2025’s Best Games So Far: GTA VI Delay Opens Door for Indie Surprises and New GOTY Contenders

Let’s be honest-2025 was supposed to be the year of Grand Theft Auto VI. Rockstar’s return to Vice City was such a sure bet for “Game of the Year” that it felt like the rest of the industry pressed pause. But Rockstar just upended that script, pushing GTA VI’s release to May 26, 2026. Suddenly, the GOTY race is wide open, and the mid-year Metacritic charts don’t look anything like what the hype machine predicted. Instead, we’re seeing indie upsets, under-the-radar gems, and a surprising lack of big-budget sequels at the top-at least for now.

2025’s Top Games (So Far): Indie Surprises Dominate as GTA VI Exits the Stage

Here’s what stands out about the 2025 landscape and why it matters for every gamer watching the GOTY conversation unfold.

• With GTA VI delayed, indie games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Blue Prince are fighting for GOTY status-and winning.
• AAA sequels (Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Monster Hunter Wilds) are barely making the top 10, signaling a quieter year for the big players.
• Experimental projects and remasters are grabbing the spotlight, proving gamers are hungry for new ideas and nostalgia—when they’re done right.
• The rest of 2025 could flip the script again with PlayStation and Nintendo’s heavy-hitters still to come.

This mid-year Metacritic rundown tells a story I didn’t expect to see. The number one slot? Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an indie RPG that’s been simmering in enthusiast circles but absolutely blew past expectations with a 92/100 average and a tidal wave of player reviews. That’s not a fluke—Blue Prince, a narrative-driven mystery game, is tied for the same score. Both have outpaced anything with a familiar AAA logo, at least at the halfway mark.

If you’re used to the big names steamrolling awards season, this is a rare shakeup. It also tells me something crucial: with the blockbusters on ice (or just late), players and critics are diving deep into games that aren’t afraid to get weird, ambitious, or deeply personal. Split Fiction, the next game from Josef Fares (yes, the It Takes Two guy), is the first “big” studio entry at number three—and even that game feels more daring than most sequels out there.

But where are the usual suspects? Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds do show up, but at the lower end of the top 10. The rest of the list is a wild mix: Monster Train 2 (roguelike deckbuilder), Despelote (an experimental narrative adventure), The Talos Principle: Reawakened (remaster done right), and even standout DLC like Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker. There’s a sense that the industry’s “middle” is alive and thriving, precisely because the titans have left a gap.

But don’t get too comfortable with this indie paradise. The second half of 2025 could be a bloodbath. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is coming for PlayStation fans, and there’s buzz about Ghost of Yotei shaking up the prestige action-adventure space. And if you think Nintendo is going to sit this one out, think again: Switch 2 launches with Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and Legends Pokémon Z-A all looming large for the holidays. Any one of those could bulldoze the current top 10 and rewrite the GOTY shortlist overnight.

Still, what’s happening right now is special. It’s proof that when the big dogs step aside, the rest of the pack can actually run wild. It’s a reminder that critical and community taste isn’t just about marketing budgets or franchise fatigue—it’s about surprise, invention, and games that actually give players something fresh to talk about. Even if the AAA wave drowns them out by December, these indies and creative outliers have already left their mark.

For gamers, this is the time to dig into something unexpected. Check out those indie darlings you might have missed. There’s no “default” GOTY—at least not this year. And with the Game Awards months away, we’re in a rare window where the conversation is actually open. That almost never happens in a normal year, and it’s worth celebrating.

TL;DR: With Grand Theft Auto VI officially punted to 2026, 2025’s best games (so far) are a refreshing mix of indie innovation and experimental hits. Blockbuster sequels are lagging, but the fall could still see major upheaval thanks to PlayStation and Nintendo launches. For now, the GOTY race is anyone’s game—and that’s the most exciting twist of all.

Source: Various publishers via GamesPress