2025 is over. It is large game displays And dark real-world events are now all in the past. It’s far too early to say how 2026 will look in comparison. But before we move on to the future, it’s worth taking one last look at the past, lest we be doomed to repeat it. And I don’t think anyone wants a repeat of 2025, unless they spend all their time playing video games which, depending on who you ask, were some of the best and most varied we’ve ever had in a single 12-month period. Here is our final summary of the year that began with:
My cityReview of 2025 “A common response to negative reviews, regardless of the subject, goes something like this: ‘Well, what You what to do to resolve this problem? » Normally I would respond to this with some sort of crude joke about how the point of criticism is not to tell you how to fix your sink, or capitalism. I leave this work to the YouTubers. But this time, I will make an exception. I’ll tell you what I do to fix all this. The answer is: nothing. 2025 is over! This cannot be fixed. Isn’t that nice? Did you screw it up? Cool. Me too. I could have done much more. I could have been nicer, less lazy, more committed and involved. I could have written a better fucking review.
The State of Xbox and Game Pass “Xbox promised it would work on a new console, but it seems it’s an expensive high-end PC and not a traditional gaming device like those we expect from a console manufacturer. It’s the kind of decision that reinforces what many have already said: Xbox is dead.
The State of the PlayStation 5 “We’ve been in the PS5 generation for five years, and although it’s the ‘the most successful”console ever present in Sony’s lineup, the company has remarkably little cultural cachet to show beyond the PS5 name, becoming the video game equivalent of everyone calling a band-aid a ‘band-aid.’ all it cost the brand was its soul.
The State of Nintendo Switch 2 “Nintendo’s latest flagship console doesn’t go off the beaten track. It remains above all a gaming machine. play Nintendo gamesmost of which are sequels to franchises that have been around since the last millennium. And it does it wonderfully, even if the games themselves haven’t always cleared the high bar set by the first year of the Switch 1. Do I sound a little disappointed? I try not to be.
The biggest disappointments “2024 was a bad year for physical media, and 2025 brought nothing but bad news on that front. Some physical game releases on the Switch 2, the hottest new console, use game key cards, which are basically small pieces of plastic that do not contain the gamebut rather a digital DRM key that allows you to download and play a specific game. They rely on the Internet and Nintendo’s servers, and This should make everyone nervous.»
The biggest surprises “A mini Fortnite season based entirely on The Simpsons it could have been a disaster. But despite the obstacles, Epic managed to make it work and deliver what could be my favorite season Fortnite in a long time. The Springfield Island map was amazing to explore. The visuals seemed very cartoonish and The Simpsons-y without sounding too garish, and all the The Simpsons The Easter eggs and characters that appeared throughout the event were a treat for fans. And to top it all off, this season included fun animated segments featuring The Simpsons characters that were written by the show’s staff. Is this just another sign of all of pop culture melting into a gray mush? Of course. But whatever, man, I can now play Moe in Fortnite. I’m happy.”
The best video game characters “Shipping’s cast of weirdos features an assortment of former villains so distinctive and memorable that each one is ready to be someone’s favorite. Robert Robertson III, an ex-hero condemned to life behind a desk, could have become a cynic discouraged by his new office job. Instead, he becomes the leader of a group of criminals who wouldn’t have cared if he had been found dead in a ditch at the start of the game. The man formerly known as Mecha Man has spent his life being a hero, and while he can’t be in the field with his mech, he decides he can make just as much of a difference by leading a new generation of heroes. Although these threats are rare, he perseveres despite his personal struggles and steps up as a leader to help his teammates overcome theirs, proving that you don’t have to be on the field to be a hero.
The best video game moments “Despelote is an autobiographical game about a young Ecuadorian boy’s experiences during his country’s qualifying for the 2002 World Cup. Over the course of the game, we are immersed in the specificity of Julian’s experiences, understanding how football and the excitement over his country’s chances of qualifying for competition on the world stage electrified him as an individual and made him feel more deeply connected to his fellow Ecuadorians. Ultimately, the country’s qualifying efforts all came down to a match against Uruguay on November 7, 2001. As we played, the real Julian said: “We tried every way to describe that moment, but nothing seemed to do it justice.” So watch it for yourself.
The best shooters “I didn’t expect *takes a deep breath* Brazilian Drug Dealer 3: I opened a portal to hell in the favela while trying to revive Mit AIA. I have to close it be a game I would really enjoy. The clips I saw made it seem like a fun shitpost about a game. Something I would play for a few minutes, laugh, then never think about it again. That’s not what happened. Instead, I played a lot of BDD3 and I enjoyed every moment of it. The Brazilian Earthquake-engine FPS is a crazy dream of a game that has well-designed levels buried in some of the weirdest visuals you’ll see in 2025. It also only costs $5. And it’s worth every penny.
The best RPGs “Octopath Traveler 0 is proof that Square Enix had no reason to do Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent a gacha game when it could have easily made it an exceptional RPG without all the gacha elements dragging it down. Octopath Traveler 0 is a game saved from obscurity, as Square Enix stripped it down Continental Champions of its live service attributes and relaunched it as fans of turn-based RPGs wanted in the first place. It’s a beefy monster game that will take up almost a hundred hours of your time, but that’s the consequence of adapting what was once meant to be an everlasting game into something that feels complete. Octopath Traveler 0 it feels like a prodigal son returns after being shut down due to Square Enix’s short-sighted hubris. And it’s really nice to keep all the best parts of the game that were once considered lost.
Our personal GOTY choices John Walker’s 10 Best Games of 2025 The 10 best games of 2025 according to Kenneth Shepard Zack Zwiezen’s 10 Best Games of 2025 Ethan Gach’s 10 Best Games of 2025 Carolyn Petit’s 5 Best Matches of 2025 Other things we loved last year “When Disney announced a Star Wars TV show dedicated to Cassian Andor Since Thief One, I remember I barely cared. “Cool, I guess this guy Thief One also, there is a show. Then I watched Season 1 in 2022 and was completely captivated by its depiction of rebellion and fascism. This year’s season two was even better, featuring more moments than I can count that made me sit back in my chair, hold my breath, and wait for the next scene or piece of dialogue to break me down or allow me to rejoice. I say this as someone who really likes the franchise: Star Wars has never really been that good before, and he’ll probably never reach those heights again. And that’s very good. Star Wars can continue to be a campy space wizard sci-fi series that kids love, because we can always watch it again Andor whenever we want.
The worst games according to Metacritic “Fire Emblem Shadows37 Metascore: What if Among us, but Fire Emblem? This was apparently the pitch for this dud published only on mobile by Nintendo. Even the few good ideas are overshadowed by free-to-play garbage and lack of content. I would probably just play Among us, Iinstead.
The 12 best games according to My city “So when you put the narrative aside with all your might, what is it? Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33? It’s a turn-based RPG that combines Fantasy Finalethe grandiose storytelling and magical combat systems of Paper MarioIt is timing-based mechanics create something that is both strategic and engaging enough to make even the classic RPG work entertaining and enriching. Its grief-filled story is filled with twists and turns that have divided player opinion, but these divisions are rewarding to consider and debate, and it culminates in a devastating decision in its eleventh hour that the fans are we’re still talking about it months later. The game’s sad boys and girls embarking on what is apparently a suicide mission have endeared themselves to fans of a genre that will carry their flags for years to come in art, cosplay, and other fan creations.
