endgame content, and an ascension-style difficulty ladder for anyone who wants the challenge to keep escalating. With its broader console release this year, it’s easy to recommend to basically anyone who likes action roguelites, shmups, or anything that rewards clean movement and smart builds, and it’s absolutely worth a nod on any end-of-year tier list.

"It’s super fun and impressively polished for an indie release, both in how it plays and how it looks."

Star Racer

By Whatnot Games

Ben Rowan

Some games you buy after rewatching the trailer, reading a couple of reviews, and letting them sit on your wishlist for a while. Star Racer wasn’t one of those. I saw a few seconds of it pop up on YouTube, loved the retro sci-fi vibe and pixelated look, and thought, “Yep, this’ll be mine.” Five minutes later, it was downloading on Steam.

Even better, the game lived up to those first impressions. It’s super fun and impressively polished for an indie release, both in how it plays and how it looks. During races, you’ve got a mix of SNES-style 16-bit sprites, with environments leaning into a chunkier 3D look that feels very much like Star Fox 64. On top of that, the comic-book art style really brings the characters and cut scenes to life.

The gameplay itself is really fun too. Air brakes on the shoulder buttons let you strafe through corners, and the whole combat-racing loop is built on continual trade-offs. You can burn shield energy to boost and hold the lead, or play it safe and risk getting nailed by the pack. Every lap is high stakes, with even the best races coming unstuck at the final bend.

It’s not just pure racing either. You’ve got weapons, including the ability to bash rivals into walls, and even fire lasers during flying sections. There are airborne segments that crank up the Star Fox vibe even more, and they’re not just for show either. Flying drains your shields, so if you run dry mid-air, that’s it. Race over. You’re constantly balancing speed, aggression, and survival.

Plus, there are unlockable vehicles, a track editor for tinkerers, and four-player local split-screen, which is always a win. I still reckon it would be perfect on Switch, but even on Steam, it's firmly earned its place on my Top-Of-2025 list.

"In what may be the most ambitious visual novel of all time, Kodaka and his co-authors have created a game with 100 different endings."

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy

By TooKyo games

Benjamin Macready

The Hundred Line comes straight from the twisted imagination of Kazutaka Kodaka, the writer of the despair-inducing Danganronpa franchise. In what may be the most ambitious visual novel of all time, Kodaka and his co-authors have created a game with 100 different endings. Some of these endings are comedic, some are tragic, and some are downright disturbing. It just wouldn’t be a Kodaka game if it didn’t make you feel deeply uncomfortable by some of its twists.

Whatever else this sprawling hydra of a story might be, it’s upheld by its lovably flawed cast and its ability to masterfully flip between the grim and the absurd.

"Tiger-Heli is a tough shooter with thrilling progression and great use of contrasting colours."

Tiger-Heli 40th Anniversary Edition

By TATSUJIN Co.

Jahan Khan

A brand new exclusive port for the Atari 7800 by a Japanese developer? Crazier things have happened in gaming, but for Toaplan to commission a new port for its seminal Tiger-Heli shoot 'em up in 2025 to commemorate its 40-year anniversary, it doesn't get crazier than this.

It's a marvelous release too; the arcade shooting classic translates perfectly to the Atari 7800's hardware specifications, and the experience is completely different from the NES port from way back. Tiger-Heli is a tough shooter with thrilling progression and great use of contrasting colours. The World War II energy here is like Capcom's 1942 turned up to 11.

"But of course, the standout here is Angel of Darkness..."

Tomb Raider IV-VI: Remastered

By Aspyr

Daryl Baxter

It's no secret that Tomb Raider IV-V were made under pressure, and by a (mostly) new team. But of course, the standout here is Angel of Darkness, a game that floundered at its foundations, due to huge bugs, a strange RPG system that's now a meme, and mostly away from Tombs.

It's my GOTY because the collection is an example of how a series strays away from what made it so good in the first place, despite good intentions from the team.

"The mechanics were simple to follow, and the map was fun to explore; though there were a few moments of confusion, I never felt frustrated enough to put the game down."

Winter Burrow

By Pine Creek Games

Cat Webling

This game blew me away with how adorably deep and thoroughly cozy it was! It was a relatively short experience, but I never felt rushed; beautiful scenery, sweet characters, and charming music made me comfortable vibing for long play sessions.

The mechanics were simple to follow, and the map was fun to explore; though there were a few moments of confusion, I never felt frustrated enough to put the game down. I was thrilled to be able to play shortly after launch, and even moreso for the chance to chat with the devs directly!

How Clair Obscur’s Developers Avoided Spoiling Their Big Act One Twist

Video Games Archives - Aftermath

Od:Nathan Grayson

20. Únor 2026 v 20:16

How Clair Obscur’s Developers Avoided Spoiling Their Big Act One Twist

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hits the ground running and rarely lets up, but the first moment that it really knocks the wind out of players’ lungs takes place at the end of Act One. If you’ve maintained even a cursory awareness of the GOTY-hoovering French melancholy simulator, you probably know what I’m talking about by now. But there was a more innocent time last year when we all had no idea what we were in for. Creating a moment that left everyone gobsmacked, said lead writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen, was about more than just a single scene. It worked because of all that came before and, yes, after.

Clair Obscur spoilers follow.

Fresh off winning an Outstanding Achievement In Story distinction at last week’s DICE Awards in Las Vegas, Svedberg-Yen explained how the Clair Obscur team managed to make the death of Gustave – up until that point the player character – feel earned and emotionally resonant. This meant striking a delicate balance between foreshadowing and restraint so that players wouldn’t see it coming from a mile away.

"We wanted to make some meaningful moments so that when it came to the time of his death, you could feel the characters,” Svedberg-Yen told Aftermath. “So for instance, we have sort of a bookend where we have Gustave in his first encounter with Renoir on the Dark Shores when the whole team dies. Then we go through his arc and his travels, and now at the end, we come back to that moment. And now we can see Gustave in the second encounter, the change from that first instance. I think that was what we wanted to set up. So we were very intentional about the places in which we made certain moments, right?"

Gustave’s relationship with Maelle – short lived though it ended up being in actual game hours – was also key to making Gustave’s death land. “For those who come after” needed to be more than just a catchphrase.

"The conversations with Maelle, setting that up – those solo moments, those moments when we talk about 'For those who come after' and what that means,” said Svedberg-Yen. “We were very careful to have all of those so that when it came to this moment, we didn't necessarily give it away, but there are specific things that tie back. When [Gustave] says 'For those who come after' to Maelle [just before Renoir kills him], she says 'Run' because that calls back to their conversation when he's like 'If you see somebody, you'd better run' and she said 'I'm only running if you run.' So all of those things were sort of building to that point."

In Svedberg-Yen’s eyes, those story and character beats found their purpose pretty naturally; gameplay proved trickier.

"[Not spoiling] was more of a consideration on the gameplay side,” she said. “I noticed some players realizing that Gustave's skill tree is much smaller. We still made a broader skill tree that was locked, but it was still significantly smaller. I think maybe we needed to make it even bigger."

Fortunately, Clair Obscur’s then-burgeoning community was cool about it.

"I saw a Reddit thread [where someone was like] 'I think my game is blocked or buggy because I'm not unlocking any of Gustave's skills. What's going on? Do I need to reset?'” said Svedberg-Yen. “And people just all jumped in and said 'Don't worry. It's story locked. You'll get it. Act Two is amazing. Gustave becomes [overpowered]. You will not believe the skills you get.' Everybody kept it going, and they didn't spoil it for other people. ... It was at least several weeks before [Gustave’s death] became more widely known."

But there is an argument to be made that Gustave’s strongest moments come in Act Two, even if he’s not around to see them. While many games treat death with a carelessness that borders on cavalier, Clair Obscur gives its cast room to mourn, exhale, and adjust to their new shared reality – albeit only just a bit in what is still a time of immense peril.

"I didn't want it to just be 'OK, he's gone, and now we continue as if nothing has happened,'” said Svedberg-Yen. “But on the other hand, when you are in this life-and-death situation and there's a bigger mission, you have to go on, right? I imagine that this is probably true for a lot of folks who have been in difficult situations where you need to keep pushing on. So we wanted to bring up that contrast, where Lune is saying, 'We have to press on.' Because death is such a constant in this world, and yet, this death is different. Death is something we're used to, but each one is unique in the impact it has on us. ... So writing it, I really tried to think about each character – their relationship to Gustave and also their relationship to the mission – and how they think about death.”

Even in Clair Obscur’s world of near-constant grief, Svedberg-Yen wanted a sprig of closure to see the light of day. Ultimately, Maelle and the rest of the party find a place to bury Gustave’s prosthetic arm and reflect on who he was to them.

“To me, it was really important that we had the burial, that there was a little bit of closure,” she said. “Because it just felt intuitively wrong if we continued on without acknowledging that moment."

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 adds yet another Game of the Year award to the list, this time from the DICE Awards

Eurogamer.net Latest Articles Feed

Od:Vikki Blake

14. Únor 2026 v 17:57

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 secured five awards at this week's Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' (AIAS) DICE Awards (not to be confused with EA's Stockholm studio of the same name), including the coveted Game of the Year prize, while Sucker Punch's Ghost of Yotei secured three, including for Adventure Game of the Year.

Clair Obscur's final boss was a bit easier than developer Sandfall planned, mostly because everyone actually engaged with all the side content

Eurogamer.net Latest Articles Feed

Od:Victoria Phillips Kennedy

9. Leden 2026 v 11:06

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer Sandfall underestimated just how much players would engage with the game's various sidequests and optional content, and as a result of this extra grinding would find the final boss fight a tad underwhelming.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer feels it needs to "trust its instincts" for its next game, instead of being guided by fan pressure

Eurogamer.net Latest Articles Feed

Od:Victoria Phillips Kennedy

5. Leden 2026 v 12:37

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer Sandfall will focus on what those at the studio personally think is "cool" for its next game, rather than feel any pressure to focus on what anyone else thinks it should do.

2025 Steam Award winners announced, and the player-voted results are a little surprising

Eurogamer.net Latest Articles Feed

Od:Vikki Blake

4. Leden 2026 v 15:35

43.8 million player votes later, the winners of the 2025 Steam Awards have been announced, with Hollow Knight: Silksong securing top prize, Game of the Year.

Arc Raiders was Steam's best-selling game over the holiday period

Eurogamer.net Latest Articles Feed

Od:Vikki Blake

31. Prosinec 2025 v 18:25

Arc Raiders was Steam's biggest-selling game over the holiday period.

The 50 best games of 2025, ranked

Eurogamer.net Latest Articles Feed

Od:Chris Tapsell

31. Prosinec 2025 v 11:00

It's been another strange, difficult, and yet somehow also brilliant year for video games in 2025. Triple-A releases have been sparse again, compared to the boom times of old, with a great big GTA 6-shaped hole left in the final few months of the year. And yet once again, every gap left by the established order has been filled twice over with something brilliantly new.

Eurogamer readers' top 50 games of 2025 - "It made me cry three times"

Eurogamer.net Latest Articles Feed

Od:Tom Orry

30. Prosinec 2025 v 11:00

2025 has gone by in a flash, hasn't it? Well, apart from the days I've spent tabulating all your Game of the Year votes and presenting the results here - that has felt like an eternity and I think has given me permanent neck pain. But, let's not worry about that. I'm sure you'll agree it was worth the sacrifice.

What we've been playing, Christmas Day edition - "hope I don't disgrace myself"

Eurogamer.net Latest Articles Feed

Od:Tom Orry

25. Prosinec 2025 v 09:00

Hello and welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing. This week it's not about what we've been playing, but what we hope to be playing on Christmas Day (you're reading this now, but we wrote this back in June or something as we plan ahead).

This obscure Zelda title asked Expedition 33’s big existential question first, in a much darker way

Destructoid

Od:Tiago Manuel

10. Leden 2026 v 22:02

Lune and Sciel in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 didn’t win any awards for best plot twist, likely because they don’t exist. So we’ll have to talk about it because it deserves it, yes, but also because of how it reminds me of a game I’d expect to have nothing in common with it. Deep spoilers follow for both games.

Dreaming of fish

I’m talking about Link’s Awakening from 1993, the first Zelda game to come out for the Game Boy. It takes place in Koholint Island, one of the few locations outside of Hyrule seen in the entire series, and with good reason. It's a really neat place, filled with likeable inhabitants, but over the course of the game, appearances of characters such as Yoshi, Kirby, and even some from Sim City hint at how this place is the strangest place ever visited in the series.

Still, no matter, as Link just needs to go back home anyway. To do so, he has to wake a mystical creature named the Wind Fish. Before doing so, however, Link discovers that the reason for all the wackiness is not a regular pre-Smash Bros. attempt at a multiverse, but rather that he’s not experiencing his waking reality. The dream of this fish fabricated the entire island, and incidentally absorbed Link as he crashed into it.

Most of Expedition 33 also doesn't take place in its world's base reality. Though its real world also features fantastical elements, such as people of various artistic backgrounds possessing magical powers, it's much closer to our 19th-century Paris than to the overly magical world we see surrounding the city of Lumiere. Learning that likely came as a shock during your playthrough. Even tougher, probably, was learning after you'd have to choose between staying in that reality at the expense of your own family and of your own health, or escaping, but in a manner that would kill every living being in that small world.

Similarly, Link’s Awakening requires Link to wake the Wind Fish from his slumber to be set free, even though that will also abruptly end that small pocket of reality, immediately ending all life on it. Worse yet, that game never gives players the choice to spare anyone.

Choices matter (and hurt)

Under normal circumstances, players would be able to excuse their actions, arguing that it was possibly all just a dream and that nobody was really harmed, since they never really existed in the first place. But the Zelda game's secret ending shows that one of the "fish's creations" actually managed to somehow break through and be materialized into this world after the destruction of their own. So, even though the secret ending is there to leave players on a more hopeful note, it actually confirms that a load of people and fun creatures actually died because Link would only get good at sailing in Wind Waker.

https://youtu.be/oiA-1zj7ZOU?t=1017

I don't know whether Expedition 33 was inspired by Link's Awakening, but it doesn't really matter. What earns E33’s plot a place among the greats is not really the surprise value or the originality. Most who are gushing about E33 were already familiar with The Matrix, The Truman Show, or even Dream-Zanarkand in Final Fantasy X. What truly makes the big reveal at the end of E33’s second act is the emotional weight it puts on our backs and has us carrying until the end.

That’s not the case with Link’s Awakening, which spends absolutely no time disentangling the complexities put forth by the game’s own plot. Link’s Awakening carelessly plays the whole dream scenario as just a cool idea, one that gets way too dark for a Zelda title upon even surface-level inquiry. Whatever the case may be, it’s always cool to see another thing that E33 did better than the big guys.

The original version of Link’s Awakening only ever came out for the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and the Virtual Console, but you can now also play the Switch version. Alternatively, you can also play this game called Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on your PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC.

The post This obscure Zelda title asked Expedition 33’s big existential question first, in a much darker way appeared first on Destructoid.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Final Boss Was Easier Than Planned As Players Were Busy Grinding In Side Quests

News – PlayStation Universe

Od:Michael Harradence

9. Leden 2026 v 14:15

The developer behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has admitted that the final boss of the game was a little too easy for some players, who had been busy grinding away on the various side quests on offer and thus levelling up their character to massive proportions.

As a result, by the time they did come up against the final boss of the game, many Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 players were able to dispatch their adversary easier than Sandfall Interactive had perhaps intended. Elaborating on this, Michel Nohra, Lead Game Designer on the critically acclaimed title, told EDGE magazine:

The only thing I regret is not making it clearer that if you want the intended difficulty for the boss, you have to go beat it now. Often, people don’t want to finish the game, so they do all the side content before finishing it, because once the story is over, you’re usually less motivated to do the side content. And that’s something I underestimated, which made people that wanted a challenging end boss fight feel a bit disappointed. I don’t regret doing it the way we did it, but [we could have] had more explanation about your choice [in Act 3].

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was released for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S in April 2025, and was one of the biggest success stories of last year, garnering critical acclaimed and vastly exceeding Sandfall’s expectations. The RPG also picked up numerous Game of the Year accolades, including PSU’s Game of the Year gong. You can read our full review here.

[Source EDGE Magazine via GamesRadar]

The post Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Final Boss Was Easier Than Planned As Players Were Busy Grinding In Side Quests appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Devs Did "Twice The Work" Of Other Studios

TheGamer - Game News

Od:George Foster

11. Leden 2026 v 18:00

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's producer, Francois Meurisse, says that Sandfall Interactive basically "did twice the work" of other studios to finish the game thanks to the team's focus on setting up younger developers.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Story and Characters – Complete Belle Époque World Guide

Expert Game Reviews

Od:Ophelia Shanna

7. Leden 2026 v 14:52

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 transports players into a haunting Belle Époque fantasy world where an ancient entity called the Paintress condemns humanity to slow extinction through an annual ritual known as the Gommage. This award-winning narrative, which earned Best Narrative and Best Game Direction at The Game Awards 2025, weaves together themes of loss, hope, sacrifice, and human connection against the backdrop of turn-of-the-century France.

The game’s title carries profound meaning – “Clair Obscur” translates to “light and dark,” perfectly encapsulating the story’s core themes of hope and despair, life and loss, courage and fear. Set in the isolated city of Lumière, the narrative follows a desperate band of volunteers who risk everything to break the Paintress’ deadly cycle and reclaim humanity’s future.

This comprehensive guide explores the complete Clair Obscur story, from the Fracture disaster that started it all to the complex character journeys that earned Jennifer English the Best Performance award. Understanding these narrative elements enriches your experience while exploring this visually stunning world inspired by Belle Époque France and the Art Deco movement.

The World of Clair Obscur – Understanding the Belle Époque Setting

The world of Clair Obscur takes place in a dark fantasy interpretation of Belle Époque France, a period that literally means “the beautiful age” and spans from 1871 to 1914. This specific historical period provides more than aesthetic window dressing – it serves as the thematic foundation for the entire narrative experience.

Director Guillaume Broche and his Montpellier-based team at Sandfall Interactive chose this setting deliberately. After initially exploring a steampunk Victorian setting with science fiction elements including zombies and aliens, potential investors encouraged Broche to “think bigger” about six months into development. This led to a complete narrative reset.

The Belle Époque represents a period of peace, progress, and hope in French history – characteristics that seem almost antithetical to Clair Obscur’s world defined by stagnation and never-ending loss. This juxtaposition creates powerful narrative tension, as the expedition fights to reclaim the very ideals this historical period represents.

The City of Lumière

Lumière serves as humanity’s final refuge, isolated amidst an ocean and scarred by decades of the Gommage. The city features iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, placing its timeline roughly at the turn of the 20th century based on architectural details and period-accurate costuming.

City streets blend Art Nouveau and Neoclassical architecture, creating a visually distinctive environment that honors real Parisian history while establishing its own identity. Men wear narrow suiting while women sport shirtwaist and skirt ensembles characteristic of the late 1890s, grounding the fantasy elements in historical authenticity.

The Art Deco movement heavily influenced the game’s visual design, creating a unique aesthetic that blends classic beauty with haunting surrealism. Every character, environment, and enemy showcases meticulous attention to detail, immersing players in an emotionally charged adventure where style becomes substance rather than surface decoration.

The Gommage – Understanding the Central Threat

The Gommage represents the existential horror at the heart of Clair Obscur’s narrative. Every year, the mysterious Paintress awakens and paints an ever-decreasing number on an enormous rock formation called the Monolith. All humans whose age matches or exceeds that number immediately disappear, turning to smoke and fading from existence without explanation or pattern.

This annual event threatens humanity with eventual extinction as the number ticks downward year after year. The Paintress first appeared 67 years before the game’s events during a catastrophic disaster known as the Fracture, which isolated Lumière from the rest of the continent and began the cycle of death.

The inevitability of the Gommage shapes every aspect of society in Lumière. Characters live under constant temporal pressure, knowing their final year approaches when their age matches the current number. This creates a culture simultaneously resilient and fatalistic, where people cherish each day while accepting the brutal reality of their world.

Previous Expeditions

After each yearly Gommage, Lumière sends an expedition of volunteers to head to the mainland in an effort to slay the Paintress before she can paint a new number. These expeditions rarely succeed – most are decimated by hostile monsters called Nevrons that populate the fractured continent.

Expedition 33 represents the latest attempt to break the cycle. The group’s name reflects that the Paintress painted “33” on the Monolith, meaning everyone aged 33 was erased. This expedition carries the hopes of everyone remaining in Lumière, who understand that time runs out faster with each passing year.

The remnants of past expeditions scatter across the continent – journal entries, abandoned equipment, and ruined camps tell stories of courage, desperation, and ultimate failure. These discoveries provide context for your journey while honoring those who attempted the mission before you.

Main Characters – The Heroes of Expedition 33

The core cast of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 features six playable characters, each bringing unique abilities, personalities, and narrative significance to the journey. Their relationships, personal struggles, and character development form the emotional backbone of the experience.

Gustave, voiced by Charlie Cox (Daredevil: Born Again), serves as the initial protagonist. This resourceful and dedicated engineer spent his life developing technology to protect Lumière, including the revolutionary Lumina converter that gives Expedition 33 advantages previous groups lacked. With his final year ticking away after reaching age 33, Gustave risks everything to defeat the Paintress and reclaim a future for Lumière’s children.

Gustave wields a mechanical arm that charges through combat actions and unleashes devastating damage when fully powered. His engineering background translates into gadget-based abilities offering both offensive pressure and utility support. As the foster brother and father figure to Maelle, his protective instincts drive many crucial story decisions.

Maelle – The Heart of the Expedition

Maelle, voiced by Jennifer English in an award-winning performance, represents the youngest member of Expedition 33 at just 16 years old. Orphaned at age 3, she’s never felt at home in Lumière and has difficulty connecting with and trusting others beyond her foster brother Gustave.

Unlike other Expeditioners motivated by duty or desperation, Maelle views the expedition as her chance to explore the world beyond Lumière and finally forge her own destiny. Her character arc contains major spoilers, but Jennifer English’s nuanced portrayal captures both vulnerability and strength, earning her the Best Performance award at The Game Awards 2025.

Maelle wields a rapier and employs dynamic swordfighting stances that alter her available abilities and stat distributions. Switching between Defensive, Offensive, and Virtuose stances mid-combat allows tactical adaptation to changing battlefield conditions, making her extremely versatile in skilled hands.

Lune – The Brilliant Scholar

Lune, voiced by Kirsty Rider (Sandman), brings intellectual prowess and magical expertise to Expedition 33. As the daughter of prominent researchers, she possesses a deep thirst for knowledge and has sacrificed everything to complete her parents’ work. Her singular goal focuses on unraveling the mystery of the Paintress.

Entrusted with charting the expedition’s path, Lune feels the weight of responsibility and the stakes involved keenly. She cannot and will not allow this expedition to fail. Her magical abilities create elemental stains through spellcasting that can be consumed for additional effects, rewarding thoughtful spell sequencing and strategic resource management.

Lune’s elemental magic exploits enemy weaknesses through four affinities: Weakness (50% increased damage), Resistance (50% reduced damage), Nullify (no damage), and Absorb (heals instead of damages). Understanding and exploiting these mechanics becomes crucial for combat efficiency.

Sciel – The Calm Warrior

Sciel, voiced by Shala Nyx (The Old Guard), represents wisdom, warmth, and acceptance in a world defined by loss. A former farmer turned teacher, she embraces life day by day with genuine joy, masking the pain of a tragic past. Despite accepting the brutality of their world, her commitment to the expedition’s success never wavers.

Sciel’s philosophical nature and resourceful creativity help herself and others navigate difficult situations. Her calm demeanor and playful spirit provide emotional balance for the team during dark moments, while her combat prowess proves she’s more than capable of handling threats.

At ease with death after years of witnessing the Gommage, Sciel approaches each day with gratitude and wonder. This positive outlook contrasts sharply with the grim reality surrounding them, making her an invaluable emotional anchor for the expedition.

Supporting Characters and Their Significance

Beyond the main expedition members, several key characters shape the narrative trajectory and provide crucial context for understanding the world’s mysteries. These individuals each carry their own burdens, secrets, and motivations that intersect with Expedition 33’s journey.

Renoir, voiced by Andy Serkis in a powerful performance, initially appears as a mysterious old man attacking expeditions. His true identity and motivations reveal themselves gradually, connecting deeply to the Paintress’ origins and the Fracture disaster that started everything. Serkis brings gravitas and emotional complexity to this conflicted character.

Renoir’s ruthless determination stems from protecting his family and preserving what remains of his world. As a member of the first expedition who received immortality from the Paintress, he guards her not out of malice but from a twisted form of love and duty. Understanding his perspective adds moral complexity to what initially seems like straightforward antagonism.

Verso – The Mysterious Stranger

Verso, voiced by Ben Starr (Final Fantasy XVI), tracks Expedition 33’s every move with unclear motives. His dangerous aura and moral ambiguity create tension throughout the early acts. Ben Starr describes the role’s appeal: “The moral ambiguity of Verso was so immediately enticing. He’s such a darkly mysterious character.”

Verso eventually joins the expedition after revealing shocking connections to both Renoir and the Paintress’ history. As Renoir’s son and a fellow immortal from the first expedition, Verso has grown tired of eternal life and wishes to kill the Paintress to finally end his existence. This death wish drives his willingness to help despite the risks.

His friendship with Monoco adds another dimension to his character. The bond between immortal human and ancient Gestral creature demonstrates that meaningful connections persist even across centuries of existence and suffering.

Monoco and Esquie

Monoco, voiced by Rich Keeble, represents the Gestrals – mysterious creatures untouched by the Paintress’ Gommage. As a Gestral warrior associated with Verso, his specialized skillset offers unique combat options unavailable to other party members. Rich Keeble describes voicing a “Loyal, eloquent, terrifying” character.

Esquie, voiced by Maxence Cazorla, belongs to another category of mythical creatures inhabiting the mainland called Grandis. This local creature aids the expedition during their journey, showcasing that not all inhabitants of the fractured continent oppose humanity’s survival. Esquie’s underwater swimming ability unlocks new areas during exploration.

These non-human allies demonstrate the expedition’s willingness to forge alliances across species boundaries when fighting existential threats. Their unique perspectives and abilities prove invaluable for overcoming challenges human expeditions couldn’t handle alone.

The Paintress and the Fracture

The Paintress, voiced by Tracy Wiles, serves as the central antagonist whose annual rituals condemn humanity to gradual extinction. Understanding her true nature, motivations, and origins requires piecing together clues scattered throughout your journey. The complete picture reveals a tragedy far more complex than simple villainy.

The Fracture occurred 67 years before the game’s events, isolating Lumière from the rest of the continent and beginning the Gommage cycle. This catastrophic disaster fundamentally altered reality in ways that become clearer as you progress through the narrative’s three acts.

The Paintress’ connection to Aline Dessendre and the Dessendre family forms the emotional core of the narrative’s final revelations. Without spoiling specifics, the story explores how grief, loss, and desperate attempts to preserve loved ones can twist into something monstrous that threatens everyone.

The Monolith and Its Significance

The Monolith represents more than just a canvas for the Paintress’ numbers – it stands as a physical manifestation of the curse affecting humanity. This enormous rock formation visible across the continent serves as a constant reminder of mortality and the ticking clock counting down to extinction.

Each year when the Paintress awakens and paints her cursed number, the Monolith becomes the focal point of humanity’s fear and despair. Its presence dominates the psychological landscape as much as the physical one, shaping how people view their limited futures.

Narrative Structure – Acts and Story Progression

The narrative unfolds across a prologue and three acts, each shifting focus to different expedition members as protagonists. This rotating perspective approach allows deeper exploration of individual character arcs while maintaining overall narrative cohesion.

The prologue introduces the main cast and establishes the world’s stakes efficiently. Within an hour, players understand the Gommage threat, meet key characters, and witness the expedition’s departure from Lumière. This compressed introduction creates immediate investment before the journey truly begins.

Act I centers on Gustave as the primary protagonist, establishing his relationships, engineering expertise, and protective instincts toward Maelle. The act concludes with a shocking development that writers Jennifer Svedberg-Yen and Guillaume Broche planned from the earliest stages as part of the emotional journey they envisioned.

Acts II and III

Act II shifts focus to Verso following Act I’s conclusion. This perspective change allows exploration of immortality’s burden, complicated family dynamics, and moral ambiguity surrounding the Paintress conflict. The act expands understanding of the world’s history while introducing new locations and challenges.

Act III centers on Maelle following major revelations about her true identity and connection to the overarching narrative. This final act brings together all story threads, forces difficult choices with lasting consequences, and delivers the emotional catharsis the journey builds toward.

The story offers multiple endings based on player choices, with the final decision between Maelle’s path and Verso’s path determining the fate of Lumière, the expedition, and the painted world itself. Each ending provides satisfying resolution while honoring the themes explored throughout.

Themes and Narrative Depth

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 explores profound themes that resonate beyond its fantasy setting. The core theme of loss of loved ones originated with director Guillaume Broche’s mother. When stuck on the narrative draft, Broche asked what would be the worst thing that could happen to her – she answered losing any of her children.

This answer became the foundation for Aline’s character and the catalyst for her decision to dwell in her departed son’s canvas. The entire narrative spirals outward from this central trauma, examining how grief can consume individuals and societies when left unresolved.

Hope versus despair creates constant tension throughout the journey. The Belle Époque aesthetic represents humanity’s dreams of peace and progress, while the harsh reality of the Gommage embodies crushing despair. The expedition fights not just for survival but to reclaim the possibility of hope itself.

Sacrifice and Human Connection

Sacrifice defines the expedition experience. Every volunteer knows the likely outcome – most won’t survive the journey. Yet they embark anyway, driven by duty, love, desperation, or the simple recognition that someone must try. This willingness to sacrifice for others’ futures provides the emotional weight behind combat encounters and exploration.

Human connection emerges as the antidote to isolation and despair. Characters who open themselves to relationships – Gustave and Maelle’s bond, the growing trust between expedition members, alliances with Gestrals and Grandis – find strength unavailable to isolated individuals. The narrative rewards emotional vulnerability alongside tactical skill.

The Relationship Interactions system mechanically reinforces this theme. Building connections between characters through camp conversations unlocks Gradient Attacks, powerful combination moves impossible for individuals alone. This design choice elegantly ties gameplay benefits to narrative themes of cooperation and trust.

Voice Acting and Performance Capture

The exceptional voice performances in Clair Obscur significantly contributed to the game’s narrative impact and critical acclaim. Recording took place at Side UK under voice director Joanna Green, with motion capture and performance capture bringing additional authenticity to character expressions and movements.

Jennifer English’s portrayal of Maelle earned universal praise and the Best Performance award at The Game Awards 2025. Her ability to convey Maelle’s emotional complexity – vulnerability, determination, fear, and growing confidence – resonated deeply with players. English described Maelle as “the epitome of a dream character for me – captivating, intricately layered, exquisitely written.”

Charlie Cox brings warmth and paternal protectiveness to Gustave while maintaining the character’s technical expertise and tactical mindset. Cox’s previous work as Daredevil prepared him for portraying heroes carrying heavy responsibilities, making Gustave’s leadership feel authentic and grounded.

Star-Studded Supporting Cast

Andy Serkis delivers a haunting performance as Renoir, bringing decades of motion capture expertise to the role. His ability to convey complex emotions through subtle facial expressions and body language enriches Renoir’s conflicted motivations. Serkis’ involvement raised the production’s profile significantly.

Ben Starr portrays Verso with appropriate moral ambiguity and dangerous charisma. Fresh from his acclaimed work as Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy XVI, Starr brings similar intensity and emotional depth to this mysterious character. His chemistry with other cast members enhances ensemble scenes.

Kirsty Rider (Lune) and Shala Nyx (Sciel) round out the core expedition with distinct personalities that complement rather than compete with each other. Rider emphasizes Lune’s intellectual drive and vulnerability beneath confidence, while Nyx captures Sciel’s philosophical warmth and hidden melancholy perfectly.

Exploring the Continent – Key Locations

Leaving Lumière’s relative safety, the expedition ventures across the Continent – a monster-infested mainland featuring diverse environments each hiding secrets, enemies, and journal entries from past expeditions. These locations progressively reveal the world’s history and the true nature of the Paintress’ curse.

Spring Meadows provides early exploration opportunities with relatively manageable enemy encounters. The area’s deceptive beauty contrasts with lurking dangers, establishing the pattern of environments that seem peaceful until hostile Nevrons appear. Collectible journals here establish context for failed past attempts.

Flying Waters showcases the game’s visual artistry with surreal landscapes that challenge normal physics and spatial understanding. This location exemplifies how the Fracture distorted reality across the continent, creating areas where normal rules don’t apply. Navigation requires attention to environmental storytelling and careful observation.

Ancient Sanctuary and Beyond

The Ancient Sanctuary holds crucial lore about the world before the Fracture. Ancient texts, preserved artifacts, and architectural details provide clues about how society functioned when the continent remained whole. This historical context makes the current tragedy feel more profound.

Renoir’s Mansion represents a pivotal location where major narrative revelations occur. The mansion’s preservation amidst continental decay raises questions about its occupants and their relationship to the Paintress. Exploring this location triggers irreversible story progression, so thorough exploration beforehand proves wise.

The Thank You Update added Verso’s Drafts, a new area accessible during Act III once players acquire Esquie’s swimming ability. This colorful, whimsical environment contrasts with the typically serious tone, offering fresh experiences for completionists and late-game challenge seekers.

Narrative Inspirations and Creative Influences

Director Guillaume Broche drew inspiration from multiple sources when crafting Clair Obscur’s narrative. The French fantasy novel “La Horde du Contrevent” by Alain Damasio influenced the core concept of explorers traveling through hostile territory on a crucial mission. The novel’s focus on group dynamics under extreme pressure resonates throughout the expedition’s journey.

The initial concept originated from a painting Broche admired, which led him to envision a giantess and a doomsday clock. This visual starting point shaped the Paintress’ design and the Monolith’s role as a literal countdown to extinction. Translating this striking image into interactive narrative required building an entire world around the central concept.

Final Fantasy, Persona series, Lost Odyssey, and Blue Dragon provided gameplay and narrative structure inspiration. These JRPGs demonstrated how turn-based combat could coexist with cinematic presentation and emotional storytelling. Clair Obscur builds on these traditions while establishing its own identity through unique mechanics and themes.

Belle Époque as Narrative Fiction

Understanding the Belle Époque’s historical context enriches appreciation for Clair Obscur’s narrative choices. Historian Dominique Kalifa explains that “the term was adopted by public opinion after the First World War” as “a generation that had known terrible suffering tried to forget the blood and mud from 1914-1918 by exalting the long period of peace and stability that had preceded it.”

The Belle Époque represents nostalgia for a time before suffering – a fiction created by those who experienced horror and desperately wanted to believe something better existed before. This perfectly mirrors how Clair Obscur’s world views its own past before the Fracture, creating thematic resonance between historical reality and fantasy narrative.

Collectibles and Lore Discovery

Expedition Journals scattered across the continent provide crucial backstory about previous attempts to defeat the Paintress. These written accounts offer perspectives from doomed expeditions, revealing their discoveries, struggles, and final moments. Collecting journals creates a more complete understanding of the world’s history.

Nevron Quests involve tracking down and defeating specific monsters while uncovering their origins and connection to the Fracture. These optional challenges provide both combat variety and lore expansion. Understanding Nevrons’ true nature becomes important for comprehending the continental transformation.

Gestral Games and Lost Gestrals encourage thorough exploration while revealing information about these mysterious creatures unaffected by the Gommage. Their existence raises questions about why the Paintress’ curse only affects humans and what makes Gestrals immune to this existential threat.

Environmental Storytelling

Beyond explicit collectibles, environmental storytelling communicates narrative details through visual design and world layout. Ruined buildings, abandoned camps, and scarred landscapes tell stories without words. Attentive players discover additional context by observing how different areas changed after the Fracture.

Paint Cages and Paint Spikes represent physical manifestations of the Paintress’ influence across the continent. These mysterious structures hint at how her power extends beyond annual Monolith paintings to actively shape and corrupt the physical world. Their distribution patterns provide clues about her true nature.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Clair Obscur’s Story

Q: What is the Gommage in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

A: The Gommage is an annual event where the Paintress awakens and paints a descending number on a massive rock formation called the Monolith. Everyone whose age matches or exceeds that number immediately turns to smoke and disappears from existence.

Q: Who is the Paintress in Clair Obscur?

A: The Paintress is the central antagonist responsible for the annual Gommage. Her true identity, motivations, and connection to the Dessendre family are revealed gradually throughout the three-act narrative. Tracy Wiles provides her voice performance.

Q: How long is the Clair Obscur story?

A: The main story takes approximately 25-30 hours to complete, with an additional 30 hours available for side content, collectibles, and optional activities. Completionists can expect 50-60 hours of total gameplay.

Q: What happened during the Fracture?

A: The Fracture was a catastrophic disaster that occurred 67 years before the game begins. It isolated the city of Lumière from the rest of the continent and began the annual Gommage cycle. The complete story behind this event unfolds throughout the narrative.

Q: Who are the main playable characters?

A: Six characters become playable: Gustave (Charlie Cox), Maelle (Jennifer English), Lune (Kirsty Rider), Sciel (Shala Nyx), Verso (Ben Starr), and Monoco (Rich Keeble). Each brings unique abilities and perspective to the expedition.

Q: Does Clair Obscur have multiple endings?

A: Yes, the game features different endings based on player choices. The final decision between supporting Maelle’s path or Verso’s path determines the fate of Lumière, the expedition members, and the painted world itself.

Q: What is Belle Époque and why is it important?

A: Belle Époque means “the beautiful age” and refers to a French historical period from 1871-1914 characterized by peace, progress, and hope. The game uses this setting to create thematic contrast between humanity’s dreams and the harsh reality of the Gommage.

Q: What are Gestrals and Nevrons?

A: Gestrals are mysterious creatures untouched by the Paintress’ Gommage who inhabit the continent. Nevrons are hostile monsters that populate the fractured mainland and are the primary cause of failed past expeditions.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 delivers a masterclass in video game storytelling that honors JRPG traditions while establishing its own narrative identity. The Belle Époque setting provides more than aesthetic appeal – it creates meaningful thematic resonance between historical nostalgia and the story’s exploration of loss, hope, and human resilience.

The character-driven narrative earned universal critical acclaim for good reason. From Gustave’s protective determination to Maelle’s emotional journey and Jennifer English’s award-winning performance, every expedition member contributes meaningfully to the story’s emotional impact. Their relationships, sacrifices, and growth create investment that transforms combat encounters into personally meaningful moments.

Understanding the complete lore and world-building enriches every aspect of gameplay. The Paintress’ true nature, the Fracture’s aftermath, the expedition’s desperate mission, and the moral complexity surrounding potential solutions all reward players who engage deeply with narrative elements. This depth contributed significantly to the game’s historic Best Narrative award at The Game Awards 2025.

Whether experiencing the story for the first time or replaying to discover hidden details, Clair Obscur offers narrative rewards that match its acclaimed gameplay mechanics. The fusion of turn-based combat, reactive real-time elements, and emotional storytelling creates an unforgettable journey through a world where light and dark, hope and despair, constantly struggle for dominance.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Combat System Mastery – Revolutionary Turn-Based Combat Guide

Expert Game Reviews

Od:Ophelia Shanna

29. Prosinec 2025 v 16:19

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has revolutionized the turn-based RPG genre with its innovative Reactive Turn-Based Combat System that seamlessly blends traditional strategy with real-time action elements. This groundbreaking approach earned the game its Best RPG award and contributed significantly to its historic Game of the Year victory at The Game Awards 2025.

The combat mechanics in this Belle Époque fantasy masterpiece challenge everything players thought they knew about turn-based battles. By incorporating real-time parrying, dodge mechanics, and free-aim targeting, Sandfall Interactive created a system that keeps players engaged during every moment of combat. The result is an addictive battle experience that feels fresh and dynamic while honoring classic JRPG traditions.

This comprehensive combat guide breaks down every mechanic, strategy, and technique you need to master Clair Obscur’s battle system. From understanding Action Points and Break mechanics to perfecting your parry timing and utilizing Gradient Attacks, you’ll learn how to dominate even the toughest encounters in Expedition 33.

Understanding Reactive Turn-Based Combat Fundamentals

The Reactive Turn-Based Combat System represents Clair Obscur’s most significant innovation in RPG design. Unlike traditional turn-based games where players simply select commands and watch animations play out, this system demands constant attention and precise timing throughout every battle encounter.

Director Guillaume Broche designed the battle system around a specific vision of creating a game that could be cleared without taking a single hit. This philosophy shaped every combat decision during development, ensuring that player skill and pattern recognition always provide a path to victory rather than relying solely on level grinding or statistical advantages.

The combat timeline displays prominently on the left side of your screen, showing exactly when each character and enemy will act. This transparency allows for strategic planning and helps players anticipate dangerous attack sequences before they happen. Understanding turn order becomes crucial for setting up combos and defensive positioning.

The Action Points Economy

Action Points serve as the primary resource management system during battles. Every character action beyond basic attacks consumes AP, making efficient resource usage the difference between quick victories and drawn-out struggles. Your party shares a pool of AP that slowly regenerates, with successful defensive maneuvers providing additional points.

AP generation strategies become increasingly important in longer battles. Perfect parries reward players with bonus AP, while certain character abilities can manipulate AP gain rates. Managing this resource effectively allows you to unleash powerful skill combinations when opportunities present themselves.

The Battle Wheel interface provides quick access to your combat options: Attack, Skills, Items, and Free Aim. Each option serves distinct purposes, and learning when to use each creates dynamic combat flow. Later in the game, Gradient Attacks join your Battle Wheel, adding another layer of tactical depth.

Mastering Real-Time Defensive Mechanics

Real-time defensive actions define what makes Clair Obscur’s combat system special. During enemy turns, players must actively defend by executing perfectly timed parries, dodges, or jumps to avoid damage. This constant engagement eliminates the passive waiting that plagues many turn-based RPGs.

Parry timing revolves around reading audiovisual cues rather than reacting to raw speed alone, with distinct animation peaks, weapon flashes, or sound effects occurring fractions of seconds before hits land. These consistent markers provide repeatable reference points that players can learn and master through practice.

Parrying mechanics offer the highest reward but require precise timing. Successfully parrying an attack not only negates damage but grants bonus AP and triggers a powerful counterattack. This risk-reward balance encourages aggressive defensive play and rewards players who study enemy attack patterns.

Dodge and Jump Mechanics

Dodging provides a safer defensive option when parry timing feels uncertain. While dodges don’t generate AP or trigger counterattacks, they reliably avoid damage with more forgiving timing windows. Smart players know when to play safe versus when to risk parries for greater rewards.

Jump mechanics handle specific attack types that can’t be parried or dodged. Certain enemy moves require vertical evasion, adding variety to defensive patterns. Reading enemy animations helps identify which defensive action each attack requires.

Expedition Counters represent the ultimate defensive challenge. When enemies launch attacks targeting your entire party, all active characters must execute a synchronized parry to successfully counter. These coordinated defenses create spectacular moments and substantial AP gains when executed perfectly.

Pattern Recognition and Audio Cues

Training against slower early enemies allows new players to internalize patterns before facing faster bosses with complex multi-hit strings where parry timing becomes more demanding. This gradual difficulty curve helps players build skills naturally without overwhelming them early on.

Audio design plays a crucial role in combat success. Attack whooshes, impact chimes, and other sound effects provide reliable timing indicators. Players struggling with visual clutter often benefit from raising sound effect volumes relative to music, making these crucial audio cues more prominent.

Break Mechanics and Vulnerability Windows

Break mechanics introduce a posture system where sustained pressure forces enemies into vulnerable states. Similar to games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, depleting an enemy’s Break gauge creates openings for devastating damage that can turn the tide of challenging battles.

Break bars require players to understand which attacks, elements, or weak points accelerate Break buildup, creating combat rhythm where players alternate between survival-focused defense and aggressive Break setups. This dynamic flow prevents battles from becoming repetitive or predictable.

Efficiently building Break requires strategic coordination between party members. Certain characters specialize in Break damage even when their raw HP damage appears lower. Understanding these specializations and building your party composition accordingly maximizes your Break potential.

Exploiting Vulnerable States

When enemies enter Break states, they become temporarily defenseless and take significantly increased damage. This window presents the perfect opportunity to unleash your most powerful skills and Gradient Attacks for maximum effect. Timing your big damage abilities around Break windows optimizes your damage output.

Free-aim targeting accelerates Break buildup dramatically when focusing on enemy weak points. Large bosses with exposed limbs or cores take substantial Break damage when players accurately target these vulnerable areas. The precision required adds skill expression to what could otherwise be automatic targeting.

Shield mechanics protect enemies from all damage types until broken. Anti-shield skills, multi-hit attacks, and free-aim shots excel at shattering defensive barriers. Always prioritize shield removal before attempting major damage combos to avoid wasted resources.

Character-Specific Combat Systems

The game features six playable characters, each bringing unique mechanics and playstyles to combat encounters. Understanding how each character functions allows you to build synergistic party compositions and leverage specific character strengths against particular enemy types.

Gustave wields a mechanical arm that charges through combat actions and unleashes devastating damage when fully powered. His engineering background translates into gadget-based abilities that offer both offensive pressure and utility support. Managing arm charge timing becomes crucial for maximizing his damage potential.

Maelle employs dynamic swordfighting stances that alter her available abilities and stat distributions. Switching stances mid-combat allows her to adapt to changing battlefield conditions, making her extremely versatile. Mastering stance management separates good Maelle players from great ones.

Advanced Character Mechanics

Lune creates elemental stains through spellcasting that can be consumed for additional effects. This combo system rewards thoughtful spell sequencing and strategic resource management. Planning multi-turn combinations with Lune opens up powerful damage opportunities unavailable to other characters.

Monoco, a Gestral warrior untouched by the Paintress’ Gommage, brings combat expertise and unique abilities tied to his non-human nature. His specialized skillset offers options that other party members can’t replicate, making him valuable for specific encounter types.

Each character can equip up to six active skills at any time, chosen from their complete learned ability pool. This loadout system encourages players to customize characters for specific challenges rather than using one-size-fits-all builds. Experimenting with different skill combinations reveals powerful synergies.

Free Aim System and Weak Point Targeting

Free-aim targeting adds an active skill element to traditional turn-based combat. Instead of automatic targeting, players manually aim pistols or magic at enemies, dealing bonus damage for accuracy. This mechanic rewards player skill independent of character statistics.

Free-aim can provide added benefits beyond damage – shooting environmental objects like floating mines can trigger explosions affecting multiple enemies and creating tactical advantages. Observant players discover creative uses for the aiming system beyond simple damage dealing.

Weak point targeting using free aim accelerates both damage and Break buildup significantly. Learning enemy vulnerable spots and consistently hitting them drastically improves combat efficiency. Boss encounters especially reward players who identify and exploit weak points throughout fights.

Environmental Combat Opportunities

The free-aim system enables environmental interactions during battles. Explosive objects, destructible cover, and interactive elements provide tactical options beyond direct damage. Smart players scan environments before engagements to identify potential advantages.

Demineur enemies demonstrate environmental combat perfectly – shooting the mines they’re attached to triggers explosions that damage nearby foes and makes evasive enemies vulnerable to follow-up attacks. These contextual opportunities add strategic depth to seemingly straightforward encounters.

Gradient Attack System and Shared Resources

Gradient Attacks represent the most powerful offensive options in your arsenal, dealing massive damage when properly utilized. These special abilities use a shared party gauge that fills through regular skill usage, creating interesting resource management decisions during extended battles.

The Gradient gauge fills slowly as party members execute skills, encouraging active combat participation rather than defensive turtling. This design philosophy keeps battles dynamic and rewards aggressive play while still requiring defensive skill during enemy turns.

Gradient Counters and Gradient Skills provide additional options within this system. Counters offer powerful defensive responses to specific enemy actions, while Skills deliver devastating offensive combinations. Learning when to spend Gradient resources versus saving them creates meaningful tactical choices.

Coordination and Timing

Coordinating Gradient Attacks between party members creates spectacular battle moments. Chaining these powerful abilities at crucial moments – like during enemy Break states – multiplies their effectiveness. Team composition directly impacts Gradient strategy effectiveness.

The shared resource system encourages players to maintain balanced party participation rather than overrelying on single characters. Every party member contributes to Gradient generation, making even support-focused characters valuable for enabling powerful attacks.

Status Effects and Combat Buffs

Status effects significantly influence combat outcomes in Clair Obscur. Buffs like Powerful (increased damage), Shell (reduced damage taken), and Rush (increased speed) create temporary advantages worth fighting for. Understanding status management becomes crucial in difficult encounters.

Debuffs turn the status system into a strategic weapon. Applying negative effects to enemies while maintaining positive buffs on your party creates substantial power differentials. Many challenging encounters become manageable once you master status manipulation.

Elemental affinities add another strategic layer. Enemies exhibit strengths and weaknesses against different elemental damage types. Ineffective elements deal minimal damage, while exploiting weaknesses dramatically increases your offensive pressure. Always check enemy resistances when struggling.

Strategic Status Application

Certain boss encounters practically require specific status applications to succeed reasonably. These fights test whether players understand the full depth of Clair Obscur’s combat systems beyond simple damage dealing. Status effects often provide more value than raw damage in these scenarios.

Duration management matters for both buffs and debuffs. Short-duration effects require frequent reapplication, while long-lasting statuses allow focus on other tactics. Party composition should account for status maintenance requirements alongside damage needs.

Difficulty Settings and Accessibility Options

Clair Obscur offers three difficulty settings that dramatically alter combat challenges: Story mode, Expeditioner mode, and Expert mode. These settings can be changed anytime, allowing players to adjust challenge levels without commitment penalties.

Story mode weakens enemies and provides generous timing windows for defensive actions. This accessibility option lets players experience the narrative and world without mastering complex combat mechanics. No judgment exists for choosing the difficulty that maximizes your enjoyment.

Expeditioner mode offers balanced challenge designed for typical RPG players. Enemy stats remain fair while defensive timing requires reasonable precision. This represents the intended baseline experience for most players.

Expert Mode Challenges

Expert mode demands perfect execution and deep system mastery. Enemies hit harder, defensive timing windows shrink dramatically, and mistakes prove costly. This difficulty rewards players who’ve thoroughly learned combat mechanics and pattern recognition.

The design philosophy allows technically skilled players to beat the final boss at Level 1, as the system was built around the vision of clearing the game without taking hits. This skill-based approach means dedicated players can overcome statistical disadvantages through pure mechanical execution.

New Game Plus mode allows replaying the game with increased difficulty while retaining character progression from previous playthroughs. This mode satisfies completionists and players seeking greater challenges after mastering the base game.

Equipment and Build Optimization

Pictos serve as Clair Obscur’s equipment system, providing stat boosts that increase as they level up. Strategic Picto selection allows you to emphasize character strengths or shore up weaknesses depending on your preferred playstyle and party composition needs.

Build diversity enables dramatically different approaches to identical encounters. Damage-focused builds prioritize offensive stats and Break generation, while defensive builds emphasize survivability and support capabilities. Experimentation reveals powerful synergies unavailable to single-minded builds.

Weapon variety adds another customization layer. Each character can use multiple weapon types with distinct stat distributions and special properties. Matching weapons to specific challenges optimizes performance in ways that transcend simple damage numbers.

Synergy and Party Composition

Effective party composition considers how character abilities interact. Some combinations create powerful synergies that multiply effectiveness, while poor compositions waste potential. Understanding these interactions separates average players from combat masters.

Skill trees provide long-term progression and specialization options. Characters learn new abilities through skill point investment, with branching paths allowing different specializations. Planning skill progression around your intended playstyle and party role maximizes effectiveness.

Boss Battle Strategies and Tips

Boss encounters represent the ultimate test of combat mastery. These fights combine all mechanics – defensive timing, Break exploitation, status management, and resource efficiency – into comprehensive challenges requiring both preparation and execution skill.

Sandfall Interactive designed Expedition 33 so players only die from not taking advantage of patterns correctly, something they can learn and overcome, making victories feel rewarding. This design philosophy means every boss has learnable patterns and strategies that guarantee success for prepared players.

Multi-phase bosses escalate challenge throughout fights. Later phases introduce new attacks, faster patterns, and additional mechanics. Staying calm and adapting to these changes while maintaining defensive discipline determines success or failure.

Preparation and Adaptation

Pre-battle preparation significantly impacts boss difficulty. Ensuring proper skill loadouts, equipment optimization, and item stocks before engaging gives you every advantage. Taking time to prepare prevents frustrating defeats to avoidable problems.

Pattern learning requires patience and observation. Most players need multiple attempts against difficult bosses to fully internalize attack patterns and optimal responses. Treat early attempts as learning experiences rather than failed runs.

Reserve characters can be called in if your active party falls, providing a second chance at victory. This safety net prevents total wipes in close fights but requires maintaining progression on backup characters to remain effective.

Common Combat Mistakes to Avoid

New players often make predictable mistakes that hamper their combat effectiveness. Over-reliance on basic attacks wastes opportunities for more impactful actions. Skills generally provide better damage and utility than standard attacks despite AP costs.

Ignoring defensive mechanics leads to taking unnecessary damage. Even perfectly built characters struggle when absorbing hits rather than parrying or dodging. Defensive skill development matters as much as offensive optimization.

Poor AP management leaves players unable to act effectively during crucial moments. Spending all AP immediately often means having no resources when important opportunities arise. Maintaining an AP reserve for emergencies prevents avoidable defeats.

Resource Management Errors

Item hoarding represents a common player tendency that reduces effectiveness. Clair Obscur replenishes items at Expedition Flags (the game’s checkpoint system), meaning conservative item usage wastes potential power. Use consumables freely when they’d help.

Neglecting Break mechanics significantly reduces damage output. Players who ignore Break bars miss substantial damage windows and extend fights unnecessarily. Actively working toward Break states makes even difficult encounters manageable.

JRPG Influences and Combat Design Philosophy

Expedition 33 drew inspiration from Final Fantasy, Persona series, Lost Odyssey, and Blue Dragon, particularly their use of quick time events during combat and cinematic presentation. These influences created a combat system that honors JRPG traditions while pushing the genre forward.

Director Broche praised Persona 5’s user interface and camera work during battles, aiming to create the feeling of watching a movie. This cinematic approach manifests in dynamic camera angles, stylish animations, and seamless transitions that maintain visual engagement throughout battles.

The dodge and parry mechanics took specific inspiration from FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. This influence brought precision timing and pattern recognition into turn-based framework, creating unique gameplay that stands apart from both traditional JRPGs and action games.

Design Constraints and Philosophy

During design phases, developers asked whether bosses using specific mechanics could be defeated without taking damage – if the answer was no, they didn’t use that mechanic. This constraint-driven design ensured every combat element served player skill expression rather than creating artificial difficulty.

The resulting system rewards player learning and improvement over statistical grinding. While character progression matters, skill development provides more dramatic power increases than level gains alone. This philosophy makes combat consistently engaging throughout the entire game.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Clair Obscur Combat

Q: What is Reactive Turn-Based Combat in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

A: Reactive Turn-Based Combat blends traditional turn-based RPG mechanics with real-time defensive actions. Players select actions during their turns like classic JRPGs, but must actively dodge, parry, or jump to avoid enemy attacks in real-time during enemy turns.

Q: How important is parrying in Clair Obscur combat?

A: Parrying is extremely important as it not only negates damage but also generates bonus Action Points and triggers powerful counterattacks. Mastering parry timing is key to combat efficiency, though dodging provides a safer alternative when timing feels uncertain.

Q: Can you beat Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 without taking damage?

A: Yes, the combat system was specifically designed around the vision of creating a game that can be cleared without taking a single hit. Director Guillaume Broche confirmed players can technically beat the final boss at Level 1 through perfect execution.

Q: What are Break mechanics in Clair Obscur?

A: Break mechanics refer to an enemy-specific stability gauge that, when depleted, forces targets into vulnerable states. Broken enemies take significantly increased damage and become temporarily defenseless, creating windows for devastating attacks.

Q: How does the free-aim system work?

A: The free-aim system lets players manually aim pistols or magic at enemies instead of using automatic targeting. Accurately hitting enemies deals bonus damage, while targeting weak points dramatically accelerates both damage and Break buildup.

Q: What difficulty should I choose?

A: Choose Story mode for relaxed narrative focus, Expeditioner mode for balanced standard challenge, or Expert mode for demanding precision gameplay. Difficulty can be changed anytime without penalties, so experiment to find your preferred experience.

Q: How many characters can be in combat at once?

A: Six characters can be recruited to your party, but only three can be used in battle simultaneously. Reserve characters can be called in if your active party is defeated, providing a second chance at victory.

Q: What are Gradient Attacks?

A: Gradient Attacks are powerful special abilities that use a shared party gauge. This gauge fills slowly through regular skill usage during combat, and Gradient Attacks deal massive damage when unleashed at optimal moments like during enemy Break states.

Mastering Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s combat system requires dedication, practice, and strategic thinking. The Reactive Turn-Based Combat represents one of the most innovative evolutions of traditional JRPG mechanics in recent years, successfully bridging turn-based strategy with real-time action skill.

The depth of combat mechanics rewards players who invest time learning enemy patterns, perfecting defensive timing, and understanding strategic systems like Break mechanics and status effects. Every encounter offers opportunities to improve execution and discover new tactical approaches that make challenging fights manageable.

Whether you’re playing on Story difficulty for narrative enjoyment or tackling Expert mode for ultimate challenge, Clair Obscur’s combat system adapts to your preferred experience. The skill-based design philosophy ensures that player improvement always provides paths to victory, making defeats feel like learning opportunities rather than frustrating roadblocks.

This revolutionary combat system contributed significantly to the game’s critical acclaim and historic Game of the Year victory. By respecting player intelligence and rewarding skill development, Sandfall Interactive created a battle system that sets new standards for what turn-based RPGs can achieve.

‘This Really Puts a Nail in AMD FSR Redstone’s Coffin’: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Performance Mode Stuns With Image Quality Close To Native 4K

Gaming News - Gaming and Console News

Od:Francesco De Meo

9. Leden 2026 v 13:32

This week's launch of NVIDIA DLSS 4.5, following the company's traditional CES keynote, has been yet another monumental step for the technology. Now available via a new driver and NVIDIA App update, every game that supports previous versions of the technology can take advantage of the 2nd-generation Transformer model to enjoy superior image quality, which often matches or even surpasses that delivered by native resolutions in both older games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and in newer titles like Sandfall Interactive's celebrated role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. A new comparison video shared by Bang4BuckPC Gamer on YouTube puts the Game of the Year […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/this-really-puts-a-nail-in-amd-fsr-redstones-coffin-clair-obscur-expedition-33-nvidia-dlss-4-5-performance-mode-stuns-with-image-quality-close-to-native-4k/

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ghost of Yotei, ARC Raiders and Dispatch Lead 29th DICE Awards Nominations

Gaming News - Gaming and Console News

Od:David Carcasole

8. Leden 2026 v 20:42

The 29th annual DICE Awards are set for February 12, 2026, and the full list of nominees has been revealed, with an unsurprising list of games leading the way in nominations. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yotei lead the pack with eight nominations each, while Dispatch and ARC Raiders tie for second place with six nominations each. All four titles are also nominated for the big prize, Game of the Year. The DICE Awards are hosted every year by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, with the nominees and winners picked by an academy of more than […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/29th-annual-dice-awards-nominees-full-list-clair-obscur-ghost-of-yotei-arc-raiders-dispatch/

The 2025 Steam Awards are here, and believe it or not Expedition 33 didn’t sweep through it

Video Game News – Destructoid

Od:Andrej Barovic

4. Leden 2026 v 00:25

Robert, Golem, and Prism talking in Dispatch episode 5

As is tradition by now, Valve hosted the annual Steam Awards, which ran for a couple months near the end of last year. Entirely player-based, the Awards are granted by Steam users alone, who, believe it or not, did not pick the undisputed king of gaming, Expedition 33.

Instead, the ultimate Game of the Year among Steam users was none other than Hollow Knight: Silksong, a game so wildly popular it crashed the platform upon its launch. Enjoyed by millions and highly-anticipated, it's no surprise Silksong won, given just how long players had waited for its release since the first game in the series blew everyone away back in early 2017.

That isn't to say that Expedition 33 won nothing. It, indeed, did carry home one award, the one for Best Soundtrack, and I wholeheartedly believe it deserved it. We can argue about how much E33 deserved the many awards it got, especially in some categories at the TGA (cough, Best Direction over Death Stranding 2, cough), but the soundtrack is so phenomenal and outstanding that no number of awards would do it justice.

Hornet getting the Apostate Key in Hollow Knight Silksong — *E33* might have crushed the award shows, but Steam users have their own king. Screenshot by Destructoid

Silksong also won the Best Game You Suck At Award, again no surprise due to its overall difficulty, as is only natural for a Soulslike title.

Dispatch, too, was awarded here even if it was snubbed at last year's award shows, primarily because its episodes started coming out after most shows had cemented their nominees. We should see Dispatch considered in the 2026 window, though, but it's nice to see the Steam community recognize the game on such short notice, and in a category as prestigious as they come: Outstanding Story-Rich Game.

Other categories and winners include:

ARC Raiders - Most Innovative Gameplay
The Midnight Walk - VR GOTY
Baldur's Gate 3 - Labor of Love
Hades 2 - Best Game on Steam Deck
Peak - Better With Friends
Silent Hill f - Outstanding Visual Style
RV There Yet? - Sit Back and Relax

The post The 2025 Steam Awards are here, and believe it or not Expedition 33 didn’t sweep through it appeared first on Destructoid.

Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 More Like Final Fantasy or Dark Souls?

FextraLife

Od:GizmozGamer

8. Leden 2026 v 23:00

Since its reveal, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has sparked a question that feels both familiar and deeply divisive among RPG fans. Is it closer to Final Fantasy, or does it lean more toward Dark Souls?

PlayStation LifeStyle’s 10 Best PS5 Games of 2025

PlayStation LifeStyle

Od:Shaan Joshi

9. Leden 2026 v 21:07

Death Stranding 2 PS5 — (Photo Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)

With another stellar year of gaming squarely in the rearview mirror, the staff here at PlayStation Lifestyle decided to take a trip down memory lane, tally up what new games we played over the past 12 months, and see which ones got enough votes to land a spot on our coveted list of best games from 2025.

Interestingly, in what might be an all-time record low, only five Sony first-party titles launched this year (discounting ports and rereleases), so a vast majority of our list is comprised of indie and AAA titles from other publishers. Chances are, you’ve heard of or played most of the games that made the cut, but a couple of our inclusions might take you by surprise.

And without further ado… the list!

PS5 RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — (Photo Credit: Kepler Interactive)

10. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Showing just how loaded this year with great games, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 barely managed to lay claim to the number 10 spot. However, there’s no denying the sheer artistry on display with Sandfall Interactive’s debut title. Most RPG fans worth their salt are at the very least familiar with Clair Obscure, but if this one passed you by entirely, we’d love to know what rock you find yourself living under.

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 scope held back by Xbox Series S — (Photo Credit: Deep Silver)

9. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

We wouldn’t blame you if you forgot that Kingdom Come: Deliverance II even came out in 2025, seeing as how it launched at the very beginning of February. This is the second, and final, European-developed RPG to make it onto our list, but unlike Clair Obscur, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II trades in the linear, dark fantasy Belle Époque setting for a truly stunning recreation of 15th-century Bohemia. If an unrivaled sense of freedom, a vast open-world that’s begging to be explored, and the unforgiving, harsh realities of medieval life and warfare pique your interest, you shouldn’t pass this one up.

metal gear solid delta collector's edition — (Photo Credit: Konami)

8. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

With a handful of Metal Gear fans on staff, it’s no surprise that Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater has slithered its way onto our list. Even though series creator Hideo Kojima parted ways with Konami a decade ago and had zero involvement with the development of this remake, the original PS2 version was (or rather, still is) such a remarkable game, that its success was all but guaranteed. With a handful of quality of life improvements, a modernized control scheme, and a next-gen coat of ray-traced paint, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater looks and plays like a proper remake; anyone claiming that it’s a simple, by-the-numbers cash grab is woefully mistaken.

lumines arise ps5 best puzzle game — (Photo Credit: Enhance)

7. Lumines: Arise

Much like the previous entry on our list, Lumines: Arise doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel when it comes to its moment-to-moment action. In fact, aside from the newly-added Burst mechanic, Lumines: Arise’s gameplay is almost identical to the original PSP version that launched over 20 years ago. Of course, if you know anything about the series, the gameplay is only a part of the magic. From its entrenching, mesmerizing visuals to its stellar soundtrack, Lumines: Arise is a feast for the eyes and ears, and is also a sight to behold when playing in VR.

Split Fiction PS5 Review — (Photo Credit: Hazelight Studios)

6. Split Fiction

Having laid out the foundation with A Way Out and upping the ante with It Takes Two, it’s hardly a surprise that Split Fiction was a smash hit right out of the gates. Developer Hazelight Studios has perfected its craft of creating compelling co-operative gaming experiences, and with Split Fiction, it has even managed to upend our expectations once again. Whether you’re taking to the skies on the back of a dragon or fending off cyber-ninjas, there’s plenty of fun to be had here. If we were to make one suggestion, if you give this one a go, try to find a co-op buddy who can play on the couch next to you if that’s at all possible.

Blue Prince PS Store deal — (Credit: Dogubomb)

5. Blue Prince

Like a few other titles on this list, Blue Prince sort of took us by surprise when it launched, and once it sank its roguelike hooks into us, we couldn’t get enough of it. Granted, some of its puzzles border on cruelly obscure, and at least one writer on our team lost hours of progress to the dreaded (and thankfully, fixed) save bug, but Blue Prince successfully wormed its way into the inner recesses of our brains, keeping us hooked on its addictive loop of drafting new rooms, uncovering more lore, and peeling back more layers of its seemingly never-ending puzzle. It’s an onion lover’s dream! Or, parfaits, if you prefer.

4. Battlefield 6

After a string of middling releases and years of losing ground to its competitors, Battlefield is finally back, and baby, it’s as good as it’s ever been. Sure, there are dozens of other shooters, competitive and casual alike, that are constantly vying for our attention, but Battlefield 6’s objective-focused, squad-centric flavor of running and gunning offers an experience that few other games come close to matching. The environmental destruction and sheer number of vehicles and weapons to master are just the icing on the cake.

PS5 exclusive Ghost of Yotei — (Photo Credit: Sony)

3. Ghost of Yotei

Even though its story is a rather conventional revenge tale that doesn’t exactly break the mold, Ghost of Yotei is still a top-tier experience from start to finish. Building off the foundation laid out in Ghost of Tsushima, developer Sucker Punch is firing on all cylinders this time around and pushes the PS5 (and PS5 Pro, for that matter) to its limit. It’s one of the most gorgeous games we’ve seen to date, and with a handful of visual filters and audio mixes to choose from, it’s almost begging to be replayed a second (or even third) time.

sword of the sea ps5 review — (Photo Credit: Giant Squid)

2. Sword of the Sea

2025 saw the launch of a handful of different skating games, but none of them came close to matching the sense of wonder and awe that Sword of the Sea manages to evoke. It strikes an amazing balance between offering up platforming challenges and puzzles, and letting you explore a beautiful world that’s chock-full of surprises that are just waiting to be discovered and experienced firsthand. If you enjoyed Journey, or either of developer Giant Squid’s previous titles (Abzû, The Pathless), this one’s a no-brainer.

Death Stranding 2 Review Sandstorm — (Photo Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)

1. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Sure, its detractors will be quick to label it as a glorified walking simulator, but Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is so much more than that. It’s a reflection on our current society, a world in which everyone is more connected than ever, but simultaneously, more isolated and alone. It’s a stunning achievement on a technical level, serving up some of the best visuals and most lovingly crafted cutscenes we’ve seen to date. And, for a handful of us staffers and contributors, it’s another opportunity to take a peek into the mind of Hideo Kojima, an absolute juggernaut of a game developer who’s been reinventing genres and subverting expectations for four decades at this point. But, above all, it’s a game about sticks. And ropes. Oh, and chiral networks. And don’t forget Timefall. Plate gates too!

The post PlayStation LifeStyle’s 10 Best PS5 Games of 2025 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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2025 GAMES OF THE YEAR

SPECIAL GUESTS

THE GAMES

Select a game to begin

9 Kings

Afterlove EP

ARC Raiders

And Roger

Baby Steps

Balatro

BallisticNG (1.4 Update)

Blue Prince

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Consume Me

Contract Rush DX

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Dispatch

Donkey Kong Bananza

Doom: The Dark Ages

Elden Ring Nightreign

Expelled! An Overboard Game

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

Hades 2

Hell Is Us

Hollow Knight: Silksong

How To Walk Out The Door

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Into the Emberlands

Is This Seat Taken?

Keeper

Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World DLC

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders

Letters to Arralla

Mario Kart World

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Monster Hunter Wilds

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault

OFF

Old Skies

Pac-Man: Double Feature

Promise Mascot Agency

Ratatan

Roguecraft DX (Evercade)

Sektori

Silent Hill f

Skate Story

South of Midnight

Split Fiction

Star of Providence

Star Racer

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy

Tiger-Heli 40th Anniversary Edition

Tomb Raider IV-VI: Remastered

Winter Burrow

Recommended

Dreaming of fish

Choices matter (and hurt)

The World of Clair Obscur – Understanding the Belle Époque Setting

The City of Lumière

The Gommage – Understanding the Central Threat

Previous Expeditions

Main Characters – The Heroes of Expedition 33

Maelle – The Heart of the Expedition

Lune – The Brilliant Scholar

Sciel – The Calm Warrior

Supporting Characters and Their Significance

Verso – The Mysterious Stranger

Monoco and Esquie

The Paintress and the Fracture

The Monolith and Its Significance

Narrative Structure – Acts and Story Progression

Acts II and III

Themes and Narrative Depth

Sacrifice and Human Connection