GOTY 2025: Has the Fat Lady Already Sung? (Donkey Kong Might Just be Opera)
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
IGN South Africa thinks the GOTY 2025 race might be over already, highlighting *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*, *Death Stranding 2*, and *Donkey Kong Bananza* as the frontrunners, but I reckon it's still anyone's game – especially if Kojima keeps getting weirder.
Right, so IGN South Africa reckons the 2025 Game of the Year race might already be decided. Bit early to break out the champagne, innit? But fair play, they've got some compelling contenders. It's like they've peeked into a crystal ball filled with controller grease and Dorito dust.
Apparently, the front runners are *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*, *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach*, and *Donkey Kong Bananza*. Three very different beasts, each roaring in its own way.
First up, *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*. This one’s the dark horse – or maybe the freshly-painted unicorn – of the bunch. Sandfall Interactive, seemingly out of nowhere, dropped this JRPG-inspired title that's selling faster than hotcakes at a gamer convention. What's the fuss? Well, it's got a cracking story about stopping a god-like entity from wiping out folks based on their age, and the combat mixes turn-based strategy with real-time dodges and parries. Sounds a bit bonkers? Absolutely. But in the best way possible. The article highlights that many of the developers for Expedition 33 were found on Reddit, ArtStation and SoundCloud. It's not everyday you see developers get recruited this way, but this is a win for smaller developers looking to make a name for themselves.
Then there's Hideo Kojima's *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach*. Now, the first *Death Stranding* was… divisive, let's say. Some loved the weirdness, others were left scratching their heads. But according to IGN, *On the Beach* is Kojima back on form. Norman Reedus is still delivering packages in a post-apocalyptic world, this time across Mexico and Australia (G'day, Sam!). Expect more bizarre characters, improved traversal, and combat moves taught by none other than Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell director). Because why not?
And finally, Nintendo's *Donkey Kong Bananza*. A 3D Donkey Kong platformer? The first since *Donkey Kong 64*? Colour me intrigued! Especially since it seems to be launching alongside the Switch 2. Apparently, DK's now a miner searching for banana-shaped crystals (because, bananas), and it's all a bit like *Breath of the Wild* but with more smashing. IGN gave it a perfect score, reckon it might be the Switch 2's killer app. Fair dinkum!
Of course, it's not a done deal yet. *Ghost of Yotei* (the *Ghost of Tsushima* sequel), *Borderlands 4*, *The Outer Worlds 2*, *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond*, and *Silent Hill f* could still shake things up. I'm particularly interested in *Ghost of Yotei* since the director modes will provide different vibes depending on which director's style you choose from.
So, is the GOTY race over? Probably not. But these three titles have certainly set a high bar. It's going to be a bloody exciting end to the year, that's for sure.
*Based on an article by Matt Kim, Senior Features Editor at IGN South Africa*
Tags: Game of the Year, 2025 Games, Kojima, Nintendo, Indie Games
Original article: IGN South Africa