With a lot of great titles already available to play and many more on the way, 2025 is shaping up to be a great year for gamers and studios around the world. We take a look at the top 10 games in 2025 that have released so far this year and dive into why they should have a place in your library.
10. Avowed
Open World RPG | Metacritic Score: 80
An action-RPG like no other, Avowed brings the best of current-gen visuals to the world of Eora, where Pillars of Eternity is set. You play as a character exploring the Living Lands, investigating a mysterious plague called the Dream Scourge. Dense forests, open plains, and a whole lot of dangerous enemies wait for you to find them as you go along your adventure on either the Xbox or PC.
You face down these challenges with unique weapons that you can mix and match to suit your playstyle, with your own creativity being the only limit. Although its gear-scaling systems could use some work, the excellent choice-based narrative and a very addictive combat loop make this a game that could have you enthralled for hours on end.
9. Dynasty Warriors: Origins
Hack N’ Slash | Metacritic Score: 79
Taking on the role of a nameless warrior in the Three Kingdoms, your time in Dynasty Warriors: Origins is sure to be very memorable indeed. You take on armies in epic battles with a host of excellent weapons that are made very fun to use by combat mechanics that scream of polish and versatility.
What’s more, you get to issue commands to your troops and can even appoint one of them as your general to fight at your side. The game’s visuals make the entire experience feel like a real medieval battlefield in which you are a force to be reckoned with as long as you are able to adapt to your opponent’s tactics.
8. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Action Adventure | Metacritic Score: 83
Goro Majima’s adventures in the Hawaiian islands are a fun and memorable tryst with pirates and other threats that blends a story of alliances and betrayals with his ability to cause anarchy and chaos in style. The unique premise of a Yakuza doubling up as a pirate notwithstanding, the game’s combat systems are a sight to behold, allowing you to take on whatever it throws at you with a well-equipped arsenal of weapons and attacks.
You also get command of your own ship and crew in a system very similar to Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, allowing you to become a pirate on the high seas in search of a valuable treasure, racing against other factions with similar interests in a game that pulls you in with its charming protagonist.
7. Monster Hunter Wilds
Action RPG | Metacritic Score: 88
Capcom’s successor to Monster Hunter: World takes you back to the Forbidden Lands for an adventure that could keep you busy for a very long time. With 14 different weapon types to hunt down fearsome beasts with, the ability to swap gear on the fly, and the ability to set up camps in the field, Monster Hunter Wilds builds on the highs of its predecessor in meaningful ways, making it a game that must be experienced at least once.
It’s no wonder that it has become Capcom’s fastest-selling game in the studio’s history. With crossplay making its way to the game, it could also be a great option for those of you who like to join your friends in taking down monsters that are sure to push your skills to their limit.
6. The Roottrees Are Dead
Detective Puzzle | Metacritic Score: 87
PC players are sure to find this excellent title a treat to engage with when its narrative and gameplay are considered. As an investigator hired to look into the Roottree family tree in the wake of a tragic accident, you quickly discover that things are not as they seem.
While its puzzles can be quite challenging to solve, this 2025 remaster of the original game brings updated visuals and comes with the Roottreemania expansion for an additional challenge that can translate to several hours of poring over clues as you try and make sense of the titular family’s complex origins.
5. Atomfall
Action Survival | Metacritic Score: 75
It’s been a busy year for Rebellion, with Atomfall catching the attention of players with its excellent story and cast of characters who bring humor and charm in equal measure. Set in an alternate history where much of Northern England has been affected by a nuclear disaster, the game wastes no time in plunging you into Britain’s world, with only your wits and the things you can find in it to help you navigate its threats.
With a heady mix of combat and stealth fueling its core gameplay loop, this is a game that is sure to stay with you long after you get to its end credits and is sure to be among 2025’s most beloved titles.
4. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Action RPG | Metacritic Score: 88
Playing as Henry of Skalitz in his quest to restore the former King of Bolivia to his rightful throne, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a blast to play through. With two massive areas to explore that are filled with secrets, mysteries, and unforgettable encounters with its main and supporting cast, this is a title that raises the bar for RPGs in many ways.
With a variety of classes to choose from and a main campaign that is surprisingly well-written, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is sure to be a title that you can enjoy for a long time to come.
3. Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
Stealth Action RPG | Metacritic Score: 81
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has taken the franchise to new heights with Ubisoft sparing no expense in making its rendition of Japan stand out from its competition. Naoe and Yasuke are excellent additions to the Assassins’ ranks, bringing distinct playstyles to a story that sees them hunting down Templars with ruthless efficiency.
Its combat system is not to be scoffed at, and its stealth mechanics mark an evolution for the franchise. Japan’s shores have a lot to discover, with new missions, gear, and weapons around every corner, made very immersive by a dynamic weather system that impacts your gameplay in meaningful ways.
2. Split Fiction
Action Adventure | Metacritic Score: 91
An excellent story backed by a very addictive gameplay loop makes Split Fiction an easy pick for the top 10 games in 2025. Its unique co-op mechanics make it a great title to enjoy with a friend or partner, while Mio and Zoe’s personal arcs are full of poignant moments and imaginative set-pieces that you have to see to believe.
Hazelight has also packed in several references and Easter eggs to the best of gaming and entertainment for you to discover, making this tale of two writers taking on an evil corporation a game that you would be remiss to pass on.
1. The First Berserker Khazan
Action | Metacritic Score: 79
This Soulslike title is sure to cause as much frustration with its many enemies as awe at its incredible art style and game design. You play as Khazan, a mighty general who is betrayed by his own kin and is out for revenge. He is assisted by a mysterious entity from the Underworld that grants him supernatural abilities that allow him to push his formidable skill set beyond human capabilities.
However, Khazan’s enemies are no pushovers, leaving you to fight them in battles that can go either way, depending on how you utilize all of the tools that the game provides you with. The First Berserker Khazan is sure to be a game that pushes you and its protagonist to your absolute limits.
