From "Hang" to "La": Let's Talk About the Games I've Played This Year

In a week or two, all kinds of year-end recaps from major apps will start popping up all over the internet.

Reflecting on and looking back may be a talent and instinct unique to humans. It serves a purpose somewhat similar to a time capsule—as my eyes scan the dozens or even hundreds of hours of gameplay recorded in Steam stats,the memories of playing as a medieval master thief in *Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2*, being beaten to “red heat” by brutal beast flies in *Song of Silk*, and playing the kazoo in *Escape from Duckov*—all instantly replay in my mind.We are able to relive those spine-tingling experiences over and over again.

It is only through firsthand “experience” that we are constantly reminded of what makes a game a game. Some feel that this year’s gaming scene—lacking “blockbuster titles”—hasn’t been very exciting, but many more have told me that they’ve still found their own sources of enjoyment—whether by discovering “niche gems” or finding their own unique ways to enjoy the same games.

Perhaps everyone has a different perspective on this past year in gaming. In this episode of “Game Tea Roundtable,” we spoke with industry professionals about the memorable games they each played in 2025.

Game Operations: Fines for Watching TV Shows

The hottest titles right now are *Save the Kingdom 2*, *Song of Silk*, and *Expedition 33*. If you think I’ve been biased, feel free to give me a piece of your mind online.

This is my personal, subjective ranking; please forgive me if I’ve offended anyone.

Let's talk about the reasons for the ranking:

I've played all of these games (no matter how much I played them—I played them anyway; except for Silent Hill F—I'm not good at horror games, so I cloud-played that one).

Let's start with the end:

NPC File:

Above Others:

We've reached the top:

Finally, there is tamping:

That’s my very, very personal ranking—no strategy involved, just emotion. Again, if you think it’s biased, feel free to come at me online.

▍Erqi, Head of the Jike Baozhao Game Incubator

I missed out on *A Short Hike* back then. It’s a textbook example of a compact yet exquisite open-world game, with the quintessential charm of a “cozy game.”Every time I open it, I’m filled with a profound sense of calm and security—the warm, comforting animations let you feel the island’s gentle breeze and the fresh scent of the forest even through the screen; listening to the game’s music while sitting by the lake, I can relax for the entire day.

I got into hiking this year, but since my time is limited, I stumbled upon this “cyber-hiking” game and rediscovered *A Short Hike*—a game I definitely shouldn’t have missed back then. As a fresh-faced newcomer, you have to make a very important phone call, but you can only get a signal at the summit, so you set out on a solo hiking adventure.But as you climb, you’ll gradually “see” the mountain for yourself:You’ll encounter the little animal villagers who live there—like Miss Rabbit, who’s too scared to run the marathon because she lost her lucky headband; a little bird who asks you to help find a seashell and says, “A ‘thank you’ is the best gift”; and another little bird who tells you, “Volleyball isn’t a competition—it’s a cooperative game where no one loses.”Each little animal seems to embody a certain life lesson and is full of “vitality,” making this land feel like a gentle little world of its own.

It was only then that I realized that, as someone who loves mountain climbing, what I’m truly drawn to may not be the moment of reaching the summit, but rather the people I meet along the way—it is that vitality shared by people and nature that makes climbing so fulfilling.

I recommend giving this game a try now, during the winter. Just like the opening line of the game says: “I’ve always wanted to go, but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

Well, let's set out on this journey right now.

▍Indigo Blue, Chief Curator of Beijing Indie Games ONLY

This year, I played… I played the games at our exhibition (hey). Because I played them over and over again and thought about them again and again… they left a pretty deep impression on me.

For example, the top-down ARPG *Journey of the Stars* (with a demo available on Steam; set for release next year), which features two female protagonists—I downloaded the demo and was immediately drawn in by its art style. The writing is also quite compelling, and I hope to see more moving story developments in the full version. Also, it would be great if there were difficulty options—I kept getting beaten up by the mini-bosses.

And the survival-building game *Kent Pioneers* (now available), a sci-fi-style management sim perfect for killing time, with an interesting setting and a huge map;The rhythm game *Rhythm Doctor* from the same publisher finally released its full version a few days ago after an EA period that lasted N years—rhythm game fans shouldn’t miss it~ For some of the game’s lyrics, they enlisted the help of renowned musical theater translator and adapter Cheng He; it’s quite rare to find songs in your native language in a non-Chinese rhythm game.

There’s also the super cute animal party game *Guru Guru* (not yet released)—it feels like it’s really rare for an indie studio to make a party game! A bunch of round, adorable little animals roll around and brawl with each other—so cute (●'◡'●)

To my own surprise, Professor Xu Zhexin and the students from ShanghaiTech University put on an exhibition of interactive game installations. wwwww I never expected they could pull this off—these highly interactive games were a huge hit with the audience! I hope we can continue to bring you such amazing content in the future~

Finally, a little plug for ourselves: Beijing Solo Travel ONLY will be back next year—we’re already finalizing the details~ We want to keep having fun with all of you for a long, long time!

▍A prison boss who wishes to remain anonymous

I won't even mention the flops—let's talk about the games I think are really hot this year. First up is our very own *Frontline of Winter*—doesn't the playtime speak for itself?

The fact that I’ve been able to play this game over and over again for hundreds of hours—and still have the energy to livestream it for everyone to watch, while keeping it feeling fresh every time—has far exceeded my personal expectations. Seeing players’ highlight reels and speedrun videos since launch (one player even managed a speedrun in 6 and a half minutes) really gives me a huge sense of accomplishment!

Next up is a new game I've been playing:

Must-Plays (No further explanation needed): *Song of Silk*, *Double Shadow Wonderland*, *Rhythm Doctor* (Finally officially released)

Top-tier (the demo is compelling enough, and the full version performs reliably): *Ball vs. Belen Chronicles*, *Monster Train 2*

Above the Rest (Good demos, strong commercial performance, but feels like it falls a bit short): *Nine Kings*, *Searching for the Imposter*

Finally, a game that hasn't officially launched yet but that I'm really looking forward to after playing the demo: *OPUS: Heart of the Mountain* (I'm a longtime fan of the series)

▍Foxconn's Illegal Workers: Little Jo on the Side of the Road

This year was supposed to be a highly anticipated year for gaming. Everyone was hoping that NS2 would replicate the success of NS in 2017, and that Game 6 would finally be released. However, the reality is that one turned out to be rather lackluster, while the other has been delayed until 2026.

After looking through my Steam and Nintendo Switch game history, the only games I’ve played extensively this year are the following: *Donkey Kong: Full Throttle*, *Hades 2*, *Song of Silk*, *Monster Hunter: World*, *Mario Kart World*, and *Pokémon Legends: Z-A*.This order also reflects my personal ranking of how much I enjoyed them. I won’t comment on games I haven’t played very extensively. As for the ones I’ve listed, in my opinion, their quality ranges from “average” to “top-tier”—they certainly don’t qualify as “absolute hits.”

But if we look beyond the realm of video games, there’s one game that’s really “taken off” for me—*Rune Battle*, which was released this year. I’ve always been a big fan of deck-building games, and since its release just a few months ago, I’ve spent almost all of my free time playing it.

What I found most special about *Rune Battle* was being able to fully experience the joy of deckbuilding—that is, “finding direction amid the chaos.”

Generally speaking, when a new meta emerges for similar games on digital platforms, a large number of matches are quickly played, vast amounts of data are collected, analyzed, and ranked, and the entire meta stabilizes rapidly. In contrast, for other physical TCGs, the domestic versions are always behind, and the meta has already been fully explored by early adopters.Once the meta is clear and there is a consensus on deck strengths and optimal builds, the game boils down to simply playing the matches well—and at least half the fun is lost.

In addition, the game features a well-developed tournament system and gameplay that draws on the best elements from various sources—these are all strengths of *Rune Battlefield* (though I hope they’ll work on optimizing the text to fix any flaws in the future).

Thanks to *Rune Battle*. It’s been such a joy spending this time with friends—opening packs, trading cards, fine-tuning decks together, and competing in tournaments. I’ve truly come to realize that “players are competitors”—we’re not just spectators sitting in the stands; everyone can dream of winning the game’s highest honor.

▍Sakura Rin, Producer at Duyu

Excluding the ones I can’t bring myself to mention, demos, games I closed shortly after opening them, and games I don’t really want to talk about, I’ve played roughly these games this year (33 in total):

*Escape from Yakov*, *For the King 2*, *Baldur's Gate 3*, *Shadowlands*, *Market Simulator*, *PEAK*, *Coding Farm*, *Doomsday Prepper*, *The Legend of the Wandering Sword**Ghost Valley: Eight Wastes*, *Beast Girl Tea House*, *The Sultan’s Game*, *ved Healing Center*, *Expedition 33*, *Two-Point Museum**Pick-Up Game*, *Sword Star*, *Pompom*, *Zombie Graveyard Simulator*, *Quern: The Immortal Mind*, *Starship Designer*, *Fantasy Life i*, *Starry Sky**Phantom Beasts Paru*, *Sticky World 2*, *Escape Room Simulator 2*, *Chinese-Style MMORPG*, *Final Fantasy VII Remake*, *Metaphor Fantasy*, *Chinese-Style Blind Date*, *Dragon Quest Builders 2*, *The Legend of the Great Hero*, *Galaxy Burger**Fuwawa Fuwawa Maid Café*.

Let's pick a few to talk about:

"Escape from Yakov": The game is fun, addictive, and stays fresh throughout the early stages, but it becomes highly repetitive later on with little variation in the gameplay experience. The game itself could use a bit more polish, but thanks to the Creative Workshop, player-created mods effectively make up for this. Overall, it can be considered a high-quality title.

"Programming Farm": A very fun programming game that even complete beginners can enjoy while learning. However, some of the more advanced logic in the later stages can only be unlocked by letting the game run in the background; programmers won’t be able to use it directly, so it can feel a bit awkward at first. Also, there isn’t that much content in the game—if you play intensively, you can finish everything in about two days.

"The Sultan's Game": It's a really addictive game that truly gives you the feeling of "serving the sultan is like walking on thin ice." However, after playing it for a while, it starts to feel like there are always "one-and-only" solutions, and there's a concept of "reloading the game to get a better start." Sometimes, you can tell at a glance how a round will play out, so it's easy to get bored after playing for a while.

▍Zhihu Answerer stalker

I mainly play older games and Paradox Interactive titles; any game released within the last five years is new to me, and I’ve completed fewer than 10 brand-new games in 2025.I’m not a big fan of ranking systems that suddenly go viral, like the “from under the radar to the top,” so I’ll review titles that scored 6 or higher on a 10-point scale. I won’t mention games that aren’t fun, like *Civilization VII*.

"Hollow Knight: Song of Silk" 9/10

The classic status of *Hollow Knight* speaks for itself, and *Song of Silk* is clearly more hardcore than its predecessor. I believe that a great indie game must first and foremost meet the needs of its core user base, while mainstream appeal—even if not completely disregarded—should take a back seat.I’m very glad that Cherry Team has achieved this. Although there were some hiccups with the translation, fortunately, the fan-translated version was eventually officially recognized. I’m not giving it a perfect score to leave room for future DLC.

"Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2" 9/10

It retains the high quality of the first game while offering a comprehensive upgrade, much like *Baldur’s Gate 2*, *Diablo II*, *The Witcher 3*, and *Red Dead Redemption 2* compared to their predecessors. If it weren’t for *Expedition 33*, it would likely be this year’s Game of the Year.

"The Sultan's Game" 8.5

I don't see many other answers mentioning this game? That's kind of strange—it was a massive hit back then, even beyond its usual audience. I played 75 hours straight over the May Day holiday and unlocked every achievement. It was the most addictive and immersive game I've played this year—I even dreamed about trading cards.

The game’s difficulty curve is well-balanced, and it offers excellent replayability. Even if you lose a round, the Fate Points you accumulate unlock characters, gear, and mechanics in the Fate Shop—combined with the experience you gain from playing—all of which make you eager to start over.Moreover, the game offers substantial strategic depth. Once players realize that the Sultan cards aren’t a constraint but rather a privilege and a resource, the game immediately becomes more engaging. By making the most of limited resources, players can craft the story they want in every single game.

*Assassin's Creed Shadows*: 7.5; DLC *The Claws of Awaji*: 8

Thanks to Zhihu for the chance to review this game. Back in March, I played it quite intensively for over 100 hours and unlocked all the achievements. Last month, I also finished the Awaji Island DLC. Overall, it’s a polished, “canned” game that offers plenty of content to keep you satisfied.

I haven’t seriously played the Assassin’s Creed series in over ten years; I only dabbled in the Origins trilogy without sticking with them, but *Shadow* is set in the Japanese Warring States period, a setting I’m quite familiar with, so I actually had a lot of fun playing it.The Black Samurai, Yajū, didn’t feel as out of place in the actual game as some people speculated, and Naoe was also very well-developed. The scenery from all over Japan was beautifully recreated. I once wrote a long post detailing my journey on foot from south to north, visiting many places, and since then I’ve traveled to Japan three times, seeing many of those sights in person.

"The Legend of the Wandering Sword: Traces of the Immortals in the Blue Sea" – 7 points

"Blue Sea Fairy Tale" is a new DLC released this year, though I only played the beginning of the base game last year—this time, I played both the base game and the DLC together. The game is certainly fun, but the experience feels very disjointed. After playing for 65 hours and completing my first playthrough, I have no interest in starting a new one.

The protagonist, Long Aotian, is portrayed in such a clichéd and perfect light that all his actions are predictable—he never does anything unexpected. The only way to create conflict and plot twists is to have him constantly face betrayals and unexpected adventures.At the same time, he must be a martial arts prodigy, mastering various martial arts traditions, in order to resolve such problems—he cannot take shortcuts or handle issues in a more human way. All of this makes the plot increasingly flat and lacks a sense of authenticity. I’ve written a lengthy rant about this before, so I won’t go into further detail here.

"Crusader Kings III: Under the Heavens DLC" 7.5

Given that the game manages to roughly integrate the Central Plains dynasties’ system of appointed officials, political structure, historical rise and fall, and factional dynamics onto the underlying feudal system—while also offering preliminary playability—I believe it at least meets the minimum standard.Of course, regions like Southeast Asia and Japan haven’t been explored yet, and expecting this single DLC to delve deeply into all that content would clearly be overestimating Paradox Interactive.

Parcel Studio still needs us players—their "guinea pigs"—to provide plenty of bug reports and gameplay suggestions so they can refine these aspects in future patches or DLCs. I’m still optimistic that the East Asia mechanics will gradually improve to around an 8.5.

By the way, as a longtime Paradox player, I’d rate the full version of *Europa Universalis IV*—including all DLCs—at 9.5 (6.5 for the initial release), *King of the Crusaders II* (7 for the initial release) at 9, and the current *King of the Crusaders III* at 8.5(8 out of 10 in the initial release).

Others with a score of 7 or higher

*Expedition 33*, *The Spirit of Mount Yatei*, *True Three Kingdoms: Origins*, *Animal Maze*, *Double Shadow Wonderland*, *Duckoff*, and others—I’ve stocked up on them but haven’t had a chance to play them thoroughly yet, though based on the reviews, they all seem pretty good.