the best video games of the year according to the editorial staff

Traditionally, the first days of the new year are the time for taking stock, rankings and reflections, with a look at the past and one at the future. On the video game front, 2025 was among the most intense and eventful years of recent times: from Microsoft’s complete multiplatform turnaround to the launch of Nintendo Switch 2, from yet another postponement of Grand Theft Auto VI to the surprising impact of indies like Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33 e Hollow Knight: Silksongpassing through large acquisitions such as that of Electronic Arts. That’s not all: Sony has scaled back its commitment to live service productions, Valve has presented Steam Frame and Steam Machine, historic software houses have closed their doors, discussions about staff cuts have multiplied and the arrival of artificial intelligence has also begun to be felt in the gaming world.

Hades II

The verdict of IGN Italia: Con Hades II we are not faced with a particularly innovative sequel and determined to reinvent the formula established by its predecessor, but after all, was there a need to do so? Probably not, and in fact the result is another very fun, memorable action roguelite with its own precise (and fascinating) identity, to which however some new features are added capable of further refining and improving a gameplay with already very solid foundations. It’s just a shame that the narrative, while continuing to skillfully combine mechanics and narrative, and presenting many intriguing characters, has a (small?) stumble right towards the end. A stumble, however, which does not cancel out an engaging and memorable journey through Greek mythology. – Stefano “Revan” Castagnola

Blue Prince

The verdict of IGN Italia: Although I don’t fully share the “game of the year” hype it has garnered Blue Prince upon its release (the flaws are there and should not be underestimated), I must admit that this atypical roguelite puzzle game intrigued and fascinated me as I never expected (it is not in fact a genre that I prefer). The loop made up of exploration, strategy, puzzles, puzzles and narrative discoveries works great, the atmosphere hits the mark and, once an important initial obstacle has been overcome, the game gains momentum run after run, room after room, discovery after discovery. That of Blue Prince However, it is not an experience that I would recommend to anyone (a demo would have been very useful to understand the type of game), but the fact that even someone allergic to roguelites and puzzle games like myself loved it must say something. – Francesco “Checco” Destri

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

The verdict of IGN Italia: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II it is a rich and beautiful sequel, full of memorable moments and characters, and which succeeds in its objective: taking the very good basis of its predecessor, adding what was still missing and improving the rest to create the best possible version of the experience by accompanying players in a medieval Bohemia that is vaster and more fascinating than ever; without reinventing the wheel but keeping the spirit of its predecessor intact, whilst smoothing out some of its sharper corners. The result is an excellent game, equipped with a formula that is unique in its own way, and which allows you to immerse yourself in a medieval context reproduced with the utmost care, full of evocative landscapes and embellished with a valuable narrative section, as well as a gameplay that finds a good synthesis between realism and fun. Of course, those who didn’t appreciate the predecessor probably won’t change their minds with this sequel either, but everyone else would do well to keep Warhorse Studios’ latest work under close observation. – Stefano “Revan” Castagnola

Hollow Knight: Silksong

The verdict of IGN Italia: Hollow Knight: Silksong is a bold sequel that doesn’t just expand on its predecessor: it rebuilds everything on a larger scale, weaving a world design as vast and interconnected as ever with Hornet’s silky and precise movement, capable of transforming exploration into a dance. The system of Emblems and Tools gives up part of the creative emergency of the Amulets in favor of a cleaner and more balanced fight: a coherent choice, which however removes some “lateral” paths precisely where repeated arenas and bosses often crowded with boring mobs require patience and rigor. Lungitela’s hostility is punitive but almost always honest, and when the change of pace comes, the sense of growth is overwhelming; everything is supported by an artistic and sound direction of rare finesse and by optional contents that surprise for their ambition and constant quality. A few subdued fetch quests and a pace that seems a bit slow in the first half do not undermine a work that rewards the player with continuous moments of amazement both in the level design and in the mechanics. A new benchmark of this kind: coherent, very dense, very rich, memorable. – Damaso Scibetta

Honorable mentions

They didn’t reach the Top 5 by a whisker, but Donkey Kong Bananza (26 points), Dispatch (24), Split Fiction (20), Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (18) e The Outer Worlds 2 (18) have found space in the rankings of most of the editors of IGN Italia. The first, killer app of Nintendo Switch 2 along with Mario Kart Worldwas one of the most acclaimed titles of the current year, while AdHoc Studio’s episodic adventure surprised thanks to the quality of its writing. Eighth position for Split Fictionthe latest co-op adventure from the masters of Hazelight (A Way Out, It Takes Two), while closing the Top 10 we find the latest effort by Kojima Productions and the new sci-fi adventure by Obsidian Entertainment. As a testament to the number of great titles released in 2025, they also remained off the charts Monster Hunter Wilds, Borderlands 4, Shinobi Art of Vengeance, Cronos: The New Dawn, Silent Hill f, Digimon Story: Time Stranger, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond e ARC Raiderswhich nevertheless found a place in the Top 5 of multiple editors – sometimes even reaching the first position.

Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33

The verdict of IGN Italia: Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33 it is an astonishing work in almost every respect. It tells an intense story, deeply human in its tragedy, capable of taking your breath away act after act. And it does so with rare mastery, subverting its own narrative premises with elegance and coherence, leaving the player suspended between amazement and emotion. All this is accompanied by a gameplay that revolutionizes the turn-based RPG, keeping its essence intact but rewriting its rules. The combat system, deep and reactive, offers a new perspective on the genre: faithful to tradition, but ready to undermine it to reveal a new, more dynamic, more engaging side. Added to the management of exploration, the quantity of secrets and optional activities, as well as a spectacular soundtrack, Sandfall Interactive’s debut work carves its name into the gaming landscape and promises to be one of the best games of 2025. – Alessandra “Aelinar” Borgonovo