Remakes, remasters and re-releases will account for one-third of the best games of 2025

For a while, the prevailing perception among gamers was that there were too many remakes, remasters, and re-releases. We've discussed this several times here at TheGamer. Rather than focusing their energy and teams on creating new experiences, studios often like to give their games a bit of paint (or less) and resell them to consumers.

Unfortunately, 2025 is a shining example of this. Nearly a third of this year's best-reviewed titles are remasters, remakes, or full re-releases.

2025 is another year dominated by re-releases

Mario saves Peach from Bowser and Bowser Jr in Super Mario Galaxy.

Using data from Metacritic, we took a look at the 50 best reviewed games of 2025 so far. Of the 50 games, 16 were released before 2025 in some way, shape, or form. That's 32% of the top 50 games of the year that aren't new.

Last year, there were about 10 remakes, remasters, and re-releases in Metacritic's top 50. This is approximately 20%.

It could be argued that some games deserve to be remade or remastered. Metal Gear Solid 3 definitely needed improvement, as did System Shock 2 and Final Fantasy Tactics. Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D remakes also received a lot of love. But others probably didn't need to resurface.

Of course, this year's numbers may be a little skewed considering the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 and the fact that companies are scrambling to get older games on Nintendo's popular new console, but 32% feels incredibly high.

You can see the full data below.

ranking	game	Metacritic score	ranking	game	Metacritic score
1	The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild	95	26	Street Fighter 6: Year 1-2 Fighter Edition	86
2	The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom	95	27	Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor	86
3	hades 2	95	28	mario kart world	86
4	Claire Obsker: Expedition 33	92	29	Heretic + Hexen	86
5	blue prince	92	30	Ghost of Yotei	86
6	split novel	91	31	Silent Hill F	86
7	Hollow Knight: Silksong	91	32	Deltarune	86
8	Donkey Kong Bananza	91	33	Citizen Slippers 2	86
9	Deathpelott	89	34	star vader	85
10	Talos Principle: Reawakening	89	35	Yakuza 0: Director's Cut	85
11	death stranding 2	89	36	Metal Gear Solid: Delta Snake Eater	85
12	monster hunter wild	88	37	ball x pit	85
13	abiotic factors	88	38	Asion	85
14	Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2	88	39	Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition	85
15	Trails in the Sky Chapter 1	88	40	Alters	85
16	Final Fantasy Tactics – Ivalice Chronicles	88	41	Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy	85
17	sword of the sea	88	42	Two Point Museum	85
18	Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2	87	43	Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD – 2D Remake	85
19	Monster Train 2	87	44	vagabond	85
20	Shinobi: The Art of Revenge	87	45	divided	85
21	Pipstrello and the cursed yoyo	87	46	System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remastered	84
22	Absolem	87	47	quartet	84
23	Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition	87	48	keep driving	84
24	Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders	87	49	Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound	84
25	the root tree is dead	86	50	Gradius Origins	84

But it's not all bad, as 2025 was another landmark year for double-A and indie games. In July, we reported that 40% of the best-performing games on Steam this year came from double-A or indie developers, and that figure has likely only grown since then. In the middle of this month, Megabonk became the record eighth indie title to surpass 100,000 concurrent players, while RV There Yet and Escape From Duckov both reached 10 concurrent players in the past few days.

Please give me some more of this.