Upcoming Games 2025
This year, more than others, feels like a bit of a question mark in terms of the games industry. Beyond April, we really don’t have many confirmed releases, and while not unusual, I feel like there’s more things up in the air.
In large part, I think this is due to the switch 2. Basically anything currently announced for the switch seems more than likely to end up on the switch 2, or maybe be supported on both platforms, like we saw with PS4/5. We’re getting a Nintendo direct early in April, but I doubt we’ll see a release before mid summer.
It also feels like a bit of a slump year for big triple AAA platform exclusives. Last year we had Starfield for Microsoft, and Astro Bot for Sony. We also hit the “midpoint” of this console generation, seeing a refresh with the PS5 pro, but not seeing many games or reasons to really need that upgrade.
For me personally, I’m finding it a bit harder to get excited. There’s a few things I’m excited for early in the year, then nothing I’m really looking forward to. At the beginning of last year I knew my game of the year, Metaphor: ReFantazio would be coming in the fall, and I counted down the days all year long.
So while this could be a strong year for Nintendo, it’s starting to feel like a quiet year for the rest of the industry. Many of my favorite companies have very little confirmation about what projects they’re working on, and even less information about what to expect from them this year. Atlus released 3 games last year, and so far we’ve got nothing on the docket from them for 2025.
Well, now that I’ve set the table a little, let me talk about what I am excited about this year, even if that list might be shorter than I’d like.
Phantom Brave The Lost Hero
Thankfully, we’re starting off strong! Phantom Brave, which I finally finished just last year, is getting a sequel after 20 long years. The original game took a lot from the Disgaea franchise, and added its own ideas to the developing formula, creating an interesting mix and unique identity.
This surprise sequel seems to be doing the same thing yet again, inheriting the look and some of the mechanics from Disgaea 7, while keeping some elements of the original title. This game can’t come fast enough, and I’m hoping it’ll set a strong precedent for this year in gaming.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Like much of the world, I really hopped on the Monster Hunter train with the release of Monster Hunter World. When Rise came out, I somehow found a group of people at my job to play with, and it became the most social, online gaming experience I’d had in years. While I’m not expecting that to happen again, you never know, and that’s pretty exciting.
I can’t speak to all the nuances of what’s new and changed with Wilds, I played the demo, and it felt a little different, but it was definitely more Monster Hunter! I’m sure I’ll be in for dozens, or even hundreds of hours of fighting monsters, collecting loot, polishing up my skills, and doing it all over and over again.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
While I was disappointed this game didn’t come out last year, maybe filling out 2025 is a better fit for both me, and this game. The original Fantasy Life was a bit of a cult classic 3DS RPG life sim game, which I must admit, I’m a bit of a sucker for. You can take on multiple different jobs to gather materials, fight monsters, and craft items, in a cute and satisfying loop. I still haven’t seen much of this game, but I put a lot of hours into the first Fantasy Life, and maybe I’ll do it again.
Trails In The Sky
I must admit, I’m pinning a lot of hopes onto this remake of the first (sorta) entry in the Legend Of Heroes franchise. I almost broke into this series with the Cold Steel games, but never finished 2, or 4. I tried again with Daybreak, but only got maybe 20 hours in before petering out.
These games have lots of lore, politics, and hundreds of characters that come and go across a grand stage. And this game both sets the stage for what's to come, and might be the most focused these games get. It helps that this is the first world wide release for this franchise, so it won’t have the dated feel of the other games, which we get several years after release.
Pokemon Legends A-Z
I have a confession, I might be more of a Pokemon fan then I like to admit. I played the GBA games as a kid, but fell off the franchise for a long time, until a friend gave me a copy of X. I finished it, and tried to get into Sun/Moon, but failed. In the Switch era though, I’ve played almost every entry.
It took me a long time to play Sword/Shield, but when I did I played the whole thing, including DLC. When Scarlet and Violet came out I grabbed it day 1, and recently, I just bought Brilliant Diamond. I haven’t played Legends Arceus, which this game might take the most from, but hey, there’s still time.
Demonschool
I was a little disappointed when this got delayed last year, but this might be one of the indie darlings that I could really jive with. Based on the trailers, it feels a little like Persona, mixed with some fun tactical grid based combat. I don’t quite know what to expect from this game, and that’s what’s exciting about it. I like where it seems to be pulling inspiration from, but it could do something totally unique, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
I really enjoyed the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D remake, so getting more is a bit of a layup, assuming I’m using that sports term correctly. These games might need a bit more of a facelift then 3 did, but I’d also be interested if they kept 1 as a single party RPG. There’s some interesting directions they could go here, and surprisingly, a very retro feeling game can sometimes be a breath of fresh air.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
Maybe 2025 is the year of life sim/RPGs, because we’re also getting more Rune Factory! I was a little let down with Rune Factory 5, largely due to it’s technical issues, so I’m hoping for a much smoother experience with this latest entry. Beyond that, I hope for more fun farming, charming characters to meet and romance, and dungeons to explore.
Elden Ring: Nightreign
And of course, more Elden Ring please! This might be the biggest departure for the souls series, but it looks really rather interesting. Ratcheting up the speed of the action, and the mobility of the characters seems a little overdue, and I think this could be a really interesting experiment for the franchise.
I’m not sure if the formula will hold my attention quite as long as Elden Ring proper, but on the other hand it might keep me hooked for even longer! Either way, I’m expecting more of the excellence I’ve come to expect from FromSoftware, even as they try out something new.
While I may not be starting this year completely hyped for what’s to come, there’s a few titles to really get excited about, and plenty of smaller titles to appreciate. At the same time, many of these games don’t have release dates, and the cynic in me tends to think more games than ever are either delayed, or backslide to later release dates.
Now, I’m certainly not against games being delayed. In fact, a lighter release calendar might be the perfect excuse to dive into my ever growing backlog. There were plenty of games, even from just last year that I never got around to. I mean, I just finished Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time right before the end of the year, and I think that game’s a masterpiece!
It’s always hard to predict what an entire year will be like, especially at the start of the year. So maybe it’ll be a year of surprises, maybe it’ll be a few standouts, or maybe it’ll be a year for the games industry to pause a little, and consider what comes next. Either way, you can be sure I’ll tell you my thoughts as the year develops, stay tuned!
