About this episode
In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show , former editor John Carson joins us to share what we think are the best games of 2025 to date. Heavy hitters like Mario Kart World, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Monster Hunter Wilds all make the list, but there are several smaller or indie titles mentioned that we love, like Peak, Blade Chimera, and Promise Mascot Agency. We hope you enjoy the podcast and find your next favorite video game! The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Thursday for chats about your favorite titles – past and present – alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Subscribe to Game Informer Magazine: https://www.gameinformer.com/subscribe Follow our hosts on social media: Alex Van Aken ( @itsVanAken ) Marcus Stewart ( @MarcusStewart7 ) Kyle Hilliard ( @KyleHilliard ) John Carson ( @JohnCarsonGames ) Jump to a specific discussion using these timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 05:35 - Promise Mascot Agency 08:44 - Blade Chimera 11:15 - The Roottrees Are Dead 17:30 - Peak 24:36 - Mario Kart World 31:50 - Avowed 37:48 - Split Fiction 43:16 - Picnic Penguin 47:40 - Pirate Yakuza 50:19 - Monster Hunter Wilds 55:55 - DOOM: The Dark Ages 01:01:00 - Elden Ring Nightreign 01:09:25 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 01:16:20 - Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time 01:23:06 - Shotgun Cop Man 01:27:05 - The Bazaar 01:33:00 - Kyle’s Lightning Round 01:34:28 - The First Bezerker Khazan 01:36:24 - Marcus’ Lightning Round 01:42:19 - Alex’s Lightning Round