7am The best games of 2025
Dec 26, 2025
Rad Yeo, a video games critic and tech journalist at the ABC, shares her insights on the gaming renaissance in 2025, highlighting how small studios are breaking into the mainstream. She dives into her top five games, including the highly anticipated *Hollow Knight: Silksong*, praising its challenge and beautiful orchestral score. Rad also discusses *Hades 2*, emphasizing its expanded mechanics and mythic art, before revealing excitement for *Clair Obscure Expedition 33*, a compelling debut from a small studio. Each game showcases the diverse and evolving landscape of gaming.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Small Team, Massive Craft
- Hollow Knight: Silksong shows how tiny teams can craft deeply polished, emotionally resonant games.
- The game's world, music and care create a sense of wonder that rivals big-studio releases.
Three-Person Studio Triumph
- Team Cherry is literally three people who made Hollow Knight and Silksong.
- Rad highlights their multi-talented work and obsessive dedication to craft.
Orchestra Ups The Emotional Stakes
- A live orchestral score is rare for indie games but lifts emotional impact significantly.
- Christopher Larkin's Adelaide-composed score brings expansiveness and tension to Silksong.