Recently, several notable gaming franchises have experienced breakthrough success during the quiet period between Christmas and spring, when holiday cheer subsides and the gaming landscape is less crowded. Typically considered a dormant period, January’s post-holiday lull sees our appetites for excitement and novelty suppressed by tryptophan overdoses, gorging on festive fare, and indulging in gaming spoils.
In recent years, publishers have cleverly leveraged their ability to spot hidden gems, elevating under-the-radar titles that would otherwise be overshadowed by more prominent releases.
Among my earliest recollections is Dying Light, a game that had already clocked 10 years by the time I first played it, which burst onto the scene in 2015 as a bold new IP, capitalizing on the height of zombie-themed and PS4-era open-world gaming fervor.
As the holiday season wound down, a cleverly timed indie game or overlooked series would often capitalize on the lack of competition, releasing its title in the quieter fall period and benefiting from a clear path to success once players’ wallets were no longer burdened by Christmas spending sprees.
Despite the trend being further solidified twelve months after twelve months, like when Resident Evil reasserted itself as one of the premier franchises in gaming with the monumental Resident Evil 2 Remake, an unparalleled game that captivated the zeitgeist and perpetuated a pattern we’re still witnessing today?
In 2025, it’s now clear that the cat is definitively out of the bag. By February, four major releases from renowned publishers and top-tier independent studios were already on the horizon.
Several titles on this list have benefited from a delayed release, leveraging growth and refinement opportunities, as seen in Murderer’s Creed and Avowed’s evolution. Meanwhile, Monster Hunter and Kingdom Come, having already experienced success at launch, aim to recapture that magic with their latest iterations.
Notwithstanding the uncertainty surrounding their purchases, February 2025 appears poised to unleash a colossal clash of titans in the realm of role-playing games. Which 100-hour RPGs dare claim dominion over your scarce free time? Let’s gather the top contenders and crown the ultimate champion.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – Launching on February 4, 2025
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is poised to seize the throne, effectively taking its rightful place at the top of the gaming hierarchy. Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s approach to medieval role-playing is rooted in a “dungeons not dragons” ethos, delivering a gritty experience that blends the refinement of Renaissance fairs with the creative freedom of sandboxes, yet still manages to be a chaotic and unpredictable adventure at its core.
While Kingdom Come’s development utilized CryEngine’s capabilities for first-person shooters, accommodating a large number of characters on-screen, its implementation in an open-world RPG setting necessitated significant stretching to accommodate the demands of sprawling cities and perpetual world dynamics. The inaugural rendition culminated in a breathtakingly vivid realm, precariously poised on the edge of chaos.
I executed a vast undertaking to reimagine the original Kingdom Come, resulting in a compilation rich in innovative role-playing ideas that initially seemed inconceivable in theory but have yielded remarkable outcomes in practice. Instead of a standard difficulty curve where challenges escalate as you progress through levels, Kingdom Come subverts this trend by gradually simplifying problems as you complete more.
An attention-grabbing thought, proper? Initially, the game encountered problems that rendered lockpicking comically inaccessible at launch, while turning essential narrative combat encounters into an insufferable loop when players opted for stealth or conversation approaches instead. Notwithstanding its unconventional approach, the game also presented fascinating challenges such as deciphering scrambled texts – from books, recipes, and street signs – until you stumbled upon a monk who taught you how to read.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 reteams players with Henry of Skalitz, now a seasoned protagonist who rose from humble beginnings as a blacksmith to a pivotal figure in the struggle for control of the Holy Roman Empire. Can I genuinely assess how the brand-new game addresses this fundamental progression using an existing protagonist, someone who can’t simply be stripped of their powers by a “Forget Everything You’ve Learned So Far Beam” like in other games?
The reportedly massive sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, with its sprawling and deep base recreation, promises better efficiency and a refined experience by addressing the main pain-points. Adapting to this elevated scope will be crucial to its success, potentially surprising fans amidst a month of major releases.
Murderer’s Creed: Shadow Feb. 14, 2025
Despite its imperfections, I remain optimistic about the studio’s capabilities, which were showcased in my personal favorite Assassin’s Creed game – 2018’s thrilling Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. As one of gaming’s most iconic franchises, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey has the most to prove with its release in February, especially following Ubisoft’s recent misfires in Skull & Bones and Star Wars: Outlaws, which came at a significant cost.
In a long-awaited move, Assassin’s Creed has finally set its sights on feudal Japan, a dream location for fans since the series’ inception. However, with Ghost of Tsushima and Rise of the Ronin already having staked their claim on an open-world portrayal of this era, it’s not hard to wonder how Ubisoft can make their take feel fresh and captivating – especially without the familiar yet otherworldly allure of historical Greek and Norse mythology?
Notwithstanding its mechanical shortcomings, Assassin’s Creed: Shadow’s does address some of the series’ long-standing concerns. In a mesmerizing display of martial prowess, the dual protagonists Naoe, a stealthy shinobi, and Yasuke, a fearless samurai, engage in a dynamic and multifaceted combat experience, employing an array of traditional Japanese weapons including katana, tanto, kanabo, and naginata, among others.
What remains puzzling is the prolonged delay in revamping the stealth mechanics, leaving fans wondering when improvements will finally arrive. Will Assassin’s Creed finally live up to its reputation as a game with genuinely immersive stealth mechanics – a claim that remains to be seen?
Despite the imposing grandeur of the entrance, a captivating tension simmers between the two lead characters, their interactions crackling with an undeniable spark. As Yasuke’s towering presence commands attention, his very steps are enough to halt all activity, with onlookers instinctively turning to behold him as he moves through the scene. While Naoe’s stoic demeanor may evoke the image of a silent murderer, his character defies simplistic categorization.
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While Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s lengthy runtime may have been a blessing for some, I found that its excessive padding extended far beyond just secondary activities. Even the main storyline suffered from an overabundance of repetition, with players relegated to mere button-mashing exercises as they simply spammed fight skills and pressed triangle to interact. As the Assassin’s Creed series evolves, it’s clear that Shadows’ missions embody a less guided strategy seen in recent games. With more player involvement and significant gameplay mechanics across two playable characters, perhaps this installment can revive the franchise anew?
Avowed – February 18, 2025
The unsettling prospect of a delayed launch, once so eagerly anticipated as part of a fluid and aggressive schedule, now raises the chilling possibility that even if you attempt to flee from other games, they may still pursue you relentlessly. As Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed navigates a challenging release window between behemoths Stalker 2 and Indiana Jones, its low barrier to entry raises the question: is that enough for success?
If The Outer Worlds was Obsidian’s take on a sci-fi Fallout, then Avowed can be likened to Skyrim infused with Dragon Age’s DNA, where you’ll encounter smaller, self-contained maps teeming with loot, formidable foes, and quests that unfold like a web of intrigue, replete with shocking revelations, weighty choices, and complexity that Obsidian is renowned for.
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As a devout follower of Obsidian’s impressive library – from the critically acclaimed Fallout: New Vegas to Alpha Protocol, Grounded, and even South Park: The Stick of Reality – Avowed is the game that has me most excited in February, yet also the one I fear might be overlooked.
Set amidst the Pillars of Eternity universe’s rich tapestry, Avowed will excel in delivering a captivating narrative and traditional questing mechanics; however, to truly shine, it must also masterfully integrate gameplay hooks that harmonize with its complex storytelling – only then can it exceed expectations as a budget-friendly gem.
Monster Hunter: Rise of the Wilds – March 1, 2025
As the Monster Hunter franchise has evolved significantly since Monster Hunter: World capitalised on a free trial period in February 2018, allowing new players to fully immerse themselves in its unique gameplay experience. As the wait for a Western release of Monster Hunter spanned nearly a decade, anticipation reached a fever pitch. With a meticulously planned schedule and global attention focused on its revamped and expanded form, the game finally debuted to widespread acclaim.
With numerous imitators emerging in its wake, Monster Hunter: Wilds reasserts its dominance in the genre with a latest main update that recaptures its former glory.
While Monster Hunter Rise’s success was substantial, its scope was inherently limited by its design for a smaller-scale console. While wilds may initially seem daunting, they are actually distinguished by expansive, interactive environments that prove challenging to navigate due to treacherous terrain, and enhanced choices regarding verticality across diverse biomes.
Mysterious creatures emerge from sandy dunes, slink along tree limbs, and converge on strategic positions to unleash devastating attacks, while roaming in coordinated packs to confound fearless hunters, further enriching the diverse and dynamic cast of formidable beasts that take center stage in every Monster Hunter adventure.
With no doubts, Monster Hunter’s shift away from its traditional fanbase is poised for a massive success – it will be intriguing to observe how many adventurers gear up and prepare for the impending expedition at the end of the month.
What do you plan on selecting up? What games will you still be playing four years from now when you finally have the time to get back to them? This month’s gaming landscape is a veritable treasure trove of options, with an unprecedented surge in new releases, including the highly anticipated Elden Ring: Nightreign, Borderlands 4, Death Stranding 2, Ghost of Yotei, Pokémon Legends Ar-Zero, and the behemoth that is GTA 6.
