Dethroning Monster Hunter Wilds and Split Fiction, this surprise roguelike has instantly become the best-rated game of the year

We are not even halfway through 2025, yet it is already filled with potential Game of the Year candidates, such as Monster Hunter Wilds and Split Fiction. Now, almost unexpectedly, a new indie title has burst onto the scene to claim the title of the highest-rated game of the year.

Blue Prince did not arrive entirely out of the, ahem, blue – the developers behind Inscryption and Balatro have been praising it, and it has even appeared in some high-profile gaming showcases here and there. However, it’s interesting to note that few anticipated it would become 2025’s highest-reviewed game so far.

On Metacritic, the puzzle title boasts an average score of 93 based on 32 critic evaluations, with 100% of those being positive – most of them highly enthusiastic. This means that Blue Prince has taken the crown from the co-op sensation Split Fiction and the remastered puzzle game The Talos Principle: Reawakened, both of which hold impressive average scores of 91. Monster Hunter Wilds and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 complete the top five with an 88 metascore.

If you are unsure about what Blue Prince is and what a ‘roguelike puzzler’ entails, the premise is rather straightforward. You are tasked with unveiling your inheritance in a grand manor, but to achieve this, you must find the elusive 46th room in a manor that seems to only feature 45. Therefore, you have to explore, uncover secrets and strategies, and collect clues across multiple runs as the layout can change each time.

GamesRadar’s review of Blue Prince was equally enthusiastic, stating the game “feels truly original in how it takes a simple concept and fills it with various threads of mystery to unravel. This exploration roguelike is unlike anything else I’ve encountered, and it became a puzzle obsession I couldn’t shake across multiple plays, where I always felt like I was uncovering something new. Even after the credits roll, the mysteries of Mt. Holly continue to astonish me.”

Blue Prince is currently available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Game Pass.

Intrigued? Check out our top Blue Prince beginner tips.

Kaan freelances for various sites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, GamesRadar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indie games, retro RPGs, and anything that seems a bit quirky. He also has a degree in English Literature and Film Studies that he’ll soon forget.