Welcome to PC Gamer’s annual Game of the Year awards. Below, you’ll find our picks for the best PC games released over the last 12 months, culminating in our 2025 Game of the Year. Rather than shoehorn our favorites into a few fixed categories, we let each team member nominate up to six games released this year. We then tally the votes and jump into a huge, globally connected video call to debate fiercely which games deserve awards and, ultimately, what our Game of the Year is. Once a game is selected, we tailor the award category to what we think that game excelled at. That's why the categories change every year. And it has been an eventful year—we’ve had incredible highs, some disappointing lows, and games that have dominated the conversation all year long. Let us know what your favorite games of the year were in the comments.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1346360/Old_Skies/ Fraser Brown, Online Editor: Old Skies is a classic adventure game. It's not packed with branching paths or social puzzles, nor does it feature characters who remember you killed their mother back in the day. While those things are great—or can be, anyway—Old Skies is a reminder of why the genre was the reason to own a PC in the 1980s and early 1990s. Atmospheric backdrops, compelling characters, quirky story developments, and impressive art. Sometimes that’s enough. Time travel narratives are notoriously hard to handle, but developer Wadjet Eyes pulls it off with a rare level of deftness, creating a work that stands alongside classics like *Primer*, *12 Monkeys*, and *Timecrimes*. But it has something those movies don’t: characters you will actually like, and who might just make you cry, like they did me. What begins as a charming adventure about protecting the timeline slowly unfolds into a deeply personal tale about love, loss, and isolation. And if you’re more cynical than I am (which is possible), you can at least enjoy it as an entertaining sci-fi romp. You get to see the world through the eyes of meticulously written and lively characters who travel between the past and the future and have personal connections to each era. The puzzles are great, too. They’re not the brutal, brain-busting type, but they are accessible and playful while being immersive enough to keep you hooked. Robin Valentine, Senior Editor: What I love most about the storytelling in Old Skies is that it sets up very clear rules for time travel and then absolutely lives within the consequences. You start to see gloomy, nihilistic implications of what’s going on, and at first, you think they're just plot holes from a lighthearted time travel story. But nope. The game is happy to let you soak in those implications, making you increasingly uneasy about the reality of a world where the wealthy can change the past on a whim. And the moment you fully grasp that quiet horror, it delivers one of the most powerful emotional gut punches I’ve ever seen in an adventure game. All of this, coming from a game that successfully pulls off a string of silly jokes about salad delivery drones, is truly amazing.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/301280/Skin_Deep/ Immersive Sim Award Evan Lahti, Strategic Director: Skin Deep is a unique game from a small studio—it’s slapstick *Die Hard* in space. You play as frozen insurance operative Nina Passadena, deployed onto space pirates’ captured laundry barges and other janky space vessels to rescue a crew of cats. You sneak around the ships, avoiding guards and cameras, improvising solutions with things like a pepper shaker, stolen walkie-talkies, and even actual banana peels. Beneath the silliness lies a very well-designed first-person game. Skin Deep’s fluid movement is a joy; leaping in and out of air ducts is so smooth it feels like I've been covered in two inches of Vaseline. The entire experience is built on the idTech 4 engine, which was used for *Doom 3*, and because of that, it has a neo-retro visual and feel that no other game can emulate. Wes Fenlon, Senior Editor: When a game simulates loading a magazine into a machine gun at the same time it simulates a guard slipping and dying on a bar of soap, you have a special game. Why has the immersive sim genre taken 30 years to take itself seriously and, by accident, create a goldmine of comedy? They could have gone full *Austin Powers* this whole time. Even if you think you don't like stealth games, try this one. The comedy is the perfect gateway drug to understanding the deep interactions that exist between every object in this sandbox of cosmic disaster. Jake Tucker, PC Gaming Show Editorial Director: Skin Deep is a game that handles ridiculously stupid things with extreme seriousness. On the surface, it’s just cats and floating-head guards, but in reality, it’s a fiercely immersive sim that thoroughly adheres to its own ridiculous internal logic. It’s been my favorite game this year. Now I live in fear of glass shards, pepper clouds, and those... whatever those marlin drones are supposed to be. Morgan Park, Staff Writer: Once, I tossed a tracking grenade at a guard. He got so mad he started shooting up the room, instantly shattering a window, which sucked the guard out into space, nearly taking me with him. What saved me was a randomly flying key that hit the window sealant button in the gravitational mess, restoring gravity, and leaving only me in the room. I celebrated my victory and then immediately cut my foot on a shard of glass. Skin Deep is truly excellent.
Best Horror https://store.steampowered.com/app/1804010/Labyrinth_Of_The_Demon_King/ Ted Litchfield, Associate Editor: Labyrinth of the Demon King is a unique and uncompromising horror game, and one of my favorite releases of 2025. You are described as a low-ranking Ashigaru soldier tracking the titular demon who murdered your lord, but there’s something strange about this setting. What cemented this game in my mind is the atmosphere. A desolate Japanese castle is sent to a rusty dimension of Silent Hill, coupled with impressive music and hellish sound design by musician Rem Daihuku, meaning you only truly find relief in the teahouse safe zones, where calming save-room music plays. I had countless moments of deep, unsettling discovery while playing Demon King—crawling down narrow caves to emerge in a hidden chapel that feels like the center of the Earth, or seeing the base of pillars inscribed with Kanji honoring human sacrifice soaring up to a gigantic ceiling, holding up the castle. Demon King offers great first-person combat paired with a harsh stamina system. The tempo of combat is sluggish, and your character's dull movement and attacks leave you anxiously flailing, but it is possible to reach a state of flow and mastery similar to the tank control *Resident Evil* games. However, you never feel completely safe or in control. The crushing atmosphere, limited resources, and the ever-present threat of the undead Yokai you accidentally unleashed after blaspheming a Buddha statue maintain the tension from start to finish (it makes sense in context). And much like films such as *Oldboy*, you can't shake the unpleasant premonition that no matter how much you master the combat, this story can never end happily. Shaun Prescott, Australian Editor: Labyrinth of the Demon King borrows heavily from FromSoftware's '90s console RPGs, but unlike most indies exploring similar nostalgia, J.R. Hudepohl has infused his work with a paralyzing, numbing dread that I haven't felt in a game since *P.T.* or *Murder House*. The modern indie horror scene is saturated with quick, stimulating releases, but Labyrinth stands out with a presence that rivals big-budget horrors of 2025.
Best game for a relaxing, cozy, stress-free atmosphere https://store.steampowered.com/app/2585830/Promise_Mascot_Agency/ Lauren Morton, Lead SEO Editor: No one will be surprised that this year's Best Cozy Game is about driving a beaten-up truck, collecting cute friends, and making a ton of money to reinvest in a struggling town. But that it's also an absurd open-world adventure about a banished Yakuza thug whose partner is a giant, talking severed finger? That's a bit of a shocker. I must emphasize that this isn't meant to mock or undercut the cozy game trend. Promise Mascot Agency is a narrative-driven small-town drama about redemption and atonement, a textbook cozy game about a lovable group of weirdos. At the same time, it’s about helping a massive, weeping tofu block mascot who needs to be cheered up for a mall reopening by overcoming high-difficulty (?) obstacles, like crossing a slightly warped sidewalk. I don't think there could be a more 'me' choice than PC Gamer giving the Best Cozy Game award to the game that is simultaneously the closest thing we have to a new *Yakuza* series entry. I applaud the developers who took the Best Adventure Game award five years ago for upending the mystery genre with *Paradise Killer*, and then returned with this, the most unexpected cozy game concept. Wes Fenlon, Senior Editor: I give credit to our reviewer Maddie Chilton for one of the sharpest pieces we published in 2025, which saw past PMA's charming absurdity: “The great thing about Promise Mascot Agency is that its excessive concept actually anchors it deeper in the material reality of our world… You start out facing a multitude of layered systems that seem impossible to manage, scrambling to chip away at a fraction of a fraction of your debt, and then suddenly, you have an unmanageable amount of money. But the only thing that money can do is make more money. I will go to the train station and thoughtlessly buy 100 onigiri from the nicest man I’ve ever met. I will empty every vending machine in the game. I will sticker bomb my car. I can, and will, become the new lord of Kasomachi through extreme financial clemency. And yet… the millions of yen I amass barely make a dent in the debt.” Jody Macgregor, Weekend/AU Editor: I rarely get every achievement in a game, but I 100%ed Promise Mascot Agency. The upgradable Kei truck was the perfect vehicle for enjoying the open world full of side quests, collectibles, and hidden mysteries, transforming what could have been a tedious padding exercise into a pleasant way to spend an evening. You can throw that junker truck down the steepest ramps, watch it land and keep driving, barrel across bumpy fields at top speed, and even defy the land and drive on water. I find myself saying, “Japanese engineering is incredible,” as I exploit the most ridiculous video game physics imaginable to get to a hidden secret door over a mountain. Mollie Taylor, Features Producer: Maybe it’s a good thing this game didn’t hit my radar until recently, because since then, I’ve become an unbearable ambassador for Kasomachi and its awkward, yet lovable cast of weirdos. It’s been the best 25 hours I’ve spent in a game in quite a while: helping a severed finger depose the old guard in a mayoral election, rescuing a crying tofu block who embarrassed himself by tripping on a warped paving slab, and operating out of a sketchy love hotel as a banished Yakuza. All the absurdity is treated with the utmost seriousness, like they’re performing Shakespearean tragedy, and it provides such slapstick comedic joy. Kasomachi might be a dead town, but Promise Mascot Agency is full of life. Phil Savage, Global Editor-in-Chief: The moment I realized that Takaya Kuroda (Kiryu in the *Yakuza* series) voices the protagonist of Promise Mascot Agency, I was sold. It’s an impossibly fitting choice. The way Promise balances gritty crime drama, social commentary, and absurd characters reminds me of the height of the *Yakuza* series.
Best Roguelike https://store.steampowered.com/app/2321470/Deep_Rock_Galactic_Survivor/ Fraser Brown, Online Editor: As someone who isn’t a fan of Deep Rock Galactic, I was skeptical when Senior Editor Robin Valentine started raving about Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor. But his 90% review was absolutely correct: this game absolutely bangs. It's much tighter and more demanding than its progenitor, *Vampire Survivors*. It doesn't let you snowball into a semi-divine, god-like entity in 15 minutes. Instead, the missions, equipment loadouts, and weapon mastery create a long growth curve that lets you take on increasingly deadly challenges. What it does copy, however, is the addiction factor. My sleep schedule is completely ruined since installing this on my Steam Deck. It’s impossible to sleep before 3 a.m. because I’m too busy leveling up my flamethrower turrets and finding the perfect class/gear/weapon combination to exterminate every bug in existence. Robin Valentine, Senior Editor: I really appreciate how much more tactical this game feels than others in the genre. Usually, these games end up with you reaching an unstoppable build and then just sitting back and watching it spin. That has its own fun and satisfaction, of course. But Survivor's approach keeps me much more actively engaged. I have to chase down the weapons and buffs I need while also considering how to use the environment and kite the enemies. It feels like the genre has matured a step further. Evan Lahti, Strategic Director: The destructible terrain is a genre-changer. Bringing that mechanic over from the original Deep Rock Galactic was a brilliant move. Each biome has factors that influence your decision-making, be it thorny vines, crystal clusters that drop giant bug-crushing stalactites from above, or bouncy trampolines that save you from danger. You start using the terrain itself as a resource. You have to time when to tunnel and know that when you dig through rock, you’re also creating a new path for the swarm of bugs to follow. This is what the Survivors genre needed to move past being a simple ‘number go up’ game.
Best Comedy https://store.steampowered.com/app/1281040/Baby_Steps/ Wes Fenlon, Senior Editor: Baby Steps is a masterpiece of trolling artistry. Like a perfect dril tweet, it's funny and stupid, while also sharply satirizing a specific type of human—the kind who would slip down a hillside in a dirty onesie and shout, ‘I'm not owned!’ Like Bennett Foddy’s *QWOP* or *Getting Over It*, Baby Steps is relentlessly fixated on the simplest physical act that most games take for granted. It's just walking, but every step taken as Nate, a 35-year-old basement-dwelling loser, is filled with slapstick disaster. Lift your leg slightly too fast, and Nate groans and falls over; lean forward a little, and he faceplants in the mud. Baby Steps' shallow streams are scarier than any monster in Labyrinth of the Demon King. The game frequently shoves the thought into your head: ‘It doesn't have to be this hard,’ ‘Life doesn't have to be this hard.’ As Nate refuses every helping hand, the open world mocks you with shiny trinkets and meaningless challenges. After a few hours, I was arrogant enough to spot something shiny on a tree next to a steep precipice and think, ‘Yeah, I can climb that.’ That hubris cost me 30 minutes, but the frustration led to a level of self-reflection few games evoke. In what ways am I like Nate? What value do I place on persistent forward motion? Why do most of the characters Nate meets have massive, floppy donkey dicks? Questions to ponder as you tumble down a cliff face, having decided that kicking a rusty pile of cans was important. Kara Phillips, Evergreen Writer: I played so much *QWOP* back in college, and Baby Steps is a reminder that even the most basic movement, like walking, is still completely uncoordinated. That being said, when you finally get the hang of it and find the rhythm, all the frustration feels rewarded. Except, of course, right before you slide all the way back down the mountain for the millionth time. Then, no. Christopher Livingston, Senior Editor: The Baby Steps devs (who, fun fact, don't actually have a studio name) have done something I wish more games would follow: getting actors together to record improvised dialogue. When Nate talks to Jim or Mike, or the half-naked donkey men, the conversations tumble over each other, overlap, stutter, and get tangled. The result is more than just funny; it feels much more natural, like a genuinely awkward conversation you'd have with a stranger in real life. In most games, actors record separately without someone to play off or react to, but Baby Steps' improv is much more dynamic and far funnier. Shaun Prescott, Australian Editor: I love the improvised cutscenes too, but I also appreciate that Baby Steps is a funny game that doesn't rely heavily on writing. It’s funny in ways that couldn't be achieved in any other medium. The sheer physicality of the controls is hilarious. Jody Macgregor, Weekend/AU Editor: The only part of Baby Steps that wasn't funny was the sandbox. I spent too long there because I didn't realize that if you knocked over the plastic shovel you use as a leg and entered and exited the menu, it would return to its original position. That whole zone, and the anthill maze in the castle, can just fuck off.
Best FPS https://store.steampowered.com/app/2807960/Battlefield_6/ Jake Tucker, PC Gaming Show Editorial Director: The multiplayer shooter genre has been stagnant for a really long time. Battlefield 6 isn't blowing everything up and starting over from scratch, like *Modern Warfare* in 2007, but it's a pretty thoughtful reimagining of many tropes. While players are strongly reacting to what feel like minor issues, Battlefield 6 is a truly excellent shooter. At the heart of Battlefield 6 is 'physicality.' Elements like rolling on landing to negate fall damage, or dragging downed squadmates into cover to revive them, make the character feel more realistic and alive. Adding fun, new gadgets like the acoustic mine or... a ladder, creates a fantastic sandbox ripe for shooting people in. Morgan Park, Staff Writer: Battlefield returned in 2025, and unbelievably, DICE actually pulled off the resurrection. The biggest accomplishment of this military FPS is making 'just a normal Battlefield' one of the most interesting games of the year. It definitely feels like the FPS scene is moving out of the era where small, team-based shooters dominated, into a new era where casual shooters are embraced again. It’s genuinely surprising that Battlefield 6 has no ranked mode and almost no established 'meta.' I also love that the server browser (which isn't a proper browser and needs a lot of improvement) and a sophisticated map maker with custom UI and AI scripting are key features. As someone looking for a game to switch off my brain and play after work—a game that's fun solo and just as enjoyable whether you win or lose—Battlefield 6 has become my permanent choice. It's a game of explosive, non-serious fun, the kind of fun you struggled to find outside of Call of Duty. And Battlefield 6 is better than that. Speaking of that 'big bad,' one reason Battlefield 6 succeeded is thanks to elements borrowed from its competition. Battlefield 6 has the best gun-feel in the series’ history, and DICE has significantly boosted the sound and animation while retaining a crucial element of Battlefield differentiation: bullet spread. Controlled bursts are essential, and this one factor makes long-range engagements far more interesting. It has problems, sure. Too many small maps, a weak server browser, and expensive skins. But thanks to more studios making non-F2P shooters again, Battlefield 6 feels like a complete game already. Elie Gould, News Writer: I can’t say Battlefield 6 is entirely my taste yet, but the pure pleasure of mindlessly driving a tank and hitting an enemy straight in the chest with a high-explosive shell is undeniable. That chaos of two tanks and a swarm of engineers fighting is what keeps me coming back. Rory Norris, Guides Writer: Morgan is spot-on that Battlefield 6 is equally fun whether you win or lose. The sandbox is still messy and huge (I wish the boats would come back, though), and that guarantees a good time every match. One of the biggest highlights for me was the addition of the Escalation mode. It’s essentially Conquest, but with every metric turned up to 11. It starts as normal Conquest, and then more and more tanks and air support pile into a confined space, creating a perfect flow to the match. I love it. Now I can't imagine a Battlefield game without this mode.
Best Characters (Games where every character feels alive, and the characters keep you playing) https://store.steampowered.com/app/2592160/Dispatch/ Harvey Randall, Staff Writer: If you sit down and think about it—I mean, really seriously think about it—I don't think Dispatch’s worldbuilding is that well-done. It feels like a messy mix of comic book superhero settings, and the frankly dystopian concept that saving human lives requires a subscription is barely explored. In fact, it's pretty irrelevant to the story. It's funny to start a commendation for a game's writing this way, but I think it highlights how much Dispatch stands on its own thanks to its characters. That’s why it’s winning this award; check above for more details. The characters in Dispatch are so lovable that it's no surprise AdHoc focused on them like a laser. The world is paper-thin, but that's not the core of Dispatch. This game is about people. The disastrous crew, Team Z, takes the occasionally repetitive management simulation sections and pulls them through with the energy of a friend group on a 4 AM Discord call. The coke-addled tech-bro bat, the gay icon with fire powers, the boy who is almost literally a wet-sponge—these personalities bounce off each other like rubber balls. Not to mention my favorite, the Golem. He did nothing wrong. Dispatch also nails the dramatic bits. Robert Robertson III has sharp writing and delivers all-time great lines, but he’s also an intriguing mix of superhero clichés. He's so dedicated to heroism that he has no furniture in his home. His body is an exhibit of self-punishment, and he sleeps on a plastic chair because he doesn't think he deserves better. And I physically desire him. As do everyone at SDC and probably two-thirds of Tumblr, frankly. Fraser Brown, Online Editor: In games with lots of choices, I usually take an antagonistic approach. Shocker, I know. But I couldn't do that in Dispatch. I genuinely wanted this band of Z-list, ex-villain heroes to like me. Even the biggest asshole member of Team Z, whom I incinerated in the first episode of the game. They are all losers and they only complain, but I sincerely love every single one of them. Even when they’re pranking me in the office, turning the conference room into a battleground, or clocking out early despite needing to save the city. All the jokes and banter might remind you of the superhero model established in the first MCU *Avengers* movie, but these aren't just chattering, flat heroes. Their relationships and conflicts are far more interesting than Captain and Iron Man’s alpha battle. Dispatch’s writers and artists gave it their all, but what truly makes these characters breathe is the talented voice cast. Everyone is ridiculously good. I honestly thought it was doomed when I found out a lot of the cast were streamers. I was completely wrong. I’m not the kind of guy who watches 30-something men record reaction videos under names like MoistCr1TiKaL, but I’d happily watch him play a venture capitalist bat character. Rory Norris, Guides Writer: The most surprising element of Dispatch is actually the gameplay. You don't awkwardly walk around in Dispatch. There’s no clicking on junk between story beats either. Instead, most of the gameplay consists of mini-games where you direct deployments, which are so much fun they could be a standalone game. Seriously. My favorite part is the premise that Team Z are reformed villains doing community service. They aren't fully heroes yet and are almost always tearing each other down. Sometimes when you send them on a deployment, they just run away, sometimes they sabotage each other, messing up an easy mission and injuring a teammate, and sometimes they just won't listen. Why would they? You're a washed-up superhero on the other end of the line. The story is cleverly reinforced by this gameplay, and frankly, not many games, including Telltale-likes, manage to pull this off properly.
Best Action https://store.steampowered.com/app/1030300/Hollow_Knight_Silksong/ Harvey Randall, Staff Writer: Silksong is hard. Silksong hates you. Silksong is brutal and fickle. And most of all, Silksong is a game worth sticking with. I don't think a game being harsh is inherently a good thing, but I haven't played a game so unconcerned with player comfort in a long time. I might be a bit of a masochist, but as Team Cherry kept torturing me with benches in awful locations and malicious retry segments, I respected that cruelty as part of Silksong’s character. And it's not as scary as you might think. Silksong has a high barrier to entry, but once you get accustomed to it, it offers some of the most satisfying combat in action gaming. Hornet’s controls are deliberately designed, and mastering her needle skills is more about finding the right tool for the situation than pure dexterity. If I had one sin to point out, it's that it releases the necessary tools too late. But the feeling of transforming Pharloom from an insurmountable challenge into a personal playground is something I haven't felt since *Dark Souls 1*. Team Cherry isn't afraid to throw hands, and because of that, the sense of accomplishment when you conquer this maze of insect nightmare is much greater. Ted Litchfield, Associate Editor: 2D platformers, especially the Metroidvania genre, are so explored and saturated that it's difficult to get excited about new releases. Yet, the fact that Team Cherry has captivated not only us but the industry at large shows the value of their rigorous commitment to quality and the time spent honing Silksong into something truly special. Sean Martin, Senior Guides Writer: I think the clearest evidence of Silksong’s top-tier action platforming is the sheer number of players who stuck with it, despite the frankly malice-inducing difficulty. Given the player count, a significant portion must have been newcomers to the genre. As the Silksong guide writer, I had to clear all the worst bottlenecks, like the horrific Groal boss run in Bilewater or the consecutive challenge jump puzzles of Passing of the Age in the High Halls. It induced rage multiple times, but the gameplay felt so good I couldn't put it down. I spent three hours trying to beat Skarrsinger Karmalita, but not once did I feel like it was the game's fault. The action, movement, and ability systems are so excellent that they compel the player to immerse themselves and overcome. Robin Valentine, Senior Editor: I agree with Robin. I don't think the difficulty will be the most memorable part of Silksong over time. Instead, we’ll remember the level of artistic detail, which is rare, maybe even unmatched, in side-scrolling platformers. Not many indie studios have the freedom to spend eight years crafting a world with this level of meticulousness. But everywhere in Pharloom, it’s clear that Team Cherry didn't waste a single moment of that time. Even though the game tortured me so much, I can't help but love and respect its texture.
Best Co-op https://store.steampowered.com/app/427410/Abiotic_Factor/ Fraser Brown, Online Editor: While it looks like a co-op *Half-Life* style survival brawler on the surface, Abiotic Factor is just a completely unhinged playground. You can make soup out of poop, or like my partner, dedicate your life to the noble mission of stealing every plant in the Black Mesa-esque facility to create a lush, cozy private base. Our regular Thursday game group has bounced around various survival games, but none have made us laugh as hard or created as many funny incidents as Abiotic Factor—whether we’re hiding from building-sized monsters in another dimension or filling one guy's bedroom with skeletons and an incredibly loud TV just to mess with him. Andrea Shearon, Evergreen Writer: Like Fraser, Abiotic Factor has held onto me and my friends for months. I’ve fished up grotesque aquatic life in nuclear waste, been jump-scared by a growling brain, and died of diarrhea after being infected by an alien virus. There’s no graceful way to describe this journey, but it’s a co-op legend in the making. According to Steam, I’ve poured 130 hours into Abiotic Factor, and it still doesn't feel finished. There are plenty of side adventures to do even after finishing the story, and more updates are planned. If we ever leave the base again, that is. This game’s cable management toys are too satisfying. Morgan Park, Staff Writer: I've been screaming about Abiotic Factor to everyone since its Early Access launch last year. It’s only gotten better since reaching 1.0. Having the best setting and map in survival game history is enough, but what I love most are Abiotic Factor’s quiet strengths: base building that requires you to build inside existing spaces, the rewarding structure of managing yourself through dozens of status effects, and the detail of your mouth moving up and down when you use voice chat. It’s an incredible package that shines brightest when you're with friends. James Bentley, Hardware Writer: Abiotic Factor has been one of the best co-op games two years running. Even during its Early Access days, the game’s weirdness and creativity shone brighter than any handmade torch or low-res photon. The scientific aesthetic isn’t just window dressing. Beneath Abiotic's nostalgic skin lies a sprawling network of wires that you connect to build bases, take down bosses, and, most importantly, mess with your friends. It's a game with both depth and breadth, and it's one of the few survival crafting games I can return to without the urge to start over. Phil Savage, Global Editor-in-Chief: What impressed me most about Abiotic Factor is how intuitive the goals and progression systems are. It might sound like a weird point to make, but I'm too used to survival games where you need a wiki open on your second screen. Here, the goals can be vague, but there’s always a satisfying moment of discovery. An NPC, a door, or a crafting idea pops up that gives you a genuine sense of direction. We always leave our co-op sessions excited for the next challenge. That anticipation is always rewarded with new discoveries, whether it’s a portal to a strange alien dimension or a new tool or weapon to solve the next problem. The Black Mesa-esque environment is perfect for guiding players through a well-structured linear adventure, but we often stop what we're doing to redecorate and rewire the home base away from the main path.
Best Multiplayer https://store.steampowered.com/app/1808500/ARC_Raiders/ Morgan Park, Staff Writer: “Best multiplayer” is the perfect description for Arc Raiders. It's monumental that Embark has expanded the extraction shooter to the point where it's blurring the lines of the genre almost to meaninglessness. Sure, there’s loot greed and the fear of losing gear, but by adjusting the incentives that drive players toward each other and unifying the community against a common threat, Arc Raiders achieved something amazing: most people have created a pretty chill PvPvE environment. While running around picking apricots and asking strangers for directions to the field supply drop, Arc Raiders nudges the edges of the MMO. It feels like a shared world where everyone is doing their own thing—it's just that their own thing sometimes involves shooting innocent people on sight. Evan Lahti, Strategic Director: This is also one of the greatest technical achievements of the year. Four distinct and beautiful maps run at extremely high frame rates. Enemy AI and pathing are better than in any other game in the genre. It had virtually no major bugs at launch. Match loading is unbelievably fast, and server issues were minor for such a successful launch. Jake Tucker, PC Gaming Show Editorial Director: Sometimes I encounter a solo Raider and spam the Don’t Shoot voice line before shooting them in the back as they pass me. Just because I need to feel something. Sean Martin, Senior Guides Writer: That was you?! I honestly appreciate the peaceful atmosphere of Arc Raiders. I was too used to extraction shooters where you hide in a bush for 30 minutes only to get executed by a highly leveled player, so the experience of teaming up to take down a giant threat felt really fresh. Here, that threat is giant killer robots. In many ways, Arc Raiders is designed to make loose alliances for mutual benefit more rewarding than shooting everything you see, and that is one of the many factors that makes it a great multiplayer game. Rory Norris, Guides Writer: I think Arc Raiders’ most impressive achievement is that it finally popularized the extraction genre. Ironically, it’s the exact thing Bungie is attempting and currently failing to do with *Marathon*. Games like *Escape from Tarkov* have found success, but they’ve never been widely accepted by the public as they are now, largely because of their intimidating and punishing design. Arc Raiders introduced several mechanisms to lower the barrier, from surprisingly potent devices like the free basic loadouts to literal chickens that gather basic materials for you. It doesn't make the combat or item loss trivial, but you never feel punished for failing. Phil Savage, Global Editor-in-Chief: Rory is right. Arc Raiders is the game that finally made me understand the appeal of the extraction shooter. The joy of traversing the map towards an ongoing quest objective, dodging fire, and navigating tense player encounters, or the desperate fear of running to the only safe exit with a backpack full of good loot when you only have minutes left. While players can feel overly polite when you solo, the trio mode was really fun. Most encounters end in immediate engagement, but the 10 percent that don't always create fun, memorable stories.
Best Story https://store.steampowered.com/app/1903340/__33/ Harvey Randall, Staff Writer: Clair Obscur was a complete surprise. Not just for me, but for most people. I went in expecting a decent RPG of moderate budget and scope, and what came out was an excellent RPG—more accurately, a game that punched far above its weight class. That's thanks to several smart choices. For example, Sandfall successfully combined outstanding motion capture and voice acting, pulling off an impressive cast without bankrupting the studio. The result felt incredibly natural, creating realistic dialogue that’s rare to see these days, where it’s hard to believe they were combining performances from different actors. This combination of ambition and genuine skill permeates the entire game. The 'excellent story' accolade we gave isn't just about the script. The script is great, of course, backed by a powerful twist in Act 2, but it includes the art direction, the worldbuilding, and the insane 154-track soundtrack. The game completely drew me in with its endlessly vivid imagination, and its passion—not only for the game itself but for the many JRPGs it unashamedly borrows from—makes it stand out. It's not a perfect game, but that's because it swings too big, and I actually love that about it. Sean Martin, Senior Guides Writer: Aside from the strong prologue, the first act of Expedition 33 didn’t immediately grab me, but as I progressed, it became clear I was witnessing something special. This is one of the few games I’ve played that achieves a perfect narrative landing, revealing the central mystery in a completely unexpected way. It’s what most stories struggle to do—
"Everyone agrees: Old Skies is awesome but we need a Korean patch ASAP because brute-forcing the English version is too damn hard. Meanwhile, we're still debating if Expedition 33 deserved Best Story over the big winner, Kingdom Come 2."
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