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The 10 Best Games of 2025 and the Most Anticipated Releases of 2026

By Filo · · 7 min read

The Best Games of 2025

The year 2025 marks a turning point for video games. With impressive open worlds, immersive stories and legendary franchises, this period promises unforgettable experiences. In this article, we explore the confirmed hits of 2025 before discovering the most anticipated games of 2026.

🐲 Monster Hunter Wilds

There are worlds you explore… and others that watch you as you move through them. With Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom did not simply open up the map: it opened the cage. The plains breathe, storms are threatening, and monsters are no longer just targets: they are part of a living, unpredictable and sometimes cruel ecosystem.

Why Monster Hunter Wilds stands out in 2025

  • A dynamic semi-open world shaped by the weather
  • Smarter, more territorial monsters
  • An unprecedented level of immersion for the series
  • A constant sense of latent danger, almost magical in nature
Monster Hunter Wilds does not try to hold your hand. It teaches you to observe, to respect and, sometimes… to run.

🥷 Assassin's Creed Shadows

For a long time, fans whispered its name like a forbidden legend. Feudal Japan has never felt so alive in a video game. Assassin's Creed Shadows does not open a simple map; it cracks open an ancient scroll covered in ink, blood and secrets.

Two destinies, one oath

  • One moves discreetly, like a breath no one can hear.
  • The other faces the world head-on, bare blade in hand, with an honor as straight as a katana.
This choice influences the story, the combat and the way the world is perceived. Like a two-voice novel, each perspective sheds light on the other.

Why Assassin's Creed Shadows is a turning point

  • A meticulously recreated feudal Japan
  • Slower, more ceremonial stealth
  • A story centered on identity and duty
  • A contemplative nighttime atmosphere
Assassin's Creed Shadows does not shout. It whispers, and in those whispers, players rediscover the magic of the early games.

⚔️ Doom: The Dark Ages

Doom has never been darker. In The Dark Ages, frantic action meets a medieval setting. The dungeons are more than labyrinths: they tell stories of blood and fire.

Why Doom: The Dark Ages is unique

  • A brutal, stylized medieval universe
  • Enemies and bosses reimagined for the era
  • Frantic action and immersive storytelling
  • An oppressive soundscape worthy of an epic horror film
Every sword strike and every shot becomes a deadly dance between survival and chaos.

🌌 Elden Ring: Nightreign

FromSoftware reclaims its empire. Nightreign is not a simple expansion: it is a new chapter where beauty and cruelty coexist. The landscapes are breathtaking, but every tree and every stone may conceal death.

Highlights

  • New dungeons and epic bosses
  • Even freer exploration
  • A rich, immersive story
  • Rewarding long-term character progression
Nightreign captures players in a deadly ballet where every decision matters.

🏛️ Civilization VII

The ultimate strategy game returns. Civilization VII does not simply add units: it tells the entire story of human civilization. Decisions have serious consequences, and every choice shapes the world.

Why Civilization VII is crucial

  • Major innovation in gameplay mechanics
  • More realistic artificial intelligence
  • Expanded diplomatic and military options
  • Immersive graphics and dynamic maps
Civilization VII turns every game into an epic in which players become the true masters of the fate of nations.

The Most Promising Games of 2026

While 2025 delivered its confirmed hits, 2026 is shaping up to be the year of **video game revolutions**. With open worlds, narratively powerful adventures and legendary franchises, these titles promise to captivate players around the world.

🚗 Grand Theft Auto VI

The wait is almost palpable. GTA VI is not just a game: it is a **living world** that Rockstar promises will surpass everything that has come before. From vibrant cities to dangerous countryside, every street seems to breathe, and every character has a story.

Why GTA VI is so anticipated

  • A vast, highly detailed open world
  • Deep characters and rich narrative quests
  • Realistic interaction with the environment and population
  • Gameplay innovation and dynamic systems
GTA VI does not merely entertain: it immerses players in an almost cinematic experience.

🧟 Resident Evil: Requiem

Fear becomes tangible. Requiem brings Raccoon City back to its most terrifying state, combining survival and psychological tension. Every shadow and every sound is a warning: danger is everywhere here.

Highlights

  • A return to survival horror roots
  • An oppressive, immersive atmosphere
  • New gameplay mechanics to intensify the fear
  • A gripping, intriguing story
Resident Evil: Requiem promises to keep players on the edge of their seats from the first minute to the last.

🕵️‍♂️ 007 First Light

The spy you think you know is young and unpredictable. First Light explores James Bond's youth through infiltration missions where every choice has consequences. Gadgets are not accessories: they become extensions of your mind.

Why this game is promising

  • Modern stealth and innovative spy gameplay
  • An immersive story centered on a young Bond
  • Sophisticated puzzles and gadgets
  • Cinematic graphics and atmosphere
007 First Light promises to turn every mission into a thrilling plot worthy of a spy novel.

🏺 Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

Lara Croft returns to a forgotten world of ancient ruins and sunken mysteries. Legacy of Atlantis does more than offer exploration: it tells a legend through puzzles, combat and revelations.

Why this reboot is strategically important

  • Reimagined exploration and puzzles
  • Immersive, cinematic storytelling
  • A mysterious, legendary atmosphere
  • Dynamic, modern gameplay
Every tomb and every artifact becomes a chapter in an adventure where players are the heroic archaeologists at the heart of the story.

🔫 Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2

The Warhammer 40K universe becomes tangible. Boltgun 2 plunges you into an endless war where every shot and every explosion tells the story of a titanic conflict between chaos and order.

Why it fascinates

  • Explosive, strategic FPS action
  • A dark, detailed universe faithful to the franchise
  • Competitive multiplayer and co-op modes
  • Total immersion in the Warhammer universe
Boltgun 2 turns every battle into a ballet of destruction and strategy, where players become the pivot of the battlefield.
Filo

Filo is part of the Game.fr editorial team. He covers video game news, industry events and practical guides for players.