You can check out Adam Cole aka TheCHUGS streaming multiple times a week on his Twitch channel.
This year will go down as one of my favorite years in gaming…if not my favorite year ever. We got to see such a wide variety of titles, truly showcasing why Video Games are unlike anything else. A special art form that entertains & inspires millions of people across the globe. And that’s a word I want to focus on today…special. Because this was such a special year, this is going to be a special list. I have wrapped my brain around this list for days, even weeks at this point, but I am so excited to share with you all the games that mattered most to me this year.
10. South of Midnight
When I initially saw the art style for this title, I was immediately intrigued. I love when games have such a distinct look and feel. South of Midnight was such a joy to play. This 3D action adventure title is filled with such cool environments, absolutely incredible music, and a story that is rich and full. If you haven’t played South of Midnight, I highly recommend it!
9. Borderlands 4
I am a massive Borderlands fan. Borderlands 2 is one of my favorite games of all time. So I was beyond excited to see that Borderlands 4 was shaping up to be an excellent new title. And I wasn’t disappointed! This is a Borderlands game through and through, with millions of guns, interesting characters, and an open world to explore. What made this so fun for me was that this was the first Borderlands game that I actually played co-op. Most people would say that playing Borderlands co-op is the way to play, and I tend to agree. Me and three others had an absolute blast exploring the open world together. Whether it was getting into random gun fights, sharing the excitement for rare loot, or laughing hysterically for being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Borderlands 4 is a blast…especially with friends!
8. Elden Ring Nightreign
I love From Software. If they make a Soulsborne title, you can pretty much count me in day 1. I was incredibly intrigued by this multiplayer focused rouge-like title taking place in the world of Elden Ring. And fortunately it was just as fun as I had hoped! To me, this game is hard. Like really hard…especially if you are playing solo! But it is so much fun. I have little experience with rogue-like titles, but this one really showed me how fun they can be! Generally speaking, I enjoy single-player stories and adventures. Which is normally what I would do with Elden Ring: Nightreign. But going online and playing with 2 people you don’t know, fighting for your life against the incredible bosses from the FromSoft catalogue, is so much fun. Watching your teammate save the day, or being the one to save the day when everyone is down, is such an awesome experience that you can only find in Video Games. I will certainly be playing this into 2026 and beyond!
7. Doom: The Dark Ages
Since DOOM 2016, DOOM has been back in a big way. Between DOOM (2016) and DOOM: Eternal, I have been hyped on this franchise ever since. So when DOOM: The Dark Ages was announced, I was beyond hyped. And fortunately, this game delivered in every single way. I’ve been so impressed with all 3 of these titles, because they all feel so different. DOOM: The Dark Ages is a bit slower paced (as far as movement), but this is still very much a frantic and adrenaline fueled experience! The new parry system and shield throw are such cool mechanics, and all the chaos of DOOM is here. DOOM: The Dark Ages makes you feel like an absolute badass, and I love every second of it!
6. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
It was one hell of a year for ninja titles this year. Between Shinobi: Art of Vengeance and Ninja Gaiden 4 (both awesome titles as well), it was an awesome year. However, I’d say my favorite of these titles had to be Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. This is a retro-inspired action platformer that is a blast to play. The game certainly requires you to act fast. Whether it’s the fights or the platforming. But they execute this 2D title so perfectly. The switching between 2 characters was so well done, and the story itself was a joy to experience. I love that we still get titles like this, and games like Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound keeps that love alive.
5. Pokémon Legends: Z-A
I love me some Pokémon. Every morning, I start my day with some Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. Leading up to Pokémon Legends: ZA, I was a little unsure of how I felt. I really love turn-based combat, and I have always experienced Pokémon that way. Well…let me just say that the new combat in this game absolutely rules! Running around in real time, deciding what moves to use is so much fun, and it doesn’t take away at all from that Pokémon feel. I’m playing on Switch 2, and it certainly runs incredibly well, which is also great news. The story is a lot of fun, and the open world is SO much fun to explore. The day and night system keeps things interesting. If you are a Pokémon fan and haven’t had the chance to play this yet, you really should. It’s a Pokémon adventure you will certainly want to go on!
4. Ghost of Yōtei
Ghost of Tsushima is one of my fav new IP’s from Sony. Sucker Punch did such an incredible job. And with Ghost of Yotei, they did it yet again. This is one of the most beautiful games I have ever laid my eyes on. This open world is one where you could just ride around on your horse for hours and take in the scenery. In addition to that, the open world is so alive and filled with so many different experiences. With a map this large, I can only imagine how hard that is to do. And this open world reminded me of Red Dead Redemption 2, where around every corner there was something interesting worth exploring. The combat is a lot of fun as well, with many cool new additions. And of course, the music, the voice acting, the story are all top tier. Ghost of Yotei had a lot to live up to, and I think they nailed it and then some.
3. Silent Hill f
There is a reason that Silent Hill games are known for being the best psychological horror games out there. Me and so many others were so excited for this new title. The setting being in Japan was an amazing new location, and the combat looked like it would spice things up. This is an amazing horror title that does a great job of scaring you, but also continuing to push you forward. To me, the highlight of this game is its incredible storytelling. Silent Hill games are able to tell stories in such incredible ways. They are able to jump into some heavy topics that really get you to think and dig for even more meaning. Silent Hill f really took a gamble on how you experience this entire story, and I love that they did. Because the truth is, there is absolutely nothing like Silent Hill, and that’s something to be proud of. Silent Hill f is a horror game that I will be thinking about for years to come.
2. Donkey Kong Bananza
I have been waiting years for a new Donkey Kong title, especially a new 3D Donkey Kong. I wasn’t sure if we were ever going to get one… but we sure did. Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the most fun, well-designed, and creative 3D platformers I have ever played. The fact that practically everything in this game is destructible absolutely blew my mind. And often, as you are digging in a random location, you end up finding something. The last portion of this game is one of my fav endings to a game ever. It culminates in the absolute perfect way. And more important than anything else…it’s fun! I am so impressed that Nintendo continues to break barriers for their trusted franchises, because I had never played anything like this before. Donkey Kong Bananza is one of my fav 3D platformers ever. What a worthy return for Donkey Kong!
Ok, so remember how I said this was a special list? This is why. I have been thinking about this a lot, and I just can not choose a definitive number 1. Because this year, I got to play two of the best Video Games I have ever played. And both of them were completely different experiences. This may be cheating…but this year, these 2 titles are my #1 for 2025…
1A. Hollow Knight: Silksong
The hype for this game was unlike anything I had ever seen. Every single gaming showcase, the chat was filled with “Silksong?!” Just hoping that we would get some news on Team Cherry’s newest project. I can’t believe the amount of pressure that team must have felt, because so many people had the highest expectations for this title. And I can easily say, it exceeded my expectations. I was trying to buy the game for hours on release day (all the storefronts were shut down), and when I finally booted this game up, it was magic. For the next month, I proceeded to play Silksong every single day. Between the amazing new worlds, the awesome new characters, the unreal music, and the incredible new combat with some VERY challenging bosses, this game had it all. In my opinion, Team Cherry just executed this perfectly. Because it “feels” like a Hollow Knight game, but it very clearly is also a completely different standalone title, especially in regards to the combat. I got 100% in this game on my first playthrough, and I couldn’t get enough. The joy of waking up and knowing that I was going to be able to jump back into Silksong and explore everything it had to offer was one of my favorite experiences this year. If the original Hollow Knight made me fall in love with metroidvanias, Hollow Knight: Silksong made me fall in love with Video Games even more.
1B. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
My experience with Expedition 33 was completely different from Silksong. I wasn’t counting the days waiting for this title to drop. I had seen some trailers and thought it looked pretty cool, but that’s about it. I had zero expectations for this title…but to say this Video Game absolutely blew me away would be an understatement. I experienced Expedition 33 much differently than Silksong. I actually streamed the game, and it took me much longer to experience the title. This game was a slow burn for me. And after every single stream, I would go to bed thinking “My God…I can’t wait to play this game again.” From the jump, this game is a masterpiece. I knew after playing the prologue that this was going to be special, and it was. The story this game told is one of my favorite stories ever told in media. The music is some of the best in gaming history. The new spin on turn based combat made this so engaging for all players. Expedition 33 is a once in a generation Video Game, and getting to experience it on stream with my community was just the perfect way. We laughed together, we cried together, we experienced Expedition 33 together. Because that’s what this game is…an experience. I am just thankful I got the chance to play this masterpiece…because I will never forget it.
There you have it! That was my Top ten (or so) list of my favorite Video Games in 2025. If there’s anything 2025 has told us, it’s that we have a lot to look forward to in 2026 and beyond. As gamers, we are experiencing some of the best games of our generation. Let’s sit back and enjoy it!