Summary
This year has seen some well-received games so far, stretching from the AAA to the indie space. With top-notch titles likeKingdom Come: Deliverance 2,Split Fiction, andMonster Hunter Wildscapturing a lot of attention, the competition and discussion around potential Game of the Year titles is already heating up. One that recently entered the conversation isBlue Prince, the debut game eight years in the making by Dogubomb, an independent film and game studio.Blue Princereleased on April 10, and within a short time, it has attained a 90 critic score on aggregate site OpenCritic.
Prior toBlue Princetaking its crown,Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vectorwas 2025’s highest-rated game. And in a somewhat similar fashion, it’s easy to see why the two may have been overlooked at first. With both residing in more niche genres, and not much marketing behind them, they’ve thrived largely on positive word-of-mouth buzz and stellar design and presentation.Blue Princemay currently be flying under many fans' radar, but it’s one that they owe it to themselves to check out and see why it has already garnered the praise of those players who have experienced it.
Blue Princeis currently available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PlayStation Plus Extra.
Why Blue Prince, 2025’s Highest Rated Game So Far, Can Be Easily Missed, But Shouldn’t
Blue Prince May Be More of a Niche Title, But Shouldn’t Be Passed Up
At its core,Blue Princeis an exploration-basedpuzzle gamefrom a first-person perspective wrapped in an intricate detective/mystery narrative. The premise sees the player character, Simon Jones,inheriting a sprawling and beautiful house from their granduncle. In order to finalize their inheritance, however, Simon must reach a special room hidden somewhere in the house. The catch is that the mansion has a strange feature where the rooms constantly shift and reset every day.
Like any great puzzle title, things seem simple and easy to grasp on the surface inBlue Prince, but players will soon encounter deeper layers in both the narrative and gameplay that are intimately related. These elements then connect toBlue Prince’s roguelike designs, as players must decide from a randomized pool of possible room types to advance through the Mount Holly estate each in-game day. It also adds in resource management, as certain rooms and puzzles require various items that can be found throughout, forcing fans to make strategic use of them to progress.
Perhaps the biggest point of reference is 2016’s acclaimedThe Witness, asBlue Princegives off similar cozy vibes and has an art style that perfectly matches the relaxing yet surreal environment.Blue Prince’s many secretsalso call to mind last year’s hit Metroidvania,Animal Well.As players solve puzzles and unlock and upgrade the types of rooms, more clues emerge regarding the story behind Mt. Holly and its previous guests, and the story and gameplay advance hand-in-hand to create an engaging and satisfying loop of discovery and accomplishment.
Blue Prince Could Find Itself in the Running for Game of The Year
While the mystery puzzle genre often remains largely overshadowed by more widespread ones, there have been a few standout entries recently, such as 2024’sLorelei and the Laser Eyes. In the same vein, learning more of its unwritten mechanics and solving many ofBlue Prince’s clever puzzlesthrough thoughtful planning and intuition to uncover the truth of the tale is an experience that stands tall on its own and proves that the genre is gaining ground.
Given the reception it already has and on the strength of its merits,Blue Princemight very well find itself in the position for best in show for the puzzle genre, if not overall indie game, this year.Blue Princeis an intelligently designed, presented, and highly engaging experience. And with it being available on both Sony andMicrosoft’s subscription services, even those fans who usually aren’t into these kinds of titles have good reason to give it a go and see for themselves why it’s been so well reviewed.
