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It’s time for our annual countdown to award the very best games this year had to offer. Over the next ten days, we’ll count down our top ten games of 2025.
As always, the votes of each Press Start team member, weighted from #10 through to #1, were collated to compile our collective very best for the year that was. Games worthy of one’s top spot would be awarded a maximum of 10 points, and the values would descend to their tenth selection, which would receive a single point.
Hollow Knight: Silksong was, for half a decade, one of the most anticipated video game sequels of all-time, indie or not. Team Cherry achieved something immaculate with the first Hollow Knight, and the idea that their small expansion ballooned in scope to become a full-fledged sequel, bursting at the seams with all of the same bosses, characters, and worlds to be floored by, had players quivering and shaking nervously at the mere mention of a Nintendo Direct.
With a commanding Grand Theft Auto-like ability to convince other releases to get the fuck out of the way, Hollow Knight: Silksong revealed its release date and dropped all within two weeks, causing utter chaos to other publisher plans. Those who could clear the runway, such as Demonschool, did, while those who couldn’t afford to were left to suffer.
The game’s difficulty quickly became a talking point, with it galvanising as many as it demoralised. Whether it was one of the most painful and brutal games of the year proved to be irrelevant, as Hollow Knight: Silksong went on to sell over seven million copies before the year’s end and Team Cherry announced a free expansion for 2026.
Blink if you’ve heard that one before.
“Despite numerous high-calibre releases landing in 2025, I kept coming back to Hollow Knight Silksong. With endless secrets to discover, an enthralling risk-vs-reward gameplay loop, and gloomy, hand-drawn art direction, it stands out amongst the best Metroidvanias.
It got its hooks in me more so than the first. Combat felt faster, with Crests allowing you to adjust attacks to suit your playstyle. Team Cherry pulled out all the stops, crafting a truly incredible experience that lived up to the hype.”
Due to review codes not being supplied, and the game’s considerable packed-in content, we didn’t publish a Hollow Knight: Silksong review officially; however, our in-progress thoughts can be found on this podcast episode.
On the review aggregator Metacritic, Hollow Knight: Silksong is resting at an average of 90.
Congratulations to Team Cherry for earning a place in our top ten for 2025.
Game of the Year 2025
#4 – Hollow Knight: Silksong