South of Midnight (Image: Microsoft)
Gaming in 2025 is a far cry from what it was during our childhood. The days of buying a new game, rushing home to insert the disc and spending the weekend immersed in a new world are long gone.
Today, there’s an overwhelming number of games being released, with thousands of titles competing for our attention. Add to that the live-service games like Call of Duty, Fortnite and Destiny that demand daily logins just to stay current, it’s no surprise that gamers are feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the hobby.
If you’re stuck in a gaming rut, consider switching up the types of games you’re playing. 2025 has brought us some truly outstanding games, many of which evoke the same feelings we used to get from gaming two or three decades ago.
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Here are some of my top picks for the year so far. Whether you’re seeking a traditional RPG experience or a quirky story that can be completed in under ten hours, I’ve got recommendations for Xbox, PlayStation, PC and Nintendo Switch,reports ManchesterEveningNews.
South of Midnight
First on the list is South of Midnight. This title may have flown under the radar for many gamers after its release on Xbox Game Pass earlier this year.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Image: Sandfall Interactive)
While it may not be groundbreaking, it’s a game that has stayed with me months after playing it.
South of Midnight is a game set in the American Deep South, drawing heavily from local folklore for its character and enemy designs. Players take on the role of Hazel, a young girl who loses her mother in a flood.
The game’s events revolve around Hazel wielding mythical ‘weaving’ powers that can be used in both combat and traversal.
The game boasts a unique art style that blends light cel-shading and stop-motion animation with modern lighting effects, creating a visually stunning experience on any platform. Best of all, this title respects the player’s time, with a story that can be completed in under 10 hours over a weekend.
South of Midnight is available on Xbox Series X|S or PC. It can be purchased for £26.49, or accessed via an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 4 (Image: Microsoft)
Kingdom Come Deliverance II
In contrast to a game that can be finished in a weekend, Kingdom Come Deliverance II offers a gaming experience so extensive it could take a year to explore everything it has to offer. While it’s a sequel to the 2018 RPG, it serves as an excellent entry point for newcomers, offering one of the most in-depth RPG experiences since The Elder Scrolls VI: Oblivion.
Players step into the shoes of Henry, a determined squire on a noble quest to become a knight. The game allows players to explore two vast open-world regions of 15th century Bohemia, featuring sprawling grasslands and forests, as well as dense, bustling cities.
In Kingdom Come Deliverance II, your actions carry weight. Characters will remember what you do, influencing the world and the narrative you encounter.
If you interact with a nobleman without bathing for a few days, they’ll snub you, hindering your progress until you clean up. Players have reported that it can take as much as 132 hours to fully explore all this game has to offer. If you’re seeking a beautiful world to immerse yourself in until Christmas, this is the game for you.
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Kingdom Come Deliverance is available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Hideo Kojima, the game director, is behind some of the most influential games of our time, including iconic creations like the Metal Gear series and the long-lost horror game P. T.
While he no longer holds the rights to work on Metal Gear Solid (those are now with Konami), his latest series, Death Stranding, echoes a similar vibe. The recent release of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach includes some quite unapologetic callbacks.
While Death Stranding 2 remains a game about crossing vast terrains to deliver cargo, it now includes more stealth action segments reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid V. Coupled with large-scale boss fights that echo earlier titles in the Metal Gear series and a character sporting the same bandana as Solid Snake, it’s evident that Kojima is harking back to his beloved franchise.
Kingdom Come Deliverance II (Image: Warhorse Studios)
This game can easily consume over 100 hours if you aim to explore all it has to offer. It’s also refreshing to see another predominantly single-player title released without micro-transactions, DLC, or daily login incentives.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is exclusive to PlayStation 5.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
The Tony Hawk Pro Skater games sparked a cultural revolution upon their release around the turn of the millennium, allowing gamers to safely fulfill their wild dreams of becoming a pro skater from their couches. Activision launched a complete remake of 1+2 in 2020, reconstructing those original two games from scratch – and it has just given 3+4 the same treatment.
Each level has been meticulously rebuilt from the ground up, allowing players to execute limitless tricks in stages that feel familiar yet look significantly improved. The classic controls have also been preserved, enabling that nostalgic muscle memory to kick in the moment you grab the controller.
Stuck in a gaming rut? Try these games from 2025 to reignite that spark for video games. (Image: Microsoft)
Activision has licensed new music for this title, featuring bands that evoke the same sensation we all experienced when discovering new bands through the Tony Hawk games for the first time. There’s also a plethora of new cosmetic options to unlock, including one that allows you to skate as the Doom Slayer.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is available on PlayStation, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. It can also be accessed via an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Finally, we have the game that seems destined for Game of the Year by nearly everyone who’s played it so far. Whether you were a fan of the classic Final Fantasy games or not, this title from a small French team perfectly captures that feeling.
In Clair Obscur, a malevolent ‘Paintress’ looms in the distance of the only major city, painting a new number in the sky each year, counting down from 100. As each new number is painted, those of that age die, leaving only the younger generation left behind.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Image: Sony)
In the game, you take on the role of Expedition 33, a group hell-bent on breaking the endless cycle of death by exploring uncharted territories and defeating the Paintress. The result is a 20-hour narrative that’s as stunning as it is emotionally charged, boasting some of the finest acting performances ever seen in video games.
The combat system is turn-based, incorporating both parry and dodge mechanics. It’s so incredibly gratifying to master that it won me over, despite my previous aversion to all turn-based combat games.
The game’s world is breathtaking, featuring visually stunning landscapes that are a feast for the eyes. While the main storyline can be completed in approximately 20 hours, there’s an abundance of side content to delve into if you’re not ready for the adventure to end.
Much like an engrossing book, I found myself unable to put this game down after reaching the climax of Act 1. If there’s one game you play in 2025 to break free from a gaming rut, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is it.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It can also be played through an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
