Assassin’s Creed Shadows will not be your Game of the Year.Monster Hunter Wildswill not be your Game of the Year. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered will not be your Game of the Year.Grand Theft Auto 6 definitely won’t be your Game of the Yearany more. Okay,Clair Obscur: Expedition 33mightbe your Game of the Year, but that shouldn’t stop you from playing more games to see if that’s truly the case.
Your Game of the Year will cost less than 30 bucks. That is, if you’re willing to try it.
With triple-A prices continuing to skyrocket and Randy Pitchford digging deeper into his 10-foot deep hole to uncover a cadaver holding a sign that says ‘Borderlands 4 is worth $80 andreal fans will suck it up so I can make more money’, more players are looking elsewhere for their gaming goodness. Elsewhere like Clair Obscur ($50). Elsewhere like Split Fiction (also $50, and you can split it with a friend).
But you can find magnificent experiences for even less. I’m not here today to wax lyrical about any one game in particular. I’m simply going to highlight four games you can buy for under 30 US dollars that may have gone under your radar until now. All of them could be serious Game of the Year contenders come the end of the year, depending on your tastes. And all of them are worth playing.
To a T
FFO: Katamari Damacy, Donut County
Keita Takahashi is a master of quirky indie games, up there with industry innovators like Lucas Pope on my indie dev Mount Rushmore. Katamari Damacy is an all-timer, andTo a Tis an equally enthralling experience.
The premise is simple: you’re a teenager who can’t stop T-posing. Ensue a series of light puzzles and story beats that are a joy to play through. Where some games are intentionally frictious or lean heavily on hardcore mechanics, this is just fun. If you don’t want to throw $19 at a few hours of childlike glee,try the demofirst.
Despelote
FFO: Before Your Eyes, What Remains of Edith Finch
Despelote is the best game I’ve played this year. I’m a sucker for great narratives and interesting art styles, so the Ecuadorian adventure was on my radar from the moment it was announced.
I’m also a football fan. While I firmly believe that non-football fans will enjoy Despelote (which isaboutfootball and the experiences of being a fan but not actually a football simulator of any sort), it probably helps that I’m already invested in the subject matter.
As reminiscent as a Kazuo Ishiguro novel and as stylish as anything from Thatgamecompany, I can guarantee you that Despelote will make my Game of the Year list come December. Maybe it’ll make yours, too. For 16 bucks, it’s worth finding out for yourself.
Buy Despelote on Steam. Or buya bundle that also includes Firewatchwhich, while ineligible for Game of the Year 2025, is a stone-cold classic that is well worth playing.
Blue Prince
FFO: Outer Wilds, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Okay, this isn’t so much of a hidden gem, being the year’s (joint) third-highest rated game onOpenCritic. But outside of a glowing critical reception averaging just shy of 9/10, I haven’t heard many regular players talking about it.
Despite the reviews, Blue Prince can be quite polarising. I like fiendishly difficult puzzles. I like trying to work out the rules to the game I’m playing. I like friction. Not everyone does, and I think plenty of people could bounce off this roguelike before getting to the real gameplay loop.
As one of the more expensive games on this list at $30, it’s also a bigger risk. But, whether you end up liking it or not, your experience here will be moreinterestingthan any triple-A fare you’re served for nearly thrice the price.
Monster Train 2
FFO: Slay the Spire, Balatro
So far in this list I’ve picked games that I enjoy. That’s the nature of being a critic, you tend to recommend things that suit your tastes. So here I am, pushing myself out of my comfort zone to recommend you play Monster Train 2. I’ve not played Monster Train 1, nor do I particularly enjoy roguelike deckbuilders, but I tried this on the recommendation of my peers. I’d be a bit of a hypocrite if I didn’t, wouldn’t I?
I liked Monster Train 2, but I know some of you roguelike sickos willloveit. I’m already finding nasty combos and brute forcing my way further into runs like the titular locomotive itself, and I’m sure you’ll push it to its limits. As a bonus, if shelling out $28 is too risky for you, you may pick up the first game for a third of that.
Buy Monster Train 2 on Steam.
Indie games are forced to work within their means and often innovate because of these financial and technical constraints. There’s rarely any bloat, few extraneous mechanics, and they’re practically allergic to microtransactions or play early ‘special edition’ scams. If any one of these games looks like it tickles your pickle, I heartily recommend picking it up and seeing what it’s like.
Even at full price, you can grab three of these four titles for less than the price of Borderlands 4. When the Steam sales come around, you’ll probably be able to complete the set for the price of one triple-A game. Any one of them will probably be better than Borderlands 4. All four of them together? They’ll blow Pitchford and his ivory tower right out the water.
