Writer based in London, UK. Several years writing guide coverage for some of the largest video game launches, with a focus on MMOs.
2025 has been an outstanding year for games, and the list of the highest-rated games on Metacritic for the year is a perfect example. This list is very comprehensive, covering some of the big standout hits this year, like ARC Raiders, Ghost Of Yotei, and Hades II, but there have been so many good games that other popular titles, like Silent Hill F and Deltarune, don’t even make the cut.
So, in descending order, here are the top 50 highest rated games on Metacritic this year. There are a few here that might surprise you.
This list is organized to take into account games from all platforms and includes their highest review score from any platform. That’s why you see some older games sneaking in here: they’ve all been re-released on the Switch 2, of course.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a ‘slow-life RPG’ which saw the return of a much-loved series. The original Fantasy Life released over a decade ago back in 2014, and since then, fans have eagerly been awaiting a return.
Fantasy Life i delivers on that long wait, and then some. Our own reviewer, Meg Pelliccio, gave the game a solid 8/10, saying that “Fantasy Life i is the perfect example of a sequel done right.”
Ghost Of Yotei (86 Metascore)
Ghost Of Yotei actually reviewed better than Ghost Of Tshushima on Metacritic (which only earned an 83), but we’ve definitely heard less about Yotei this year than its predecessor.
That’s probably because 2025 has just been a huge year for games and brilliant ones like Yotei can often get lost along the way. TheGamer’s Editor-in-Chief Stacey Henley reviewed Ghost of Yotei this year, also falling on a strong 8/10, stating that “Ghost of Yotei doesn’t do much out of the ordinary, but it doesn’t make many missteps either.”
The Alters was a fan-favorite at TheGamer this year, with former writer Sam Hallahan calling it a “unique and existential experience” in his 5/5 review.
Following the story of a split-personality sole survivor of a space crash on a foreign planet, The Alters is packed with powerful decisions, heart-rending storytelling, and plenty of chances to play over and over again, with different outcomes each time.
Heretic + Hexen (86 Metascore)
Heretic + Hexen are one of many remasters on this list, and the revamped versions of the 1990s classic FPS games allowed fans to revisit their youth while also enjoying all the trappings that modern game optimization and quality-of-life changes can bring to the table.
Mario Kart World (86 Metascore)
Mario Kart World was always going to appear on this list as the flagship title of the brand-new Nintendo Switch 2. World brings Mario Kart into a different dimension with a huge open world to explore, something that our reviewer Jade King said “should be a dream come true”, but that it ultimately isn’t the “Forza Horizon rival I was hoping for.”
Deep Rock Galactic Survivor (86 Metascore)
Deep Rock Galactic Survivor is the successful Survivor-like spinoff of Deep Rock Galactic. Mine rocks, blow up aliens, level up your character with unique rewards. I actually played this a couple of years ago with the team at Gamescom and, since then, the game has received multiple updates, finally fully releasing to a strong 86 Metascore in 2025.
Street Fighter 6 – Switch 2 Version (86 Metascore)
In a rare 10/10 review from our News Lead George Foster, he said that Street Fighter 6 “will feel instantly familiar with its easy-to-learn but hard-to-master fighting mechanics, high skill ceiling, and quarter-circle forward motions for special attacks.” The Nintendo Switch 2 version launched alongside the new console, with fans across the board calling it an excellent port.
Two Point Museum (86 Metascore)
Two Point Museum is the latest in the Two Point series, this time allowing you to build an entire functioning museum with all the humor and charm of its predecessors. Gabrielle Castania, our reviewer, pointed out that “Two Point Museum carries that torch gallantly into the third entry with the silly names, goofy visuals, and occasional sassy audio message over the PA”, in her glowing 8/10 review.
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This is a series that is also close to many people’s hearts, and is an instant modern classic for those who enjoy the simulation and management genre.
The Roottrees Are Dead (86 Metascore)
I’ll be the first to admit that I hadn’t heard of The Roottrees Are Dead, but upon further investigation, it looks like the sort of compelling sleuthing murder mystery game that I’d play on a cozy Sunday afternoon. Reviews on Metacritic talk about how much reading there is, but that’s sometimes part of the charm of these big, sprawling puzzle games. Players clearly enjoy it.
Lonely Mountains Snow Riders (87 Metascore)
Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is the icy sequel to Lonely Mountains: Downhill, a co-op about peacefully skiing down hills. It’s a game with a lower barrier to entry but a surprisingly high skill ceiling, with lovely level design and high replayability value.
Industry
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I don’t mind the rankings here per se, but it would be great to have user scores ranking or at least to the side as I tend side with the gamers ratings over the journalists.
2025-12-26 14:03:53
