Ghost of Yotei, the newest installment in the acclaimed feudal Japan action series, shifts the stage to Ezo/Hokkaido Japan, introducing a new protagonist, Atsu, and a razor-sharp revenge narrative. Set during a tumultuous period, the game follows Atsu as she embraces the path of the Ghost to hunt down her targets. While built upon the foundations of its predecessors, Yotei immediately distinguishes itself by prioritizing refined gameplay flow and anti-fatigue design over overwhelming map density, setting it up as a truly modern open-world experience.

Split Fiction is an exclusively two-player experience defined by its literal split screen. One player navigates a high-fantasy setting of elves, dragons, and ancient ruins. The other exists in a neon-drenched, chrome-plated sci-fi world full of robots and laser grids. The brilliance lies in how these two separate realities constantly overlap, making it arguably one of the most creative level and game mechanic designs for a co-op game, or any video game, ever.

The stars finally lined up, and I was able to play Cyberpunk 2077 almost five years after its release. Honestly, I didn’t even know what to expect. My hype and expectations for the game have been on a rollercoaster these past few years, but I can honestly say the experience of playing it for the first time in 2025 was still beyond what I expected, given its history.

Haven is a compelling, highly stylized adventure that excels as a genuine slice-of-life romantic story in a unique science fiction setting. Though often classified as an RPG or survival game, its true appeal lies in its cozy atmosphere and rhythmic flow. You follow two fugitives, Yu and Kay, as they glide across beautiful, fragmented alien landscapes to survive and strengthen their bond.

Octopath Traveler is a game that allows you to explore the world of Orsterra featuring the eight travelers - each with their own stories to tell. Its soundtrack and its gameplay is a spiritual successor of the likes of Final Fantasy, developed and published by Square Enix and Acquire.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a triumphant action RPG built on a foundation of compelling systems. The game's addictive Nemesis, Follower, and Fortress systems create a cycle of conquest and personal narrative that makes every encounter feel unique. The fluid free-flow combat and deep progression mechanics combine for a deeply rewarding experience.

Disco Elysium is a masterclass in storytelling and role-playing, combining deep, witty dialogue with a haunting atmosphere and innovative mechanics that redefine what RPGs can be.

Doom: Dark Ages refines classic fast-paced combat with streamlined mechanics and tight level design, delivering a solid and satisfying experience despite some simplified visuals.

The Alters surprised me as one of the most compelling strategy/survival games this year. At first glance, it reminded me of Fallout Shelter or XCOM, but it quickly reveals deeper, thought-provoking themes wrapped inside an addictive base-building experience.

Death Stranding 2 refines the unique, contemplative gameplay of its predecessor with polished mechanics, an epic story, and a bold, niche approach that challenges mainstream gaming norms.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 builds on the immersive medieval RPG experience with deep roleplaying, branching quests, and a richly detailed world, despite some quirks in combat and bugs.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 reinvents turn-based RPGs with a unique blend of story, lore, and a mix of turn-based and real-time combat, backed by strong voice acting and soundtrack.

Star Wars Outlaws delivers solid gunplay and stunning environments, but suffers from a lackluster story and some suspension-of-disbelief moments, especially in stealth gameplay.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is an RPG that practically bursts with style and confidence. It takes the familiar tropes of high fantasy—kings, curses, and a sprawling magical world—and infuses them with Persona energy.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows tones down RPG elements compared to recent Assassin’s Creed titles, delivering accessible stealth and combat with a strong story and stunning immersive environments.

Avowed surprised me with a deep RPG experience, blending strong exploration, tactical combat, and meaningful roleplaying despite some frustrations with loot and scaling.

Final Fantasy XVI delivers a dark, complex story far removed from nostalgia, with strong cinematic action, a dynamic combat system that grows over time, and impressive medieval-themed visuals.

Aliens: Dark Descent offers intense squad-based tactical combat but struggles with frustrating level design, limited formation control, and some immersion-breaking bugs.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle surprises with its effective first-person perspective, engaging puzzles, and a combat style that perfectly captures Indy’s character, despite some rudimentary gameplay elements.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard offers an action-oriented RPG experience with a rich story and character-driven quests, despite some controversy over art style and quest bloat.