Indie and AA games have performed exceptionally well in 2025, resulting in more praise than the AAA games. This year, there was and still is a strong presence of AAA games such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Death Stranding 2, and Monster Hunter Wilds.
However, the games from smaller developers still managed to make a name for themselves and even dominate. There is solid proof of why 2025 should be called the year for indies and AA games. The top five best-rated games of 2025 are actually indie or AA.
Indie And AA Games Dominate The Best-Rated Titles Of 2025
If you head over to Metacritic’s best-rated games of 2025, the top five might come as a surprise. Ignore the top two, as neither was originally released this year. They’re just Nintendo Switch 2 editions, so their high placement doesn’t really make sense.
The real number one goes to Hades 2. The game had been in early access for quite a while and was only recently fully released. It was surprising to see it perform this well, attracting over 110,000 players on Steam. It currently holds a 94 Metascore, taking the throne.
In second place, we have the highest-rated game based on user reviews: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The game currently holds a Metascore of 93. It’s fair to call it the standout title of 2025, as it caught almost every gamer by surprise.
The third spot goes to one of the most underrated games of the year, Blue Prince, which has a Metascore of 92. Next up are Split Fiction and Hollow Knight: Silksong, taking the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. Both games had a ton of hype behind them and managed to deliver at launch, especially Silksong, which exceeded expectations.
The fact that the top five best-rated games of 2025 are indie or AA titles shows just how dominant smaller studios have been this year.
The Indie And AA Hype Is Just Beginning
Most of the games mentioned have one thing in common: they weren’t overlooked at launch. Except for Blue Prince, most of them launched to strong numbers on Steam and have built massive fanbases.
In fact, two of these games with huge player bases, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight: Silksong, were available on Game Pass. Yet, being on a subscription service didn’t stop players from buying them outright.
Another thing these games share is that none of them cost $70 like your average AAA title. Despite that, they still deliver a solid experience.
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Obaid Ur Rehman is a lifelong gaming enthusiast with a deep passion for writing about video games. While he enjoys all genres, he specializes in RPGs and Soulslike titles. After tackling some of the toughest bosses, he often unwinds with a cozy game to relax. Outside of gaming, Obaid enjoys watching anime, bingeing TV series, or staying active at the gym.
