Here are the nominees for the best stealth game of 2025, starting with…

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Improving on one of the more universally agreed upon “greatest games of all time” isn’t easy. Thankfully, Konami didn’t seek to mess with the bones of Metal Gear Solid 3 when it made Delta: Snake Eater. Even with the overhauled visuals, the cutscenes retain every bit of emotion – even the goofiness – right down to the core. Everything just feels so robust and vibrant, like you’re venturing into the jungle and consuming snakes for the first time (in-game, of course). All the quality of life features – hurray for quick dial and the optional compass – don’t hurt either.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

The years come and go, but even with a different protagonist, Sniper Elite: Resistance maintains the same gameplay loop: Perch in a good location (preferably one where you can muffle sounds), aim, shoot and watch the extravagant X-Ray Kill Cam. There’s the whole mess of escaping without getting caught, not to mention the Hitman-like formula of overhearing enemies and gathering information on targets. You can even choose to forego sniping entirely for some good ol’ fashioned sneaking, but the real challenge and reward is in that perfect kill. In that vein, Resistance is as engaging while presenting all kinds of fun new environments to explore.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream

Arriving out of nowhere, Eriksholm immediately made a huge impression with its incredible art direction, Scandinavian architecture and gorgeous cutscenes. The story of Hanna, who’s on a quest to find her missing brother Herman while evading the police, is one told through an isometric perspective, as you’re slowly exposed to the highs, lows and sights of the city. And while it may feel straightforward at first, things take a turn when more characters are thrown into the mix.

Simply sneaking by isn’t enough – you need to coordinate each person’s unique ability, whether it’s knocking out enemies from afar or venting, all while keeping track of noise levels and enemy vision. It’s easy to get into and quickly ramps up the tension but never feels overwhelming – all while delivering a compelling story.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Has Hideo Kojima really been remaking Metal Gear 2 for decades? Your mileage may vary, but there’s no denying the series’ influences on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, even more so than the original. More combat with more accessible weapons is one example, but stealth is perhaps the biggest winner. Sneaking around bases and dispatching enemies is one thing, but tossing a decoy hologrenade for distractions or tossing Dollman to scope out the terrain makes it feel so much more enjoyable. Plus, you can now take down enemies without having to equip a Strand.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

We finally got Assassin’s Creed in Japan before GTA 6, and the development team didn’t skimp on all the potential of playing as a proper ninja. Yasuke is…Yasuke, when it comes to stealth, but Naoe’s moves feel like an evolution of everything in the series thus far. Stalking the rooftops, vaulting backwards to land seamlessly, clinging to ceilings when the opportunity arises – her entire kit is simply incredible to control. The fact that even more was added post-launch to improve her parkour abilities and further bolster enemy AI difficulty (if you so choose) also helps.

Alien: Rogue Incursion – Evolved Edition

Alien: Rogue Incursion VR, but without the VR, is perhaps the best way to describe Survios’ survival horror first-person shooter. And make no mistake – there’s a lot of shooting to be done, especially given the target-rich nature of Purdan. But if you close your eyes and stow those weapons, relying on the motion tracker while keeping your head low, Alien: Isolation might just manifest in all its glory. Or not. Either way, stealth is viable and arguably makes for a more compelling experience in the Evolved Edition.

Steel Seed

Another surprising new IP, Steel Seed, dazzles with its fast-paced platforming, combat and post-apocalyptic setting. It’s when the action takes a minute and presents you with the opportunity to sneak around, laying traps and assassinating foes, that it shines differently. Granted, the limited number of enemy types and tools is a downer, but each stealth section feels uniquely crafted and fun.

Little Nightmares 3

It’s not quite at the level of its predecessors, but Supermassive’s Little Nightmares 3 still presents plenty of terrifying scenarios. And who would guess that sneaking about is the best way? It could be evading Monster Baby’s massive hands or trying to wake the wooden puppets of the Carnevale (and if you do, trying to destroy them by coordinating attacks between Low and Alone). While it won’t win any awards for innovation, the creepy atmosphere and stealth fundamentals are solid enough that you’ll want to keep pushing through the darkness and beyond, to see what’s next.

Ghost of Yōtei

Stealth in Ghost of Tsushima was kind of a meme, which is a nice way of saying it made clearing some camps stupidly easy. Ghost of Yōtei’s foes are thankfully smarter, and it’s a tougher journey to maximise your killing potential. In a way, stealth is pretty much the best means for survival on Lethal difficulty, given how easily Atsu can be killed.

Upgrade enough of your tools, discover the right armor and equip the best Charms, and it’s not long before you’re dragging enemies to execute them with the kusarigama and slinking away, searching for your next victim. And if that wasn’t enough, the mysterious wolf can eventually unlock skills to assassinate enemies whenever you do, and immediately kill Brutes and Leaders with its abilities.

Commandos: Origins

With Shadow Tactics developer Mimimi Productions officially closed, we had to look to an old killer to accommodate our team-based real-time tactical needs. Commandos: Origins serves as a prequel, outlining how the iconic unit is formed, but it still sticks to the formula that fans know and love. Each character has their own skills and tools, yet how they’re utilized is completely up to you. Create distractions, take out enemy guards stealthily or bypass them entirely to complete objectives. It’s challenging, but being able to experiment so extensively makes victory that much more satisfying.

And the Best Stealth Game of 2025 is…

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Standing out as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, in a legendary tactical stealth series isn’t easy, but it was just another day in the jungle for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Much bigger, sandbox-like environments with a lot more room for experimentation; a camouflage system that required adapting to the level to stay hidden; and, of course, the CQC system all made for a ground-breaking stealth experience.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Konami’s long-awaited remake, doesn’t change any of that. Rather, the new over-the-shoulder perspective offers a unique twist on everything, while camouflage can be affected by mud and other environmental factors, which is a lot more dynamic. Seeing Snake’s injuries develop into scars that remain till the end of the game and telling a story of their own? An incredible touch, among many others.

You could argue that it doesn’t innovate much on the original, but Metal Gear Solid 3 already revolutionized the genre – this is just the victory lap (and a potential new beginning, if more remakes are incoming). For that and many other reasons, it’s our pick for 2025’s best stealth title.

We’re here to give them the spotlight they deserve, and perhaps give you a great new game to pick up and play. Join us as we take a look at a few excellent titles that deserve your attention. There’s something for everybody, and you’re sure to find a title that joins your list of favorites!

1. Blue Prince

With a rather unconventional premise, and a whole lot of entertaining puzzle-adventure gameplay to stretch your brain power to its limits, this is a gem of a game that did not get its due in a year crowded with huge releases. But Simon P. Jones’ surreal trip through the Mt. Holly Estate and the discovery of its story make for an unforgettable adventure.

If you enjoy solving puzzles and are the kind who doesn’t like to leave any loose ends in their games, this one is going to have you occupied for quite a while.

2. Dispatch

It can be jarring to be relegated to a desk job after an exciting stint in the field even for the best of superheroes. But Mecha Man, aka Robert Robinson III, faces a frustrating twist to his career and having to manage a team of reformed supervillains is the perfect recipe for a story that’s told with heart and charm.

A stellar voice cast elevates the experience, and Dispatch is a game that you enjoy from the very beginning right up until you navigate a roller coaster of decisions whose varying outcomes could have you wanting to dive back in for another playthrough. That’s certainly a game that’s easy to recommend.

3. Tormented Souls 2

Caroline Walker (or Emma, if you’re familiar with this one’s predecessor) just can’t catch a break. This sequel builds on the first game’s strengths while telling a grim, chilling story about a cult that seems intent on continuing Noah’s work.

But Caroline has never been one to sit around and wait for fate to play its hand, and you’re going to be navigating dark hallways and dangerous places with bated breath. This is an excellent horror experience that does well to bring forgotten genre trappings back with style.

4. Keeper

It isn’t everyday a game gives a lighthouse the ability to walk, and puts its players behind a character as unique as the one in Keeper. As the lighthouse, your travels aren’t as lonely as they could be thanks to Twig, and the bond that forms between them as they tackle the scourge that’s affecting their home is a lovely story.

This one’s bizarre premise lets its creators come up with some very inventive designs in their levels, and navigating its world isn’t going to be easy. But we can tell you it’s definitely worth it.

5. Atomfall

An action survival gameplay loop set in an alternate, post-apocalyptic version of the British countryside into a radioactive zone was always going to be a blast, and our time with Atomfall had us chuckling away at the humor that it has managed to bake into an otherwise grim world.

The story is definitely gripping enough to make this a rewarding experience while the side content brings some top-shelf writing into the fray. This is a world that’s going to be very worthwhile to those of you who like ferreting out secrets and leaving no missions incomplete.

6. Cronos: The New Dawn

The Bloober Team cemented its reputation as a talented horror studio with its take on a time-travelling survival horror adventure. As the Traveller, every step you take into the game’s world makes you feel the weight of its desolation, while its threats can have you missing perfectly aligned headshots thanks to their raw aggression and feral rage.

However, for those of you who learn the art of survival in this bleak world, you get to find very creative ways to turn the tables in a deadly dance of tactics, strategy, and skillful shooting. It’s a slow-paced ride but a wild one nonetheless.

7. Hell is Us

Although this one did gain a fair bit of traction, it can be hard to put the allure of a world that staunchly refuses to reveal its secrets to none but the most diligent of players into words. But Hell is Us does just that, leaving you scribbling furiously away on a notepad just so that you get to experience all that it has to offer.

It can be quite a disorienting experience at first but the story and combat can have you quite invested. If exploration and lore hunting sound like hours of fun to you, this one is going to have you very content with how it presents its best features.

8. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Fast, stylish, and well-paced, Joe Musashi’s battle against the ENE Corporation is a great game. The story moves along at a breakneck pace, giving you new ways to dish out damage in your 2D platforming adventure. Musashi’s agility and the fact that the stakes are literally about life and death with a dollop of vengeance thrown in make this a shinobi adventure with all the good stuff.

Just be ready to bring your best fighting skills to the table as you take on the ENE’s hordes of soldiers, yokai, oni, and imposing bosses.

9. Echoes of the End

Although Ryn and Abram’s journey didn’t get the start that developer Myrkur Games might have wanted, the studio has done well to release an enhanced edition of Echoes of the End as a free update, fixing a significant portion of its launch issues and making it a very enticing offering.

The combat is now quite good, while the story has several great moments in the second half of the adventure. Stick with this one and you’re going to find yourself quite invested in how things turn out.

10. The Rogue Prince of Persia

If you’re a fan of roguelites, this one might be right up your street. Playing a Prince who is on the run from an army of possessed soldiers is a great way to spend a few hours exploring well-designed levels with mechanics that are quite engaging.

Evil Empire has done well to capture the look and feel of a Prince of Persia game a action adventure game, and you should definitely give this one a shot. Its recent Switch debut should see it get some well-served attention, too.

11. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

This side-scrolling hack n’ slash spin-off of the popular franchise is definitely up there with the best ones of the year. Kenji Mozu’s inspired effort to defend the Hayabusa village from demonic threats, leaving Ryu free to live out his legend in America, is a very entertaining take on the Ninja Gaiden universe.

Its slick combat and challenging platforming make it a pleasure to play too. This is a great choice for those of you who love to let your blades do the talking.

12. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

If you’re a Soulslike fan and have somehow missed this one from Leenshee Games, it’s worth checking out. Bai Wuchang’s mission to save her sister quickly turns into an exploration of sinister events against the background of a failing dynasty.

That premise does very well to set up battles that can test your reflexes and ability to improvise in the field. Combat is an art in this game, and you’re given a wide set of tools to use as you paint a bloody canvas that tells an epic story. Expect to be challenged, and this one is going to take your breath away.

13. Shadow Labyrinth

Bandai Namco’s refresh of the classic character was such a blast we almost forgot our initial scepticism of the entire exercise. The swordsman and Puck are quite a duo, navigating a treacherous world that leaves a very interesting trail of information about its history and denizens.

With challenging enemies and mechanics, Shadow Labyrinth is a game that has you always on the lookout for a detail that you missed, and can take a long time if you’re intent on teasing out all of its secrets.

14. Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream

While it can be difficult to handle the emotional weight that this excellent story brings to the table, Hanna’s desperate journey to rescue her brother, and the people she meets along the way make this one a worthy addition to our list of 2025’s underrated gems.

This is a game that brings some great stealth mechanics in a world in which the shadows are your biggest strength, and a story that underlines the importance of staying unseen through the eyes of a young orphan. This one’s a winner for all of you stealth nuts out there.

15. Steel Seed

Bringing excellent stealth action, robust platforming, a dark sci-fi-world, and a relatable protagonist and companion duo, there’s a lot to like about Steel Seed. Although this one did draw a bit of flak on the critical front, its story and excellent world building are compelling reasons to dive into this title.

Zoe’s sassy yet earnest nature wins you over quite quickly, and her proficiency with her weapons make her fun to embody in this tale of redemption. Despite a relatively shorter runtime, this game has its charms, and the journey is definitely worth it.

And that’s a wrap on our best single-player sleeper hit titles that you might have missed out on this year. Here’s to a fresh new batch of winners as we look to 2026 and beyond.

Atomfall

Atomfall represents an interesting experiment by Rebellion – a studio known for its World War 2-based series of games where you take control of an elite sniper taking down hundreds of Nazi soldiers. Instead of arming the player to the gills and taking them through a roaring adventure, Atomfall instead makes sure the player is constantly scavenging for resources just to survive as they slowly uncover an epic story through their own investigations. Atomfall offers a unique single-player experience that blends investigation, stealth, survival, and just a hint of intense combat to keep things spicy.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Picking up directly after the events of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth takes us deeper into an epic story about environmentalism and the evils that mega corporations are capable of when allowed an unchecked monopoly. This time around, however, we get a massive open world to explore, complete with its own set of secrets for players to discover, as well as a host of fun minigames that help further flesh the world out. Pair this with an evolution of the already-fantastic combat system from its predecessor, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth tends to make for dozens of hours of pure fun.

Silent Hill 2 Remake

Trying to remake a game that is seen by many as one of, if not the best horror game ever made is no easy task, but Bloober Team managed to make it look almost effortless with its remake of Silent Hill 2. Much more than a remake, however, Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 gives us a look at how the seminal horror game would have been if it were made in the modern day – none of its feels even remotely dated, and the game makes use of the dense atmosphere and spookiness of its setting perfectly. Pair this with gorgeous visuals, incredible level design and wonderful creature design and you basically get one of the best horror experiences out there today.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

While it may have been a bit controversial when it first came out, The Last of Us Part 2 features some downright phenomenal storytelling thanks to strong writing and excellent voice work and facial capture, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered features some of the best third-person action combat in any game today. Add on top wonderful encounter design and clever, but tense, boss fights, and you get what essentially feels like a wild roller coaster ride of emotions along with high-octane third-person action.

Elden Ring + Shadow of the Erd Tree

What hasn’t already been said about the brilliance of FromSoftware’s single-player opus Elden Ring, as well as its critically-acclaimed DLC Shadow of the Erd Tree? The base game, on its own, is a culmination of over a decade’s worth of game design that FromSoftware had originated, improved, and ultimately mastered. Add on top some excellent and tense combat, plenty of character build options, and a wide-open world where only your own skill level can really block your path, and you have a title that deserves just about every accolade it has gotten since then. And once you’re done with the base game, Shadow of the Erd Tree offers an entirely new level of challenge, complete with a brand new landmass to explore, new bosses to fight, and even more of the intricate lore to uncover.

Astro Bot

Astro Bot is a game that proves that Nintendo isn’t the only major gaming company that can make a beloved 3D platformer. The title, essentially a love letter to just about every aspect of PlayStation, also manages to be a great game on its own thanks to its excellent level design, great visuals, fantastic soundtrack and tight gameplay. While the story is simple enough, with Captain Astro trying to reunite with the PlaySquadron after the PS5 mothership is wrecked by Nebulax, what really elevates Astro Bot along with its core gameplay is the reverence it has for all things PlayStation. The game is also filled with plenty of nods and references to the history of the console, including even references to niche titles like Loco Roco.

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered

While the 2017 release of Horizon Zero Dawn was no slouch when it came to visuals and gameplay, the whole game got massively upgraded thanks to the Remastered release, bringing it up to par with its sequel. Essentially an origin story, players are put into the shoes of Aloy who is trying to figure out how she can stop the wars between the neighbouring tribes. Along the way, plenty of mysteries are uncovered, including the very nature of the world and the mechanical beasts that roam its lands. Horizon Zero Dawn is an excellent open-world action-adventure game which offers a great mix of strong writing in its main campaign, as well as optional objectives through side quests as well as open-world collectibles.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

While Valhalla was met with mixed reception, especially with some of its gameplay elements, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is evidence that the genre is still capable of strong games with fun open worlds to explore. Besides Syndicate, we now get to play as two distinct protagonists in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, each with their own distinct playstyles – the combat-oriented Yasuke and the stealth-oriented Naoe. Through the two characters, we get a unique take on Sengoku-era Japan, with the duo trying to figure out the conspiracy behind not only the death of Oda Nobunaga, but also the death of Naoe’s family as well.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate feature incredibly strong writing full of interesting things to do, as well as by offering players an almost infinite amount of freedom when it comes to figure out solutions to problems. Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place during an invasion by mind flayers, with the player themselves being implanted with a tadpole that will at some point also turn them into a mind flayer. After escaping from the captivity of the mind flayers, the player finds themselves, along with other unlikely heroes, on an island, where they must work together to figure out a way to not only make it to the city of Baldur’s Gate, but also to get rid of the parasitic tadpoles that they have all been implanted with.

Days Gone Remastered

Days Gone offers a unique take on the open-world zombie survival game by giving the player one of the most important tools you can have in such a situation – a motorcycle. Along with his bike, protagonist Deacon must explore the world, deliver supplies, protect his friends, and in the process, figure out what led to the “Freaker” outbreak, and how he can save his wife. The game also has a unique system that allows for incredibly massive hordes of zombies to attack the player if Deacon accidentally trips an alarm that attracts them to his location. Coupled with fun combat courtesy of a mix of melee and ranged weapons, and Days Gone Remastered has all of the ingredients to make for a fun time.

Dead Space Remake

The original Dead Space was rightfully praised for its excellent atmosphere and strong gameplay paired with intense claustrophobia and incredible monster designs. The remake of Dead Space takes these elements and cranks it all the way up to eleven. While you’re still going to be stepping into the shoes of Isaac Clarke as he explores the USG Ishimura, several things have been redesigned, from the massive planet cracker class ship’s layout making more sense, to weapons getting rebalanced so that the Plasma Cutter isn’t the only good weapon you have access to. The story also gets some expansion thanks to Isaac no longer being a silent protagonist. The presence of a new kind of collectible also ends up adding a few more interesting wrinkles to an already-strong story.

Resident Evil Village

A few years after the series managed to reinvigorate itself thanks to Resident Evil 7, the franchise decided to take a more action oriented approach. Much like the transition from classic horror Resident Evil games to Resident Evil 3, Resident Evil Village ups the ante on not only the action, but also the scares and the story. Taking place after the events of RE7, Village involves protagonist Ethan Winters once more setting out against unimaginable horrors in a mysterious village to rescue his daughter. The title features plenty of boss fights, great combat encounters, and one of the most insane endings to a game out there. The Winters Expansion also brings with it new content, as well as a third-person mode for the main campaign.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 

The first title by studio Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur: Expedition managed to set the world on fire in large part thanks to its deep and thoughtful story, imaginative and gorgeous visuals, and a clever combat. What sets Clair Obscur apart from others in the genre is how it makes use of not only parrying and dodging as active actions the player has to time with enemy attacks, but also the fact that each of its characters has unique mechanics of their own, be it Gustave’s Overcharge system, or Lune’s element juggling, or Maelle’s stance system.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered

A remastered release of a classic open-world RPG that came out all the way back in 2006, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is not only a great game in its own right, but also acts as a fun history lesson to help us understand just how Bethesda got to its follow-up, Skyrim. Oblivion Remastered takes place in idyllic pastures of Cyrodiil in the midst of an invasion from the various Oblivion realms. The player will also get to explore several cities and villages, while also partaking in epic questlines for various activities, from stealing to assassination, and even gladiatorial combat. Despite the almost two decades since its original release, the level of freedom offered by Oblivion still manages to feel unparalleled.

Cyberpunk 2077 + Phantom Liberty

With Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty expansion CD Projekt RED ended up creating one of the most ambitious urban open-world games out there. Along with telling a deep and compelling story with themes about rebellion, mortality, and the sense of self, Cyberpunk 2077, along with its spy thriller expansion, also managed to offer plenty of fun side-activities for players to do as they drive around Night City and try out their fancy cybernetic implants against gang members, corrupt cops, and corporate mercenaries.

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is one of the most unique open-world fantasy RPGs out there. Along with a unique class system where the player is encouraged to keep switching between different classes to mix and match abilities, the game also features some epic boss fights in the form of mythical monsters to kill. Oh, and there’s also the Pawn system, where a player can create a companion for themselves who can also be sent out to other players’ games to assist them and come back with experience and new items. Pair this with a mind-bending plot that involves the world also getting messed up because of the player’s own actions, in turn opening up even more epic boss fights for adventurous players to take on. And now that most of its technical issues have been ironed out, Dragon’s Dogma 2 has become an excellent way to spend a weekend or two.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

While several games have tried to put players in the shoes of characters inspired by Indiana Jones, few have done it as well as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The first-person action-adventure game melds puzzle solving with intense action sequences, some platforming courtesy of Indy’s whip, and plenty of stealth as players try to avoid crossing paths with hostile soldiers.

Lies of P + Overture

While we may not be getting ports or remasters for FromSoftware’s Bloodborne any time soon, we did get the next best thing in the form of Lies of P and its Overture DLC. The Soulslike action RPG puts players in the shoes of “puppet mechanoid” Pinocchio with a simple mission – find Mr. Geppetto. As he explores the city of Krat, however, he comes across deranged hostile puppets that he must deal with. Along the way, players get plenty of choices when it comes to what kind of weapon they’ll use thanks to the game’s unique weapon system where a player is free to mix-and-match different handles and edges to get unique weapons with their own movesets and special abilities. The Overture DLC expands things further by sending players into Krat’s past, where they get to see the city before its fall.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black

A remastered release of classic hack-and-slash action game Ninja Gaiden 2, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is by far one of the toughest games available these days. Putting players in the role of ninja Ryu Hayabusa, the story revolves around the machinations of the Black Spider Ninja Clan as they launch an assault against Hayabusa Village. As Ryu fights off these threats, players will have to learn how to effectively wield his various tools, from the straightforward katana to more advanced items. The game also allows players to dismember enemies, and while they can still attack after losing limbs, they can at least be killed off for good by using the Obliteration Technique.

Shadow Labyrinth

While Shadow Labyrinth might not look like much from the outset, it ends up being quite a clever platforming game that melds exploration with gameplay inspired by classic arcade titles. Players take on the role of Swordsman No. 8, who wakes up on a mysterious planet. As they spend time exploring this planet accompanied by Puck, players will have to discover secrets and get new abilities as they figure out how to take on many of the various challenges they will face throughout their time in Shadow Labyrinth.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

While the Ratchet & Clank franchise had gone mostly silent after the 2016 reboot, it came back with a bang on the PS5, not only acting as a great showcase for the hardware capabilities of the at-the-time new console, but also being a fantastic action/adventure game in its own right. Along with telling a fun story with everyone’s favorite Lombax, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart also introduces us to new character Rivet, who serves as a deuteragonist in the story. As the two desperately jump across different dimensions to stop the evil machinations of Dr. Nefarious, players will also find themselves making use of new, strange and funny weapons to take on the enemies they face.

RoboCop: Rogue City + Unfinished Business

RoboCop: Rogue City being such a fun experience with a surprising level of polish is the biggest example for the fact that the AA games scene still exists, and maybe even thriving. The game puts players in the shoes of RoboCop as he takes on a variety of different missions in crime-ridden Old Detroit. Along the way, players will get to make plenty of choices that further help define just how much humanity RoboCop still has within him. The standalone expansion Unfinished Business adds even more content to the game, bringing with it a host of new challenges for RoboCop to take on as he takes on mercenaries and new enemy types occupying OmniTower.

Sifu

While action games have always been incredibly popular, few have ever managed to nail the martial arts genre as well as Sloclap did with Sifu. With players taking on the role of a martial artist out for revenge for the murder of their mentor, Sifu features unique action mechanics where players can make use of their own Kung Fu-styled movesets, as well as the environment to take on groups of enemies. The title features 15 different locations, across which players will get to take on a wide variety of enemies. Along with this, the title also features a unique mechanic where a death leads to the protagonist aging, making their strikes deadlier but also making them more frail. Sifu has also gotten quite a bit more content thanks to extensive post-launch support by Sloclap.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins

While Koei Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors franchise has seen its fair share of ups and downs, the company undoubtedly struck gold with the release of Dynasty Warriors: Origins. The game, introducing a brand new protagonist, also brings with it some of the grandest battles that the franchise has ever seen. The gameplay largely revolves around the player cutting down large swathes of enemy soldiers across various battlefields as they also try and complete objectives to further continue the campaign of the various factions warring for supremacy over Mainland China.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

After the success of Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the sequel served as a way for the studio to expand on every aspect of the game. With five years having passed since the events of Fallen Order, Survivor once more puts players in the shoes of Cal Kestis as he sets off on a battle against the Empire. While things start out well enough, a mission eventually goes badly enough to force Cal to get some allies for his struggle, including brand new characters as well as returning characters from Fallen Order. The gameplay offers considerably more options than its predecessor, with new stances that offer more chances for unique gameplay, as well as a more interesting skill tree this time around.

Suikoden 1 & 2 Remaster

A remastered release of seminal RPGs that were originally made for the original PlayStation, Suikoden 1 & 2 Remaster is a great way for a new generation of players to experience a pair of the most unique RPGs to have ever been made. Along with the player taking on the role of a protagonist, players will also have to find and recruit special characters known as the Stars of Destiny into their own army as they fight off the forces of evil. Both titles also feature heavily political storylines, with corruption playing a central role throughout their stories. What makes both titles even more fun to play back-to-back is the fact that they take place in the same world, so the sequel becomes a great way to see what has changed since the events of the first game.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

While the Uncharted series has been one of the most iconic franchises for PlayStation since the first game came out on the PS3, all good things must come to an end. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves features two titles – Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy. While A Thief’s End focuses on the final adventure of protagonist Nathan Drake, Lost Legacy is a smaller-scaled game with brand new protagonists in Chloe and Nadine, as they face off against a warlord named Asav can get it. When it comes to gameplay, both titles feature third-person action, plenty of areas to explore, puzzles to solve, and in the case of Legacy of Thieves, even one larger space where more experimental gameplay can be tried out.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

While many of the best games out there can be described as being subtle, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is not one of them. Every bit as loud, brutal, and exaggerated as the Warhammer 40,000 setting demands, Space Marine 2 puts players in the power armour of Ultramarine-turned-Deathwatch Soldier-turned-back-into-Ultramarine Demetrian Titus as he ends up on Imperial planets Avarax and Kadaku in the midst of the first Tyrannic War. Facing off against hordes of Tyrannids, players must make use of the game’s hybrid ranged and melee combat system to stop all opposition and complete various objectives. Once you’re done with the campaign, the game also features extra missions in the Operations mode which, while meant to be played in co-op, can also be enjoyed solo along with AI-controlled team mates.

God of War Ragnarok

Taking place a few years after the events of 2018’s reboot, Ragnarok kicks things off with the coming of Fimbulwintr, as the player figures out how to best keep their people safe from their enemies. Ragnarok features a blend of excellent level design and offers several enhancements to gameplay, with bigger worlds to explore, and plenty of more skills to make use of in the game’s frantic, high-impact combat.

System Shock Remake

A remake of a classic sci-fi shooter/RPG hybrid from 1994, System Shock Remake does a masterful job of recreating the feeling of playing the original thanks to its unique art style that melds modern graphical technologies with a low-fi look that maintains the vibrant color palette of the original. System Shock Remake is also one of the best ways to experience the origins of iconic evil AI SHODAN, who serves as the primary antagonist for the player as they explore Citadel Station and try to figure out how they can survive, and ultimately, escape. Along the way, players will have to fight, sneak, and shoot their way through enemies that were once the human inhabitants of Citadel station.

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist

While the indie game space has many 2D platforming titles, few have reached the quality that Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist manages to reach thanks to the title’s strong level design, well thought out upgrades, and interesting story. The game takes place in the Land of Fumes which, because of unchecked science, has started turning artificial beings, dubbed Homunculi, into feral monsters. Players take on the role of an Attuner named Lilac who can save the Homunculi from their gruesome fate. Players will get to explore a variety of zones, from abandoned laboratories to ancient caverns and vibrant fields, as they explore the Land of Fumes and unlock new abilities to further aid exploration and combat.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

The genre is no stranger to crafting compelling open-world games, and this quality is shown off quite well in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. While it might be easy to brush aside as a movie tie-in game, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora ends up being a fantastic way to explore the world first seen in James Cameron’s Avatar movies. In Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, players must ultimately defend Pandora against the forces of the RDA. The game features a compelling main campaign, along with several side missions that help further flesh out the world.

Gran Turismo 7

Quite easily the standard bearer for the modern driving sim game, Gran Turismo 7 has just about everything that a fan of cars and the culture surrounding cars and driving could hope for. Along with franchise classic gameplay mechanics like license tests returning, Gran Turismo 7 also features a massive collection of cars for players to collect, as well as constant updates that further improves the car collection of the game, as well as bringing in new events across various vehicle classes that players can compete for.

Hitman World of Assassination

Essentially the most complete package in terms of the Hitman trilogy, Hitman World of Assassination features quite a bit of content for the intrepid single-player game fan. Along with an epic campaign spanning three games’ worth of locations and targets, the title also features the Freelancer mode, which combines the title’s free-form gameplay with a roguelite progression mechanic. Hitman World of Assassination offers players plenty of unique ways to take out their targets, alongside a wide variety of items and weapons that can be used to accomplish just about any task the game throws the player’s way throughout its levels, which span from the US, to South America, to India, and even Dubai.

Alan Wake 2

Quite easily one of the strangest games to have come out in recent times, Alan Wake 2 is a survival horror title that picks up more than a decade after the original Alan Wake. While the titular character serves as one of the protagonists, quite a few parts of the game have players take on the role of FBI agent Saga Anderson who is visiting Bright Falls to investigate the brutal, ritualistic murder of fellow FBI agent Robert Nightingale. Along the way, the paths of Saga and Alan intersect in interesting, fourth wall-breaking ways, and Alan Wake must ultimately figure out the best way to end the story of Saga Anderson.

Neva

Equal parts platforming game and atmospheric experience, Neva puts players in the shoes of a young woman, Alba, and a friendly wolf as they explore a world that is on the verge of dying. As is to be expected from a game by the developers of Gris, Neva features downright gorgeous art and a gripping soundtrack that adds several layers to the atmosphere as they explore a dying world. The gameplay revolves around Alba and her wolf companion slowly learning to work together as they complete platforming sections, combat encounters, and even a few puzzles along the way, all while the duo try and figure out how they can survive.

Little Nightmares 2

A low-key experience, Little Nightmares 2 explores the wider world outside of the first game’s setting of the Maw. With players in the shoes of a young boy named Mono, as he explores the Pale City. The game makes use of a more minimalistic style of storytelling, leaving it up to the player to figure out the secrets behind the Pale City, the signal tower, and the things that lurk within the tower.

Nobody Wants to Die

While narrative adventure games can often be quite fun, few match the level of polish and visual fidelity of Critical Hit Games’ Nobody Wants to Die. Taking place in the year 2329, the player takes on the role of NYPD detective in the Department of Mortality James Karra. With the gameplay largely revolving around puzzle solving and exploring the overall narrative, players will have to figure out the strange circumstances behind a mysterious death affecting a victim that wasn’t supposed to die – a member of the New York City elite. As the mystery unfurls, players will find themselves in the hunt for a serial killer, as they also explore concepts of morality, and what immortality truly means for a person that has more money than they could spend over several lifetimes.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

A direct sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence, A Plague Tale: Requiem picks things up around six months after the events of its predecessor. The story revolves around siblings Amicia and Hugo de Rune, who decide to travel south in order to try and look for a cure for Hugo’s affliction. The gameplay is an iteration over the first title, with players taking control of Amicia and being helped out by Hugo from time to time. However, both characters also have plenty of new abilities to play around with in combat encounters. A Plague Tale: Requiem also acts as an absolute feast for the eyes considering its incredible level of visual fidelity and strong art direction.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

An RE Engine remake of a classic zombie game, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster has players take on the role of intrepid photojournalist Frank West as he is exploring the circumstances surrounding a military-enforced lockdown in the sleepy town of Willamette, Colorado. In a series of events, West, along with a bunch of other survivors, find themselves trapped in a mall that also happens to house hordes of zombies, as well as a few psychotic lunatics lurking around. West only has three days of real-world time to figure out a way to escape from the mall with as many allies as he can. The original Dead Rising, and by extension the Deluxe Remaster, is famous for the immense level of customisation offered by the game when it comes to its weapon crafting system, focusing primarily on melee weapons.

Pacific Drive

A unique take on the roguelite formula, Pacific Drive combines the sense of adventure one might find in exploring randomly-generated levels, along with the joy that often comes from working on a beaten up car to gradually improve it with better parts over time. The player is put into the shoes of “The Driver” as they explore the Olympic Exclusion Zone after accidentally getting pulled into it through a vortex. The zone is full of strange activity, however, with even roads constantly shifting and moving about, and the player must find other survivors and eventually, a way out. To help the player accomplish this, they have a car known only as the Remnant, which can be improved with new loot that you find, as well as new parts that you can craft once you get the right materials.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

While the original Citizen Sleeper was a, pardon the pun, sleeper hit in its own right thanks to excellent writing and unique gameplay elements inspired by Disco Elysium, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is an improvement in just about every aspect. Carrying over its predecessor’s strong anti-capitalism slant with an interesting story, Citizen Sleeper 2 revolves around the player trying to figure out a way to escape the “ownership” of Laine, and in the process, ending up in a lawless portion of the Hellion star system, known only as the Belt.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

While Kojima Productions’ first outing as an independent studio after Konami – Death Stranding – was an interesting and unique game in its own right, the sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, takes things up a notch in every way possible. Along with broadening the core gameplay loop of making deliveries across long treks, Death Stranding 2 also features a more grand story of wider scope, with more interesting main villains. Along with this, the core combat has also seen massive improvements, giving players more tools to take on an even wider variety of enemies, ranging from well-armed humans to massive kaiju-sized BTs. This along with a jump in visual fidelity makes Death Stranding 2: On the Beach a journey well worth taking.

Black Myth: Wukong

Black Myth: Wukong features some downright fantastic boss fights and is further elevated by the fact that the game’s combat can be described as being nothing short of absolutely joyous in how well it controls, how responsive the game feels, and how well the encounters are set up to get players to use every tool they have in their kit. There’s a reason, after all, why Black Myth: Wukong would launch to immense success in terms of concurrent player counts as well as copies sold.

Hogwarts Legacy

It’s easy to describe Hogwarts Legacy as an open-world action/adventure game, but that would be ignoring how lovingly it recreates the world of Harry Potter that long-time fans of the book series could finally explore in depth. While the title doesn’t really do anything new, it is still a fantastic way to spend some time owing to the care with which the titular Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and its surrounding areas have been recreated. Players can live out their dreams of being an aspiring wizard in the world of Harry Potter, attending classes, getting stronger at magic, and even helping quell a goblin rebellion in the process.

Star Wars Outlaws

While Star Wars Outlaws may have been released to middling reception and suffered from plenty of problems, several updates since its release have turned the game into a must-play adventure, especially for fans of Star Wars. Now that plenty of the game’s fundamental issues, like broken stealth mechanics, have been fixed, the story of Kay Vess is quite a bit of fun to experience, especially thanks to the open-world structure of the title, complete with different factions vying for your attention. The adventure also continues thanks to the release of two expansions for the game – Dead Man’s Hand and A Pirate’s Fortune – both of which add plenty more content to an already feature-rich title.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream

A unique take on narrative games, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream has players exploring the city of Eriksholm in the shoes of Hanna. With an emphasis on stealth, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream gives players plenty of chances to figure out the story behind the world as Hanna slowly continues her quest to find her brother. The game also features gorgeous visuals, with the city of Eriksholm being one of the most interesting settings for a game in recent times. Along with this, players will also get to make use of an extensive arsenal of tools as they sneak around the guards of the industrializing city.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

While 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man was a fantastic return of the web-slinging superhero to video games, its sequel – appropriately titled Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – decided to expand on the original’s ideas in epic ways. Along with featuring two Spider-Men, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 also gives us a deeper look into the stories and motivations behind both of the superheroes. Pair that with an incredible open-world that is an absolute joy to traverse through thanks to Spider-Man’s set of abilities, as well as a fun rogue’s gallery to take on throughout the story and side-content, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is in many ways one of the best superhero experiences currently available on the PS5.

Horizon Forbidden West

A follow-up to Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West once again puts players in the shoes of Aloy as she decides to explore parts of the western coast of the continent. Along with brand new visuals and a deeper look into the overall world and lore behind the Horizon franchise, Forbidden West also gives us improved combat that feels a lot more dynamic, along with more fun and intense boss fights that will have players make use of just about every tool they have at their disposal. Horizon Forbidden West, along with its Burning Shores expansion, can in many ways be described as the ideal sequel, where it builds on the foundations set by its predecessor in new and interesting ways.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

In a genre that is dominated by fantasy and sci-fi works, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 manages to stand out thanks to its use of a real-world historic setting. Along with exploring the lands of Trosky in the 1400s, players – who once more take on the role of Henry – not only get embroiled in a plot that can be best described as a political-thriller-meets-war-story, but they most also live in an interestingly simulationist game world. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 of will have you squint your eyes as you try and make out text in a book, depending on Henry’s level of literacy, and train with swordmasters to learn new ways to swing your sword, all while also trying to make sure that you don’t die of starvation or villagers don’t run away from because you haven’t had a bath in a while. These gameplay systems makes for a great way to kill a few dozen hours.

Hi-Fi Rush

The last hurrah – at least for the time being – for Tango Gameworks before the studio was shut down by Microsoft last year, Hi-Fi Rush is a unique hack-and-slash action game that rewards players that have good rhythm. The unique hook of the game is that players are encouraged to attack, jump, and dodge their way through fights to the beat of the background music. While you can still finish the game if you miss every beat, landing the beat with good timing rewards you with higher damaging moves. Pair that with a vibrant art style, hilarious writing, an excellent soundtrack, and some downright fantastic boss fights, and you get one of the most fun and unique action games out there.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

When it comes to third-person action RPGs that have a heavy emphasis on their narratives, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is one of the most interesting releases of the lot. Taking place in the unique setting in 1695, players take on the role of Banishers as they set out to explore the lands, figure out the origins of curses, and most importantly, unravel mysteries that could lead to some very uneasy answers to important questions.

The First Berserker: Khazan

In the over a decade and a half since the release of the first game that could be called a Soulslike – Demon’s Souls – we’ve seen plenty of studios take a stab at making their own. Few have gotten as close to the standards set out by FromSoftware as Neople with The First Berserker: Khazan. Alongside taking place in an interesting world based on the DNF franchise, The First Berserker: Khazan also offers some strong action RPG gameplay, complete with a wide variety of weapons and incredibly challenging boss fights. Pair this with a downright gorgeous art style and you are bound to end up with a good time.

Jusant

At the outset, Jusant looks like it will be an incredibly simple game. Its core gameplay mechanic revolves entirely around climbing, after all. However, while the gameplay mechanics themselves might feel simple enough, Jusant also uses those same mechanics to deliver an incredibly powerful story that is slowly unraveled as the player – in the shoes of a nameless boy climbing a gigantic rock tower – makes their climb. Sure, there might not be much in the way of stakes, especially since you can’t really die in the game. However, the strong, often emotional writing throughout Jusant more than makes up for any shortcomings that might be present in the gameplay department.

Mafia: The Old Country

While Mafia 3 might have served as a bit of a detour for Hangar 13 with its focus on open-world gameplay, with Mafia: The Old Country, the studio went back to the franchise’s roots in more ways than one. Not only is it a linear story-based game with set missions that players will take on, its story is also taking us all the way back to the eponymous Old Country, where the Sicilian Mafia first originated. The gritty early-1990s mob story features Enzo Favara as the new protagonist, as players live out his fight for survival in his attempts to get a better life for himself after living through a brutal life filled with forced labour. Mafia: The Old Country is an incredible return to form for Hangar 13.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

While the original Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was an interesting game anchored by strong performances, especially from lead actor Melina Juergens as the titular Senua, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 cranks just about everything up to eleven. Not only has the gameplay seen plenty of improvements, the story itself, along with the presentation have been upgraded so much, the word “cinematic” hardly does the title justice. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 once again takes us to Viking Iceland where Senua has to take on difficult battles against the forces of tyranny to save not only victims, but also save herself in the process.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

When it first came out, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was widely considered to be one of the best games for its home platform – the PlayStation 2. 21 years later, we now have a remake in the form of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Not only do we get upgraded visuals and improved gameplay with modern control schemes in the remake, we also get to re-experience a fantastic spy thriller set during the Cold War, the events of which end up having repercussions for the entire Metal Gear franchise as a whole. Snake Eater has players take on the role of Naked Snake as he sets off on Operation Snake Eater to take down The Boss, her elite squad known as the Cobra Unit, as well as commander of GRU Volgin.

Gears of War: Reloaded

It’s no secret that the original Gears of War was one of the most important games on the Xbox 360, helping spawn an entire franchise that is still going on to this day. Celebrating this history, developer The Coalition has bought back the Gears of War Ultimate Edition with a fresh coat of paint. Calling it “faithful remaster”, Gears of War: Reloaded features high-resolution assets, as well as full optimisation to run on all modern-day gaming platforms, including the PS5. Along with the excellent campaign that kicks off the saga of Marcus Fenix in his war against the Locust threat, Gears of War: Reloaded also includes plenty of multiplayer features, including co-op mode for the campaign, as well as competitive multiplayer.

Echoes of the End

While a debut outing for studio Myrkur Games, it could be easy to assume that the developers behind Echoes of the End have had quite a bit of experience with game design. The game may not feature complex customization options and deep puzzles. Rather, it features fun combat, a gorgeous world, and puzzles with just the right level of complexity to not get you too frustrated. Pair that with some excellent writing and characterisation for protagonist Ryn and her travelling companion Abram Finlay, and you have a great single-player campaign that doesn’t overstay its welcome thanks to its 14-hour runtime.

Animal Well

While at first glance, Animal Well might not look like much thanks to its art style making use of stark colour contrasts, often with black backgrounds in most of its scenes. Spending a little time with the tidal, however, reveals one of the most interesting platforming titles to have come out since maybe Hollow Knight. Animal Well puts players in the shoes of a small creature that has freshly hatched from a flower, and must now explore the world to figure out their own life. What sets the title apart is how well it makes use of its art style – which features wonderfully detailed environments all over the place – not only for the sake of gameplay, but for atmosphere as well. Along with its platforming trappings, Animal Well also serves as a horror title thanks to the player not having ways to fight back against creatures that might harm you; players must instead make clever use of the world around them to figure out ways around dangerous obstacles.

Set in the fictional city of Eriksholm (which takes ample inspiration from 1900s Scandinavia), players control Hanna, who embarks on a journey to find her brother Herman. The latter’s sudden disappearance leads to widespread hunts, and Hanna must evade police capture while learning the truth. While initially sneaking about, she eventually gains a blow dart gun for knocking enemies out.

Of course, other characters eventually join the mix, including Alva, a thief who can destroy lights and climb pipes. Players will need to switch between characters at points to solve puzzles and evade enemies. Between exploring gorgeous environments, there are also some incredible cutscenes to witness.

For more details on Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream, check out our review. We gave it an eight out of ten, praising the story, characters, and presentation while taking some issue with the insta-fail nature of the stealth.

This naturally brings us to River End Games’ Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream. The premise, from the outset, already had me intrigued. An isometric perspective with gorgeous cinematics, an intriguing yet familiar-looking setting (1900s Scandinavia being the base), a focus on stealth mechanics, and a “budget price” of $39.99? Sign me up several times over. And while the actual execution does have a few things that could nag – or at worst, annoy – Eriksholm is a uniquely fantastical journey that keeps you hooked.

"The vibe is honestly reminiscent of Dishonored at the start, but despite the high stakes, you shouldn’t expect extensive chase sequences or to go on a murder spree. This is a more methodical action-adventure – the pacing deftly balancing between stealth and puzzle-solving."

Taking place in the titular city, the story revolves around Hanna and her brother, Herman. The latter has mysteriously gone missing, and as worried as this makes Hanna, things become even more complicated when the police show up. Rather than going in for questioning, she decides that the best course of action is to flee and lead them on a wild goose chase across the city and its various boroughs. Far-fetched as it sounds, our exposure to the world – and where the siblings reside – reveals just how dire its state can be.

An illness known as the Heartpox perpetuates the city, with coffins waiting (and rotting) on piers to be taken away. A newly elected mayor is noted to have won the race but not the popularity contest. The Industrial Revolution affected many citizens, and the downtrodden were effectively at the mercy of the police when they were not trying to feed their children or get enough shifts for money. It’s a sordid state of affairs, frequently emerging in conversations as Hanna vaults, sneaks, and sprints her way across rooftops, through warehouses, and onto cable cars. Given their general standing in society, cooperation with authority yields no guarantees of personal safety.

Of course, the question arises from the outset: Why are the police looking for Herman? Why are they so determined to bring in Hanna, deploying forces every which way and that, shutting down bridges and even halting cargo trains to search for her? It’s one of the driving mysteries as she seeks to find Herman and figure out what’s going on.

The vibe is honestly reminiscent of Dishonored at the start, but despite the high stakes, you shouldn’t expect extensive chase sequences or to go on a murder spree. This is a more methodical action-adventure – the pacing deftly balancing between stealth and puzzle-solving. There are caveats to the stealth – getting caught results in an automatic failure, sending Hanna back to one of the many generous checkpoints to try again. Rather than working within a sandbox, you’re really looking for the right solution for getting past guards without being detected.

Coupled with the relatively lackluster difficulty and mechanics in the early going and the fact that Hanna can only sprint or sneak, you might think this is all that Eriksholm has to offer. That, and some truly gorgeous vistas, which the camera perspective does a great job of highlighting at all times (with consistent performance at max settings and 1440p resolution). Fortunately, this is just the entree, and it’s backed by some strong voice acting and dialogue, even if Hanna’s inner hint voice comes out a little too often. Soon enough, you engage in situations that require distracting guards, using moving cargo to sneak past, and operating machinery to create enough noise to traverse some of the noisier surfaces.

"Beyond getting past guards and overhearing conversations, there isn’t much else that the world has to offer beyond gorgeous vistas and collectibles. Letters, flyers, and ads invite comments from the protagonists about certain characters and occurrences, providing even more background on Eriksholm and its current state."

Upon entering Chapter 2, Hanna acquires a blow-dart gun for putting guards to sleep (though you have to do this behind cover since they have a few seconds to look around and potentially raise the alarm). Slumbering enemies can be dragged around – which further comes into play in later chapters when needing some extra weight – and it’s not long before you’re venturing through abandoned mines, attempting to kickstart machinery or reading the marks to find the right wooden planks to walk across.

The game truly kicks into gear once you gain control of more than one character. Alva, the leader of a thieving gang with exceptional influence in a district, joins the fray and brings her own unique skills to the forefront. Not only can she climb on pipes, but she can also break lightbulbs and toss stones to cause guards to look away for a precious few seconds. Working in conjunction with Hanna, she can create shadowy areas which the latter can use to put enemies to sleep without relying on cover.

I was initially concerned about not being able to move both characters when the situation demanded it, but such instances are few and far between. These situations, combined with all the environmental mechanics thus far, serve to highlight Eriksholm’s brand of stealth puzzling. It may not be anything that you haven’t seen before, but it’s executed incredibly well (and that’s before a third playable character joins the mix).

Beyond getting past guards and overhearing conversations, there isn’t much else that the world has to offer beyond gorgeous vistas and collectibles. Letters, flyers, and ads invite comments from the protagonists about certain characters and occurrences, providing even more background on Eriksholm and its current state. The main plot and characters – along with new environments and challenges – are really what’s driving you forward. As such, that means limited interactivity and freedom in environments beyond your objectives.

"As safe as it can feel at times, it’s held up by stellar art direction, well-rounded characters with strong voice acting, gorgeous environments with a healthy amount of variety, robust stealth and puzzles that require timing and cohesion."

At least all the characters are fairly well-developed. Even the guards patrolling around have distinct personalities, whether it’s superstition over the mythical Lady of the Mountain, trepidation over how far they’ll go to capture one girl, or just hanging out, being buds. Unfortunately, their AI doesn’t aspire to much beyond Metal Gear Solid 1-level “What was that noise?” You can toss rocks endlessly at a guard to distract him, and he’ll never think to investigate their source.

In the same vein, while they have a line of sight, it takes a few seconds before they truly register someone sneaking around and catching them. Gameplay-wise, it makes sense and can create some really tense moments, but story-wise, not immediately raising the alarm or even investigating further can dampen some of the immersion.

Eriksholm also places some emphasis on collecting notes for some puzzles. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, you need to cycle through your inventory to find the relevant note. An option to skip to the most recent or immediately go to the end would have been preferable.

While it won’t give the best stealth titles any competition in the emergent gameplay department, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is still a great effort. As safe as it can feel at times, it’s held up by stellar art direction, well-rounded characters with strong voice acting, gorgeous environments with a healthy amount of variety, robust stealth and puzzles that require timing and cohesion. It’s yet another surprise in a year full of them and a downright enjoyable game in its own right.

This game was reviewed on PC.

In Eriksholm, players control up to three characters, starting with Hanna. She’s on a mission to find her brother, who the police are desperately searching for, setting off a “chain of catastrophic events” in the process. However, you can’t brute-force encounters. Instead, Hanna must rely on stealth, distraction, and more to get by.

Though the gameplay starts simple, it grows in complexity with options like breaking lights. The attention to detail throughout is impressive, especially given the studio’s size. Animator Lukas Rubensson performed some of the motion capture, and the clothing was crafted in real life by custom designers and scanned into the game.

All of this has us excited to play Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream when it launches on July 15th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out our feature for everything you should know.

What is it?

Described by developer River End Games as an isometric, narrative driven stealth game, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream’s top down perspective and enemy vision cones suggest inspiration soley of Commandos, Desperados, or Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. But, this being a story first experience, playing through Eriksholm reveals something that’s less of a sandbox, more handcrafted and linear. Don’t be put off though. An immersive setting, an unconventional –  for stealth games, at least – lead protagonist, and character-swapping mechanics support The Stolen Dream’s narrative depth nicely.

Story overview

Taking place within a Scandi-influenced city in the early 1900s, in Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream players assume command of Hanna, a citizen forced into the shadows in pursuit of her missing brother Hermann whilst the city’s police force are also on the hunt. As she strives simultaneously to uncover the mystery surrounding Hermann’s disappearance whilst evading the authorities, she provokes forces darker than she ever imagined. Eriksholm harbours secrets, and Hanna’s efforts to reunite her family could alter the city’s future altogether.

Motion capture propels the story

Utilising Unreal Engine 5’s MetaHuman, the modest 17-strong team at River End Games aim to raise the bar for photorealism in games, mirroring Ninja Theory and their work on Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Stunning cutscene visuals typify Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream’s narrative delivery, its use of carefully scripted and acted cinematic interludes exemplifying its story first deviation away from those aforementioned giants of the isometric stealth genre.

Stealth mechanics overview

All the trappings of the stealth genre you’re likely familiar with are present and correct here in Eriksholm: skulking in shadows, observing enemy patrol patterns, distracting guards with thrown pebbles, non-lethal takedowns (in the form of a dart gun), hiding bodies, crouching in long grass. It’s likely Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream won’t present a mechanic you haven’t encountered before if you’ve played even a stealth-adjacent game. However, blending unique character skills to solve puzzles whilst using the environment diegetically sets the stealth action in this title apart.

Eriksholm, the city

Growing up in Scandinavia, plus the realisation that the region has universal appeal, inspired the Swedish team behind The Stolen Dream to craft an immersive city for their game. Eriksholm, the city, is both beautiful and gritty, harbouring districts with distinct culture, architecture, and socio-economic status. There are hints of Disco Elysium’s Revachol in its political strife, whilst its place in history – turn-of-the-century early 1900s – hints at a city getting to grips with industrialisation and capitalism’s relentless grind. In short, it’s a city undergoing upheaval.

Eriksholm’s inhabitants help Hanna

Oftentimes, NPCs in any game serve as quest givers, or walking talking signposts, but not so much in Eriksholm. Here, the city’s inhabitants know Hanna well, and engage in casual chat when encountered. They’ll also aid Hanna in her quest to stay one step ahead of the police, providing access to hidden routes whilst delaying any chasing officers. Citizen behaviour in The Stolen Dream is indicative of River End Games’ wider philosophy to treat every NPC – be it the general public or the pursuing police force – as characters with their own perspectives, reinforcing the grounded believability of the city they’ve created.

Hanna, and her specific skills

Or, lack thereof. See, Hanna is not trained in espionage. It’s implied she’s brushed with the law before, but she doesn’t come equipped with night vision goggles or silenced pistols. She’s an ordinary citizen driven into a life of subterfuge by forces outside of her control. That said, she does possess a back-of-her-hand knowledge of Eriksholm which she can use to her advantage. Plus, in order for the game to present puzzles which can only be solved by combining her actions with her accomplices, she possesses some unique traits: she’s the only one of her 3-strong team capable of squeezing through tight spaces. She acquires the dart gun during her journey too, giving her opportunity to shoot and incapacitate guards from distance.

Alva and Sebastian

Accompanying Hanna, and freely switchable between once enlisted, at set points throughout her journey are Alva and Sebastian, the former possessing unique ability to climb pipes whilst the latter – an elder statesman whose narrative role plays second fiddle to Hanna and Alva’s relationship – can swim.

Skills must be combined to progress

Assessing environmental clues to discover how to combine each of Hanna, Alva, and Sebastian’s skill sets is key to overcoming the game’s puzzles. This process forms the backbone of Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream’s gameplay, and given the explanation provided by the game’s director Anders Hejdenberg these puzzles won’t be a case of, say, Sebastian swimming to the other side of river to lower a drawbridge, but something that requires all three to work simultaneously to progress.

Encounters are hand-crafted

This might be a contentious point given the stealth genre’s propensity to afford players chance to evade would-be captors once spotted, but in Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream encounters are hand-crafted, and failstates exist. See, once spotted the screen fades to black and the scene resets. Whether this is immersion breaking depends on the individual, but designing encounters this way has allowed the dev team to tailor enemy and NPC behaviour to specific situations. Plus, a quick reset maintains the game’s narrative flow.

That said, there’s usually more than one path to success

Yes, Eriksholm’s narrative delivery implies a tightly designed linear experience, but – again, as explained by the game’s director – there is often more than one solution to encounters. The Stolen Dream won’t be a sandbox, but the option to use the environment to your advantage, to distract a patrol by disturbing a flock of birds for example, versus avoiding encounters entirely maintains an element of player agency that is usually lost when game’s are tightly curated.

There are collectables and secrets, too

Reinforcing the game’s attempts to break away from strict linearity is the existence of secret areas and collectables. Indeed, throughout Eriksholm, should players opt to stray away from the beaten path then they might happen upon an unexpected discovery. The ways in which to locate a secret include observing specific guard behaviours and environmental clues, or unconventionally combining character skills to forge imaginative solutions.

Release date, platforms, price

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream releases to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on 15th July 2025. Prices across all platforms haven’t been published on their respective stores at the time of writing but as per an announcement via its Steam news feed the game will retail at £33.50 / $39.99 on PC.

There’s a demo

If you’re after a glimpse of Eriksholm’s immersive, story-led stealth before buying then a demo version is currently available to download for PC players via Steam and EGS. Save files from the demo will carry over to the full game, and it’ll be available right up until release date. Sadly, at present no console demo is available.

In Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream you are none of these things. You’re not a specialist agent of darkness; you are Hanna, a young woman driven to a life of escape and evasion in pursuit of her brother Hermann’s whereabouts, out-foxing her city’s police force who’re also on the hunt. Her skills? A back-of-her-hand knowledge of Scandi-like city Eriksholm’s layout, and a trusting relationship with its agnostic inhabitants. Her motivations? An emotional reconnection with her brother, and an attempt to reunite her family.

In her effort to uncover the mystery surrounding Hermann’s disappearance, Hanna ignites a chain of events catastrophic enough to potentially derail her city’s destiny. As she peels back Eriksholm’s elegance she provokes forces darker than she ever imagined. Unravelling the eponymous city’s secrets lights a fire, a bright beacon casting long, dark shadows; sanctuaries in which she – much like stealth games’ typically elite operatives – can seek respite.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is stealth cooked to a different recipe. Hanna isn’t cut out for combat, let alone killing. She’s brushed with authority before, but invariably she’s vulnerable. However, her intricate understanding of the city and its people is her greatest weapon, far more powerful than the incapacitating dart gun she acquires later during her quest. Skulking dimly lit alleyways, accessing subterranean networks, squeezing through tight spaces, she can reach points of interest and importance more efficiently than her pursuers.

The citizens she encounters behave naturally, greeting her with good grace, supporting her mission by offering direction through casual chat. Whilst Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream’s moment-to-moment gameplay resembles what you’ve learned to expect from the genre – observing patrol patterns, chucking noisy distracting objects, crouching in long grass, et cetera – it’s Hanna as it’s leading protagonist who sets the game apart.

Hanna isn’t the game’s only player controllable character though, her ally Alva also tags along – trailed by Sebastian much later on – with control freely switchable between all protagonists throughout. Each brings individual skills to the table too; Hanna crawls through vents, Alva climbs drain pipes, Sebastian can swim, and so on. The game’s environmental puzzles require players to use each of their party collaboratively in order to progress together. This design choice veers away from stealth titan Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun’s multi-character approach whereby, as distinct as each operative was, any obstacles could usually be tackled solo; firing a cannon to blast a throughway previously inaccessible for their accomplice, for instance.

In devising Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream’s puzzles, the Gothenburg-based team at River End Games have taken a leaf out of fellow Swedes Hazelight Studios’ co-operative playbook whereby hurdles in Split Fiction, for example, are overcome through player-character collaboration; one can’t progress without working with their opposite number, combining their distinct skill sets simultaneously. Eriksholm offers single player comparisons, of course, but similar design ethoses all the same, situations where assessing environmental cues and obstacles in lieu of character skills encourages players to pick apart any given scene before deciding on its most optimal route.  

River End Games’ Game Director Anders Hejdenberg describes Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream as a narrative-led, stealth-puzzle game, and it’s the game’s emphasis on story which drives many of the decisions taken during development by Hejdenberg to reinforce the title’s strong narrative beats.

The city of Eriksholm is inspired by turn-of-the-century Nordic cities. Having grown up and lived in Sweden, numerous of the seventeen-strong team at River End Games were aware of the region’s universal appeal so they worked hard to craft an environment which is both gorgeous and authentic, yet exaggerated by socio-economic and political strife. Each of the city’s districts is distinct, exuding culture, architecture, and social order that’re recognisably unique from one another.

Overall, its aesthetic borrows a little from Dishonored’s Dunwall with a little more from Disco Elysium’s Revachol, filtered through shades of dreamlike Studio Ghibli quality, most notably from Scandi-inspired Kiki’s Delivery Service. Much like Revachol of Disco Elysium, underlying Eriksholm is class conflict, with unrestrained industrialisation and capitalism’s looming annihilation further thematic integrations. Again, akin to Disco Elysium, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream utilises its themes to provide multiple perspectives for the player to absorb and reflect on. The team have been very clear not to slip into cliché by defining rich suburbs as inhabited by evil doers, for example. Instead, the city’s atmosphere feels grounded in believable reality. As a platform intended for emotional storytelling, a city designed any other way simply wouldn’t be as effective.

It’s no surprise to learn that the city itself was the first stage of the game’s construction which River End Games focused on. An environment steeped in history yet on the precipice of a new age of technological opulence is a deeply interesting place to exist in. The game’s puzzles, its characters, patrolling enemies, and ambling pedestrians, all share the same beating heart. Narrative informs everything; everyone and everything has a story to tell.

Story-first implies Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is a more tightly curated, linear-by-design experience, more so than any of its stealth action-adventure contemporaries. We see this in its Limbo and Inside-style instafail restarts. When a guard spots a character, for instance, the screen fades to black and the failure rewinds back to the encounter’s onset. Each encounter, as stated by Hejdenberg, is hand-crafted, with reactions from enemies and NPC behaviour alike tailored to specific situations. If the option was present for players to revert back to the shadows until a guard loses interest and returns to their post, then narrative propulsion would be lost.

It’s debatable whether this mechanic fosters enveloping stealth gameplay to its greatest potential, but going into Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream with the mindset this is a story to experience through the aesthetic of stealth should help alleviate any immersion-breaking concerns. Furthermore, puzzles’ solutions are frequently telegraphed to players via diegetic means, for instance: enemy dialogue could clue you into the fact a guard is afraid of birds, so maybe, you’d think, disrupting a flock resting nearby could provide effective distraction. ‘Aha’ moments such as this broaden linear design’s sometimes penned in nature. The guard afraid of birds could probably still be incapacitated by a dart, but contextual solutions integrated into the environment ensures player agency isn’t lost. Eriksholm isn’t a sandbox. However, choice in how to solve problems whilst experiencing an engrossing story that chugs along at a hand-crafted pace is an enticing prospect, and one which should make Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream the stealth game to look forward to.

Its isometric viewpoint might give the impression Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is closely aligned to Commandos, Desperados, or the aforementioned Shadow Tactics, but this is in perspective only. This debut title from River End Games is more akin to emotionally charged narrative-led games like A Plague Tale (Eriksholm’s inhabitants even suffer under the cloud of a debilitating disease dubbed Heartpox) but with novel stealth-based gameplay providing a vehicle in which to mobilise its story. 

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.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

In this age of $70 and $80 titles, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers from Leenzee offers a substantial action RPG experience for just $50. As Wuchang, you’ll venture through the remains of Shu in the late Ming Dynasty, desperately searching for a cure to the Feathering disease, players will battle humans and monstrous foes with 25 unique weapons and 40 spells. With a playtime of 40 to 60 hours, multiple endings, and the freedom to challenge bosses in any order, it could be the next breakout Souls-like when it launches on July 24th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

EA Sports College Football 26

The College Football franchise had its long-awaited resurgence last year, and despite some nitpicks, it was pretty good. Launching on July 10th for Xbox Series X/S and PS5, College Football 26 addresses those issues, upping the authenticity with light shows, drone shows, and more mascots while expanding on plays and formations, adding player Archetypes, and incorporating new mechanics like Block Steering.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4

Just when it seemed impossible, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is finally happening, providing a remake compilation of the third and fourth games in the series with gorgeous new visuals and features. Granted, it doesn’t carry over everything – Pro Skater 4’s Career Mode isn’t open-ended, instead comprising two-minute runs. However, you can increase the timer and even engage in unique objectives via Pro Goals. Even with these caveats, it should be another blast from the past when it launches on July 11th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream

One of the more impressive-looking titles emerging from the Summer of Gaming, River End Games’ Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream combines a 1900s Nordic-style city with an engrossing narrative and stealth mechanics involving multiple playable characters. Despite the small size of its team, the sheer attention to detail in the world and cutscenes is something to behold. Here’s hoping it delivers some substantial gameplay as well when it launches on July 15th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Mecha BREAK

With its progression issues mostly sorted and new maps and Strikers on the way, Mecha BREAK could be the de facto competitive mecha shooter when it launches on July 1st for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Between the unique abilities of each Striker, the stunning aesthetics, and the range of modes – from 5v5 objective-based play to the extraction shooter chaos of MashMak – there’s something for almost every mecha fan.

Donkey Kong Bananza

Donkey Kong and a younger Pauline team up on an epic new adventure that involves extensive environmental destruction, banana collecting, and thwarting the evil Void Company. Bananza’s platforming seemingly channels Bowser’s Fury with its mix of platforming and exploration, but Donkey Kong carves out his own niche – quite literally since he can wreck just about everything. Those chunks can then function as weapons, traversal tools, and much more. With optional challenge ruins, a variety of abilities and outfits, and Bananza Powers for even more mayhem, Donkey Kong Bananza should be everything we need in a Nintendo platformer when it launches on July 17th for the Switch 2.

Shadow Labyrinth

If you thought Bomberman as a gritty post-apocalyptic action title was concerning, say hello to Pac-Man, the all-powerful devouring entity in Bandai Namco’s Shadow Labyrinth. You primarily control Swordsman No. 8, venturing through an unknown planet’s mazes aided by Puck. Defeating threats allows for the latter to devour them, and you can even fuse for traversing obstacles or even transforming into a powerful mech for more damage. As unorthodox as it seems, Shadow Labyrinth may have some meat to its gameplay when it launches on July 18th for Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Killing Floor 3

After a sudden delay, Tripwire’s Killing Floor 3 is now launching July 24th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. The futuristic setting and premise, where players control the rebel group Nightfall, battling the Zeds manufactured by the megacorp, Horizine, with extensive amounts of gore, is still present. However, it enhanced the overall look and feel of its maps, making them grittier and darker in the process while improving the HUD, enemy Zed AI and performance. So far, so good, and if it delivers on its predecessor’s high-octane action, it may be another incredible time.

Super Mario Party Jamboree: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV

Nintendo’s latest “Hear me out” proposition for the Switch 2 is an enhanced version of the Switch 1’s Super Mario Party Jamboree. It’s out on July 24th for $79.99 and offers improved visuals and performance, new mini-games, Frenzy Rules for faster games and support for the Joy-Con 2’s mouse controls. There’s also Jamboree TV, which requires the Switch 2’s camera, as a new means to experience the game. Whether it’s worth the full price is subjective but if you own the current game and don’t mind spending $20 for the Upgrade Pack, it may be worth checking out.

Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game

With so many titles in The Lord of the Rings series involving war scenarios and brutal combat, it’s nice to play a life sim that embraces the simpler things. Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game purports to fulfil that fantasy, as you control a Hobbit in the Shire, mingling with others, tending to your garden, cooking meals and hosting parties. It’s available on July 29th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

A throwback to the classic Ninja Gaiden side-scrollers, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound proved incredibly impressive in its recent demo. Alternating between Kenji Mozu and the Black Spider Clan’s Kumori, players engage in a punishing action platforming adventure, continuously chaining powerful strikes to take out enemies. Swift, savage and sleek, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound launches on July 31st for Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business

If Teyon’s base game resonated with you in an old-school first-person shooter sense, then good news as Unfinished Business offers more of the same. As a standalone expansion, it features new abilities and weapons alongside a new range of mercenary enemies and challenges as Murphy ascends the OmniTower. Even more notable are the flashbacks to his pre-RoboCop life, which brings some very human vulnerabilities to the mix. RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business launches on July 17th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Ready or Not

With the SWAT franchise well and truly buried, Ready or Not could serve as a worthy substitute for those who want methodical, tactical shooting. Between managing the status of your units to enforcing real-world tactics, it promises realistic combat scenarios where planning and execution are paramount. Of course, you can also engage in five-player co-op and watch the chaos unfold. Ready or Not is already available on PC and will be launching on July 15th for Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

Total Chaos

A new psychological horror title with an excessively dark color palette wouldn’t ordinarily attract much attention, but Total Chaos is from the creator of the stellar Turbo Overkill. Venturing through an unforgiving world, scavenging materials to make weapons, and battling monstrosities looks intriguing – like a first-person version of Darkwood. PC players can experience it on July 24th, but there’s a free demo available to try now.

Ratatan

If the arrival of Patapon 1 + 2 Replay wasn’t enough, rhythm game fans can look forward to its spiritual successor on July 24th for PC via Steam Early Access. The recent free demo certainly showcased room for improvement, but the appeal of rogue-like rhythm combat with co-op support and more than 100 characters, combined with the stellar soundtrack and gorgeous visuals, looks too good to resist.

The trailer provides a peak of the world and some locations players will venture through. From underground passageways to riverbanks, there’s quite a lot to explore. Of course, there’s plenty of knocking out enemies, sneaking about, avoiding searchlights, and much more.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream launches on July 15 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Set in the fictional 1900s city of the same name, it features three protagonists who must battle against oppression. They possess unique skills and weapons, and depending on the situation, there will be different ways to complete objectives. Stay tuned for details en route to launch.