Rock Paper Shotgun has published a “Selection Box” entry spotlighting one staffer’s extra picks for Games of the Year 2025, offering a glimpse at which releases dominated their personal shortlist—and which didn’t make the final cut.
In the piece, the writer notes that four titles sat comfortably near the top of their rankings: Embark Studios’ extraction-flavored shooter Arc Raiders, Team Cherry’s long-awaited metroidvania Hollow Knight: Silksong, Sandfall Interactive’s stylish RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Supergiant’s roguelike follow-up Hades 2.
### The Four Standouts
Those choices track with broader industry buzz. Arc Raiders has been closely watched as Embark (the studio behind The Finals) continues to carve out a distinct identity in the live-service space. Silksong remains one of the most anticipated sequels in indie history, while Clair Obscur has earned attention for its striking art direction and cinematic turn-based combat. Hades 2, meanwhile, carries the weight of being the follow-up to one of the most acclaimed modern roguelikes.
### The Games That Slipped Away
The thrust of the “bonus games” angle is that everything after those top four didn’t land strongly enough—at least within RPS’ internal selection format—to break through. The writer even jokes that they could have “gamed the system” by rearranging their list to give other favorites a better shot at visibility, underscoring how editorial list-making can be shaped by presentation as much as preference.
What’s interesting here isn’t just the names at the top, but how sharply the drop-off is described. It speaks to how crowded 2025’s release calendar feels: even strong contenders can get drowned out when a few heavy hitters dominate mindshare.
From a player perspective, the list reinforces where the hype is currently concentrated—premium single-player experiences, a prestige indie sequel, and one big bet on a multiplayer-driven shooter. If these games keep their momentum, they’ll likely shape not only end-of-year conversations but also what publishers chase next in terms of genre and audience expectations.
Source: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-rps-selection-box-ollies-bonus-games-of-the-year-2025 |