Launching on both Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus from day one helped Blue Prince reach a large audience, though it likely would have become popular through recommendations alone. It’s become one of the best-reviewed new games of 2025, earning nominations for Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie at The Game Awards. Despite its success, the developer doesn’t seem interested in making a sequel.
Many roguelite games earn player respect and keep them engaged by offering rewards even after a run ends. These rewards might seem small at first, but they add up over time, creating a satisfying sense of progress. Let’s look at some examples of well-designed progression systems that other games can learn from.
Despite its strengths, playing ARC Raiders alone can be uneven. Sometimes you might complete a mission feeling like a ghost, never engaging in combat, while other times a single player’s actions can unexpectedly end your run. This unpredictability is actually what makes the solo experience so compelling – it’s a game with both exciting highs and frustrating lows, and those two sides are essential to what it offers.
The new arc of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has begun, and it appears to be the most ambitious story arc yet. While Boruto has featured some exciting storylines, none have reached the same epic scale as the best arcs from the original Naruto series. Arcs like the Fourth Great Ninja War and the Pain arc are widely considered to be the highlights of the entire franchise, and some of the best in anime history.
The popular Assassin’s Creed video game franchise has been a success since its launch in 2007, offering exciting action and compelling stories throughout different historical periods. While a 2016 film starring Michael Fassbender received poor reviews, Netflix and Ubisoft are now collaborating on a live-action Assassin’s Creed series. Several series are reportedly in development, but progress seems promising on at least one of them, as announced earlier this year.
Released on October 10th, Battlefield 6 is the top-selling game in the US so far in 2025. Its main competitor, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, isn’t selling as well as the previous Call of Duty game, so Battlefield 6, created by DICE, has a good chance of staying the best-selling game for the rest of the year.
I’m drawn to games with compelling stories and characters, and Dispatch really delivered on that front. As Robert Robertson, I felt a strong responsibility to the people I was leading. Instead of seeing their initial hesitation as defiance, I understood it as a natural reaction to past disappointments. The game encouraged me to use everything I’ve learned about building trust and creating a safe environment – things like being vulnerable and acknowledging their pain. The characters in AdHoc Studios’ first game are very open about their struggles, and I felt like it was my job to support them in the way they needed.
For years, Gearbox has given players in-game gifts through SHiFT codes. You can use these codes to get cosmetic items or Golden Keys, which you then use on Golden Chests to find powerful loot. Golden Chests are often the most reliable way to earn Legendary items in Borderlands 4, so those keys are really useful. Plus, the loot you get is always appropriate for your current level, making it a quick way to improve your gear.
Watching One Piece right now, we’re deep into the Elbaf arc, and it’s clear Oda is really highlighting the importance of Haki. Fans have long suspected Haki would become incredibly powerful as we get closer to the end of the story – there was still so much we didn’t know about it. And Elbaf is starting to reveal those secrets. Even before the flashback to Loki began, it seemed pretty obvious that Luffy was going to need to significantly improve his Haki.
It’s obvious why this is exciting: the team behind Turbo Overkill is turning the popular mod into a complete game. They’ve even brought in Akira Yamaoka, the famous composer from Silent Hill, to create the soundtrack. With a great base from the original mod and Yamaoka’s involvement, this game is shaping up to be something special, don’t you think?