Is it that time of the year again? It’s high time to start talking about the new games I’m looking forward to play in the upcoming year. I may have written fewer articles compared to 2023, but I have written better researched articles. But, looking back on 2024 is for the next article. In this article, I’m looking to the year 2025. A year when I have been writing articles for 15 years. And I have been writing these gaming related articles for 12 years. And the third year that I’m livestreaming together with my buddy Klamath. So, on this day, I’m going to reveal the 10 games I’m looking to play in 2025. What games do interest my on the release calendar. Also, feel free to leave a comment in the comment section with your list and/or thoughts on my list. So, let’s dive right into my list. Note, this list is in a random order.

#10 – Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Stole Time (Nintendo Switch – April 2025)

This game was supposed to be released this year. Yet, this game got delayed to 2025. Fantasy Life was a charm RPG on the Nintendo 3DS where you played through a charming and adorable story. You were able to play in different lives like a warrior, magician, wood cutter, miner…

This title from Level5 got a small cult following. We were beyond stocked when the sequel on the Nintendo Switch got announced. Now we can’t wait to play it and the delay is a shame. But on the other hand, the game may be even better because of the additional polish it might get. Or maybe the game will release on the Nintendo Switch 2, which is rumored to be released at that time. Who knows, we shall have to wait and see.

#9 – Professor Layton and the New World of Steam (Nintendo Switch – TBA)

On our live streams, when ever there is a logic puzzle… Klamath says I need to wait before I say my solution. For some reason, I have a knack for solving logic puzzles. I can’t tell you why. What I can tell you is that I love games where puzzles play a central role. Games like Professor Layton.

It has almost been 8 years since we got a new Professor Layton style game. And if you don’t count the spin-off of Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy… we need to go back 11 years to a cross over with the Ace Attorney series. Add another year for the final game with only Professor Layton in a lead role.

But a totally new adventure by the professor where solving logic puzzles in a central mechanic in the world is… a wild dream for me. So, please Level5… You have two amazing titles upcoming for 2025, don’t delay them or don’t undercook them. I’m beyond hyped.

#8 – Tomb Raider IV-V-VI Remastered (Multiplatform – Febraury 14th)

Take this admission however you want. But, my first original Tomb Raider game was Tomb Raider Chronicles. Yes, I first played Tomb Raider V.

I have always been of the opinion that Tomb Raider V was a decent game and shouldn’t get the hate it got back then. I can understand that due to the departure on the original formula, like less ancient tombs and small mini-adventures… That it didn’t sit well with Tomb Raider fans. But, as a starting point, it was a blessing, actually.
Now, does Tomb Raider V have problems? Yes, it has. But with the upcoming remake of Tomb Raider 4, 5 and Angel of Darkness… We finally have a chance to see a more improved version of it. So, a week after my birthday, dear Aspyr, you may be sure that I’ll be playing the remaster of Tomb Raider V on my Nintendo Switch to enjoy Tomb Raider V how it should have been. Or maybe on my PC for added nostalgia. That’s some food for thought.

#7 – Demonschool (Mutliplatform – Q1 2025)

As long as your game has an interesting concept, I don’t really care if you are a small studio or a big studio. Necrosoft Games is currently placing the final hand on their new title called Demonschool.

Demonschool is a turnbased tactics RPG game in the style of Fire Emblem, Shin Megami Tensei and Persona. The idea is very novel and adds a new depth to the genre. Where each unit has their own role, since the weakest enemies can be killed with one hit. So, it becomes more a chess match than anything else.

From the trailers I have seen, I’m beyond interested. I could try and explain it here in this article but I feel like the trailer and battle mechanics trailer they placed on the Steam store page explains it better than I can in this article. Also, give the demo a try since, I really enjoyed it myself.

#6 – Demon Tides (PC – TBA)

While I haven’t played through the original Demon Turf, just yet… I have played through various other similar games like A Hat in Time.

From watching the trailer, I have been highly interested and I got a nostalgia hit for A Hat in Time.

So, I wishlisted this game, and I’m so going to give it a try. Since I saw various video’s on the original game and I wonder by myself, why I haven’t played it. So, Demon Turf and your sequel. I can’t wait to play through you in 2025.

#5 – The Hundred Line Last Defence Academy (Nintendo Switch & PC – April 23th)

Danganronpa and the Zero Escape trilogy are two series very close to my heart. And now we get a new title with those two writers creating a game together and directing it.

Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi are working hand in hand in this game. You clearly see the influence of both their styles in this game. And it will even have a physical release.

To create this game, the studio Too Kyo Games has to take out a loan. That’s because a publishing deal fell through. Aniplex picked this game up as a publisher. And this game is being co-developed by Media.Vision, the company behind the Wild Arms series and various Valkyria Chronicles games. So we are in good hands for this title.

On purpose, I’m trying to avoid spoiling myself as much as I can. Since, I want to be as blind as possible when I play through this game.

#4 – The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 1st (Nintendo Switch/PC – TBA)

A RPG series I always wanted to get into was the Trails in the Sky series. Sadly, I was always distracted by other games or I had the bad luck of my PSP bricking and destroying my game.

When my PSP bricked, due to the internal battery leaking… I lost my save file as well and I was so annoyed that I didn’t want to restart the game right away.

So, the Trail series continued on and I saw amazing titles appear. Color me surprised that suddenly a remake of the first title gets announced and is coming to the Nintendo Switch and PC. So, I have a chance to play this game from scratch, and it’s totally remade from the ground up. Count me in. I can’t wait to start my journey in this series and see what I missed out on.

#3 – Date Everything (PC – February 14th)

When you see the title of this game, you most likely think to yourself: “Jonez, what in the name of …”. Well, I told you earlier in this article… That if your game has an interesting concept, count me interested.

In this game, you literally can date EVERYTHING in your house. If you have seen those YTShort skits by ProZD where everything is sentient, well… What if it is. And you can date those characters?

That’s what this game brings to the table. And this game is fully voice acted, has 100 (!) characters and branching paths. And get this, there are at least 3 different endings per character. You have the love ending, friends ending and hate ending.

Now, when I saw this concept and gave it a thought, I was like… Oh hey, this has a ton of potential. Since the potential for humor and amazing story telling in this is just huge. And as somebody who loves writing stories and articles myself, this clicked right away. So, I’m going to give this game a chance and see where they go with it.

#2 – Lunar Remastered Collection (Multiplatform – Q1/2 2025)

If I look at all the retro games I still want to play through, like Lufia, my list is getting pretty long. Once, I wrote an article about my backlog, and it has gotten even more out of hand.

So, if you give me a collection of games to play through to shorten my backlog, then consider me interested. Especially when it’s good old fantasy RPG.

A story where you are dumped in a fantasy world and explore it’s various stories. With the upcoming remake, I’m quite curious to dive into the Lunar series and see why various people have recommended it to me.

#1 – Paraside: Duality Unbound (Multiplatform – TBA)

Imagne a tactics RPG, where each battlefield has two sides. Yes, basically a light and a dark side so to speak. And can manipulate the battlefield by flipping the tiles.

Do me a favor and watch the trailer for this game. And then think how many interesting gameplay concepts that this game can have. How is the flipping mechanic going to work. What are the limits of this power.

I’m mostly interested in the story behind this game. Since it’s the style of story I love to write for my personal amusement. But, the gameplay is looking mighty interesting. Now, I have only to decide if I play this title on my PC or if I take it on the go with me on the Switch. We shall see, since the game will have modding support, so the PC version might be my best option.

15 years of game blogging

While this year has been a heavy year for me, I’m happy with everything I achieved. I have been recently published in a fan gaming magazine called ReLOADED by Dominus. And I’m so happy I was able to contribute my work to it.

Next year, I’ll be writing articles for 15 years. I have several special idea’s in mind and have been working on preparations for them. But, I’m not yet going to reveal what they are. Since, I want to leave them a surprise for all of you guys and girl. While 2025 is going to be a busy year for me, I’m sure that it will be filled with amazing adventures and unique opportunities.

When I look at the games that are going to release in 2025, I’m beyond stocked that I will have a lot of games to play and talk about in my blog. But, who knows, games on my backlog or retro games I find might grab my attention more and more.

And with that, I’m going to wrap up this article here. I want to thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope to be able to welcome you in another one, but until then have a great rest of your day and take care.

Title: Need for Speed: Unbound
Developer: Criterion Games
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Released: December 2, 2022
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 5
Platforms Available: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Article Reading Time: 8 minutes

A Familiar Road with New Turns

As is customary in the Need for Speed racing series, just like in the earlier installments, we get our hands on furious races, omnipresent tire smoke, and tuned supercars in a new art style this time. Need for Speed, with the latest console version, got a chance to do something originally different. And it was an exceptional experience. The first impression immediately after starting the game was evident. Criterion was very heavily inspired by its previous work. Once again, you take on the role of a young racer looking to make a name for himself in the city. Starting from scratch with an old car, you race in day or night events to earn a living while trying to shake off the cops who come down on you after every race. A concept familiar from the older Need for Speed Heat. But this time, it’s been tweaked slightly. You create your own hero or heroine at the start of the game. The choice is broad; you can make a weird hipster, a Japanese anime-style doll, or something decent.

Night and Day, Risk and Reward

The races in Unbound are divided into day and night. During the day, it’s quiet everywhere. The races are characterized by less risk from the police, but at the same time, you can’t expect any more significant rewards. At night, on the other hand, the money starts rolling in. Law enforcement is alive and well, and the most frantic races are held for big money, which only the best can win. Of course, at night, the cops are hot, and your Heat level after each race is higher than in broad daylight. If you get caught, you lose all the money you didn’t manage to take to the garage.

The Heat of the Night

Several racing opportunities will appear on the map throughout the night. You will also often be chased by the cops after a race. If you shake them off, you can park and save your accumulated money, but this will jump you forward half a day, and the night’s events are gone. It’s more tempting to keep playing at night and run all the events. The more events you complete in one night, the higher your Heat level. Escaping the cops from level three onwards requires skill and a fast car. That hurts a lot when they catch you and confiscate all the money you didn’t manage to stash in the garage. It’s a thrilling aspect of the game, and the “this race will still work before they get me” style of decision-making was something I really enjoyed.

Racing Perfected

The story of Unbound is quite exciting and expansive by series standards, with well-written characters that are memorable and believable. The dialogue may be simple and annoying. However, we’re still talking about NFS, where the central aspect isn’t the deep story but the racing. The racing aspect of the game is perfect. This is precisely how I imagine arcade racing. In city traffic, at full speed, cutting corners, jumping, and passing closely with other road users flatting out. In Unbound, you will be dealing with surprisingly challenging races. It took me a while to learn how to drive at full speed amongst all the pitfalls, and I needed to tune the car to get to the front. The race modes don’t stray from the familiar standards; we have classic time trials, city circuits, drifts, and a special mode where you collect points for spectacular track runs and try to hit as many cones, paint barrels, and preferably jumps and skids as possible. At this point, one thing that really bothered me throughout my time playing was the lack of a fast travel option on the map. You have to transport yourself everywhere. Suppose the police patrols have it in for you and your high Heat level. In that case, you won’t just drive to the next challenge unleashed, but you’ll be dodging the police patrols with fear, marked on the map by a moving red icon. It’s neither cool nor fun, but it fits the game’s concept that the cops are here and will take your money if you’re not careful.

Aesthetic Overdrive

What would Need for Speed be without a good dose of tuning. You can customize each licensed vehicle, of which there are a staggering number, to your heart’s content. The ability to detail the powertrain is a big plus. Compared to previous installments, the authors have gone into even greater detail. Moreover, any minor modification of the car is noticeable on the road. Of course, many stickers, shiny wheel rims, bumpers, tinted glass, etc already exist. The graphics of NFS Unbound on the latest gaming consoles, especially on the PlayStation 5, are simply breathtaking. The game’s setting, Lakeshore, is a bustling and vibrant metropolis with towering skyscrapers, busy streets, and poverty-stricken suburbs, all of which are beautifully rendered with stunning attention to detail. The surrounding countryside is equally impressive, offering a plethora of scenic routes to explore. The cars in the game are also incredibly detailed, with every aspect of their design and mechanics flawlessly captured. The only downside is the lack of an interior view, which would have made the experience even more immersive. Overall, NFS Unbound is a visual masterpiece that truly showcases the power and capabilities of the latest gaming consoles.

New Styles and Online Shortfalls

A controversial pre-release feature was the new comic book style, where all the effects, like clouds from spinning tires, collisions, crashes, and flyovers, are complemented by cartoon and graffiti effects. Also, all the characters in the game look like they are from an animated movie. I was skeptical of this concept, but the developers have kept this style at bay. The graffiti is a tasteful art addition that often adds to the game’s atmosphere. The characters look too cartoonish for my taste, with bland facial expressions that make the contrast between the cartoonish and photorealistic visuals all too apparent. In addition to the 30-hour campaign, the game offers an online mode and a separate city map where you can race against other players and earn money. However, it appears that the developers did not invest enough resources in this mode. The lack of police cars, which add excitement and challenge to the races in the campaign, makes the online mode feel somewhat lackluster and empty. This is a missed opportunity, as the potential for engaging and competitive multiplayer races is certainly there. Hopefully, the developers will address this issue in future updates to the game.

Conclusion and Legacy

So, in conclusion, Need for Speed Unbound is an excellent addition to the famous franchise. Suppose you overlook that the developers were heavily inspired by the subtitled Heat and put in next-gen graphics. In that case, you get excellent arcade racing complemented by the original art style. It’s clear that the game was made for the fans, who get exactly what they expect but in a new and prettier package. The number of cars, their upgrade options, and the frantic racing are precisely what NFS has always been about, and that’s not changing. Here, all of this is brought together by an interesting story. Disappointingly, some repetitive activities and an unfinished online mode. In short, the franchise is still maintaining a relatively decent quality because it’s about to celebrate 30 years.

Purchase and Experience the Rush of Need for Speed: Unbound

Steam: Race to Steam to grab your copy and hit the streets in style.
Epic Games Store: Speed over to Epic Games Store for your adrenaline-fueled adventure.
PlayStation Store: Drive your way to the PlayStation Store and experience next-gen racing on your PS5.
Microsoft Store: Accelerate your game on Xbox by visiting the Microsoft Store.

The post Need for Speed Unbound: High-Octane Races Meet Fresh Comic Book Style appeared first on WePlayGames.net: Home for Top Gamers.

The Need for Speed team is celebrating the franchise's 30th anniversary with another year of live service content for its most recent release, Unbound.

"Surprise! We're still here," developer Criterion Games shared in a new blog post, where it detailed Need for Speed: Unbound's year two roadmap. "NFS turns 30 this year, and with that huge legacy, we couldn't stand idle. However, this year will be a bit different from the previous one."

The studio said it hopes players will make "new memories" with the Need for Speed series this year, but admitted it "can't build everything everyone wants right now". What it can do, however, is work with its community to decide what the series should look like in the future.

Read more

The Need for Speed team is celebrating the franchise's 30th anniversary with another year of live service content for its most recent release, Unbound.

"Surprise! We're still here," developer Criterion Games shared in a new blog post, where it detailed Need for Speed: Unbound's year two roadmap. "NFS turns 30 this year, and with that huge legacy, we couldn't stand idle. However, this year will be a bit different from the previous one."

The studio said it hopes players will make "new memories" with the Need for Speed series this year, but admitted it "can't build everything everyone wants right now". What it can do, however, is work with its community to decide what the series should look like in the future.

Read more

Sony has unveiled its PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium game catalogue additions for February, which this month include Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Need for Speed Unbound, The Outer Worlds, Tales of Arise, and more.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is arguably the biggest biggie in there, whisking players away for a Viking adventure set against an open-world backdrop of Anglo-Saxon England at the end of the ninth century. A lavishly designed "saga for the ages", is what Eurogamer called it back in 2020.

Valhalla is joined by the developer Criterion's equally recommended arcade racer Need for Speed Unbound - the "best Need for Speed in a generation" we said when it released in 2022 - as well as Obsidian Entertainment's slightly less gripping 2019 satirical adventure The Outer Worlds, a "conventional, easygoing scifi RPG...that fades very quickly from the mind." And here's the full list of February's PlayStation Plus Extra games.

Read more

PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue and Classics titles for February 2024 are now available. This month, PS Plus Extra and Premium/Deluxe members will receive access to several titles, with some big names included, such as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Need for Speed Unbound, and The Outer Worlds.

Need for Speed Unbound, a …

Need for Speed Unbound is back with a second year of live service.

Developer Criterion issued a year two roadmap blog post, saying: “Surprise! We're still here, and not just here — we have a whole year's worth of content coming to you!”

Another 12 months of content …