It’s the mid-2020s, and despite rising costs and new hardware, we’re seeing an incredible number of fantastic games – from big-budget titles to indie gems. While truly perfect games are hard to come by, we can try to define perfection by looking at three key areas: how a game looks and sounds, how fun it is to play, and how compelling its story is. A game that excels in all three of these areas can be considered truly exceptional.
With those three key factors in mind, let’s take a look at the best new games released since 2020. We won’t be including remakes – even excellent ones like Silent Hill 2 Remake and Resident Evil 4 Remake will only get a quick mention. We’re also leaving out games that had troubled launches but were later fixed, such as Cyberpunk 2077, despite its current quality with the Phantom Liberty expansion. Now that we’ve covered the rules, let’s start ranking these games based on their approximate OpenCritic scores.
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10. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
A Flawless Sequel To A Realistic Medieval Open-World RPG
- OpenCritic Score: 89
Few games feel as lovingly crafted as Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. While both it and the first game appeal to a specific audience because of their commitment to realism – especially in how challenging combat is – they’ve undeniably created something unique. The sequel builds on that, offering incredible detail, from lifelike characters to incredibly immersive gameplay, including everyday activities like bathing and learning to read. Henry’s story looks even more impressive this time around.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a stunning game that feels authentic and avoids typical, unrealistic power trips. The effort you put into improving your character is genuinely satisfying, and the world is a pleasure to discover, especially with its unique reputation system and immersive atmosphere. Everything, from the quests to the graphics, story, and music, is exceptional. The only downside is the challenging combat – you’ll either find it engaging or frustrating.
9. Split Fiction
Another Co-Op Banger From Hazelight Studios
- OpenCritic Score: 91
Following the success of It Takes Two, many wondered if Hazelight Studios could deliver another hit with Split Fiction. They did just that! The game stars two writers who find themselves trapped inside the worlds they’ve created, and they must cooperate to escape a machine built to steal their stories. Players will journey through two unique worlds, experiencing a fun mix of fantasy and sci-fi elements and classic storytelling tropes.
Hazelight Studios consistently creates unique and engaging co-op games, and their latest title, Split Fiction, takes things to a new level with even more imaginative and unpredictable puzzles. It’s rare to find a co-op game with a truly moving story, but Split Fiction expertly combines both, achieving an almost flawless balance.
8. God of War Ragnarök
Great Gameplay And Pure Cinema In One Package
- OpenCritic Score: 92
Following the success of the 2018 game, God of War Ragnarök captivated players with its continuing story of Kratos and Atreus. Their father-son dynamic is remarkably well-developed, rivaled only by a few others in gaming, like Joel and Ellie. Ragnarök truly shines through its heartfelt story, beautifully crafted characters, and stunning cutscenes that feel more like a movie than a game, making it a deserving sequel.
Beyond all of that, the combat is incredible, and the boss battles feel like you’re both watching an action movie and playing it yourself. This game truly sets the standard for action-adventure titles, perfectly combining fun gameplay with a compelling story. It somehow managed to achieve something extraordinary.
7. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
A Frighteningly Sharp Game With Few Flaws
- OpenCritic Score: 92
Everyone’s been raving about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and for good reason: it’s a standout game from its era. It successfully combines compelling gameplay, a strong story, and beautiful visuals – a rare achievement. Expedition 33 really impressed with its original story about overcoming the enigmatic Paintress, and its unique setting in Belle Epoque France is something you don’t often see in games.
The battle system is a standout feature, combining turn-based strategy with quick-time events. It’s a fresh mix of modern Western RPGs and classic Japanese role-playing game styles. Plus, the game looks absolutely stunning. Considering how recently Baldur’s Gate 3 released, it’s amazing that another RPG this good could come out so quickly.
6. Half-Life: Alyx
Proof That VR (And Half-Life) Have A Future In Gaming
- OpenCritic Score: 93
Virtual reality has gained some traction recently, but it needs further development to become widely popular. The game Half-Life: Alyx was a significant step forward, both for VR technology and for the Half-Life series itself. It renewed hope for a third Half-Life game and, crucially, provided a genuinely excellent VR experience that captured the spirit and feel of the original games.
This VR shooter is truly one of a kind and still delivers the most immersive and polished experience available. The controls, gameplay, and visuals are all top-notch, creating a quality that feels like a full-scale, high-budget game – something rare in the world of VR.
5. Hades
A Roguelike That Dives Narratively Deep
- OpenCritic Score: 94
Roguelike games aren’t usually known for their memorable stories, but Hades really changed that. It had a fantastic sequel too, maintaining the same high quality. Like other great games, Hades excelled in all areas: it looked and sounded amazing, was incredibly fun to play, and had a compelling story.
Everyone loves the story and voice acting, but the combat is truly special – it’s incredibly addictive! You can customize your character in tons of ways with powerful boons, and it feels great to fight through enemies and bosses between story sections as you keep trying again and again. It’s rare for a game to make repeating sections fun, but Hades pulls it off effortlessly.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Unparalleled Player Creativity
- OpenCritic Score: 95
Following the success of Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom had a lot to live up to, and the latest Legend of Zelda game delivers another fantastic open-world experience that really lets players be creative. What makes it special is the freedom to solve puzzles in your own way. The game gives you a ton of cool tools to build things and change the environment, helping you overcome obstacles and challenges. This means there’s rarely just one right answer – you can find your own solutions!
What makes this game special is that you can truly make it your own, which is refreshing in a gaming world often focused on single, correct solutions. The world itself is also fantastic – it’s full of interesting places to discover, with lots of opportunities to explore up high and move around freely. You’ll always feel a sense of wonder as you uncover new things, and the game encourages you to experiment and find your own way without feeling restricted.
3. Astro Bot
One Of The Most Satisfying Platformers In History
- OpenCritic Score: 95
Astro Bot looks simple, but it’s actually an incredible game. It won Game of the Year in 2024 because it brilliantly uses the PlayStation 5’s controller features – specifically, the haptic feedback – in a way that few other games have managed to achieve.
This platformer is excellent in every way, offering incredibly satisfying levels that are both creative and new. Each level cleverly introduces a fresh gameplay element, keeping things exciting. As you explore, you’ll encounter beloved characters from PlayStation’s past and collect them throughout the game. It’s a real treat for PlayStation fans who enjoy a bit of nostalgia.
2. Elden Ring
FromSoftware’s Open-World Soulslike Masterpiece
- OpenCritic Score: 95
Elden Ring is a truly exceptional open-world RPG, and one of the best released in the last ten years. It uniquely combines the challenging, signature gameplay of FromSoftware’s ‘Souls’ series with a vast, explorable world and a real feeling of adventure. This made it a great entry point for players new to the ‘Souls’ style of games, as the open world allows for more relaxed exploration and leveling up, letting you avoid getting stuck on difficult challenges.
Elden Ring boasts a huge, beautiful world packed with challenging dungeons, epic bosses, and stunning scenery. The game offers incredible freedom in how you build your character, with a wide range of weapons and the ability to replay after finishing the main story. Plus, the downloadable content adds even more to explore with a completely new area and story. While some areas aren’t as detailed as others, the game excels with its memorable locations, well-designed dungeons and enemies, and the sheer variety of ways you can customize your character. You can easily spend hundreds of hours lost in this game.
1. Baldur’s Gate 3
Larian Studios Sets A New Gold Standard For RPGs As A Whole
- OpenCritic Score: 96
Man, I was starting to think Baldur’s Gate 3 would never fully come out after being in Early Access for ages! But let me tell you, it was totally worth the wait. It’s seriously become one of my favorite games ever. Larian Studios did an incredible job crafting this really immersive and detailed world, and it actually feels surprisingly true to the D&D 5th edition rules. You start the game infected with this mindflayer tadpole, so your main goal is finding a cure, and along the way, you meet some of the most well-written companions I’ve ever encountered. The game is broken up into three acts, and each area is packed with stuff to do – secrets, side quests, loot, and these clever little puzzles that really make you think. It’s just a fantastic experience overall.
As a huge fan, I’m completely hooked! This game has everything – a beautiful romance, a story with incredibly high stakes, and that signature Larian darkness. Plus, the music by Borislav Slalov is amazing – it somehow makes even getting your butt kicked fun! It’s a turn-based RPG that really got people talking about how much games should cost and whether we’re getting our money’s worth, which is a really important conversation these days. Honestly, the world feels so complete and detailed, it’s given me so much hope that truly great games – and especially RPGs – are still being made.
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