Skate Story is a moody, tightly-controlled skating experience that leans hard on atmosphere and flow. The skating feels weighty but precise, the premise and art is inspired, and the soundtrack does a huge amount of emotional lifting. Not a deep trick sandbox like Tony Hawk - more a short, vibey art piece that peaks in its linear flow sequences, and when everything clicks, it’s genuinely special.
Team Cherry has announced Hollow Knight: Silksong - Sea of Sorrow, a free (!) 2026 expansion bringing new areas, bosses, tools and more in a nautical-themed update for all Silksong players. More details are due closer to launch.
Some may ask why the absurd incremental/clicker Tingus Goose exists at all - what is this? Who made this, and why? And yet, in its honking chaos and wilful grotesquery, the answer becomes self-evident. It rejects polish and restraint, favouring curiosity and excess instead. Creation becomes ritual, repetition becomes comfort, and the absurd reveals itself as essential. It’s fun. Honk.
A moody, folklore-soaked strategy deckbuilder where battles play out on grid, so positioning matters as much as your draw. You explore distinct regions, craft loads of cards from enemy materials, and swap archetypes as each biome pushes different mechanics. It’s tough-but-fair with low death penalty, and the pixel art and soundscape absolutely rule. Really cool.
[Early Access] Moonlighter 2 has a ripper loop: roguelite runs, clever backpack loot puzzles, then price-discovery shopkeeping that funds a forest of upgrades. Combat can feel chunky and rewarding, and the 3D worlds this time around really pop, but balance and QoL could do with some love. Definitely worth a look though, and if you liked the first one, it’s a no-brainer.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is tldr.games’ Game of the Year 2025. Virtually alongside Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, it stands as the year’s most remarkable achievement. Where Expedition 33 captivates through ambition, emotion and invention, Silksong reveals its brilliance through precision, trust and mastery, asking the player to engage deeply and improve over time. It is a game that rewards commitment, and one that continues to resonate long after playing.
2025 felt like a year where smaller games punched far above their weight. While the industry continued to deal with instability seemingly never ending layoffs, some of the most confident and memorable releases came from indie and AA teams willing to take real creative swings. These are my favourite games of the year. Order is alphabetical, excludes early access.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 completely dominated The Game Awards 2025, taking out Game of the Year alongside Best Game Direction, Narrative, Art Direction, Score and Music, RPG, Independent Game, Debut Indie Game and Best Performance - a record nine awards. Elsewhere, Hades II won Best Action, Hollow Knight: Silksong claimed Best Action Adventure, Arc Raiders took Best Multiplayer. Read the full list here.
Larian Studios confirmed the return of the Divinity series with a new entry following the success of Baldur’s Gate 3. While still early, the announcement surely signals a return to deep systems, player choice and reactive worlds. Absolutely insane trailer - cannot wait.
Housemarque returned with a new look at Saros. The update focused on tone and world building, suggesting a darker and more narrative driven experience while retaining the studio’s signature fast, precise bullet hell combat. Looks sick.