10 Best Video Games Of 2025 (So Far)

And now for one of the best games of the year that not nearly enough people are talking about: Sci-fi survival game The Alters, from the fine folk at 11 Bit Studios (This War of Mine, Frostpunk).

Even for those who turn their nose up at survival games centred around crafting and busy-work, The Alters has one hell of an appealing hook, given that you'll spend the game teaming up with alt-reality versions of protagonist Jan to help him stay alive on an inhospitable planet.

A masterful example of a carrot-and-stick gameplay loop, The Alters continually hurls more wrinkles at the player as their predicament becomes ever-more complex, and yet the management mechanics are dynamic and organised enough to never feel excessively rote.

There's also a ton of personality on display here - the various alters of Jan are a distinct bunch and their interactions make for many of the game's most memorable moments.

Also, for a "AA" title it's one hell of a looker, offering up eye-wateringly gorgeous alien expanses typically reserved for much bigger-budgeted fare.