Talking Point #1: Which 2025 Games Are You Excited About?

It’s been said 2025 would be the long awaited sequel to the year 2004, but looking at the line-up we have this, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. It’s amazing what we’re anticipating to come out this year, as it might be one of the most packed years we’ll have this decade.

Coincidentally, ten years ago, 2015 was no slouch either. Giving us incredible, fondly remembered titles like Metal Gear Solid V, Batman: Arkham Knight, Bloodborne and Undertale. Just to name a few. One of these series is even getting a new entry this year!

This brief list will not be all-encompassing, but rather highlight a couple notable titles coming out this year.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, coming Feb 21​

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What could be said about the Yakuza franchise that hadn’t been already said? A lot of writers here on RetroGameTalk adore it, so you should be absolutely certain we’re keeping our eyes peeled for this one!

Personally, I’ve already pre-ordered it and I can’t really to not only crack some skulls once more in Hawaii, but to do it as Majima, with air-combat added to boot!

But I’m personally also hyped to see Samoa Joe here. Celebrity cameos have always been stellar and as a big pro-wrestling geek myself, I couldn’t be happier.

Doom: The Dark Ages, coming May 15​

Who doesn’t love Doom? Well, classic Doom anyways. Personally speaking, neither Doom 2016 nor Eternal lived up to this author’s sky high expectations for the series, playing less like actual Doom and more like Quake, not that there’s anything wrong with Quake, it’s a classic but it’s not “Doom”.

This, however, is shaping up to be something more unique. A potential shake-up to the formula to make it less visually and mechanically dull and more action-heavy, hopefully matching up the speed and sense of euphoric exhilaration the classic games are known. I’m likely getting this through Game Pass as to dodge Bethesda’s shoddy business practices.

Mafia: The Old Country, coming Q3 2025​

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Trust us, you don’t wanna sleep on this one. It might be a little under people’s radar but it is very deserving of a mention. The iconic Mafia series had its beginnings as a driving-sim with crime drama elements, it is mostly a coincidence it was beyond developed alongside the release of GTA III.

This, and Sleeping Dogs are amongst the best GTA-likes out there and very deserving of your time, especially in an era dominated by soulsliks, this’ll act as a huge breath of fresh air. Don’t miss out!

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater​

This author is admittedly very late to the MGS hype, however a recent playthrough of Snake Eater instantly made it one of my all-time greats, so it’s safe to say I’m fully onboard with this remake. Looks graphically stunning and will be a fantastic excuse to give this classic one last spin.

Ninja Gaiden 4​

We went over this already in a previous news article, and my good mate @Octopus has done a fantastic overview of the series that includes some talk of the new Black 2 remaster. But to briefly recap, Team Ninja made the most unexpected announcement at the last Xbox Developer Direct where it revealed a new entry in this great hack and slash series.

While not much is known besides a potential new playable character, this new game is shaping up to be a true return to form, the new remaster also gave us a visual taste of what’s to come, given that they both run on UE5.

What are you most excited about this year? Slash your way through the comments below!

 

[destinyduelist]

MGS for sure, I've been a fan of the series since I was a little kid
I grew up with Snake and at first I wasn't really looking forward to the remake since knowing Konami's track record I thought they'd just be cashing in on the remake trend but after SH2R and gameplay reveals I can safely say I'm actually looking forward to this
Will it be as good as the original? No, probably not, you can't really outdo a masterpiece. Will it (hopefully) be good and stand on it's own? I feel like it will be honestly

 

[Yousef's iconYousef]

MGS for sure, I've been a fan of the series since I was a little kid
I grew up with Snake and at first I wasn't really looking forward to the remake since knowing Konami's track record I thought they'd just be cashing in on the remake trend but after SH2R and gameplay reveals I can safely say I'm actually looking forward to this
Will it be as good as the original? No, probably not, you can't really outdo a masterpiece. Will it (hopefully) be good and stand on it's own? I feel like it will be honestly

I feel similar. I open the remake with open arms. I’m sure the team is pretty passionate.

 

[DunkeyKong]

Good lord, 2025 is gonna be one of the most exciting year for gaming. So many returning series and so many great titles are coming out this year

I'm definitely excited for Doom: The Dark Ages, why? Well it's DOOM! No more reason is needed. Ninja Gaiden 4 is quite exciting too, one of the only franchise where most of the games are straight up bangers and even a hidden gem like Dragon Sword in Nintendo DS is good. So of course I would be excited

And then there's Metal Gear Solid: Delta. Now this one is a bit unexpected for me, why? Well, it's almost been 10 years ever since we actually got a new game (or I guess a remake) other than collections and well…Survive (remember that?)

I think it's kinda a good thing for Konami because now people wanted to see the ones with Solid Snake instead of Big Boss, so you can probably see why most people are also exciting for this (but also expecting the other ones to get the same treatment)

As much as I didn't like the amount of remakes for the past year, I think this is one of those games that actually needed it. Especially with the new engine, visuals and most importantly CROUCHING! I can finally crouch without needing to use some kind of mod finally

 

[Yousef's iconYousef]

Good lord, 2025 is gonna be one of the most exciting year for gaming. So many returning series and so many great titles are coming out this year

I'm definitely excited for Doom: The Dark Ages, why? Well it's DOOM! No more reason is needed. Ninja Gaiden 4 is quite exciting too, one of the only franchise where most of the games are straight up bangers and even a hidden gem like Dragon Sword in Nintendo DS is good. So of course I would be excited
View attachment 17616

And then there's Metal Gear Solid: Delta. Now this one is a bit unexpected for me, why? Well, it's almost been 10 years ever since we actually got a new game (or I guess a remake) other than collections and well…Survive (remember that?)

I think it's kinda a good thing for Konami because now people wanted to see the ones with Solid Snake instead of Big Boss, so you can probably see why most people are also exciting for this (but also expecting the other ones to get the same treatment)

As much as I didn't like the amount of remakes for the past year, I think this is one of those games that actually needed it. Especially with the new engine, visuals and most importantly CROUCHING! I can finally crouch without needing to use some kind of mod finally

Well said brother.

 

[Octopus]

Will it be as good as the original? No, probably not, you can't really outdo a masterpiece. Will it (hopefully) be good and stand on it's own? I feel like it will be honestly

From what I've seen at least it really seems like a 1-for-1 remake which is nice, there's certain things that when you're remaking it you should stick as close to the original formula as you can. To me, nothing from MGS3 needs to be changed or updated other than some control things which they seem to be doing so hell yeah.

Especially with the new engine, visuals and most importantly CROUCHING! I can finally crouch without needing to use some kind of mod finally

Oh shit I missed this from what they've shown off. You could crouch-walk in the 3DS version which was an interesting experience.

 

[Yousef's iconYousef]

From what I've seen at least it really seems like a 1-for-1 remake which is nice, there's certain things that when you're remaking it you should stick as close to the original formula as you can. To me, nothing from MGS3 needs to be changed or updated other than some control things which they seem to be doing so hell yeah.


Oh shit I missed this from what they've shown off. You could crouch-walk in the 3DS version which was an interesting experience.

I missed it too. Almost TiL. Might emulate it!

 

[DunkeyKong]

From what I've seen at least it really seems
Oh shit I missed this from what they've shown off. You could crouch-walk in the 3DS version which was an interesting experience.

One of the only Metal Gear Solid 3 versions that can do that…and it's on 3DS

It's still a pretty good technical achievement though, I guess you could say that it was…solid

 

[Yousef's iconYousef]

One of the only Metal Gear Solid 3 versions that can do that…and it's on 3DS

It's still a pretty good technical achievement though, I guess you could say that it was…solid

LOOOOL

 

[destinyduelist]

To me, nothing from MGS3 needs to be changed or updated other than some control things which they seem to be doing so hell yeah.

Yep, pretty much my thoughts exactly. MGS3 is a masterpiece and withstood the test of time, years go by and the game is still phenomenal in every way. I think Subsistence on PS2 is the best version of the game even after the recent collection release.

 

[Octopus]

I think Subsistence on PS2 is the best version of the game even after the recent collection release.

I mean it's the only version with Snake Vs. Monkey, the greatest game-in-a-game. I think it's the only version with the Secret Theater too, but I could be wrong about that one.

 

[ciro64]

Looking forward Ninja Gaiden Rebound

I never played Ninja Gaiden before, but this trailer clicks with me

 

[Ícaro Oliveira Santos]

Doom: The Dark Ages looks phenomenal, I'm very excited, the Yakuza pirate game also looks very good.

Post automatically merged: Jan 26, 2025

I'm also excited about the new Ninja Gaiden.

 

[norunove]

I gotta play that MGS remake, it looks amazing and i love that they kept the OG dub, i know that it's still no announcement yet but i can't wait for the new Onimusha game, i've been craving for one since Dawn of Dreams

 

[Rethen]

I'm looking forward to Like a Pirate lol. I always look forward to the latest gimmicks in the Yakuza series.

 

[ATenderLad]

Damn, that's a great cover image, random notes!

• It's a nice feeling, starting the year excited for a new Like a Dragon release. Infinite Wealth was the first new game I played in 2024 and set a high bar that almost nothing else cleared. Majima's Big Pirate Adventure looks even more unhinged, I'm damned excited for this one!
• I haven't read anything about the new Doom yet, but I hope they find some way to meaningfully mix up the gameplay. I enjoyed the last two titles, but they feel about as good as they can get with the current design.
• I completely skipped the Mafia series until Mafia III was a free game with PS Plus. Color me shocked to find one of the more compelling stories I've ever seen in an open-world game! If The Old Country brings that kind of character writing, with some meaningful twist on stealth gameplay (it's just always the same basic boring thing in games like this) I'll be champing at the bit to give a shot.
• Metal Gear Solid Delta Alpha Lumbar Support: Eat Snakes is....you know, for anyone that hasn't played Snake Eater, I'm sure it'll be nice. There's already been several remakes though, and my PS2 still works. I can't imagine opening my purse for this one, but I hope it's a quality remake in general. (I mean, I guess I hope every game is good, and movie, and book. I'd rather be hopeful, you know?)
• I have a lot of other Ninja Gaiden's to play before thinking about a new one, I stopped on the NES.

In terms of new installments of long-running series, there's also Monster Hunter: Wilds, Metroid Prime 4, and mayyyyyybe Grand Theft Auto 6. That last one will probably kick off some kind of Cyberpunk 2020-esque internet doom, where the old web will be sealed away after a catastrophic crash makes digital spaces dangerous for humans.

Great article Yousef, I really like the way you bring a sense of community to a lot of the things you write and post.

 

[Cu-Neo]

From the list I am very interested of how Mafia the old country comes out, because Hangar 13 did a good Job with Mafia Definitive Edition but that was because Mafia 1 was already a great game so it's going to be interesting. And I am interested in trillions of things for this year: The lunar remasters, the Suikoden 1 and 2 remasters, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Phantom Brave the lost hero, I also want to see what they did with the new Tomb raider remasters especially with Angel of Darkness. But the thing I will buy in March without a doubt is going to be this:

Probably the cheapest thing in the list .

 

[Yousef's iconYousef]

Funny gal gun game.

I’m very interested in picking this up. Unapologetic gal gun player.

Damn, that's a great cover image, random notes!

Appreciate it. My editing software nearly crapped out on me so I was pleased to have the image come out at all. Everything went according to plan luckily.

• It's a nice feeling, starting the year excited for a new Like a Dragon release. Infinite Wealth was the first new game I played in 2024 and set a high bar that almost nothing else cleared. Majima's Big Pirate Adventure looks even more unhinged, I'm damned excited for this one!

I’m a big Yakuza fan. I made that clear as is. I plan to discuss it more in the future.

• I haven't read anything about the new Doom yet, but I hope they find some way to meaningfully mix up the gameplay. I enjoyed the last two titles, but they feel about as good as they can get with the current design.

To avoid repeating myself, I’ll just say something about Dark Ages clicked with me more.

• I completely skipped the Mafia series until Mafia III was a free game with PS Plus. Color me shocked to find one of the more compelling stories I've ever seen in an open-world game! If The Old Country brings that kind of character writing, with some meaningful twist on stealth gameplay (it's just always the same basic boring thing in games like this) I'll be champing at the bit to give a shot.

I’m one of those gta players who give the competition a chance. I’ve zero tribalism in my blood.

Mafia 3 is in my Hall of Defame of “good had ugly games” (look up the namesake thread by @RageBurner ) where I had a max payne 3 rant that was…. Let’s say not very hinged.

My point is, mafia 3 had absolutely stellar potent but it was bogged down by
And I won’t mince words here
Garbage development cycle.
Harsh, but deserved. Especially now that hindsight is 20/20 and we have a game that can theoretically surpass it and deliver on its promised. I would kill for a timeline where mafia 3 is not an ungood game with gameplay that makes me question what’s the point of gaming.
Again, harsh, but hey. Mafia 4 genuinely looks hype. Can’t wait.

• Metal Gear Solid Delta Alpha Lumbar Support: Eat Snakes is....you know, for anyone that hasn't played Snake Eater, I'm sure it'll be nice. There's already been several remakes though, and my PS2 still works. I can't imagine opening my purse for this one, but I hope it's a quality remake in general. (I mean, I guess I hope every game is good, and movie, and book. I'd rather be hopeful, you know?)

I’m of the opinion a remake has as much as validity as you have love for the game. I love persona and persona 3, so reload was a slam dunk for me. It all depends on the game and how faithful they are to it.

• I have a lot of other Ninja Gaiden's to play before thinking about a new one, I stopped on the NES.

You got a long way.

Great article Yousef, I really like the way you bring a sense of community to a lot of the things you write and post.

I truly appreciate it man. Sorry I took a while to get back to you since I was driving my family to the airport but this truly made me happy seeing it. This feedback is really helpful creatively, it clues me in and what I’m doing right and I could improve on in my strategy/plan and identity. You are really helpful.

Thanks for the feedback and for reading. Look forward to more articles in this new series.

 

[DanCalibur]

I'm always behind the party so I'll finally play Yakuza Kiwami 2 and Doom 2016

 

[Yousef's iconYousef]

I'm always behind the party so I'll finally play Yakuza Kiwami 2 and Doom 2016

Never too late!

 

[Aziamuth]

If it were a few years ago I'd be head over heels for Yakuza Pirate. Hell, it's coming one day before my birthday (if someone remembers don't be shy and say happy birthday).

Nowadays, however? I have absolutely no enthusiasm. It's weird because the game looks fantastic. I think IW killed my interest in the franchise (again, weird, because IW it's amazing).

 

[Skellerick]

Great list, I'm hyped for them all (specially Pirate Yakuza)! I'm keeping an eye in more titles in 2025 than I have in many recent years.

 

[Yousef's iconYousef]

If it were a few years ago I'd be head over heels for Yakuza Pirate. Hell, it's coming one day before my birthday (if someone remembers don't be shy and say happy birthday).

Nowadays, however? I have absolutely no enthusiasm. It's weird because the game looks fantastic. I think IW killed my interest in the franchise (again, weird, because IW it's amazing).

All of this is 100% relatable. I’d explain my stance but it’s probably wiser to save it for a future article.

 

[Aziamuth]

All of this is 100% relatable. I’d explain my stance but it’s probably wiser to save it for a future article.

So true! Let's do a collaborative effort

 

[Stingy Perry]

I’m excited about MGS because we all knew what happened to Silent Hill I wonder if they could take it up a notch or give it a total notch.