The year 2025 has been intense and full of high-quality productions in the world of gaming. The standout games released between January and June have been ranked according to their Metacritic scores. Only original productions were considered in this evaluation; remakes and remastered versions were excluded. Out of the 20 games that marked the first half of 2025, 16 received a score of at least 85 out of 100, achieving a notable quality standard.

Top-Rated Game: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

According to Metacritic data, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received a score of 93, making it the highest-rated game of the first half of the year. With its storytelling, visual atmosphere, and gameplay mechanics, it received full marks from both players and critics and is already a strong contender for year-end awards.

Other Notable Titles

In second place is Blue Prince with a score of 92, followed by Split Fiction with 91. Developed by Kojima Productions, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach lived up to expectations and secured fourth place with 90 points.

Another title in the top five is despelote, with a score of 89. Sharing the same score, The Talos Principle: Reawakened stands out with its philosophical themes and puzzle design.

Games for Action and RPG Fans

The newest entry in Capcom’s legendary series, Monster Hunter Wilds, and the historically themed Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, both hold an important place on the list with a score of 88. Strategy-focused sequels like Monster Train 2 also made a strong debut.

In the middle of the list, titles like The Roottrees are Dead, Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders, and StarVaders scored 87 and stood out across various genres. These games highlight the diversity of releases in the first half of the year.

Top 20 Highest-Rated Games of the First Half of 2025

What Does the First Half of 2025 Promise for Gaming?

This list published by Metacritic shows that the gaming industry values not only big-budget productions but also original ideas and creative designs. There are many standout games developed by both indie and AAA studios.

This first half, which has satisfied gamers in terms of variety and quality, gives strong signals that 2025 will be a productive year overall for the industry. While upcoming releases are eagerly anticipated for the second half of the year, this list from the first six months serves as a solid reference for what's to come.