By Paul Perez
After visiting my brother and catching parts of the show at his place, I came home, made dinner, and watched the rest while I ate. Just because these games stood out to me at The Game Awards 2025 doesn’t mean I’ll actually play them.
For me to try a game, it usually needs great reviews, to be available on PlayStation Plus or Game Pass, or go on a steep sale on Steam.
Still, some games stick with me because of their art, presentation, nostalgia, or just how original they are. Here are titles from The Game Awards 2025 that caught my eye.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
Nostalgia heavy
This is a remake of the original Tomb Raider, which came out almost 20 years ago, and it looks great. Crystal Dynamics, the team behind the recent trilogy, which started in 2013, is making it, and it feels like a brand-new game.
What stood out to me is how empty it feels, with Lara Croft moving through tricky environments all alone. That sense of loneliness is part of its charm. I remember the original being tough, mostly because it was hard to tell which ledges you could climb. The graphics often made everything look the same.
That challenge made the game memorable. Watching Lara do her classic handstand flip while climbing took me right back. It showed me how the limits of old games sometimes gave them their unique style.
Decrepit
Gave me 'The Grudge' vibes
Shown during the pre-show, Decrepit caught my attention immediately.
The way the creatures moved reminded me of The Ring and The Grudge: unnatural, jerky, and unsettling. I’m always interested in first-person horror, and this one captured the mood right away. Sometimes that’s all it takes.
Coven of the Chicken Foot
Something different
Orbitals
I loved the game's look, with strong ’80s and ’90s anime vibes. It reminded me of Robotech.
I probably won’t play this since it’s focused on co-op, but I wish more developers would bring back old art styles. Cuphead is a great example of how using a retro look can make a game stand out.
The ’80s and ’90s style reminds me of when I loved anime as a kid. I’d run home from school in winter, make a hot cup of strawberry Quik, and watch the latest Robotech episode my brother recorded that morning. Those were good times. What about you? Did you have a favorite snack and show as a kid? I’d love to hear about your childhood anime memories in the comments.
4 Loop and Toxic Commando
I’m a massive fan of horror-survival first-person shooters, especially co-op games that still allow a solo campaign.
Some of my all-time favorites:
- Left 4 Dead
- Zombie Army 4: Dead War
Others I liked—but didn’t love as much:
- Back 4 Blood (fun but very challenging)
- World War Z (good, but it didn’t fully grab me)
4 Loop
This one is being made by Bad Robot, J.J. Abrams’ company, along with a former Left 4 Dead producer. It’s more sci-fi than horror, but it looks interesting. I’m definitely curious.
Toxic Commando
This game is from John Carpenter, the director of The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, and Escape from New York.
It seems to mix together everything I enjoy in a modern way:
- Horde mechanics like World War Z
- It has the same grindhouse feel as Zombie Army.
- A heavy horror tone
No Law
This comes from the developers of The Ascent, an isometric, top-down shooter that never really pulled me in, even when it hit Game Pass.
But No Law looks different. It’s a futuristic first-person shooter about revenge. Imagine the main character walking over neon-lit streets, the dim light showing their path as they hold a shaking pistol. That’s more my style. I want to see how it plays.
Ace Combat: Wings of Theves
As a kid, I loved games like Afterburner and Wing Commander. They proved that airplane combat could be fast, cinematic, and story-driven.
I’ve tried Ace Combat before, but never really got into it. This one looks like it’s set in a Top Gun style world, and that definitely caught my attention.
Out of Words
Here’s another co-op game I might never play, but the presentation was fantastic.
The stop-motion puppet and claymation style looked beautiful and unique. Even if I never play it, I’m glad games like this are out there.
Endfield
Anime RPGs are everywhere, and honestly, I probably won’t play this one.
But I loved the trailer.
The trailer had a music video-style approach, mixing OneRepublic's song with game footage. It felt fresh. This kind of approach isn’t used enough, and it might even get me to try a genre I usually skip.
Phantom Blade 0
Yes, I complain about Soulslikes, but then Phantom Blade 0 comes along.
Visually, this game stood out right away. One moment that stuck with me was the main character fighting a drunken opponent, then later gaining that character’s abilities.
Major Jackie Chan “Drunken Master” vibes.
This trailer felt like a step forward for the genre, even if the main gameplay is familiar.
Game Awards Orchestra – Game of the Year Medley
One final standout wasn’t a game at all.
During the orchestra performance, a flute and horn player on the left was totally focused, playing several instruments with real passion. Some musicians were dancing, one wore sunglasses, and others stayed formal and calm. I loved that mix—polished yet relaxed, structured but expressive. It made the show feel alive.
This guy was goin' in!
Final Thoughts
Those were my highlights from The Game Awards 2025. I might not play all of them, but they definitely made an impression.
Pick a game from the show that caught your eye and tell me why it stood out to you. I’m excited to hear your thoughts.
Here's the video version of this article. My unfiltered thoughts.
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