The Best (?) Games of 2025

Click this link https://boot.dev/?promo=DESIGNDOC and use my code DESIGNDOC to get 25% off your first payment for boot.dev.

2025 has been a spectacular year for new games, and your backlog is looking a little short, so let’s fix that. We put together a list of 16 of our favorite games that have come out this calendar year - a lot of high profile games, but a ton of indies and hidden gems, too - and we just wanted to spend some time talking about them. I’m spreading the good word - I bet you’ll find a bunch in here you’ll love.

Featuring:
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Tiny Bookshop
Word Play
Once Upon a Katamari
Yooka-Replaylee
Zexion
Baby Steps
Peak
Absolum
Kaizen: A Factory Story
Jackbox Party Pack 11
Lumines Arise
Donkey Kong Bananza
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hades 2
Blue Prince

Also featuring Extra footage from:
Sword of The Sea
Sonic Racing Crossworld
Shadow Labyrinth
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Mario Kart World
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy X
Lost Odyssey
Calculate It
We Love Katamari
Yooka-Laylee
Yooka-Laylee and The Impossible lair
Hollow Knight
Blasphemous
Super Metroid
Metroid Prime Remastered
Environmental Station Alpha
Axiom Verge
QWOP
GIRP
Getting Over It
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Opus Magnum
Jackbox Party Pack 10
Jackbox Naughty Pack
Tetris Effect
Puzzle Bobble Everybubble
Suika Game
Panel De Pon
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Dark Souls Remastered
Hades
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
The Witness
Pipistrello and The Cursed Yo-Yo
Blippo+


🎧 Patrons get ad-free episodes early, plus access to our behind-the-scenes podcast.
📢 Support Design Doc on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/designdoc
👕 Check out our merch store! https://crowdmade.com/collections/design-doc

Design Doc on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/designdoc.bsky.social

#gameoftheyear #hades #silksong