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It's safe to say that 2025 delivered no shortage of truly remarkable games. From Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to Ghost of Yotei, Arc Raiders to Elden Ring: Nightreign, we at AltChar spent hundreds and hundreds of hours exploring this year's games. Yet when it came time to pick our Game of the Year, the decision was unanimous: It's Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
It's rare for our entire team to agree so completely on anything, let alone a single game rising above all others. But KCD 2 isn't just another excellent RPG; for us, it's something quite special. While The Game Awards overlooked it entirely, we felt it deserved recognition. Below, our writers explain why Warhorse Studios' masterpiece earned their vote for AltChar's Game of the Year vote.
Asmir Kovačević, Reviews writer
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 took me completely by surprise, I must be honest, and what began as a sluggish and even boring adventure wrapped up into one of the greatest games I have ever had the chance to play in my quite long gaming career.
Every quest, every location, the dialogues - everything is tailored to be perfectly balanced and to hold you glued to the chair for countless hours. I've burnt almost 200 hours in the game, and I have a feeling that I still haven't done everything there is to do in KCD 2.
In my opinion, if you’re searching for a game where realism takes centre stage, one that immerses you in the beauty of the Middle Ages while never shying away from its harsh cruelty, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything that comes even close to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. It’s a game that truly defines what an RPG is supposed to be and an absolute must-play for fans of the genre and medieval settings alike. Its world is so rich and authentic that it will quite literally sweep you off your feet.
Although this year delivered a wealth of outstanding titles, such as Ghost of Yotei, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Lies of P: Overture, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ninja Gaiden 4, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and many others, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is the game that left the deepest mark on me. I wouldn't be wrong to say it even touched my soul. So when one meets a game capable of making such an impact, it is, without question, the one that deserves my Game of the Year vote.
Dina Husejnagić, Staff writer
Not only is it my game of the year, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has earned a place among my top three games of all time. KCD1 was already remarkable - actually, the very game that KCD2 knocked out of my top three - but KCD2 just takes it up a notch in every way, and it really is a masterclass in RPG design done right. While it does cater to a pretty specific audience, it's an incredibly rewarding experience for those willing to sink time into it.
Those ''I think I'm finally ready for the wedding" memes exist for a reason. It's so effortlessly immersive that I regularly lost track of time playing, realising it was 3 AM a little too late, but it always felt so natural that I never once had to force myself to keep playing just to finish what I started.
The incredible level of quality and detail, the writing, the voice acting, the music, the side quests and random NPC conversations, the humour and Monty Python-esque vibes - it's all wrapped up into everything I could ever want from an RPG, and more specifically, a non-fantasy RPG.
But most of all, KCD2 just feels amazing throughout. Massive thanks to everyone at Warhorse for this peak gaming experience. Jesus Christ be praised.
Semir Omerović, Editor
Not a single game came even close to Kingdom Come: Deliverance II this year in my book, and I've played quite a lot - Ghost of Yotei, Assassin's Creed Shadows, Doom: The Dark Ages, Elden Ring: Nightreign, and the list goes on. None of them impressed me as much as Warhorse Studios' masterpiece.
In my preview of the game back in January, I said that I hadn't played an RPG that grabbed me this hard since Skyrim or The Witcher 3, and that Warhorse had created one of the greatest RPGs of the last decade. After putting in over 100 hours, I stand by that claim even more than before.
Why am I choosing KCD 2 over all these other games? First, I simply like it better overall. But more importantly, KCD 2 is a different kind of beast - I'd argue it doesn't even fall in the same category as Ghost of Yotei or Assassin's Creed Shadows, which lean heavily on standard open-world and fetch quest design. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 avoids all of that, delivering a more immersive experience rich with incredibly written characters, a great sense of exploration, and most importantly, a world that genuinely feels alive - a world you believe is real, not just a video game map.
Three writers, three different tastes in gaming, three very different gaming experiences with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, yet the same conclusion: this is the best game of 2025. Whether it's the 200 hours Asmir poured into its world, Dina's late-night sessions that stretched into the early morning, or the way it grabbed me harder than any RPG in over a decade, KCD 2 achieved something rare - it united our entire team in agreement.
In a year packed with high-profile releases, Warhorse Studios delivered a masterpiece that reminds us what RPGs can be when developers prioritise immersion, authenticity, and player agency over formulaic open-world design. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 may not have won any awards at the big ceremonies, but it won something far more valuable: our time, our attention, and our genuine admiration.
Jesus Christ be praised, indeed.
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