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.

Having played plenty of indie games with lackluster stealth mechanics, I was surprised at just how satisfying the stealth is in this game. Steel Seed is Storm in a Teacup Studios’ first game, and yet the Hitman DNA seeps through this indie game’s veins providing refined stealth gameplay. Basic enemies have predictable patrol patterns, making it a frustration-free experience to sneak up and stealth kill them.

I particularly enjoy baiting enemies with a sound pulse as I hide behind cover only to take them out as they approach. Each enemy encounter you have in the game supplies you with plenty of obstacles to hide behind. There’s even patches of holographic grass that fully cloaks you when you’re crouched. You unlock an ability that remotely deploys these batches of holo grass later on which becomes particularly useful in densely populated zones. And what I like is how organic the areas manage to look despite the obvious gaminess here, and that’s thanks to the fantastic level design, which we’ll get into in a bit.

"Patches of holographic grass cloaks your visibility when you’re crouched."

Of course, stealth becomes broken and frustrating if the enemy AI isn’t adequate, and in this, Steel Seed doesn’t disappoint. Enemies catch you in their line of sight if you try rushing things, alerting others in the area of your presence. You can’t just crouch back in the grass or duck behind cover and hope enemies will immediately forget and retreat. They attack you until you completely leave the area or find a good enough hiding spot like a climbable tower above their heads. The smart enemy AI really compels the player to analyze the surrounding area for adequate hiding spots and evac routes in case things go wrong.

Thankfully, it’s easy to get a broad environmental mapping of any situation. Enemies have levels of alertness, with a red exclamation mark indicating pursuit and a yellow question mark prompting them to investigate. One of the main ways to avoid enemy patrols is marking them individually with Koby’s flight mode. You also unlock a patrol path marker ability later that shows each enemy’s specific patrol route.

To top things off, Koby can scan the environment for climbable ledges and hiding spots. You really do feel like Batman with all the intel at your disposal, and that’s mostly thanks to Koby. I also really like using Koby as a kind of shoulder turret. If you’ve played games with similar mechanics, you know how satisfying having your own ranged drone attacker is. Koby gets a number of skills throughout the game. Converting enemies to my side through the hacking skill in particular never gets old.

"Each skill has a prerequisite challenge checklist in order to unlock."

Each skill has a prerequisite challenge checklist in order to unlock. Getting the Skull Piercer skill requires you to destroy 10 enemies’ weak points, for example. This is a neat way to reward skillful play and encourage exploration of the game’s various mechanics. There’s a bunch of other stealth tools at your disposal that get unlocked in the skill tree as well, so I won’t spoil them all here. But you don’t have to rely solely on your perception and stealth IQ in Steel Seed; close quarters combat is also a viable, though less enjoyable, option.

I didn’t find the combat as engaging or interesting as stealth. You’re equipped with a single neon-lit laser sword and of course your ranged drone companion Koby for turret cover. There’s no blocking or parrying in Steel Seed. Nor can you change or upgrade your weapon.

The game instead hones in on dodging and brute force. Perfect dodges are especially crucial considering the brutal amount of damage each hit sustains to Zoe. On the normal difficulty setting, two to three normal hits KO you. And with no block options, dodging is the only way to avoid getting steamrolled. Timing a perfect dodge rewards you with a follow-up heavy attack and some energy restoration, if you unlocked it on the skill tree.

"There’s no blocking or parrying in Steel Seed."

My main source of apathy regarding combat isn’t with controls or anything, but the limited amount of melee options. You have a light attack and strong attack, each with one combo, but you cannot string the two types together smoothly. There’s no light attack dash or light aerial slam attacks either, which further limits melee options.

At least the lock-on works well enough and the general movement feels responsive. While combat isn’t necessarily terrible, it does leave one wanting a bit more out of close encounters, especially since hits are incredibly punishing with little defensive kit to offset it. This is something that’s easy to look past considering the game’s enjoyable and varied stealth mechanics, but it’s still felt when caught up in those close quarters situations where there’s little else but well-timed dodges to fall back on.

Unfortunately, the foes you engage with aren’t any more interesting than your melee options. The game severely lacks in enemy variety. This first five hours has almost nothing but common patrol robots and it doesn’t get much more varied from there. There’s not too many boss fights in the game either, which I’m okay with considering the larger emphasis on stealth overshadowing pure melee encounters. It’s likely the small enemy variety is due in part to the intelligent AI given to each enemy type. They focused on quality and not quantity regarding enemy design, which I can appreciate to an extent.

"It’s a good thing the basic controls are as tight as they are since you’ll be platforming through a sizable portion of the game."

Combat variety aside, Steel Seed is just plain fun to control. Movement is snappy and Zoe’s turn radius is razer sharp. She has a double jump that gets her parkouring across the terrain with a breeze. I do wish there was a mid-air dodge, but the slick slide-to-crouch and general dodge roll suffice well enough in most situations. I can’t even complain about the camera control, which was erratic pre-patch, but has since been greatly smoothed out with its own sensitivity settings. And it’s a good thing the basic controls are as tight as they are since you’ll be platforming through a sizable portion of the game.

3D platformers are among my favorite genres, and I’ve got to say I was surprised how well Steel Seed scratched that itch. I went in expecting a slow paced stealth game, but there’s plenty here to satisfy the parkour crowd too. The monolithic subterranean robot facility you’ll be adventuring through is a platforming paradise. It’s filled to the brim with balance beams, precarious platforms, deadly gaps, wall-run panels, and towering structures with everyone’s favorite yellow paint dotting climbable ledges.

"Every area has unique visuals and challenges, providing a fresh experience all the way to the end."

There’s a good amount of environmental storytelling throughout these platforming sections too. Each process of robot manufacturing gets explored in detail with refineries glowing with red heat and intricate caves housing dark secrets. Each environment dovetails into the next in an organic way too, making the large robotic facility feel all the more immersive to journey through. Something else that impresses me is the variety between environments. I never got fatigued by any repetitiveness at all (well, except in enemy variety); every area has unique visuals and challenges, providing a fresh experience all the way to the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the 3D platforming aspect of the game, so much so that it sits alongside the stealth as my favorite feature that Steel Seed exhibits. That brings me to the game’s overall structure and flow.

You see, Steel Seed isn’t strictly linear but it’s not open-world in its design either. You’re going to hate me for using the dreaded comparison, but it’s by far the closest I can think of. Steel Seed’s levels are structured in a Soulslike manner, Demon’s Souls in particular. Fast-travel checkpoints compartmentalize each of the large zones (or Nodes as the game terms it) into levels.

While there’s very little of the classic looping design from Soulslikes here, there’s plenty of secrets off the beaten path with some branching areas here and there. The fast-travel stations, called S4VI or Savi, restore health in return for respawning the area’s enemies. It’s also here where you unlock skills and save the game. The game does autosave as you go, but your only manual option is at these S4VI stations. Oh, and fast travel stations indicate the completion percentage for each level, giving completionists even more incentive to scour every nook and cranny. I found the gameplay loop of platforming and stealthing my way from one S4VI station to the next to be quite addicting and fun.

"Fast travel stations indicate the completion percentage for each level, giving completionists even more incentive to scour every nook and cranny."

There’s also a hub area that you return to after retrieving each game’s major plot shards. Interestingly enough, the hub is home to a piano minigame. If you’ve played Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, you’ll instantly recognize the interface and function as it’s practically identical. Although there’s no sheet music to play to, you can play basic melodies using scales and chords and even alter the pitch range. Currently, the chords don’t show notation for anything outside of basic major and minor harmonies, and the F note is always sharped for some reason, but it’s a cool music minigame nonetheless.

Anyway, once you’re done tinkering the ivories, you’ll notice that the hub acts as the home for a majority of the game’s plot and progression. Your core objective throughout the game is retrieving four shards to bring your dad, and the future of humanity, back from a devastating cataclysm. While the hub provides a lot of the core plot progression, there’s more to be found through exploration. Data journals are scattered across levels helping shed more light on the massive facility and its history.

Being that this is a post-cataclysmic setting, there’s not a ton of plot advancement throughout the game. You’re retrieving the four McGuffins to save humanity and that’s largely the gist of it. I appreciate the simplistic plot device because the game does a good job filling out the background lore of Zoe’s scientist dad and his managing of the facility well. And despite being a post-cataclysm, the journey doesn’t feel totally silent or lonely either. Zoe and her droid companion banter and interact throughout the game in an endearing way that didn’t grate or irritate me.

The voice acting is good across the board and never felt out of place or overdone either. From a gameplay perspective though, the forced walking sequences during exposition and character reactions slow things down to a crawl, and the real bummer? There’s no way to skip them. I’d much rather have traditional skippable cutscenes than unskippable slow walk sequences, especially since many of them are placed right before a tough battle or parkour sequence where reloads are sure to occur due to a mistake or five.

"The forced walking sequences during exposition and character reactions slow things down to a crawl."

I’ve got to say, I’m thoroughly surprised by Steel Seed. It’s a very competent stealth action platformer from a new indie studio. The atmosphere and level design is awe-inspiring at times and the moment to moment action feels great thanks to responsive controls and fun stealth mechanics. More melee options would’ve helped vary the gameplay up a lot, but it’s serviceable as is. If you’re looking to scratch that stealth action itch, or someone who’s desperately clinging to anything resembling 3D platforming collectathons, like me, Steel Seed comes highly recommended.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Post-cataclysmic world

A more vivid descriptor than commonplace post-apocalypses, in Steel Seed you’ll navigate through the carcass of a planet-sized mega-factory, a world developers Storm in a Teacup describe as post-cataclysmic. See, a catastrophic event has left humanity on the brink of distinction, and with Earth uninhabitable machines sought control of the last remnants of humanity’s survival. Their AI-dominated underground facility is vast, haunting, and evocative, with towering industrial landscapes and eerie biodomes the venues for a narrative said to explore what it means to be human.

Drone companion – Koby’s flight mode

You awaken as Zoe, a human survivor within a robotic body. With no prior memory, Zoe’s journey becomes one of self-discovery (plus the overarching goal to find her father) but throughout her mission she’s accompanied by Koby, a prototype drone who can assist her in numerous ways. By entering Koby’s flight mode, Zoe can analyse surroundings, scan for paths and throughways, and interact with the environment such as flicking out-of-reach switches and engaging with mechanisms.

Stealth gameplay

Steel Seed is a stealth-action adventure, with regular stealth staples like shadows, distractions, and the environment key to successfully sneaking around. Numerous approaches to stealth can be adopted too, with the game not imposing one specific way to tackle an area stalked by numerous enemies. If you decide not to engage, you can crouch-walk Zoe through patches of holographic long grass. However, silent takedowns are, of course, present, with flashy kills possible from above, behind, and below. Stealth gameplay here resembles more of a sandbox style, with Storm in a Teacup founder and Steel Seed game director Carlo Ivo Alimo Bianchi bringing in expertise gleaned from formerly working on the Hitman series.

Using Koby for stealth

Observing enemy patrol patterns is a tried and tested method for a stealthy approach, and whilst we’ve already touched on Koby’s ability to scan the environment it’s worth repeating here that whilst assessing the lay of the land ahead Koby can add tags to multiple targets that’re visible to both the drone and Zoe. Knowing when and where your enemies will walk gives rise to silent takedowns or complete evasion. That holographic grass we mentioned: Koby can learn skills such as the ability to drop patches of said digital grass for areas that don’t have enough cover.

Parkour and platforming

In this sprawling subterranean facility parkour and 3D platforming are the principal means in which Zoe can get about. So, leaping over gaps, grabbing handholds, balancing over ledges, wall running, leaping to yet more handholds – all adorned with typical yellow paint – is the name of the game, and whilst all these classic parkour manoeuvres aren’t strictly unique to Steel Seed it’s this machine-built world – a facility designed for machines, not humans – which will provide unusual hazards and layouts, distinct interest in 3D platforming.

Dynamic combat

As per its Steam page, in Steel Seed you’ll “face off against various enemy types and challenging bosses, each with unique abilities”. Now, we haven’t seen much in the way of enemy variety in official gameplay footage shared thus far, but during an interview with publisher ESDigital Games’ brand manager Ilia Svanidze she spoke of Zoe encountering turrets, dual knife wielding Stalkers, and hulking Brutes in addition to weaker, simpler patrolling robots. When cover is blown and fighting becomes inevitable, Zoe has access to light and heavy attacks which utilise her glow-in-the-dark neon blade. Enemy blows are extremely powerful, so dodging also proves integral the flow of combat.

Perfect dodge

If players can dodge an enemy attack at the precise time, then they’ll execute a Perfect Dodge which will allow Zoe to unleash a special attack which deals an immense amount of damage. Perfect dodges emit a vibrant pulse of pixelated light, with the example shown via official gameplay of Zoe then barrel-rolling over the top of a lurching enemy, her neon blade scything through their servos like a hot knife through butter. Fingers crossed there’re heaps of special attack animations as perfect dodging seems like the most satisfactory method of wiping out Zoe’s enemies.

Using Koby in combat

Drone companion Koby isn’t just useful for scanning the environment. No, his front-mounted cannon makes him a useful sidekick during battle too. His firepower can be aimed squarely at an enemy’s weak points which provides a momentary stun in addition to dealing damage. Koby’s ranged attack capabilities extend to environmental objects too, in particular explosive barrels which can be shot from afar to blast multiple enemies to scrap.

Upgradeable abilities

During battle, Zoe and Koby will gain XP which can be ploughed straight into skill trees. Zoe possesses two skill trees whilst Koby has one and encompassing all three is a vast selection of passive abilities and primary skills and it’ll be up to players how they distribute their XP. It’s been stated that skill trees cannot be completed during a single playthrough, so players will need to consider which abilities they wish to unlock. In total there are forty skills available, with some examples being damage bonuses, cannon unlocks for Koby, or abilities to scan further into the environment.

Notable ability – hacking

One ability that has been prominently highlighted during official gameplay is the ability for Koby to hack enemies, so during one of Zoe’s silent takedowns instead of slicing her robot enemy in half Koby will visually scan the enemies head to presumably reprogram them to fight alongside the pair. It’s only a temporary switching of allegiance for the robot, but as demonstrated in gameplay this hacking ability will prove especially fruitful during encounters where Zoe is overwhelmed. The hacked robot will kill their allies, but furthermore provide a useful distraction for Koby to unleash his ranged firepower, or for Zoe to escape the situation entirely.

Secrets and hidden areas

Steel Seed is not an open world. Instead, missions are linear in design but each biome harbours numerous secrets, hidden areas, and multiple paths through. It’ll be down to Zoe and Koby to identify these secret areas, with collectibles the reward for scouring levels clean. These collectibles include audio logs and documents, items which will flesh out the game world to provide backstory on how the tragic events of humanity’s capitulation occurred. Locating hidden areas will be integral to understanding Steel Seed’s story to the fullest.

Thought-provoking sci-fi narrative

And to that end, Steel Seed is promising a thought-provoking sci-fi narrative which will have players considering the significance of humanity, of the perils of technology, of trust, resilience, control, and despair. This isn’t simply going to be a tale of survival but a meaningful journey whereby a deep and compelling narrative propels players through.

The publisher and developer both explain the delay as being required because the development teams have faced some technical hurdles. While the announcement doesn’t go too deep into these hurdles, they are seemingly related to platform adaptation related to certification tests that studios have to run on their game for a console release.

“Since the game’s announcement, your excitement has been truly inspiring, and we know how much you’ve been looking forward to a deep dive into a dark sci-fi future on all platforms,” wrote ESDigital Games head of marketing Ilia Svanidze in a statement announcing the delay.

“That’s why we want to be completely open with you: We encountered some technical hurdles related to platform adaptation when running our platform certification tests. Rather than rushing the console release and risking a potentially substandard console user experience that requires swift patching, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to delay the launch.”

Svanidze also explained that the studio will be using the extra time it is getting from the delay to further polish all versions of the game.

“Our goal is to ensure that all players, regardless of platform, enjoy a polished and seamless experience,” wrote Svanidze. “We are committed to delivering the ebst possible experience for our players. This additional time will allow us to optimise and polish all versions for launch, so they meet the standard we know you deserve.”

While Steel Seed is seeing a slight delay, as caught by WCCFTech, the game’s store listing on Steam has also been updated, revealing the required PC specs to play the game. The requirements for the game are quite modest, all things considered.

The minimum CPU required for Steel Seed is an Intel i7-3770K 3.,50 GHz or AMD equivalent CPU, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070, Intel Arc 580 or AMD equivalent GPU. The recommended specs bumps this up slightly to an Intel Core i7 6700K 4.0 GHz or AMD equivalent CPU, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070, Intel Arc 770 or an AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT GPU.

Aside from these, Steel Seed will also require players to run on Windows 10 or 11, and requires 16 GB of RAM and 50 GB of storage space.

Leading up to its release later this month, Steel Seed recently got a trailer that gave us a solid look at the opening few minutes of gameplay. In the trailer, protagonist Zoe and her robotic companion KOBY had to platform, sneak and fight their way through a collapsing industrial building as they try and figure out what is happening around them.

The title was originally announced all the way back in June 2023 during the Future Games Show of the time with a trailer.

Looks like it’s our turn to post the Square Image Of Doom, so let’s get this over with quickly, yeah?

We’re moving Steel Seed’s launch date to April 22 due to a few technical hurdles related to consoles.

No, it’s not an April Fools joke (though we’d much rather liked it to be… pic.twitter.com/4b9LfebtUS

— ESDigital Games (@ESDigital_Games) April 1, 2025

Days Gone Remastered

After years of asking for a sequel, Days Gone fans have been rewarded with…a PS5 remaster. Thankfully, Days Gone Remastered, out on April 25th features some notable new content like Horde Assault, where Deacon must survive against larger, more challenging hordes. Enemies become more difficult as time passes, and you can even control brand-new characters to survive for as long as possible.

You also have Speedrun and Permadeath modes with graphical improvements, reduced loading times and DualSense support. PS4 owners can upgrade to the remaster for $10, and all content will be available for PC players via the Broken Roads DLC at launch.

Forza Horizon 5 (PS5)

For a long time (over three years, in fact), the de facto racing experience on PS5 has been Gran Turismo 7. However, it’s finally getting some real competition when Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 5 launches on April 25th. It’s the first title in the franchise to debut on a Sony console and, more importantly, one of the very best with its incredible open world, stunning visuals, hundreds of cars, and a litany of features.

Best of all, a new update, Horizon Realms, goes live the same day, offering up 11 returning tracks, the new Stadium Track, over 60 Accolades, new cars, and much more.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered (PC)

Just when you thought it was over, somehow, The Last of Us returns, right on time for season 2 of the TV series. It’s the PS5 remaster debuting for PC on April 3rd, and alongside all the platform-specific features like support for Ultrawide displays, DLSS and FSR, there’s some brand new content in No Return. The rogue-like mode will receive two new characters and four new maps to go with the previously included Lost Levels, developer commentary, Guitar Free Play and more.

South of Midnight

With a story seeped in Deep South mythology and stop-motion-like visuals for its cutscenes, South of Midnight is an unexpectedly endearing new title from Compulsion Games. Launching on April 8th for Xbox Series X/S and PC, it’s about Hazel who becomes a Weaver after her hometown is wrecked by a hurricane. From interacting with giant fish and crocodiles to mending spiritual bonds, she seeks her own place in the universe while dealing with tragedy. With about 15 to 25 hours of gameplay, South of Midnight could be one of the more underrated titles of the year.

Commandos: Origins

Jack O’Hara and his legendary Commandos return, albeit in a prequel that explores their origins. Launching on April 9th for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S, players will embark on over ten missions throughout World War 2, combining their squad’s strengths to succeed. Go alone or with a friend in split-screen or online co-op, and experiment with different approaches to succeed, be it stealth, subterfuge or chaos.

Descenders Next

An extreme-sports-meets-rogue-like title is already fairly unorthodox, but RageSquid is taking the formula even further with Descenders Next. You can still play solo or with up to other players and find the best way to reach the bottom of the mountain as quickly as possible. It’s an instinctual joy, and there are new clothes and boards to unlock, a new soundtrack, and much more to dive into when it launches on April 9th.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Sandfall Interactive’s homage to real-time parrying and dodging and an imaginative fantasy world. Suffice it to say that it looks like a winner ahead of its launch on April 24th with its 30+ hour main story, gorgeous visuals and an all-star cast.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

A sequel to Garou: Mark of the Wolves wasn’t on every fighting game fan’s wishlist for 2025, but here we are. Launching on April 24th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC, City of the Wolves sees several returning fighters, some newcomers, and even a few debuts by Fatal Fury legends. With rollback netcode, cross-play, a new RPG-like single-player mode and the REV System for new tactics, it could take the community by storm.

MotoGP 25

As little as the franchise evolves year after year, you have to give credit to Milestone’s MotoGP franchise for its consistency. The latest title, MotoGP 25, launches on April 30th and offers new Race Off Disciplines for its modes, a new Arcade Experience, improved adaptive difficulty, and cross-play. It’s coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Steel Seed

Close to the Sun developer, Storm in a Teacup is going in a completely different direction with its next title, Steel Seed. As Zoe, players traverse a mysterious facility in a post-apocalyptic world, dealing with hordes of unwelcoming machines. Mixing platforming and puzzles with combat and light stealth, Steel Seed launches on April 10th for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.

Bionic Bay

Speaking of platformers, Bionic Bay, slated for last month, arrives on April 17th for PS5 and PC. The biomechanical setting and premise are still intriguing, however, and having the ability to flip environments, and manipulate physics to traverse obstacles looks cool. And for those who really want to test their platforming skills, an Online Mode with events and leaderboards is also included.

Tempest Rising

If you’ve been feeling the lack of any Command and Conquer-like titles over the past several years, Slipgate Ironworks’ Tempest Rising may help. It’s out on April 24th for PC, offering two playable factions with unique units, two campaigns, online multiplayer, custom games, and the base-building real-time strategy you know and love.

Forever Skies

A survival crafting game in a post-apocalyptic setting may not inspire the most interest, but Forever Skies offers some intriguing spins on the formula. Instead of exploring the dust-covered Earth on foot, you’re venturing through the skies on an airship, gathering resources to upgrade it from various skyscrapers and structures. What awaits on the surface? You’ll have to find out when Forever Skies exits early access and launches on April 14th for PS5 and PC.

Crashlands 2

The sequel to Butterscotch Shenanigans’ survival crafting classic finally arrives on April 10th and sees Flux Dabes returning to Woanope to reunite with her buddies. Things quickly go wrong though, and after yet another crash landing, she embarks on a journey to find out what’s happening while combating dangerous creatures, unlocking upgrades, and more. With vastly improved visuals, new recipes, and more, Crashlands 2 could be the perfect cozy crafting sim for fans when it launches on PC, iOS, and Android.

Monaco 2

Speaking of a long-awaited sequel to a classic title, Monaco 2 also launches on April 10th for PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Much like the original, you’re still conducting heists alone or with up to three other players but there are new characters and playstyles and Blueprint Mode for finer planning. Whether you’re in it for the zany yet stylish campaign or the long haul with its procedurally generated levels, Monaco 2 should be a worthy follow-up.

The trailer kicks things off by showing us a scene from what appears to be quite early in the game, with protagonist Zoe still lying in what seems to be some sort of medical bed. We also get to see Zoe’s robotic companion, KOBY, getting switched on as it flies around looking for Zoe.

Through KOBY’s perspective, we get to see the sci-fi grungy industrial vibes that Steel Seed seems to be going for. KOBY flies through what appears to be the between-the-wall maintenance spaces of an industrial building of some sort, complete with broken wires and other giant robots flying around. Ultimately, we get to see what appears to be the first time Zoe and KOBY meet.

The gameplay parts of the trailer starts off by showcasing some of the platforming capabilities that players will have in the shoes of Zoe. Along with more traditional moves like being able to climb up ledges, Zoe is also equipped with some sort of rocket thrusters in her boots that allow her to double-jump in order to cross wider gaps.

After spending some time with the game’s platforming mechanics and level design, things quickly start going wrong and an intense chase sequence ensues. Shortly after this, we get our first proper look at the title’s stealth mechanics and combat. When sneaking up on an enemy, Zoe will be able to destroy the enemy in a single hit.

Facing off against an enemy head-on leads to combat, which appears to be taking some cues from Soulslike RPGs. Zoe is seemingly equipped with a light attack and a heavy attack, and players can mix and match these to come up with more devastating combos. Zoe also has the ability to dodge enemy attacks, with more precise dodges being rewarded with what looks like a powerful follow-up attack.

Generally speaking, the extended gameplay trailer for Steel Seed appears to showcase the title’s early sections with essentially zero edits. We get to see the set up for the story, as well as what look like levels designed to be tutorials that will allow players to slowly come to terms with Zoe’s various abilities. After an extended stealth section where Zoe takes out several enemies with sneak attacks, the trailer ends at what looks like the beginning of a boss fight.

Steel Seed was originally unveiled all the way back in June 2023’s Future Games Show with a trailer. The game takes place in a distant future, with humanity having brought the planet to the brink of destruction through ceaseless industry. The game is being developed using Unreal Engine 5. While its original release date was slated for a 2024 window, the game has since been delayed to April 10. It is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Project TH

Invariably these ‘Project X’ dubbed games get announced, generate hype, never materialise, then evaporate into thin air. Project TH appears to have strong chance it’ll release though, with well-known Korean actors involved in its production plus developer EVR Studio already an established company with Hollywood VFX credits to its name. If Project TH does release then, oh boy, we’re in for a treat. With stealth-action straight out of the Ubisoft playbook ala Splinter Cell and The Division, Project TH also demonstrates photorealistic visuals, lifelike character animation, and strikingly cinematic set pieces. Of course, there’s no official release date or platforms announced, but expect it to be current-gen and PC only.

Built on Unreal Engine 5, Steel Seed is a science fiction stealth action game that’s set in the distant future, where the planet has been driven to the brink of destruction by humans, who’re now nearly extinct, with AI having taken over to protect what remains of the world. The game is promising gorgeous sci-fi environments, a variety of tactical stealth options, a fast-paced combat systems, flexible progression mechanics, and more. Check out the announcement trailer below.

Steel Seed is due out sometime in 2024 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.