Another Year, Another Set Of…Different Awards
Welcome back, dear readers, to The Punished Backlog’s 2025 Prop Awards! I’m positive you’ve already checked out our wonderful end of year coverage from our illustrious writers, but if you haven’t yet, check them out. There are some GOOD ones in there (and by “some” I mean “all,” and by “good” I mean “killer”).
Meanwhile, we at The Punished Backlog decided to end our 2025 coverage with one of our favorite pieces from last year: The Prop Awards! Unlike typical Game of the Year awards and categories (e.g. “Best RPG,” “Best Visuals”), we like to give them out based on a more unique set of criteria, where every writer gets to highlight their own winners in categories you probably won’t see at The Game Awards anytime soon.
Prop awards are named after prop awards in sports betting, playing with the idea that we’re recognizing interesting or more specific elements of these games. Every Punished Backlog writer that participated has effectively given out their own “award” for each category, so that way everyone (sort of) wins! (Though if there were trends, we did highlight them in the corresponding graphic.)
So, without further ado, here are our prop awards in gaming for 2025!
– Sam Martinelli, Editor
The Punished Backlog Prop Awards
- Biggest Gaming Surprise of 2025
- Best Genre of 2025
- A Game From 2025 That’s Hard to Explain to Others
- Favorite NPCs of 2025
- Best “Mountain Dew and Doritos” Game of 2025
- Most Overlooked/Underrated Game of the Year
- Best Achievement in Inclusion of 2025
- Best Game You Didn’t Play of 2025
- Best Indie or AA Game of 2025
- Best Things We Wrote at The Punished Backlog in 2025
- Games Most Likely to Hit the Backlog
- Most Anticipated Games in 2026
What Was the Biggest Gaming Surprise of 2025?
Clint Morrison, Jr.: Hollow Knight: Silksong actually came out! Not only did it come out; It is better in every way to the original. I was enamored by the world in a way that no other 2025 game matched. Every game is a little miracle, but Silksong feels like something truly special.
Kei Isobe: From a broader view, it’s almost impossible not to nominate Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which became the most-awarded single game at Geoff Keighley’s annual The Game Awards. That feels like a personal copout, though, seeing as I haven’t yet played Clair Obscur. Still, the degree to which it has taken the gaming world by storm from its humble beginnings deserves to be recognized.
Speaking from 2025’s releases that I actually indulged in, my biggest surprise would be Elden Ring Nightreign. A stealth(-ish) announcement at The Game Awards 2024, it’s my most played game of the year at 300+ hours. I’m not inherently a huge fan of rogue-likes—at most I was a casual Slay the Spire player–but Nightreign‘s twist to the tried and true FromSoftware formula had me hooked.
Sam Martinelli: Kirby Air Riders. The game existing at all was not on my 2025 bingo card, much less being a launch year title for the Switch 2, and much MUCH less having Masahiro Sakurai as its director once again. The original GameCube game Kirby Air Ride was largely a cult classic, one whose impact had to be seen to be believed, but I always felt there was something more to be done with the idea. I had largely given up hope that such an expanded idea would ever materialize, but here we are.
Another important surprise isn’t just that Kirby Air Riders is here, but that it’s GOOD. Seriously, I’ve probably had more fun on a minute-to-minute basis with Riders than most other games in 2025. It’s become my de facto “cozy time” game, where I put on a podcast and just do as much chaotic racing nonsense as possible while playing in handheld mode in bed, and so far it hasn’t gotten old. It certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it has resonated with me immensely this year.
Vaughn Hunt: How strong of a year this became for gaming. I think 2025 had a lot of solid releases and then the last three months were an onslaught of titles that still need breathing room.
David Silbert: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The game looked incredible during the many Xbox showcases that preceded its release, but I just couldn’t fathom a $50 title with such gorgeous visuals and such great voice talent coming from such an unknown studio. The math wasn’t mathing, and I firmly believed Expedition 33 would be a cautionary tale in marketing over matter. Boy, how wrong I was.
Donovan Harrell: Hollo Knight: Silksong didn’t turn out to be a myth. Even more surprising was how much I genuinely don’t enjoy playing it.
Amanda Tien: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 being amazing. I first heard about it during our Fantasy Gaming podcast draft last year. The title sounded like some absurd turn-based pixel-art RPG that I thought would only be of interest to a very niche group of players. I was shocked to discover that everything about that assumption was wrong, except for it being turn-based. And maybe an RPG. It feels like everything is kind of an RPG these days? But yeah, Clair Obscur shocked me in that it was so amazing and that it came out of a new studio.
Jason Toro: Sunderfolk, a super cool phone RPG where you and some friends play a grid-based game. Your phones are your character sheets and how you interact with the world. It can be a bit of a struggle to move (since you move via the touchscreen) but that’s honestly part of its charm.
Gary Wilson: 2025 was filled with surprises, from Clair Obscur being amazing to Donkey Kong coming back from getting banana milk from the corner store. But for me, the biggest surprise was the return of Lumines via Lumines Arise. While folks who love Lumines have never stopped loving the series, I don’t think anyone expected a new entry in 2025. Let alone a new entry under the guiding hand of original creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi.
Luckily for everyone who never stopped believing in the beauty of Lumines, Lumines Arise is an incredible step forward for the long dormant franchise. Mizuguchi brings his best to Arise, capturing the magic of Rez and Tetris Effect into a synesthetic daydream of great music and compelling gameplay. I’ve spent long evenings lost in the multicolored masterpiece, and I loved the surprise.
What did you think was the best genre of 2025 and why?
Clint: Can I say remakes/ remasters? Would we categorize that as the “nostalgia” genre? I really enjoyed revisiting some of these worlds from the late nineties and early aughts. I’m thinking particularly about how wonderful the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection was handled, as well as Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, and Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter. Maybe us 90s kids just needed a little nostalgia more than ever this year.
Kei: Last year, the answer to this question was overwhelmingly RPGs. This year doesn’t seem to be…that different? But as the concept of some degree of character customization becomes increasingly entrenched in the fabric of gaming, it feels weird to call some of these critically acclaimed games RPGs. So instead I’ll shout out the hardcore/stylish/hack-and-slash action genre, which has been in a bit of a rut since the release of Devil May Cry 5. 2025 brought us Ninja Gaiden 4, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (okay, it’s a lot of Ninja Gaiden), Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, and the Nioh 3 alpha test (I know, I know. I just couldn’t really stomach saying “RPGs” or “vaguely thought-provoking indies”).
Sam: I’m not sure there was one consistent genre that dominated my year in gaming, but I feel like I played a lot of good-to-great platformers or platformer-adjacent games. Between Donkey Kong Bananza, Yooka-Replaylee, Mario Kart World, Kirby Air Riders, and Sword of the Sea, 2025 had its fair share of games about jumping around colorful worlds and grabbing cool-looking items. Hell, even Hollow Knight: Silksong had some of the best platforming sequences in any game his year.
Vaughn: Probably Indie action games since so many of them came out this year that were pretty good. Two out of my four reviews fell into this category.
David: I probably say this every year, but damn was this a terrific year for RPGs. Between new titles like Clair Obscur, Octopath Traveler 0, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and remakes of classics like the first two Dragon Quest titles and Trails in the Sky, fans of RPGs ate good in 2025.
Another genre worth a shout-out: 2D side-scrollers. Dotemu went on a tear this year, delivering Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, Absolum, and Marvel Cosmic Invasion all in the span of six months. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance also made waves, and there were a slew of metroidvanias that also impressed. Also: Glad you finally made the party, Silksong.
Donovan: Action/hack and slash. The year of the ninja was in full effect with three new Ninja Gaiden titles, a new Shinobi title and Shinobi-adjacent Ghost of Yotei. Each had their own style and flair and each offered something different from the stagnant soulslike formula.
Amanda: Is “indie game” a cop out? I mean, I know the answer to that question is yes. Uhh, I’ll say visual novels. I don’t actually play that many in general, but in 2025, they absolutely hit — emotional gut punches with and Roger; inspiring space adventures through Citizen Sleeper 2; superhero workplace comedy in Dispatch; speakeasy murder mystery Best Served Cold; high school drama in Expelled!; and really, even kicking a soccer ball around in Despelote was kind of an interactive visual novel.
Jason: Roguelites. Hades II was phenomenal, and SWORN was great fun.
Gary: The 2D sidescroller. While many will peg 2025 as a year defined by amazing roguelikes (Hades II! Ball x Pit! Absolum!), I will remember it as the year where my love for 2D, side scrolling, platform action was reignited. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a delight. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance was a complete surprise, and absolutely ruled. Even roguelikes got in on the fun with The Rogue Prince of Persia, a fantastic blend of the genre. Personally, all three competed for spots on my favorite games of the year list, and brought a relatively ignored genre to the forefront. As a runner-up, as I wrote in my Best of 2025 piece... skating games are (almost) back, baby!
What’s a game from 2025 that you enjoyed that you have a hard time explaining to others?
Clint: I struggle explaining to folks why Death Stranding 2: On the Beach stuck with me more than any other game this year. On the surface, it looks and feels very similar to the first one (or at least the collective, popular imagination garnered by the first one), but I really fell in love with the game’s new characters, new locations, and quality of life updates. It does allegory well for 2025 and serves as a beautiful love letter to Hideo Kojima’s oeuvre (the entirety of the last chapter made the Metal Gear fan in me so happy).
Kei: In past years, I might have been able to point to some outlier game I played, or even a mobile gacha game, which I’d juggled multiple of simultaneously in the past. I cut that habit this year, which made my gaming tastes quite mundane. Every game I played this year ultimately boiled down to “pressing buttons is fun,” so I don’t have a great answer here.
Sam: It’s almost impossible to explain why and Roger is just a magnificent experience without spoiling it, so that has to be my answer. Seriously, everyone should try a game as cheap and short as and Roger. You won’t regret it! (Or, in Amanda’s case, you might regret feeling bad after playing it. You’ve been warned of that, too!)
Vaughn: Where Winds Meet. The game has so much potential and there’s a lot they got right even if it has annoying things to look past.
David: The Roottrees are Dead. The title alone is pretty intense, but ironically (and perhaps by design), the game itself is so much chiller. You play as a private investigator who’s been hired to connect the dots behind a family-owned candy company following the death of their current CEO and family. Over about eight hours, you’ll scour an in-game computer, sift through evidence, and piece together a mysterious family tree, complete with surprise siblings and estranged children. It’s a terrific mystery game that’s worth any sleuth’s time.
Donovan: Promise Mascot Agency. The premise is so quirky and absurd, that it’s best explained through playing it.
Amanda: I have had a really hard time explaining why Blue Prince is good to people who don’t play games as much and haven’t heard the discourse. Maybe because it’s not the game I normally play — I’m not that into games like Myst or The Witness, so I don’t have a go-to vocabulary for it. Like, you’re lost in your house that you’re making as you go but there’s also stuff and there’s not really any talking but occasionally you can find this one weird room with a Zoltan-like machine and he’ll say this weird premonition and eventually you’ll just be panicked running around looking for apples so you can keep your crowbar in your pocket. Explained perfectly, right?
Also, Promise Mascot Agency, as Donovan said, is absolutely absurd and delightful. Even in my review, I had a really hard time articulating what exactly what was going on and why I enjoyed it. I tried my best!
Jason: Borderlands 4. I have no idea how I got my friend group into it. I kept telling them “but it’s glitchy, but it has issues with endgame content, but farming class mods is annoying” and they just played the game anyways.
Gary: Explaining why the janky, unfinished, badly acted, poorly UI’ed skate. game, out this year in Early Access, took up evening after evening after evening of my friend’s time this year is a Herculean task. After all, a way “better” game (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4) also came out without the jank or broken lobbies or roll button that causes you to Sonic the Hedgehog across the map. But still, skate. captivated us. It’s less skating game (although the actual skating feels awesome) and more repeatable Jackass simulator. There is joy in climbing up a building and trying to vert off it using a ramp you placed out of an infinite pocket, even if the rest of the game is not very good.
Who is your favorite NPC of 2025?
Clint: Gamond and Zaza from Hollow Knight: Silksong! I found myself smiling every time they’d join me for a fight in a way that I haven’t since Igon joined my fight against Bayle the Dread in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
Kei: My favorite NPC of 2025 was Lea Florence Monad, from Lies of P: Overture.
Lies of P tells its story more directly than most of the games in FromSoftware’s oeuvre, but leaves some of the details of the plot unspoken, requiring players to read between the lines and connect the dots to get the full picture. Loss plays a heavy part in setting the events of Lies of P into motion, and the story features several characters whose presence remains unseen, but “haunts the narrative” regardless. Lea Florence, also known as the Legendary Stalker, is one such character. But where her presence is implied in Lies of P, she takes center stage in Overture.
Sam: Sherma from Hollow Knight: Silksong, by far. This adorable bug just wants to explore Pharloom and sing his delightful song wherever he goes. After braving through some of the most treacherous lands, enemy gauntlets, and boss fights, I truly relished running into Sherma swimming in the bathhouse, resting on a nearby bench, or singing his catchy tune to let you know from afar that you’re safe. I would do ANYTHING or Sherma, mark my words.
Vaughn: The panda from Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. It doesn’t receive a name and only sells niche items, but this was the funniest inclusion I’ve seen in a game in a minute. There was no reason for the panda to be there but vibes.
David: Dora, the shade from Hades II. Whenever protagonist Melinoë perishes in her quest to kill Chronos, she’ll end up back in her bedroom — and there to greet her is good old Dora. Where Skelly was Zagreus’s go-to hype man in the original Hades, Dora is more of a snarky confident. She’ll try to scare Melinoë (never successfully) and is always down to dish the tea about the Underworld princess’s latest travels. Everyone deserves a friend like Dora.
Donovan: Pinky from Promise Mascot Agency. Pinky is a living mascot and your bestie in the quirky town of Kaso-Machi. Pinky is shaped like a severed finger, a perfect companion for the ex-Yakuza main character of the game. Pinky’s my favorite because of how unabashedly potty-mouthed, hot blooded, and volatile she is. Having Pinky around makes the entire experience of the game even more charming and unique, especially as she rides around in the bed of your pickup truck as you explore the city.
Gary: Continuing on my train from last year of “Weird, Hairy RPG Party Members”, I have to give it up to my boy Monoco from Clair Obscur. Not only if he the most versatile of the party, thanks to his collection of Nevron feet, but he’s also the most charming. From his dry introduction to his revealing chats with Verso, I adored Monoco and what he represented for the party. I know he’s technically not an NPC, but he was Verso’s closest companion and confidant, who had stood with him through his previous trials and failures. Monoco is a bedrock, a weirdo in a game full of weirdos, and I loved him.
Amanda: Oooph, this is a tough one. I live for a good NPC. I’ve got two that are equally tied, and I think it’s because they both bring so much pure love and kindness to their respective games. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 had so many good ones, though none more heartfelt than the big flying sack called Esquie. Dispatch features a band of misfit former supervillains, but you can also recruit the earnest and endearingly dorky new janitor named Waterboy because he is unstoppably moist. I would do anything for Esquie and Waterboy.
Jason: Delita, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. What an amazing character, man. Delita, as the lower class friend of Ramza, serves as his foil as the war for Ivalice sours. You begin the game knowing Delita will be the hero of the war, and Ramza will be forgotten, and the entire game shows Delita making incredible political moves to elevate his position, while goading Ramza toward the path he believes is right. The voice actor, Gregg Lowe, plays Delita with an excellent mixture of straightforward, cutthroat efficiency and bubbling grief.
What’s your favorite “Doritos and Mountain Dew” game of the year? I.e. what game made you feel most like a GAMER?
Clint: I don’t think I played any “Doritos and Mountain Dew” games this year — maybe Death Stranding 2, but that feels like a stretch. Then again, there were stretches of time when I definitely had chips and dip out while Norman Reedus rode the monorail.
Kei: I didn’t play much of this kind of game this year, at least not of games that were released this year. Outside of Nightreign, I did play quite a bit of THE FINALS, which has carved out a respectable niche as the low-stakes, enjoyable FPS of choice for me after I fell off of the Apex Legends wagon. THE FINALS (and developer Embark Studios) are not without controversy, but I enjoy this game for what it is: a not-so-sweaty team shooter that produces enough exciting moments and updates that mix things up enough to keep me coming back.
Sam: Interestingly enough, I’ll go with Ghost of Yotei. Much like the majority of Sony’s first-party output over the past decade, Yotei is really TRYING to be deep and affecting most of the time, despite its largely cliché plot. Still, when you’re actually playing it, it’s 100% a gamer-ass video game. Sure, there are moments of painting landscapes and appreciating nature while bathing in a hot spring, but you’ll spend most of Ghost of Yotei slashing bad guys to bits, upgrading your weapons and armor but mostly trying to make everything look cooler, sneaking your way into bandit camps, partnering with wolves to exact revenge, and even doing badass shit such as throwing katanas like javelins and lighting your weapons on fire Beric Dondarrion-style. I can taste the Cool Ranch and Code Red just thinking about it.
Vaughn: Where Winds Meet. Which seems surprising but so much of this game is parry, combo, sneak attack, repeat that it’s very enjoyable. You can run across the entire map like an Elder Scrolls game (better yet you can fly), and explore in between destinations and vibe through the beautiful environments. The boss fights have a super satisfying game loop and are some of the most imaginative and ambitious you’ll experience in this genre.
David: This might sound weird, but Avowed. It’s not the sort of high-profile game a gym rat like my brother might play between rounds of NBA 2K, but it’s got that Obsidian pedigree, plus a healthy dose of magic, giving it juuuuuust enough flash to cater to jocks and nerds alike. I never finished it, but I had a blast clearing out bandit camps and flinging lightning at foes.
Donovan: Ghost of Yotei for sure. This year, I’ve been hesitant to dive into the brand new games because of the price tag. But I don’t regret hopping on the bandwagon and purchasing this game full price. I did it with Ghost of Tsushima after all. It’s a game that’s well balanced between zen, exploration, and its straightforward Kill Bill hyper violent revenge plot. It didn’t reinvent the genre or bring anything completely groundbreaking, but that was just fine. I enjoyed the kanji brush stroke mini games with the PS5 controller in particular. It was the first game I’ve played in a while where I could just kick back, turn my brain off, ride my horse and listen to the game’s soundtrack while I brushed potato chip crumbs off my clothes.
Amanda: Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. I played a good 60+ hours of this game and I’m still not sure I even really liked it. I actually wrote two back-to-back pieces with myself, arguing why it was good and also where it fell flat. I did feel pretty epic running around killing slavers with a giant kanabo as Yasuke, so that’s pretty cool. This was the kind of game that felt good to turn on and veg out to after a long day of work, eating Bagel Bites and drinking a beer. Really didn’t make me think that hard, except about how I would love Naoe’s upper body strength (which perhaps I would have more of if I was working out instead of playing this game lol).
Jason: Mycopunk. Fast-paced, resource-grabbing stuff. This game’s a fun new entry in the “shoot-’em-and-mine-’em” genre, kinda like Deep Rock Galactic. I can’t think of a game I like more when I want to shut my brain off: You shoot spider monsters, get materials, go back, make your shotgun explode into ricocheting poison bullets, and then go back down and do it again.
Gary: Arc Raiders has taken the Looking-For-Group gamers by storm, filling the internet with memes not seen since… well, last year’s Helldivers 2. The amount of different articles I’ve seen about how to become a business maven or healer for hire have given me laugh after laugh, especially as they revolve around a game set after the apocalypse. Even when the world has ended and robots have taken over, capitalism is gonna capitalism.
Most Overlooked/Underrated Game of the Year?
Clint: Look Outside deserved so much more love this year. It is a horrific, grotesque role-playing game developed by Francis Coulombe and Frankie Smile Show that kept me glued to my Steam Deck for hours this year.
Kei: The First Berserker: Khazan flew under the radar: it reviewed reasonably well, but despite a voice cast headlined by some stars, it never quite percolated into the zeitgeist. That’s unfortunate, because I think it’s one of the best soulslikes ever, especially on a gameplay level. The combat system is extremely robust and skill-testing, and the boss fights alone are worth the price of admission—I honestly think that at least ten of the bosses in Khazan would make my top twenty bosses of soulsborne games I’ve played, ever. It’s really that good.
Sam: I’ve mentioned and Roger already, but it doesn’t shock me that a game that niche and small failed to make much of a dent this year. My actual pick here, though, is Giant Squid’s Sword of the Sea, which has some of the most strikingly beautiful art direction I’ve seen in any game this year and some incredible vibes. A combo of a skating/snowboarding game and your classic indie walking simulator, Sword of the Sea takes a simple enough concept (gliding through a desert wasteland until you hit some switches that fill nearby lands with gorgeous oceans and vibrant marine life) and injects it with impressive level architecture, fluid gameplay, and another classic soundtrack from Austin Wintory. All of it comes together to make something just as visually and sonically impressive as Journey but with just a little more feeling and flavor to it. I’m shocked a game like this kind of just came and went.
Vaughn: Lost in Random: The Eternal Die had all of the elements of a great roguelike: an intricate upgrade system, an intriguing premise, hilarious dialogue, and a fun variety of combat to explore. I think the Steam reviews are only at around 500 — which is surprising given the popularity of the first title —and they skew very positive. I covered the demo back in April and was thoroughly surprised this one didn’t get more attention. If you enjoy Coraline or any of Tim Burton’s other films, you’ll find this to be in that same vein, while offering the fun combat loop you find in Hades.
David: Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo. I wish I could impart onto others just how good this game is, from the terrific level design and challenging, Zelda-like puzzles, to the bopping soundtrack (composed by Yoko Shimomura, no less). Heck, even the story’s a fun romp. It’s rare to play a game where everything about the design feels “just right,” but developer Pocket Trap nailed it here. Don’t miss out on Pipistrello.
Donovan: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound deserved so much more industry-wide recognition than it’s gotten. I was surprised it didn’t pop up at the game awards for any category, especially for its gorgeous sprite work and animation. The team behind the Blasphemous series deserves way more praise for their take on the series. In the year of the ninja, it stands out the most among its peers. Not to mention it’s an all around solid platformer with a story that has such a unique take on the world of Ninja Gaiden beyond its main protagonist Ryu Hayabusa. I’d encourage anyone who’s a fan of great sprite art, old school side scrolling arcade action and a kickass soundtrack.
Amanda: Okay, it’s not an underrated game because it is one of the highest rated games of the year but I do think it was overlooked at The Game Awards. Blue Prince should’ve gotten more attention and award nods there. People obsessively talking about this game for months, and it did something totally refreshing in game design — it didn’t hold players’ hands AT ALL. It’s like the puzzle version of Elden Ring. I love that the complexity of Blue Prince requires players to think about it outside of just the screen; you HAVE to take notes or make a plan or you’ll never succeed. In this way, Blue Prince becomes a multi-sensory experience. Also, come on — it’s freaking ridiculous that one person made this. Honor that!
Jason: Monster Hunter Wilds. Not because people didn’t have eyes on it, but because they looked at it and beat it to death with hammers.
Gary: Time Flies, which I reviewed for the site in July. A short but beautiful indie game, capturing the essence of life and death in a very small package. In a year where it was hard to feel satisfied and fulfilled due to work and life and the world at large, Time Flies perfectly captured the meaningless nature of lists and accomplishments. After all, if you spend your time just figuring out how to be satisfied, you forget to actually *enjoy* any of it.
Best Achievement in Inclusion?
Clint: Despelote, developed by Julián Cordero and Sebastián Valbuena, deserves everyone’s attention. Inspired by Cordero’s childhood love of football, the game is a visual and audio treat, translating the incredibly personal slice-of-life storytelling into a piece that is universally resonant.
Kei: Somewhat by default, I’ll have to give it to Elden Ring: Nightreign, which features a playable cast of all sorts of genders, body types, skin tones, dispositions, and more.
Sam: I don’t want to give Sucker Punch too much credit for making a woman the central figure in Ghost of Yotei, but I do think the casting of Erika Ishii as the protagonist Atsu (at least in English) is fairly notable. Ishii, who does a fantastic job portraying the bloodthirsty warrior out for revenge, identifies as queer, bisexual or pansexual without preference between labels, and also identifies as genderfluid, having been known to use all personal pronouns. Again, I don’t want to glaze Sucker Punch too much (especially considering how they’ve handled other controversies), but having someone who’s notably genderfluid, pansexual, uses multiple pronouns, and speaks out vociferously in favor of trans rights as essentially the spokesperson for their big new game is a positive, especially in this political climate.
Vaughn: South of Midnight. I thought the setting and character choices were incredibly rich, and I didn’t even play the game.
David: Hades II gets the nod from me here. I’ve written before about how well Hades (2020) managed to incorporate various races, creeds, and gender identities all under one banner. Its sequel is no different, expanding the cast of Supergiant’s hit series while allowing players to explore the Underworld from Melinoë’s eyes. Diversity never looked so good.
Donovan: South of Midnight. Being from the south myself, I love when games explore southern gothic themes and settings. It’s creepy down there.
Amanda: There were a few games that I thought did this well. First, I’ll be intentionally vague so as not to spoil anything, but and Roger shares a moving story on two groups of people who do not often get featured in media, and certainly not in video games. It is a deeply compassionate game. Second, Despelote did a great job of sharing the experience of what it was like to be a child in 1990s Ecuador, obsessed with the national soccer team making it into the World Cup. I felt it was a curious and playful educational experience. Third, Consume Me highlights the pangs of being a diet-obsessed teenage girl in a playful and colorful way. It was a lil too real for me, so I didn’t play it for too long, but I admire what it was doing. All three of these games put underrepresented stories at center stage.
Jason: Sunderfolk. The game’s team comes from a variety of backgrounds, but importantly, they consistently listen to feedback regarding inclusivity. Their control scheme being an easy-to-read iPhone with limited actions allows for an excellent entryway into the board game and TTRPG space. And the message of the game, one of teamwork and second chances as new allies join your ranks, is nice and cozy to me.
Gary: It would have been easy for Assassin’s Creed Shadows to avoid controversy, and not include Yasuke as a main character. But instead, they waded into the discourse and pushed back on the basis of historical accuracy. Black people have existed throughout the world for thousands of years, and to pretend otherwise is a disservice. Ubisoft doesn’t get all credit, especially with the rumors of a canceled AC game set during the Civil War, but I was impressed that they tried at all.
What was the best game you DIDN’T play?
Hades II
Sam: Probably Hades II. I loved the first one (as everyone did), and some even argue the sequel is better. I have no doubt I’ll adore Hades II when I do eventually play it, but for whatever I’ve felt little to no urgency to get to it right away, so it’s still floating somewhere in my backlog. Don’t worry: I’ll play it eventually.
Vaughn: Hades II. I honestly was expecting this to come out next year, so I’m happy it came out of early access with all of the stellar looking changes and balances. That being said, I’m waiting for a PS5 release so I’m out of luck until that gets announced. In the interim, I’m actively playing through Hades and loving every single second of it.
Amanda: Hades II. It looks like Hades but more and perhaps even better. I know I have to have enough time to lock in on it, so I’m looking forward to some downtime this winter to play.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Donovan: Expedition 33 apparently. Thankfully it’s on sale and runs better on the steam deck now!
Kei: I’ll default to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which I do own but have yet to dig into.
Jason: Expedition 33. This was probably one of the biggest turn-based RPGs we’ve seen in a very long time, even outpacing the cultural impact of games like the Persona series. It’s proof that turn-based RPGs aren’t dead, even to the mainstream. But… it just always wove out of my grasp. Stupid attention span!And more…
And more…
Clint: I still need to play Deltarune. I liked Undertale well enough when I first played it and always intended to try it again. Maybe 2026 is the year?
David: Too many. If I had to name one, I’ll say Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. I’ve heard incredible things about the game from friends and colleagues, and it’s one of the many 2025 titles I know I’ll be carving out time to play in the new year.
Gary: I feel I’ve missed the boat on and Roger, which seems exactly like the arthouse sentimentality I enjoy in games at times. While I may get to it at some point, from what I’ve heard, its a triumph.
2025 has had plenty of big AAA titles, but it’ll be perhaps known best for the smaller and mid-sized games: Silksong, Hades II, Blue Prince, Split Fiction, Expedition 33, etc. Which indie or AA game was your breakout hit of 2025?
Clint: Hollow Knight: Silksong stole my heart. The opening moments brought tears to my eyes. From their art style to their updated gameplay mechanics, Team Cherry knocked it out of the park. I can’t wait to continue supporting them.
Donovan: I’m gonna say Silksong because it’s the only one I’ve played. I’m making my way to the others, I swear.
Kei: The Clair Obscur sweep continues, moving on from The Game Awards to my submissions here.
Sam: While it’s not my Game of the Year, I still think Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s immediate impact on gaming is fairly astonishing. The notion that Sandfall Interactive debuts with an immediate hit that mostly iterates on a proven formula yet feels fairly original on its own due to its particular art direction, soundtrack, and setting is nothing short of impressive, and the fact that it’ll be on most people’s lists of best games of 2025 is an incredible achievement on its own.
I pretty much knew Hades II would be good. I also figured Silksong would be good. When I first saw Clair Obscur, however, my thought was “I HOPE this is good.” Wouldn’t you know it…it’s great!
Vaughn: Clair: Expedition 33. It has the makings of a great JRPG while bringing fresh experiences and mechanics with a compelling story.
Amanda: It’s hard not to say Expedition 33 given that it swept The Game Awards! Every element of Expedition 33 felt like art — the characters and environments and music, sure, but the level design itself and the combat… It’s so special, and completely deserving of being Game of the Year. Even the New York Times and NPR are talking about it; when mainstream media is talking about something, it means that it’s broadened beyond the scope of gamers and into regular-people-sphere (this can be for bad things too, like when Cyberpunk 2077‘s disastrous launch was covered in The Wall Street Journal).
David: I love Clair Obscur as much as the next person, but I’m going to give this honor to Blue Prince. I’ve played plenty of challenging games this year, but most involve lightning-fast reflexes and uber-precise button inputs. Far rarer is the game that makes you think not quickly, but thoughtfully. Blue Prince captured my imagination as I wandered its halls, scribbling every clue I could glean into a trusty notebook. “Metroidbrainias” have existed for a while now, but Blue Prince has officially put the genre on the map.
Jason: Hades II. I love Hades a lot, and Hades II shows a unique step for it. Though… SWORN, a very shameless Hades rip-off, has become an integral part of my friend group’s post-work ritual.
Gary: Adhoc Studios’ Dispatch showed the world that Telltale-style games aren’t gone. It just takes clever writing, an interesting gameplay hook, and fantastic performances to push them into the stratosphere. By the time this is published, I will either have handed Dispatch second or first place on my personal game of the year list. It is that good.
Narrative adventure games began to feel pretty rote in the mid-2010s, as Telltale fell into a formula: take a big property, give it a Joss Whedon-esque dialogue filter, and push it out the door. While The Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands took this concept and ran with it, others like Batman and Game of Thrones (a true low) felt more business than pleasure. Adhoc recaptured the magic of early Telltale by building something new, a property they could call their own. The narrative freedom and space to tell the story they wanted to tell, decoupled from existing expectations. Dispatch is a triumph in the indie space, a new studio flexing their chops to a wide audience. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
What’s your favorite thing you’ve written for Punished Backlog this year? Also, what’s your favorite thing SOMEONE ELSE wrote for Punished Backlog this year?
Clint: Our Dead Letter Dept. review was my favorite collaborative project this year! My favorite thing published on the site might be Gary’s incredibly affective reading of Clair Obscur‘s “messy“ ending. I’m an Act 3 hater (there! I said it outside of the Discord channel), but Gary’s analysis is persuasive.
Kei: The best thing I wrote this year was actually a one-liner I snapped off in the TPB Discord, but I’m being told that isn’t eligible. So the second best thing I wrote this year was probably my superhero year in review “Love, Hope, and Faith in Capeslop 2025*.”
My favorite piece that someone else wrote for the Punished Backlog this year is probably Mark Bowers’ piece on season two of HBO’s The Last of Us. I love a good excoriation, and Mark nailed it here.
Sam: I’m most proud of either my very long God of War III critique or my brief game diary on the joy of seeing my wife get into Animal Crossing: New Horizons. If I had to pick, though, I’d take the more personal one, even if I worked harder on the GOW piece. The connections people make with each other through games is one of the main things that got me into games writing in the first place, so I’ll always treasure work like that over anything else.
Believe it or not, one of my favorite things I read this year was Amanda’s game diary “It’s Okay Not To Be Excited About Hollow Knight: Silksong.” I think the video game hype cycle can feel fairly alienating for people who just don’t vibe with certain experiences, and I think Amanda did a great job articulating why. Even as someone who was very excited about Silksong and ended up loving it, I still feel like it’s important to hear the other side of things.
Vaughn: Probably my soon to be finished Sinners Friday Fortissimo. I loved my wuxia intro too from March. Any of Donovan’s reviews (like this one of Ragebound) are always fantastic reads, and Kei’s capeslop piece was very on point. He tied together his personal struggles with our current times really well along with his analysis discussing the DC changes of the Absolute universe. Also, the site’s list of best games for women was sweet and really well thought out.
Donovan: My favorite thing that I’ve written this year was my “Devil Hunter vs. Dragon Slayer” showdown article. It was the most challenging one I’ve written for the site by far because of how difficult it was for me to decide a winner. It also gave me a chance to really dig into the ins and outs of each game’s combat systems (maybe too much on my earlier drafts). It really just let me tap into my passion for action games and their combat systems and let loose.
My favorite article from another Punished Backlog writer was Kei’s Capeslop article. DC has been going crazy in comics, movies and tv shows this year. I was happy to see someone write such a thoughtful piece analyzing some of its popular entries into the pop culture zeitgeist this year. I especially appreciated how Kei emphasized their themes of hope, love and faith in such a difficult year full of widespread nihilism over the country’s future. The timing of the article was perfect too since I had just binged a bunch of lore videos on the insanity in the Absolute Universe and the DC KO event. Not to mention superman was such a surprisingly fun, solid overall movie. I can’t wait to see what DC does next.
David: It wasn’t a fun piece to write, but I’m sure glad I published my critique of Xbox dropping the ball in the wake of mass layoffs. So much more has come out in the months since, from Game Pass price hikes to far more serious crimes, like anti-Palestinian surveillance. Vote with your wallets, folks, and let Microsoft know they’re fucking up.
As for my fellow writers, I was supremely impressed by new writer Sean Cabot’s in-depth analysis of the characters from Square Enix’s LIVE A LIVE (2022) remake. As fellow editor Sam Martinelli recently joked, I rarely (if ever) finish an RPG I wasn’t tasked with reviewing. LIVE A LIVE is one such game — a title I bought, tried, and subsequently dropped — but Sean’s piece makes me eager to give it another go.
Amanda: Maybe it’s recency bias, but my favorite thing of mine so far has been this list that I curated with entries from all the femme writers on the site called “The 23 Best Games for Girls Who Want To Get Into Gaming.” It was inspired by several real life conversations I had with women who, having known for some time that I’m a gamer, shyly told me that they were interested in trying a video game, too. I couldn’t find an already existing list that I think did a good job of highlighting a variety of styles and genres, and so I decided we’d make it ourselves. After sending the list to some women I know, one in particular (hi Natalie!) replied with such enthusiasm and excitement (“I want to try every game on this”) that it made me feel like I, Allison, Alexia, Darcy, Lauryl, and Scarlet had written something that really made a difference.
In January 2025, three people — David, Clint, and Gary — co-wrote a review for a horror game called Dead Letter Dept. I am infamous in our site culture for being a huge scaredy-cat, and we’ll often joke that our resident horror expert Clint and I should do a Twitch stream together. Clint and Gary even offered to buy me SOMA and walk me through it, but having read Gary’s great 10-year retrospective, I can’t handle that, either. Just reading about it scared me! So, this is all to say, I really enjoyed the great creative writing experiment that happened in their co-review, especially because it’s of a game I would never, ever play on my own. Their review has become an art in of itself.
Jason: For my own writing, I’d have to pick my review of the Final Fantasy XIV tabletop RPG. The game is super neat, and I think looking at it from a pragmatic lens was important for me.
As far as other writers go, Sam killed it with his review of Ghost of Yotei, and it was so funny to see how many games like it were announced at the Game Awards.
Gary: I am most proud of my piece on the meaning of death in Death’s Door, published in late February. I’m not sure anything I could write will mean as much to me, personally, as that piece.
As for the other members of the team, Sam’s op-ed on Ghost of Yotei and “Checklist” games really hits home. I am also someone who has been burned out on clear the task list games, and Sam does a masterful job of articulating where that malaise is coming from.
2025 Game Most Likely to Hit Your Backlog?
Clint: Ghost of Yotei is going straight into the Backlog. My partner beat it recently and loved it. I have played a total of five minutes of it. I can’t wait to go back, but I have other games I want to play first and other writing projects that need to get finished.
Kei: Most likely to hit my backlog, as in the game I’m most likely to actually finish that I’ve put on my backlog? Clair Obscur, Hades II, and Hollow Knight: Silksong all at least clear the bar of critical acclaim and being games I own, so we’ll nominate that trifecta.
Sam: I’ve had my eye on Pokemon Legends: Z-A ever since it came out, but I have no idea when or if I’ll ever play it. I really liked Pokemon Legends: Arceus, so I have confidence that I’d at least somewhat enjoy Z-A. Still, it’s just simply not a priority for me now, and I’m not sure when it will be.
Vaughn: The first game I’ll mention here is Split Fiction which looks awesome and everyone has such good things to say about it. I couldn’t convince any of my friends to get it, so I’ll need to work harder on that and definitely play through it soon. Otherwise, Silksong is a must play because I loved Hollow Knight. I won’t have time for it this year, but I’m definitely getting into it as soon as I can.
David: As much as I’ve been enjoying it, I am unlikely to finish Hades II by the time 2025 comes to a close. On the flip side, that means I get to enjoy more Hades II in 2026. Yay for me!
Donovan: Like everyone else who hasn’t played it, I have to go with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Amanda: Split Fiction. I love the concept of two writers exploring each others’ worlds! However, because it’s co-op, my husband and I have to both be in the same mood to play it at the same time, and that is rarely the case. (We’ve had a very hectic year.) Fingers crossed for 2026!
Jason: Expedition 33. Listen, I never actually played through all the Final Fantasy games, and I made this year the time I’d get started. I took a break to play Ivalice Chronicles… I’ve got so many hours left. Another turn-based RPG is just not on the cards for a bit.
Gary: Sorry Split Fiction. I own you, my girlfriend and I will play you. Just…not for a little while.
What game slated for 2026 (fingers crossed) are you most excited about?
Clint:Control Resonant is the 2026 game that I am most excited about. With that kind of combat, Remedy is making the DmC: Devil May Cry (2013) sequel I always wanted in a world that I find more interesting.
Kei: Nioh 3. The second game in the Nioh series is one of my favorite games of all time, certainly in my top five, and after getting a taste in the alpha I can’t wait for the full game.
Sam: I said Grand Theft Auto VI last year, and that’s probably still my answer this year. Just to make things interesting, though, I’ll add another: Insomniac’s Wolverine game. Insomniac seems largely incapable of making a bad game these days, and that first trailer a few months ago sold me on their vision right away. Hopefully, both aforementioned games actually come out in 2026, but it wouldn’t shock me if both got bumped to 2027.
Vaughn: Phantom Blade Zero, unequivocally since Wolverine seems very hush-hush. Slay the Spire 2 will probably get most of my hours, however.
David: I’m basic: Give me Grand Theft Auto VI, baby. And I say that as someone who owns three copies of Grand Theft Auto V yet has never finished any of them. (I have a problem.)
Donovan: Thats a tough one. There are a ton of indies I have my eye on that don’t have release dates. I’ll say Resident Evil Requiem. I’m a Capcom fanboy at heart. Always have been.
Amanda: Honestly there’s nothing I’m counting down the days for in 2026. I’m sure I’ll be pleasantly surprised by something. I really loved 2019’s Control — it had such unique feeling controls (lol) in being able to fly and use magic powers AND also shoot a gun. The world design was so epic. I’m a little disappointed that Control Resonant has a different protagonist (Jesse Fagan was so such a bad ass, and I’m sure her brother Dylan will be fine) and going in a different direction combat-wise…but I’m curious to see what Remedy is going to do. The big question will be if that’s what Clint is most excited about, or if he’s more hype about all the more classic spooky stuff coming out.
Jason: Buster Jam, a WarioWare-like. It’s a silly little cartoon game with decent humor from the two protagonists, a bomb-loving pair. The demo is a fantastic showcase that they understand the mission-statement: easy to read games with an emphasis on humor where reaction times outpace needing to have a deep understanding of mechanics.
Gary: Stranger Than Heaven, the new game from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios. Everything from the different aesthetics of each era shown to just simply being a new story for RGG speaks to me.
Agree or Disagree? What Are Your 2025 Prop Picks?
What are some of your picks for these prop awards? Let us know in the comments!
A video game outlet that blends quality words with inclusive voices. For business inquiries and review requests, reach us at press [at] punishedbacklog [dot] com.
Sam has been playing video games since his earliest years and has been writing about them since 2016. He’s a big fan of Nintendo games and complaining about The Last of Us Part II. You either agree wholeheartedly with his opinions or despise them. There is no in between.
A lifelong New Yorker, Sam views gaming as far more than a silly little pastime, and hopes though critical analysis and in-depth reviews to better understand the medium's artistic merit.
Twitter: @sam_martinelli.
Vaughn Hunt is writer who has loved video games since he picked up a controller. His parents wouldn't let him buy swords as a child (he wanted the real ones) so he started writing, reading, and playing video games about them. A historian at heart, you'll often find him deep into a rabbit hole of culture, comics, or music.
Donovan is a lifelong gamer with a love for fast-paced, single-player action games—especially Devil May Cry, Metroidvanias, indies, and action RPGs. He’s also an “advanced scrub” at fighting games and will play just about anything fun. Donovan is passionate about seeing more diverse characters and creators in the industry—or at least better hair options for Black people. With over a decade in journalism, he joined The Punished Backlog in 2023 to write more about what he loves. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @dono_harrell.
Amanda Tien (she/her or they) loves video games where she can pet dogs, punch bad guys, make friends, and have a good cry. She started writing for the site in 2020, and became an editor in 2022. She enjoys writing about mystery games, indies, and strong femme protagonists.
Her work has also been published in Unwinnable Monthly (click here to read her cover feature on Nancy Drew games), Salt Hill Journal, Poets.org, Litro Magazine, Public Books, and more. She was the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Columbia University's Culinarian Magazine, and served for two years as the Managing Editor of Aster(ix) Literary Journal.
She recently graduated with a MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. Her writing, art, graphic design, and marketing work can be viewed at www.amandatien.com.
She does not post a lot on social, but you can find her on X and on Instagram.
Jason graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in English and Game Design. For him, video games are not just an art form, but one of the greatest mediums to tell a story.
When not perpetuating the game journalist stereotype of being awful at a game and blaming the game for it, Jason likes writing short fiction novels that never get past chapter two, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
Gary is a jack-of-all-trades video game enthusiast based in Boston, MA. A semi-professional fighting game player, even less professional Apex Legends player, and even less professional adult, he spends most of his time poking at strange indie gems and reading about the need for more diverse voices in gaming criticism. He invites anyone to recommend anything he's missed in the gaming world via Twitter or BlueSky, where he can found under the username @grtnpwrfl. When he isn't spending his time playing games, Gary is an avid New England Patriots fan and frequent hiker.
