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There is no denying that 2025 is shaping up to be another incredible year of gaming because, let’s face it, this is the year that Grand Theft Auto VI is finally expected to release.
Not only that but titles such as Ghost of Yōtei, Monster Hunter: Wilds, Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 are also expected which means that AAA games will be leading the charge yet again.
However, I am a big advocate for indie games and it is no secret that many titles in this category are often overlooked by the latest release from big-name studios.
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Last Summer, I wrote about how indie games are still at the top when it comes to LGBTQIA+ representation and it seems as though 2025 is set to follow suit.
So I feel like the best way to prove how Grand Theft Auto VI won’t be the most interesting 2025 release is to show you some indie games that deserve just as much hype.
(And this is coming from somebody who is incredibly excited for the next Grand Theft Auto instalment).
This is not an extensive list, it’s not even in release date order. It is just a showcase of some of the titles that I am excited for this year and will hopefully inspire you to add them to your wish lists too.
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Demonschool is a “new-style tactics RPG where motion equals action” which is set to launch in Q1 of 2025.
Torn between standard university life and battling “big weirdos” in between the human and demon worlds, Faye and her misfit companions are under quite a bit of stress.
As the player, you must plan out Faye’s schedule and find a work/boss-fighting balance as you learn tactics, pursue friendships and uncover a light horror narrative with side quests aplenty.
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2025 is also set to be a year of sequels with both Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector and Slay the Spire 2 set to be released on 31 January and “some time in 2025” respectively.
Citizen Sleeper 2 may be marketed as a sequel but it is more of an anthology and will feature brand-new characters, locations and survival systems.
With each day being planned out with the roll of a die, every second counts aboard the space station and with a price on your head and no memories of your past, your very existence is a threat.
Slay the Spire 2 marks the return of the epic roguelike deckbuilder which has been in the works since 2019.
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As you craft your unique deck, you will find yourself going head-to-head with bizarre creatures as you discover relics of great power and build your strength.
Fans of Stardew Valley and a cosy game in general can look forward to Wanderstop which arrives on 11 March.
In this narrative-centric cozy game “about change and tea”, players will be tasked with managing a magical tea shop nestled in an enchanted forest.
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Although tending to its diverse bunch of customers, protagonist Alta would rather be anywhere else, especially as she was once the world’s greatest championship warrior.
This isn’t the life for her. Right?
In this farming sim with a hard-hitting story, you will brew tea, learn customer’s stories and even decorate your cosy tea shop but you will soon learn that you can never run too far from your past.
In that same magical vein, Sleight of Hand is a “3rd-person stealth action card-sim” set in a rain-slicked city where ritual magic and cursed artefacts are just an everyday occurrence.
It is your job to take down the coven you used to work with with nothing but a cursed deck of cards at your disposal.
With real-time immersive stealth mechanics and tactical card-based takedowns, Sleight of Hand welcomes a unique spin on the two popular genres.
Are you a fan of The Sims? The story of life and death.
Paralives is an upcoming life sim where you will be able to build your dream house, create unique characters and manage their lives however you wish.
From height sliders to resizable body and facial feature sliders and even the chance to give your characters their own complex personalities, Paralives is set to rival The Sims when it comes to this much-loved genre.
There is also the dating scene to consider and luckily, Date Everything! has that covered.
Set to be released on none other than Valentine’s Day, Date Everything! Is a dating sim which features over 100 fully-voiced, dateable characters.
With at least three endings per romance and a whole lot of puns, this upcoming title will immerse you in the world of dating and allow you to experience both the good and bad of getting to know strangers.
Oh, and yes, it’s pretty gay.
On the topic of weird and wacky, Promise Mascot Agency is an RPG adventure that takes place in a cursed Japanese town.
From the creators of Paradise Killer, you can expect some weird antics as you solve the mystery of your exile, help a living finger through their anger management issues and come to the rescue to help the Promise Mascot Agency become the best in town.
Fans of a horror story which is more on the cute side than outright horror can look forward to Usual June.
This action-adventure title follows psychic June, who alongside friends both alive and dead, finds herself investigating Fen Harbor’s darkest secrets.
Hoping for just a quiet summer break, June now must fight spectral creatures and you know, try and prevent a space-time cataclysm before it puts the end to everybody’s very existence.
No biggy.
Last but not least, and perfect for those who want to team up with friends, is Hyper Light Breaker.
In this action-adventure RPG, players will enter the Overgrowth in this brand-new story in the Hyper Light universe.
Now fully realised in 3D for the first time, players will have the opportunity to explore open worlds, create new worlds and rip through hordes of enemies to overcome the Crowns and the Abyss King himself.
Topics: GTA 6, GTA, Features, Indie Games, PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch