DualShockers’ 2025 Game of the Year Awards: Best Indie Games

2025 might be remembered as the year independent game developers truly shined, with their games potentially dominating ‘Game of the Year‘ awards and challenging titles from major publishers.

The automotive aftermarket also saw success, reflecting changing preferences globally. This year, a new game, ARC Raiders, surprisingly outperformed the latest Call of Duty, highlighting a significant shift in what gamers want.

Every year, a small, independent game often becomes incredibly popular and exciting for players. 2025 saw several of these titles, giving many people hope that the gaming industry is still innovating and moving away from endless, repetitive live-service games.

Choosing our top ten favorite indie games of the year was surprisingly difficult. The TopMob team had so many great options to consider, and everyone had strong opinions about which games should make the list.

Each “Game of the Year” list is written by a single TopMob writer, but the games included and their order were decided by a vote of all our writers. Therefore, the list represents the collective opinion of TopMob, and may not perfectly reflect the individual writer’s personal preferences.

10. Despelote

Not That Kind Of Football

Football (or soccer, as it’s called in the US) is one of the most popular sports globally, and many successful video games have been created around it.

Despelote isn’t so much about soccer as it is about the impact the sport has on people’s lives. The story, told from the perspective of the creator as a young boy, is based on his own experiences during the lead-up to the 2002 World Cup in Ecuador. It shows how the tournament affected everything around him and throughout the country.

Despelote is a short game, easily finished in a few hours, but it offers a deeply memorable and emotional experience. It’s a truly special moment, and a must-play for anyone who enjoys story-driven games.

9. Rift Of The NecroDancer

Cadence Is Back From Her Adventures In Hyrule

Crypt of the NecroDancer combined the challenging exploration of roguelike RPG dungeons with the beat-matching gameplay of rhythm games. Its follow-up, Rift of the NecroDancer, initially seems like a standard rhythm game, but it actually offers a surprisingly different and engaging way to play.

In Rhythm Heaven-inspired gameplay, Rift of the NecroDancer presents a series of monsters falling down the screen. Players must press a button when each monster reaches the bottom, but with a unique challenge: each monster type requires a different number of button presses to defeat, adding a layer of complexity to the rhythm-based action.

Honestly, this rhythm game is just a ton of fun! The music is amazing, and everything looks super cute. Plus, the story mode is actually really engaging, and they’ve thrown in a bunch of cool minigames. It all adds up to a totally unique and addictive experience – I can’t put it down!

8. Ball x Pit

The Breakout Hit Of 2025

Indie games don’t always need to be groundbreakingly original. Ball x Pit, for example, successfully combined the classic Breakout style of gameplay with the addictive wave-based action and character upgrades seen in Vampire Survivors.

Ball x Pit is a really captivating game where you try to make it through each level by bouncing enemy balls off each other. It features a wide variety of characters you can unlock, each with special skills, plus collectible balls and items that let you combine powers. You can also build and manage a town to gather resources and improve your abilities.

Ball Pit is a game that’s easy to pick up and play for a quick five minutes, but also engaging enough to keep you hooked for an hour or more, constantly wanting to play just one more round.

7. Demonschool

Someone Dropped Tactics Into Persona

Honestly, one of the things I always loved about the Persona games was how they made you actually live a life, with a calendar and everything. It’s crazy that more games haven’t tried to do that! Demon School gets it, though. It’s not just about the school stuff and scheduling, it also has this awesome tactical combat that reminds me a lot of Final Fantasy Tactics – it’s a really cool combo.

Demonschool takes place in 1999 and follows Faye, a demon hunter who attends college on Hemsk Island. A prophecy foretells a demon invasion, and Faye must work with her classmates to defeat the demons while also maintaining good grades.

Demonschool isn’t as strong as the Persona games, but it’s still enjoyable with a likable group of characters, and offers a similar experience to building relationships with those characters.

6. Bionic Bay

Limbo Has Passed On The Torch

I’ve noticed a ton of indie games are platformers, and it totally makes sense! A lot of developers grew up playing those classic Nintendo games from the NES and SNES days. Because of that, we’re seeing a lot of really creative platformers that either go for a super dark and moody vibe, or completely shake up how the game is played – it’s cool to see them messing with the formula!

Bionic Bay offers a visually striking and atmospheric world, full of shadows, and keeps gameplay interesting with a wide variety of power-ups that encourage you to experiment with different strategies.

Bionic Bay lets you gain different abilities that change how the game world and your character work. These powers aren’t permanent – they switch throughout the game, so you’ll need to adapt and find new ways to play. It’s a challenging game, but overcoming those difficulties is a rewarding experience, similar to the tough-but-fair games made by FromSoftware.

5. Sword of the Sea

A Totally Rad Adventure

The team behind the beloved games Journey and Abzû is releasing a new game, and it’s facing high expectations given how well-received those previous titles were.

Sword of the Sea truly lives up to the high standards of its inspirations, offering a beautiful and captivating experience. The game features a character called a Wraith who travels across stunning environments using a unique sword that functions like a blend of skateboard and surfboard.

Sword of the Sea is a stunning exploration game focused on experiencing its beautiful world. What sets it apart is that it’s actually fun to play, with engaging challenges and hidden discoveries. The game is enhanced by a truly exceptional soundtrack – arguably the best of 2025 – featuring both haunting and inspiring music that makes your journey even more memorable.

4. Dispatch

Who Knew Running The Thunderbolts Was So Fun?

In 2025, one game really stood out: Dispatch. It’s a unique blend of management simulation and story-driven adventure where you work at a superhero dispatch center. Your job is to send heroes to solve problems, but there’s a catch – these aren’t your typical superheroes. They’re former villains trying to go straight, and they’re not always very good at it!

As a big fan of those classic Telltale games like The Wolf Among Us, Dispatch immediately felt familiar – and that’s because a lot of the same people worked on it! But honestly, I think Dispatch takes things even further. What really sets it apart is that it’s genuinely fun to play. It’s not just a story; managing your team of superheroes and leveling them up is a really engaging gameplay loop – I’m having a blast with it!

What really made Dispatch popular was its memorable characters and the talented voice actors who brought them to life. The lively discussions and debates about who the best character was – particularly between Blonde Blazer and Invisigal – were a huge part of what got people interested in the show, and those conversations are still happening online now.

3. Blue Prince

Those Contractor Bills Must Be Huge!

In 2025, it’s unusual to find a game that feels genuinely original. Blue Prince is one of those rare titles – a clever roguelike puzzle game where you build a house using blueprints to uncover the secrets of its architect.

In Blue Prince, you play as Simon P. Jones, who inherits the mysterious Mt. Holly Estate from his great uncle. It’s not a simple fixer-upper, though! The mansion’s rooms constantly change, and you design the layout using special blueprints. Each room has its own purpose and reveals clues about the person who built the estate.

Blue Prince is best enjoyed as a surprise. To truly appreciate the game, try to solve its puzzles yourself without looking up any guides. Take your time exploring the manor, and you’ll find a satisfying experience.

2. Hollow Knight: Silksong

The Hornet Was Worth The Wait

It’s hard to believe Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally available! After almost ten years of waiting, fans can now play as Hornet and experience her story.

Hollow Knight: Silksong lived up to the hype! It feels both new and comfortably familiar compared to the first game, all while taking place in a beautiful world populated with delightful characters.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is an excellent game, but it didn’t quite reach the number one spot because of some unexpectedly challenging sections and boss battles. It’s a demanding game that requires a high level of skill, which proved difficult for some players to achieve.

1. Hades 2

This Game Is Heavenly To Play

Hades 2 was TopMob’s clear choice for the best indie game of 2025. The action RPG was a huge hit, receiving a perfect 10/10 score from our reviewers and solidifying its status as a modern classic.

Hades 2 puts you in the role of Melinoe, Zagreus’s sister from the first Hades game. A war between the Olympian gods and the Titan Chronos is raging, so Melinoe is secretly raised by witches and trained as an assassin. Her mission? To defeat Chronos and save the gods.

The first Hades was a great game, but it felt a little limited in terms of content and things to do. Hades 2 takes everything people loved about the original gameplay and expands on it with much more to explore and a wider variety of dungeons. Battling through waves of enemies is always fun, and with so many upgrades and power-ups to find on each run, every time you play feels different.

2025-12-17 17:12