Metal Gear also got a remake of one of its most beloved entries, and a JRPG won game of the year - although it is technically an FRPG inspired by JRPG’s - so you think it would be a great year for me my love of horror, Metal Gear, and JRPG’s - as the kids say, “I’ve been eating good”, but then it hit me I haven't played a single one of them.
Yeah, games I have been desperate to play in the run up to release, for some reason I just haven't gotten around to diving into. I instead thought back to the games I actually have played and reviewed… and it might be the worst year for me.
Usually, I am spoilt for choice but this year saw the release of my least favourite Puppet Combo game, I didn’t play a single Japanese role playing game, and of all the horror titles - only a few I found enjoyable, so yeah, not a stellar year but I realise it is largely my own fault to be fair.
Nonetheless, I will march on with the games I enjoyed most in 2025.
5- Labyrinth of the Demon King
One of the horror games that I did enjoy this year is this title, its PS1 style gameplay struck a real chord with me. Difficult without being frustrating whilst also giving nods to Silent Hill and being deeply atmospheric, it made exploration a genuinely tense and chilling affair. One of the few horror games to make me feel something this year.
4-Heroes of Might and Magic 3
Yes, that's right - a game released in 1999 is making my list, as this list is not ‘game of the year 2025’, but ‘the games I’ve played and enjoyed the most in 2025’ and yes, HOM&M3 is a game that I plucked back from my childhood and re-realised that it’s still amazing over 25 years later.
This was inspired from playing the board game which is also very good. This really is a special experience as nothing plays like this one, even its many sequels never capture the magic the third game brought, it was - and still is - perfect.
3- 7 Days to Die
Me and my brother have been playing this game for about four years now, we have gone through multiple worlds, changed from Xbox to Pc and back to Xbox - it is the title I’ve probably put most hours into, and I still love it.
Every time we boot it up, I know we will have a blast, from trying not to starve through to the chaotic seventh night, we always have something on the go. It has had a big update this year on consoles, so it’s a great time to jump in. We are on night 62 so 2026 will be the year we get to night 100 - a goal we have had for several years!
2- Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
Obviously when talking about this game, the first place to start is... the remake of Elder Scrolls Oblivion, which was what I played first in order for my massive open world fantasy itch to be scratched.
Then, (after playing the much longer intro than I remembered), Oblivion glitched and made it so that I was permanently in combat mode and couldn’t fast travel. Irritated, I looked for another game to scratch the itch and turned to Tainted Grail - a title my brother recommended to me – and it turned out to be exactly what I wanted, a great plot, wonderfully bleak, and with some interesting side quests, it did everything I wanted and didn’t glitch out within the first hour of playing.
1-Assassins Creed Shadows
A series I have always had great love for - even during what some fans think of as downturns in quality - I have remained a huge fan. Luckily this entry hit it out of the park, with some of my favourite combat and a story and characters that really were a huge hit with me.
From start to finish I was gripped and even the kid character you interact with didn’t irritate me and genuinely made me care about him. A Japanese setting that fans have wanted for a long time was stunning, one of the prettiest games I played all year. From a big series that could have become tired, this was a real highlight and a deserving number 1.
So that's 2025 done, I look forward to my list next year being filled with games largely released in 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 can look forward to winning my coveted ‘Best Game Played in 2026’ award, and after all the novelty awards it won this year, I’m sure the development team are desperate to get their hands on one more and win a real award.
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