Community MetaCouncil's Games of the Year Awards 2025 Results

[Le Pertti]

Welcome to our annual games of the year awards! Thank you all for voting!



Let's get directly into the fun!

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Top 10 Games of the Year

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Fantasy Life is cozy, comfortable life sim packed to the brim with things to do. The whimsical campaign is an action-adventure that has you leveling up over a dozen professions while exploring several islands across space and time with a cast of charming characters. You get a base camp which you can customize to your heart's content, setting up homes for your castmates and decorating the surroundings in the vein of Animal Crossing. And finally there is massive extra continent for you to explore, solve puzzles, complete dungeons and gather materials to upgrade your lives. An easygoing game that you can comfortably sink many hours in playing as you wish.

Fantasy Life i perfectly delivered on my nostalgia from the 3DS game and a gigantic RPG that I keep going back to almost every day. It was already a superlative game at launch, and it has only gotten better since with full cross progression.

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Not much to say. It's just more Hades but better and with more gameplay variety than the original. I also prefer the more darker approach in 2.

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The bulk of games I played this year were pick up and go experiences with little story, which is more a reflection of the stage of life I am in than anything. That said, Ball x Pit stood leagues above other games of this variety and not just games from this year but from prior years. It is a game that lets you play around and experiment with so many combinations of characters and abilities. If you want a game filled with story, by no means is this for you, but if you want something that offers a fun gameplay loop, this is one of the best in class. Also, the music is a sleeper hit but overshadowed in a year with some other really great video game music.

Mixing Breakout with bullet heaven gameplay and having a base building meta game is brilliant.

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Magnum opus of Kodaka and Uchikoshi. The large amount of narrative and branching paths makes the game super impressive for me

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A post-modernist masterpiece and a foundational Kampfschrift of 21st century feminist thought, it eschews all narrative conventions and ideological dirt to shell misogynists and misandrists alike with munition of truth, leaving nothing in its wake but ruins from which a better society may rise. – Matchalabubuperformativemale game of the year

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In a year filled with great games and moments it wasn't easy to pick a winner but in the end I had to give Silksong the spot because, even with the insane level of hype from the fanbase and the pressure to follow up one of the best game's ever designed, Team Cherry didn't stumble and managed to deliver a worthy sequel and a great game by it's own merits. Everything is bigger, faster, meaner and the game trusts the players to rise up to the challenge. The story and characters are great, the lore is greatly expanded and there's a lot of room to expand the world/franchise further. I just hope I'm alive in 2037 to see the third game being released...

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One of the most immersive and engrossing RPGs I have ever played.

Best RPG since Witcher 3, combining its quest design and writing quality with much deeper mechanics and immersion, all that in a unique historical setting.

KCD2 is an absolute masterpiece of the CRPG genre. The level of detail and interaction is unmatched, while simultaneously being one of the best performing games on PC of the year. It's something I look forward to returning to years from now and discovering many new things.

Top draw RPG / Medieval Sim. Very pretty, good story, liked the combat, liked the progression, Liked the characters. Overall a very good game.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the best JRPG style games I have played, and it is very surprising to see a game with so many strengths coming from a new developer with no track record. -- The story and characters are simply better than in most other games in the genre. I am quite good at losing interest in games and disappearing them in my massive queue of things to do later, but after a brief opening section with slightly annoying city exploration content, the game delivers one of the most enticing and one of the most well paced main story progressions that I have experienced in a role playing game. Despite the strong drive forward in the story, the game is at the same time subtle in how it fleshes out the world building and the character back stories. The voice acting and the ending(s) are incredible as well. There are no weaknesses in the story department in this game!

The gameplay is great as well, but has some minor frustrations. Basically, the gameplay systems are maximalist in the vein of a main line Final Fantasy game. You can except an old school world map system, loads of side quests, loads of optional areas, and a complex combat system that synergizes with a lot of items that you will find through the extensive exploration content that the game has to offer. The combat system is turn-based, but includes timing based button prompts that have to be used defensively, and can also be used to enhance offensive abilities. It is a quite interesting system, but it mostly comes off as a well made turn based JPRG combat system. The frustrations in the system consist of a lot of really difficult enemy encounters that are placed near the main path of areas, and it is often unclear if you should tackle the challenges right away or if you should leave them for endgame cleanup duties. A couple of such encounters throughout the game would have been fine, but in this game most areas have one or two of them …

The graphics and music are fantastic, and perfectly complement the great story that the game has to offer. I played the game in 4k DLSS quality mode with DLSS4 forced through the Nvidia app, and the graphics never disappointed. -- I would highly recommend the game to fans of the JRPG genre.

A pure showcase of talent, creativity and sincerity, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is easily one of the best RPG in the modern era. It is a testimony of videogame as an art form.

The game is the full package. Brilliant story, characters, art direction, soundtrack, acting and combat system.

It's pure fun and a big joy to ploy, with a fantastic story and good pacing.

While the other games I voted for have an aspect that they're very strong at, E33 is as a whole in an amazing sum of all it's parts that makes it an unforgettable experience.

Expedition 33 is winning awards all over for lots of reasons. It showed mainstream people that JRPGs can still be awesome (they always were, but its good to remind the masses once in a while). It didn't overstay its welcome which is a real issue with lots of the other JRPGs that I play every year (looking at you Trails...). And it had a very interesting combat system which continued to evolve as the game went on and made the player feel powerful throughout the game. That alone might have won it accolades from me, but coupling that with an engaging story is why this game sits on top of a STACKED year. This is a year with one of the greatest action games of all time (Silksong), and several other beloved RPG remasters (FFT and Suikoden I & II), and yet Expedition 33 stands on top. What an amazing game.

I remember watching the trailer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and not getting all that excited for it, the only think that caught my attention was the combat. I started playing it through Game Pass and once I reached the gommage scene the game grabbed my attention. Superb game, fun combat mechanics and outstanding visuals and sound track.

Clair Obscur certainly made a big splash this year, with "everyone" ready to either declare it the most brilliant JRPG (made outside Japan), or decry it as overhyped trash. Structurally, Sandfall is never "obscure" about their references. The overall game structure, a lot of the combat and map design is clearly inspired by linear JRPGs. The one big innovation is the use of dodge/parry mechanic while waiting on enemy attacks. I think there is an argument to be made that this completely unbalances the game: if you can dodge most of everything, you can basically forget about the rest of the game. But for those lesser mortals who fall somewhere in between "can dodge/parry everything" and "can't dodge anything", I think works quite well to spice things up a bit.The evocative world and its visuals, and the sad story that unfolds in it also works in Clair Obscurs favour, mostly because it doesn't feel overly tragic, just showing how people deal with grief (or fail to do so). It's touching and human in a way video game stories rarely are.Overall, an incredible achievement for a new developer.

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Best Game Not Played

Best of Last Year



Best Ongoing



Early Access Game of the Year


Best Soundtrack


Best Old Game



Turd of the Year


Again thank you all for taking time to vote! Sometimes I think that there wont be enough votes but you all always come through.

 

[Le Pertti]

Bonus stuff!

Hidden Gems! A little bonus, games that only got one vote but they were the voters best game of the year.

Look Outside is a $10 RPGMaker game that caught my eye while I was browsing the Steam store during the Winter Sale. I found the artstyle and premise interesting, plus I've heard some good things about it so I bought it. What I thought would be a short little RPG turned into a 60+ hour obsession, despite technically beating the game 20 hours in. The game is full of secrets, mysteries to solve, endearing characters, funny interactions, unsettling horrors, and I was so enthralled by its setting. Sure, I had lots of fun with Clair Obscur and Silksong, but those 2 have gotten enough praise already and I think more people should check out Look Outside. Such a charming and thought-provoking game should not fade to obscurity.

Nightreign is not a game for everyone, and the roguelike aspect isn't generally even something I appreciate, but when I think of everything released in 2025 and the experience I had with it, it does stand out. Its design leads to plenty of interesting and memorable co-op shenanigans, from coming up with a daring plan just before the night moves in and barely making it to dying to the Nightlord when it has 5 hp remaining. Twice. But anyway, it's exciting.

Excellent vibes man.

Forestrike managed to impart the feeling of learning Martial Arts, in game form. It might look slow, but it is one of the most precise games I've played in past few years.

Somehow these devs made the best card battle game even better in this sequel. Tons of content and unique strategies, great soundtrack and VERY addictive.

Earthion was probably the one game that got me excited for a new release this year. It's not perfect but delivers a modern Sega Mega Drive shmup that is approachable for someone not great at these games while providing a nice ramp up in difficulty to stick with it. All this while looking and sounding absolutely amazing.

Great story, characters, voice acting and the take on time travel turned out interesting as well. Keep making them, i'll be playing.

It is a bit out of the ordinary for me to choose a console game for an GOTY entry, let alone one that is weaker in narrative compared to the other entries in my ballot. However, XenobladeX's sense of exploration and wonder stands apart. While the open world experience is not entirely unique, the sense of progression is nearly unmatched, even when compared with the other Xenoblade games. While personally the combat system wasn't my cup of tea, the world of Mira is filled with adventures and secrets that makes this game much greater than the sum of its parts. A modern classic in almost every sense of the world.

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And special for this year and maybe unique for this year, first ever CONTRARIAN AWARD goes to Hektor for voting Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for Turd of the Year; against majority sentiment.

 

[edin]

I love 7 of the top 10 and from the 3 I haven't played yet, I own all of them and had them on the list to get to asap lmao. Good taste confirmed and anime wins as usual.

Thank you for putting this together Le Pertti

 

[Durante]

Thanks for doing this!

Nice results overall IMHO, but the fact that Nightreign of all things shows up as a "Hidden Gem" is wild.
I know that I wrote in my own text blurb for it that it's "not for everyone", but I though it wasn't just for me either

 

[NarohDethan]

Jk, thank you Le Pertti for doing this!!

 

[uraizen]

Mega Man X for best old game? Nice.

 

[yuraya]

Domination by E33.

It really is one of the most universally beloved winners.

Even other winners over the years had people always complain about something and nitpick.

This one was without doubt the goty like a few days after release lol. People just knew. Honestly I think most knew from the very first trailer they showed in 2024. It was special.

 

[Durante]

Domination by E33.

It really is one of the most universally beloved winners.

Even other winners over the years had people always complain about something and nitpick.

This one was without doubt the goty like a few days after release lol. People just knew. Honestly I think most knew from the very first trailer they showed in 2024. It was special.

Admit it, you're just trying to bait Hektor.

 

[Panda Pedinte]

that's a nice top 10

 

[QFNS]

Awesome work, thanks for doing this Le Pertti !!

Great picks by everyone except Hektor . In a year with Civ 7, voting E33 as turd of the year is troll behavior, but not even inspired trolling. I expect better lol.

 

[spindoctor]

Can we get a full list of everyone's hidden gem votes? Always interested in learning about lesser known games that spoke to people.

 

[Le Pertti]

Can we get a full list of everyone's hidden gem votes? Always interested in learning about lesser known games that spoke to people.

That’s all of them, hidden gem is a game that only got one vote but was their top pick.

Only exception is Atomfall which was only voted by me and was my goty.

 

[Parsnip]

That’s all of them, hidden gem is a game that only got one vote but was their top pick.

Only exception is Atomfall which was only voted by me and was my goty.

Atomfall would have been my vote in the Best Game Not Played category if I had remembered it at the time.
Really looking forward to playing, maybe this year.

 

[Paul]

Hektor for president, lmao
Ex33 may not be my turd of the year, I'd give it 8/10, enjoyed its story and audiovisuals but found its gameplay limited and mediocre, so no GOTY.
I only played and finished those first two games of the TOP10, and from the ones remaining two more interest me, Dispatch and Silent Hill f.
Overall it was a good year for games, but not that great a year for games of my own taste. Only KCD2 and Last of Us 2 spoke to me on that primal 10/10 level.

Although, there is also Atomfall and Tainted Grail which I have yet to try, I might enjoy those quite a bit.

 

[LEANIJA]

Atomfall would have been my vote in the Best Game Not Played category if I had remembered it at the time.
Really looking forward to playing, maybe this year.

Although, there is also Atomfall and Tainted Grail which I have yet to try, I might enjoy those quite a bit.

I can recommend Atomfall as well

 

[MegaApple]

Thank you

I loved the hidden gems section too and loved reading all the writeups.
I esp like one from a user that starts with letter M and contains name of a fruit

 

[Cacher]

Thank you! Expedition 33 is well-deserved for its success.

Heard a lot of good things about Look Outside so I will probably play it sooner than later. A body horror RPG is not something you see everyday. Very affordable, too. Really need to draw a brief gaming plan asap as I also want to play Cold Steel 3 and Kingdom Come this year.

 

[QFNS]

My big takeaway from the good lists is I need to probably spend some time and play KCD.

What is relationship between KCD1 and KCD2? Any carryover or are they just separate things?

 

[lashman]

My big takeaway from the good lists is I need to probably spend some time and play KCD.

What is relationship between KCD1 and KCD2? Any carryover or are they just separate things?

direct sequel actually haha

 

[Anteater]

Ninja Gaiden got robbed again

 

[Paul]

What is relationship between KCD1 and KCD2? Any carryover or are they just separate things?

There is no save import but KCD2 starts about 3 days after KCD1 ends. But KCD2 recaps the first game's story and main events in its prologue, so it is well playable standalone. That said, KCD1 is fantastic, even if a bit clunkier and less polished, but any RPG fan should play it - on PC. Console versions are stuck at 30fps with terrible graphics so not recommended. There are some rumors about nextgen update this year, I hope it happens.

 

[edin]

My big takeaway from the good lists is I need to probably spend some time and play KCD.

What is relationship between KCD1 and KCD2? Any carryover or are they just separate things?

I would watch a summary of KCD1 and just play 2. KCD2 is waaaaaaay better in every way imo.

 

[Le Pertti]

Yeah I just watched a story summery of KCD 1 and went directly for 2 and it worked out pretty well.

 

[spindoctor]

I found these blurbs/choices a bit amusing because the two of us played the original Fantasy Life on the 3DS together. The game was incredibly fun (just like this new one) but I remember the online functionality was horrible. Mostly because of Nintendo's shit tier online infrastructure but also partly because of our shit tier third world internet. But we made it work.

I've known this fool a long time

 

[edin]

I've known this fool a long time

Should play the DLC for Fantasy Life i together and Inazuma at some point. I finally started putting time into Inazuma when the big update hit after starting and stopping to test stuff.

 

[lashman]

I've known this fool a long time

my deepest condolences

 

[Li Kao]

Where is the voting thread ? That I can read everyone’s opinion again ?

- Ok, found it. Hey, fuck you, I’m waking up gently, I have plot armor -

 

[Hektor]

As a philosopher king, i always believed that every truth needs someone brave enough to martyr himself for it.
As such, i am happy and proud to have found the courage in myself, to be crucifed for speaking truth to power, like Jesus.

Thank you to the beautiful and loving souls of Metacouncil, the greatest forum in the world, for honoring me with this award.