The 2025 NYX Game of the Year goes to Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, a remarkable sequel that pushes realism, combat depth, and narrative design to new heights. Delivering an experience with precision gameplay, it stands as this year’s defining role-playing achievement.
The 2025 NYX Game Awards Special Recognitions honor titles that have showcased outstanding gameplay and player experience. From the fierce momentum of DOOM: The Dark Ages and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II to the adventurous scale of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and the teamwork brilliance of Split Fiction, each winner reflects excellence in its genre. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered revitalizes a classic world, while Escape from Duckov breaks through as a surprise hit. Mouthwashing stands out for its originality, Nine Sols impresses with visual direction, ALOFT redefines survival exploration, and Still Wakes the Deep delivers a gripping, atmospheric experience.
Closing the list, Blue Prince, crowned Indie Game of the Year, showcases how inventive ideas and strong design can leave a lasting impact in modern gaming. Together, these titles mark 2025 as a year defined by creativity, technical achievement, and unforgettable player experiences.
The NYX Game of the Year (GotY) title honors a release that defines excellence through gameplay, storytelling, and player immersion. For 2025, this recognition is presented to Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, a sequel that advances historical realism and narrative depth to unprecedented levels.
Set in a faithfully recreated medieval world, the game blends lifelike combat mechanics, branching dialogue, and moral complexity to deliver an experience that feels genuine at every turn. Every encounter, decision, and battle carries weight, crafting a story built entirely by player choice.
Celebrated for its outstanding world design, immersive gameplay systems, and cinematic storytelling, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II stands as a modern benchmark for realism in RPGs, redefining what it means to live, fight, and survive in a truly authentic open world.
A game of structure, space, and imagination, Blue Prince stands as one of the most inventive experiences of the year. Set within a mysterious mansion that shifts and expands with every decision, the game invites players to think, plan, and reshape the world as they explore.
Every floor is a puzzle, every choice a new layer of discovery. Recognized for its innovation, atmosphere, and meticulous design, Blue Prince exemplifies how independent vision can create a world as grand and unforgettable as any blockbuster release.
Brutal, unrelenting, and masterfully executed — DOOM: The Dark Ages reignites the essence of action gaming with unmatched intensity. Trading sci-fi chaos for medieval warfare, the game delivers raw combat built on precision, momentum, and pure adrenaline.
Every strike, every blast, and every arena feels handcrafted for impact. With fluid weapon transitions, staggering enemy design, and combat that demands skill and instinct, DOOM: The Dark Ages continues a legacy, redefining what action gameplay can be in the modern era.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II delivers a scale of combat few titles can match. From the first charge into battle, it immerses players in a war-torn universe where every swing, shot, and clash carries unmistakable weight. The brutality of melee and the precision of ranged combat merge seamlessly, capturing the power fantasy of the Space Marine with exceptional clarity.
Across its grand battles and pacing, the game transforms chaos into artful design. Every encounter feels monumental, not just in spectacle, but in control and momentum. It’s an experience that defines the modern standard for large-scale, skill-driven combat.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle revives the golden age of adventure with a perfect blend of mystery, exploration, and cinematics. From forgotten temples to war-torn cities, every location feels alive with secrets waiting to be uncovered. The game captures the unmistakable spirit of Indiana Jones — sharp wit, daring escapes, and the thrill of uncovering history’s buried truths.
Its first-person perspective brings a renewed sense of presence and discovery, letting players experience the legend up close. Combined with exceptional level design and immersive puzzles, The Great Circle stands as a masterclass in modern adventure, where every step forward feels like turning the page of an untold story.
Split Fiction transforms cooperative play into a dynamic experience built on trust, timing, and shared choices. Every session demands communication and coordination, as players navigate scenarios that constantly react to their decisions and actions.
Its split-perspective design creates moments of tension and surprise, where both players see the same world differently. The result is a co-op experience that feels alive, unpredictable, connected, and deeply engaging from start to finish.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered brings one of gaming’s most beloved worlds back to life with remarkable attention to detail. From the sprawling landscapes of Cyrodiil to its vibrant cities and memorable quests, every element feels renewed while preserving the essence that defined the original.
Enhanced visuals, refined systems, and modern performance breathe new energy into a timeless classic. It’s a return that feels both familiar and fresh, a perfect example of how a remaster can honor its legacy while meeting the expectations of today’s players.
Escape from Duckov emerged as one of the year’s biggest surprises, a chaotic, fast-paced adventure that captured players with its humor, unpredictability, and clever design. What began as an underdog title quickly became a global favorite, praised for its creativity and unrestrained fun.
With sharp mechanics and a world that rewards experimentation, Escape from Duckov proves that originality and energy can outshine scale. It’s a breakout success built entirely on personality — unpredictable, entertaining, and impossible to put down.
Mouthwashing defies traditional design with a structure that feels as strange as it is captivating. Built around tension, repetition, and discovery, the game forces players to engage with its world through instinct rather than expectation. Every action feels uncertain yet deliberate, keeping players questioning what’s real and what’s part of the design.
Unsettling but impossible to ignore, Mouthwashing proves that experimentation can be powerful without explanation. It’s a bold exercise in immersion, one that lingers long after the screen fades to black.
Nine Sols stuns with its fusion of precision combat and striking 2D presentation, bringing to life a hand-drawn world inspired by Eastern mythology and sci-fi design. Every frame feels alive, from fluid animations to intricately layered backdrops that give its universe a tangible sense of depth and identity.
Its sharp visual clarity enhances every duel, platform, and discovery, balancing chaos and beauty in perfect rhythm. Nine Sols isn’t just visually impressive, it’s a world that commands attention, turning every moment into a seamless display of style and substance.
ALOFT takes the survival genre to the skies, offering a peaceful yet inventive approach to exploration and creation. Players drift between floating islands, shaping their own world through crafting, resource building, and environmental harmony.
Its freedom-driven design rewards creativity over conflict, inviting players to build, adapt, and discover at their own pace. With its soothing atmosphere and intuitive systems, ALOFT transforms survival into an experience of balance, imagination, and quiet wonder.
Still Wakes the Deep pulls players into a nightmare that feels hauntingly real. Set on an isolated oil rig surrounded by raging seas, the game thrives on sound, tension, and the suffocating sense of being truly alone. Every corridor creaks, every shadow moves, turning isolation itself into the greatest threat.
Through its detailed environments and unnerving realism, Still Wakes the Deep builds atmosphere not with spectacle, but with restraint. It’s a masterclass in immersion, proving that the quiet moments between chaos can be the most terrifying of all.
