Gamers Heroes’ 2025 Game of the Year Awards

A year of AAA(A?), indie, and everything in-between, 2025 provided raw thrills across all genres and platforms.

After careful deliberation, our staffers Blaine Smith, Johnny Hurricane, and Casey Scheld have shortlisted five breakaway hits that stand proudly above the rest.

From our small team of three straight to you, here are Gamers Heroes‘ 2025 Game of the Year award winners…

Gamers Heroes’ 2025 Game of the Year Awards

ARC Raiders

So addictive our Co-Founder Blaine Smith has sunk in over 400 hours (and counting!), Embark Studios’ extraction shooter ARC Raiders latched its mechanical claws into us and never let go.

Braving the lethal machines of the surface and retreating to safety in Speranza, ARC Raiders has a truly magnificent gameplay loop that that had us begging for just one more game…15 hours later.

With phrases like “child-like excitement” and “a boiling pot of suspense, hilarity, and utter dread” in our 95/100 review, it’s easy to see ARC Raiders is truly something special.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this in the same year we’ve had Expedition 33, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and The Alters, but ARC Raiders is a real contender for Game of the Year.”

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Priding itself on player-driven choice, Henry of Skalitz never looked so good with the release of Warhorse Studios and Deep Silver’s story-driven action RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.

Featuring a gripping tale of revenge, betrayal, and discovery, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II’s Medieval Europe trappings gave everything – and we mean everything! – purpose.

However, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II’s characters manage to steal the show.

Whether it’s Henry’s ride-or-die buddy Hans or a fresh NPC that needs what-for, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II’s human element made well sure it earned its perfect 100/100 score.

“Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 has quickly become one of my favorite open-world RPGs of all time. Warhorse sits atop RPG Mount Rushmore with the best this industry has to offer.”

Hollow Knight: Silksong

A MetroidVania years in the making (we lost count), Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight: Silksong “shawed” in like a wrecking ball to steal the show.

Featuring a vast (and challenging!) interconnected world, everything in this bug’s life shone bright.

From Christopher Larkin’s stellar score, to its punishing boss fights with multiple phases, to even just bing chilling with Sherma, Hornet’s standalone journey was “worth the wait,” as a famous man once told us.

Even if it did take us a good while to beat…

DELTARUNE Chapters 3 + 4

Another indie darling sweeping headlines, Toby Fox’s DELTARUNE Chapters 3 + 4 dominated the summer with its two new chapters.

Continuing Kris, Susie, and Ralsei’s tale of humor and friendship, players were treated to Mr. (Ant)Tenna’s TV World alongside a venture to The Sanctuary and its DARK ZONE.

While its stellar soundtrack and charismatic characters already make for a compelling GOTY case, DELTARUNE’s fervent community these past six months has proven to be absolutely unrivaled.

Whether its fandubs featuring T-Rank Voice Actors, ongoing theories that have us questioning everything (who is Mike anyway?), or its sense of community that has united fans from across the globe, DELTARUNE Chapters 3 + 4 are pure SOUL.

On that note, we can’t wait to venture forth into the foretold “Field of Pink and Gold” when DELTARUNE Chapter 5 hits next year…

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Last (but certainly not least), Kepler Interactive and Sandfall Interactive’s turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stole headlines and other Game of the Year ceremonies for those who came before.

Tasking players with breaking the Paintress’ cycle of death, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hit all the right notes with its deep turn- and parry-based combat, stellar voice over work and OST by Lorien Testard, and striking Belle Époque aesthetics.

With more than five million units sold, we are all too eager to spread the good word about this work of art – we even gave it a perfect score ourselves!

“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a work of art. Its flawless hybrid combat system joins a cast of characters that tells a story rivaling the very best this medium has ever offered.”

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