6 best video games of 2025, according to this expert Arts Dec 11, 2025 4:08 PM EST

Find all of our “Best of 2025” lists here .

It’s been a big year for video games, from couch co-ops to grand, story-driven blockbusters. PBS News Hour’s Jeffrey Brown sat down with James Mastromarino, NPR’s gaming editor and producer for the show “Here & Now,” to talk about the releases that really stood out.

Below, Mastromarino shares his picks.

NARRATIVE DRIVEN GAMES

“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33”

“It’s sort of like what you would get if you cross an existentialist novel with a French New Wave film and made it a video game with fantastical characters and this really lovable cast. It really blew me away. It has so many twists and turns and is really trying to tell something that’s very heartfelt

See Full Page