2025 was a year packed full of new releases, 1.0 launches, and major updates. However, our team had some clear picks for which titles came out at the top.
In this breakdown, we have listed out the top game picks based on pure opinion by each writer on Bonus Action. These have been selected based on our own gameplay experiences, and are not reflective of any awards or nominations. We just really loved them, and hope you will too.
Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar – Ezra’s Pick
This year, I am definitely going to put Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar at the top of my list. While Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma was a very close second, Grand Bazaar absolutely nailed cozy vibes with a colorful, thoughtful remake. 2025 was loaded down with cozy games and farming sims that felt a bit shallow or generally thin, but Grand Bazaar swept in and salvaged what could have been a bleak year for the genre.
The gameplay is addictive, the mechanics are organic and enjoyable, and the storyline offers a nice mixture of events, character dialogue, and development that is rewarding and makes me want to keep playing. It is the game I intend to end the year playing, and it is one I keep going back to for comfort, even with the heavy release schedule for the end of 2025.
While there were a lot of very cool games this year, Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar really knocked it out of the park, and it reminded me of why I love the farming genre of gaming so deeply.
Hades II – Chandler’s Pick
Hades II was easily my favorite game of 2025. Supergiant captured lightning in a bottle with the first Hades, and somehow they’ve managed to recreate that magic to craft this masterpiece of a sequel.
Hades II is an improvement over Hades in nearly every way: from its flexible combat, satisfying progression system, and wealth of new abilities to its charming cast of characters, captivating visuals, and electric soundtrack. Supergiant’s first attempt at a sequel is nothing short of a masterpiece. The gameplay loop is as addictive as ever, and with Melinoë’s access to ancient magicks, Hades II provides an expansive arsenal of tools and boons to experiment with.
On top of all that, this was the year I managed to get my hands on a Steam Deck, which further fueled my love for Supergiant’s newest rogue-like. Hades II feels natural on the Steam Deck, and I found myself booting it up more often than any other game when on the go. Overall, Hades II provides an experience that’s as rewarding as it is addicting, with each play session ending with the temptation of just one more run.
Ghost of Yotei – Brodie’s Pick
2025 was an interesting year for samurai enthusiasts, with Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally taking that series to feudal Japan and Sucker Punch following up its 2020 hit Ghost of Tsushima with Ghost of Yotei. I will have to give the nod to the latter, having enjoyed Tsushima during COVID times and finding the sequel to be the more polished of the two open-world samurai games released this year.
Ghost of Yotei takes what made the previous game so great and enhances it with a new story/setting and more refined gameplay and graphics. Set about 300 years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima, Yotei puts players in the role of Atsu, a lone mercenary out to avenge the murder of her family at the hands of a wicked group of killers known as the Yotei Six.
Hunting down these masked warriors amid the backdrop of Ezo, Japan, makes for a gripping experience, as the world of Ghost of Yotei is rich and filled with memorable characters and side activities. As was the case with Tsushima, the stealth and combat gameplay shine, with one enjoyable new touch being the ability to snatch an enemy’s weapon and throw it at another for a quick kill.
Overall, Ghost of Yotei is my pick for the best game of 2025, and well worth checking out if you enjoy Sucker Punch’s previous work and have a PS5.
Cinnabunny – Amanda’s Pick
I’ll be honest, Hades 2 was probably my top contender for personal game of the year here. I did, after all, give it my first-ever perfect review score. But since Chandler beat me to the punch, I’ll highlight my runner-up second favorite, instead. And that would be the cozy farming sim and baking game, Cinnabunny.
When I started playing Cinnbunny earlier this year, it delivered on everything I hoped Tales of the Shire would be. Cozy, adorable vibes, lots of baking, and even cute little rabbit homes that resemble Hobbit holes. It has a nice, slow pace, with new discoveries unlocked over time. I got so much joy and delight out of running around, living my little bunny life. For me, it’s an ideal blend of all things cozy, with just enough goals to keep you motivated.
I played this one initially on PC, as it first launched for Steam earlier this year. But it recently made its way over to the Nintendo Switch family of systems, and I’m at serious risk of starting a new playthrough on the handheld. This game is an absolute indie gem that I’m confident I’ll be coming back to time and time again. I can’t say that about most of the other games I picked up this year, if I’m being honest with myself.
Blue Prince – Chris’ Pick
On my shelf is a book I made myself. Its pages are held together with hand-sewn thread, and those pages are then attached to the binding with LMO Wood-grade super glue. There are ten pages in total, front-and-back, counting the title page, and the book is bound with two pieces of heavy cardboard covered with stretched canvas of a light turquoise hue. The book sits on my shelf between John Romero’s “Doom Guy: Life in First-Person” and Bernard Perron’s “Silent Hill: The Terror Engine.” It is not often read, but I glance at it and smile on a weekly, if not daily, basis.
The book itself, of course, is a compilation of all the scribbles, questions, and notes I made during my time with Blue Prince. It is a document of my journey, a testament to the madness I found myself sinking in, and, crucially, it is a relic of one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had. Tonda Ros’ Blue Prince may not be for everyone, but with its ever-spiraling fibonacci puzzle-box design, it absolutely was and is for me. I cannot recommend it enough (nor have I stopped recommending it over the past 10 months), and I can’t think of any other gaming experience I’ve had this year that stuck with me in such a striking way.
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