Celebrating the eighth anniversary of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, the developer has finally released a current-gen upgrade for its console versions. This means that PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players can finally stop relying on backwards compatibility and can instead experience the grand adventure while still making use of their powerful consoles’ capabilities.

Now, let’s get this out of the way before we get into reexamining the medieval RPG in the modern context. This current-gen upgrade is largely oriented towards visual fidelity and performance improvements. In its own announcements, the developer says the upgrade uses PC Ultra Quality as the baseline, alongside added/improved features previously only available on PC. Even just starting up the game for the first time it’s immediately obvious this is a step up from the original console releases, helped by higher-resolution textures/models (toggleable in settings) and other PC-grade features making their way over. In fact, I’d go as far as to note that, while we don’t quite get massive leaps in visual fidelity in new console generations that we used to see in the 1990s and 2000s, Kingdom Come: Deliverance on PS5 shows that there is still plenty of difference.

"The best thing that I can say about these improvements is that they are almost entirely invisible."

This difference becomes even more evident when you actually play the game. When it first came out, it was quite clear that Kingdom Come: Deliverance is best experienced on a capable PC. The PS4 release of the title targeted a playable frame rate of 30 FPS, but unfortunately, the console would often chug along, with graphically intense moments often involving dips down to 20 FPS. Along with this, the base PS4 couldn’t even run the game at 1080p, being limited to 900p instead. The PS5 version, on the other hand, feels far superior. On PS5, the game targets up to 60 FPS while outputting a 4K image via FSR upscaling—with the internal render resolution boosted to 2560×1440 and supported by dynamic resolution in heavier scenes. Even intense moments couldn’t really do much to bring the frame rate down.

The developer had noted many improvements made to the game and the heavily modified version of CryEngine it runs on to achieve this, including dynamic resolution and optimized asset streaming. The best thing that I can say about these improvements is that they are almost entirely invisible. I never really felt like my resolution was being dropped to favor performance, and personally, as long as I’m getting smooth frame rates, I wouldn’t really have cared even if it was noticeable. When it comes to the visuals and performance, the PS5 release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance feels like a triumph, aside from one minor issue.

Despite all the optimization work, loading still feels more noticeable than you’d expect from many PS5-native games, even if it’s dramatically improved over last gen. Now, don’t get me wrong, this is far from the horrendous loading times we used to see on previous-gen HDD-based consoles, and the PS5’s SSD is still quite obviously speeding things up to a notable extent. However, when compared to other modern titles, like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 for instance, the load times are definitely on the slightly longer side. This, however, is a nitpick at best, since it still loads up incredibly quickly compared to the PS4 release, and in my testing I was typically looking at single-digit seconds at the start of a session—fast, but not always ‘blink-and-you-miss-it’ fast.

"Kingdom Come: Deliverance basically leaves you to your own devices."

The story of Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a long and epic one. Protagonist Henry is a simple commoner. The son of a blacksmith in the Bohemian town of Skalitz, he lives out his life helping his parents with work. However, one day in the year 1403, life as he knows it is changed. An army raids Skalitz—a brutal invasion tied to the conflict consuming Bohemia, and Henry’s life is shattered overnight. Fueled by his desire for revenge, Henry joins Lord Radzig Kobyla and slowly starts unraveling the conspiracy behind this attack.

Generally speaking, the story is quite compelling. While it might be difficult to get your head around all of the characters that are introduced, especially since you can spend a long time between seeing them again, the narrative as a whole plays out in an interesting way that will keep you guessing throughout your run with the game.

After this initial setup, Kingdom Come: Deliverance basically leaves you to your own devices. It is entirely up to you whether or not you might want to take on the main story quests, take up any of the several side quests, or even just roam around and explore the world, making a living off hunting and foraging. The systems powering the open-world RPG are entirely classless, with progression revolving entirely around the things you might do in the world. Get into a lot of fights with a sword, and you’ll find your mastery with the weapon slowly rising. Even non-combat skills can be developed in similar ways, and in fact, Henry doesn’t even have the ability to read when you first start out. This character development system plays a major role in making Kingdom Come: Deliverance such a compelling game.

"[Combat] is a complex system that feels quite rewarding once you actually figure it out and start winning fights at a more common pace."

Another major aspect of Kingdom Come: Deliverance is its melee combat system. Rather than featuring simple hack-and-slash gameplay, getting into a fight here is a more deliberate affair. Various stats of your weapon, like the length of your blade and its weight, play a vital role in how much damage you can do. Along with this, you also have to pick which angles you want to attack from, and how you should block incoming attacks. It is a complex system that feels quite rewarding once you actually figure it out and start winning fights at a more common pace. Ranged combat is more straightforward… but bows and crossbows don’t always help much against armored enemies.

Let’s not forget that the PS5 release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance also features plenty of content beyond the base game thanks to the inclusion of seven post-launch expansions that were released between 2018 and 2019. These DLCs range from minor—like a Hardcore Mode difficulty—to middling—like a series of treasure hunts—to more interesting stories, like The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon, or A Woman’s Lot.

Despite the generally-excellent quality of the game itself, the console versions of Kingdom Come: Deliverance have previously been difficult to recommend thanks to the severe performance issues. Thankfully, the current-gen upgrade has erased all these issues. It also helps that, eight years on, Kingdom Come: Deliverance remains a phenomenal open-world RPG that challenges players with its deep progression systems, non-linear questing, and simulationist approach to the world.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

“Dan has a new role. That’s the creation of the Kingdom Come movie,” said Frývaldský (via machine translation). “I’m sure people will wonder if this is some kind of breakup with Warhorse. No, on the contrary, Dan himself wanted to move on. He made three games that were a global success, and he has been wanting to try something different for a long time.”

Frývaldský went on to note that a film adaptation of Kingdom Come is a major milestone that Warhorse Studios as a whole wants to achieve. He also said that, while Vávra won’t be around in the offices much as part of his new role, he is still a member of the studio.

“Getting Kingdom Come to the screen or the screen in the next few years is another milestone that we want to achieve, and that is Dan’s new role,” he said. “You won’t see him in the office every day anymore, but in a broader sense, he is still part of Warhorse.”

As for progress on the movie’s production, Frývaldský has confirmed that a script has already been written, and Warhorse Studios is currently in talks with production companies.

“Anyone who has played Kingdom Come or even Mafia will know Dan’s handwriting and can expect a strong story again,” he said. “We would have to be blind if we didn’t realize how much our brand has grown. In fact, Dan Vávra’s new position could be called transmedia director. In any case, we see the film as a complement to our game creation, which can be extremely successful in its own right.”

Kingdom Come: Deliverance was originally released on PC, PS4 and Xbox One back in 2018. The title was considered a cult classic at the time, with many appreciating its detailed approach to world building and in-depth gameplay mechanics. Over time, the title would go on to become quite successful, which in turn would lead to the development of its sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

The story of Kingdom Come: Deliverance revolves around a young man named Henry, living in the village of Skalitz. While he lives a simple life as the son of a blacksmith, things take a dark turn when a sudden invasion ends up with the death of everyone he knows and loves. This fateful event leads Henry down the path to uncovering various conspiracies, while he also works hard to try and achieve his late father’s final request—to deliver a sword to Radzig Kobyla.

More recently, Kingdom Come: Deliverance got a current-gen upgrade to bring its visuals up to par to the capabilities of PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Among other things, it got upgraded visuals, smoother frame rates, and several performance enhancements. As for the sequel, it is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Check out our review for more details.

If you’re keen on a physical edition, that launches on May 15th. As for improvements, the next-gen update offers 4K resolution support, high-resolution textures and an “improved frame rate” (as leaked last month). Based on the trailer provided, there appear to be lighting changes in some places, some looking more natural than others.

Of course, the developer specified other changes and improvements, so hardcore fans will likely learn more by going hands-on. For newcomers on consoles who only experienced Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, this is now the perfect way to experience Henry’s origins.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance launched in 2018, and despite multiple issues, it became a commercial success, having sold over 10 million units to date. It’s also playable on PC and Nintendo Switch. As for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Warhorse Studios recently wrapped support on the title, which has sold five million units in its first year. Check out our review for the base game here.

No real details have been revealed about the core subject of the livestream, aside from it simply being a celebration of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. However, the announcement has led many to believe that Warhorse Studio might finally confirm that it is bringing the open-world RPG to modern consoles. A Reddit thread discussing this announcement has noted that the Xbox store listing for Kingdom Come: Deliverance already has the logo for the current-gen Xbox Series X/S. This, they believe, means that a shadow-drop of the original is happening soon.

Rumors about Kingdom Come: Deliverance coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S have been going on for quite some time now, especially since Warhorse Studio has wrapped up all of the work on its post-launch expansions for the sequel.

Just last month, a PlayStation Store listing for the title was spotted indicating that it has been “Updated for PlayStation 5”. These updates seemingly include 4K support, high-resolution textures, and smoother frame rates. Unfortunately, the listing didn’t indicate whether it would be a free upgrade for those who already own the title, or if it would be a paid one.

For its part, Warhorse Studios has largely stayed quiet about its plans for the future. Following the release of the Mysteria Ecclesiae DLC for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 back in November, however, Jirsa had said that the studio has been working on “something new on the horizon”. Unfortunately, however, he didn’t reveal any more details.

Jirsa had also previously spoken about the development of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and how the studio had to stand its ground against negative feedback from playtests. He noted that a major complaint was the feeling of weakness among the players, which was an intentional design decision.

“We had playtests where some players started a game, did something wrong, immediately got arrested, and gave negative feedback,” he said. “We had the strength to say, ‘Yes, that’s what we want.’” Jirsa went on to note that players feeling weak was an intentional design decision, since it would further improve the sense of accomplishments when they got stronger. “We want the player at the beginning to feel extremely weak,” he explained, “because then the validation of gaining strength feels earned.”

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The first game, on the other hand, is available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Current-gen console players can check out the older open-world RPG thanks to backwards compatibility support. However, a port to modern consoles would likely help quite a bit with smoothing out performance issues faced by the older consoles.

The post is a the latest iteration of the Xbox Excellence Awards, which was created last year to celebrate how players engaged with various releases on Xbox. The Store Rating category lists 2025 games with the best ratings on the Microsoft Store, with an added requirement of the title having at least 500 ratings. Player Engagements is about the average number of hours spent on a game by each player within the first six weeks of a game’s release. Daily Active Users celebrates titles, expansions or updates with the highest single-day active users throughout the year. And finally Units Sold is fairly self-explanatory.

Going down the lists, you’ll find many of the biggest releases of the year, from ARC Raiders and Battlefield 6, as well as award-winning RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Indie titles have also been well-represented, with games like Crime Scene Cleaner and Satisfactory making it into the lists. There also doesn’t seem to have been a singular genre to dominate the lists, since everything from sports games like EA Sports Madden NFL 26, to fantasy adventure life sims like Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, and even fighting games like Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics are well represented.

Curiously, none of the games was present in all four of the categories. At most, we got to see titles like Borderlands 4 being able to make it on to three of them: Player Engagement, Daily Active Users and Units Sold. Even ARC Raiders, which has seen quite a bit of success, is only on the Units Sold and Daily Active Users lists.

Microsoft has also emphasized that the lists represent a diverse collection of games developed by studios of varying sizes. All in all, it represents 48 unique developers based out of 13 countries, with 24 publishers having had a hand in their release. 19 of the games were self-published. “Taken as a whole, it’s an encapsulation of development on Xbox – we want gaming to reach you wherever you are, and for the teams making those games to find you from wherever they are,” wrote the company.

Full list of games:

Store Rating:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Crime Scene Cleaner
• Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2
• Digimon Story: Time Stranger
• Dreamcore
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins
• Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
• Final Fantasy XVI
• Lies of P: Overture
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
• Little Nightmares III
• Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
• Minami Lane
• Mullet MadJack
• Poppy Playtime Chapter 4
• Satisfactory
• Silent Hill 2
• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
• The First Berserker: Khazan

Player Engagement:

• Borderlands 4
• Digimon Story: Time Stranger
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins
• EA Sports College Football 26
• EA Sports FC 26
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
• Farm Together 2
• Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
• Helldivers 2
• Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
• MLB The Show 25
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• NBA 2K26
• NHL 26
• Rust
• Satisfactory
• The First Berserker: Khazan

Daily Active Users:

• Arc Raiders
• Avowed
• Battlefield 6
• Borderlands 4
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Fortnite
• Forza Horizon 5
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Grounded 2
• Helldivers 2
• Marvel Rivals
• Minecraft
• NBA 2K26
• Rematch
• Roblox
• Rocket League
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Units Sold:

• Arc Raiders
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows
• Battlefield 6
• Borderlands 4
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• EA Sports Madden NFL 26
• EA Sports College Football 26
• EA Sports FC 26
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Helldivers 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• MLB The Show 25
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• NBA 2K26
• PGA Tour 2K25
• Ready or Not
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
• WWE 2K25

Next is Relooted on February 10th, followed by BlazBlue Entropy Effect X on February 12th, both for Ultimate and PC tiers. The latter marks the rogue-lite action side-scroller’s debut on consoles, bringing a new character, biome, and story mode.

But wait, there’s more. On the same day, both subscriber tiers can check out Roadside Research, where up to four players control aliens running a gas station, Starsand Island, an early access farming game with an anime aesthetic. February 13th sees Henry coming to visit, specifically Henry of Skalitz, as Kingdom Come: Deliverance becomes available for Ultimate, Premium and PC tiers.

If that’s not enough open-world goodness, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora also joins the service on February 17th. Obsidian’s action RPG Avowed will become available for Premium subscribers on the same day. Fortunately, there’s only one game leaving the service on February 15th – Madden NFL 24 – but considering Madden NFL 26’s arrival, it’s not the biggest loss.

It offers 4K support, high-resolution textures, and an improved frame rate. It’s currently unclear if those who own the PS4 version can access this update, but it lends further credence to rumors about an upcoming remaster. For its part, Warhorse Studios hasn’t really acknowledged the same, simply teasing “something new on the horizon” after the final DLC for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Besides director Daniel Vávra rushing to the defense of Larian Studios in the wake of Divinity’s GenAI controversy, claiming it’s “here to stay,” the development hasn’t offered any further updates on its future. With State of Play rumored for February, perhaps this PS5 update will be a shadow drop alongside other versions then. It’s allegedly taking place in the week of February 12th, so stay tuned for more details.

As for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, it’s available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Since launching in February 2025, it’s received extensive critical acclaim (and more than a few Game of the Year nominations) while selling four million copies as of last November. You can check out our review here for more details.

With so much landing at once, finding the true must-plays can feel overwhelming. But after digging through everything 2025 has to offer, these 15 titles rose above the rest.

The nominees for the best Xbox games of 2025 are:

The Outer Worlds 2

If you liked The Outer Worlds 1, you’ll absolutely adore the sequel. The Outer Worlds 2 triples down on what makes the setting work so well by translating a lot of that directly into gameplay. The Shrink Ray is a great example of that, and so are the many guns, among plenty of other oddities. Beyond the expanded gameplay suite, the quests now offer more varied routing and decision-making than before, placing you firmly in the driver’s seat as you navigate the corporate dystopia within the colony of Arcadia. And thanks to Game Pass, you don’t even have to pay full retail price, giving Xbox a clear leg up over other platforms.

Keeper

Keeper is an indie game that absolutely deserves more attention. Its blend of genres—base-building, mystery, and survival—is executed with smart quality-of-life features and genuinely fun mechanics. Keeper is also a visual standout. The painterly art style and atmospheric music elevate an already addictive gameplay loop, making it easy to lose entire evenings to it. Even with all the AAA blockbusters dropping in 2025, Keeper keeps pulling us right back in.

Battlefield 6

Well, DICE has finally done it—they’ve knocked a Battlefield out of the park for the first time in what feels like ages. This large-scale objective-based FPS recaptures everything players loved about Battlefield 4, with improved squad play, and smartly designed maps that reward coordinated tactics. Paired with phenomenal graphics and impressive performance, Battlefield 6 represents a true return to the glory days of this tactical warfare genre.

Clair Obscur: Expedition

Expedition does just about everything you could ask for in a video game. Its art direction is striking and original, the turn-based timing mechanics add an addictive twist to the classic formula, and the story and characters deliver all the emotional punch RPG fans crave. It’s a masterful consolidation of what makes games unforgettable, making it an obvious frontrunner for multiple game awards.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

I can’t say enough good things about this game, so I’ll be brief. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is simply the most impressive open-world RPG released in recent memory. It sets a new benchmark for main storylines in open-world games, and its side quests are absolutely worth seeking out. You again play as Henry, the down-on-his-luck everyman trying to survive in medieval Europe, and the grounded role-playing systems make this feel like a true immersive-sim experience. From herb brewing to blacksmithing and countless other mechanics, it’s a dense, reactive world. It’s also a visual powerhouse that shines on the Xbox Series X.

Ninja Gaiden 4

You’ve gotta appreciate how unapologetically “video gamey” Ninja Gaiden 4 is. It’s a full-throttle return to the hardcore character-action games of the 2000s, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. The standout highlight, of course, is its buttery-smooth, lightning-fast combat. Few games in 2025 were as rewarding to master as Ninja Gaiden 4’s combo-heavy battle system. Add a story that respects the series’ lore and a crisp graphics/performance package, and you’ve got an easy fan favorite.

Atomfall

In a year with many RPGs, it’s somehow a lower-scale release from the Sniper Elite studio that stands out. This retro-futuristic RPG benefits from Rebellion’s reliably strong gunplay, while its crafting and survival systems create an engaging gameplay loop that encourages all the looting you could want. But it’s the clever environmental storytelling and branching narrative that make this one warrant multiple playthroughs. If you like Fallout in any capacity, you owe it to yourself to give Atomfall a shot.

Elden Ring: Nightreign

Nightreign may not be what the purely single-player crowd hoped for, but it proves that FromSoftware is more than capable of branching out from their usual formula. Yes, the game still takes place in a familiar though dramatically rearranged Lands Between, but its wild new bosses and fast-paced co-op structure make it hard to put down once you start.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins

If you’ve never played a Musou game before, this is the place to start. It’s a reboot that refines and enhances everything about the series while telling the Three Kingdoms narrative from a fresh cinematic angle. Battles are as massive as ever, with hundreds of enemies on-screen posing a threat to your larger-than-life warrior. Seeing all the familiar Three Kingdoms characters fully voice-acted with lengthy scripts is a genuine delight; this is some of the strongest character work the franchise has ever seen.

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows

It’s been a long time coming, but a feudal Japan Assassin’s Creed has been finally delivered. Classic AC stealth is represented through the shinobi Naoe, while Yasuke the samurai offers a more arcade-y brawler playstyle. The dual-protagonist structure broadens the narrative while executing the most robust gameplay suite the series has ever featured. But the true star is the setting. Sixteenth-century Japan looks spectacular thanks to the dynamic weather, day/night cycle, and diverse biomes.

DOOM: The Dark Ages

I don’t know how, but id Software continues to reinvent Doom’s gameplay with every installment. This time, the Doom Slayer arms himself with medieval armor and a brutal flail, turning the familiar demon-slaying chaos into something both fresh and ferocious. Between the heavy metal soundtrack and the medieval enemies, Doom: The Dark Ages feels new while still preserving everything fans love about the genre.

Borderlands 4

Borderlands 4 may largely stick to the established formula, but it refines its looter-shooter DNA in meaningful ways. The standout improvement is the loot system: drop rates feel more balanced and quality-of-life upgrades like a dedicated legendary icon finally make sorting your haul painless. Meanwhile, combat remains as sharp satisfying as ever. With its biggest open world yet and the strongest gameplay in the series, Borderlands 4 is the 2025’s best looter-shooter.

Black Myth: Wukong

Xbox players can finally enjoy what many considered 2024’s Game of the Year. Nailing the FromSoftware-inspired formula while maintaining a wholly unique identity is no easy task, yet Game Science managed to exceed expectations. The animation work surrounding the protagonist’s transformations and abilities is exceptional, and the setting is truly enchanting. It’s easy to lose track of time battling a tough boss, but the lean, focused level design respects that time without adding any unnecessary bloat.

Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 is another smash hit from 2024 arriving on Xbox platforms, and it’s an absolute treat. Servers have been smooth and reliable, and frequent updates keep missions, objectives, and enemy factions feeling fresh. Few squad-based games are as funny, chaotic, and endlessly replayable as Helldivers 2. If you’re on Xbox, now is the perfect time to dive in.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

What an absolute delight it was to see Bethesda shadow-drop a remake of one of their most influential titles back in April. The best part is how faithful the remaster remains to the original while still looking fantastic on modern hardware. Many longtime fans may miss the old bloom-heavy aesthetic, but this remaster nails the lighting and texture work on a technical level. Quality-of-life additions—like a sprint toggle and new combat animations—make this the ideal way to experience Oblivion. Best of all, it releases at a reasonable price and includes all DLC and expansions.

And the Best Xbox Game of 2025 Goes to:

Clair Obscur: Expedition

Expedition is tailor-made for those who cherish the artistic and interactive potential of video games. Its gripping, gut-wrenching story and deep yet familiar battle system keep you hooked from start to finish. It’s a complete experience in every sense. More importantly, it embraces its identity wholeheartedly. The enemies are unlike anything else in modern gaming; you don’t see masked  many nightmare inspired creatures in any other RPGs, for example.

Its exploration of themes like fate and sacrifice may sound derivative on paper, but in execution it feels like a classic story reimagined through a unique lens. Only video games can convey this blend of style, timing-based combat, and narrative impact so cohesively. And so, Expedition rises to the top as our favorite Xbox game of 2025. It fires on all cylinders, and does so with a voice that is distinctly its own.

We’ve played them all, and picked our favorites to give you a few choices for the holidays and beyond as we wait for a new batch of great games from 2026. As it stands, our nominees for the best PC games of 2025 are:

1. INAZUMA ELEVEN: Victory Road

Intense football RPG action with a layer of anime polish can be quite appealing to either an anime or a football fan, but this one is more than that. It offers an almost endless amount of playable content thanks to a massive roster of characters, and a lot of replay value thanks to its single and multiplayer modes. There’s a lot to enjoy here, and a very rewarding journey along the way.

2. Dispatch

Joining Robert Robinson III on this charming and often hilarious take on superheroes is sure to have you very invested in its story and mechanics right off the bat. Dispatch hits all the right notes and brings a charming cast to the stage, while a riveting narrative weaves their lives together with the SDN acting as a binding thread. It captures your attention and manages to hold it long enough for this one to become endearing.

3. Hades 2

We always knew the long wait for this one was going to be worth it. Hades 2 is an absolute blast with its roguelike action-RPG gameplay loop, blending very well with its story and unique art style. Its potent combination of style, substance, and satire is sublime, while the combat does come with enough challenge to keep you on your toes. Look no further than this one for hours of quality fun.

4. The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

If you haven’t gotten around to this one after playing the first game, or perhaps coming to the franchise after the live-action shows, this one is definitely going to have you invested. The remaster does a brilliant job of improving on the strengths of the original release, making it the best possible way to experience the adventure that awaits. For those of you already familiar with how it all ends, another playthrough is always on the cards anyway.

5. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

Every hour you sink into this action-packed JRPG is going to be worth it, with its story, characters, combat, and general allure drawing you in and leaving you with so much to do in its world. It’s also very replayable, which is a great way to keep the story going and your characters’ stories playing out on increasingly harder difficulties. This one does its genre justice and is a world that calls to you at every turn.

6. Absolum

With a combat system worthy of a chef’s kiss, accompanied by a roguelike gameplay loop that’s very addictive indeed, Talamh is a place you might find pretty hard to leave. The battle against the Crimson Order and Azra is the perfect excuse for some good old beat ‘em up action, and this one is excellent on that front. Between all the character archetypes on offer, it’s probably going to keep you busy for a while.

7. Clair Obscur Expedition

This one’s already winning quite a few awards and nominations, and with good reason. The Continent and Expedition’s beloved cast of characters are reason enough to fall in love with The Paintress’s world. But all of the adversity and loss they have overcome have you invested in the entire journey. It’s almost as if you’re a part of the expedition too, and the one who decides its fate. It’s an experience that comes along every once in a while to show you what a great game can do.

8. Hollow Knight: Silksong

This one’s release was among the year’s most pleasant surprises, and taking over a new adventure as Hornet was an absolute treat. The combat was familiar yet fresh, while the explorable world’s size and scope were overwhelming at first, and simply delightful as we kept losing ourselves in its confines. Add a very enticing art style and excellent level designs, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

9. Blue Prince

This is among the more unique ones on this list. Helping Simon secure his inheritance of the Mt. Holly Estate might not be the most action-packed game on this list, but it certainly stretches your mental faculties in your quest to locate the mansion’s hidden room. No two days are alike, and you’re soon going to be thinking about this one even when you’re not in your gaming chair.

10. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Oh, what an RPG this one turned out to be. With a massive map full of quirky folks, mysteries, intrigue, and some good old adventures to be had along the road, it was a sequel that stayed true to its roots while building out the franchise in a number of meaningful ways. The story is top-shelf, while an abundance of things to do is going to keep you quite busy as you play it all.

11. ARC Raiders

This extraction shooter has been among the few games we’ve visited almost daily, not because we had to, but because we wanted to. It’s been the perfect choice for a quick session where we kick back, and set out to meet other players in a world where the community has now made identifying friends from foes a part of the fun. Its design lends itself to the chaos that such decisions can cause, and you’re going to have a lot of unpredictably fun moments with this one.

12. Assassin’s Creed Shadows

With a perfect blend of the samurai and shinobi’s ways, and a massive recreation of feudal Japan to let those two archetypes loose in, Shadows is a great addition to the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Naoe and Yasuke are great characters, their skillsets lending themselves to some very interesting ways to achieve your goals. A stunning world and protagonists whose blades could strike from the shadows or the light is certainly an adventure worth having.

13. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth

Cloud Strife’s fight against the Shinra is the perfect backdrop for an explosive story, combined with some incredible gameplay mechanics that make this one’s long-awaited PC version worth playing even if you’re not a fan of Final Fantasy. We’d recommend hooking up a DualSense to your PC for this one to get the most out of its haptic integration, while enjoying all of the visual bells and whistles that it has to offer. It’s the best of both worlds, really.

14. Monster Hunter Wilds

Beautiful biomes, a wide variety of impeccably designed monsters to hunt, and a plethora of quests to keep you travelling across the Forbidden Lands make this one a fine choice for those of you looking for a meaty RPG. Excellent build variety and deep combat mechanics, along with a charming world full of things to pique your curiosity, are more reasons to jump in and enjoy yourself thoroughly.

15. Lumines Arise

Simple mechanics can often lead to complex gameplay loops, and Lumines Ares is a great example of that. No two rounds of this puzzle game are the same, and it takes the concept of Tetris to a whole new level with a very unique visual design and audio design that weaves itself into the game’s DNA quite creatively. This one’s impressive and addictive, which is quite a potent combo.

16. Battlefield 6

Among the year’s best looking shooters, Battlefield 6 might have drawn a bit of flak for its campaign, but that does not take away from the fact that its shooting mechanics are very much on point. If you’re looking for a multiplayer shooter that shows off what your PC can do while also being a great option for those extended gaming sessions, this one has everything you need and more.

17. The Alters

If a game that has you creating alternate versions of yourself to progress further in its story sounds cool to you, you’re in luck. Jan Dolski’s story might seem quirky on the surface, but there’s a surprising amount of depth on offer here, and your choices carry a lot of weight in the bargain. This one’s among the most creative titles we’ve played this year, and is going to remain among the most unique ones we’ve encountered over the years.

18. The First Berserker: Khazan

Khazan’s revenge-fuelled rampage is a stylish, well-designed game that puts its combat front and center and challenges you to play it on its terms before it gives you the satisfaction you crave from a title of its calibre. With an interesting story and characters backing up the action, along with a distinct visual style to sell it all, this one is going to have you white knuckled as you take on its many threats.

19. Bionic Bay

Atmospheric, immersive, and mentally challenging, Bionic Bay makes excellent use of a solid premise to give you an experience that’s going to have you wanting more. It’s a test of your patience just as much as it’s a test of your ability to get creative with solutions to the problem in front of you. It’s exhilarating when you get it right, while the way it all comes together is a reward on its own with this one.

20. Jurassic World Evolution 3

With Jeff Goldblum coming back to the fold as Dr. Ian Malcolm, and a very encouraging approach to setting you up for success as you manage your dinosaurs and facilities, this one gets you locked in pretty quickly. We still go back to our parks for some routine maintenance from time to time, watching the dinosaurs we’ve helped bring to life thrive. It’s quite relaxing and a lot of fun until Extinction Now rears its ugly head.

And there you have it. These are the PC games from 2025 we think deserve your attention. But there has to be a winner, right? We’ve an inkling you already know what’s coming.

The winner of the best PC game in 2025 is

Clair Obscur: Expedition

Clair Obscur: Expedition , a game that has surpassed expectations and goes above and beyond to enthrall its players.

Its visual style lends it realism while leaving room for artistic flourishes. Its cast of characters sells its material so well that you find yourself even rooting for its antagonist. You’re going to be humming its soundtrack and maybe even listening to it in the gym. Its story is going to take you to places you might not be ready to visit. Its combat might fool you into thinking it’s an easy experience with no challenge involved. In short, it’s everything a great game should be, and is one that’s going to remain close to our hearts in the years to come.

And that’s a wrap on the best PC games of 2025! We’re looking forward to doing it all over again next year, and to keep bringing more of gaming’s best to your screens.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered

Cyrodiil may not be the largest world in The Elder Scrolls series to date, but it still holds its own, especially in Virtuos’s remaster. The side quests were already acclaimed for their variety and quirkiness – from sleeping in an inn on a boat and waking up to find it hijacked to the missing painter. But it’s a joy to explore the world and take in your surroundings, made even better with locations like The Shivering Isles.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Say what you will about Assassin’s Creed Shadows – and everyone’s had their fair share to say this year – the scale is simply phenomenal. You’ll scour the remains of Harima with its many corpses, witness gorgeous castles like Azuchi, bask in the almost hypnotic Omi Lake, and so much more. A lot of effort has gone into accurately capturing their details – the only disappointment is that there won’t be a Tourism Mode like previous titles.

Atomfall

Rebellion’s take on a post-nuclear disaster world, inspired by the actual English countryside, is one that I still find endearing, despite other flaws. The free-form nature of exploration, as you can go almost anywhere, be it the abandoned laboratories of BARD or different settlements, including the highly strung Wyndham Village. Whether it’s locating clues to venture into hidden bunkers or discovering mutant plants, the world feels dense and lived-in.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Did anyone expect that Metroid Prime 4 would go, ahem, beyond with its scale when it was announced all those years ago? Viewros isn’t just a cacophony of jungles with ravenous beasts or facilities in volcanic caverns. It’s also a vast series of deserts, navigated by the sleek new bike, Vi-O-La, which allows for some light shoot ’em up action to break up the exploration and scanning.

Monster Hunter Wilds

As annoying as its performance, end-game, and other woes have been, I will admit: There’s something about the Forbidden Lands in Monster Hunter Wilds. Maybe it’s the weather and other conditions shifting in real-time, causing other monsters and resources to appear, or their design, whether it’s the spiralling elevations of Oilwell Basin or the sheer openness of the Windward Plains. Even if you’re mostly dashing through on your mount, stopping and observing nature as a whole yields some impressive discoveries.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Coming off of one of the longest side-scrollers ever (not including the DLC), it’s unsurprising that Silksong should be just as massive. Each location has a unique hook, enemies, bosses, and surprises, from the prison break without equipment to the mechanically beautiful intricacies of the Clockwork Core. But the fact that Team Cherry could pack so much in that’s also completely missable – including an entire third Act – is simply bonkers.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Featuring the entirety of Honolulu from Infinite Wealth is already an insane flex when it comes to the sheer size of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. But what’s a high seas adventure without an ocean and multiple islands to traverse, complete with treasure hunting, crew recruitment and naval combat? For what’s essentially a non-mainline entry, the sheer scale and coverage are pretty insane, but still manageable enough to clear in under 50 hours.

Clair Obscur

To say that Sandfall Interactive’s environments are a tour de force in aesthetic beauty and fidelity would be an understatement. Fields of giant swords, massive landscapes of battles past, the stadium full of Nevron dancers – it’s an endless stream of incredible levels, some feeling compact while others are absolutely massive. And that’s not even accounting for the secret spots where some of the most devious challenges await.

Ghost of Yōtei

Ezo is a fascinating region in Sucker Punch’s long-awaited follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima. With no bearings or directions, it’s vastly larger than your map indicates. Even as the flame-charred remains of Ishikari Plains, the frozen wilds of Tokachi Range, and the battered Oshima Coast become familiar, it never loses its incredible sense of discovery. From the peak of Mount Yōtei to the reaches of Saito’s fortress, its massive size is matched by its sheer range of activities.

Where Winds Meet

We’ve already covered just how massive the Jianzhu can be, promising over 100 hours of solo content alone, but it bears repeating, especially for a free-to-play experience. There are over 20 regions, each uniquely crafted to offer a distinct atmosphere and numerous points of interest. Then there’s Kaifeng City, which packs in thousands of NPCs and various activities, almost feeling like it could have been the sole location in a smaller game. Even with horses and practically soaring through the skies, the Jianzhu is simply awe-inspiring.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Taking it as a challenge to dwarf the original, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 just packs in so much more throughout. That includes the landscape, which provides a wider range of gorgeous sights, such as Kuttenberg, the biggest city yet with traders, armorers, combat arenas, and various associated quests. But even those who wish to embrace the great outdoors will encounter more than their fair share of adventure.

The Outer Worlds 2

The fact that you can spend over a dozen hours on the starting planet should give you enough hints about the overall size of The Outer Worlds 2. From there on, you’ll venture to the lush greenlands of Eden, the desert reaches of Dorado, the icy of the Cloister and more, including the ACS Undisputed Claim, which is a massive trading hotspot. Even if many of these climates will seem familiar, they’re packed with unexpected discoveries (and threats).

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Compared to its predecessor, Death Stranding 2 mostly unfolds across two locations. One look at Mexico, the first, and you’re just absolutely dwarfed by the sheer size and scale, but then you reach Australia, and it’s even bigger. Perhaps even more impressive – besides all the requests, facilities, and whatnot – is how varied the flora and fauna are throughout. Even the mountain ranges are significantly more complex than anything from the first game. The fact that you can explore and surmount these in different ways makes them all the more endearing.

Mario Kart World

No, this isn’t Forza Horizon levels of quality, but the “world” of Mario Kart World is pretty cool. Navigating the freeways between races, taking advantage of hops and wall rides while avoiding traffic, can be fun. The drifting, power-ups and utter madness of each race are still the appeal, but if you’re looking to unwind, maybe unlock new outfits or complete with P Switch challenges, free roam is a near-boundless playground.

Borderlands 4

It’s funny to look back and see just how Gearbox undersold the sheer openness of Kairos. Aside from a few instance boss fight locations, you can seamlessly travel from the Fadefields to Carcadia Burn and Terminus Range without any loading screens. The sheer variety of activities, from enemy camps and towers to capture to Drill Sites, Order Bunkers and Auger Mines, is also impressive. For me, it’s the verticality, which excellently leverages the new traversal mechanics, that really shines.