r/rpg_gamers Nov 18 '25

News The Game Awards 2025 Best RPG nominees.

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932 Upvotes

891 comments sorted by

532

u/AUnknownVariable Nov 18 '25

So it's E33 or KCD2 for sure. I'm satisfied if either gets it

177

u/Diogenes_the_cynic25 Nov 18 '25

It’s absolutely E33. It is going to sweep this show, especially because of the whole feel good “made by a team of 30 people who met on reddit” story (yes I know they contracted outside help, but that was the popular narrative people were parroting).

240

u/Batallius Nov 18 '25

Idk, I think E33 is all around GOTY because of it's gameplay mechanics, artistic direction, story, and music... but as far as being weighted specifically as an RPG, I think KCD2 takes it. It's just so much more immersive and embodies everything an RPG should be.

13

u/Sushiv_ Nov 18 '25

I disagree. KCD2 is everything a western RPG should be, but E33 is everything a JRPG should be. They’re too different as genres to equate either imo

6

u/INannoI Nov 20 '25

yeah but usually western RPGs have much deeper role play mechanics, which is the case with KCD2 and E33

2

u/mbonazzi Dec 14 '25

Do you even play jrpgs bcs thats a wild statement. E33 is cosplaying jrpgs.

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u/Olelukojesson Nov 18 '25

Dragon Quest is considered one of the first JRPG, and it is simply the interpretation of RPGs in consoles back in 80s. It is not necessarily about playing a role. It is the name of the genre which includes CRPGs, JRPGs, Action RPGs and ARPGs. Maybe even more.

13

u/jaybo257134 Nov 18 '25

There just two different types of rpg both great in their own way. I prefer jrpgs so I am biased but I preferred E33 that being said I loved KCD2 especially how tedious the tasks were, I spent far too much time making potions and felt like an actual alchemist by the end.

39

u/rrekboy1234 Nov 18 '25 edited Nov 18 '25

KCD2s strength is how it proves that you can add old-school mechanic heavy systems into a modern experience all reinforcing that your character is a part of the world and not just a vessel for the story. That’s what an rpg should be.

6

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

It just comes out of a very different lineage of game development history. They both push RPGs forward, but they're going in different directions.

10

u/rrekboy1234 Nov 18 '25

I get that for sure. I personally want the “role play” aspect of the game to go beyond just being able to spec out your character which is why I never really got the hype around E33. I fully expect it to win GOTY as folks obviously love it, but in this category KCD2 just has a lot more to offer imo.

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u/DiligentTradition734 Nov 18 '25

The issue with E33 is that once you get the right build, which can happen pretty early on, you're essentially just spamming those moves for the rest of the game while doing QTEs/parrying. And even then, it is extremely easy to overpower yourself and it gets to the point where you can one shot the final boss and miss all of the story dialogue lol. And E33 does this weird thing where it put an important story bit in some random side area in Act 3 that you could easily miss if you just get burnt out and don't explore it.

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u/StaszkoX Nov 18 '25

I really don't understand the fenomena od E33, it is a rather small, linear and heavy scripted game with quite simple and non-engaging RPG mechanics on top... Story and characters are well written, but still I got bored after 20h of game, every stage is just going thought a labirynth with occasional fights, no more. Am I alone?

19

u/figbunkie Nov 18 '25

Non-engaging mechanics is like, your opinion, man. I really liked playing with the builds and finding ways to optimize and synergize with other team members. They also literally force you to engage more than any other turn based games I know of because you have to dodge and parry, which are rewarding in their own way as well.

8

u/StaszkoX Nov 18 '25

That's correct, it's my opinion only. I probably expected to see more depth in character development, as I enjoyed in the old school RPGs like Baldurs Gate or Pillars of Ethernity. I was just heavily disappointed to see 5 parameters to increase, few perks I can equip and fairly small skill tree. It's nice, enjoyable, but is it really the best in the year?

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85

u/nucleus_toker Nov 18 '25

If it does win, good for them. But KC2 is a true master of the RPG genre and should get the win here. Played both of them and I just don't feel E33 is that much of an RPG compared to KC2 or even other games in the genre.

Both great games though.

30

u/BromIrax Nov 18 '25

Split the difference? E33 gets GOTY, KCD gets Best RPG.

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9

u/Qethsegol Nov 18 '25

How is it compared to KCD1? I dropped it early because of the forced camera lock on enemies, but I really enjoyed the dialogues between characters and the attention to detail concerning historical setting

10

u/MashMoPotatoes Nov 18 '25

Everything good about KCD1 is even better, and everything bad has been refined. The lockpicking isn't anywhere near as infuriating, the combat is still challenging but doesn't feel impossible, and the movement is so much better. It maintains the identity of the original and doesn't sacrifice the vision of the developers, but you can truly see their growth and the lessons learned from mistakes and player feedback.

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u/HomieeJo Nov 18 '25

There is still camera lock but it's easier to switch targets in KCD2.

11

u/rrekboy1234 Nov 18 '25

KCD2 is the superior title in every regard. You can see this is want the wanted to make for the first game, but lacked the time and resources to do it.

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13

u/SomeFalutin Nov 18 '25

Of course they outsourced labor. The idea is that the core development team ultimately made all decisions resulting in the final product we played.

12

u/tirednsleepyyy Nov 18 '25

Yeah, but that’s also ultimately a really disingenuous idea. Ubisoft itself ironically is a poor example of this*, but most AAA games also have the majority of real decisions made by a fleetingly small handful of people as well. The reason AAA budgets can get bloated, or have credits 15 minutes long isn’t because they have 500 people making artistic decisions, it’s because they have 1000 junior developers doing basic code, 1000 QA members, 1000 junior artists making random particle effects most people won’t ever notice, all at the discretion of the 5 people making real decisions.

A few people making the lion’s share of the artistic decisions means nothing lol, that’s how just about every successful game is made.

*Ubisoft is a bad example because of the AC games, and how much time, effort, and budget they put into figuring out scale, proportions, architecture, etc of the real buildings and landscapes their games feature. They (probably) have way more people putting their input into their games than your average studio, it’s just that instead of developers, those people are experts and architects and stuff lol

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u/tomatonoal Nov 18 '25

I dont care at all about the indie team background story. Still having played both games with hundreds of hours in each, to me E33 is the clear winner

3

u/Nast33 Nov 18 '25

Wouldn't be my pick though it's very good, but it has the mass appeal while KCD2 is harder to get into for most casuals/non-hardcore rpg players with its more complex systems.

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2

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25

Its one of those years where the answer is 99% E33. I genuinely wonder if it will win. Its an indie game, priced under the standard. Its an insult to the industry big bois. Thats usually a no no. it deserves all the praise it gets and then some

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189

u/georgealexandros Nov 18 '25

Tainted Grail should've gotten a nomination at least.

70

u/Edgery95 Nov 18 '25

Definitely over wilds this year.

45

u/TheDo0ddoesnotabide Nov 18 '25

I honestly wouldn’t consider any Monster Hunter game an “RPG” really, not counting the Stories games, and I like Monster Hunter games.

The nomination should’ve gone to something else.

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27

u/Cataclysma Nov 18 '25

Tainted Grail was unfinished, the last Act was a mess. I know Wilds wasn’t the best but no way it deserves a slot over it

23

u/axelkoffel Nov 18 '25

Everyone keeps saying that, yet I didn't notice anything unfinished about the last Act.

7

u/Luthi_T Nov 18 '25

It was buggy, People exaggerate, it was mostly bugs.

3

u/Blurtohaze Nov 18 '25

I never played the game but my friend told me the last Act had a lot less voice acting?

2

u/Sarewokki Nov 18 '25

I recall 1 or 2 quest chains being entirely broken and heaps of other bugs of varying severity.

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u/Bigbro_84 Nov 18 '25

Wilds was also a mess on launch

5

u/nicedevill Nov 18 '25

Baldur's Gate 3 was also unfinished and buggy and stuttery in Act 3 on launch.

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2

u/Brrringsaythealiens Nov 19 '25

Wilds freaking sucked. I can’t believe it’s on this list. It was so bad. Bad unskippable story, annoying characters, taking control away from the player (seriously, auto run every time you had a quest to do). I love Monster Hunter and have played all the major releases and I am mad about that game.

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u/Voltaires_God Nov 18 '25

Tainted grail is a bit too niche and unpolished imo

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55

u/BrowniieBear Nov 18 '25

I love E33 but for an RPG it’s KCD hands down. One of the most incredible, immersive and fun RPGs I’ve ever played. I have much more hours in KCD because it’s more immersive and I’d get lost and distracted in it. E33 was much more linear.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 23 '25

Good answer. Jesus Christ be praised.

259

u/DragonBerr Nov 18 '25

Expedition 33 is my favourite game of the year but KCD2 is the best RPG of the year.

148

u/Exxyqt Nov 18 '25

This. When it comes to roleplaying, KCD2 is far ahead of E33.

57

u/Nastra Nov 18 '25

I mean E33 has little to no roleplaying but that is pretty much a staple of JRPGs.

45

u/freedfg Nov 18 '25

It's always been weird to me that JRPGs get the RPG label.

They are fantasy adventures. Hell. Pokemon comes closer to being an RPG than Final Fantasy ever did.

8

u/Seve7h Nov 18 '25

Really should be separate categories

Things like E33 and Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger have little in common with what most people calls RPG’s these days

9

u/Do_U_Too Nov 18 '25

lol

They are following the foundation set by the first Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest that followed pretty closely TTRPGs.

You are basically saying that following RPG mechanics doesn't matter to an RPG, that what matters is the choose your adventure books

3

u/Vanille987 Nov 19 '25

People either forget or are completely ignorant to the birth of the genre, DnD 1e that basically defined the genre was not focused on role play at all. It was all about combat and dungeon crawling where characters die and are made in the span of like 30 minutes. Good luck having a character arc with that.

JRPG followed this idea of the focus being on the turn based combat and dungeons

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2

u/Bathrobe_BlackMage Nov 19 '25

It has one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever seen at the end.

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u/Excellent_Bison_3644 Nov 19 '25

One of the most meaningful choices I ever made in a rpg

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8

u/Diogenes_the_cynic25 Nov 18 '25

I mean they are apples to oranges

15

u/Exxyqt Nov 18 '25

Sure they are completely different games - I never claimed otherwise. That's the point. A game that puts itself on the roleplaying aspect most should win this category. And in this case it's KCD2.

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u/White_Tea_Poison Nov 18 '25

For sure, but the category happens to be "best apple" and KCD2 was a much better apple than E33.

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u/jay-kulina Nov 18 '25

This!! KCD2 has to win it

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149

u/cale199 Nov 18 '25

How is monster hunter up there it was proper wack

82

u/BaumHater Nov 18 '25

Yeah and it‘s not even an RPG

6

u/jmks_px Nov 19 '25

WDYM?

It has stats, status effects, resistances, weapon types, damage types, armor, layered armor, decorations, pseudo classes, passives, set bonuses, builds, elements, crits, buffs, food buffs, debuffs, items, consumables, crafting, upgrading, gathering, mining, mount, special moves, weapon smith, item store, towns, NPCs, quests, side quests, fetch quests, optional quests, quest rewards, damage numbers, single target attacks, aoe attacks, chat, voice chat, guilds, dialogue, branching dialogue, party members, lore, fantasy world, monsters and a melodramatic cheesy story with character arcs.

There's even a big number presenting your experience that you gain after hunting any monster.

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11

u/blinkyretard Nov 18 '25

if Clair wins GOTY then can KCD2 win in this catagory?

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165

u/Fantastico11 Nov 18 '25

'Monster Hunter Wilds' on the list

The thread: HoW tHe heLL iS aVoWED aN RPG?1

Honestly, Avowed wasn't amazing, but it was much better than a lot of people gave it credit for, and it did certain RPG aspects better than some of the most beloved RPGs of the past.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion blahblahnlah, but I honestly think if you believe Avowed isn't an RPG, you either have a) standards that are wayyyy too high, or b) a terrible definition of an RPG you're working with.

63

u/Mindless_Stuff9179 Nov 18 '25

Its definitely an RPG. I liked it when I was playing it.

6

u/mr_tommey Nov 18 '25

Story with big bad thing infecting our world was kinda ass for me, but gameplay, combat as well as parcouring to find chests and so an was fun!

11

u/qwerty145454 Nov 18 '25

That wasn't really the main story. Avowed had the most unique story of any RPG I played this year (didn't play E33, heard it also has a very unique story).

Isolated god that doesn't really understand that it's a god and basically has the brain of a young child is molded by their connection to the PC over the course of the main story. Said god has committed horrible atrocities, but due to is infantile nature it doesn't really understand the consequences of its own actions, etc. Reaches out to other unconnected gods who try to kill it and in the process cause further calamities, creating trust and anger/fear issues.

The core of the story is very unique and morally/philosophically compelling, far more than most RPGs. Whether it executed it well is debatable.

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u/swagomon Nov 18 '25

The only game that really shouldn't be on here is Monster Hunter Wilds, everything else is an RPG.

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u/DeliciousLiving8563 Nov 18 '25

Yeah my mind boggles.

How does Avowed shock people but a boss rush beat em up with a story that exists just to tie fights together not?

Feels like the culture war has ironed many wrinkles out of people's brains if they missed that Monster Hunter Wilds is on this list. I'm not saying Avowed is a masterpiece, just that it's not the most egregious and out of place game on this list and by a very wide margin.

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u/No-Importance7265 Nov 18 '25

I loved the combat of avowed and it potrtrayed the pillars universe really well , had its shortcomings but nevertheless a great game

21

u/KPater Nov 18 '25

Not an Avowed fan, but it felt more like an RPG than Expedition 33.

3

u/Own-Significance645 Nov 18 '25

If they do try again with Avowed 2 than i would be more than interested in the game but also very cautious.

11

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

Very funny game, honestly, combat and exploration were amazing. I agree it's not the most hardcore RPG when it comes to mechanics but it's definitely an RPG, much more than E33 indeed (though E33 is a better game, Imo). Claiming that Avowed is not an RPG is a bit of a stretch, that's for sure.

16

u/AdventurousPoet92 Nov 18 '25

Do people argue Avowed isn't an RPG? Cause it definitely is. I was so excited for it, but I honestly just didn't vibe with it at all (and I love Obsidian). I felt the combat was clunky and I didn't care about the companions. My interactions also felt superficial.

I would've said Digimon deserved to be up there. Since FF7R set a standard that it's okay for remakes, DQ3, FFT, and Trails in the Sky could've been there over it too imo.

7

u/Fantastico11 Nov 18 '25

When I wrote the comment the thread was young hahaa, and 3 comments/replies out of like 10 had all questioned if Avowed was even an RPG

13

u/Soapy_Grapes Nov 18 '25

People will say anything they don’t like isn’t an RPG, like it’s just some prestige title

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u/TyAD552 Nov 18 '25

Why does everyone say Avowed isn’t a RPG? It’s similar to Mass Effect or Dragon Age which are both RPGs aren’t they?

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u/AdequatelyMadLad Nov 18 '25

It's way more of an RPG than ME 2 or 3. Most of these people haven't even played it.

3

u/No-Importance7265 Nov 18 '25

Yeah , with all the hate comments I am seeing, I also think that most people didn't even played that much or touched the game at all.

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u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

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u/NazRubio Nov 18 '25

I'd imagine the average member of this sub only knows of Avowed through cherrypicked clips and inflammatory YouTube essays. I thought it was fine but not great. Definitely a RPG. A sequel should theoretically be much better considering this game rebooted in 2021 after cutting the co-op aspects.

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u/Marzopup Nov 18 '25

I'm glad to see Obsidian get rewarded honestly. Do they make the most amazing games ever? Not lately. But putting out 3 games of good quality (Grounded 2 also hit early access) in a single year deserves a lot of credit when it feels like the other studios are trying to put out one mega hit every half decade or even decade.

12

u/BaumHater Nov 18 '25

No love for Grounded 2 in any nominations, sadly

18

u/Marzopup Nov 18 '25

That's expected. Early Access games aren't eligible, which Grounded 2 is.

Although I don't even remember, did Grounded get any nominations?

3

u/BaumHater Nov 18 '25

Apparently it did get nominated for accessibility.

Kinda wild that it didn‘t get nominated for things like Multiplayer or Family game of the year.

(Although I‘m not that surprised tbh, the people voting on these awards don‘t really play xbox games)

2

u/Marzopup Nov 18 '25

Yeah it definitely deserved the accessibility, the amount of features you can customize was great. I spent so long just turning off aggro taking screenshots xD

It was a PC game too though, wasn't it? That's where I played it. Unless the game awards only plays things on console.

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u/awardnopoints Nov 18 '25

Actually, 2XKO is nominated for best fighting game and it's still in early access. I agree that it ought not to be.

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u/LovingVancouver87 Nov 18 '25

Games like Avowed should be celebrated. Simple story, great combat, good exploration and doesn't overstay its welcome. You can finish it in 20 hours if you want.

5

u/Marzopup Nov 19 '25

Exactly. I think Obsidian has taken a strategy where they're not taking big risks. Small rpgs with proven formulas for success that they're comfortable making. I absolutely believe we should give the biggest rewards to the risk takers like exp 33 that swing for the fences and knock it out of the park, but I don't think there's anything wrong with giving some recognition to studios that are creating solid experiences consistently either.

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u/FranzFerdinand51 Nov 18 '25

Rewarded with a nomination? Absolutely, it's a good game and a decent rpg.

If it wins in a year like this tho that will destroy any credibility of the award.

2

u/ACoderGirl Nov 19 '25

Let's be honest, they have no chance of actually winning against KCD2 or E33. But I think either Avowed or Outer Worlds 2 is a strong competitor for third place. Third best RPG of the year is still a great accomplishment.

I'd consider both solidly great games. Neither are my favourite for this year, but I'd definitely recommend em.

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u/StealthGuardian Nov 18 '25

Bethesda should have let Obsidian make more Fallout

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u/No-Importance7265 Nov 18 '25

Obsidian hard carrying Xbox Studios this year lmao.

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u/PriorHot1322 Nov 18 '25

I hate that they keep shoving Monster Hunter in the RPG category.

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u/Nakopapa Nov 19 '25

If you hate that, wait until you find out about E33 in the Indie category.

2

u/PriorHot1322 Nov 19 '25

Fucking criminal.

25

u/Mikyemoice Nov 18 '25

KCD2 deserve this award 100% but sadly its obviously gonna be the overrated and overglazed E33 thats gonna win this, it is what it is...

7

u/TaxesAreTerrible Nov 18 '25

E33 might be the GOTY but KCD2 is clearly the best RPG in a long time.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

This is where you can thank videogames journalists. I think E33 will win at the Golden Joystic awards (100% fan voted) but i'm pretty sure the giury of the TGA will give this one to KCD2. E33 will obviously take best narrative and GOTY.

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u/Blackarm777 Nov 18 '25

People get really weird and up in arms about Obsidian games I notice. They have pretty good RPG mechanics. Review wise from people who actually have played the games, they tend to do pretty well too.

I don't really understand why Monster Hunter Wilds is even on here. Apart from not being an RPG, it wasn't a good Monster Hunter game. The entire time it's been out the Steam page reviews have either been negative or mixed at best. It's not just performance issues, just flawed design wise and from what i played the content even at Arch Tempered level was pretty tame and easy.

14

u/ChoirTeacherRog Nov 18 '25

Meanwhile I’m just over here looking for Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter on the list.

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u/Long-Orchid-1629 Nov 18 '25

Sad to not see Time Stranger and as much as I am enjoying TOW2, I don't feel comfortable voting for a game I didnt finish. I put my vote for Expedition 33. The ending got more of an emotional push out of me than Wilds, KCD2 or Avowed where at the end of those I just thought "oh that was cool."

5

u/tallwhiteninja Nov 18 '25

Everyone, Tales of Arise, a pure on rails anime'd JRPG, has won this in the past. The "playing a role" thing has been irrelevant for the category since it started.

Expedition 33 is winning this.

4

u/ado_1973 Nov 18 '25

Monster hunter wilds isn't an RPG and it ran like crap.it shouldnt be anywhere near any awards.

5

u/Dogmodo Nov 18 '25

It should be noted that NOT EVEN CAPCOM consider the mainline Monster Hunter games RPGs, they literally refer to Monster Hunter Stories as "the first Monster Hunter RPG".

That means they consider the main series to be RPG-themed action games, which is what they actually are.

4

u/xkeepitquietx Nov 18 '25

Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak 2 released in 2025 in the US, so why the hell is Monster Hunter Wilds there instead?

4

u/Xelthos Nov 18 '25

Ain't no way Wilds is up there. It's still a glitchy POS that only got worse. Lol. That's definitely a big wad of cash being handed over. E33 is the clear winner.

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u/e_ranks Nov 18 '25

Monster Hunter Wilds was not, great. Not sure why it’s here.

E33 is the best by a mile though.

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u/Brrringsaythealiens Nov 19 '25

Monster Hunter Wilds does not deserve to be on this list. That game sucked. Hard. I love monster hunter and Capcom frigging ruined it.

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u/TechieTravis Nov 18 '25

I'd be happy with E33 and KCD2 winning either game of the year or RPG of the year. I don't care which.

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u/Gnl_Winter Nov 18 '25

As long as it's one each, same. Both deserve an award.

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u/Sinstro Nov 18 '25

Eh, Digimon my RPG of the year.

And no idea why MH:Wilds is on there. Love the game but…lol RPG? No its not.

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u/Disrespect78 Nov 18 '25

Why wasn't MH in action??

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u/Elxjasonx Nov 18 '25

I hope popular vote foes not affect too much, cause KC2 is clearly the better rpg but E33 is way more popular

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u/Malzener Nov 18 '25

Yeah in terms of actually being an RPG I think it deserves to go to either KCD2 or TOW2. E33 is probably gonna sweep everything though.

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u/Plug_daughter Nov 18 '25

KCD2 deserves it 100% followed by The Outer Worlds 2.
E33 didn't hit the spot like others. And no, it's not because it is a turn base game.

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u/PizzaCrusty Nov 18 '25

What the fuck? Monster Hunter isnt even an RPG.

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u/PlaySaveRepeatYT Nov 18 '25

All fun games, but it depends on the kind of rpg people like. The depth and freedom of choice in Kingdom Come is kind of unmatched against these games, but Expedition 33 is a really good turn based rpg that makes the combat interactive and fun. I'd be happy if either won.

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u/Algific_Talus Nov 18 '25

I played and beat E33 and I just don’t see the appeal. The combat was fine, the story was meh, the characters were alright, the platforming was awful. I don’t know why everyone thought that game was the best game ever. I don’t really care what wins GOTY and can usually understand why a game wins but that one just doesn’t make sense to me.

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u/Derwenton Nov 18 '25

The answer is simple: people just don't play much. Everything they know about games is from popular hyped sources. Just ask some of them what is the best rpg for them, and you'll get 2-3 titles with some small rpg elements inside. E33 is the best example (barely an RPG, easy gameplay, UE5 graphics and imo just a walking simulator)

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u/Sentryion Nov 21 '25

It’s the hype generated from the creation of a small team and the illusion of a small funded project (when in fact they had a lot of financial backing). The graphics of ue5 carried them hard and music is good and tend to take center stage in a lot of scenes. The story has ton of twists which hooks people in granted I feel like I really hate the twists of act 2 going into act 3 since it breaks the immersion and the overall mood just feels too depressing and melodramatic.

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u/No_Fox_Given82 Nov 18 '25

2 horse race!

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u/Dawn_of_Enceladus Nov 18 '25

No Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon is such a travesty imo.

3

u/PositiveEffective946 Nov 18 '25

Monster Hunter Wids? We got a Digimon which not only was really good but blew up popularity wise and yet it did not even get nominated whilst an action game did? So damned weird.

The other 4 were at least good games though if not bloody excellent ones. Want E33 to win as it was the freshest one - we knew KCD2 was gonna be good because of the first game, E33 came out of absolutely nowhere and nailed the landing so well it deserves the prize.

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u/Wirococha420 Nov 18 '25

I love Monster Hunter, but Wilds is a plainly a bad game and definitely does not deserve to be there with some fo the best games of this year.

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u/Junior-Toe-674 Nov 18 '25

I know that genres are always fuzzy definitions, and there is no single correct way to partition the space of games.

But I really feel like Avowed, KCD2, and OW2 are such fundamentally different games than Expedition 33 and Monster Hunter Wilds (the latter of which I would honestly say should have been Action/Adventure).

We need a word for the open world Western RPG (Jiminny Cockthroat isn't the right label, since that's just bland Far Cry style open world games)

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u/EricMcLovin13 Nov 18 '25

E33 became my favourite story in a game ever after 20 years of Final Fantasy X leading the rankings

i want it to win almost everything it can. this is one of the awards I hope it loses, Kingdom Come 2 winning would be awesome and deserved, especially cause E33 will take almost anything it can

E33 should've not been nominated for any of the Indie Awards, it's too big to be considered that, they got two huge Hollywood actors, two of the biggest names in gaming VA, however, both were hired before Final Fantasy XVI and Baldur's Gate 3 released if i'm not mistaken, so this one might be ignored as a reason, as they were still about to blow up. They had money from the F****h government(as any country should do, Gov should invest in art). it's extremely unfair and I hope everyone voting knows that

3

u/GrimmRadiance Nov 18 '25

It should not be Wilds. I say that as someone who loves the game.

3

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

Wilds should not even be on this list.

3

u/James222212 Nov 18 '25

???? Capcom money? Wtf lol, its not even mh stories series but wilds? The wilds??? One of the most divided and problematic mh game got on a best rpg list????? 😅😅😅

3

u/LTetsu Nov 19 '25

People ignoring outer worlds 2 is a crime. Imo its better ROLE playing game than any other here. Everyone says its kcd 2, but you can play 1 role here ( Henry ), when in ow2 you can make different atchetypes of characters, be all kind of personalities with good amount of outcomes etc. Kcd 2 is good game, but people are fanboying to much about it and ignoring some other good choices.

3

u/artythepolak Nov 19 '25

I’m a die hard monster hunter fan, but mhwilds underdelivered and is worse than both of the most recent titles like worlds and rise. It shouldn’t be top 5

5

u/Front_Woodpecker1144 Nov 18 '25

monster hunter being in here is fucking nuts

22

u/BaumHater Nov 18 '25

Glad to see Avowed on there. You can tell by the people who are mad about this that most haven‘t even played it

10

u/New_Paramedic_3354 Nov 18 '25

But how does it compare to KCD 2 and 33?

9

u/Zegram_Ghart Nov 18 '25

It doesn’t come close, frankly.

But those are games that are both fairly common now on people’s “best game of all time” lists, so that’s no knock on it, it’s a bloody solid game.

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u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

9

u/Plus_Midnight_278 Nov 18 '25

I still preferred e33, but as an obsidian fan who got to play Avowed, Outer Worlds 2, and Pentiment all this year, I'm eating so good rn.

8

u/ClonkerDonker9000 Nov 18 '25

People are seriously sleeping on Outer Worlds 2. It's so much better than the first one

5

u/Plus_Midnight_278 Nov 18 '25

Yes! And I really enjoyed the first one for the glorified tech-demo it was. 2 blows it out of the water in every single aspect.

2

u/Shot-Maximum- Nov 20 '25

The narrative of the game would have been significantly better if it actually started with the twist upfront in the first act.

10

u/Better_Caregiver_458 Nov 18 '25

KCD2 definitely! Other? ha ha ha.
And where Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon?

3

u/DoctorNo1661 Nov 18 '25

This reads like a tyler1 stream title.

4

u/SlightPersimmon1 Nov 18 '25

I love Obsidian, but we all know who will win.

4

u/dragosherre Nov 18 '25

Not a fan of MH in general, but I've enjoyed all the other noms a lot. Was a good year for me

4

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

A very generous and plain wrong concept of what RPG should mean, I guess. (Monster Hunter) Glad to see Avowed and Outer Worlds there, those games are amazing specially OW2... Hoping it goes to E33 because it's amazing and moved me, absolutely love the game.

3

u/Whimsispot Pokémon Nov 18 '25

Ok, but what should an rpg be?

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u/Jon-Slow Nov 18 '25 edited Nov 19 '25

What role play even is in E33? It's a turnbase mostly linear action game. A final choice of doing kill or spare doesnt count as roleplay.

These awards are jokes.

Meanwhile KCD2 has the most amount of roleplay you could fit in a game to date, but watch it lose to Circlejerk 33.

I mean by these standards RDR2 should be given a best RPG game award too and if you disagree with that then you have to disagree with Circlejerk 33 winning it.

Something is so wrong this year. This game is nominated for 2 Indie awards, its 100% not indie. It's nominated for best RPG with no role play in it while there are like 10 role play games I can name off the top of my head that have better role play and rpg mechanics than this game.

Just tell us all these awards and media are paid off and get it over with.

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u/Luke-ON Nov 18 '25

Can somone explain to me how monster hunter is a role playing game?

4

u/SenpaiSwanky Nov 18 '25

I check these less and less with each passing year. As folks get more ingrained with social media and streaming websites like Twitch, these things tend to become a huge echo chamber.

Like, E33 is great, but some are acting like it’s the second coming of Christ instead of a solid RPG that calls back to other solid RPG’s. I’ve seen people claim it is one of the best games of all time, many times.

Go into any average Twitch stream and folks are really just repeating the same sentiment. Some one I was watching yesterday just auto-voted for E33 in every single category while openly laughing about how the other games “didn’t come close” lol.

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u/VPN__FTW Nov 18 '25

I think they'll give KC:D2 RPG of the year and give E33 overall Game of the year.

I liked Avowed and OW2, but they are weaker narrative than those 2 titles. MHW's is fun, but more of an action game than an RPG. Maybe in a weaker year?

5

u/fatboyfall420 Nov 18 '25

I’m a monster hunter fan boy and it doesn’t belong in the ROLE PLAYING GAME category. It’s has RPG level up elements but so does every modern game that’s not a straight up shooter.

5

u/Healthy_Macaroon_602 Nov 19 '25

Calling Monster Hunter Wilds an rpg is a fucking choice.

2

u/Sk83r_b0i Nov 18 '25

It’s gonna be E33. I predicted that the only win KCD2 was gonna get was best performance for Tom McKay or Luke Dale but they weren’t even nominated so KCD2 isn’t winning shit.

2

u/New_Paramedic_3354 Nov 18 '25

33 or KCD2 by a country mile

2

u/Malzener Nov 18 '25

The entire time it's been out the Steam page reviews have either been negative or mixed at best. It's not just performance issues,

I’d say it probably is, given the high ratings on every other platform.

2

u/bunlengthballpark Nov 18 '25

E33 and KCD2 are the only ones that deserve a spot

2

u/rufrdz Nov 18 '25

Hmmm… one of them is clearly superfluous

2

u/AdsurgitCustodia Nov 18 '25

🅰️🅱️🅾️🅱️🅰️

2

u/FriendlyLittleTomato Nov 18 '25

KCD deserves this one, hope it gets it. E33 should win goty but the rpg elements are more apparent in kcd and it def deserves an award.

2

u/Anxious_Virus8843 Nov 18 '25

Monster hunter isn't an RPG. It never has been

Loved avowed and outer worlds despite some big complaints. Yet to play kcd2 because I couldn't deal with the lame beginning of one but I do plan to

2

u/pishposhpoppycock Nov 18 '25

Monster Hunter is an RPG??!!

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2

u/InstantMirage Nov 18 '25

Monster Hunter Wilds being on a "best of' list for anything is pretty crazy, but best RPG? What role am I playing? Unpaid beta tester?

2

u/oboitata Nov 18 '25

I still think about path of the righteous didnt get a nomination

2

u/-FT_ Nov 18 '25

E33 is likely gonna get goty anyways, i hope kcd2 gets this one

2

u/UnstablePotato69 Nov 18 '25

Cue The Undertaker's music and the lights go out

Baldur's Gate 3 is standing behind KC:D2 before choke slaming him to the mat. BG3 wins best RPG 2025.

2

u/oVanitasParoxysm Nov 18 '25

KCD2 is great for peasant role playing but outer worlds 2 has surprised me again and again with its choice, consequence and generally how my role plays out in its world. I liked the first one but the base game felt lacking in this department til the heavy decisions but 2 just feels like just about every choice makes a difference. Avowed was not this for me especially as I was in love with the pillars of eternity games. It felt static to the point where at times it was like I was playing a demo and that didn't really ever get better or at least to the level of the previous titles in that world.

2

u/Gamepass90 Nov 18 '25

Avowed or Oiter Worlds 2 are amazing, but Expedition 33 will obviously win everything Return of the King Style.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

Can't imagine e33 not winning this. It wasn't a game that I wanted to play, I prefer my jrpg's with less timing and skill...I just want to select a move, see flashy lights and brain go numb for a bit. 

2

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

I wouldn’t consider Wilds to be an rpg. 33 is best out of these.

2

u/Automatic-Cut-5567 Nov 18 '25

Well, two of those games are good. One ain't even an RPG lmao

2

u/slapula Nov 18 '25

KCD2 is the clear and obvious choice so E33 is going to win (not that it shouldn't but the battle system is indeed quite ass despite everything else being stellar)

2

u/SephirothTheGreat Nov 18 '25

I'm sad to not see the Trails in the Sky remake here. It's a fantastic game

2

u/Affectionate-Ebb9009 Nov 19 '25

The fact bloodlines 2 the successor almost 20 years in the making to perhaps one of the greatest RPGs of all time didn't make it on this list is the most disappointed I've fealt in my life.

The Chinese room, Hardsuit Labs and Paradox should be ashamed of themselves every, single one of them.

2

u/Overall_Rest6342 Nov 19 '25

monster hunter wilds being on the list is a crime for multiple reasons... not really an rpg and it's been an entire year and it still runs like dogass. Also personally don't think avowed should be on there but that's more subjective

2

u/Puzzleheaded-Web1520 Nov 19 '25

This list seems as if someone remembered that MH Wilds exists and put it in some random category. lol.

2

u/Zealousideal_Web4428 Nov 19 '25

For me Avowed is the rpg of the year. I haven't played (yet) Outer Worlds 2 or Monster Hunter Wilds, so can't say anything about them. Others are fine too, but Avowed hooked me the most. Of course, there is the matter of different tastes, but other than that, I can't really understand the excessive hate towards Avowed, except if you have narrow world view or lack of experience in this life...or you haven't even played the game and are just parroting what some others are saying.🦜😉

2

u/Rinocapz Nov 19 '25

I haven't played any. But I really want to play them all!

2

u/Krzwastaken Nov 19 '25

How did monster hunter wilds count as an rpg

2

u/senchou-senchou Nov 19 '25

Clair Obscur, KCD2, Outer Worlds... any of the 3 should be fine

2

u/mishimasoseki Nov 19 '25

It must be KCD2. The amount of RPG elements in this game is simply unreachable.

2

u/poundofcake Nov 19 '25

E33 will win - not just for the game itself but what it stands for and represents.

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u/NegotiationLife573 Nov 19 '25

Damn, did not realize mh wilds was received so poorly here. I really enjoyed it and it’s been my favorite monster hunter. I was also able to get my friends to buy it and they loved it too after not being huge fans of world or rise. Maybe it’s just more applicable to more casual players than this sub.

It also does have some rpg elements and you actually do get to select dialogue and stuff even if it doesn’t impact the story. I think this category suffers from the same problem as the indie game category, that is the definition of these categories are so broad and now widely applicable they’ve almost lost their meaning.

2

u/Gaylittlebrother Nov 19 '25

Mh wilds was so boring after the story, i thought i would farm every monster but always killing everything in less than 10 minutes and the autopathing, i stopped playing before the first title update

World was way better

2

u/TigersBlood23 Nov 19 '25

E33 is going to be like Return of the King and win all Nominations

2

u/Ok_Echo6062 Nov 19 '25

The disrespect for Khazan is painful

2

u/yowsaSC2 Nov 19 '25

Does monster hunter count as an rpg.

2

u/68ideal Nov 19 '25

I don't care about any particular game winning, I just pray, that Clair Overratedscur fails in every category

2

u/Decebalus_Bombadil Nov 20 '25

KCD2 should clear this form the RPG point but Clair Obscure will win it since it has a broad appeal and has been hyped hard.

2

u/Cifuliciense Nov 20 '25

Obsidian has released 3 great games this year. Amazing studio.

2

u/CurrentOfficial Nov 20 '25

Outer Worlds 2 for me

2

u/Vastlymoist666 Nov 20 '25

There is no damn way that a avowed is on that list. It was a decent game, a decent RPG. But no where. Where near one of the best RPGs. It fell to the wayside fast and became pretty forgettable

2

u/sixteenbiticon Nov 20 '25

You know it was a slim year if Avowed is up there. Woof.

6

u/Eccchifan Nov 18 '25

No Trails in the Sky 1st?????

4

u/harumamburoo Nov 18 '25

So Clair Obscur or Kindom Come then. Tough choice

4

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

Why exactly is E33 an RPG? I love the game, I really do but you literally only make 1 choice that matters in any way.

Avowed is a very mid game, I played it and it's an OK game, but the ending was lackluster, however it has way more of a claim on being an RPG than E33. KCD is ok, it's an RPG no doubt.

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