The highest-rated games of the year by gamers

The year 2025 will once again go down in video game history. Between technical innovations, immersive storytelling, and captivating multiplayer experiences, gamers around the world have been spoiled by a diversity of exceptional titles. But which games won the hearts of communities, earned the highest ratings, and established themselves as the must-haves of the year? In this article, we offer an overview of the highest-rated video games of 2025 according to gamers, i.e., without taking into account the ratings of the press, and the ranking may well surprise you.

First place on the podium goes to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which, in addition to being the highest-rated video game of the year, is also the highest-rated game of all time by gamers. It boasts an impressive score of 9.6/10. At this point, there’s no need to introduce the title or praise its merits. With a score of 9.2/10, Digimon Story Time Stranger comes in second place. While at first glance it may seem like a niche community, the title still sold over a million copies in two months.

The third position in our ranking is not occupied by a single game, but by four, which share a common score of 9.0/10. The first of these is none other than Dispatch, the famous superhero narrative game starring Aaron Paul from the Breaking Bad series. Donkey Kong Bazanza, Nintendo’s famous gorilla, also features among the games that achieved this score. Finally, the last two are slightly less well known: Trails in the Sky 1st chapter and Deltarune. This is an independent role-playing game in which you follow ordinary students who are thrown into a Dark World where they must restore balance. The game stands out for its combat system combining turns and dodging, its humor, and its mysterious atmosphere.

Next are two games that also share a common rating of 8.9/10. While the first of the two is very well known, given that we’re talking about Hollow Knight: Silksong, the game that crashed online stores when it was released, the second is a little less so. Look Outside is a pixel-style survival horror RPG set in a terrifying building. In it, a mysterious phenomenon transforms anyone who looks out the window into a grotesque monster.

Finally, our ranking ends with four new titles with a score of 8.8/10. Among them are two racing games, namely Kirby Air Riders and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. The latter has emerged as a serious competitor to Mario Kart World, which is far behind in the rankings with a fairly average rating from players. The remaining two titles are two Sony licenses: Death Stranding 2 and Days Gone Remastered. While the former is not surprising given how much it was appreciated by the community, the latter is more of a surprise. In its original version, the title did not appeal to players as much as it would have liked. Sony even ruled out a possible sequel to this game. However, the remastered version appears in our ranking.

Ultimately, it’s clear that 2025 has been an exceptional year for video games, driven by titles that have combined creativity, technical mastery, and player passion. More than just critical successes, they reflect above all the enthusiasm and commitment of the communities that have chosen to embrace them. What’s your game of the year?