The Best Video Game Characters Of 2025 - Kotaku

When we look back on the standout games of 2025 in the years to come, in many cases it’s as likely to be for the characters who populated them as it is for the greatness of their mechanics or level design. Whether it’s the heroes we inhabited, the villains we faced, or the random side characters we met just for a fleeting moment, there were some memorable newcomers in the best games of 2025, as well as a few characters we’ve known for years that had a moment worth celebrating. Here are our picks for the best video game characters of 2025. Garmond and Zaza - Hollow Knight: Silksong Hollow Knight: Silksong has a lot of weird little guys in its cast, and Garmond and Zaza are two of the most memorable. This regal-as-fuck little guy and his flying steed become Hornet’s allies when she saves them from captivity, and Garmond’s battle cry as he charges in to face one of Silksong ’s tough bosses is enough to get anyone ready to fight god. - Kenneth Shepard Tenna - Deltarune Deltarune Every year when compiling the best characters in games, you’ve gotta have some absolute gremlin-level freaks on the list. Tenna, the TV host with a TV head, is one of 2025’s standouts on that front. Deltarune is full of colorful and memorable characters, but few pop off the screen like Tenna, whose 1950s variety show host schtick is perfectly punctuated by the game’s use of Word-Art-style text flourishes and a 3D model that lets him get more animated than most other characters in the cast. Tenna is technically interfering with your group’s journey in Toby Fox’s RPG, but he smokes too tough and his swag is too different for you to be mad about it. All his crazy antics lead to one of Deltarune ’s most insane boss battles, which is practically an extended WarioWare mini-game barrage. All of this showmanship masks a deep-seated fear of being forgotten, and boy, does it reach a tragic finale - Kenneth Shepard Nate - Baby Steps Baby Steps , a cross between the insufferable movement controls of QWOP and a climbing game like Only Up , could have easily been content with being a $20 shitpost of a video game with no real character development to speak of and still been successful, but its main character, Nate, actually has quite a bit going on as he walks barefoot up the side of a mountain. All of Nate’s problems in Baby Steps could be avoided if he merely accepted or asked for help. He could have shoes to help him take more confident steps, a map to tell him where he’s going, and a bathroom to empty his full bladder, if he only would say “yes” instead of “no” any time someone offered to help him. The quick wit of Baby Steps ’ writing makes scenes showcasing Nate’s obstinacy, which should be frustrating to watch unfold, a hoot instead. But as the game...

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