2025 has come to an end and so I want to take a look at what the best gaming had to offer in 2054. This is a list of my personal categories and my personal choices, and they will not be the same as others but that is fine because all our opinions are different in some ways. I will also note that there were many acclaimed games this year that I simply did not get a chance to play and so I could not cover them.
We have most but not all of our returning categories from last year, and also some more. Have a look below
Best re-releases and collections
Capcom Fighting Collection 2
A brilliant collection of several of the best Capcom fighting games, including the Capcom vs SNK games and Power Stone games, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 was a fantastic follow-up to Capcom Fighting Collection and Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics and brought many of the more underrated Capcom fighters back for a new audience. It did leave out some games, but there may have been emulation issues preventing their inclusion. In the meantime, this is a treat for fighting game fans.
Lunar Remastered Collection
The Lunar games were some of the best classic JRPGs of the 90s and always felt like they were victims of a sense of obscurity where people knew about them but not enough people played them. Lunar Remastered Collection may not use the classic localization, but it is a fantastic way for both fans of the games and newcomers to get to experience these gems on modern hardware. There is a reason the Lunar games are so beloved
Arcade Archives The Outfoxies
The Outfoxies was a platform fighting game released by Namco that never left arcades until just recently. The game is often stated to have been an influence on the Super Smash Bros series and was talked about but not experienced. Now more people finally have the chance to see the game that truly helped originate the platform fighting genre, and can see that it still feels unique in its own right, with many ideas that later games did not borrow. Well worth playing.
Super Technos World: River City & Technos Arcade Classics
Arc System Works previously released a collection of Technos games in the Double Dragon and Kunio series, and Super Technos World: River City & Technos Arcade Classics is a fantastic second collection that continues that work. More classic games are included and released in the west for the first time, although two are not given a localization. Some of the more underrated Technos beat em ups are here, both console and arcade versions, and the amazing Neo Geo Super Dodgeball has at last had a re-release. The inclusion of online is again fantastic, and really makes everything just shine more.
The Best Action Games
Ninja Gaiden Ragebound
A new 2D Ninja Gaiden game is a reason to celebrate and this new entry from The Game Kitchen and Dotemu, who licensed the game from Koei Tecmo, is absolutely incredible. Excellent visuals that stand as some of the best in a 2D Ninja Gaiden game and an amazing soundtrack that includes new versions of fan favourite tunes help make this a special entry. The gameplay is nothing short of incredible and a worthy entry in the series, with interesting new hooks to give Ragebound its own identity and feel, while still feeling like a Ninja Gaiden game.
Shinobi Art of Vengeance
Ninja Gaiden was not the only classic Ninja series to get a new 2D entry as Shinobi received a new title from Lizardcube and Dotemu under license from SEGA. Lizardcube is known for the gorgeous visuals in its games and Art of Vengeance is no exception, with an art style that is breathtaking and fluid, and with action that calls to mind modern masterpieces like Devil May Cry 5, the gameplay stands out as some of the best in the series. Shinobi has always been a great series, but Art of Vengeance may just be the best game yet.
Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
The Yakuza series, aka the Like a Dragon series, has been through many games and incarnations, from the classic games, to Samurai spinoffs, to the shift to JRPGs. Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii never tries to feel like a mainline entry, but rather understands it is a side game that is able to go all out with zaniness. A return to the brawler formula Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii mains the usual exploration from the previous games, but there are some new things that stand out, such as hidden areas and treasure chests befitting the pirate theme, and this is before we get to the naval combat part of the game.Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a brilliant spinoff that shows how creative RGG Studio can be when they are given full reign.
Neon Inferno
Neon Inferno does not just feel right as a game. It is both fun and exciting in its own right, and feels like a real innovation in a genre that does not innovate as much as refine. With elements of fighting games, beat em ups, gallery shooters, Contra, Mega Man X, Cyberpunk anime and more, Neon Inferno is nonstop excitement and thanks to a variety of additional modes, there is enough to keep you coming back over and over again after you finish. What we have here is a game that manages to blend so many different styles of shooter games into a run n gun that pushes the genre forward in a meaningful way, which is saying something given how established the genre has become over the decades.
Best RPGS
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
To be honest, this game took a long time to click for me. I am including this as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s impact cannot be denied and the title has been a game changer bringing a much needed shakeup of the industry. It just took a long time to grow on me, even though I do acknowledge the music is amazing and it manages to bring many of the best elements of JRPGs into one new amazing experience. It is worth playing, and I suggest you all check it out.
Tainted Grail The Fall of Avalon
When I first played Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, I was interested in the game as a Skyrim-like adventure to keep me happy while waiting for Elder Scrolls VI, but the final result left a different feeling within me. Maybe it is because Bethesda RPGs have increasingly played things safe, but Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon just feels so fresh. If I can compare Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon to anything, it would be a mix of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, titles with more traditional RPG aspects, and elements of Elden Ring as well. The combat feels far more satisfying here, with a good variety to it, including dodges, blocks, and parries, as well as a great set up for mage builds to use. In fact, the spells feel much more satisfying than most action RPGs and less cumbersome to use. This feels more like a successor to The Elder Scrolls than any game Bethesda may put out in the future, and I hope to see more from this team.
Nice Day for Fishing
Based on the Epic NPC Man sketches from the New Zealand comedy troupe Viva La Dirt League, Nice Day For Fishing is a brilliant parody RPG that still manages to feel epic in its own way. This is a fishing RPG focused on the fisherman Baelin and is a surprisingly deep and addictive experience. I rarely try to 100% a game, but Nice Day For Fishing is one I made sure to do, because this retraux style fishing RPG is a game that I could not get enough of, and with additional updates, there is so much to keep me coming back for more.
Quartet
When it comes to indie games taking tribute from the greats of JRPG history, there is a new standout as Quartet captures the nostalgia aspect of RPGs, while keeping the formula simple and engaging. With the amount of attention to detail and effort put in here, you can really appreciate this game and the sheer devotion for the role-playing genre is certainly seen when you play Quartet as it understands what made those classics work and why they were fun. It does not try and reinvent the wheel, but instead brings an experience that feels familiar in a good way.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma may just be the best game in the Rune Factory series yet, and is one of the most involving and addictive games I have played in a long time. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma was promised to be a game that would break series trends and try new things and Marvelous was not exaggerating. Both the farming sim and RPG elements have been radically overhauled, in addition to how you interact with villagers and take part in combat.This is the most fully realized Rune Factory game yet, with each character feeling unique and well written, especially in how they interact with both you as the player and other characters in the game.I have high hopes now for Rune Factory 6.
Best Remakes and Remasters
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered was one of the worst kept secrets in gaming, having been leaked years before the official announcement. This actually helped the game in many ways though, as it worked to build hype for the product to the point that when it was released on the very day it was officially announced, it immediately became a bestseller. Oblivion Remastered is the result of Virtuous taking the original game and utilizing a dual engine system to layer Unreal Engine 5 over the original Gamebryo engine to allow for a vastly improved look and feel. What was a game that looked extremely aged by today’s standards now looks modern and fresh with a much needed makeover. In many ways the game feels like a fantasy RPG version of Doom, especially when compared to Doom: The Dark Ages, and going back to this experience just feels great. Now what else can get this treatment?
Suikoden I & II HD Remaster
The Suikoden games were some of the most innovative and creative RPGs in the 90s and fans have wanted to see the series return in some way for years. Now Konami has answered the call with Suikoden I & II HD Remaster, which brings the first two games into the modern age with all new bells and whistles. Whether you have played the games before, or are just experiencing them for the first time, Suikoden I & II HD Remaster is a great way to play these gems.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition
When it comes to Warhammer 40 000 video games, one series stands head and shoulders above all the others, and that is the Dawn of War series. Fans have been wanting a return of the series for a long time and Relic Entertainment has answered those calls with Dawn of War – Definitive Edition. This is a remaster of the original game with some quality of life changes that comes with all of the original content, including all of the expansions and add-ons. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition is the best way to play the game, as it brings the classic into the current generation, while keeping everything that fans loved about the games, and showed that Relic was listening to fan feedback when making this game. This is a remaster done right, and now all that is needed is for Dawn of War II to get the same treatment.
Biggest Surprises
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Words of Vengeance
I am not sure what people expected from the Skulls Showcase this year, but it sure was not a new spiritual sequel to Typing of the Dead done as a spinoff to Warhammer 40,000 Boltgun. A short game, but completely free and later receiving further updates, Words of Vengeance is extremely fun
Terminator 2D: No Fate
I don’t think anyone was expecting a new retro style Terminator game this year. We have been getting several great Terminator games recently, but the announcement of Terminator 2D: No Fate was something special, being a throwback style sidescroller that pledged to be the game we wanted but never got. The delays did nothing to kill the hype, and instead just made the payoff of its release that much better.
Best Indie Revival/Reinvention
Neon Inferno
I said most of what needed to be said above in the best Action Games section, so I will just reiterate that Neon Inferno takes the classic run n gun formula and pushes it in a new direction that feels like a real evolution. Well worth playing.
The Angry Video Game nerd 8-Bit
The Angry Video Game Nerd has been around for over twenty years and has starred in two games and a remake/enhanced version of the two games which did well, so it was only a matter of time before the AVGN got adapted one more time. Angry Video Game Nerd 8-bit is a fantastic entry in the series full of fan service to keep longtime AVGN viewers happy. The difficulty level does vary a bit, but it will not be too hard for those not used to NES games, but you can have it be a challenge if you want. The result is a throwback to the NES era that feels genuine in every way.
Crescent Tower
Crescent Tower is an indie RPG that is a throwback to classic JRPGs, especially those on the PC-88. The dungeon crawler may feel a bit archaic to some, and there is another gameplay mode for those overwhelmed, but Crescent Tower is just a phenomenal RPG that feels fun in the best way possible. Sometimes, simple is better, and yet there is also a surprising amount of depth in Crescent Tower. You can start playing and suddenly lose countless hours to this game, and you will not regret one moment of it,
Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution
A literal indie revival, as the Game Boy Advance was supposed to receive an entry entitled Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution, which would have been the second game in the series, but was never released until now. Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution contains the original Game Boy Advance Release that was released earlier this year, but also contains a touched up version as the main game, complete with some new visual enhancements for character portraits and such. Both are fun to play, and it is neat to have as an addition.Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution feels different as a Shantae game, this time around, the map will be altered at various points due to the villainous Risky Boots shifting the earth under Sequin Land/ This drastically alters the map layouts and will lead to you needing to go back and forth multiple times as the layout changes. It should not work, but it does in a big way
Terminator 2D: No Fate
There have been a number of throwback style games lately, many in the beat em up genre, but Terminator 2D: No Fate is the movie tie-in game we wanted but never received. The game is brilliant in its design, with amazing visuals, a fun variety of gameplay styles, and deep reverence for the Terminator lore. The addition of multiple endings for further replays, just continues to make the experience one that really needs to be played by all.
Dispatch
With the fall of the original Telltale games, others have risen up to fill the gap left by the developer. Adhoc Games is a studio made up of former Telltale Games employees and employed the same episodic format in Dispatch, a superhero adventure game. Dispatch is a brilliant take on the superhero genre that sees a former hero work as a superhero dispatcher, but the deep narrative and the fact that your choices actually matter help it stand out as a revelation in the adventure game genre. The use of skillpoints and experience, also calls to mind Superhero League of Hoboken, a point n click RPG from the 90s that was also about managing a team of superheroes, and Dispatch shows that idea can still work, even if the genre is a bit different here.
Best Beat Em Ups
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate is a nice remake of the original Battle Grounds, built using Unreal Engine 5 and there are some neat additions here. For instance, you can take control of the villain characters in the Arcade Mode, and each has a unique style that provides good variety. Phantom Breaker Battle Grounds Ultimate is a fantastic beat ’em up that remained true to its fighting game roots by melding the two genres well. It delivers a fast paced arcade style gameplay that you will want to keep playing over and over, and the added content just makes it even better.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a new beat ’em up that adapts the Marvel storyline “Annihilation” as if it took place in the 90s, and Tribute games tries some new things to make the experience feel different to other beat em ups. Marvel Cosmic Invasion clearly feels like a game meant for playing with friends, and the stages are designed around movement, and while not as fun in solo play as it is with friends, there is a lot of charm here. Marvel Cosmic invasion is a massive treat for fans of 90s Marvel, the Annihilation comics, classic beat em ups and also modern Marvel, and while many are comparing Marvel Cosmic Invasion to Konami’s X-Men arcade game (to which there there are some similarities for sure and some shoutouts,) the best comparison is to Capcom’s classic Marvel games, including the Vs series, The Punisher, and the console beat em ups. It’s the little things in Marvel Cosmic Invasion that make it stand out, such as the multiple smaller references to comics, such as ads appearing in the background for Secret Hospital, a soap opera Mary Jane Watson appeared in during the Spider-Man comics in that period, and Nova having his 90s look. In fact, certain characters will comment on various cameos and background events, and it adds a neat touch to the game that gives it a unique identity.
Absolum
Absolum is easily one of the most inventive games in recent years and is not just one one of the best beat em ups in this year, but also one of the best indie games released this year, a year stacked with amazing indie titles.Absolum combines surprisingly deep storytelling with well thought out gameplay that helps evolve the beat em up genre. Forget just button mashing here, as all that will do is see to it that your run ends faster. And you will do multiple runs, because that is the nature of the roguelike, where more of the game becomes revealed each time you play and each run is slightly different. Absolum is a game that pushes its genres forward, and I hope to see more like it going forward.
Absolum is what happens when you take Golden Axe, mix it with Dragon’s Crown and the Capcom D&D games, and throw in Hades-style roguelike elements. It needs to be stated that while roguelike elements are being incorporated into more and more types of games these days, it makes so much sense to do so in beat em ups which are also about replaying games. Indeed, Absolum is not the first roguelike beat em up, with such titles in the past like Streets of Red: Devil’s Dare Deluxe, and Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons, while TMNT Splintered Fate brought beat em up elements to the Hades Style of Roguelikes before. What Absolum does do, is combine these specific roguelike elements with beat em ups and storytelling in a unique way.
Double Dragon Revive
Right from the start, Double Dragon Revive makes it clear that you need to understand its mechanics or you will get beaten down repeatedly. Mechanics like parrying and blocking need to be mastered or bosses will make short work of you, and learning how to use the environment properly is key to success. And keep in mind that every mechanic you have to use, so do your enemies, including parry attacks. Double Dragon Revive feels like an experimental indie revival, the kind of which you would see a lot of in the early 2010s, but on a bigger scale. The best title to compare it to, is actually Double Dragon Neon, and Double Dragon Revive feels like a successor to that title in many ways, especially in how it expands on the formula. Hopefully Double Dragon Revive will catch on with fans the way Double Dragon Neon did, because the game really does provide much of what fans have wanted.
Dishonorable mention goes to Terrifier: The ARTcade Game. Easily the worst beat em up in years, with an art style straight from other games, and terrible gameplay. This is just one to avoid
Games You Slept On
The Rogue Prince of Persia
The Rogue Prince of Persia is a fantastic game I have seen so few people talk about and I cannot understand why. The game is essentially Dead Cells 2, while also being satisfying as a Prince of Persia game, with elements of both series shining bright here. This is a fantastic and addictive game, and one of the best roguelikes I have ever played. It takes a while to get used to, but is a game that will keep you coming back over and over for just one more run.
Best Games For All Ages
Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Bananza is a brilliant step forward for the Donkey Kong franchise that manages to be uplifting, fun and innovative all in a big way. A 3D platformer that feels more like a classic Rare game than games Rare has made in the last couple of decades, Donkey Kong Bananaza is everything fans have wanted from a new 3D entry in the series, with the team behind Super Mario Odyssey building on their previous work to create a game that is bigger and better, but also more emotional. The storytelling is never a big part of a Nintendo platformer, but it is here and is one reason why Donkey Kong Bananza feels different in a good way. This is the best 3D platformer of 2025, and a game anyone can enjoy without any issue.
Games That Were Better Than People Said
Captain Blood
Well, I won’t lie to you all. Captain Blood is very dated in it’s design and gameplay and it is very much evident when this was made and what it was trying to do. The thing is, that ends up being Captain Blood’s biggest strength since it acts as a throwback to that earlier era and reminds us why that era was so beloved. Captain Blood just feels fun, especially with the various executions you can do and an interesting assortment of enemies. Right from the starting sections, Captain Blood gives you a variety of foes to fight and each of them has a different style that needs to be approached differently. Some will also drop weapons you can pick up and use for a bit. and these can be very fun while you have them. Yes, it is outdated, but right now this outdated design may be what gaming needs. It feels like going back in time to a time when things were more simple and that is a great feeling, making this a case of the game being outdated in a great way.
Double Dragon Revive
When Double Dragon Revive was first revealed, the reception from gamers was not positive and that is putting it mildly. It did not help that the game was coming after the very well received Double Dragon Gaiden Rise of the Dragons and had an art style that seemed to imply the game would be all flash and no substance, and not everyone was even sold on said art style. Initial impressions of the game have been very negative, but after playing myself after receiving a review key from Arc System Works, I have to say I am confused by what has been said about the game. Double Dragoon Revive is not the best beat ’em up in recent years, but it does not need to be. This is not trying to be a back to basics game as some have claimed, but a title that tries to modernize Double Dragon by taking influence from the best of modern fighting games, and expanding the lore. It may not all land, and the story may fall flat at times, but that is honestly fine, because the experience just feels fun.
And there we are. What stood out as the best of 2025 in gaming to you?
