Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Blades of Fire
Clawpunk
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-
To a T
Shadow of the Road
Hotel Barcelona
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree
Missile Command Delta
Herdling
Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults
The annual Game Developers Conference is at all times an thrilling place to take a look at new and thrilling upcoming video games. It won’t have as lots of the AAA heavy hitters as a Summer Game Fest, however the occasions and appointments surrounding this extra developer-focused convention has traditionally housed video games that we’ve gone on to like, resembling Viewfinder, Venba, and Animal Well.
This yr, I attended my first GDC and performed lots of promising video games there. The final couple of years have been tough for the online game business, and issues could worsen earlier than they get higher. Despite that, every part I performed at GDC 2025 renewed my confidence that there are nonetheless many passionate builders engaged on superb video games that deserve our undivided consideration. These 9 video games stood out sufficient particularly to make our checklist of the very best video games we performed at GDC 2025.
Blades of Fire
MercurySteam / Digital Trends
Blades of Fire was actually the most important shock of GDC 2025 for me, as this new challenge from the builders of Metroid Dread is way out of your typical motion recreation. While components from video games like Dark Souls and For Honor may be seen right here, a small style of Blades of Fire’s weapon forging and directional fight obtained my consideration. I needed to be very intentional with how I solid weapons and selected to combat enemies, partaking me in a approach I hadn’t felt with an motion recreation in fairly some time. I at all times cherish it when video games in well-trodden genres aren’t afraid to take daring swings, and Blades of Fire does simply that in an unique fantasy world that I’m already craving to return to.
Blades of Fire launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on May 22.
Clawpunk
Kittens in Timespace / Digital Trends
While I’m not a cat particular person, video games like Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection and Clawpunk ensured I obtained my fill of them at GDC 2025. Clawpunk is an action-platformer roguelike the place gamers take management of cats with particular talents and combat by means of bite-sized, extremely destructible ranges. It was straightforward to select up and play in the course of a busy convention, and I used to be left eager to play extra after I needed to put the controller down. Games like Stray, A Little To The Left, and even that odd The Game Awards reveal Catly present that there’s fairly a requirement for video games the place you management that. Clawpunk might be poised for achievement if it will probably entice that crowd to interact with this action-roguelike journey.
Clawpunk is in growth for PC.
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-
Too Kyo Games / Media.Vision Inc. / Digital Trends
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is the primary collaboration between Kotaro Uchikoshi, the director of the Zero Escape and AI: The Somnium Files sequence, and Kazutaka Kodaka, the creator and author of the Danganronpa video games. That match made in heaven ends in a techniques RPG/visible novel hybrid that may present the very best of each worlds. It finds a center floor between Persona and Fire Emblem as a solid of memorable characters with fantastical talents combat to guard a college from hordes of continually invading monsters. It has all of the appeal of its creators’ earlier works and has the potential to change into a breakout hit.
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- launches for PC and Nintendo Switch on April 24.
To a T
uvula / Digital Trends
To a T is a brand new recreation from Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi, and it was completely pleasant once I performed it at GDC 2025. It’s a cute little journey recreation a couple of younger little one who can’t escape of a “t” form, and gamers management them as they go about their every day life and do issues like prepare for college. It’s a unusual little expertise, however it’s also clearly being spun to finally be a recreation with a message about physique positivity, with the road “you’re the perfect shape” always being reiterated within the recreation’s most important theme track. Yes, it has a most important theme track.
To a T launches on May 28 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Shadow of the Road
Another Angle Games / Digital Trends
Owlcat Games is making a reputation for itself within the CRPG area by not solely growing video games like Warhammer 40,00: Rogue Trader but additionally by publishing different promising CRPGs like Rue Valley and Shadow of the Road. I checked out Shadow of the Road at an indie occasion throughout GDC, and its option to embrace feudal Japan’s historical past and mythology makes it stand out in comparison with most fashionable RPGs. Its turn-based fight additionally seems to be like lots of enjoyable, as there are lots of methods to be developed with the positioning of models and modifying flip order in your favor. CRPGs are in style once more following Baldur’s Gate 3, and Owlcat Games appears eager to capitalize on that by means of titles like Shadow of the Road.
An open alpha for Shadow of the Road is offered now on PC.
Hotel Barcelona
White Owls Inc. / Digital Trends
Suda 51 and SWERY’s Hotel Barcelona felt like a reasonably easy action-platforming roguelike once I first began taking part in it at GDC, albeit one with a memorable aesthetic impressed by horror films. Then I died, and the actual draw revealed itself. With every new run of a degree, gamers are preventing alongside their previous lives. This supplies a neat visible impact and opens up new combo alternatives as their assaults nonetheless harm enemies. Add within the odd aptitude that comes with these storied builders, like randomly spawning as larger than standard throughout one run, and Hotel Barcelona is providing an especially artistic spin on a well-trodden roguelike method.
Hotel Barcelona launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S this yr.
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree
Primal Game Studio / Digital Trends
If you’re a fan of 2D Soulslikes, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree must be in your radar. It expertly interprets the troublesome, methodical fight FromSoftware’s video games are identified for right into a 2D format and appears nice whereas doing it. Mandragora’s cel-shaded look is kind of stunning, and loads of flashy and helpful magical assaults take full benefit of that. Developer Primal Game Studios guarantees that the sport might be over 40 hours lengthy and have New Game+ at launch, so Mandragora will supply a complete lot of Soulslike to sink your enamel into.
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on April 17.
Missile Command Delta
13AM Games / Mighty Yell / Digital Trends
Of all of Atari’s current retro reimaginings, none have caught my eye in the way in which Missile Command Delta has. While there’s no narrative to talk of in basic Missile Command, Delta reinterprets that basic right into a story-driven recreation that blends first-person exploration and puzzle fixing with turn-based tactical fight. Its first private exploration jogs my memory of video games like The Witness and American Arcadia, whereas its powerful tactical battles jogged my memory of classics like Into the Breach. Considering builders Mighty Yell and 13 AM Games have a stable monitor document as indie studios, I’ve excessive expectations for Missile Command Delta when it lastly releases.
Missile Command Delta might be launched for PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch in 2025.
Herdling
Okomotive / Digital Trends
This recreation from Far: Lone Sails developer Okomotive is the subsequent indie coming for Journey’s crown. Herdling sees gamers information an ever-increasing variety of animals into the countryside mountains surrounding a reasonably dreadful metropolis. While the controls of herding animals from behind took a bit of getting used to, finally I fell into Herdling’s rhythm and got here to benefit from the calm, stunning moments that emerged when dashing throughout the countryside with wild animals that I had named and free of that dreary metropolis. Like thatgamecompany’s basic Journey, realizing the place to go felt intuitive, and the journey instantly started to really feel simply as necessary because the vacation spot.
Herdling launches PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S someday this summer time.
Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults
BKOM Studios / Digital Trends
Classic tabletop recreation Pathfinder has been getting the eye it deserves from the online game area greater than ever lately. Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults is the most recent instance, providing up an motion RPG expertise that doesn’t remind me of simply Diablo, however basic hero-based aRPGs I grew up having fun with, like Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults will supply easy, Diablo-like enjoyable based mostly on a preferred Pathfinder Adventure Path. It’ll assist sofa co-op, too, an growing rarity these days and one thing that attracts me to the sport although I’m not a diehard Pathfinder fan.
Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults might be launched in 2025 on Steam.