The team dove into their archive to see what their favorite games were in 2025, new and old, anything that has kept them going back for more!
In addition to our official Game of the Year awards, which highlighted and honored the year’s best titles, there were many other games the Cinelinx team simply enjoyed playing this year. We gathered the team to share and discuss the games that gave us the most enjoyment this year. Everything from Date Everything! to Dying Light, and all the good stuff in between. Check it out, maybe you’ll find a new game to enjoy too.
Dustin
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
The game was released earlier for Xbox, but we finally got to play it on PS5 in August and I enjoyed every moment of it. The game is a beautiful visual masterpiece and had some of the most jaw dropping scenery with its use of Unreal Engine. Besides Battlefield 6, it was the most epic cinematic adventure I had all year. We got to play basically a movie, and it lasted with me for weeks after I completed the game.
Dispatch
I was not expecting to like this game as much as I did. It has a similar premise as Telltale titles and I’m not too big on those, but the idea of being a literal dispatch for superheroes is what drove me in. I waited for all episodes to release and have been playing it non stop since. What I didn’t know is that their storytelling and action packed scenes were next level. I didn’t mind playing it like a story game at that point because it was simply enjoyable to watch it play out in different ways, but I do wish that someday they expand on the dispatch aspect of it. I’m about two trophies away from getting the Plat!
Oh hey look, Marvel Rivals has an update….
Becky
Date Everything!
I normally don’t play dating sim games but the concept for this one was too good to pass up. Imagine a pair of glasses that brings the household objects around you to life. And all of them are….kind of into you? That’s it, that’s the concept of Date Everything and it’s just as over the top and fun as it sounds. The best part is, this is the type of game that doesn’t rush you along. And all of the voice actors put their all into bringing the many characters to life, such that it’s genuinely exciting to get to know each one.
Octopath Traveler 0
Being so soon introduced to Octopath Traveler, I was leery of being tossed into a prequel so quickly, but good lord this game is one of the best I played in 2025. I was already interested in HD-2D games before this, but this game really showed me just how far the concept can go. Despite appearances, the story of Octopath Traveler 0 runs deep, and it’s something all should experience.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much fun I’ve had playing the HD-2D remakes of Dragon Quest I and II. Dragon Quest has been one of my favorite video game series for a number of years now but I’d never quite been able to get into the original trilogy because of how different those games are from what they became over time. That all changed with these remakes. These stories are vibrant and alive and show the story of Dragon Quest is one of the greatest ever created.
S0leb
FORTNITE
Over the years, Fortnite has changed so many times I can’t count on both hands! But 2025 offered change we have needed for some time, not only did EPIC Games change the map but they changed the overall feel of the game! Here is a comprehensive list of all the improvements!
Key Gameplay & Quality of Life Improvements:
Aerial ADS: Aim Down Sights while jumping or reloading for more dynamic combat.
Simple Build/Edit: New settings make building and editing easier for new players.
Reload Progress: Reloads now save progress if interrupted.
Improved Spectating: Automatically spectate nearest teammates after elimination.
Emote Wheel Overhaul: Larger capacity (6 to 8 slots) with better sorting.
New Movement & Items:
Wingsuit: Allows for gliding and aerial maneuvers.
Drivable Reboot Vans: Pick up downed teammates and drive them to a Reboot Van for revival.
Chiller Characters: Less aggressive when accidentally shot.
Idk about you all but that’s more than an improvement, it’s a total overhaul!
Madden 26
Madden for years has been a pivotal franchise and by far the best football video game series ever made. I can’t begin to tell you how many hours I have poured into this game playing against my boy Jared, or having my Dad stop by just so I can destroy him in the game. Madden is more than just a game, it’s a past time, it’s a way of life!
Jordan
To be entirely up front, my gaming this year was…limited. I greatly enjoyed getting in on the fun with Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles (and still am) and used the early part of the year catching up on my backlog (finally played God of War: Ragnarok). By and large, however, my 2025 in gaming was absolutely DOMINATED by Dune: Awakening.
It’s so strange, because I’m normally not huge on survival games, or MMOs in general. Hell, I’ve only ever sporadically played The Old Republic and that’s Star Wars! And yet, I was completely, utterly sucked in by Awakening, sinking well over 100 hours into the game—which is also insane for my general gaming habits.
Honestly, since it launched in June, that’s almost ALL I’ve played. Everything else I’ve played have been in bits/pieces on my Switch/Switch 2 (except for FF Tactics which was the only thing that pulled me away) as I got ready for bed. While I’ve slowed down on it a bit since the Base Rebuilding tool launched and am waiting for the Chapter 3 update, there’s no denying my obsession.
Katy
It’s been an interesting year in gaming – I split my time between Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2. The games both scratch my PvP itch, but I feel they’re not totally interchangeable as many people claim. Rivals has been fun to watch develop and grow its roster, making it more and more chaotic each game. Overwatch 2 devs have been trying to find their footing as Rivals appeared to siphon off a chunk of the playerbase, but I’ve enjoyed the changes and newer game modes (but pls bring back competitive Mystery Heroes).
Quick hits for indie/not AAA games, including Early Access titles, that I think are worth checking out: Discount, Chef’s RPG, Traveler’s Rest, Tiny Bookshop, Spirittea, Fields of Mistria, Whiskerwood, Grimshire, Snack-O, TCG Shop Simulator, Two Point Museum, Schedule I, and more.
Games that kept me engaged despite years of playtime include Stardew Valley, Binding of Isaac, 7 Days to Die, Minecraft, Traveler’s Rest (this is above, but its had a huge overhaul so its on the list twice!), and Dwarf Fortress.
Ryan Z
My gaming in 2025 was surprisingly varied – I started the year hitting knocking out some big story-based RPGs I had been sleeping on, like FFVII Remake Intergrade, FFVII Rebirth, and Sea of Stars, and transitioned to a lot of PvP and co-op games through the middle, like Schedule I, Marvel Rivals, PEAK and R.E.P.O. Being me, I also had a number of fighting games I wound up sinking my teeth into, namely Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and 2XKO, and of course I did my time with the awards darlings, Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight Silksong.
But the biggest gatekeeper of my productivity this year was my return to the pits of Marvel Snap in earnest. I had taken a break through most of 2024 but the economy changes and new game modes introduced this year were enough to get me back, and with the card economy being in one of the best places its ever been, I’m not sure I have any plans on quitting any time soon. Who knows, I might even start writing about it again, too.
As you can see, the lists are pretty varied with a lot of games not released last year still taking the top slot in most of our lists. And it looks like we have yet to do a group article of this nature without mentioning Marvel Rivals still. What are some games that you’ve been playing over the past year?
