When we compiled our top 20 games from last year, we specifically highlighted Civilization 7, Avowed, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Grand Theft Auto 6 as major franchise entries we were anticipating for 2025. Although one of those titles has been pushed back to 2026, the other three appeared on this year’s list of Ars’ favorites as expected. They sit alongside a handful of other eagerly awaited sequels, from big-budget blockbusters to long-developing indies, on the “expected” portion of this year’s slate.
Yet the games that truly grabbed my attention in 2025 were the ones that seemed to arrive from nowhere. Those ranged from hard-to-classify roguelike puzzle experiences to a gonzo, punishing mountain-walking simulator, the best Geometry Wars clone in years, and a moving exploration of adolescence rendered through surprisingly effective mini-games.
Looking toward 2026, there are many other high-budget projects the industry is preparing for (the delayed Grand Theft Auto VI being the most prominent). If next year resembles this one, though, we can expect more unexpected releases to suddenly vault into view as new classics.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Ubisoft Quebec; Windows, MaxOS, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, iPad
In my younger years I hoped—and assumed—that nearly every game I played would astonish me with something I’d never seen before. It was easier to clear that bar in the ’90s, when both game design and technology were advancing at a breakneck pace.
Now, as a gamer in my 40s, I’m excited when that kind of surprise happens, but I don’t expect it. I’ve come to appreciate games that function like comfort food, valuing their familiarity as much as their novelty.
That’s what Assassin’s Creed Shadows is about (as I wrote when it first launched). It follows a familiar formula, but it’s a superbly polished iteration of that template. Its world is expansive and escapist, its audio and visual presentation immersive, and it accommodates a variety of playstyles and skill levels.
