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It’s time for our annual countdown to recognize the best games of the year. Over the next 10 days, we’ll be counting down the top 10 games of 2025.
As always, the votes of each member of the Press Start team were collated, weighted from 10th to 1st place, to compile the best results of the year. A game worthy of the top spot will be awarded a maximum of 10 points, and its value will go down to the 10th selection, which will be awarded 1 point.
For five years, Hollow Knight: Silksong has been one of the most anticipated video game sequels of all time, indie or otherwise. Team Cherry achieved perfection with the first Hollow Knight, and the idea of that small expansion expanding its scope into a full-fledged sequel, all bursting at the seams with the same bosses, characters, and world, had players shaking and nervous at the mere mention of a Nintendo Direct.
With Grand Theft Auto’s overwhelming ability to coax other releases out of the way, Hollow Knight: Silksong revealed its release date and released it all within two weeks, causing complete chaos in the plans of other publishers. Those who could get through the airstrip, like Demon School, did so, but those who couldn’t afford it suffered.
The game’s difficulty quickly became a hot topic, both uplifting and demoralizing many. Hollow Knight: Silksong sold over 7 million copies by the end of the year, and Team Cherry announced a free expansion for 2026, so whether it was one of the most painful and brutal games of the year turned out to be irrelevant.
Blink if you’ve heard it before.
Ewan says
“Despite the many high-quality releases released in 2025, I keep coming back to Hollow Knight Silksong. With endless secrets to discover, a captivating risk-versus-reward gameplay loop, and dark, hand-drawn art direction, it stands out among the best Metroidvanias.
It stuck with me more than the first one. Crests made combat feel faster because you could adjust your attacks to suit your playstyle. Team Cherry has pulled out all the stops and created a truly amazing experience that lives up to the hype. ”
I didn’t officially publish a review of Hollow Knight: Silksong because I wasn’t provided with a review code and there’s quite a bit packed into the game. But you can see our ongoing thoughts in this podcast episode.
On review aggregation site Metacritic, Hollow Knight: Silksong rests with an average score of 90.
Congratulations to Team Cherry on making it to the top 10 of 2025!
2025 Game of the Year
#10 – Ghost of Yotei
#9 – Ball x Pit
#8 – Dispatch
#7 – silent hill f
#6 – Donkey Kong Bananza
#5 – Hades 2
#4 – Hollow Knight: Silk Song
