New video games – quick links
Coming hot off the heels of Gamescom 2025, PAX West (29 Aug–1 Sep) gave North America audiences their first chance at playing some of the upcoming games set for release this autumn and in the months ahead – which includes Kirby Air Riders, Borderlands 4 and Resident Evil Requiem.
The show featured many great games to play, including titles from major publishers such as Nintendo, Capcom and Square Enix, as well as some lesser-known titles from developers seeking to showcase their projects to a broad audience.Â
With this round-up of games, I’m putting a spotlight on the titles showcased at PAX West and the surrounding events, including The MIX (The Media Indie Exchange) and other developer meet-ups in the vicinity of the convention. PAX remains a fantastic showcase for new games to check out, and I’m very excited for the latest games that audiences will be able to experience soon.
So with that, here’s our list of some of the most exciting games from this year’s show.
Kirby Air Riders – new video games
Developer: Sora / Bandai Namco Studios
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2
Release: October, 2025
Don’t let the wholesome nature of a new Kirby game fool you: Kirby Air Riders is one of the most chaotic and fast-paced racing games I’ve played in quite a while.
As the long-awaited follow-up to 2003’s Kirby Air Ride on the GameCube, Air Riders goes all in on the fast and delightfully colorful racing action that’s all about sucking up foes and taking their powers. Even with its conventionally simplified control scheme, the flow of the races and intense action give way to some truly diabolical moments where your rivals can snatch victory away from you in the blink of an eye.
Things are taken to another level in the City Trials mode, which is a souped-up version of a kart-racing battle mode where real-time events change the dynamics of the match, all of which culminate in themed mini-games that test your drifting and gliding skills.
I’ll admit, it took me some time to warm up to Kirby Air Riders and its involved racing and combat mechanics – some gameplay modes in fact feel akin to getting swept up in a mosh pit.
But once I found my flow, I really got to appreciate just how well Air Riders marries the platforming action of a Kirby game with the breakneck pace of a fast-paced racing game. It does to racing games what Smash Bros did for the fighting genre – which is injecting non-genre-conforming gameplay that seems out of place for the genre it’s tapping into.
It really does a lot to set itself apart from Nintendo’s other racing games, and I’m already itching to get back into the action.
Borderlands 4 – new video games
Developer: Gearbox Software
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
Release: 12 September, 2025
Borderlands 4 is offering up the most significant step forward for the series – this time bringing its cast of vault hunters into a more seamless Destiny-style world to explore and fight through. Getting to play Borderlands 4 at PAX West made me really appreciate the series’ style of combat and spectacle, which involves gunning down rowdy bandits with weapons that can freeze enemies or turn into mini-walking turrets that chase after them – sometimes both at once!Â
From what I’ve seen of the story so far, the writing and humour seem to be a bit more assured this go around, compared to Borderlands 3‘s more overly abrasive attitude that rubbed many players the wrong way.
I like the fact that Borderlands 4 puts more of a focus on getting players to explore the world at their leisure, without constantly reminding you of the big bad that’s waiting for you at the end of the questline.
I have a particular fondness for the Borderlands series and its vast arsenal of randomly generated oddball weapons. Borderlands 4‘s more open-ended approach to levelling up your chosen vault hunters could be just what the series needs for its next big game.
Bubsy 4D – new video games
Developer: Fabrax
Platform: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 1|2
Release: TBC 2026
While 1990s gaming mascot Bubsy is often remembered for Bubsy 3D and its unfortunate attempt at an early 3D platformer, the character was once a popular video game character that could have reached at least Sonic levels of success.
After nearly three decades on ice, Bubsy 4D presents a comeback of sorts, with the titular character coming out of retirement for a new 3D adventure – this time done right. What I liked about playing Bubsy 4D was that it was a very solid and satisfying platformer with some strong fundamentals. It’s also delightfully self-aware with its premise.
Bubsy is a bit washed up, and his nephews pick on him and his style, but he’s doing his best in an unfamiliar new game. I really got a kick out of using Bubsy’s variety of abilities across the demo level, which includes the classic glide, along with his new rolling ability that turns him into a giant hairball.
It’s all very dorky, but still endearing, and honestly, that’s classic Bubsy.
Mina the Hollower – new video games
Developer: Yacht Club Games
Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 1|2
Release: 31 October, 2025
Yacht Club Games is finally prepping the release of Mina the Hollower, their next game that sees them take a break from the Shovel Knight series.
Instead of an action-platformer like Shovel Knight, which paid tribute to classics like Ducktales or Ninja Gaiden, Mina the Hollower is more in the vein of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening on the Game Boy Color.
Focusing on the plucky Mina and her adventures across an island in turmoil, the game leans into the sense of adventure of the Zelda series, while also adding in a souls-like combat and exploration. What surprised me most about Mina the Hollower is that it’s such a massive game. Instead of segmented stages, Mina the Hollower takes place across a larger open world to explore.
Coupled with the Game Boy Color-style visuals, Mina the Hollower becomes a stunning successor to Shovel Knight, while also marking an ambitious move forward for the developer.Â
Militsioner – new video games
Developer: TALLBOYS
Platforms: PC
Release: TBD
The premise for Militsioner is a weird one. You play as an enigmatic protagonist who wakes up in a strange city following an arrest.
You committed a crime, which you have no memory of, and the people in town somehow know more about you than you know yourself. To escape town, you’ll need to make friends, or enemies, to secure clues and a passage out.
Lastly, there’s also a giant policeman the size of a kaiju monster staring at you in the distance. He’s making sure you don’t fall out of line, or else he’ll pluck you off the streets and back into captivity.
Seeing this premise play out was unsettling, but in a way, it was also strangely alluring. It’s essentially a city-escape adventure game that feels equal parts immersive sim and a social engineering game. One way or another, you’ll have to manipulate a situation or someone – and that includes the giant police man.
I couldn’t help but be captivated by the setting of the town, with its many inhabitants staying indoors to avoid me, and not so much the giant policeman. It’s a truly intriguing concept, and I’m excited to see more of it.
Plants vs Zombies: Replanted – new video games
Developer: PopCap Games / The Lost Pixels
Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 1|2
Release: 23 October 2025
These days, the Plants vs. Zombies series is largely known for its competitive multiplayer-focused Garden Warfare sub-series.
However, the original puzzle-defense game holds a great deal of favour with those who played it during the late 2000s, and I’m pleased to say that the upcoming remaster still shows that there’s much to admire about the original game.
Bringing back the classic campaign and adding in some new modes and twists – such as bonus missions with day and night cycles, a permadeath mode, and full co-op play – the Replanted edition shows that there’s so much potential with classic PvZ. I’m hoping it’ll give a new generation of players a greater appreciation for the more strategic side of the series.
God Save Birmingham – new video games
Developer: Ocean Drive Studio, Inc.
Platforms: PC
Release: TBD
While zombie apocalypse games are quite common these days, there is something very compelling about God Save Birmingham and its concept of zombies invading 14th-century England.
As an open-ended survival game where you play as a peasant trying to live to see another day, the game forces you to contend with the reality of surviving an infested countryside with dwindling resources.
Playing an early version of the game, I got a sense of how involved its survival and resource management were, which included collecting water and finding a safe place to sleep away from the zombies. It’s a very tense game; having to fight off a half-dozen zombies with a busted pitchfork is not something I envisioned as one of the most harrowing gaming experiences I’ve had all year.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A – new video games
Developer: Game Freak
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 1|2
Release: 16 October 2025
Ever since the release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, fans have been eager for a follow up that goes further with the moment-to-moment experience of being a Pokemon trainer in a large world.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is doing just that with a variety of new changes that shake things up for the series, which includes real-time Pokémon battles – a major change for the series. In the brief demo I played of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, set in a massive city where trainers compete in a massive competition, I felt like I was scratching the surface of the next game’s more involved Pokémon adventure.
Turn-based battles have been the backbone of Pokemon engagements across the series, so seeing Pokemon Legends: Z-A go all in on real-time combat – complete with real-time dodging and ability cooldowns – was an adjustment for sure.
After some adjustments, I really came to enjoy it. I especially loved the ability to use stealth to sneak up on trainers and pull off sneak attacks on them. I wish I had the opportunity to play more of Legends: Z-A, as it really felt like I was revisiting those nostalgic memories of playing Pokémon during my youth, trying to be the best trainer I could be.
When a Pokemon manages to nail its gameplay, it really hits the spot.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles – new video games
Developer: Square Enix
Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 1|2
Release: September 30, 2025
Ever since its 1997 release, Final Fantasy Tactics has been regarded by fans as one of the series’ best games, even above several mainline entries.
The 10th anniversary PSP remaster offered fans and newcomers a way to experience the series’ most renowned entry, but Square Enix is now giving the original game a new remaster for modern platforms with The Ivalice Chronicles.
What made the original FFT special was that it channeled much of the style of Final Fantasy’s swords-and-sorcery mystique into a narrative that felt politically resonant as its characters fought oppression amidst a war-torn country. Even today, it remains the most mature storytelling the series has ever seen.
With the remaster, the developers sought to build upon the original PlayStation version, incorporating a variety of quality-of-life updates, while also including some much-needed quality-of-life improvements that enhance the overall experience.
Interestingly, the developers mentioned during a PAX West 2025 panel that they had to employ elaborate methods to rebuild the game, as the source code had been lost.
They credited diehard fans for keeping original retail backups of the game online, which helped bring the remaster to life.
Getting to play Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles really made me appreciate just how special the original FFT was and its set-piece encounters, such as the Zeirchele Falls battle, are still thrilling fights that pack a lot of challenge.
Additionally, if diehard fans wish to play the original game without the enhanced visuals and UI, the original PS1 visual style can be switched to at any time.
Fallen Tear: The Ascension – new video games
Developer: Winter Crew Studios
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 1|2
Release: Q1 2026
Following its success on Kickstarter, the developers behind Fallen Tear: The Ascension have been steadily getting their sprawling metroidvania RPG ready for release in early 2026. I got to play the latest build of the game at PAX West 2025, and I was really blown away by its fantastic visuals and sharp combat, which felt influenced by Hollow Knight, and surprisingly, JRPG-style party gameplay.
According to the devs, the demo barely scratches the surface of what the final game will have, which is apparently 20 different locations to fully explore with your party.
I have a soft spot for Metroidvania games, and the upcoming Fallen Tear: The Ascension is shaping up to be one that I’ll be keeping my eye on next year.
Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions – new video games
Developer: System Era Softworks
Platforms: PC
Release: TBD 2026
With the upcoming Starseeker, a companion game to the ongoing Astroneer, the developers aim to lean into the dynamic and goofy experiences players can have when embarking on co-op excursions to strange new worlds.
While Starseeker focuses a little less on the survival experience than the original game, it does lean further into the sandbox experience of letting you and other players run loose in the open world to complete missions. I had a great time exploring and getting up to hijinks with my co-op partner, who came up with a wacky method of traversing a mountain by punching a tunnel upward with terraforming gear.
It was a goofy workaround to clear our objective, but it worked, and I appreciated that the game allowed us to complete our mission in our own way. It’s not Astroneer 2, but Starseeker is certainly capturing what makes the original game so fun and elevating it further.
Valor Mortis – new video games
Developer: One More Level
Platforms: PC
Release: TBD 2026
Valor Mortis is a new type of first-person action RPG coming from the developers behind Ghostrunner 1 & 2, and they’re bringing their craft for precision-based combat and environmental storytelling to the realm of a soulslike.
Set in a fantasy version of the Napoleonic wars, you play as William, a former soldier in Napoleon’s army who finds himself on a plague-ridden battlefield filled with mutants and other monsters. By using his combat skills and new supernatural abilities, he’ll be able to stand up to some of the horrifying beings that may have ties to the infamous warlord himself.
What I liked about Valor Mortis is that it felt similar to Lies of P and how it reinterpreted its source material into a soulslike.
This is a first-person soulslike set during the Napoleonic Wars, and it really leans into this concept by presenting a visually stunning and unsettling wartorn world to explore. It felt like a blend of Bioshock and Bloodborne, and the first-person approach to soulslike engagements was a novel take on this style of game.
The perspective also gave the added effect of making combat feel far more tense, given that you have a limited view.Â
I really came to like the approach to combat and its parry-focused engagements, and especially if Napoleon himself could potentially be a boss to fight in this game.
