Your GotY so far? [Q2 2025]

What is your favorite game so far this year?


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    454
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Death stranding 2 for me. It is just too epic, beautiful, and cerebral game. It has catharsis elements. It is very addictive and becomes rent free in the mind.
 
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All trash.

Judge Judy Eye Roll GIF
 
1. Doom The Dark Ages
2. Expedition 33

Donkey Kong may be my number 2 as I play more of it. It's crazy fun and feels new and refreshing. Death Stranding 2 wows me every time I play it but I've been too busy to sink into it, and the times I've played left me feeling like I barely made progress. It may not even be a top 5 at this rate, over something not even really its fault. But I'm really liking NG Ragebound on my Steam Deck - that might climb higher.

Doom was perfect to me. Challenge, level length, fun, beautiful, smooth performance, absolutely solid gameplay that feels new yet is a continuation of a beloved franchise. I'm excited to 100% my save with the newest update and the expansion dlc whenever that's out.

Expedition 33 - much of the same applies except for it being a new IP. It doesn't top Doom for me because I feel the epilogue and endgame detract from the earlier core parts of the game. The end game specifically for me also feels, due to story reasons, kind of useless to actually partake in. But it absolutely nails everything else.
 
Now that I've had some space from both E33 and DS2, it's genuinely about tied. Both would be in my top 5 games I've played on my PS5 since getting it, for different reasons. KCD2 has yet to fully click with me but I have a feeling it will eventually. Pretty fuckin stellar first half of the year overall
 
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Claire Obscur but I didn't get hyper far into KCD2. I think it could have easily gone either way had I finished it. Phenomenal game.
 
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Shinobi. Nothing will vibe and hit feels like it will for me.

And yeah, E33 is the Hollow Knight of 2025. The daisy chained thirst for it is baffling and kinda sad. So many other, better turn based RPGs this year. Very overrated. Dropped in the middle of Act 2 due to loss of Interest in over half the characters, so why bother.
 
Nothing from this year so far, haven't really bought anything big and new yet. Hope Black Ops 7 is decent, pumped we're getting another Treyarch game.

Should probably check out that Expidition 33 on Gamepass though weebs tend to have an aggressively skewed view of reality and their shit is often extremely mid but you want to be polite so you don't say anything.

Monster Hunter seems neat but the lean on realism puts me off, I like their games because of their visual styling flair like with Rise, but oh well, lots of people are into it so that's cool.

Kingdom Come would be neat but I'm not up for another zillion hour RPG after BG3.

I tried that Doom Dark Ages thing but it controls like rancid shit on Xbox, don't know wtf happened there.

I can't believe I'm writing this but I'm putting some chips on Gears of War to be good... I really hope a competent adult stepped in and reversed the brand damage Rod Fergusson did.
 
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Almost every game I have played this year has been a contender.

Atomfall
Doom TDA
Avowed
Clair Obscure (Halfway through)

Have KCD2 installed that will play after COE33.
 
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Right now I would def say doom or Claire obscure 33.
Doom was pure of dumb fun and just pure non stop action especially on harder difficulties. The story was sort of interesting too especially for a doom game. I had a blast playing it and I'm not usually a shooter guy.

With that said I would prob give it to Claire obscure. It can be sort of repetitive and grindy but the story is one of my fav game stories right up there with red dead redemption and the mass effect trilogy. The art style is beautiful, the music is some of the best in gaming ever and like I said the story is one of the best I've seen of all time. I haven't beaten it yet, I am close to the end Im pretty sure and I know I'm playing a good game when I am bummed out that the game is about to be over. That's how good this game is. I think we have another amazing studio on our hands boys and girls!!!
 
Death Stranding 2 will probably end up being my personal GOTY, with Expedition 33 being a close second.
I do think Expedition 33 will win GOTY at TGA though.
 
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It would make no sense if it doesn't. They did too good of a job to be ignored like that.
KCD2 should be nominated but the competition is quite tight. There are six nominee slots and I think 3 are locked :Clair, DonkeY kong, DS2 and one is semi-locked split fiction. The remaining two slots could go to blue prince and KCD2 but there's also Ghost of Yotei, Hades 2, Silksong, metroid prime 4, and on a lesser level crimson desert, silent hill f, metal gear 3 remake, pokemon, outer worlds 2, and a big maybe to ninja gaiden 4, mouse pi, cronos, battlefield etc.

I suspect half of these won't release before november 20 though which is the TGA cutoff.
 
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KCD2 is the best non-turn-based RPG I've ever playedand current GOTY.

Split Fiction was solid but fell short of the perfection that was It Takes Two (namely: worse characters, very linear areas with less to explore, some frustrating puzzles/mini games for casual players).

Doom TDA has great combat design and feel, but terribly boring/stale arenas and a mid soundtrack. They basically stopped putting any enemies on in the corridors/pathways and you do allllllllll the fighting in big open areas.

Best thing I've played this year that didn't come out this year is Lords of the Fallen 2.0

Dankey Kang is my #2 for now, still need to play E33 though.
 
I still see Clair Obscur as the obvious frontrunner to win GotY this year. Nothing has truly challenged it yet, and looking at the slate for the rest of the year, I don't think anything else will.
 
DS2 for me. E33 a close second.
DS2 hasn't clicked for me, dropped it, about 10 hours in. Maybe some time in the future? It's just so damn easy and it doesn't have the element of awe and surprise that DS1 gave me :(

Nightreign is incredible to me, still enjoying it after 150hrs, and I've only played DK Bananza for about 2 hours but boy does that game hit hard. If Astrobot was 2D, DK Bananza is 3D. So damn good.
 
Voted other.

I thought E33 was about as mediocre as you can get.

My GOTY hasn't been released yet and will likely be the Trails in the Sky Remake.

I don't agree with you but I respect the choice. Can't wait for Remake. Unfortunately I'm putting it on hold since it's releasing way to close to Daybreak 3. I'll buy it day one though to show support.
 
Should probably check out that Expidition 33 on Gamepass though weebs tend to have an aggressively skewed view of reality and their shit is often extremely mid but you want to be polite so you don't say anything.
This sounds like an aggressively skewed view of reality.
 
Lilac 0, the good indie shit.

I played Clair Obscur, Monster Hunter Wilds, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Avowed all of this was pretty boring all things considered. Clair Obscur was alright i guess but i couldn't even finish it, i tried to complete the end game but gave up because i felt so bored.

I had a decent time on Doom The Dark Ages but after Eternal it still feels like a flop.

Wuchang was also decent. So i guess it is the year of decent games.
 
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It's Bananza and I can't see anything beating it.
The game is like digital crack and I honestly can't explain it. I know the ending and I know that collecting more bananzium gems isn't worth it but I just can't stop myself.
I just absolutely love searching through each layer for the gems.
I am absolutely certain that Nintendo use physiology advice to make their games addictive.
 
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