We’re only halfway through 2025, but the Game of the Year conversation is already ongoing. 2025 is one of the best years for gaming, with countless amazing titles, and even more still to come! From super cool indie breakthroughs to exciting AAA exclusives, this year is full of games that are pushing boundaries, refining genres, or redefining expectations. Some of them changed our lives forever, and others may have been quite the disappointment, but they all brought something unique to at least one gamer out there.
But instead of just listing the same few names, let’s look at the early front-runners, the long shots, and the mysterious stray candidates still to come. And yes, we’ve got a clear favorite in mind already.
The Front-Runner – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
There’s no sugarcoating it. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 IS the game to beat in 2025.
It mixes the most beautiful art direction with poetic world building, and a turn-based combat system that somehow feels faster than most action games. What truly sets it apart, though, is its wild ambition: this isn’t just a visually stunning RPG, it’s a story about memory, mortality, and identity wrapped in an unforgettable graphical masterpiece. It’s not just a game, it’s the definition of art, in every single one of its form: painting, music, writing. Any emotion you can feel, you will feel it. And you will not be the same once you’re done with the game.
Clair Obscur isn’t just aiming for GOTY. It’s aiming to redefine gaming entirely. And it’s made by 33 small French devs, and one dog.
Other Strong Contenders (So Far)
Split Fiction
A masterclass in nonlinear storytelling and character writing, Split Fiction lets you piece together a fractured epic adventure through wildly different perspectives. It’s smart, emotional, and unlike anything else released this year.
It’s also another indie game, which once again proves that you do not need to be an AAA to be worth it. 2025 is full of indie games who prove that gaming can still be more than a big shooter or another remake.
Blue Prince
Again, another indie game that will change your perspective on life, and make you fall in love with gaming again. With its surreal aesthetic and roguelike structure, Blue Prince is the kind of game that earns its place through originality. Every run feels like diving into a dream, and not always a pleasant one.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
A big, unique sequel that actually improves on the original in almost every way. The combat is still heavy and punishing, but the world is more alive than ever, and its historical commitment gives it a texture most open-world RPGs lack.
Honorable Mentions That Might Miss the Cut
Monster Hunter Wilds
No doubt it was really fun to play, but unless it brings big innovation in the upcoming Title Updates, it’s unlikely to impact voters beyond the MH faithful. It was great, but it lacks what made previous titles beyond great.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Fun, nostalgic, and full of charm, but the linear design and uneven pacing could keep it from standing out in a year full of much more innovative games.
Avowed
It’s Obsidian, so expectations are high, and while it was really nice, it may not hit the same high notes as Pillars or The Outer Worlds. Too safe?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Assassin’s Creed Shadows definitely made us fall in love with the Series again. After many disappointments in the latest years, with unfinished games and uninteresting stories, we did not have much hope for Shadows. However, it was surprisingly finished, beautiful, not buggy, and took us to the most beautiful trip through Japan we’ve ever taken in a game. It does beat Ghost of Tsushima, but it’s still an Assassin’s Creed, and without a true reinvention, it may get buried under more daring competition.
The Alters
The Alters is an exciting sci-fi survival game with a unique approach, however, it’s facing too much competition that just did a better job at making something unique.
Dune: Awakening
It is absolutely worth mentioning, but we don’t think it will make the cut. The game is offering a beautiful experience in the sand of Arrakis, but it’s full of bugs that should not be accepted compared to the clean games running as top-contenders.
Surprises Still to Come
Death Stranding 2
Kojima is back, and expectations are massive. But will the sequel deepen the themes or lose its strange charm chasing spectacle?
Ghost of Yotei
A new IP with samurai and rumored open-world stealth action. Ghost of Tsushima was beautiful, but the story was lacking, and the world rather empty after the first few hours. Will Ghost of Yotei fix what was wrong with Tsushima, or fade into the fog?
Mafia: The Old Country
Returning to the roots of the Mafia saga, this could be a breakout if it leans hard into its story-driven strengths.
Lost Soul Aside
Exciting combat and cool visuals make this an easy highlight in trailers, but the question remains: is there enough depth behind the style?
Silent Hill F
As a Silent Hill fan, we hope this one will be as great as we imagine it. But will it be enough to win it over the bold indie titles running on top this year?
And One Last Thing…
Before you start filling out your GOTY votes early, remember: remakes, remasters, and DLC don’t count. Nostalgia’s great, but 2025 has already given us plenty of new games daring to be different.
So keep your eyes on the horizon, but don’t be surprised if Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the one everyone’s chasing when award season arrives! GOTY will be revealed in December, until then, many great titles are still coming, and 2025 is not over yet! Anything can still change!
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