2025 has been another fantastic year for gaming. Not only have the past 12 months offered more high-quality games than you could possibly play in a single year, but we also got new hardware in the form of the Nintendo Switch 2. Wherever you opt to play your games, across PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC gaming, there’s been a slew of must-play titles.
With so many excellent video games to play, picking out the very best games of 2025 is no easy task. However, the Tom’s Guide staff put our heads together, and after some discussion (and a few heated disagreements), we’ve put together a list of our favorite games of 2025.
Best action game
Ghost of Yotei
Platform: PS5
Ghost of Yotei, the sequel to the fantastic Ghost of Tsushima, may not have the impactful narrative strengths of its predecessor, but as action/adventure games go, it’s the best release of 2025. Its peerless combat system and open-world setting set a new benchmark not just for samurai games but for action games as a whole.
Building on Tsushima’s already-fantastic and fluid swordplay, Ghost of Yotei introduces an expanded weapon set, including the addition of dual katanas, an odachi, a kusarigama… and guns! This new arsenal results in players being able to strategize better, depending on the enemy they’re facing, and enhanced parry mechanics, which make one-on-one duels feel brutal and deeply satisfying. Atsu, the protagonist, is also accompanied by a wolf who participates in standoffs and can be called to help take down enemies, adding a fresh touch to the sequel.
The world of Ghost of Yotei is stunning, with snowcapped Mount Yotei watching over you as you make your way through the lush fields of Ezo, which makes battles feel cinematic. Optional side quests see you take on different factions such as ronin, bandits, and samurai, while the new bounty system puts your exploration and combat skills through the paces. — Nikita Achanta
Runners-up: Ninja Gaiden 4, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Best RPG
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Sandfall Interactive’s first-ever game is a triumph, and it deserves all the accolades it has garnered this year (and more). Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is exactly what a story-driven RPG should look like, and it’s a game everyone needs to play at least once. The game’s Belle Époque-inspired dark fantasy world is not just visually stunning, but it’s highly detailed too, and every NPC you encounter is intrinsically designed.
Visually, Expedition 33’s aesthetic is unlike any other game this year, and this extends to the story, too. It’s an emotionally complex and haunting narrative revolving around you and your party trying to desperately stop the Paintress from erasing everyone of a certain age from existence — a cycle that has gone on for several years. But what makes Expedition 33 stand out is the fact that, somehow, you end up feeling heartbroken for every single character in the game, and the cinematic, classical, orchestral soundtrack moves you to tears.
Beyond visuals and storytelling, Expedition 33’s reactive turn-based combat is genius as it merges classic turn-based strategy with real-time action. Dodging, parrying and timing attacks means you’re always on guard and engaged, and it never gets old. The wide variety of enemy types makes every encounter a thrilling, hands-on challenge where you must utilize strategic foresight as well as precise execution. — Nikita Achanta
Runners-up: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, The Outer Worlds 2
Best racing/sports game
Rematch
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
If you’d asked me if Rematch would be my vote for the best sports game of 2025 after sampling it during the beta period, I’d have laughed. I did not click with the online soccer game from Sifu developer Sloclap during this trial run. But once I got access to the full experience and started scaling the high skill barrier that makes your first couple of hours pretty daunting, I fell in love, hard. Now, with dozens of hours under my belt and the PS5 Platinum Trophy unlocked, I’m still returning to Rematch regularly for its special brand of sports action.
Best described as Rocket League but without the RC cars (I know that’s just regular soccer, but stick with me here), Rematch is the perfect antidote to the increasingly stale EA Sports FC series. Unlike the franchise formerly known as FIFA, Rematch offers a more over-the-top take on the beautiful game, and most importantly, demands more skill from its teams of up to five players per side. While it’ll take you a minute (or maybe several) to grasp the basics, when you score your first hat-trick, or pull off a clutch diving save as a goalkeeper, you’ll find yourself instantly hooked. Rematch is the soccer game I didn’t know I needed in my life. — Rory Mellon
Runners-up: Mario Kart World, Assetto Corsa Rally
Best fighting game
Fatal Fury: City of Wolves
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves might not have a large player base compared to Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8, but it’s an easy pick for best fighting game of the year. Not only does it successfully resurrect a legendary fighting game franchise, but it does so with new gameplay mechanics that arguably make it the best Fatal Fury yet.
The innovative REV system offers numerous offensive and defensive options, while the smooth animations, flashy graphics and robust single and online modes keep you coming for more. As we head into 2026, I’m eager to see which new characters will join the roster and what updates (if any) SNK will introduce to keep this title fresh. If you want an alternative to the big fighting game franchises and a title that rewards the time you put into it, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is it. — Tony Polanco
Runners-up: Capcom Fighting Collection 2, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
Best shooter game
Battlefield 6
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Battlefield 6 is a back-to-basics take on the long-running franchise with snappy gunplay, restrained maps, and a perfect pick for the best shooter this year. Yes, the single player campaign is abysmal, but you play Battlefield for the chaotic, explosive multiplayer, not the solo mode. Fortunately, you can download the parts you want and exclude the ones you don’t, a lovely way of saving some space on your hard drive.
EA’s latest shooter is laser-focused on traditional classes and destructible environments. The game launched with six playable modes but has already been expanded, including a surprisingly fun battle royale option. I recommend the smaller Domination and King of the Hill modes, where the tighter maps make for more strategic and tactical gameplay. Whether you’re playing on a PS5 or an RTX 5070 PC, Battlefield 6 feels fully optimized and moves smoothly even in the most graphically intense battles. As Call of Duty flails, BF6 is an excellent option. — Scott Younker
Runners-up: Borderlands 4, Doom: The Dark Ages
Best family game
Donkey Kong Bananza
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2
Donkey Kong Bananza is a fresh 3D take on one of Nintendo's most beloved mascots. It continues to surprise you as you go from sublayer to sublayer on your journey to the planet’s core. Instead of rehashing old ideas, this game introduces you to a brand new world filled with interesting characters and a few familiar faces along the way.
Debuting on the Switch 2, it’s the perfect showcase for Nintendo’s new hybrid system. Donkey Kong Bananza’s voxel-powered visuals are a sight to behold. However, they’re also what make its destructible environments possible. You can punch through walls, smash almost everything you see and dig through the ground to your heart’s content, completely transforming levels as you go. This vertical and horizontal destruction isn’t just a gimmick, though; it’s part of Donkey Kong Bananza’s core gameplay and something you’ll have to do if you want to find all of the hidden Banandium Gems required to unlock Donkey Kong’s full set of abilities.
Speaking of which, smashing on its own would be enough, but Donkey Kong also learns various animal-themed Bananza transformations that completely change how you approach each environment and objective. The sheer level of discovery and exploration almost makes Donkey Kong Bananza feel like Switch 2's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Anthony Spadafora
Runners-up: Mario Kart World, Lego Voyagers
Best remake/remaster
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
I tend to scoff when I see yet another remake/remaster get released, but that’s not the case with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Konami pulled out all the stops with this release, and as a long-time fan of this game and franchise, I couldn’t be happier with the overall package. The Unreal Engine 5-driven graphics make the game look its absolute best, and MGS 3's already cinematic experience is now even more immersive.
But beyond the shiny new graphics, quality-of-life tweaks to controls and UI, and numerous unlockables, we get the same brilliant Metal Gear Solid 3 experience from nearly 20 years ago. The Metal Gear Solid franchise can be difficult to get into, but MGS 3 was and is still an excellent entry point since it’s a self-contained story. If you’ve ever wanted to give this series or the stealth game genre a shot, there’s no finer way to do so than with Metal Gear Solid Delta. — Tony Polanco
Runners-up: Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Best horror game
Silent Hill f
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
There’s something to be said for bringing Silent Hill to its first-ever Japanese setting. Dropping players into a place and time totally alien to the long-lived franchise proved rewarding, offering incredible callbacks to the originals while inciting serious promise for the future of its nightmarish lore.
The story of Hinako is a mixture of sorrow and pain. It’s Silent Hill at its purest and most electrifying, highlighted by two branching narratives, with one focusing on the physical world and another on the subconscious. Silent Hill f cleverly weaves gameplay elements into its narrative, making players feel one with the story as it unfolds around them. It’s a chilling reminder of how some horror games can make us feel right at home.
I’ve longed for a return to form for Silent Hill, and f is everything I had hoped for and much more. It offers up boundless hours of enjoyment, with several special endings for replay value (in Silent Hill fashion). Don’t let those restless dreams go to waste. — Ryan Epps
Runners-up: Cronos The New Dawn, Alien Rogue Incursion - Evolved Edition
Best narrative
Dispatch
Platforms: PC, PS5
2025 has been a great year for getting lost in a good story, but among all the gripping narratives, Dispatch stands head and shoulders above the rest for its impressively bingeable appeal. You can tell this was made by ex-Telltale veterans.
In this darkly comedic workplace drama, set in a world where humans and superheroes co-exist, you play through the redemption arc of a complex protagonist — working as a dispatcher for a hero-for-hire agency. The scenario is eye-catching, bizarre and offers real emotional depth.
And it’s funny, too. Like, actually funny. A lot of games attempt (and miss the mark) on being humorous. But peeling the spectacle away from being a superhero and focusing on the messy bureaucracy of work and life gives the comedy serious “The Office” vibes in the best way possible.
Normally, with Telltale-esque linear stories, I do the one playthrough and never think about it again. The fact that I went straight back into this memorable story to find the many other narrative paths is a testament to how well-written (and acted) Dispatch is. — Jason England
Runners-up: Clair Obscur Expedition 33, Baby Steps
Best multiplayer game
ARC Raiders
ARC Raiders is pure multiplayer gaming distilled down to its very essence. The bonds formed between random teammates are intense. On the other side, the hatred for the people who took you and your squad down and stole your goodies is very real.
More than multiplayer gaming, ARC Raiders is a look at what humans will do to each other when real-world consequences are removed. Will you shoot the person with their back turned to steal their stuff, or will you fight off the attacking robots to help them survive? Will you use your microphone to tell someone that you won’t shoot them, only to open fire when they run away? In ARC Raiders, both are completely viable options.
Capping off the multiplayer enjoyment, and feeling insignificant next to the human element the game brings to the table, is the actual shooting, which has a sense of weight to it that you won’t find in many other extraction shooters.
Even if you have a completely playerless run, the game is just fun. And the threat of a fellow Raider waiting by the extraction point means multiplayer is always at the front of your mind. — Dave LeClair
Runners-up: Battlefield 6, The Bazaar
Best independent game
Hades 2
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, PC
“One more run.” It’s the phrase you’ll utter to yourself at midnight in the middle of the week after coming ever-so-close to clearing the final boss. It will be said again. And again. And again. Melinoë, Hades 2’s protagonist, might be the one with time-bending magical powers, but the game itself has a way of making hours of your life disappear.
What Hades 2 gets right is that, unlike Souls-like games that have a single difficulty and never get easier, you’ll grow more powerful with every run. Yes, your muscle memory and twitch reflexes will get better, but every resource you pick up on your journey enhances Melinoë’s powers — ever so slightly — until the impossible feels possible. Bosses that couldn’t be cleared in your fifth run become nothing more than a nuisance in your 15th. It’s this ever-increasing feeling of empowerment that drives both the story and you as a player forward, through embattled cityscapes and the ocean depths, in an implacable advance toward the game’s (*spoiler*) twin final bosses.
The original ending might’ve needed a mulligan, but the core rogue-like mechanics, addictive gameplay loop and well-written pantheon of gods were perfect from the jump. — Nick Pino
Runners-up: Blue Prince, Sword of the Sea
Best graphics
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Platform: PS5
Hideo Kojima’s use of the Decima engine for Death Stranding remains unchallenged in its photo realism, and that depth is only amplified twofold in the sequel. From the moment the game begins, it leaves you breathless as the camera pans toward protagonist Sam Porter Bridges. It’s totally gorgeous, which makes its devastating story all the more heartwrenching.
With Kojima’s extensive attention to detail and love for cinematic storytelling, graphical fidelity is a natural fit. It’s not a stretch to say that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is one of the most beautiful games to come out in 2025, and potentially in a long time, which says a lot given that it takes place entirely in a post-apocalyptic world, one ravaged and decayed by time.
Graphics aren’t everything, though. Although Death Stranding 2 definitely boasts near-photorealism, it wouldn’t mean much without its slew of unforgettable characters and unique story that’s wholly Kojima-brained. — Ryan Epps
Runners-up: Ghost of Yotei, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Game of the Year 2025
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came out of nowhere to become the defining game of 2025. This turn-based RPG from debut developer Sandfall Interactive succeeds in nearly all areas. It’s perhaps lacking in fundamentally new ideas, but it takes the best parts of its numerous role-playing inspirations and crafts them into a masterful experience you won’t soon forget.
It’s narrative sinks its hook into you straight away, with an intriguing premise: a group of exiles sets out to end the tyrannical reign of a deity known as The Paintress. This story is compelling from the drop, but as you progress through its 30-hour main quest, the revelations that unfold will have your jaw agape. And it’s all centered on one of the most likable and well-written casts of companions in an RPG since Baldur’s Gate 3.
It’s no slouch in the gameplay department either. The tough turn-based battles are surprisingly energetic thanks to the satisfying parry system that prevents players from putting down the controller between turns. Oh, and did I mention, the whole game is set to one of gaming’s most sonically fitting scores? I've had the soundtrack on repeat for months.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 set a bar back in April that very few video games could match, and that’s why it’s our pick for Game of the Year 2025. — Rory Mellon
Runners-up: Death Stranding: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza
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