2025 could be the best year ever for RPGs, thanks to Obsidian Entertainment

As an RPG fan, I'm always hoping to find something great to play in the new year. In 2024, the game will be… Well, it was just like 2023. I finished Baldur's Gate 3 this year, and finishing Act 3 confirmed that Larian has created one of the best RPGs of all time.

But for the rest of this year… uh. Metaphor: ReFantazio is great, but I couldn't spend much time on it. I had a pretty decent time with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but I found it frustrating with its stop-and-start, linear-then-open-world rinse-and-repeat structure. Dragon Age: The Veilguard is fun when it comes to combat, but it fails when it comes to the roleplaying part of the roleplaying game equation.

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The Outer Worlds 2 coming to PS5 means the end of Xbox as we know it

One of Xbox's upcoming big exclusives isn't actually an exclusive.

Last year, I was so hungry for something that scratched that Baldur's Gate 3 itch again that I went back to my old CRPG, Obsidian's Tyranny, over Christmas. And thanks to Obsidian, you'll be able to enjoy great RPGs even after the holidays.

Profession and The Outer Worlds 2 placed Obsidian in pole position.

That's because the acclaimed RPG developer is set to release two big games in the new year. We knew Avowed would release in 2025 after being delayed in August, but we learned at The Game Awards that The Outer Worlds 2 will also release in 2025. As a studio with a penchant for Obsidian-style RPGs, Avowed pulling Spielberg '93 is fantastic news.

Don't take this comparison too seriously. Neither Avowed nor The Outer Worlds 2 are on Schindler's List. Both are Jurassic Park.

The Avowed look especially good. The game preview shows expressive and colorful combat, interesting and well-voiced side characters, great dialogue from role-playing choices, and engaging exploration through environmental puzzles. I enjoyed Pentiment (and although I haven't played much of Grounded), it's nice to see Obsidian cleaning up its Xbox resources to service a large, choice-driven RPG.

The Outer Worlds 2 would be a fun conclusion to a one-two punch. I liked the first game, but I could see some corners being cut in some areas, such as the wealthy planet of Byzantium, where many buildings were inaccessible. I hope The Outer Worlds 2 has more of the sci-fi comedy and heavy choices that made the first game work, but with more depth and polish. That's exactly what the recent trailer promised, and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

A cornucopia of RPG fun

Like Avowed, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is scheduled for release in early 2025. The first game was a breakout hit in 2018, captivating players with its well-thought-out world, deep mechanics, and a hefty helping of jank. The second game appears to double down on all the features of the first, and I'm excited to check it out.

Xbox's massive investment in RPGs will begin to pay off in 2025, as in addition to Obsidian's games, Playground Games' Fable is also scheduled to be released. I've only played a little of the original Xbox games, so I'm not sure what this reboot will bring. I'm hoping to see a big emphasis on player freedom like the older games did. But even if it's a bit simpler, I'm glad to see that the humor of the entire game is on par with the very funny and very British trailer.

There are also less crunchy sluggers scheduled to make contact in 2025. Assassin's Creed Shadows looks fun and, like Valhalla, Odyssey, and Origins, allows you to freely shape your character. Monster Hunter Wilds doubles down on the story, finally bringing the RPG-adjacent series into full RPG territory.

There are some great indie releases coming out soon. Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, Pathologic 3, Chernobylite 2: Extraction Zone, Death Trash (full release), Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4, Mewgenics, and Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault are all scheduled for release in 2025.

And finally, interestingly or ominously, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 may finally be released in 2025. That's the current release window, but as someone who has expected a long-awaited sequel to come out every year for the past decade, I'm not so sure. my breath. Still, if developer The Chinese Room (the creators of 2024's excellent Still Wakes the Deep) can deliver a game that's even half as moody, atmospheric, and unusual as the first one, this game will be a worthy complement to an already stacked year. It will be a great game.