September’s winding down, and you know what that means: Game of the Year debates are about to get absolutely wild. We’re looking at one of the most stacked years in gaming history, and honestly? Picking a winner feels harder than beating a FromSoft boss without leveling up.

Let’s be real here: 2025 has been relentless. Every month dropped something that could’ve been any other year’s GOTY contender. Now we’re sitting here trying to figure out which masterpiece deserves the crown, and frankly, it’s giving us a headache (the good kind, though).

Possible Picks For 2025 Game of the Year: The Heavy Hitters That Actually Delivered

Hades 2 just dropped its full release and immediately claimed the throne with a 94 Metacritic score. After over a year in Early Access, Supergiant Games proved sequels can surpass their predecessors. The roguelike gameplay feels tighter, the story hits harder, and Melinoe’s journey through the Underworld somehow makes us forget we’ve been dying repeatedly for hours.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came out of nowhere to become this year’s JRPG darling. With a 93 Metacritic rating and Charlie Cox leading the voice cast, this dark fantasy about stopping an evil Paintress who erases people by age has already sold over 3 million copies. The blend of turn-based and real-time combat feels fresh in a genre that desperately needed innovation.

Then there’s Split Fiction, which earned GameSpot’s rare 10/10 score. Hazelight Studios followed up It Takes Two with another co-op masterpiece that proves local multiplayer gaming still has magic left in it.

Possible Picks For 2025 Game of the Year: The Surprise Hits Nobody Saw Coming

Blue Prince turned heads by being a roguelike puzzle game that actually makes sense. Set in a shapeshifting manor house, it’s got that perfect mix of brain-melting difficulty and “just one more run” addiction that defines great indies.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii sounds ridiculous on paper but delivered exactly what fans wanted: Goro Majima being absolutely unhinged while somehow telling a surprisingly emotional story. The ship combat alone makes this spin-off worth playing.

And don’t sleep on despelote, a slice-of-life soccer adventure set in 2001 Ecuador that somehow made kicking a ball around town feel like the most important thing in the world.

Possible Picks For 2025 Game of the Year: The Multiplayer Mayhem

Monster Hunter Wilds should have been the multiplayer king of 2025, but technical issues on PC have hurt its reputation despite the core gameplay being fantastic. When it works, it’s pure Monster Hunter excellence. When it doesn’t, well, that’s what updates are for.

Mario Kart World launched with the Switch 2 and delivered exactly what you’d expect: chaotic racing fun with support for 24-player matches. The $80 price tag stings, but it’s still Mario Kart at its most ambitious.

Our Prediction (And Why We’re Probably Wrong)

Look, if we’re being completely honest, Hades 2 has all the markers of a GOTY winner. Critical acclaim? Check. Perfect execution of beloved gameplay? Check. The kind of “just one more run” addiction that ruins sleep schedules? Double check.

But here’s the thing about 2025: it’s been full of surprises. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has that innovative JRPG magic that voters love, Split Fiction represents the pinnacle of co-op design, and Blue Prince proves indies can still shock everyone.

Then there’s the wild card factor. Games like Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza have passionate fanbases, and sometimes the game of the year has nothing to do with the “best” game. It’s about the one that resonates most with the people voting.

Where to Actually Get These Games

Here’s the real talk: all these titles are available at Cyberzone locations across the Philippines. Their stock situation has been solid all year, and their trade-in program means you can actually afford to grab multiple GOTY contenders without breaking the bank.

Pro tip from someone who’s been doing this for way too long: if you’re planning to pick up any of these games, now’s the time. GOTY announcements always trigger price increases and stock shortages. Cyberzone’s pre-order system has been clutch this year, especially for limited editions.

The Bottom Line

2025’s GOTY race feels competitive and historic. We’re looking at a year where the winner could come from any direction: the perfect roguelike sequel, the innovative JRPG, the co-op masterpiece, or the indie puzzle game that changed everything. That’s exactly how it should be. The best years in gaming are the ones where picking a winner feels impossible because everything’s just that good.

Our advice? Don’t wait for the awards ceremony. Grab the games that sound interesting to you now, because this is the kind of year where every nominee deserves to be played. Your backlog might hate us, but your gaming library will thank us later.

What’s your GOTY pick for 2025? Drop your predictions in the comments. We love being proven wrong.

Read More:

Level Up Your Gaming Sessions: The 4 Best Co-Op Games to Play Right Now – VRSUS

Reebok x PlayStation Drops Nostalgic 30th Anniversary Sneaker Collection – VRSUS

Yoga vs Legion? Find the Right Lenovo Laptop For You – VRSUS