Honorable Mentions

Two video games price shouting out that did not make our greatest PC shortlist are Europa Universalis 5 and Anno 117: Pax Romana – technique video games have a comfortable house right here, and whereas the style is is a bit harder to penetrate than likes of RPGs and motion video games, its plain that 2025 has been a fantastic 12 months for 4X followers. Equally, mouse-and-keyboard diehards had loads to sink their tooth into this 12 months with superior FPS choices like Doom: The Darkish Ages, Arc Raiders, and Battlefield 6, all of that are sitting comfortably as nominees for our Best Shooter class. There have been additionally some glorious indie roguelike hits like Ball x Pit, Megabonk, and Monster Prepare 2 that may really feel at house on PC. That is to not point out one other nice RPG that simply obtained pushed out of the highest 5 right here in The Outer Worlds 2, in addition to the wonderful Cut up Fiction, each of which made our Best Xbox nominations.

Runner-Up – Hole Knight: Silksong

The dialog across the long-awaited Hole Knight: Silksong was nearly solely dominated by problem when it first arrived. It is a brutally difficult platformer, typically unforgiving however by no means outright unfair, and one that actually examined those that tried to beat its seemingly limitless map. However to boil Silksong all the way down to solely discussions of problem does it a disservice. Whether or not or not that one run again to a boss is simply too lengthy, or that faux save bench that truly drops you right into a pit of poison water is simply too imply (it is not, it is hilarious), there’s a lot Silksong does proper, or extra typically brilliantly, that make it a really gorgeous achievement total. Its world is detailed and delightful, its characters are charming and cleverly written, its music is persistently unbelievable, and its branching paths allow you to discover and develop stronger regardless of which route you go, at all times providing you with choices if you happen to hit a bodily or metaphorical wall. The story it tells can be touching and nuanced, advised by way of a lead character that has turn out to be a standout. Silksong is a recreation that nails almost all the pieces it makes an attempt, and a sequel that was completely well worth the wait.

Runner-Up – Blue Prince

It is easy to underestimate Blue Prince. The truth is, it is simple to succeed in the credit, play deep into its endgame, and nonetheless underestimate simply how a lot is hidden within the shifting halls of the roguelike puzzler. A sensible mix of genres that come collectively to make one thing not fairly like the rest we have performed earlier than, Blue Prince is one of these singular puzzle video games that hooks you laborious after which makes you would like you would wipe your thoughts and play it yet again when you’re lastly by way of. Its solely frustration comes within the kind of its randomness, however even that’s woven in masterfully as a beast that may be tamed with ability, information, and many of everlasting upgrades. It someway strikes the identical tone as video games like Myst, however with the engaging “only one extra run” of wildly totally different all-time contenders like Slay The Spire. That is a tough line to stroll, however Blue Prince strides alongside it with grace.

Runner-Up – Hades 2

Just like Hole Knight: Silksong, Hades 2 had the unenviable activity of following within the footsteps of an absolute big. How do you enhance on one thing already so near perfection? Effectively, developer Supergiant’s technique was to go greater greater greater. It does not revolutionize what made the unique Hades so unbelievable, nevertheless it does provide a distinctly totally different taste of it, after which stuffs that refreshed bundle full of so many new areas, enemies, techniques, and improve choices that it greater than fulfills the position of a real and correct sequel. Melinoë’s journey to kill the titan of time can be a enjoyable twist on a well-recognized method, and her moveset and weapon choices masterfully shake up the nonetheless glorious motion with out overcomplicating something – that is why though it did not win the highest spot right here, it was topped our greatest motion recreation of 2025. And, of course, all of that’s complimented by the identical beautiful sense of model and hypnotizing soundtrack that helped the primary recreation go away such an enduring mark.

Runner-Up – Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might command the middle of the RPG stage in 2025, however overlooking Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 dancing proper alongside it might be a mistake. This large medieval journey might maintain you enjoying nicely previous the 100-hour mark, with tons of tales to unravel and quests to finish. Most notably of all, these duties include heaps of selections to make that provide you with a hand in how this story performs out, in addition to the burden of residing with the implications of your actions. We have been ready a very long time already for The Elder Scrolls 6, and it looks like we’ll be ready a very long time nonetheless, however Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an outstanding different earlier than that day ever comes – and is much from a comfort prize within the meantime, standing as a really spectacular RPG that very nicely might have been claiming the highest spot of many an inventory in a 12 months that wasn’t dominated by a sure French recreation…

Winner – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

I would not blame you if you happen to really feel like rolling your eyes on the absolute sweep Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has rolled out for award ceremonies throughout each IGN and the video games trade as an entire, however changing into so used to it successful all the pieces from best-ofs to costume contests all through the month of December doesn’t suggest it does not should. This distinctly (even perhaps aggressively) French RPG does not actually do a ton we have not seen elsewhere earlier than, transparently owing hundreds to the loads of Japanese-made RPGs that so clearly impressed it – nevertheless it does carry collectively hundreds of acquainted items and assembles them in a approach that feels contemporary and new. The thrilling and assorted motion parts of its turn-based fight, the attention-grabbing twist on a post-apocalyptic plot, and the powerhouse energy of the ensemble forged fueling the guts of all of it. Add to all this that it is come from a model new developer that clearly understands the way to punch above its weight – to not point out it got here out of the gate swinging with a PC model that did not require frantic post-launch patching to be optimized – and it is not laborious to know why Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is our winner for Best PC Game of 2025.

Obtained a special choose? Inform us what your favorite PC recreation of 2025 was within the feedback! For extra IGN awards, you possibly can test all of them out in a single place right here, together with our picks for one of the best Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo video games of the 12 months.