If you’re after a new game to play, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Blue Prince are just some bound to impress.
But there’s plenty more gems to uncover this year, so let’s get started…
1. DOOM: The Dark Ages (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
You’ve got to hand it to id Software, the beloved studio isn’t afraid to shake things up. Following up the developer’s hugely successful DOOM (2016) release with a tougher, twitchier and dramatically faster approach was a risk. To now follow that up with a medieval prequel that tosses Eternal’s key tenets out the indow shows balls of steel, yet somehow DOOM: The Dark Ages is still a damn fun game to play.
A large part of that is thanks to a completely reworked combat system that places a shield front and center. The new tool is incredibly versatile, allowing you to not only block incoming attacks, but parry certain moves or projectiles right back at your foe.
It all feels like an intentional effort by id to have you more on the offensive than ever before as you embrace your best Captain America by throwing the bladed shield to slice enemies in two. A new mace meanwhile can deal brutal amounts of damage and does well to counteract any armoured opponents. When paired together it makes DOOM: The Dark Ages a much slower, more considered affair that is more focused on settling in and laying the smackdown rather than the constant zigging and zagging of Eternal.
In what feels like a casualty to that decision, DOOM Eternal’s platform-heavy sections have been given the boot but I can’t say I overly mourned their absence. The constant moment-to-moment action feels so good and it helps give DOOM: The Dark Ages an identity of its own.
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Sure the story is silly and the music doesn’t quite reach the series’ heights, but DOOM: The Dark Ages will still slay your expectations.
2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 feels like the perfect encapsulation of a video game underdog story. A new, unproven team, an ambitious story and a mammoth turn-based RPG-structure underpinning it all, the game had every chance of falling victim to large amounts of hype and expectation. Yet somehow, Expedition 33 isn’t just an easy Game of the Year contender, it’ll go down as one of the best RPGs of the modern generation.
It all starts with a spectacular story where a deadly entity known as The Paintress inscribes a number for all to see, with all those aged about said number destined to turn to dust. To help prevent the eventual human extinction, groups of warriors are sent out on expeditions to put a stop to the Paintress yet all fail. You pick things up for the titular Expedition 33 where the need for success has never been higher. It’s an incredible premise backed up by some stellar voice acting. Daredevil’s Charlie Cox in particular delivers an impressive turn, adding weight and drama to the action.
And speaking of action, that’s exceptional too. Developer Sandfall Interactive have cleverly spruced up classic turn-based combat by introducing real-time dodge and parries during attacks. These almost rhythmic additions not only liven up encounters and add in an extra degree of challenge, but when nailed deliver a healthy dose of extra damage, making their implementation to your repertoire critical.
There’s a shocking amount of depth at play in Expedition 33 as well. With a beefy skill tree to work through, you’ll utilise Pictos and Luminas (various forms of currency) to improve your party as it explores the game’s breathtaking world.
Truly, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an absolute marvel that deserves your attention. It’s beautiful, rich, complex and engaging all in one package that will likely floor anybody who gives it a shot.
3. Blue Prince (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Every year there’s one game that seemingly sneaks its way onto the release calendar without any notable fanfare, only to then absolutely blow the gaming community away as a clear Game of the Year contender. Blue Prince has already easily earned that honour for 2025.
In what can only be described as a puzzle-focused roguelite, the setup of Blue Prince is instantly intriguing. After your great uncle passes, he just so happens to bestow you his magnificent 45-room estate, Mt. Holly. Catch is, you have to discover the property’s mysterious 46th room first, which is about as challenging as is sounds.
As you work your way through the property, opening a door will prompt you to draft a new room – a randomized element that offers you three different options. Each room offers a different benefit to inherit or puzzle to solve, and learning how each one can work in your favour will gradually help you build the knowledge needed to reach that final room.
If you’re a puzzle lover, Blue Prince is intoxicating. With each new day resetting the house to its original state, the game’s core loop is both challenging and addictive. Within hours you’ll be frantically scribbling notes as you work to piece the puzzle together while building a steady stream of resources that you can leverage. It’s exceptionally well designed and the complexity of the puzzles are cleverly varied to help keep you chugging along without losing steam.
You might not have heard about Blue Prince until now, but you absolutely have to give it a chance.
4. Days Gone Remastered (PS5)
Days Gone has always been a fascinating title in Sony’s expansive library. Released at a time where most PlayStation exclusives became critical and commercial hits, Days Gone was a rare miss that just wasn’t able to stick the landing. Yet in the years that followed, even though PlayStation seemingly chose to forget about it, the game became something of a cult hit, which brings us neatly to this eventual remaster.
Considering that the game is only six years old you shouldn’t expect this touch-up to dramatically reinvent its source material. That said, Sony Bend has still managed to give the game a surprsingly different look and feel that’s largely thanks to Days Gone Remastered’s reworked lighting system. In some cases, a fire might flicker and dance across a characters face, while in other scenarios the complete abence of light transforms a scene into a far darker and threatening proposition than ever before. Side by side with the original the change is pretty dramatic and helps keep the environments feeling fresh even if you’ve experienced them once before.
The other welcome addition is Horde Assault, which makes more use of Days Gone’s impressive horde tech. Essentially a glorified survival mode, you fend of waves of enemies (both living an undead), completing a range of objectives until the eventual horde becomes too much to handle. The allure of new weapons or a better score is one thing, but seeing the horde ramp up to 800 foes was truly terrifying.
If you’ve yet to jump into Days Gone, this remaster is the perfect time to jump in.
5. The First Berserker: Khazan (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
If you’ve been looking for a game to test your gaming chops before Elden Ring Nightreign, look no further than The First Berserker: Khazan because this game is tough as nails. An action RPG that borrows more than its fare share of Souls-like titles, it follows the plights of Khazan, a beloved general who is ultimately betrayed and tortured. Once he manages to get free though it kick starts a classic revenge tale alongside the ghostly entity Blade Phantom, filled with blood-lusting spirits. It all gets a bit strange, but provides an ample backdrop to duel all manner of deadly foes and deal with the brutal combat.
Similar in nature to the likes of Sekiro, Khazan places much of its focus on stamina management. Use it to whittle deflect and whittle down an enemy’s stamina, while also making sure you have enough juice to block or parry incoming attacks towards yourself. Fights become a deadly dance as you determine which attack to block, parry or avoid entirely. Bosses though become a whole other issue – most packing big health bars and requiring multiple strategies and exceptional timing to conquer.
It’s here that you’ll likely die over and over again but working on how these foes tick is one of Khazan’s highlights. Add on a pretty visual style and you’re onto a winner provided you ca stand the heat.
6. Expelled! (Switch, PC)
A charming whodunnit with a schoolyard twist, Expelled! thrusts you into the shoes of Verity Amersham, a student quickly accused of breaking a stained glass window and pushing another student out of it. Only problem is, it’s all a bunch of bullocks, meaning it’s up to you to discover the perpetratior and their motivation for framing you.
Sounds simple in theory, but the joy of Expelled! comes via its time-loop structure. With only a set number of hours to uncover the mystery it makes every action a considered choice. Fail and you’ll be expelled, but even though that means you’ll reset the timer and start the day again, you’ll do so with more knowledge like the movements of VIPs or the location of key items on your next adventure. Expelled! also comes into its own with its sharp sense of humour.
Both the writing and riduclous antics are bound to make you chuckle, making this a fun schoolyard exercise.
7. Overboard! (Switch, PC)
If you do happen to fall in love with Expelled! why not go back to where the series first began with Overboard! Unlike Expelled! though, its predecessor doesn’t play by the same rules. Case in point: you’re not tracking down the perpetrator, because you are the perpetrator – very guilty of pushing your husband off a boat in the hopes of one hell of a payday.
That means where Expelled! was focused on proving your innocence, Overboard! just wants you to get away with it. The series’ core time-loop system is accounted for here as well, but the main difference here is that Overboard! Once you utilise it to work out who is worth avoiding and how to prevent your actions being caught out, you have a far cheekier options to play around with. Do you try to pin things on an unsuspecting passenger, or do you take out the crew one by one?
The setup makes for an arguably more entertaining affair, making Overboard! an easy recomendation.
8. Shotgun Cop Man (Switch, PC)
In case the name didn’t give it away, Shotgun Cop Man is not your typical action platformer. After all, controlling a cop sent to hell in order to arrest Satan is a truly bonkers setup that allows for some equally zany freedom.
Movement is a prime example: controlled entirely out of weapon recoil. Want to navigate right? Point your shotgun in the opposite direction and fire away. Need some extra lift? Fire a few more shells at the floor and you’ll boost yourself up a floor or two and even maybe take out a couple of cronies on the way up.
It certainly takes some getting used to, but once you find your groove you’ll be firing around levels with reckless abandon, especially as you utilise your smaller weapon (like the pistol) to dodge return fire. The game also presents some pretty ingenious level design, forcing you to actual consider your approach.
Shotgun Cop Man is fast, frantic and a whole lot of silly fun that never takes itself too seriously and is smart not to outstay its welcome (you can knock it out in a handful of hours). Open yourself up to its quirky chaos and you’re set for one of the year’s most enjoyable indies.
9. HASTE: The Broken Worlds! (PC)
HASTE: The Broken Worlds! often moves so quickly you’d be forgiven for feeling breathless. This rapid rouglite is all speed and momentum. As mail carrier Zoe, you’ll bolt through procedurally generated levels in a quest to reach the end before the world collapses around you. There are 10 Shards to explore, each containing their own levels that you must complete in order to better understand the constant destruction, and hopefully put an end to it.
Naturally you’ll have to do your best to dodge all sorts of distractions ranging from rocks to rockets, but you’ll also have to navigate each world without a proper jump button. Instead the landscape of a level will send you up and around an environment, forcing you to balance and consider how best to approach each take-off and landing so that momentum isn’t heavily impacted.
Nail that goal and you’ll be rewarded with currency to spend on upgrades for future runs that’ll make challenges easier to handle and the world more likely to save. Boss challenges are an extra thrill even though their challenge means a bit of trial and error is required before your eventual success.
If you’ve got a serious need for speed, then HASTE: The Broken Worlds! is bound to scratch that itch and then some.
10. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
We’re not even halfway through the year but it’s hard to imagine another remaster besting the incredible efforts of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Originally released in 2006 to global appeal, the open world RPG went on to inspire sequels competitors and a whole lot of memes, but long-time fans should be thrilled to know that the core essence of Oblivion remains intact here.
The visuals have received the largest upgrade, and is truly breathtaking to behold, but the underlying addictive gameplay remains largely untouched. That means some of the dungeons remain a little repetitive and the combat just still doesn’t feel great. And while most of the faults I could lob at this remaster actually stem from the original releases, it’s also unfortunately packing the odd performance hiccup as well.
Dropped frames or pop in aren’t uncommon, and while that’s almost expected for a Bethesda title, it’s a shame it’s present in a remaster of a 2006 game as well. Still, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a remarkable effort and a wonderful trip down memory lane.
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