I still vividly remember the electric anticipation that surrounded September 2025. After a long stretch of early access, Supergiant Games finally unleashed the full version of Hades 2, and the gaming world seemed to hold its breath. I had spent dozens of hours with the early build, marveling at Melinoë’s fluid combat and the expanded underworld, but nothing prepared me for the sheer polish of the 1.0 launch. From the moment I stepped back into that hauntingly beautiful realm, it was clear that this sequel wasn’t just a safe victory lap. It was a bold, confident stride into greatness.

The release timing couldn’t have been more dramatic. 2025 was already shaping up to be a legendary year for video games, with a lineup that felt almost unfair to any developer hoping to stand out. Yet Hades 2 immediately stole the spotlight, just as its predecessor had done half a decade earlier. Within days, every conversation I had with fellow players and critics circled back to the same realization: Supergiant had somehow done it again. The game surged to an astonishing 92 average score on OpenCritic, cementing its place among the elite. For me, that number wasn’t a surprise. Every run through the Underworld felt tighter, more inventive, and emotionally richer than the original. The way the team wove narrative progression into repeated failure was nothing short of alchemy.

What fascinated me most, however, was the landscape the sequel entered. The year already boasted heavyweights that many had pegged as untouchable contenders for the coveted Game of the Year title. Hollow Knight: Silksong had finally emerged from its long silence with a 92 score, delivering the haunting, acrobatic Metroidvania experience fans had craved for years. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a breathtaking turn-based RPG from Sandfall Interactive, also sat at the same 92 rating, dazzling players with its Belle Époque-inspired art and innovative reactive combat. In any other year, these two alone would have defined the conversation. Instead, they suddenly found themselves locked in a three-way tie with a roguelike that refused to yield an inch.

Looking at the broader OpenCritic leaderboard for 2025 only intensified the drama. Rice Games’ Shujinkou, a turn-based dungeon crawler with a deeply personal story, actually led the chart with a 94 average. However, that score came from fewer than ten critic reviews, which made its position more of a statistical quirk than a definitive statement. Everyone I talked to in the industry considered the real frontrunners to be the three 92-scoring giants. Just behind them stood a parade of excellence: Donkey Kong Bananza at 91, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter at 91, Split Fiction at 91, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach at 90, Blue Prince at 89, and Monster Hunter Wilds at 89. Any other year, I would have confidently bet on several of those titles to walk away with the prize. But 2025 made no promises.

I spent countless evenings dissecting what made Hades 2 feel so special. The combat refinements were immediate and gratifying. Melinoë’s witch-like arsenal offered a dance of ranged and melee attacks that felt distinct from Zagreus’s style, and the omega moves added a layer of tactical depth that kept even veteran Hades players on their toes. Running through fields of mourning, temples of stone, and the ever-shifting paths of Oceanus never grew old. The accessibility issues from the first game—opaque systems and some unforgiving early barriers—were still present to a degree, but the expanded world-building and the sheer volume of content made those quirks feel minor. Supergiant didn’t reinvent the wheel for longtime fans, but they raised the emotional and mechanical stakes so high that I couldn’t stop playing. Even now, in 2026, I find myself returning for just one more run, lured by a new dialogue snippet or a boss variation I hadn’t seen.

The Game of the Year debate in 2025 became a beautiful, chaotic storm. Some argued that Silksong’s impeccable level design and heartbreaking atmosphere deserved the crown. Others championed Clair Obscur for its bold, painterly vision and a battle system that made every encounter feel like a deadly puzzle. I understood both perspectives deeply, but Hades 2 held my heart. It achieved something nearly impossible: it made the original, a game with a 94 average that I once considered untouchable, feel like a stepping stone. The sequel’s narrative, centered on Melinoë’s vengeance and her complex ties to the imprisoned Hades, resonated with a maturity that surprised me. It was a story about legacy—not just within the game’s fiction, but in the very act of creating a sequel to a modern classic.

What lessons do I take from that incredible year, now that the dust has settled in 2026? Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 proved that the medium can still deliver experiences that are both artistically daring and mechanically sublime. They showed that a tied score doesn’t mean a tie in passion—every player had their own champion. For me, the year reaffirmed that Supergiant Games operates on a plane of their own. Hades 2 didn’t just enter the Game of the Year conversation; it reshaped it, demanding that we reconsider what a sequel can be. And as I watch new players discover the game on Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and PC, I feel a familiar warmth. The spotlight may have moved on, but the flames of this underworld still burn brighter than ever. 🎮🔥

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