Is It Okay For Games To Be This Good? Dev Picks 2025

• Key Takeaways:

• Game developers across studios named wildly different 2025 favourites, from chaotic co-op (Peak) to tightly written narrative experiments (Type Help).
• The list highlights recurring trends: retro-arcade revivals (Parking Garage Rally Circuit), inventive storytelling (The Alters, The Roottrees are Dead) and polished roguelike design (Hades 2).
• Several picks are indie showcases — Many Nights a Whisper, Skate Story and Type Help — underlining how small teams continue to push creative boundaries.

Developers' picks and why they mattered

Peak — Gabe Cuzzillo

Peak, from Aggro Crab and Landfall Games, is a chaotic co-op climbing game that sold over one million copies in its first week on Steam. Gabe Cuzzillo praises its unfinished, bug-forward charm: "The random jumble of geometry... gives it a real route-finding feel." The game's improvisational design became a feature rather than a flaw.

Ghost of Yotei — Lee Petty

Sucker Punch's open-world follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima puts players in the shoes of mercenary Atsu across a wind-swept historical Japan on PS5. Lee Petty highlights the living world and optional audio modes that reshape the exploration experience.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy — Oli Clarke Smith

Too Kyo Games' narrative-tactical hybrid stunned with bold storytelling and branching surprises. Oli calls it "a masterpiece made by developers at the top of their game," praising its trope-subverting narrative energy.

Type Help — Jon Ingold

William Rous' forensic mystery on Itch.io channels Her Story and Return of the Obra Dinn with a smart deductive interface. Jon Ingold notes the narrative tightening toward an effective climax and urges players to experience it without spreadsheets.

Rematch — Pierre Tarno

Sloclap's 5v5 arcade-football hybrid wowed with tactical movement and high-stakes multiplayer on consoles and PC. Pierre praises the game's addictive team play and the thrill of perfectly executed passes.

Parking Garage Rally Circuit — Mark Hamilton

Walaber Entertainment's retro-inspired racer recreates a Saturn-era arcade feel in chaotic carpark tracks on Steam. Mark calls it "quick and snappy fun" with a satisfying drift and boost model.

The Roottrees are Dead — Treasa McCabe

Evil Trout's genealogical mystery channels Return of the Obra Dinn and Her Story to build an investigative, nostalgic experience on PC. Treasa highlights its elegant note-taking tools and cosy, detective appeal.

Blue Prince — Tonda Ros & Andrea Lucco Borlera

Dogbomb's puzzler blends deck-driven exploration with a shifting mansion to solve. Directors praised its slow-burn mystery and the catharsis of finishing a demanding puzzle game this year.

The Alters — Dave Gilbert

11 Bit Studios' sci-fi survival drama explores alternate selves through cloning mechanics. Dave calls it an emotionally affecting character study wrapped in a tight gameplay loop.

Many Nights a Whisper — Gareth Damian Martin

Deconstructeam's meditative archery ritual on PC balances a single mechanical action with resonant storytelling. Gareth celebrates its poetic framing and meaningful player choice.

Hades 2 — Nick Herman

Supergiant's 1.0 release refines its roguelike blueprint with expanded narrative and systems. Nick says, simply, if you loved Hades, Hades 2 multiplies that experience.

Skate Story — Matt Newell

Sam Eng's stylistic skateboarding adventure pairs refined movement with a striking aesthetic and soundtrack. Matt praises its tuned controls and immersive camera work.

What this says about 2025

2025 was a year where both big studios and small teams produced memorable, focused experiences. The common thread is risk: developers rewarded inventive mechanics, strong authorship and bold stylistic choices.