Gamescom 2025 has begun, and I am on web site in Cologne, Germany, testing greater than two dozen new and upcoming video games, starting from Hole Knight: Silksong to The Outer Worlds 2 to 007 First Mild and past! I will be doing particular person write-ups for a lot of of those video games, however I will even be writing condensed quick-hit ideas on the good video games I’ve performed thus far, and you may learn them proper right here (so bookmark this web page, of us!).
The Most Dope Video games We have Performed Throughout Gamescom 2025
Under, you may discover a working record of the video games I’ve performed throughout Gamescom 2025.
Hole Knight: Silksong
It is actual, y’all. Hole Knight: Silksong exists and is playable, and I checked out the sport’s very first stage, Moss Grotto. After a quick cutscene that exhibits Hornet trapped in a Cinderella-like carriage (that she then breaks out of), I take management. Instantly, Hornet is way quicker than the primary recreation’s protagonist, each as she platforms round and along with her assaults. She has a brand new potential referred to as Bind (utilized by urgent B on an Xbox controller) that heals her. Nonetheless, you may’t spam this potential because it requires utilizing a bar on display that have to be full.
It recharges over time and by defeating enemies, and I discovered it fairly straightforward to get it full for one more Bind. Platforming round Moss Grotto feels quite a bit like 2017’s Hole Knight, although Hornet is extra nimble and might mantle up cliffs and platforms. The enemies listed here are straightforward to defeat, and it is not till I battle the demo’s boss, Moss Mom, that I am challenged. It is a enjoyable battle, however nonetheless principally straightforward.
With the demo and my hands-on time with Silksong behind me, I am excited to see what else awaits me within the full recreation. If this primary stage is any indication, it’ll be a fantastic Metroidvania, very like the primary recreation. That stated, I am not satisfied it’ll break by means of the hype and make a mark on the style like the primary recreation did. I am additionally not satisfied it must, although.
For extra, learn my full Hole Knight: Silksong hands-on ideas right here.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is not only a sequel to The Pokémon Firm’s newest spin-off/experiment to its conventional Pokémon sequence, but in addition the primary Pokémon recreation launching on Nintendo Change 2. Although I am not satisfied the expertise can be nice on Change, after half-hour of hands-on time with it on Change 2, I am beginning to imagine this would be the finest Pokémon video games in years.
My demo consisted of two elements: three coach battles inside a nighttime-exclusive battle zone, and a battle in opposition to a Mega-Advanced Absol. Stick with me right here: Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s fight jogs my memory most of Last Fantasy XII, one thing I suspected an increasing number of as I heard an increasing number of about its fight. It is real-time, however reasonably than mashing buttons to assault, you choose strikes in real-time that your Pokémon performs, then, whereas ready for that transfer’s cooldown to finish, use different strikes. All of the whereas, I am dodging and working to get my Pokémon out of hurt’s means and using stat-affecting strikes to prime the opponent’s Pokémon for my subsequent transfer.
It is an exhilarating change to the Pokémon components, and its MMO-like cooldown-focused fight jogs my memory of Last Fantasy XII’s hybrid fight that fell someplace between real-time and the timed fight of its MMO predecessor, Last Fantasy XI. I like switching Pokémon on the fly, utilizing my data of effectiveness to convey the best one out from my social gathering, and I particularly like sneaking up on unaware trainers to start out the battle with a giant benefit. These battles had been easy, however I can already see how the problem might ramp up within the full recreation.
In reality, I acquired a style of that problem in a 1v1 battle between my Lucario (able to mega-evolution) and a Mega-evolved Absol. Not solely did I’ve to steadiness my assault strikes with my defensive ones like Shield to keep away from fainting, however because the coach, I needed to dodge out of hurt’s strategy to forestall Absol from hurting me. This battle in opposition to Absol felt like an MMO boss battle the place I had to concentrate to its strikes and react and counter appropriately. Absol even had an AOE assault that blanketed the world in injury after a quick charging interval I might interrupt with a super-effective assault. This battle wasn’t straightforward – I truly misplaced my first go – but it surely’s a stage of problem I am comfortable to see in a Pokémon recreation. I can not wait to see what else awaits within the closing recreation this October.
Learn my full hands-on preview ideas right here.
Keeper
I did not get to go hands-on with Keeper, however after a 30-minute hands-off preview of it, with developer Double Advantageous Productions’ Tim Schafer no much less, I want I did. Set in a fantastical Salvador Dali surrealist world the place humanity isn’t any extra and nature has taken over, Keeper is a few lighthouse with legs. And a sea chicken named Twig. There’s additionally a village of tiny lil guys which are truly clocks, a mystical space the place pink pollen lowers your gravity, and a lot extra.
However I solely noticed snippets of this throughout three gameplay segments. On the coronary heart of every is vibes and ambiance, and in line with Schafer, that is the guts of the sport. There is not any fight. There are some puzzles, however they brief and candy. There is not any dialogue. As an alternative, Schafer and Co. need you bask within the ambiance of Keeper. I will gladly do it, as a result of that ambiance is nice thus far.
I am excited to see how the core gameplay – strolling round this island to succeed in its mountainous peak whereas utilizing the lighthouse’s gentle to light up objects – transforms throughout the sport’s runtime. Fortuitously, I haven’t got to attend too lengthy, as a result of Keeper is out on October 17.
For extra, learn my full Keeper preview ideas right here.
The Blood of the Dawnwalker
Insurgent Wolves is a studio made up of former CD Projekt Purple devs who labored on Cyberpunk 2077 and critically (for The Blood of the Dawnwalker), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. I point out this as a result of The Blood of the Dawnwalker appears like one other timeline’s Witcher, besides as an alternative of fantastical monsters to hunt and execute, it is vampires.
Protagonist Coen is a Dawnwalker, which implies he can faucet into vampiric talents at evening and magic through the day. The day/evening cycle is core to Dawnwalker, as Coen solely has so many days to save lots of his household. Each quest he completes has a time notch related to it, and upon finishing quests, Coen’s timeline positive factors just a few notches, slowly lowering the period of time he has left to save lots of his household. I am not fairly positive how this works in full, but it surely’s an attention-grabbing gameplay addition I am excited to see extra of.
The fight itself is… very Witcher, besides it is not simply swords; Coen can make the most of his vampiric claws and different vampire abilites (like sucking the blood of enemies to regain well being). In the course of the day, when he is not tapped into his vampiric talents, Coen can use magic, like talking with the lifeless to study crucial details about quests and extra.
If you happen to watched gameplay of Dawnwalker, did not know what it was, and referred to as it Witcher, I would not blame you. Loads of what it is doing is clearly a results of former Witcher devs creating a brand new IP. However with its vampiric twist, day/evening cycle, and time restraint, it is clealry charting its personal course by means of medieval occasions. It nonetheless has a methods to go – it is not set to launch till subsequent yr – but it surely’s one I will completely be maintaining a tally of.
Knights of the Fall
Knights of the Fall comes from Airo Video games and is one among writer Bohemia Interactive’s 5 video games in its Bohemia Incubator undertaking. Although my hands-on time with Knights of the Fall was simply an early have a look at what the workforce has deliberate for this recreation, its distinctive mix of 2D sidescrolling with tactical, combo-heavy fight has me intrigued.
There wasn’t a lot story to my fast demo – I imagine it is set in a post-apocalyptic Japan that is been decimated by a sci-fi phenomenon that has prompted grotesque monsters to inhabit areas as soon as house to humanity. You play as a lone soldier of types, helpful with a katana and a wrist-mounted gun. Utilizing this gun, you may stun enemies, which opens them as much as turn out to be victims of your gravity gadget. You may pull shocked enemies towards you and decapitate them, push them into different enemies (particularly helpful in the event that they’re an explosive enemy), or allow them to fly previous you, opening you up for a straightforward escape.
That was my most important technique for taking down enemies, although using the katana’s three-hit combo and parries did properly, too. In my brief demo, the protagonist was after some long-forgotten logs, left someplace in a home. I explored numerous homes seeking these logs, working into totally different enemies alongside the best way. I benefit from the recreation’s slower, extra methodical tempo within the 2D sidescroller house, and its distinctive artwork type makes it stand out much more.
Airo tells me there’s nonetheless a number of work to be achieved – it hopes to launch a demo or playtest of types for the general public subsequent yr to strive it out – however after my hands-on time with the sport, Knights of the Fall is one I’ll control.
Borderlands 4
Recreation Informer has lined Borderlands 4 extensively – it was one among our current cowl tales in spite of everything. However that did not cease me from giving it a go throughout Gamescom 2025. For this fast demo, I performed by means of a vault mission the place I needed to defeat waves of enemies, together with mini bosses and a closing boss, to finish a journey to the top of a vault the place tons of loot awaited me.
It was principally a showcase of the sport’s fight, however I did discover how far more fulfilling (and fewer annoying) the writing was in comparison with Borderlands 3. It exhibits much more restraint than its predecessor. Positive, it is nonetheless the Borderlands humor you count on, however as an alternative of 15 jokes a minute, it is a joke each couple of minutes. I actually welcome this transformation of tempo in its cadence of humor, and it permits me to focus higher on the mission at hand. And that was essential as a result of reaching the top of this vault was robust work.
Enemies pursue you aggressively, forcing me to remain on the transfer all through every wave. Bosses killed me greater than as soon as (and so did fundamental mob enemies), and I needed to strategically take into consideration when it was finest to make the most of my ultimate-like signature talents. I felt challenged in a means that compelled me to rethink my extra informal method to Borderlands 4 shootouts, and it was a sense I actually loved. I look ahead to seeing the opposite methods this recreation will maintain me on my toes when it launches subsequent month.
Black State
Developer Movement Blur’s Black State is a recreation I knew little or no about earlier than encountering it right here at Gamescom. It offers off large Unreal Engine 5 vibes (you understand the vibes), and whereas I initially thought it might go the best way of this yr’s MindsEye, I walked away from my half-hour of hands-on time with the sport at the very least keen to offer it a shot subsequent time I can.
Set in a futuristic sci-fi world, it performs with time journey in a enjoyable means. In my demo, the protagonist is warped to a army camp simply moments after enemy forces there launches ballistic missiles into the sky. Due to the time journey shenanigans at play, our protagonist already is aware of these missiles will begin the very conflict he is making an attempt to forestall. It is a cool premise, however sadly, I do not study an excessive amount of extra of the story at play right here.
I do study quite a bit about Black State’s gunplay, which is serviceable. The machine weapons and pistols really feel high quality, and the shotgun packs a pleasant punch, however I am most intrigued by objects like grenades. As an alternative of chucking them into the air, you roll them on the bottom they usually autonomously roll proper to an enemy, sending their physique elements flying in gory vogue. The identical may be stated for particular electrical stun grenades which are efficient in opposition to robots. There’s even a Cleaner grenade that lasers away our bodies, eradicating these you have killed from the sightlines of different enemies within the space.
That Cleaner grenade is particularly helpful when using stealth to eliminate enemies scattered in regards to the army base I am infiltrating. Movement Blur is not reinventing the wheel with stealth in Black State and it is about what you count on – sneak up on enemies after which press a button to execute them.
The ultimate side of Black State that intrigues me is its portal doorways. Generally, when strolling by means of a door, you may stroll again by means of it and seem in a completely totally different place. I am instructed this can be defined higher within the closing recreation once I perceive the story extra, however I am hoping Movement Blur makes use of this tech and premise to take our protagonist to extra distinctive locations than army bases.
Pragmata
I performed one of many first phases in Pragmata and I legitimately can not wait to play extra. It appears like a brand new sort of recreation, one thing I have never felt since 2019’s Loss of life Stranding. That is as a result of it is one half a third-person shooter, one other half a puzzle recreation. The distinctive twist of Pragmata, although, is that the third-person taking pictures and puzzle fixing occur on the identical time. That is as a result of the little android lady that accompanies protagonist Hugh (I like that this dude, the protagonist of a wild sci-fi story, has such a traditional title) has the flexibility to hack into enemies.
You do that by transferring a cursor alongside a grid, ideally transferring it by means of debuffs that have an effect on the enemy upon finishing the hack. This hack weakens the enemy (and might injury them, too), opening them up for some heavy injury through Hugh’s pistol and different weapons he can use like a fusion rifle or lure gun. I actually benefit from the added stress of fixing these puzzles on the fly whereas partaking in third-person shooter fight, and even within the early phases of Pragmata, it is good enjoyable. I think about this enjoyable and stress will ramp up later within the recreation.
The design of this world is nice, too, with a wonderful sci-fi soundscape to accompany your each motion. Electrical energy sizzles, hearth explodes throughout the display, and each weapon sounds cool. It additionally seems nice, paradoxically evoking a variety of Loss of life Stranding’s distinctive sci-fi vibe.
Capcom’s extra experimental video games of late have impressed me vastly – taking a look at you, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess – and Pragmata appears set on becoming a member of this string of releases. It is due out someday subsequent yr, and I look ahead to seeing what else is in retailer for Hugh and his hacker robotic surrogate daughter.
Resident Evil Requiem
Y’all, we’re so again; not that we ever left, as a result of Capcom has been releasing banger after banger in the case of its prolific survival horror sequence, however Resident Evil Requiem is already shaping as much as be a wonderful recreation. The demo I performed wasn’t something new – it is what Capcom let Recreation Informer’s very personal Marcus Stewart performed throughout Summer time Video games Fest this yr – but it surely was my first time enjoying, okay!!
It begins with Grace Ashcroft the other way up, strapped to a gurney, her blood being drained into blood luggage… for some purpose. If Ashcroft sounds acquainted, you are most likely recognizing it because the final title of Grace’s mom, Alyssa, the playable Raccoon Metropolis discipline reporter from the Outbreak sequence of RE video games.
My hands-on time with Requiem begins after a cutscene displaying Grace strategically escaping from this gurney. My mission? Escape this decrepit care middle. After stepping out of the room, I am confronted with a terrifying, dimly lit hallway, paying homage to the hallway from P.T. Palms shaking, I head down it, looking for one thing to assist me out of this hellhole.
I attain a storage room, however the gentle does not work and I can not see something within the room. So I double again to the place I began and go down the opposite aspect of the hallway. As I make my strategy to the top of the hallway, the partitions and ceiling shake – I am not alone.
I discover a door adorned with Cherub imagery, but it surely’s locked. I proceed down the hallway, open a drawer, and discover a Cherub key. I do know what to do subsequent. After opening the Cherub door, I frantically seek for something helpful. I discover a lighter! Aha! Mild!
I dip again to the opposite aspect of the hallway and lightweight up the storage room, however not earlier than a lifeless physique soar scare begins me after which one thing much more terrifying: a large hulking monster that I can finest describe as a girl with extraordinarily massive humanoid ft, draped in distressed material, with a face not even a mom might love. One thing may be very fallacious with this creature, and he or she’s hungry for me, it appears.
Capcom has made clear that the twin protagonist method of Requiem means Leon is the heroic motion determine and Grace is the extra helpless, “god, how do I get out of right here” sort of character. As such, I haven’t got a strategy to battle again in opposition to this creature, save for throwing bottles within the route reverse of me as a distraction.
The subsequent 5 minutes of my demo – additionally the final 5 minutes of my demo – can finest be described as me poorly escaping the clutches of this creature whereas looking for a strategy to entry a battery caught behind a screwed-in panel on a wall. I say poorly as a result of I am unsuccessful in time, dying by the hands of this monster. I am not allowed to explain the sport over demise scenes of Grace, however they positive are one thing.
One final thing: I used to be capable of change forwards and backwards between first-person and third-person views. Each work extraordinarily properly in Requiem and I do not know which one I will select for my full playthrough of the sport.
Fortuitously, you do not have to attend too lengthy to see them for your self as a result of Resident Evil 9: Requiem launches February 27, 2026.
Warhammer 40,000: Daybreak of Battle IV
The one pre-alpha mission I performed was easy: defeat the Ork base. I started on the backside of the map and that base was on the prime of the map. Dotted in between their base and mine had been numerous impartial management factors. Taking them over permits me to construct numerous buildings the place I can deploy extra troops, elite troopers, automobiles, and extra. You completely can not win with out profitable these management factors, as they successfully will let you transfer your base of operations and armed forces manufacturing websites ahead. Aside from that, I wanted to direct my troopers and automobiles to hordes of enemies to defeat. It is all easy on paper, however a lot more durable in execution.
I sucked at it. I do not need to suck at it. My need to play extra is rooted in beating this mission sooner or later. And I’ll.
