The 2025 Game Awards (TigerThyme's Version)

I have... opinions about The Game Awards. We all do! There's definitely a better way to run a night of commercials. Me personally, I think it should be more of an end of the year recap, where a jury votes on their favorite games of the year, and going through a top 10, talking heads of jury members recount why they loved the game. In between could be the trailers and world premieres. I don't think I'll ever be in a position to run The Game Awards the way I want to, so why not make my version of it here in a post! Here are my Top 10 Game of the Year games for 2025, plus related games that I'm looking forward to next for 2026 (I couldn't properly link to trailers, so just look it up)!

10. Many Nights a Whisper

I discovered this from Amos Roddy's (composer of Citizen Sleeper) favorite score of this year. It's a short neat thing! Everybody is counting on you to pull off a Dude Perfect shot! But sometimes, it's okay to just pull off a Dude, You Tried Your Best shot.

Up Next: ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN by Grasshopper Manufacture

I'm obsessed with whatever Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda51 does. I'm hoping it's another "Kill the Past" title, where most of Suda's games fit in with that theme, more often literally but sometimes figuratively as well.

9. Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion

Welcome back, Anthem.

Of course I had to put a mech game on this list, and while this time around, they're technically exosuits, the core gameplay and customization is still fun and engaging. You can fly around or power sprint in your arsenal, but it's also really silly to watch an overpowered exosuit hop in a jeep or ride a horse. Plus there's some good goth fashion on display in this game.

Up Next: TankRat by Alpha Channel Inc.

I've decided that I have two criteria for if I should really like a game:

1. It has good-feeling forward momentum

2. It has mechs

I'm hoping TankRat satisfies both for me.

8. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

I finally got around to this and I think it's still really solid! This game awoke the metroidvania bug that's been resting in my soul. I'm not a big fan of jedi stories in Star Wars, but the Jedi series from Respawn seem to evoke that weirdness of that Star Wars universe that endeared me to Dagobah from The Empire Strikes Back. Some puzzling cameos start veering more towards the fan-service side, but that was something I could look past. Cal is certainly growing on me as a character, but we really deserve a Merrin game.

Up Next: Star Wars: Galactic Racer by Fuse Games

"Good luck following Sebulba, fuckers!"

7. Warframe: The Old Peace

I'll talk about grief for the next game, and this update explores grief! The story of Warframe is approaching another major arc climax, and where many stories often go bigger, Warframe firmly focuses on very personal and intimate character arcs. That I feel is one of Warframe's strengths compared to other live service games. Rebb Ford (Creative Director of Warframe) really said, "Hey remember the regrets you had in high school that are painful to relive? What if you had to painfully relive the regrets you had in high school in order to find your original home and save the galaxy? Also some Warframes are Catholic now."

Up Next: Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 Update by Nintendo

Both games require farming! I'm excited to continue reinvigorating my island and hopefully find enough resources to craft Isabelle Prime.

6. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Everything about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 seems like it was set up specifically for me. At the start of this year, I had been working on changing my legal given name to Claire. This year was my 33rd birthday. I experienced grief the previous year after multiple losses including a co-worker and a high school classmate. And I like RPGs! Everything should have been for me!

And yet, I'm honestly just lukewarm on the game. The gameplay is fantastic though pictos are a tad overwhelming. I feel bad whenever I mess up a parry or dodge. The art style is very high quality, though nothing's really hooking me. The writing is very beautiful, and that first hour already had me in tears. It's good, but it's not setting my world on fire the way it is for my family and friends. Maybe there's some later twist that re-contextualizes everything and it will become my instant favorite! But right now, it's just an alright from me. Still, I appreciate a studio had a chance to take a swing at something like this and pull it off.

Up Next: There are No Ghosts at the Grand by Friday Sundae

This one feels like it could be the dark horse that sets everyone's world on fire as well. Did you know it's a musical?

5. Hades

A long-distance friend I care deeply about started Hades and we've been motivating each other to complete the game. I started playing close to launch, but fell off after not being able to figure out how to actually succeed at the game. Picking it back up, I put my pride aside and just looked up a build guide which has helped immensely. I've not only completed Hades now, but I finally hit credits. Right now I'm working on getting to the final epilogue, but I'm glad that I found a way to look for help without it feeling like cheating. I'm still awestruck by how much depth is in this game, and I'm still discovering new things even after I've finished.

Up Next: Hades 2 by Supergiant Games

My same friend loves witchy things, so I'm hoping we motivate each other to make it to Hades 2 as well.

4. Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

The first Citizen Sleeper felt very intimate and personal; each character arc closed in a bittersweet way that left me sobbing over my Switch Lite over and over. The first one was a game about your singular relationship with others. Starward Vector does have you befriend a crew, but the game seems to evoke different emotions; something more akin to camaraderie. You learn each characters' strengths and weaknesses to help you on missions, and you see that reflected in the writing. Whereas the first game evoked desperation as you rolled dice to save your life, Starward Vector evokes tension this time around. Each mission feels like disabling a time bomb. You can end up with good or bad rolls, and bad rolls help convey the fragility of each mission you're attempting. It may not have the same emotional weight as its predecessor, but I appreciate expanding other parts of this world that I've fallen in love with.

Up Next: Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream by Nintendo

Speaking of managing people...

3. Battle Suit Aces

Battle Suit Aces has mechs and cards! The combat system feels a lot like Hearthstone. While the system is not too complex, each card can equip a mod to add more behaviors onto its existing behavior. It makes it feel like lite versions of deck building and mech customization, which is more my speed these days. I've already fallen in love with these characters and this world. This is the kind of wholesome that works for me. It's not a world void of violence, but people are being kind to each other more often than not, and when fights do break out, it's to protect loved ones. The art is beautiful and the game is apparently very queer!

Up Next: Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve by Bandai Namco Aces Inc.

It looks like there's going to be more of a focus on getting to know your wingmates, which I'm excited for! I'd love to get emotional over my favorites if they're in danger!

2. Kirby Air Riders

I have fond memories of playing Kirby's Air Ride during lunch break in high school. I found out about Air Ride when I was obsessed with Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and wanted to see where one of the most powerful items, the Dragoon, comes from. My main mode was City Trial, and that space felt like there was so much possibility. The new City Trial map is actually just a little bit larger, but it still conveys that sense that anything can happen. Sakurai's games made up a huge part of my gaming history, so it feels right this ended up high on my ranking. A lot of Kirby Air Riders' design choices feel like they prioritize fun first, and throws out current game conventions and logic. I honestly think it's a better game for it.

Up Next: Screamer by Milestone S.r.l.

More racing games should have story modes. And maybe anime.

1. Blippo+

The story of Blippo+ is that the player receives intergalactic broadcasts of another planet's TV programs. As a viewer, this feels like an anthropological wonder; you learn a lot about the Blippians from the TV they watch and the culture that's formed from these programs. As you receive more broadcasts, the Blippians become aware that broadcasts have reached Earth, and create programs to educate the aliens (us) about Blippian lingo and culture.

I'm reminded of our current media landscape, where informational programs feel like they're used to attack populations and estrange us from others. There's something wholesome about the Blippians using media to reach out and connect with a stranger. Recently, I've been thinking about having to "... imagine a better world for ourselves." I always try to focus on what I can influence around me, but I'm also thinking about how social justice exists in media spaces, which is just as important. Blippo+ shows us how refreshing it is to be reminded what media for good can do.

Bonus favorite programs: Bushwalker, Subroutines

Up Next: PVKK by Bippinbits

Both these games do interesting things with interfaces and UI, and I can never get enough of that.

And that was most of my 2025! This year was tough personally so I wasn't able to enjoy too much. But I appreciate games, and the Giant Bomb community for helping me push forward. Love you all!