It’s Oscar season again in Hollywood, although it can hardly be said that this year has seen a smooth, celebratory homestretch leading to the big event. Between the results of the 2024 election and the horrific fires that swept through Los Angeles almost as soon as 2025 began, it almost seems as if Tinseltown’s biggest, […]
The post Emilia Pérez and the Oscars’ Other Scandalous Campaign Takedowns and Self-Sabotages appeared first on Den of Geek.
The biggest upcoming games of 2025 makes 2024 look like an even slower year for new releases. It seems to be a trend: as the average development time for games continues to grow, more and more major titles are dropping in batches during select years. Like 2023 before it, 2025 is going to be one of those years.
While the upcoming year will rightfully be defined by the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, the fact of the matter is that Rockstar’s next game could slip into 2026 and you’d still be left with an absolutely stacked year for new releases. That said, we apologize for putting that thought out into the world.
Here are the biggest games you need to keep an eye on in 2025!
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JANUARY
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: January 16
There might not be much in terms of new whole new first-party experiences on the original Switch early this year, but there are at least a few remasters of Nintendo titles to look forward to while fans wait for the release of the Switch 2. The great Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was ported over from the Wii U to the Switch in 2018 and now Wii hit Donkey Kong Country Returns is getting the HD remaster treatment.
Bringing all the classic elements you expect from the Donkey Kong Country games, this platformer follows Donkey Kong (and Diddy Kong if you want to play this one with a friend) on a quest through nine worlds to retrieve their precious bananas from a group of evil Tikis. Along the way, expect mine cart levels, plenty of collectibles, and lots of surprises.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: January 17
If you’ve been waiting to try the Dynasty Warriors series of hack-and-slash action games, Origins is your time. Essentially a reboot of the story, this latest installment is not only a vastly more cinematic retelling of the novel on which the games are based but also a complete visual overhaul as well as retooling of the combat mechanics fans know and love. It’s also an incredibly entertaining action game that throws hundreds of enemies at you at a time in huge battles that players are encouraged to turn into their playground. This is a sleeper hit of 2025.
Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Release Date: January 23
Originally released for the PlayStation, Sega Dreamcast, and Game Boy Advance, Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles has been re-released for its 25th anniversary. This remastered version of the classic Star Wars game brings back couch co-op mode, training rooms, bonus levels, and the arcade cheats and power-ups that made the original version so fun. In addition, the game has 13 new playable characters, including Jar Jar Binks, and a lightsaber toggle that allows players to choose between the original lightsaber colors used in the game or more screen-accurate versions. No matter your age, Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles is sure to be a fun walk (or Force-powered jump) down memory lane.
FEBRUARY
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: February 4
2018’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance boasts one of the strangest success stories in modern gaming. Following a Kickstarter campaign that seemed to be built on unrealistic promises, Deliverance launched with quite a few bugs and several controversies. And yet, a few patches and a little distance revealed Deliverance to be one of the best attempts to recapture those old Elder Scrolls feelings and a pretty incredible medieval RPG in its own right.
With Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, developer Warhorse Studios makes the most of the lessons they learned from the first game. Set shortly after the original, Deliverance 2 delivers a far smoother presentation than its predecessor, yet has lost none of that outside-the-box ambition that made the original feel so special to play.
Civilization 7
Platforms: Windows PC
Release Date: February 11
The announcement of a new Civilization game inspires equally powerful feelings of joy and dread. Yay, I get to lose myself in one of the finest strategy series ever created. Oh no, I’ll lose hours of my life to the game that famously makes players say “one more turn” until the cruel light of the rising sun invades the perimeters of their vision.
Still, a new Civilization game is mostly good news. Firaxis Games’ guiding hand and the promised ability to mix and match large chunks of history certainly is+ a winning combo for this franchise that has rarely steered us wrong.
Avowed
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: February 13
The phrase “new Obsidian RPG” is more than enough to get a title on any respectable list of anticipated upcoming games. Obsidian Entertainment is one of the greatest RPG studios of all time, and their recent efforts demonstrate their willingness to keep pushing the envelope.
In some ways, Avowed feels like the culmination of Obsidian’s efforts to create the ideal modern RPG experience. It’s an action-packed real-time experience filled with the kind of character-building, role-playing decisions, and clever writing that Obsidian is known for. While our preview of Avowed raised some unanswered questions about the game’s depth, the allure of its classic fantasy world is pretty powerful.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: February 28
The latest chapter in the Monster Hunter series, Monster Hunter Wilds is set in the Forbidden Lands, an uncharted region long thought to be uninhabited. That is, until a boy named Nata is discovered near the border of these lands, on the run from a mysterious creature known as the White Wraith that attacked his people. As the player, you control The Hunter, one of the professional monster hunters tasked with searching for the White Wraith, charting the Forbidden Lands, and searching for Nata’s people. Monster Hunter Wilds doesn’t only have an intriguing story, however. The game also features new fighting moves and a wide variety of weapons and equipment that give you even more ways to use monsters and their environment to your advantage. Even if you’re not familiar with the series, Monster Hunter Wilds looks to be a fun game for any fan of action RPG games.
MARCH
Suikoden I & II HD Remaster
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Release Date: March 6
Konami’s RPG series Suikoden is joining a long list of classic RPGs getting a fresh update for modern consoles. The Suikoden I & II HD Remaster will feature improvements to graphics and the art style, gameplay mechanics, and sound. Players will also now have the option to automate battles with a single button and play through combat at double-speed. Despite all of these updates, however, the developers are still striving to keep the original story and the “charm of the colorful cast of characters” that fans know and love intact.
Fragpunk
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: March 6
Fragpunk is an upcoming 5v5 FPS that lets you bend the rules of gameplay with unique Shard Cards that each have their own abilities and effects on the game. You can instantly create grass to hide from your enemies, you can give everyone a big head to give yourself a comically large target, you can flip the map around to create your own route through the battlefield, and so much more. Not only does combat look incredibly fun, but Fragpunk also has a vibrant art style that makes gameplay even more electric and energetic to watch and play in.
Split Fiction
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: March 6
Split Fiction is the latest game from Hazelight Studios, the studio behind the exceptional co-op adventures A Way Out and It Takes Two. Like those games, Split Fiction will emphasize the value of unique teamwork throughout its entirely co-op campaign.
Unlike those games, Split Fiction will explore a far wider variety of genres and gameplay concepts. Based on the idea that two writers have become stuck in their own creations, Split Fiction certainly looks like the most ambitious co-op game from a studio that is in a league of its own in that area.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: March 20
While its delay left many fans wondering about the state of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we remain optimistic about this latest chapter in the series. In fact, we quite liked our time with a preview build of the game. Read our hands-on impressions here.
As the Assassin’s Creed franchise’s long-awaited trip to feudal Japan, Shadows looks to make good on what many feel is the series’ most promising historical setting. Expectations are certainly high, but Shadows’ fascinating two-protagonist system and enhanced combat, stealth, and traversal mechanics suggest it could offer an ideal blend of classic gameplay with more modern flourishes.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: March 20
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a decade since the release of this Nintendo action RPG hit in which you get to explore a dangerous open world on giant mechs known as Skells. As a protector of the last remaining humans who managed to escape before Earth was destroyed, you and your companions are tasked with taming a new alien planet called Mira. Nintendo has confirmed this isn’t just a simple re-release of the 2015 game, though. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will also bring “newly added story elements,” which makes this one worth picking up again!
Tales of the Shire
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC
Release Date: March 25
New cozy game alert! Tales of the Shire is like if Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing took a trip to the Shire of Lord of the Rings. The game lets players live out their dreams of spending time in the idyllic landscape of the Shire as they create their own character, decorate their own Hobbit hole, make friends in the community, and help the town flourish. We played Tales of the Shire at SGF and were impressed with the amount of care put into creating this version of the Shire. Even though the game isn’t technically canon, there are still plenty of references and easter eggs for Lord of the Rings fans to find.
Atomfall
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Release Date: March 27
Another survival game? In this economy? Yes, though keep in mind that Atomfall has several tricks up its sleeve that instantly make it more appealing than the countless “craft some cheese” genre titles out there.
Developed by Rebellion, the team behind the exceptional Sniper Elite series, Atomfall places far more emphasis on worldbuilding and storytelling than the average survival title. Set in a fictional version of Northern England following a nuclear disaster, it tasks you with discovering the truth behind this twisted world as you fight to stay alive. Rebellion has suggested that Atomfall is closer to something like BioShock than Rust, which should be enough to excite even the most survival-wary out there.
APRIL
South of Midnight
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: April 8
Developer Compulsion Games has made quite a name for themselves in recent years. Their previous titles—Compulsion and We Happy Few—were undeniably unique, yet each suggested that the studio’s best work was ahead of them. Well, South of Midnight may very well prove to be the developers’ masterpiece.
Set in a dark fantasy version of the Deep South, South of Midnight blends several regions of folklore with original creations and sets the whole thing to a rocking Southern soundtrack. It looks and sounds great, but it’s the game’s almost Beyond Good and Evil-esque gameplay that leads us to believe it could be something truly special.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, PlayStation 4
Release Date: April 21
The popular ’90s fighting game franchise Fatal Fury is back after 26 years with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. With 22 playable characters, including 17 familiar faces from previous games, and 3 different modes of gameplay, there are plenty of options for longtime fans and franchise newcomers alike to have a great time. There’s a single-player RPG mode, Episodes of South Town, as well as online modes that allow you to match with other players or clones generated by automatic AI technology that learns your play style.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: April 24
Developed by the relatively small Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an upcoming turn-based RPG with real-time mechanics that is already looking to be one of the most exciting new games this year. Expedition 33‘s voice cast includes Charlie Cox and Baldur’s Gate 3‘s Jennifer English as two of the six playable characters you can use to build your team, crafting unique builds to fit your playstyle. Set in a world inspired by Bell Époque France, the game is full of hauntingly beautiful visuals that aren’t afraid to hide a little whimsy below the surface. Expedition 33 has an expansive world to explore, and we can’t wait to spend hours looking through every nook and cranny with these characters.
MAY
Doom: The Dark Ages
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Release Date: May 15
With 2016’s Doom and 2020’s Doom Eternal, developer id Software did so much more than bring the grandfather of FPS franchises into the modern age. Those games effectively set a new standard for single-player FPS titles that very few other games have been able to match.
At worst, Doom: The Dark Ages figures to be a victory lap for a studio making the most audaciously entertaining FPS games on the market. It looks to be so much more than that, though. Dark Ages‘ almost Painkiller-esque weapons, style, and gameplay pacing suggest id has somehow found yet another gear and isn’t taking their foot off the gas as they boldly navigate new territory once again.
OCTOBER
Double Dragon Revive
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Windows PC
Release Date: October 23
Another popular fighting game franchise set to return this year is Double Dragon. This isn’t the first modern-era sequel for this arcade-style beat ’em up franchise, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t excited to see what this game has in store in 2025. With four playable characters, including brothers Jimmy and Billy Lee, modern 3D graphics, and an exhilarating belt-scroll action experience, Double Dragon Revive seems like a fun merge of past and present gaming.
TBA 2025
The Alters
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
The Alters tells the story of Jan, a simple miner who crash lands on a hostile planet alone. Tasked with running a mobile base by himself, Jan soon realizes that he can’t do this alone if he’s going to survive. With the help of his ship’s quantum computer and a rare substance found on this planet, Jan is able to create clones of himself based on different life paths he may or may not have chosen in his past. While these clones are versions of him, they are also very different people with their own motivations, goals, and fears—which means that they don’t always get along. It’s a very intriguing premise that makes for a unique sci-fi survival game that we really can’t wait to play.
Borderlands 4
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
The recently revealed—but long-rumored—fourth major Borderlands entry will try to get the series back on track after Borderlands 3 proved to be a somewhat surprising “meh” entry into the largely celebrated franchise.
However, the surprising success of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and the Borderlands 4 team’s early promise to go bigger and better in every way with this game certainly suggests that they are aware of this franchise’s need to grow (and perhaps change a little bit).
Capcom Fighting Collection 2
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, PlayStation 4
With a mix of classic 2D and 3D style games, fans of classic Capcom arcade-style games have a lot to look forward to with Capcom Fighting Collection 2. Including titles such as Capcom vs. SNK, Capcom vs. SNK 2, Power Stone, Power Stone 2, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper, and more, this game is perfect for anyone looking to recreate the retro-gaming experience. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 also includes an online play mode that allows you to play casual, ranked, and custom matches with other players across the globe. This game is also very beginner-friendly with training modes as well as adjustable difficulty settings and a customizable button layout that allows for one-button special moves in combat. So even if you aren’t an arcade legend, there’s still plenty of fun to be had.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Supermassive Games’ Dark Pictures Anthology is back with another immersive horror experience this year. Directive 8020 is the studios’ first foray into full on sci-fi horror, both for the Dark Pictures series and for the studio at large. House of Ashes toed the line between the genres with ancient vampiric aliens as the main source of scares, but the game was very much still grounded on Earth. Directive 8020 follows the crew of the Cassiopeia as they find themselves hunted by an alien organism capable of mimicking its prey – very much like The Thing, but actually in space. With Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel) as the games’ star, there’s no doubt in my mind that this is going to be an epic and terrifying adventure to play through.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Platforms: PlayStation 5
Love it or hate it (opinions only seem to go one way or the other), Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding remains one of the most fascinating games of the last five years. The first significant project of Kojima’s post-Konami era featured all the eerily accurate social commentary, divisive gameplay, and bombastic storytelling we’ve come to expected from one of gaming’s few true auteurs, and the second installment promises to dive even deeper into the weirdness of this post-apocalyptic world.
Though we know relatively little about Death Stranding 2, the game’s star-studded cast, Kojima’s creative presence, and the original title’s fascinating concepts are enough reasons to consider this one of 2025’s most highly-anticipated new releases. It’s doubtful this sequel will make many efforts to appease those turned off by the original’s methodical gameplay, but Death Stranding 2’s confirmed meditations on the impact of post-COVID society should certainly cause a stir.
Dune: Awakening
Platforms: Windows PC
Set on Arrakis, the most dangerous planet in the universe, Dune: Awakening is an open world survival MMO where you begin as a prisoner on the planet and must do what you can to survive the harsh, unforgiving landscape. Whether you band together with other players or go at it alone, your path is yours to choose, with a variety of skill specialties to choose from including Swordmaster, Bene Gesserit, Trooper, Mentat, and Planetologist. Dune: Awakening looks to be an exciting expansion of this universe, for both fans and newcomers alike. What we saw of the game last year’s Summer Game Fest certainly left us wanting more.
Dying Light: The Beast
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
After over a decade in captivity, Dying Light hero Kyle Crane escapes into a changed world, though not necessarily for the better. Using not only the survival skills honed in the previous games, but also some new abilities that come from being experimented on, in Dying Light: The Beast, you’ll once again play as Crane as he tries to help the survivors of Castor Woods and keep the ever increasing population of zombies at bay. This survival horror game also has a 4-player co-op feature if you want a little help to make it through the violent, zombie-filled nights.
Elden Ring Nightreign
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Few expected FromSoftware to return to Elden Ring so quickly, and nobody expected them to deliver something like Nightreign. This spin-off of the Elden Ring series is essentially a co-op roguelike dungeon crawler with several Elden Ring-flavored twists. Picture Dark Alliance with more Elden Ring-like gameplay and…well, that still doesn’t quite paint the picture.
Yet, between Nightreign’s pre-set characters, generally lowered difficulty level, and much faster gameplay, it’s hard not to be intrigued by what FromSoftware is cooking. Are they testing the waters for a big new concept, or is this simply a standalone passion project?
Fable
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
The Fable franchise is one of gaming’s oddest beasts. It has historically fallen short of expectations, in large part due to the outrageous promises that have come to define the series’ creator, Peter Molyneux. Yet, those original games also offered a rather unique genre experience that many crave due to a lack of proper alternatives.
With their reboot of the franchise (sans Molyneux), developer Playground Games looks to recapture the series’ unique charms while inching Fable closer to its full potential. It’s a tall task, but the Fable footage released so far demonstrates Playground’s understanding of the humor and whimsy that have long made Fable one of the most enjoyable fantasy franchises to lose yourself in.
Ghost of Yotei
Platforms: PlayStation 5
With 2020’s Ghost of Tsushima, developer Sucker Punch Productions delivered the rare modern open-world title that felt both comfortably familiar and creatively inventive. Ghost of Tsushima didn’t break the genre mold so much as it used its historical setting as the basis of one of the most stunning and engaging open-world experiences this side of a Rockstar Games production. It is also arguably the best samurai title ever made.
As the standalone sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei obviously won’t be able to ride the wave of surprising delights that helped elevate Tsushima among those who went into it with modest expectations. Yet, the Yotei team’s promise to emphasize an “underdog of vengeance” story and “the romance and beauty of feudal Japan” should be more than enough to get you excited about the opportunity to dive back into this world where every pixel is a painting.
Grand Theft Auto 6
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Grand Theft Auto 6 may be the most anticipated release in video game history. It’s not just the 10+ years since the release of GTA 5, the absurdly high standards of this series, and the ways GTA has reached even the most casual modern gamers. There’s a strong argument to be made that the success or failure of GTA 6 could alter the fate of an industry that is increasingly dependent on its biggest blockbusters. Well, there is no blockbuster bigger than GTA 6.
Mind you, we still know relatively little about the game itself. With only one official trailer—and quite a few leaks—to go on, we can tell you that the next Grand Theft Auto will take us to a fictional version of Florida and focus on two lovers on the run from the law. Everything else will be a surprise, it seems. That’s actually kind of nice. Of course, it’d be a lot nicer if we could just finally play the damn game.
Judas
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
From the creator of BioShock, Judas is a single player narrative FPS set on a disintegrating starship. Playing as the “mysterious and troubled” Judas, you must navigate alliances, fight against foes, and do whatever it takes to escape. Whether you’re a fan of BioShock or just looking for a new and intriguing sci-fi game, Judas is definitely one to keep your eye on this year.
Killing Floor 3
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
The co-op action horror FPS franchise that’s fun for your entire squad of friends is back this year with Killing Floor 3. Made with Unreal Engine 5, this next-gen sequel looks to be full of the blood, gore, and heart-pounding action that fans have come to love. Playing as a member of the rebel group Nightfall, you and up to five teammates must fight against waves of zeds (bioengineered zombies) in order to save humanity.
Mafia: The Old Country
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Developer Hangar 13 gets to continue what they started in the underrated Mafia III with the upcoming Mafia: The Old Country. As the name suggests, this game will take the franchise back to its relative roots (early 1900s Sicily) and serve as a kind of origin story for the series.
The setting is unique relative to other crime games, and Hangar 13 has already shown that they can maintain and elevate this series’ standard for excellent storytelling, characters, and environments. It’s not ideal that this game is coming out the same year as GTA 6, but Old Country’s likely release date head start and distinct style should help it distinguish itself as a worthwhile alternative.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
The relative lack of Marvel games during the MCU era of entertainment was always a shock. Conventional corporate wisdom tells us that we should be swimming in games that adapt and go beyond MCU movies and shows. Yet, we’ve been left with slim pickings so far. Thankfully, Marvel 1943 looks to help fill that considerable void.
Set in Paris during World War II, this action/adventure game will follow Captain America, Black Panther, and their military allies as they battle Hydra and the Axis forces. On paper, that’s the exact kind of “familiar, yet distinct” approach to Marvel gaming that helped make Insomniac’s Spider-Man titles such a success.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
That siren you’ve been hearing is the warning sound that accompanied the announcement of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and has been trailing the game throughout its development. Simply put, the prospect of Konami approving a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater following their infamous split with creator Hideo Kojima felt perilous at best and insulting at worst.
But the success of 2024’s Silent Hill 2 remake has a lot of people feeling much more excited about this next remake. Granted, they are different games being developed by different studios, but suddenly the prospect of a remake of a beloved Konami game delivering a worthwhile experience without the help of their original creators doesn’t seem quite so far-fetched.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Given that it was revealed around the time that the Nintendo Switch was released, we once thought that Metroid Prime 4 was going to be one of the titles that Nintendo used to sell people on their strange new hardware. Now, Metroid Prime 4 is poised to be the swan song for one of the most successful gaming devices ever made. Hey, no pressure.
Yes, it’s surprising that we’ve still seen so little of Metroid Prime 4. After all this time, though, the promise of more Metroid Prime is still enough to leave us impossibly excited about this project. At a time when the Metroidvania genre dominates the indie scene and is the DNA of many modern games, Metroid Prime 4 seems primed to finally earn this series the undeniable sales success it always deserved.
Ninja Gaiden 4
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
After over a decade since the last mainline game, the Ninja Gaiden series is back this year with Ninja Gaiden 4 currently in active development with Team Ninja. Set in a dark, gritty dystopian Tokyo, Ninja Gaiden 4 follows new protagonist Yakumo, a young ninja prodigy connected to the formidable Master Ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, who is also a playable character in the game. As Yakumo navigates this world and tries to put a stop to the Dark Dragon’s rise, he must also face off against his foes, and Hayabusa to become the ninja the world needs him to be. During the Xbox developer direct showcase, Team Ninja was adamant that this game isn’t just for longtime fans of the series and that they hope it can be an entry point for newcomers as well.
The Outer Worlds 2
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
As the spiritual sequel to Fallout: New Vegas, 2019’s The Outer Worlds was essentially a dream Obsidian Entertainment RPG. Along with fulfilling quite a few Fallout fantasies, The Outer Worlds proved to be a compelling, enjoyable, genuinely funny, and surprisingly deep sci-fi role-playing experience in its own right.
With The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian has made it clear that they intend to pick up where they left off and simply go bigger with everything. On paper, it’s not the most ambitious goal for a sequel. However, given that you can attribute many of The Outer Worlds’ biggest flaws to its first-draft nature, the team doesn’t have to go too far out of its way to make this one of 2025’s most essential role-playing experiences.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
The Pokémon series has been on a surprisingly rough run in recent years. While they’re as successful as ever, the recent mainline Pokémon games have rightly been criticized for their relative lack of ambition and various technical issues. One of the franchise’s highlights during that era—2022’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus—garnered acclaim for taking the series in a relatively fresh open-world direction.
Based on what we know, Pokémon Legends: Z-A looks to retain most of Arceus’ core concepts while exploring an era when Pokémon and humans were first learning to co-exist in shared environments. It’s a fantastic setup that also seemingly features the return of the largely beloved Mega Evolutions concept.
Revenge of the Savage Planet
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
In this upbeat, satirical sci-fi adventure game, you play as a space explorer fired and abandoned by your corporate employer – because even in space, the cruel hand of capitalism knows no bounds. With few resources and no safety net, you must explore every inch of the planets you visit to collect resources that will help you level up, return to Earth, and get revenge on your greedy corporate overlords. With single player, online co-op, crossplay, and split screen modes at your disposal, you can go at it alone, or team up with a friend to scan as many planets, capture as many creatures, and explore as many terrains as you can. Revenge of the Savage Planet looks like it’ll be a zany, fun time, and we can’t wait to check it out.
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