What's up, Duders? It's me, Tamoor Hussain. Bet you never thought you'd see or hear from me again. Well, you were wrong, because I remain alive and I am here doing an end-of-the-year list to tell you what my favourite games are from 2025 for Giant Bomb; an independently owned video game website that has a monthly subscription fee that you can pay to support independent media and a bunch of people that have mouths to feed.
Anyway, I can assure you that this will be the best, most accurate list you will read this year because, as you all know, I have impeccable gaming tastes. So, let's get into it.
Bloodborne
Yes, I know this was released years ago, but I played it three times this year, and it still rules, and I have a rep to maintain. Seriously though, Bloodborne is a game that I come back to very regularly--I think I actually play it at least once a year--and somehow it hasn't got old to me at all. If you somehow haven't played it yet, please, do yourself a favour (DO NOT EDIT THAT SPELLING GRUBB I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR AMERICAN SPELLING) and check it out.
Open-World Bloodborne
Yes, I know Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree have been out for a while now, but what if I told you there was a mod that would transform From Software's outstanding open-world action-RPG into an experience that makes it play as an open-world Bloodborne title? Well, I am telling you now. It exists. And it is very cool. Obviously, as a mod it has some rough edges, but I think it's very cool.
Coin Flipping Bloodborne
What if I told you that there is a game out there that can be accurately described as the Dark Souls of coin flipping? Well, that's what Unfair Flips is. Your goal is to flip a coin to get it to land on heads 10 times in a row. But here's the twist: the coin hates you. That means that you begin the game with just a 20% chance of landing on heads, but as you continue to flip and generate money, you'll be able to start buying upgrades that make it a little more likely that you'll land on heads and also make the process of flipping and generating more money quicker.
French Bloodborne
This year, Sandfall Interactive released a video game inspired in large part by the From Software classic Sekiro. It's called Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and, if you really think about it, the game has a lot in common with Bloodborne. How, you ask? Well there is a strange, otherworldly being that is seemingly godlike that wields unfathomable power and uses it to emotionlessly wipe thousands from existence at its whims. Sounds like an Eldritch god to me, and is that not what Bloodborne is about? Also, have you seen Esquie--you can't tell me that weird little dude isn't Lovecraftian. And look at all the outfits the expeditioners wear--they're Hunters. Combat that involves dodging and parrying; using counter-attacks to turn the tables on your opponents? C'mon.
Irish Bloodborne
When it comes to Bloodborne-like outfits, another game that channels the same impeccable fits is The Séance of Blake Manor, a brilliant puzzle game that involves playing a detective in the 19th-Century that has been tasked with figuring out what happened to a missing guest by talking to people, figuring out their movements, and connecting various dots to get to the bottom of events. Everything in this remote mansion is very off; people are weird and creepy; there seems to be an undercurrent of evil around everything; and as far as you know, all hell could break loose. It's kind of exactly not at all like Cainhurst in Bloodborne.
Japanese Schoolgirl Bloodborne
When it comes to striking imagery and the ever-encroaching feeling of horror founded in both the real and surreal, there's nothing quite like Silent Hill f (the f stands for Fear the Old Blood). Much like last year's excellent Where-Is-My-Wifeborne, Silent Hill f returns Konami's brilliant psychological survival horror franchise to the top of the genre with something completely unexpected. It breaks from the norms of the series to focus on a new location (Japan) and character Hinako, who must deal with the pressures of being a female in a society that tries to control her in various ways so that she behaves like a "proper" young lady. This story is told through what Hinako experiences physically and mentally, as well as her relationships with the people around her. The town of Ebisugaoka becomes overrun with monsters that often represent the challenges that Hinako is dealing with, making what was once ordinary become terrifying, akin to a place like… I don't know, Yarnham. All the while, strange mystical entities vie for control over Hinako, like some sort of otherworldly presence hidden in the moon.
Greek Bloodborne
Er, there's a shitty god/titan, and you need to kick his ass.
Thank you for your time.