However, there are a few games this year that can test even the most determined players with their immense size and scope, and more than a few on the way. To that end, in no particular order, here are a few long adventures that can chew up many hours of your time while keeping you well entertained in the process.

1. Ghost of Yotei

Slated for an October 2025 release, this follow up to Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima is primed to recapture the magic of its predecessor while taking the franchise to the next level all at once. This PS5 exclusive action adventure title follows new protagonist Atsu as she hunts down the Yotei Six, who were responsible for killing her family and leaving her for dead.

She does so by relying on her exceptional swordplay and stealth skills, along with the ability to wield multiple weapons in combat. Yotei brings a lot to do within its boundaries, with sumi-e paintings, training with bamboo shoots, bounty hunts, and so much more and is likely to take you around 60 hours to fully experience everything it has to offer.

2. Pokemon Legends: Z-A

This action RPG for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 is sure to keep you coming back for more, bringing the best of the beloved IP to the table. Set in and around Lumiose City in the Kalos region, where Pokemon are able to coexist with humans in designated Wild Zones, the game is stated to bring real-time battles via a new combat system and a host of other activities for you to take on as you craft your legend from the ground up.

With a new story and side missions also being featured in the game, this is a title that Pokemon fans will be waiting to dive into when it launches in October 2025. While little is known about the story’s runtime, this is a game that is sure to have many players returning to Lumiose City long after they have completed it, if past titles are any indication.

3. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Hideo Kojima’s latest release is one that can quickly enthrall you with its breathtaking views of Mexico and Australia, with Sam Porter embarking on a new quest to bring the Chiral Network back online in these new areas. That’s not the only thing occupying his time, however, with BTs to take down, new faces to meet, and a host of other activities that he can take up during his travels.

That’s not all! Kojima has made life after On the Beach’s explosive main story quite encouraging to take on, and there are a lot of things to do after you roll the credits on Sam’s latest adventure. That could very well take you more than a 100 hours to get through it all, making this one a no-brainer if you’re looking for a massive game to take on!

4. The Outer Worlds 2

The upcoming action RPG sequel to the original Outer Worlds takes its players to a new solar system in which they are tasked with investigating rifts in the sapce-time continuum for the Earth Directorate. With an increased focus on action and a visual overhaul to better service it, this October 2025 release is certainly one to watch out for.

While the original game took about 40 hours to experience in its entirety, Outer Worlds 2 could very well raise the bar with its branching story paths that stem from its returning dialogue tree system. Combined with its new world, this is a title that comes with a lot of replay value for those who want to experience everything it has to offer.

5. Monster Hunter Wilds

Although this action-RPG is best enjoyed with a team of your friends, it’s more than possible to get through the sprawling adventure it presents on your own. That’s easier said than done, however, with the Forbidden Lands presenting you with a plethora of monsters to hunt down across several biomes as you search for a missing expedition as part of the main story.

With meaningful improvements to crucial aspects of the experience such as its combat, RPG mechanics, exploration, and more, this game could easily take you past the 100-hour mark if you decide to track down everything you could possibly do within its massive open world. Happy hunting!

6. Assassin’s Creed Shadows

With the series finally taking to the shores of feudal Japan, Naoe and Yasuke’s adventures through its villages, and fields builds on everything good about its past instalments to bring a polished and highly entertaining experience to the table.

There’s a lot to do and see in the studio’s take on Japan, along with several targets to take down. Expect to hit the 100-hour mark if you decide to channel your inner completionist while going even higher if you decide to try out the game on its higher difficulties.

7. Clair Obscur: Expedition 

If you haven’t already travelled to the shores of Lumiere and witnessed Sandfall Interactive’s marvellous spin on RPGs, this is a title that can keep you coming back to its Belle Epoque inspired world for a while yet.

The Expedition’s charm, wit, and determination against overwhelming odds make for a very compelling story while the game’s combat can be very hard to learn but is equally rewarding to master. While it doesn’t match the staggering playtimes of other entries on this list, Clair Obscur is a game that you will want to replay almost instantly for its second ending, and a very well-implemented New Game Plus mode.

8. Kingdom Come Deliverance II

This first-person action RPG brings an expanded open-world and a host of improvements over its predecessor, making it well worth your time to dive into the immersive adventure it offers. There’s a lot of variety in its gameplay loop, with your choices affecting different outcomes across its playtime.

Its story is not to be scoffed at either, bringing wit, charm, and intrigue to the Bohemian countryside in an adventure that can keep you occupied for at least 50 hours while diving into every little detail of its world could easily push you close to about 140 hours.

9. Dying Light: The Beast

While originally envisioned as a DLC expansion for Dying Light 2: Stay Human, Techland went ahead to make a standalone title out of its upcoming survival horror title that’s slated for an August 2025 release.

While it is a more compact experience when compared to Dying Light 2, it could very well keep you very entertained for quite a while considering how immersive its gameplay and mechanics can get. Kyle Crane’s return to the helm of this new adventure is an added bonus, and this one is sure to keep its players coming back for more long after they have rolled the credits on its story.

10. Borderlands 4

Gearbox’s Software’s upcoming first-person looter shooter is set to expand on everything the wildly popular franchise has done in the past. Putting you in the shoes of the Vault Hunter in their resistance against the tyrannical Time Keeper, this title is sure to tip the scales in terms of its playtime while managing to offer a wide range of activities for you to take on.

If Borderlands 3 is any indication, its sequel could easily take you more than a 100 hours to experience fully, and perhaps even more if Gearbox manages to fulfil its ambitions for the game.

11. Metroid Prime 4

Retro Games’ upcoming action adventure title is slated to continue Samus Aran’s adventures after the destruction of Phazon on a new planet with some familiar faces and new ones making their way to the game.

With the introduction of new abilities and features, this upcoming title for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 is sure to give you many a reason to explore its world as thoroughly as you can, and perhaps even dive back in for another playthrough once you’re done.

12. Black Myth Wukong (Xbox)

If Game Science’s Black Myth: Wukong slipped you by since you’re an Xbox owner, it’s well worth diving into the action this August when the game finally makes it onto the platform.

The Destined One’s rise to Sun Wukong’s greatness is an adventure that can be quite the challenge, with a fully complete playthrough taking well over 60 hours depending on how well you’re able to tackle the many threats you find along the way. There’s a lot to see and do in this visually breathtaking title that brings an excellent combat loop to its relatively linear world. For fans of the Monkey King’s adventures, this one’s a no-brainer.

13. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

The adventure that started Naked Snake’s trajectory to his time as Big Boss is well worth diving back into, with Konami bringing more than just a visual overhaul to a title that needs no introduction.

There’s about 30 hours of play in this game if the original title is any indication, but this Kojima classic is well worth the time you invest into its excellent stealth mechanics and riveting story. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, this is a remake that could very well bring the Metal Gear Solid franchise to a new generation of gamers who may not have had the chance to experience its magic yet.

14. Jurassic World Evolution 3

This sequel to Evolution 2 from the stables of Frontier Developments brings the iconic construction and management sim franchise back for another round. There are over 80 species of dinosaurs to populate you take on Jurassic Park.

What’s more, added functionality like the ability to modify the terrain and share your custom parks, enclosures, and buildings with friends can make Evolution 3 a title that you keep coming back to for a long time, with previous titles clocking in at about a 100 hours for completionists.

15. Silent Hill f

NeoBards and Konami’s survival horror title is primed to bring chills and thrills to the table in equal measures this October with a new adventure taking place in Japan, and new horrors to uncover.

Ebisugaoka is beginning to look like the perfect stage for Konami’s renewed focus on Japanese horror in its latest addition to the long-standing franchise, and while its playtime is anyone’s guess, it could very well be an adventure that you will want to replay several times over if the studio plays its cards right.

BONUS: Mafia: The Old Country

Although Hangar 13 has ditched Mafia 3’s open world for a more linear, story-focused experience this time around, The Old Country is worthy of your attention as it takes the franchise back to the early days of the Mafia for a story that could be the franchise’s flagship.

Current-gen hardware has enabled the studio to bring a visually stunning recreation of early Siciliy to the table while its new protagonist is set to bring a poignant tale of loyalty and inevitable betrayal to the table in this addition to the Mafia lineup this August. Expect a playtime of about 30-40 hours on this one.

And that wraps up our picks from 2025’s lineup of single-player titles that you could dive into as and when you need a new adventure to take on!

Arizona Sunshine Remake

The original Arizona Sunshine from 2016 caused a bit of a stir regarding some of its content being locked behind Intel Core i7 CPUs. Now in 2024, you can play all of that content, including two large DLCs and numerous updates with a ground-up remake to match Arizona Sunshine 2’s visuals. You’re mostly shooting zombies with your two VR hands throughout the linear narrated campaign, but there’s also a lot of quirky environmental interactions that make this a classic VR experience; and best of all, it has three-player co-op to triple the shenanigans. If you own a VR set, Arizona Sunshine Remake is a clear no-brainer.

Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2

Space Marine 2’s multiplayer offerings are tremendous fun, but it’s the solo campaign where the core meat and potatoes of the game are found. The story kicks off where Space Marine 1 left off, with Captain Titus returning to command his squad against the Tyranid swarms after a mortal wound. With a runtime around 10 hours long, Space Marine 2’s campaign is a riotous time filled with spectacular vistas and visceral combat. This is a hack and slash in a lot of ways, but Space Marine 2 emphasizes precise countering more than its predecessor, adding a bit of extra skill to the mix. Grabbing a partner to run through the separate co-op missions is a treat as well, but the AI companions aren’t bad either with their consistent healing and tanky defense. Space Marine 2 feels like a blast from the past with its fast-paced campaign density.

Silent Hill 2 Remake

Remaking a horror masterpiece like Silent Hill 2 is no easy feat, yet Bloober somehow pulled it off with great success. A key ingredient in that success is the expanded environments. The atmospheric hallways and foggy outdoor areas greatly encourage exploration, leading the player to a host of new items and collectables that can be viewed from any angle. Helping you navigate the expanded areas is the new over-the-shoulder camera perspective, which gives further context to environments. The original Silent Hill 2 clocked in at around 12 or so hours, but the remake can easily take double that time from all the added exploration. Still, the remake maintains the dense pacing of the original in spite of this, making it one of the more impressive and scary linear games on this list.

Black Myth Wukong

Black Myth Wukong takes a rather unorthodox approach to level design, seesawing back and forth between corridor-like linearity to wide open environments. Most puzzling of all, there’s no map or navigation tools to assist your exploration in the game. Despite this, we couldn’t help but marvel at the variety of biomes and beauty of environments within the Journey To the West-inspired tale. But it isn’t just some of the environments that proceed linearly, your weapons and armor automatically upgrade as you progress too. Black Myth Wukong is a masterclass in focus; it doesn’t meander and bloat the player’s time with frivolous stuff, instead honing in on what makes it great.

Stellar Blade

If you’re familiar with the way Nier Automata handles level design, you’ll feel at home within Stellar Blade. One area that Stellar Blade expands upon its level design is the engaging collectibles scattered across its environments. You have everything from soda cans to posters and boxes of loot to collect, rewarding you with new costumes for Eve and her companions to wear. The wide-linear nature of the environments hits a sweat spot that always manages to make you feel like you’re progressing forward while giving satisfying room for exploration as you do so. Parts of the story have you strictly going from A to B with collectibles nestled within secret routes off the beaten path, while others are open zones meant for questing and exploration. Stellar Blade excels in the way it mixes urgency and exploration with its wide-linear level design.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Hellblade 2 takes quite a different approach to linear level design. Due to the zoomed-in focus on very specific locations, Ninja Theory managed to go all-out decorating each hand-crafted environment and presenting it all with an unmatched cinematic flair. It’s no exaggeration to say that Hellblade 2 is among the most graphically impressive games to date. This combination of chiseled graphical fidelity with cinematic flair help cement Hellblade 2’s Norse-inspired locations into the player’s memory. It may be a straightforward game in all aspects of its gameplay, but Hellblade 2’s psychologically rich narrative and impressive visual presentation punctuate its linear design with a bold exclamation point.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership

Despite introducing a sailing ship into the Mario & Luigi series, Brothership still follows a more or less traditional critical path. The brothers’ overarching goal this time around is lighting the four Great Lighthouses throughout Concordia’s oceans. The developers made sure each of the four Great Lighthouse dungeons were top-tier, earning the top spot on my list of Mario RPG dungeons. When they’re not puzzling their way through the Great Lighthouse dungeons, Mario & Luigi are busy linking together the distinctly themed islands with the ship. Brothership threads its themes of connections brilliantly through the narrative and humorous writing, forming a cohesive story that impresses despite its basic appearance.

The Plucky Squire

The Plucky Squire mashes together a bunch of different genres onto the framework of a top-down adventure game. A majority of your time is spent swinging around a sword defeating enemies, but the sheer amount of odd little minigames ranging from Punch-Out sequences, to Duck Hunt shootouts, and even some turn-based RPG fun, is chaotically enduring. And then there’s the puzzles that ask you to rearrange sentences for new props to appear inside the picture book you inhabit. And yes, you even get to pop out of the book and into ‘the real world’ several times. The pop-up book aesthetic puts a bow on the whole package, making The Plucky Squire one of the most enduring linear games of the year.

Neva

Like the studio’s previous game Gris, Neva does more than just offer up a compelling platforming game; it’s an emotional audio/visual art piece. The bond between Alba and her wolf pup Neva grows as the seasons change throughout the adventure, manifested in turn by more advanced platforming challenges. Neva differentiates itself from Gris with its emphasis on combo-based combat and precision platforming sequences, providing a punchy and satisfying linear adventure full of heart.

Akimbot

If you’re looking for an old-school action/adventure game that’s as straightforward as it is fun, look no further than Akimbot. Like its Ratchet and Clank inspiration, you have a range of gun types to unload on enemies with through a linear story. The pacing of the action is non-stop, supplying a constant stream of action-platforming fun. And the best thing is its gameplay doesn’t overstay its welcome thanks to a variety of activities and sequences breaking up the usual run-and-gunning (such as the bullet hell sections). Akimbot is one of the those games that’s effortless to just drop in and play without too much thought or prep-work, and I still often get the urge to start up another playthrough many months after completing it.

Lego Horizon Adventures

Despite its open world source material, the Lego-fied version of Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the most linear and straightforward Lego games to date. You play through the basic storyline of Horizon Zero Dawn through linear mission-based levels, returning to the Mother’s Heart hub area in between your excursions. There’s not a ton of exploration in this game except for some smaller open areas and branching paths in the levels, but the hub does allow for some satisfying customization and personalization. Whether you’re a Horizon fan or a Lego connoisseur, you owe it to yourself to play this unique take on the PlayStation IP solo or with two other friends.

Princess Peach Showtime

If you’re looking for a fun mish-mash of different gameplay ideas and themes presented in true Nintendo fashion, Princess Peach Showtime will satisfy. Each stage has a unique theme that completely alters the gameplay and aesthetics, as well as, of course, Peach’s outfit. From lassoing up bandits on a horse to swordfighting through hack and slash dungeons, the creative levels give you reasons to come back and replay them. Like previous Good Feel games, stages are absolutely filled with collectables and secrets, providing solid replay value.

Astro Bot

Unlike Princess Peach or Akimbot, Astro Bot takes a more open approach to some of its levels, taking a cue from something like Super Mario Galaxy. Still, Astro Bot’s levels comprise mostly linear challenges, and oh how fun they are. 3D platforming never felt better than with Astro Bot’s high tech Dual Sense functionality – it goes beyond a mere gimmick, being a primary function of gameplay. Every action in the game is accompanied by a signature rumble from the controller. Each stage is tailored specifically to the PS5 and its controller, providing a unique kind of console experience. Likewise, stages take full advantage of Astro’s abilities in creative and imaginative ways, proving that linearity can be an enormous strength in platforming games.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak

I know, I know, an ongoing JPRG series with a dozen connected games is a hard sell for most folks. But you owe it to yourself to give Trails Through Daybreak the light of day. For one, it forms the beginning of a new arc with a fresh cast of characters set in a different province from previous games. It’s also just a phenomenal turn-based RPG through and through. If you enjoy dialogue-heavy RPG stories with a linear structure that lets you explore its towns at your own pace, Trails Through Daybreak may be the surprise hit that gets you invested into the wider series.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Not only is this the first Indy game in 15 years, it’s also a return for MachineGames after their run of successful Wolfenstein reboot titles. As previews have observed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle features a lot of stealth. Its core gameplay revolves less around – well, revolvers – than you’d come to expect, supplying an experience more in line with the Thief series. You’re often hiding  behind baddies to knock them out before finding that ever elusive key to the locked door down the hallway. What we’ve seen of the trailers has us reassured that MachineGames knows what makes Indiana Jones stories so fun charming. Hopefully, the stealth mechanics and story manage to reach the highs that the IP has been lacking in recent years when Indiana Jones and the Great Circle launches December 9^th.

Please note there are major spoilers ahead!

Black Myth Wukong

Developer Game Science produced a great action adventure in the form of Black Myth Wukong, taking the known narrative elements of the classic novel Journey to the West and crafting a thrilling sequence of memorable boss fights one after another. While the narrative beats follow a more traditional approach to storytelling, Black Myth delivers a fitting finale to the entire ordeal with a showdown against the Stone Monkey which is followed by a long sequence that puts an end to the tale of Wukong and his search for the Six Senses. Of course, there are multiple endings involved – but each of them is equally emotional in its own right.

Transforming Into Bosses

One of the most unique aspects setting Black Myth apart from other action RPGs is the boss transformations. Just as Sun Wukong can transform into various creatures in the classic Journey To the West novel, you can turn into certain bosses you defeat in Black Myth: Wukong. It’s not just Wukong’s look that changes, but his entire moveset and style of fighting, as is the case with the beast-man Guangzu and his flaming spear shown in previews. Best of all, we have confirmation that the game features 72 different transformations just like the novel did. Considering the variety and uniqueness of this game’s boss design, we’re excited to get an opportunity to actually play as them through the transformation ability.

Seeing All the Unique Boss Designs

Speaking of bosses, Wukong’s boss designs somehow manage to stand out in the sea of ubiquitous bosses the action RPG genre has produced over the years. We’ve only seen just over 2 hours’ worth of gameplay so far, and already there are dozens of distinctly unique bosses and mini-bosses with their own aesthetic and theme. We’ve seen serpents, stone golems, and giant insect bosses just to name a few. The game boasts around 80 bosses and we still haven’t seen any copy/paste designs yet. Furthermore, the enemy animations are second to none in this game, further complimenting the high effort that must have gone into crafting these bosses.

Fighting the Stunning Variety of Bosses

It’s one thing to admire the enemy, but engaging in combat with them is the real meat and potatoes of the entire experience. Because Black Myth has a more focused playstyle emphasizing dodging, bosses can be designed more intelligently to accommodate the limited fighting style. Take the Guangzu boss as an example, his vertical flipping attack is highly telegraphed and perfectly matched against Wukong’s agile dodging. And of course, you can expect two phases for the majority of the major boss battles, further preventing patterns from getting too stale. Using boss transformations against other bosses is something I can’t wait to try out. I’m a huge Mega Man fan, so the ability to test what kind of boss abilities work against whom is always a treat.

Finally Getting To Feel the Agile Mobility and Dodge Mechanics

Since Black Myth: Wukong completely omits the ability to block, dodging has to feel particularly good. And by all accounts, dodging is indeed one of the stars of the show. Black Myth’s movement is fluid and precise, fully omitting the methodical stop-and-block style exhibited by games like Dark Souls and its successors. The ‘ghosting’ effect where an extra image of Wukong lingers after a successful dodge is a particularly cool touch that spices up the spectacle more. But you can’t just spam dodges all willy-nilly, as there’s a cooldown on dodging after the third quick succession dodge. Just watching Wukong flying about on his staff and dodging attacks has me excited, so I can only imagine how it feels once it’s finally in my control.

Unleashing the Focus Meter After Executing Perfect Dodges

Of course, what would a dodge-heavy action game be without the perfect dodge mechanic? Perfectly dodging an attack requires exact timing, which many playtesters say exists the moment you get attacked. Achieving a perfect dodge rewards you with increased Focus. Your Focus buildup is in the lower right portion of the screen and allows you to do a heavy attack as soon as it fills up. I haven’t had this much fun watching other people engage in boss fights in a very long time, and that’s largely in part because you can constantly gauge how much Focus is building up as the combatant executes perfect dodges. While it may not seem like much at first glance, perfect dodges being tied to the Focus meter balance the difficulty well, making for strategic fights.

Mastering Wukong’s Three Stances

Smash is your basic attack stance, while Pillar allows you to accumulate Focus and initiate a dragoon-like overhead attack. The high-flying overhead attack doesn’t initiate instantly though, since Wukong first extends his 20-foot-tall pole while balancing on it to defend enemy attacks. I simply love the tall stilt defense position the Pillar Stance brings and haven’t seen anything else like it in gaming. There’s also a third stance in the game called Thrust, but I haven’t seen any previews that showed it off yet. At least we still have something to be surprised about when the game finally launches.

Navigating Through the Game’s Linearly Designed Levels

Some of my favorite moments in soulslike games take place within tightly crafted linear levels with strong curated design. While it’s clear that the levels in Black Myth don’t feature as many nooks and crannies and shortcuts as something like Dark Souls 1’s Sen’s Fortress, it clearly does walk in the opposite direction of typical open-world design. Some previews go so far as to call Black Myth a boss rush in disguise. Levels point in a single direction but have secrets, forked paths, and little pockets of open areas for you to do a bit of exploring in. I’m keen to see if there are any examples of densely intricate level design on the level of, say, Demon’s Souls; even if there’s not, I like how none of the levels feel copy/pasted like they do in the first Nioh game.

Parsing Through the Lore Inspired by Literature

Black Myth Wukong carries a rich tapestry of history and culture along with it. Merely saying that Black Myth is inspired by Journey to the West is an understatement since it’s an outright expression of the novel itself. The game doesn’t just do a one-to-one retelling of the novel though, leading many to speculate when the game takes place and if this is indeed the same Sun Wukong featured in the novel. If the six-minute trailer cutscene is anything to go by, Black Myth: Wukong will provide lots of room for theories and provide narrative richness.

Exploring the Mythologically-Infused Environments and Architecture

The developers behind Black Myth really know their stuff when it comes to authentic environmental design. Previews have predominantly shown off a lot of outdoor areas covering a wide range of biomes, from snowy mountain passes to hot sandy rock crags. I can’t wait to see towns with more densely populated buildings and hope we get to enter and explore structures and palaces as shown in the cutscenes and art of the game.

Fine-Tuning My Build Through the Skill Tree

Black Myth: Wukong doesn’t allow the kinds of crazy build varieties seen in, say, Dark Souls, but the skill tree still allows for some interesting combinations nonetheless. For example, would you rather focus on applying passive buffs? Or, are you confident enough in your grasp of the combat to allocate your limited points strictly to upgraded skills, new abilities, and spells? You obtain skill points (called Sparks) through your victories over bosses, and they don’t get lost upon death. Thankfully, you can even re-allocate skill points whenever you like, and the game lets you go into the skill tree menu at any time to make your strategizing a convenient affair. I’m looking forward to the guilt-free experimentation that Black Myth‘s skill tree provides.

Using Spells

I absolutely love how unapologetically direct and awesome spells like Immobilize are in Black Myth. Immobilize is immensely satisfying to pull off as you freeze enemies in the middle of their animation and pummel them with damage for a short time. We’re so used to spells and items merely causing a slow effect, or occasionally a brief sleep, so a full-on stop spell is especially fun to see. Some other spells they’ve shown involve casting fire around yourself, buffing up your damage resistance with literal stone skin, and more. It’s fun speculating what other spells exist in the game based on the novel and I’m looking forward to trying them out myself.

Relishing in the Wealth of Convenience Features

Not to be ‘that’ person, but man is it nice to have a universal pause button in a difficult action RPG. Not only does Black Myth have this, but it doesn’t punish you too much for death either. You lose some of your accumulated Will, which builds up to a single Spark skill point, but once you’ve filled up the Will meter into a Spark, you’ll never lose your skill point. This game looks difficult as is without significant losses upon death irritating things further, and the ability to respec at any point in the game just gives more freedom, allowing the player to focus more on fights and not on recovering your experience.

Collecting and Browsing Through the Journal Info

Black Myth: Wukong doesn’t feature lore-intensive item descriptions like your typical FromSoft game, but it makes up for it in its enemy descriptions. Within the Journal tab of the menu are Minion Portraits, gathered from the various enemies and bosses you’ve encountered. These entries feature hand-drawn illustrations accompanied by a wealth of text outlining their mythological tales and relevance to the Journey to the West novel. The Journal may have other kinds of plot details and logs for other things as well, but the Minion Portrait enemy descriptions alone fill out the lore quite well and are attractive to boot.

Discovering Secret Paths and Bosses

Since Black Myth is decidedly more linear than a typical Souls-like, it’ll be far easier to fully navigate each area to completion. What we’ve seen of Black Myth is encouraging in that aspect, with little secrets off the beaten path such as a hidden boss behind a waterfall and little shortcuts cut off from a forked path. This streamlined approach to levels will inevitably lead to fewer disappointments when we don’t get rewarded for exploring dead ends and areas off the main path (I’m looking at you Shadow of the Erdtree cookbooks). It looks like shortcuts either fork back to the main path or lead to secret bosses and useful items. This streamlined level design should expedite quality game time while cutting content bereft of meaningful rewards.

Watching the Painstakingly Detailed Animations Play Out

Last but not least, we have the animations of Black Myth: Wukong. One look at a trailer or gameplay segment is all it takes to realize just how hard the team went on perfecting every frame of an enemy’s step. What impresses me further is how little the animations obfuscate the dodge-heavy gameplay. Fights are like a dance, with very precise movements and believable, yet sometimes terrifying, movements. It’s especially encouraging that I haven’t noticed any copy/paste animations in any of the bosses shown yet. It’s a sight to behold and I hope it’s even more fun when I’m in the driver’s seat engaging with it myself.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Crimson Desert 

Currently in development at Pearl Abyss, Crimson Desert is an open-world game brimming with unrivaled ambition and vast swaths of potential. The game puts you in the shoes of a warrior who must battle insurmountable odds to save his kingdom from peril, and that journey is characterized by varied missions and complex game systems that are closely knit with one another to create something that looks truly mesmerizing and fresh. 

Death Stranding 2 

Death Stranding was not everyone’s cup of tea when it was released, but many fans eventually warmed up to this peculiar kind of cargo-hauling experience and came to appreciate its design and the meaning behind its world. Kojima is hard at work on Death Stranding 2, a sequel that will most likely showcase the true potential of a Strand game with its gameplay innovations and narrative developments. The teaser is chock full of questions waiting to be answered, and we are definitely excited to see what’s in store.

War of the Worlds 

Developed by FlipSwitch Games, War of the Worlds is a game that tells a story of humans trying to survive against an alien onslaught. It features shades of both action and horror as you slowly tiptoe around urban neighborhoods in search of a safe haven from all the commotion happening outside. It looks like a pretty open-ended game that allows different forms of gameplay ranging from driving to exploration and much more, and the multiplayer aspect also allows you to assume the role of aliens and experience the narrative from a new angle.

inZOI 

inZOI is a new life simulator that lets you live out a virtual life to the fullest as you try to keep tabs on hunger, happiness, and other meters of each individual that you control. It boasts incredible levels of fidelity thanks to the power of Unreal Engine 5. inZOI has definitely managed to impress us with its vast array of gameplay options and the sheer breadth of choices you get within its sandbox elements.

Mouse 

Mouse’s concept of creating a violent first-person shooter with the jovial art style of cartoons might sound like something straight out of a fever dream, but it all surprisingly works while looking absolutely bonkers. The animation work is immaculate, and the gunplay seems really fun. Add to that a noir-inspired story that would most likely have morally gray characters and twists and turns galore, and Mouse becomes a really interesting game that’s worth keeping an eye out for.

Zoochosis 

Clapperheads is hard at work on the upcoming Zoochosis, a game that puts you in the shoes of a zookeeper of a very peculiar zoo. As the only person with the responsibility of keeping the animals safe and sound, you must keep inspecting these creatures for signs of mutation or infection – and deliver rapid response vaccines to keep things in check. Zoochosis also manages to throw in shades of horror with its dark and dreary aesthetic, and fierce mutations that can lead to scary outcomes. 

Screenbound 

Screenbound is one of the most creative ideas we have seen in recent memory, combining a 3D world with a 2D world in a very interesting fashion. Certain elements of the game world are only visible in the 3D realm, while others like the enemies are only visible on a 2D screen glued to the hands of the protagonist. There’s definitely some inherent jankiness or frustrations that might come from such a gameplay mechanic, but it would be interesting to see how the developers tackle those challenges and create something that’s as fun as it is unique.

Unrecord 

It’s easy to mistake Unrecord’s trailer for actual real-life footage, and that statement alone speaks volumes about its spectacular attention to detail. Everything from the texture work to the lighting and the animations has been created with extremely high levels of fidelity, and it makes great use of Unreal Engine 5’s graphical feature set to deliver something that genuinely feels like a step up from current-gen games. In addition to the visuals, Unrecord also provides an interesting gameplay loop that combines action elements with tactics to create something that’s both thrilling and engaging.

Light No Fire 

From the developer behind No Man’s Sky, Light No Fire feels like the natural evolution of the formula found in Hello Games’ debut title. Light No Fire is set against a massive open world that’s about the size of the Earth built to scale, and that vast space is filled with procedurally generated map geometry and a diverse cast of flora and fauna spread across multiple biomes. It truly feels like a world ripe for exploration, and it would be interesting to see Hello Games’ morphing its past learnings into an entirely new universe. 

Project TH

Heavily inspired by the likes of Splinter Cell or Hitman, Project TH is an upcoming action-adventure stealth game that puts you in the shoes of a covert operative who must make his way through enemy-infested mazes and complete objectives without raising alarms or commotion. Project TH impresses with its photorealistic visuals and smooth-flowing animations, making it a perfect showcase for the power of current-gen gaming systems.

Europa 

Set against the backdrop of an alien world, Europa is a tale about the last human alive trying to survive in a world that plays by its own rules. It features a cartoony aesthetic that has a distinct charm to it, and that also lends a really relaxing vibe to the overall experience. The gameplay entails exploring the many biomes spread throughout its world, solving puzzles, and taking part in missions that will test your survival skills to the fullest. 

Exekiller

Exekiller is a game that presents an interesting dichotomy of the past and the future. It takes the familiar setting of the American Wild West that is usually associated with horses and cowboys, and meshes those elements into a futuristic dystopia ruled by capitalism and technology. Apart from the more aesthetic elements, Exekiller also features a complex gameplay that prioritizes player freedom with the ability to craft your own narrative in a world brimming with choices and an open-ended combat loop. 

Paranormal Tales 

Built using Unreal Engine 5, Paranormal Tales does a great job of actually seating you into the horror. It showcases multiple horror vignettes from different perspectives like a bodycam or a VHS tape, but the more impressive part of the game is how it plays on the fear of the unknown with a stunning atmosphere and appropriately ominous sound design. 

Black Myth Wukong 

Game Science’s upcoming Black Myth Wukong remains one of the more interesting takes on the Souls formula, and that largely boils down to how the developer meshes those ideas with its own and in doing so creates something that’s just as recognizable as it is fresh. With a beautiful art design and compelling fast-paced gameplay, Black Myth Wukong has no shortage of impressive elements to its presentation. 

Pragmata

Currently in development, Pragmata looks like a wonderfully eccentric experience that raises more questions than it answers. The short teaser trailer showcases lunar travel, otherworldly beings, and an astronaut who apparently has to save Diana. While it’s difficult to make sense out of such visuals, they are definitely enchanting to say the least. While details about the gameplay remain shrouded in mystery for now, it is apparently inspired by modern action games so that’s something to look forward to as well.