That is, unless you’re a game developer with a reasonably successful title that launched many years – or even just a few. You can then go back and remake it, as so many studios have done over the past decade or more. But it didn’t always used to be like this.

In the past, some games would premiere in arcades before hitting consoles, and when they did, some would have extensively retooled graphics. From Space Invaders in the late 1970s to Ultima 1: Age of Darkness, even Super Mario All-Stars can be considered a remake, since it updated the NES titles with new visuals. As technology improved across all platforms, you would have titles like Resident Evil HD in 2002 with far higher budgets.

Despite its success – to say nothing of everything that came before and after – the trend only really became so dominant after the success of 2019’s Resident Evil 2. And for good reason – it’s generally considered one of the very best ever made, and has sold millions of copies. Its changes were well-received by fans at large, and in a way, you could argue that it drew in a whole new generation to the Resident Evil franchise. This was perfect for the developer , which was in the midst of a renaissance of sorts thanks to Resident Evil 7: biohazard.

The trend has ballooned well past simply revisiting what worked and reinventing it for a new generation. Remakes are big business – 2025 alone saw the launch of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, Yooka-Replaylee, and so on. That’s not even getting into games that had Definitive Editions or remasters like Suikoden I and II HD Remaster, Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered, and so on, or titles like Silent Hill 2 remake, which was finally released on Xbox Series X/S.

However, it highlights a more noticeable quirk about the industry thus far, one that was also observable in a different way: Sequels. Think back to some of the most well-received and/or financially successful games of last year. Ghost of Yōtei, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Monster Hunter Wilds, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Battlefield 6, Mario Kart World, Silent Hill f – it’s a pretty extensive range of sequels, but they’re also some of the most hyped games of this generation.

Heck, even on a smaller scale, there are the likes of Ender Magnolia, Wizard of Legend 2, Citizen Sleeper 2, etc. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and Shinobi: Art of Vengeance may be considered soft reboots in a way, though they’re heavily based on their predecessors (and fit within the established canon). But either way, they’re part of established IPs. And let’s not forget that the most anticipated title of the year is Grand Theft Auto 6 – yet another entry in an established IP. Don’t even get me started on sequels like Code Vein 2, Nioh 3, Mario Tennis Fever, Resident Evil Requiem, and so on.

This isn’t to say we haven’t seen new ideas and stories. Clair Obscur is the most obvious choice, but you also have Blue Prince, Avowed, ARC Raiders, StarVaders, and Dispatch, among so many others. But the number of risks taken by the big players, the triple-A publishers, is relatively lower. Microsoft may have offered up South of Midnight and Keeper, but it gave far more attention – and marketing budgets – to games like The Outer Worlds 2. Halo: Campaign Evolved is out this year, and it got far more media attention.

Sony is an even wilder case with a treasure trove of beloved IPs that it’s yet to revisit. So while they would technically be sequels, a new Sly Cooper, Resistance or Jak and Daxter might as well be exempt from the rule. And there’s no guarantee that they’ll put in the numbers that The Last of Us Part 3, Uncharted 5, and other theoretical sequels would.

Now, I’m not saying that all sequels and remakes or even reboots are bad, or that they can’t push innovation. Donkey Kong Bananza may technically be part of an established IP, but its combination of destruction and platforming is something we haven’t seen before, even with Mario. Hades 2 follows the same formula as its predecessor, but makes sweeping changes and additions to its combat system to feel significantly – but not too heavily – different. The same could apply to Ghost of Yōtei and Death Stranding 2, and they’re absolutely pushing their respective gameplay formula – and genres as a whole – forward.

However, seeing brand new ideas on such a massive scale is becoming less common. Perhaps the most notable is Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic, and based on rumors, it’s looking at games like Elden Ring – a new IP but one that draws on FromSoftware’s extensive history with Dark Souls and Bloodborne – for its world design. At times, you have to wonder if the balance has tipped too far to the other side, to the extent that new IPs struggle for visibility. For every Clair Obscur, Dispatch and ARC Raiders that becomes massively successful, there are acclaimed titles like The Drifter, which sold 13,617 units in its first week.

But it’s clear to see why so many studios are focusing on remakes and sequels, besides the fact that they’re part of familiar brands, which means guaranteed audiences and less risk. Development costs only continue to rise, and publishers, the ones with the money, don’t just want the best return on their investments – they want games that drive growth.

There’s a reason franchises like Dead Space, Titanfall and Dragon Age are on ice – the return on their investments didn’t fulfil any of the conditions that Electronic Arts sought. Despite several Assassin’s Creed titles in development, there’s a reason why the developer has games like Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, Splinter Cell Remake and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake in the works. They’re safe bets, and if they blow up as Resident Evil 2 remake did, then they might drive renewed interest in dormant IPs, thus spurring even more remakes (and potential sequels).

Of course, the biggest reason we’ll continue to see sequels, remakes, reboots, remasters, and whatnot is because of those who buy them: Gamers. Time is limited, and the sheer number of choices in the triple-A, indie and free-to-play spaces is immense. Why not spend it on something familiar that’s also fun? It’s not the most unreasonable expectation, but the knock-on effect could result in huge shifts down the line. Would games like Keeper receive any attention if Double Fine weren’t part of Microsoft, or if it weren’t on Game Pass? Would developers even still be around if they weren’t acquired in the first place? What happens when their titles fail to perform well?

Whatever the case may be, the fixation isn’t going to end anytime soon, especially if it pays dividends. The only thing we can hope for is that innovation eventually breaks through, regardless of audience, brand name and studio size, as we’ve seen so many times this year.

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

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.

Let’s dive into the most amazing games of this year that can offer 50 to 100 hours (maybe even more) of great gameplay.

Ghost of Yōtei

Returning to your birthplace to avenge your brutally murdered family is cool and all, but discovering all the puzzles? Bonding with your ferocious wolf by slaying poachers? That’s where it’s really at. Ghost of Yōtei is excellent at seamlessly weaving optional activities into its exploration – be it Bamboo Strikes, Sumi-e Paintings – and making every single one feel unique. But maybe you’d fancy earning some new armor that can deflect bullets by stealthily infiltrating a teahouse for Ginji the Armorer. Perhaps earning an incredible Charm by assisting Ran the Bowyer. Slay Takezo’s disciples for the privilege to face him in a duel. And probably engage in some bounty-hunting on the side.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Mysteria Ecclesiae is out, meaning Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has wrapped up all its DLC, but even if you didn’t venture off the beaten path, Henry’s journey is still one of the best open-world RPGs of all time. Starting from nothing, slaving away in menial jobs, finding your calling as a blacksmith (or a hunter, or an herbalist, really, take your pick), and slowly building yourself back up, Bohemia is simply bustling with things to see and do. Lead a noble life, beloved by all, or become a no-good criminal, destined only for the guillotine. It’s your choice, and the sheer reactivity of the world is something to behold over the course of 100+ hours.

Jurassic World Evolution 3

The biggest and perhaps most satisfying game in the series yet, with 90 species of dinosaurs with juvenile variants added for the first time. And that’s not even including the dinos from Evolution 2, added for free post-launch. But even with the extensive campaign, community creations and challenge modes, the real time sink is in Sandbox Mode, as you perfectly craft the dinosaur park of your dreams, optimizing every single aspect…or watching it fall into chaos. It even features a custom island generator for when you (inevitably) have to start over.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

For all the ways that Ghost of Yōtei surpasses Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the former is missing one thing: Base building. Or more accurately, hideout customization, where you can adjust the very moss on rocks to cultivate your league in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible. Of course, Shadows has plenty of other content, from castles to attack, skills to master, loot (weapons and armor) to plunder, and so on. In fact, there are even new story quests, collaborations, parkour improvements, and Corrupted Castles to challenge.

Clair Obscur

On its own, the story is an absolute rollercoaster, especially when optimizing builds and employing the most broken techniques possible. Act 3 is where all bets are off, however, and Clair Obscur unveils the full gamut of its post-game. A painted serpent in the skies; the Flying Manor where a familiar foe awaits; the Endless Tower with multiple sets of challenges – there’s just so much to discover, especially if you’re circling back and wiping the floor with previous Act bosses. It would all be for nought without a superboss waiting at the end, but don’t worry – Clair Obscur has that too.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

There’s nothing quite like wrapping up Silksong after years of waiting, going online and then asking out of pure bafflement, “Wait, Act 3?” Because you can explore the world of Pharloom, ascend to the top, defeating its toughest bosses, and yes, maybe rescue a few Fleas along the way. But there’s so, so much more, beyond what you’d even expect (or prep for). So go and complete those wishes, discover even more incredible characters, and if you’re feeling especially masochistic, there’s the one-hit KO Steel Soul Mode for a true challenge.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered

Technical problems aside, the Oblivion remaster is a treasure trove of content, even without accounting for mods. You get the massive base game – a heroic quest to stop the Gates of Oblivion from manifesting in Cyrodiil, with all its side quests, quirky NPCs, and dungeons to plunder. There’s also various DLCs for even more adventuring (and arguably superior narratives). Play multiple builds, approach quests from different angles and most importantly of all: Endurance, endurance, endurance.

The First Berserker: Khazan

There’s more to The First Berserker: Khazan’s story than the revenge quest, least of all the retries required to best its bosses. Embarking on side quests and finding all the fragments of Ozma’s Diary is the route towards the best ending. But even if you’re content to explore or replay on higher difficulties, there’s also New Game Plus, which carries over all armor, skills and weapons, increases the level cap and lets you craft Epic and Legendary equipment. Best of all? Transmog for the true endgame – fashion.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A

230 Pokémon to catch and 65 Mega Evolutions only scratch the surface of Z-A’s content. There are dozens of side missions to complete, the Z-A Royale to grind through (complete with promotion battles), and online multiplayer, including the new Battle Club for four players to duke it out. And that’s without factoring in Mega Dimension, a completely separate realm where the true end-game, full of level 100+ threats, awaits alongside even more Mega Evolutions.

Donkey Kong Bananza

An out-and-out blast from start to finish with a story that can be finished in less than 20 hours. But if you’ve played a 3D Mario game, you know that’s not the end – it can’t be. There are 1000 Banadium Gems, and what’s a King of Kong to do but collect them all? DK Island and Emerald Rush add even more with the latter’s rogue-like structure offering even more replay value, and that’s before diving into the limited-time events each month for new statues.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

When you can spend dozens of hours simply delivering packages, building bridges and ziplines, and admiring the sights, you know it’s something special. Fortunately, Death Stranding 2 offers more beyond that, from a healthy selection of weapons and targets to unleash them on to side quests with cameos from your favorite personalities to Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii as a Pizza Chef, no less. Otherwise, plan out your optimal routes and just have fun with the community.

Elden Ring Nightreign

With eight Nightlords and several other bosses in between, there’s room for plenty of killing in Limveld. Choose your Nightfarer, optimize that playstyle with different Relics and – if you like them enough – complete their personal quests for even more power. That’s the base Nightreign experience, not including all the Shifting Earth locations to explore. However, you can also challenge the Everdark Sovereigns, even tougher versions of the Nightlords, or venture into the Deep of Night for longer expeditions with cursed loot. And if that isn’t enough to keep you busy, attempt to solo everything. The Forsaken Hollows DLC adds even more content in the form of new Nightfarers, and new bosses.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

The original Trails in the Sky FC takes about 66 hours if you’re aiming for everything – recipes, side quests, perfectly optimized Orbments. The remake is just shy of six hours, but even if you’re focused purely on the story and side content, it’s a long journey, made all the more fulfilling with expanded cutscenes and more combat depth.

Where Winds Meet

Everstone Studio makes no bones about wanting you to get lost in its massive world, offering thousands of NPCs to interact with and dozens upon dozens of hours of content. Even outside of the multitude of weapons, mystic techniques and Martial Arts to master, there is such a rich plethora of optional activities to indulge in. Engage in Shuai Jiao (the Sumo before Sumo became a thing), venture into dungeons, or just run around and explore the massive world while helping those in need. It’s a truly expansive experience that’s only going to get bigger once other regions launch globally.

Hades 2

There’s a moment in Hades 2 when you think you’ve understood everything that the game has to offer – its various Boons, the systems governing its weapons, the Incantations. Then the way to Olympus opens, and a brand new game is laid bare. Of course, you’ll still be growing crops, optimizing your Arcana, maxing out Keepsakes, upgrading weapons and unlocking their Hidden Aspects, and most importantly of all, discovering pets to assist you in runs. And even after the ending, there’s yet more to discover and greater challenges to conquer the Oath of the Unseen.

Clair Obscur: Expedition

While traditional role-playing games never disappeared, they did become quite rare for a few years. The release of Clair Obscur: Expedition has managed to remind many people why that style of combat was so beloved. Along with an excellent setting that revolves around serious themes like loss and grief, Expedition also has a solid take on turn-based combat, with every single character in your party having their own bespoke mechanics, be it Maeve’s stance system, how Lune handles elements, or even Gustave’s Overcharge mechanics. Pair this with rewarding high-level gameplay with parries and dodging, and you get one of the best RPGs out there.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 finally managed to hit mainstream success, thanks in large part to its strong setting and ambitious design. Baldur’s Gate 3 adapts rules from the 5th edition of tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons, and features some of the most interesting and likeable characters that have been featured in games in quite some time. Along with this, it also has an expansive story that kicks things off with a great premise: figure out how to get rid of a parasite in your brain before you end up being turned into a mindflayer. What follows is an epic adventure that carries you through different cities and planes, where countless stories and challenges await.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

What can we say about The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt that hasn’t been said already? An entire decade since its original release, the open-world RPG has continued to be awesome thanks to constant support from CD Projekt RED, not only through the release of excellent expansions—but also through updating the title to make use of more modern hardware with enhanced visuals. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt continues to have an excellent story, with plenty of wonderfully-written sidequests. All of this, paired with a great combat system leads to a generally fun way to spend hundreds of hours.

Elden Ring + Shadow of the Erdtree

In many ways, both Elden Ring as well as its expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, represents the culmination of everything developer FromSoftware has learned in developing titles since 2009’s Demon’s Souls. Along with the slow-paced but heavy combat that the studio is known for, Elden Ring and its expansion also feature a great open world to explore, some of the best boss fights it has ever design, and some incredibly dense lore available for players who would care enough to pore through the dozens of item descriptions and conversations needed to uncover it all. Pair this with tools that provide plenty of options for players that might want an easier time through the game, and Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree simply prove themselves to be the best that FromSoftware has to offer.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Developer Rockstar has had many great games under its belt, essentially changing the entire concept of open-world games with the release of Grand Theft Auto 3 and its host of follow-ups, but none of them have been as jaw-dropping or awe-inspiring as 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2. Acting as a prequel to the original Red Dead Redemption, the title puts you into the shoes of Arthur Morgan as he experiences the age of the cowboy coming to an end as a member of the Van der Linde gang. Along with some excellent character-writing and fun missions, Red Dead Redemption 2 also offers dense gameplay, taking on a simulationist approach to even side activities like hunting or train robbing, giving players hundreds of hours worth of things to do in its massive and lush open world.

Days Gone Remastered

While Days Gone was originally a PS4 game that came out to a middling reception, its release on PC has been a glow-up for the open-world zombie title, with modern gaming PCs being more than capable of handling the hordes of zombies that get thrown at you. Sure, the main narrative may not be particularly noteworthy. However, the side-activities, as well as the general gameplay loop encouraged by the fact that upgrading your motorbike is important, make the overall idea of setting out to scavenge from long-abandoned medical facilities or even rival gang camps an enticing idea.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

While its initial release may have been a bit of a mess, in the years since, Cyberpunk 2077 has proven itself to be an excellent open-world action RPG. Taking on the role of V in the year 2077, you set out to become a legend in Night City. However, one of the jobs you take alongside your best friend Jackie goes horribly wrong, and now you’re slowly dying and the ghost of Johnny Silverhand lives in your head. Cyberpunk 2077, along with its expansion Phantom Liberty, tells an excellent story that takes you across Night City’s various districts and social strata as you try and figure out the evil machinations of the megacorporation Arasaka that led to the development of the thing that has been slowly killing you. Along with an excellent main story, Cyberpunk 2077 also features several well-written and fun side-quests that can range from getting into a rivalry with a Japanese pop group to discussing the nature of sentience with an AI taxi service.

Disco Elysium – The Final Cut

Quite easily one of the most interesting takes on the RPG genre that has been attempted, Disco Elysium – The Final Cut puts you in the shoes of a detective. You explore the city of Revachol, which is seemingly in the midst of a cultural upheaval in some parts, alongside your partner Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi. Disco Elysium focuses more on conversation than it does action, and one of its most unique aspects is the fact that each aspect of the protagonist’s mind and body has a personality of its own. Through these conversations, you learn more about yourself, about Revachol, and about the world at large.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Mass Effect is one of those rare video game trilogies that deserves its “legendary” moniker. The three titles tell the story of a galaxy’s fight against a cosmic, existential threat, and puts players in the shoes of human Commander Shepard who must assemble a rag-tag crew of allies from the various species from across the galaxy as they try to figure out the mysteries behind the forces known only as the Reapers. Along the way, in true RPG fashion, there are also plenty of choices that players have to make, with many of these choices having far-reaching consequences for the galaxy as a whole. While the ending of Mass Effect 3 might be regrettable, the rest of the journey still holds up even today as one worth experiencing.

Prey (2017)

While it may not have anything to do with its 2006 namesake, Prey (2017) is an immersive sim that puts players in the shoes of Morgan Yu. Working for the TranStar Corporation on ethically-dubious experiments, you eventually start serving on the Talos I space station. However, these experiments eventually start going wrong, and the space station comes under attack by an alien threat known as the Typhon. The twist is that these aliens can shapeshift, which adds an extra layer of tension to the gameplay. Even when you’re just exploring an office room, one of the mugs might end up being a Mimic-type Typhon that can attack you at any time, after all. What makes Prey especially interesting is the freedom it gives the player in how they choose to tackle any situation, be it stealth, combat, or even something more creative, like building platforms out of nearby furniture and your Goo Gun to avoid any dangers.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition

Skyrim is still – at the time of publishing – the latest game in The Elder Scrolls franchise, and there’s a good reason that it has been the best-selling one so far. Taking place in the eponymous region of Skyrim, the game puts players in the shoes of whatever character they might like to be and, after a short opening quest, sets them free in the world. What makes Skyrim fun is that it has hundreds of hours worth of content, not only through its main story, but through several side quests as well. Along with this, the game also has an excellent modding community that has constantly worked on adding more content to the game, as well as improving what’s already there. Generally speaking, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is the closest thing we have to a game we can play forever.

Fallout 3

What Skyrim does for the fantasy genre, Fallout 3 does for players that might prefer a post-apocalyptic setting. Taking place in and around a post-nuclear fallout Washington DC – referred to in-game as the Capitol Wasteland – Fallout 3 sets you loose in an open world with a single goal: find your father. More interesting than the main story, however, is the sheer amount of side-content that is available right from the get-go. The first-person RPG will have you cover the entire length and breadth of the wasteland as you try and do as many side-quests as possible thanks to the excellent writing. While we’re at it, the gameplay isn’t bad either; it might be dated by modern standards, but the RPG systems in the game allow for plenty of player choice in terms of how you want to define your play style.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

After years of memes making the rounds on the Internet, Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally out. Putting players in the shoes of new protagonist Hornet, Hollow Knight: Silksong features an entirely new world to explore, and tons of challenging boss fights to tackle. Along the way, there are also plenty of new gameplay systems to explore, including the new healing mechanics, as well as the ability to change up Hornet’s entire moveset if you so desire. Much like the original Hollow Knight, Silksong has an easy claim to the crown at the top of the genre.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

While Marvel’s Spider-Man was already a fantastic return of the webslinger to the gaming medium, Insomniac Games has taken everything about the open-world action game and turned it up to eleven with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Not only does it feature an even more epic storyline featuring plenty of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery, it also features two whole Spider-Men taking on the threats to New York City – Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Throw on top a fun plot about both of our heroes growing together, as well as the unique personal issues affecting both of them, as well as the threat of the Symbiote over the whole plot, and you get a great time.

Little Nightmares 2

Little Nightmares 2 is an interesting game since, while it might appear like a cutesy platformer from the outside, underneath its adorable exterior lies a dark game filled with a surprising amount of horror. The title revolves around a boy, Mono, who finds a girl, Six, trapped in the basement of a dark and terrible house, and the two must work together to make it out alive.Along the way, they will have to deal with many terrifying enemies and other dark secrets of the main setting of the game – the Pale City – and the title makes heavy use of some psychedelic visuals to hammer home the point that the city is not a welcoming place for wayward children.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

While most open-world RPGs tend to make use of fantasy settings, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 instantly sets itself apart from its contemporaries by instead making use of real-world place, complete with accurate depictions of historical events. Taking place in the lands of Bohemia, protagonist Henry finds himself and his friend, Sir Hans, the victims of a bandit attack on their way to deliver a message to Trosky. What follows is Henry’s attempts to complete his mission, and along the way, grow as a person. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 takes a simulationist approach to its gameplay, with armours and weapons feeling appropriately hard to find and maintain, and crafting systems that will have you reading instructions from books before you go about mixing potions or forging a sword. The title offers hundreds of hours worth of gameplay, along with some of the best sword-fighting mechanics ever executed in a first-person game.

Alan Wake 2

Alan Wake was a masterclass in horror, but its sequel takes things a step further. In Alan Wake 2, players control multiple characters as they explore genuinely creepy locations, face terrifying creatures, and experience it all with an amazing score and exceptional gameplay. This is what horror games should strive to be, and it leaves us eager to see what Remedy has in store for the inevitable Alan Wake 3.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut

Hideo Kojima’s first major project after his departure from Konami, Death Stranding is a game that is quite difficult to explain. Essentially, you are a courier in a world where a global catastrophe has made humanity spread out far and wide, with little to keep them connected to each other. The core gameplay revolves around you taking on delivery jobs and then figuring out how to cross the terrain to get to your objective. What makes this interesting is that Death Stranding is one of those rare games where terrain is quite important, and you can’t just climb any surface you see. This means that you will have to figure out the best route to take that doesn’t risk too much damage to the cargo you’re carrying. Throw on top a bonkers plot that revolves around the concepts of death, the soul and the body, as well as the general creepiness that the ghost-like BTs exhibit, and you have a fantastic time experience, while long, is well worth it.

The Witness

From the developer behind Braid, The Witness is a strange puzzle game that takes a single mechanic – being able to draw lines – and turns it into the entire game. While most of the title will have you finding screens to then solve logical puzzles with your line drawing powers, the whole game essentially blows open at a certain point when you start to discover that the entire world around you is also a puzzle that can then be manipulated and solved in different ways. Along the way, the game also features narration that explores the nature of the island you’re exploring, and what its true purpose might be. All of this is paired with some wonderful art direction and a vibrant colour palette that makes sure that nothing in The Witness ever looks boring.

Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world game where the protagonist – a samurai named Jin Kasai – survives an initial battle against an invading Mongol force, and must rally the citizens and soldiers of Tsushima island to mount a resistance against the invaders. Over the course of the fantastic open-world game, Sakai must also come to terms with meanings behind words like honour, and the caste system that Japan was living under at the time. Ghost of Tsushima features simple-but-excellent combat gameplay, as well as quite a few tools for the player should they decide to sneak around instead, as they go around Tsushima liberating settlements from the Mongols and ultimately figure out a way to get at the primary antagonist – Khotun Khan, cousin of Kubali Khan.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

While the original The Last of Us was a great game with a fantastic story anchored by wonderfully-written characters, The Last of Us Part 2 goes a step further, giving us a darker tale that focuses on two distinct characters and their quest for vengeance and redemption. Along with the larger overall scale of gameplay, The Last of Us Part 2 also tells a grander story, and features some of the most fun boss fights to have been put into a title where the gameplay is otherwise quite realistic. On top of all of this, the Remastered release on PC also has a host of extra content in the form of the roguelike survival mode No Return, where you get to take on combat challenges as the character of your choice in a variety of different levels.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

FromSoftware might be largely known for its slow-paced action RPGs in the Souls series and Elden Ring, but with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the studio instead decided to take on a much faster style of gameplay where being on the defensive was punished. Rather than hiding behind a shield, in Sekiro, you are instead forced to learn the timings of various enemy attacks so that you can instead parry them, eventually breaking your foes’ posture to then finish them off with a glorious killing blow. The title still maintains much of the FromSoftware DNA, however, including how death works and the emphasis on smaller-scaled levels that are more dense and intertwining, encouraging plenty of exploration. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, despite its differences from the studio’s other games, can easily be considered one of its best outings yet.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

A collection featuring two games – Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy – Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection tells two excellent stories. While one tries to wrap up the ongoing plot of Nathan Drake trying to forge a legacy for himself, the other instead features two supporting characters from preceding Uncharted games in the roles of dual protagonists as they set off on an adventure of their own. Where Uncharted 4 offers a polished take on everything the series has had to offer so far, Lost Legacy instead goes for more experimental game design. All in all, both titles are well worth playing, even if you haven’t been able to play the first three games in the series.

Frostpunk 2

The original Frostpunk was a fresh take on the city-builder genre with a unique setting where you have to build and manage a city around sources of heat, since the planet has essentially frozen over. Its sequel pulls the camera back a bit, and instead of having you put down individual buildings, you’re now laying out entire districts with a single click. Despite this more zoomed out take on the gameplay, however, Frostpunk 2 still makes the player choose between two horrifying choices for the survival of their city, much like its predecessor, and the general progression of the title has been taken in interesting directions, such as how trade routes are managed and how districts can boost or bring down one another, depending on proximity. All of this is paired with some wonderful visuals and excellent sound design that perfectly manage to bring your cities to life.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a direct sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence, and revolves around the two siblings once more having to travel together again. This time around, Amicia and Hugo de Rune have to travel south in order to try and look for a cure for Hugo’s affliction. On the gameplay side of things, it offers more of a refinement over its predecessor rather than any radical changes. Players take on the role of Amicia while Hugo helps out from time to time. However, both characters also have plenty of new abilities to play around with in combat encounters. A Plague Tale: Requiem also acts as an absolute feast for the eyes considering its incredible level of visual fidelity and strong art direction.

The Rogue Prince of Persia

After having spent several months in Early Access, The Rogue Prince of Persia was finally out a few weeks ago, and the fact that developer Evil Empire took player feedback quite seriously is evident. The title features incredibly-polished side-scrolling and platforming with smooth animations and a great visual style that still manages to work well with the randomly-generated levels. Throw on top some fast-paced combat that rewards quick timing, as well as a large variety of weapons, and you’re going to have a great time as you figure out the time-bending story of the Prince who is trying to save his people after previously having been the unwitting instigator of this doom to begin with.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Middle-earth: Shadow of War builds on everything its predecessor did in expansive ways. It brings back the much-beloved Nemesis system, which allows protagonist Talion to face down various kinds of Orc enemies, each with their own unique personalities and fighting styles. On top of this, the Orcs winning the fight also means that they’ll get stronger, making the subsequent rematch even harder. The Nemesis system alone makes Shadow of War worth your time, but if that’s not enough, it also has a fun story exploring an alternate timeline of the Lord of the Rings books where a giant war was waged against the forces of Mordor well before the events of the books take place. The gameplay also serves as an excellent evolution of the classical style of open-world action gameplay we saw over the last couple of console generations.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara Croft embarks once again on a perilous hunt for a precious treasure. However, in her carelessness, Croft accidentally sets off a chain of events that threatens the world, and now she must find a way to stop the destruction. On the gameplay side of things, it offers fast and responsive gunplay as well as plenty of options for some stealth, including the ability for Croft to cover herself in mud to blend in with her surroundings better. The star of the game is undoubtedly the platforming, and with plenty of tombs for Croft to raid, Shadow of the Tomb Raider offers just about everything you could ask for.

Black Myth: Wukong

Black Myth: Wukong is an interesting take on a classic setting. The game features excellent boss fights, along with some gorgeous visuals. These aspects are further bolstered by the fact that the combat system is incredible and responsive. Even the encounter design deserves some praise, since Black Myth: Wukong has been designed around the idea of making the player use just about every tool they have at their disposal. There isn’t really much else to say that hasn’t already been said plenty of times already. It did, after all, manage to hold on to its concurrent player count records at launch when compared to any game out there on PC.

Mafia: The Definitive Edition

While the Mafia series has seen a newfound level of success thanks to the recent release of Mafia: The Old Country, the original Mafia is still worth revisiting, especially in its Definitive Edition form, since it now features modernised gameplay and combat systems, as well as a massive upgrade in visual quality. The story revolves around humble taxi driver Thomas Angelo in the city of Lost Haven, who finds himself embroiled with the local mob thanks to a recent car chase against a rival mob. Things slowly escalate as Angelo climbs up the ranks of the Salieri family. Interestingly, the story is told in the form of Angelo confessing to his crimes to a detective, with liberal use of flashbacks as the main storytelling device. The title also features a fun open world to drive through, especially since few games ever use the Great Depression as their setting.

Mad Max

Having come out at a time where many players and critics alike were suffering from open-world fatigue, Mad Max was quite overlooked. However, in the decade since, the title has been vindicated thanks to its excellent open world design and strong gameplay. Mad Max is a unique open world game where the player’s vehicle, the Magnum Opus, is an important form of progression. Much of the game will be spent with you, as Max, trying to find parts and blueprints to upgrade the car. Along with this, there is also an emphasis on vehicular combat, as well as good ol’ fisticuffs and some ranged weapons thrown in for good measure.

Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world game that perfectly manages to tap into the world of the Harry Potter books. The title takes place a hundred years before the events of the books, and puts players in the shoes of a budding young wizard joining the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As they live out their student life, players will also eventually discover a bubbling goblin uprising, as well as criminal wizards. Hogwarts Legacy is one of those games that any fan of the Harry Potter series owes themselves to play because of just how well it captures the magical feelings of the books.

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon

While Skyrim might offer a fun take on a fantasy open-world RPG, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon takes a darker turn. The game takes on the classic tales of Arthurian legend, albeit with its own unique interpretations. Along with its vast open world, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon also features quite a bit of emphasis on first-person combat, be it with swords or at range with a bow and some arrows. There are also plenty of other things to do while you’re out and about, from gathering crafting materials to simply taking a break by sketching some scenery or fishing by a lake.

Star Wars Outlaws

Star Wars Outlaws stands as a redemption story of its own, overcoming early skepticism to win players over. While the game was a mess when it first came out, the developers have taken quite a bit of player feedback to then introduce a host of fixes to the game, from gameplay aspects like improving how stealth works, to the addition of plenty of story content through the release of two expansions. Star Wars Outlaws is a great way to experience the Star Wars universe without the baggage of having to play as a Jedi.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Assassin’s Creed Shadows represents something of a new leaf for the franchise. While many had found the last two releases—Valhalla and Odyssey—a bit too bloated, Shadows pulls its filler and padding back a bit, instead focusing on delivering a few core activities that are actually fun and make the world a joy to explore. It also finally takes the franchise to Japan, and introduces a pair of new protagonists: the stealthy Naoe and the fearsome Yasuke. The two have to work together to figure out the secrets behind Oda Nobunaga’s death, while also dealing with the machinations of an early form of the Templars.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered

While Skyrim might serve as a fantastic open-world RPG in its own right, its predecessor, Oblivion, was also a downright excellent game. And now, with the Remastered release, we can once more explore the lands of Cyrodiil as we take on the opening of the Oblivion Gates and a Daedric invasion. Along with this, there are also plenty of side-quests to take on, including a host of factions to join, from the fighter’s guild to the Dark Brotherhood. You can even simply become an arena fighter if that’s all you really want to do, it’s ultimately all up to you.

Atomfall

While Rebellion might be known for its excellent shooter series Sniper Elite, the studio decided to try something different with Atomfall. Rather than taking on Nazi soldiers on covert missions during World War 2, Atomfall instead has you scavenging for resources in a strange world where it is up to you to figure out the game’s story through your own skills of investigation and deduction. While there are plenty of fights you can still get into, you’ll want to be a lot more careful about the kinds of enemies you decide to take on, since you’re a lot more fragile and not as well-armed as you might be in a Sniper Elite game.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

While Rebellion has been experimenting with Atomfall, it still hasn’t left its Sniper Elite series behind. We also recently got the release of Sniper Elite: Resistance, where players take on the role of a brand new protagonist, SOE Agent Harry Hawker, who is taking on missions that run parallel to the events of Sniper Elite 5. Since it is ultimately a spin-off, Sniper Elite: Resistance features primarily the same gameplay as its predecessors, but with quite a bit more refinements in various things, from second-to-second gameplay all the way up to how its missions are structured.

Firewatch

Firewatch is a narrative adventure game where the goal is quite simple; on his first day at Firewatch tower Two Forks, protagonist Henry gets some interesting calls on his radio, which is otherwise only used to contact his supervisor who is based at the Thorofare tower. Things quickly start getting dark, and Henry must figure out who is calling him on the radio, and what exactly is up with his supervisor who he is yet to physically meet. Firewatch doesn’t really feature any combat. Rather, there is a focus on exploration and environmental storytelling, and it’s largely up to the player to figure out where to go and how to get there.

Dying Light

While there have been a couple of sequels out so far, the original Dying Light is still a game well worth playing thanks to its fantastic melee combat systems and parkour mechanics that make travelling through the streets and rooftops of the zombie-infected city of Haran. The story itself is also quite interesting, with protagonist Kyle Crane having been infected with the zombie virus and needing to find a way to curtail its symptoms before he ultimately turns. The title also features an interesting twist on the day-night cycle, with day time being safe for exploration but night time offering far greater rewards at the risk of the player having to deal with incredibly dangerous and more powerful zombies dubbed Volatiles. All of this combined with a fun crafting system that rewards creativity in your weapon choices make Dying Light often feel like it’s still the best game in the series so far.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Until the release of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, the Ace Combat franchise felt like one of the worst-kept secrets in terms of how insane it can be both in terms of quality of gameplay and story. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown tells a brand new story in the world of Strangereal, with the plot primarily revolving around a massive war between the Kingdom of Erusea and the Osean Foundation. The title features excellent arcade-style dogfighting combat with a host of fighter jets from the real world, as well as quite a few fictional jets for some added fun.

Half-Life 2

Quite an easy contender for one of the greatest games ever made, Half-Life 2 has a sprawling campaign that holds up even to this day thanks to the sheer amount of variety it presents to players, both in the form of different weapons and enemies, as well as the mechanics of various levels. The title was also important in introducing the physics engine that is part of Valve’s own Source engine, and the feature was on incredible display thanks to a weapon like the gravity gun. Throw on top an impressive story that is told in an incredibly minimalistic way without ever cutting to a cutscene, and it’s easy to see why Half-Life 2 is so widely regarded as being such a great game, even in 2025.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

While PC as a platform is no stranger to first-person shooters, it is hard to argue that the Halo franchise isn’t one of the best that the genre has seen. Thankfully, thanks to Halo: The Master Chief Collection, players can experience almost the entirety of the Halo storyline, starting from the original Halo: Combat Evolved, its sequels Halo 2, Halo 3 and spin-offs ODST, Halo Reach, and even the start of 343 Industries’ (now Halo Studios) run with the franchise, Halo 4. The collection also offers a way to play all of the various games’ levels in remixed orders, following distinct themes like levels that focus on vehicles, for example, to focusing more on certain subplots. Halo: The Master Chief Collection is essentially the best way to experience a seminal shooter series, warts and all.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Quite possibly the most refined gameplay offered so far in the Monster Hunter franchise, Monster Hunter Wilds represents the pinnacle of the series, if not in its smaller roster of monsters when compared to its predecessors, then at least in its gameplay systems and massive, beautiful worlds. Monster Hunter Wilds features a short, fun story that takes you across the Forbidden Lands as you try to get young child Nata back to his family. Along the way you’ll get to take on several monsters, both new to the series as well as returning favourites, using the weapons of your choice out of 14 distinct options. Monster Hunter Wilds features plenty of gameplay refinements as well, including a mount system, as well as the ability to carry around two weapons that you can switch between mid-fight, which is great since each weapon feels like you’re playing a new game altogether.

Returnal

One of the rare instances of a AAA roguelite game, Returnal is an intense third-person shooter that puts players in the shoes of space pilot Selene Vassos who finds herself having crashed on an alien planet named Atropos. What follows is a psychedelic adventure as she tries to find the source of a mysterious signal called the White Shadow, but the twist is that Selene seems to be stuck in some kind of time loop where, every time she dies, she finds herself waking up at the moment of her ship’s crash. The title is filled with fast-paced and tense combat that has you dodging massive projectiles shot by strange creatures, and occasionally also getting your hands on upgrades for your weapons. The story itself is also quite interesting, pulling in plenty of allusions from myths as she tries to make it off Atropos alive.

Sleeping Dogs

Born from the ashes of the long-dead True Crime series of games, Sleeping Dogs is the closest we’ve ever gotten to having a Hong Kong action movie in video game form. The plot revolves around the adventures of undercover cop Wei Shen who must infiltrate a triad gang in order to take it down from the inside. When it comes to gameplay, Sleeping Dogs is an open-world game with several inter-mingling systems, from driving and vehicular combat, to melee combat with slick martial arts moves, and the occasional bouts of ranged combat when you can get your hands on a gun. The game wonderfully realises its setting of Hong Kong, often showing the stark contrasts between the cleaner commercial areas of the city and the but bright and colourful entertainment districts.

Metro Exodus

Whereas the first two games in the Metro series were more focused on offering linear experiences, Metro Exodus broadened its scope by a considerable amount by opting to set players free in more open environments. While far from an open-world game, Metro Exodus still provides quite a bit of freedom to players in terms of how they want to approach any situation. Along with this, the title also encourages plenty of exploration since, in keeping with series tradition, resources are scarce in Metro Exodus. Exploring is also a great way to get your hands on valuable upgrade materials to improve the arsenal of weapons you will ultimately end up using against not only human enemies, but mutated foes as well. The story is also quite interesting, since it revolves around Artyom, his wife Anna, and their friends the Rangers departing the Moscow Metro system in a train to explore the Russian wilderness.

Gears of War: Reloaded

When the original Gears of War first came out back in 2006, it was considered a mind-blowing experience for the time thanks to its visuals, as well as refinements over the turn-based shooter mechanics we had seen done much worse in plenty of other games. Gears of War: Reloaded, however, proves that the original title still holds up to this day thanks to its incredible campaign with plenty of set pieces, fun and varied weapons to play around with, and some downright fantastic visual upgrades that have been made to take better advantage of modern hardware.

Dead Cells

Dead Cells is one of those rare indie games that manages to get just about every single one of its aspects right. Even something as simple as movement and exploration feel great in the roguelite action game, and the level of variety on offer with the weapons, as well as the meta progression system that encourages not only mastery of the traversal systems, but also a willingness to explore, make just about every run of Dead Cells feel like a fun time. Throw on top some excellent pixel art that really makes its massive boss fights come to life, as well as the plethora of additional content – ends up making it very difficult to put the side-scroller down for good.

Detroit: Become Human

While games made by Quantic Dream might be quite divisive at times, Detroit: Become Human is outright the best title that the studio has put out so far. Featuring narrative-focused gameplay that largely involves having conversations and making choices at key moments, Detroit: Become Human tells three distinct stories in a world where humanity treats sentient androids that it has developed as slaves. All three stories have the player take on the role of a distinct android, where you have to figure out the complex moral quandaries that take place throughout the storylines.

Portal 2

When the first Portal came out, it was widely regarded as a radical new entry in a genre that was otherwise known to revolve around killing things. It ultimately ended up laying the foundations for what would become Portal 2 – a bigger, grander sequel in every way possible. Portal 2 takes place an unknown amount of time after the events of the first game, and has Chell once more pick up the portal gun to find her way out of the Aperture Science facility she’s trapped in. Along with GlaDOS returning once more as a major character, Portal 2 also features a new character in the form of Wheatley. We also get a lot of storytelling in the game, since quite a bit of it has you exploring ancient versions of the bathroom curtain company that would eventually become Aperture Science.

Outlast

There might be plenty of stealth-based horror games out there, but Outlast manages to be something quite special thanks to its use of some real-world history to build up its scare. Revolving primarily around the MK Ultra experiments that were conducted by the CIA, the game puts you into the shoes of independent journalist Miles Upshur who is trying to get the scoop on Mount Massive Asylum for the Criminally Insane. Unfortunately, owing to unethical experiments, most of its residents have essentially gone insane, and now Upshur must figure out how to survive and get out in one piece while also making sure he gets enough evidence along the way. Outlast also makes use of a handheld camera as its primary PoV device, since it offers a night vision mode. However, players will also have to keep a track of their battery consumption, since you don’t want to be trapped in the dark with murderous people around you.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Ostensibly the closest the Metal Gear franchise gets to having a “final” game since it takes place furthest into the future, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a major departure for the series. It trades in the tactical espionage action in favour of the more bombastic tagline of lightning bolt action, and puts you in the shoes of a fully cyborg-ised Raiden at the peak of his power. Developed by PlatinumGames, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance features a fantastic combat system that has an emphasis on not only long and vicious combos, but also parrying the enemy’s attacks to open them up for massive counter-attacks. This, along with the Zandatsu system that lets you cut just about everything, be it an enemy’s limbs or a bridge’s support, make Revengeance a treat to play. Throw on top an over-the-top but fun story about private military contractors and a cartoonishly evil US Senator and you have an explosive roller coaster.

Resident Evil

Before the remake of Resident Evil 2 back in 2019 was considered the high watermark for video game remakes, the series had already earned similar acclaim for its remake of the original Resident Evil. Originally released on the GameCube all the way back in 2002, the remake of the original Resident Evil eventually made its way to PC, complete with higher-resolution textures and all of the high-quality upgrades that it got over the original. Even after all these years, Resident Evil still manages to feel like a one-of-a-kind survival horror experience, thanks to its tight level design and generally excellent gameplay that melds environmental puzzle solving and tense action sequences, all while keeping you on the edge of your seat thanks to a constant scarcity of weapons and ammo.

Watch_Dogs 2

It’s no secret that the original Watch_Dogs was a bit of a disappointment, both in terms of its visuals, as well as its story and characters. The series’ second stab at the series in the form of Watch_Dogs 2, however, proved to be a much more interesting experience. Rather than focusing on the brooding Aiden Pearce, Watch_Dogs 2 instead stars a group of scrappy young adults as they venture into the real world to start their careers, but find themselves fighting against an authoritarian regime that is making use of high-tech surveillance technology to control the populace. Protagonist Marcus Holloway is a much more fun character than Pearce ever was, and the attempts of his rebel hacker crew, DedSec, to take down ctOS 2.0 are a wild, fun, and often emotional adventure.

Silent Hill f

After the Silent Hill franchise spent over a decade being missing from the overall gaming scene, the series made a bombastic return with last year’s remake of the seminal Silent Hill 2. A year later and now we even have a brand new entry in the stories franchise – Silent Hill f. The game takes place in the unique setting of a quaint Japanese finishing town in the 1960s, where school-going girl Hinako has a strained relationship with her parents and goes to meet her friends for some solace. However, a sinister fog starts covering the town of Ebisugaoka, and Hinako finds herself trapped and fighting for her life. While there is an emphasis on combat this time around, Silent Hill f is still able to effectively pull off the scares and tense atmosphere that the series is known for.

Dying Light: The Beast

The newest entry in the Dying Light franchise is seen as something of a return to form for the series. While Dying Light 2 Stay Human did well for developer Techland, the studio itself acknowledged that it had lost what made the original Dying Light great, and hence we get The Beast. Once more putting us into the shoes of Kyle Crane after the events of The Following, Dying Light: The Beast features improved parkour-based traversal over its predecessor, while also bringing in improvements to both melee and ranged combat, all of which is packaged into a fantastic new open world to explore with plenty of variety, both in terms of zombie types and the scenery.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

A reimagining of an absolute classic, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a ground-up 3D remake of a seminal 2D sprite-based RPG. As its name implies, it is the first part of the expansive Trails franchise, and puts you in the shoes of Estelle Bright and her adopted brother Joshua as they set off as members of the peacekeeping guild, starting out as bracers and slowly working their way up. The Trails series, while long, absolutely features several stories well worth experiencing, and there is currently no better way to start your journey than with Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.

Blue Prince

Puzzle games, especially in the indie space, tend to come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Very rarely, however, does one show up that ends up feeling like a revelation. This is precisely what developer Dogubomb achieved with Blue Prince. The premise is quite simple: you are stuck in a mysterious manor – Mt. Holly – where the rooms shift around for no apparent reason. The core of the game is exploring the mansion, but the twist is that the player decides what the next room will be every time they open a door. Blue Prince has a wide gamut of puzzles for players to figure out as they try to make their way to the rumoured Room 46. To throw another wrench in your plans, the house once again shifts its rooms around every dawn. Blue Prince is the kind of game where you can spend anywhere from between 15 minutes to several hours at a stretch as you try to comb through the mysterious rooms of Mt. Holly to find a way to their destination.

Commandos: Origins

While the real-time tactical stealth series Commandos doesn’t really need much of an introduction, the latest release, Commandos: Origins, proves that the genre and style of gameplay still has legs in the modern day. Taking us all the way back to the origin of the World War 2 crew of commandos you play in the original Commandos, Commandos: Origins offers entirely new challenges throughout its various maps, all with more modernised gameplay thanks to updated visuals, as well as a large variety of objective types that will have you make use of just about every ability you and your crew can muster.

Much as I want to see where it’s going – the so-called endgame to potentially rival all RPG endgames – there’s something to be said about revisiting the past, revisiting one of the greatest entries in the series and where it all truly began: In Liberl with two Junior Bracers who set out to prove themselves and ended up changing their humble nation.

Revisiting The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC is easy, but capturing that same feeling – the coziness, the tension, the camaraderie, the characters, even the soundtrack – in a remake might as well be an impossible task. In this day and age, where remakes are dragged through the mud for either changing too much or not changing enough, how do you answer, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter? Quite well, actually, striking a neat balance leaning slightly towards the latter.

Falcom could have easily upgraded the sprites and environments with higher resolution textures and more details. It could have added a bunch of additional content that didn’t exist in the original, and which may or may not stick the landing. It could have also added its latest battle system, warts and all, without much thought or consideration on how it would work lore-wise.

Instead, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a ground-up remake that stays faithful to the original while presenting iconic scenes, conversations and battles with a new presentation. While a much longer journey, estimated at over twice the length of the original FC, it’s almost everything I could have wanted, despite some noticeable hiccups along the way.

The story begins exactly how you’d remember it – overseeing a young Estelle as she waits for her father, Cassius Bright, to return home. Except this time, the perspective shifts closer to ground level, and her fervent personality is on full, admittedly awkward display, in full 3D. When Cassius returns, bringing a mysterious boy named Joshua, their interaction feels more over-the-top and anime-like. Given some of the iffy English voice-acting and lip synching, I was almost worried that this new presentation style wouldn’t quite hook me.

Thankfully, that’s not the case, and whether it’s the music, which offers three different arrangements, including the classic score, or the easy-breezy atmosphere, this is Trails in the Sky, through and through. “The Whereabouts of Light” echoes effortlessly through the breeze. The classic banter between Joshua and Estelle holds up. The walk through Rolent to speak with its people en route to the final exam to become Junior Bracers is as endearing as ever. Everything feels just right, capturing the original’s nostalgia and presenting it in a whole new light.

Suffice it to say that it’s worth the price of admission alone, but make no mistake – the pacing is also the same. It takes time to work your way through the beginnings, learning about each mechanic, kingdom of Liberl, Orbments, and so on, before the journey proper. Thankfully, Stephanie Sheh as Estelle and Johnny Yong Bosch as Joshua execute their roles well enough. Despite my concerns with the opening, their dynamic is still a treat to watch develop, even if the dialogue can somewhat awkwardly shift between voiced and unvoiced at a moment’s notice.

"Even if Falcom isn’t typically known for its graphical fidelity, the 1st Chapter looks great in every way that it should. Characters are almost one-to-one with their concept art, and the environments capture every single detail that I remember from the originals."

Of course, other characters still retain their appeal, whether it’s Scherazard’s ever-so-slight slyness or Kloe’s almost-too-dignified stature. And to this day, it still amazes me how Falcom handles its regular NPCs, who all have new lines and stories to offer if you take the time to interact with them throughout.

Fortunately, there’s much more to look forward to in terms of gameplay. Adopting the combat system from Daybreak, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter provides the option between real-time and command-based battles. You’ll lean into both eventually – the latter is a must during boss battles – but being able to swiftly take out regular enemies with hack and slash mechanics while seamlessly transitioning to turn-based combat helps break the monotony. It also features follow-up attacks and Chain Attacks, unlike the original, while also allowing each character to freely move around within a limited space, taking advantage of bonuses to back and side attacks.

The turn-based sequences remain with the option to impede opponents, potentially netting useful, limited buffs like zero-cost Arts and guaranteed crits. Thankfully, Falcom doesn’t try to over-stuff the combat system with too many new elements, keeping it streamlined while offering enough depth to outfit your characters. And it all feels very smooth to execute, especially when you’re dodging an enemy’s attack at the last moment to unleash a counter or transition into a command battle. The new UI takes little time to become accustomed to as well, even if swapping out Orbments had me pining for the good ol’ days. There’s still the chance for combat to become repetitive (Daybreak 2 pushed the limits with this), but the narrative focus means more time spent developing and mastering Arts and Crafts (no pun intended) for success.

One aspect that I will happily embrace is the visuals. Even if Falcom isn’t typically known for its graphical fidelity, the 1st Chapter looks great in every way that it should. Characters are almost one-to-one with their concept art, and the environments capture every single detail that I remember from the originals. And as contentious as the music has always felt in some of the latter entries in the series, especially when it mattered the most (cough, Cold Steel 4, cough), the soundtrack here is simply sublime. Everything – the opening refrain, the signature theme, the battle themes – is excellent. The rearrangements have been handled masterfully, not overshadowing the original tunes at all, while ensuring they sound fresh.

"Opinions may vary on the direction of certain things, but whether you’re a new or longtime fan, it’s a story well worth diving into with characters that go from typical to beloved before you know it."

“Not messing with the original” is a common theme throughout, and that extends to the new content…of which there really isn’t much. For all intents and purposes, 1st Chapter is a means for older fans to re-experience the classic from a new perspective while introducing it to a new generation of players. If you’re expecting anything beyond that in terms of new activities or such, then there will be some disappointment. There’s also the matter of the localization, which is brand new and touted as much closer to the original Japanese version. You either like it because of that or don’t because the chest messages and fan favorite lines are outright gone.

Personally, I don’t mind it, since the new localization doesn’t hinder the experience – the personalities of the cast are still very much intact and events still play out faithfully. The only real problem is that some characters’ names have been changed – Armand and Ellie are now Areum and Aria, and they appear in future titles. Maybe this will be fixed in a post-launch patch, or maybe the remakes are treated as separate, but unless the eventual plan is to remake all the games in the franchise with the new localization, it feels odd in the grander scheme of things.

Either way, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is still a great remake, showcasing the appeal of the original, the world as a whole and why Estelle is indeed best-elle. Opinions may vary on the direction of certain things, but whether you’re a new or longtime fan, it’s a story well worth diving into with characters that go from typical to beloved before you know it.

This game was reviewed on PS5.

As the starting point for the long-running Kiseki series, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter follows Estelle and Joshua as they join the Bracer Guild and venture through Liberl. What initially starts as a journey to become Senior Bracers results in the discovery of a conspiracy that could threaten the kingdom. Overall, it’s estimated to last 80 hours, which is more than double the original.

Alongside fully 3D visuals, it offers the same battle system as Trails through Daybreak. Players can choose between command battles and real-time combat, switching between them as required. Follow-Ups and Chain Attacks have also been added alongside the Overdrive mechanic.

As for the future, the next entry in the series, Trails Beyond the Horizon, launches on January 15th, 2026, for PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Remember when this was just supposed to be a second playable character and DLC for Hollow Knight? Over six years since its announcement, Silksong is indeed real, and based on Team Cherry’s own admission, it’s as big, perhaps even bigger than its predecessor. Because you weren’t planning on anything for the rest of the month? Over 200 enemy types, more than 40 bosses, numerous new abilities – and based on demo impressions from Gamescom, best-in-class movement. Hollow Knight: Silksong releases on September 4th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, and at this point, we’re beyond ready.

Hell is Us

If you’re in the mood for a different kind of action-adventure, one that very adamantly won’t hold your hand, there’s Rogue Factor’s Hell is Us. A dark horse of sorts, it’s semi-open-world-ish, focusing on peacekeeper Rémi, who explores Hadea in search of his parents. The country has seen better days – it’s devastated by war and Hollow Walkers emerging in the wake of the Calamity. With just the bare minimum, you have to gather clues and ultimately unravel the mystery behind Rémi’s parents while uncovering the mysteries of Hadea. With Souls-lite gameplay and a mysterious yet foreboding vibe, Hell is Us could very well make a name for itself when it launches on September 4th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Cronos: The New Dawn

For a different flavor of horror – the sci-fi survival third-person shooter kind – there’s Bloober Team’s Cronos: The New Dawn, where players control a Traveller under the mysterious Collective, tasked with extracting the essence of key individuals. Or not – you don’t really have to, though that could affect the ending. Between these choices, you’re exploring run-down buildings and structures infested with monsters born from the mysterious Change, using shotguns, SMGs and flamethrowers to bat them back, while casually manipulating gravity and the environment to progress forward. It’s very Dead Space-esque on first appearance, but the mysterious narrative and time travel elements help set Cronos apart when it launches on September 4th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion

I’m not the biggest Daemon X Machina fan out there, but credit to Marvelous Inc. for doing something different with the sequel. You’re still in this world of Arsenals and Outer factions, destroying similarly armored foes and extracting their parts for your own usage, but Titanic Scion veers hard by turning Arsenals into power armor. The vast open world also facilitates new traversal methods, such as horseback riding, which is as hilarious as it looks, and even a larger Arsenal frame for dealing big damage in a limited window. Launching on September 5th for Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and PS5, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion could very well be the standout mecha title of the year.

Borderlands 4

It’s funny to think we’ve gone from…whatever Borderlands 3 was meant to be to this epic tale of resistance against a dictatorial figure on an unknown planet that Gearbox promises is its biggest yet. And yet, from everything showcased thus far and against all odds, Borderlands 4 doesn’t look half-bad. The four new Vault Hunters – Vex, Rafa, Amon and Harlowe – all look great in their own ways; the prospect of Licensed Parts for combining different gun manufacturer pieces into one weapon is great; and the addition of grappling, dashing, double-jumping, and more feels just right. Whether the story will stick the landing remains to be seen (I still haven’t forgiven you for Maya, Gearbox), to say nothing of the endgame, but as a co-op looter shooter with slightly classier mayhem, Borderlands 4 could excel. It’s launching on September 12th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Silent Hill f

As the newest mainline title in the Silent Hill franchise since 2012’s Downpour, Silent Hill f ventures into unknown territory. It’s the first title set in Japan, specifically the fictitious town of Ebisugaoka in the 1960s, and features Ryukishi07 as the writer (with artist kera behind the creature designs). As Hinako Shimizu, who finds herself swallowed up by the fog, players embark on a more action-packed journey, one with a heavier emphasis on melee combat. Don’t let that fool you, though, as it offers some of the most disturbing creatures and sights in the franchise yet. After the success of Silent Hill 2 remake, here’s hoping Konami can pull off another when Silent Hill f launches on September 25th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

NBA 2K26

Another year, another NBA 2K and even if last year’s iteration sported solid gameplay, one has to wonder if NBA 2K6 is worth the upgrade. Outside of the improved player and arena visuals, you can embark on The Playoffs online; a new MyCareer mode sees you working up the ranks to the NBA, with The City returning; and all the usual modes, including MyTeam and The W, return with various improvements. Maybe it’ll be enough to hold one over till next year, but for now, NBA 2K26 launches on September 5th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Dying Light: The Beast

Techland has been on a venerable marketing overdrive for Dying Light: The Beast, promising its “most diverse world,” a fairly lengthy experience (about 40 to 50 hours for the story and side content), and much more. And based on the gameplay thus far, it seems like a return to everything that made the Dying Light franchise great while continuing the story of Kyle Crane, who now possesses powerful beast-like abilities. Whether it can redeem the series after the whelming second entry or not, the call of the night is hard to resist. Dying Light: The Beast arrives on September 19th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

EA Sports FC 26

With how underwhelming FC 25 turned out, EA is listening in a big way with the latest entry. Various gameplay improvements include faster overall gameplay and two experiences – Competitive and Authentic, each determining the style of play and pace. Archetypes are also debuting and will be added to Clubs to shake things up. There’s honestly a lot more, and it could be the most exciting sports offering from EA in years when it launches on September 26th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, PC, PS4, and PS5.

Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition

If you thought the title was a mouthful already, this is actually Part 1 of Survios’ VR title-turned-regular-first-person shooter. It follows Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks as she investigates a Weyland-Yutani black site. Which, to no one’s surprise, is full of Xenomorphs. While it may seem like a running and gunning affair, Rogue Incursion also features classic tools like the Motion Tracker, creating a familiar wave of dread when a Xenomorph periodically shows up. Launching on September 30th for PS5 and PC, Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition will support 60 FPS and DualSense functionality.

EA Sports NHL 26

Not one, not two, but three sports games in September? What a deal! NHL 26 launches on September 12th for Xbox Series X/S and PS5, packing several changes, including reworked X-Factors (now with three tiers), goalie size and style now affecting how they play, a new Goalie Crease Control System with over 80 new animations, and more. EA Vancouver has its work cut out after last year’s release, but thus far, it’s looking decent.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants

Everyone’s favorite archaeologist returns in a new story DLC, building on the stellar base experience by returning to Rome, as players venture deeper underground to learn more about the Cult of Mithras and the legendary giants. Based on the latest trailer, it seems the undead are also involved. In terms of puzzle-platforming goodness, The Order of Giants should be another compelling adventure for Indy when it launches on September 4th for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.

Metal Eden

Metal Eden launches on September 2nd for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and sees ASKA, a Hyper Unit, venturing into Moebius to save humanity’s rapidly decaying cores. All the usual weaponry, from a pistol, shotgun, SMG and whatnot, awaits. However, Aska’s main calling card is ripping out enemy Cores and either consuming them for a boost (and rocket punch) or tossing them back to deal explosive damage. Paired with a Brutalist aesthetic, extensive mobility and an intriguing narrative, we’re keen to see how deep the cyber-punk rabbit hole goes.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

Everyone has their dream remake, and for a subsection of role-playing game fans, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is pretty much it. A ground-up remake of the 2004 classic, it offers fully 3D environments and characters alongside Daybreak’s dual turn-based/real-time combat system. And while there are new voicovers and localization, the tale of Estelle and Joshua, who venture across Liberl, changing lives along the way, remains as timeless as ever. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter launches on September 19th for Nintendo Switch, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2, with a free demo currently available.

Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac

This may or may not fall under “dream remake” – really, it depends on how much you love Pac-Man – but Pac-Man World Re-Pac wasn’t half-bad. Re-Pac 2, launching on September 26th for every platform, follows in the same vein, remaking Pac-Man World 2 with gorgeous new visuals. However, its latest comparison trailer highlights noticeable differences in levels (which have also been expanded) and Bandai Namco promises quality-of-life improvements, updated bosses, and even a two-player mode.

Speaking to The Gamer (translation via Automaton-Media), studio CEO Toshihiro Kondo revealed that the team’s main programmer completed it in about 80 hours. The reason for the nearly-doubled playtime is “more map exploration” and the additional voice acting.

“There’s more map exploration compared to previous games, and we found that if you explore those areas, listen to the voiced lines, and complete all the quests, it takes twice as long as the original. Maybe it’s also because you spend more time watching the events. Back in the day, we really did tend to scroll through text at the speed it appeared, and that gave the original a kind of snappy feel in its own way.”

While there are a few story additions, more voice lines are available, especially between Estelle and Joshua, since a large part of the story focuses on them alone. “For example, in scenes where the two travel together and cross checkpoints, we’ve added quite a lot of detailed dialogue, increasing the total number of lines. There’s also some casual dialogue during battle, which is more detailed than in previous games.” The result is the largest number of voice lines in the series yet.

Falcom has also included instant fast travel and “high-speed movement” to make traversing the world much quicker, not unlike in the improved versions of the original. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter launches on September 19th for PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch. Check out the opening cutscene, remade in glorious 3D, here.

Joshua, who was recovered by Cassius Bright and brought home for treatment, is the focus. After he awakens, Estelle, Cassius’s daughter, barges in to check on him. Joshua isn’t too keen on the care, but Estelle is (aggressively) stubborn. Hijinx thus ensue, though this is the first of many beginnings for the story.

We won’t dive into spoilers, but the 3D visuals excellently portray the emotions inherent in the scene. It should be interesting to see how Falcom approaches other notable events later in the story.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter launches on September 19th for PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Head here for details on the English cast, featuring several returning actors from the original.

Based on The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC, the first title in the long-running Trails/Kiseki series, the story follows Estelle and Joshua Bright. After becoming Bracers, they embark on a journey throughout Liberl to effectively earn their stripes, meeting allies like Kloe Rinz, Olivier Lenheim, Agate Crosner and Tita Russell.

As a remake, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter features similar combat to The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak with the option to switch between real-time hack-and-slash mechanics and turn-based commands. It also overhauls the visuals and features a new localization, though much of the English cast remains the same. Stay tuned for more details, including more extensive gameplay, before its release.