There were too many games that came out in 2025 — especially in the last few months. I’ve said it before on podcasts and to friends privately, but we are all currently drowning in games to play as the entire industry pushes to get their products out before “Grand Theft Auto VI” releases and causes a black hole of sales that will collapse everything in its wake.
There are quite a few games I didn’t get to that could have made my top ten of the year. In fact, some games like “Elden Ring: Nightreign” are sitting on my hard drive right now waiting to be played! But I highly doubt I can spend enough time in any of them to effectively say if they’re worth playing despite there being months of opportunities for anyone reading this to have played them to completion.
What is my criteria for this list? Just the amount of FOMO I have. The bearing of quality for these titles is irrelevant, because I do not bow to the general consensus of major review outlets and have my own unique taste in what games I deem to be “good.”
10. ‘Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’
The first “Kingdom Come: Deliverance” is another game sitting on my Xbox waiting to be started. But, honestly, who has time to sink 200+ hours into each of these things? A hyper-specific attention to detail, an infinitely large world to ride your horse around, and hours of cut scenes to watch. It’s just way too daunting, no matter how much people like these things. Maybe over the summer?
09. ‘Suika Planet’
They say it’s coming out this year! I don’t know if I believe Nintendo on this one, but “Suika Game” is on the Mount Rushmore of puzzle games alongside “Tetris,” “Lumines,” “Meteos,” “Puyo Puyo…” Look, there are many heads on this particular Mount Rushmore — they all fit in like puzzle blocks up there on the mountain.
08. ‘Ball x Pit’
I love brick breaker games, and I love roguelikes, so what exactly is the reason I’m not addicted to this one? Well, for one, it has a town building element and I don’t wanna interact with that nonsense. Secondly, I hold a grudge on this game because it made me lose my fantasy league. Fuck you “Ball x Pit.”
07. ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide’
I love the new renaissance in SpongeBob platformers. It kicked off with the remake of “Battle for Bikini Bottom” and continued with “Cosmic Shake.” Cannot wait to sink my teeth into this 7.5/10 masterpiece.
06. ‘Keeper’
When Game Pass Ultimate went up to $30 a month, I had to bow out. This means I won’t have access to play Double Fine’s new game until it hits the much cheaper version of Game Pass or goes on deep discount during the rare digital sale that specifically targets my wish list.
05. ‘Terminator 2D: No Fate’
This is the most 1991 video game of all time, based on the greatest action film ever made, and it is SO up my alley. It’s like they made this game just for Grant and me! But a full price tag for this? No thanks.
04. ‘Baby Steps’
Taking a Bennett Foddy joke/game and stretching it out to a fuller length experience seems both unwarranted and daunting to me. I can fool around with his stuff and have a blast, but double digit hour counts are reserved for things not meant to piss me off. Y’know?
03. ‘Lumines Arise’
This is more “Lumines.” I have already played “Lumines” before, so maybe some day, but I am in no rush despite how good this looks and how badly it cost me my fantasy league this year.
02. ‘Hell is Us’
This is a Soulslike with a cool guy in a poncho running around what looks like the Pacific Northwest. How this isn’t my favorite game of all time already is a mystery to me, but reviews didn’t blow me away and I can wait until a sale goes on to nab this one.
01. ‘Split Fiction’
Grant and I will play through this, and that will be the day I have to retroactively change my top ten games of the year list. But until then, this will be but a lovely pipe dream.
Image credit: “SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide,” “Terminator 2D: NO FATE,” “Hell is Us,” “Lumines Arise”
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