Everyone can agree that 2025 has been an excellent and jam packed year for video games, and before we start thinking about the Game of the Year or this year's hidden gems, December still has a few more releases up its sleeve for us to look forward to before Christmas.

Just like November before it, December is a nice mix of indie, VR and larger scale video games. So, here's ten upcoming video games that look interesting, in order of release, and a few honourable mentions.

Video Preview - December Games 2025

MARVEL COSMIC INVASION - 01/12/25

Image: Marvel Cosmic Invasion - Tribute Games

The age of the modern beat em up continues with Marvel Cosmic Invasion. Coming from Tribute Games who developed the solid beat em up, Turtles Shredder's Revenge and published by Dotemu, this game should be in good hands.

With 15 playable characters from the Marvel universe, players battle against Annihilus and his forces, through New York City, all the way to the Negative zone. Featuring online and offline 4 player drop in and drop out co-op. But as a fan of Tribute Games' work, I look forward to seeing how their Cosmic Swap tag system works. It sees you choosing two characters to swap between and use them to do combo tag moves and special attacks.

Having mastered the retro pixel art in Shredder’s Revenge, Cosmic Invasion looks just as good, especially when all the characters animate on screen. Even the background art is stunning and doesn't look to distract from the frenetic action on the screen.

So, Marvel Cosmic Invasion looks like it might be another modern beat em up that's worth your time. I'll definitely look forward to going through it a few times in co-op.

SLEEP AWAKE - 2/12/25

An immersive first person horror game that puts you in a psychedelic world where people are going missing in their sleeps. In the last remaining city in the future, people submit themselves to dangerous experiments to stay awake and avoid the Hush. You play as Katja who must use stealth to avoid death cults and other enemies. She can sneak, hide and run.

Development team Eyes Out LLC are led by Cory David who helped make the great Spec Ops The Line, and band member of Nine Inch Nails, Robin Finck. This creative team uses striking visuals mixed with FMV sequences to blur the lines between their non-dreaming world and reality. Looking at the all round flair, it's easy to see why Blumhouse Games decided to publish the project.

If you like horrors like Outlast or Still Wakes the Deep, this could be your next dabble into horror.

METROID PRIME 4: BEYOND - 4/12/25

After nearly a decade of development, Retro is ready to release their sequel to their critically lauded Metroid Prime series - a lineage of classic Nintendo games that took the 2D Metroidvania design into three dimensions. But since the Metroid Prime Trilogy, 3D games havent been as critically well received. From the experimental Metroid Other M which some adore and some dislike, and the coop Federation Force. But recently Samus took us on one of her best classic 2.5D adventures in Metroid Dread. And here's hoping Retro can continue along the same trajectory.

After the last preview cycle, the critical conversation wasn't all glowing, even if most agreed that the gameplay and visual were good. This praise was overtaken by the appearance of an NPC called Miles Mackenzie. The inclusion of this side character has soured some people's anticipation for the game and I do understand why when he gave hints and solutions about what to do which is the antithesis of a Metroidvania. Although we don't officially know the extent of the character's role yet and we can only speculate, I understand why certain aspects would bother veterans of a franchise that's about independent discovery and puzzle solving. My hope is that if Miles and possibly other NPCs Samus encounters can have any hint system turned off, to keep the experience the Prime series is known for.

That being said, I do understand Retro and Nintendo's decision to try to increase voiced characters which they began in earlier entries, and try to make the game appeal to a broader audience of Nintendo players. I just hope that a difficulty type hint toggle exists so that these interactions don't ruin the gameplay experience, but I have no issue if it's optional as it lets new players cater the game to however they want it to be.

The other thing critics seemed to dislike was the quippy Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Marvel like dialogue, but that's something some people enjoy and others despise, so we'll have to see how that plays out. Personally, I'm hoping we meet different side characters as Samus ventures onto new planets, as long as they're distinct and well-written.

I also look forward to seeing how Metroid uses the power of the Switch 2 and how well it performs on the original Switch. But I do believe it will give a good experience on both consoles.

Hopefully Metroid Prime 4 can be another success for the talented team at Retro and give fans and newcomers something to enjoy.

OCTOPATH TRAVELER ZERO - 4/12/25

Image: Octopath Traveler 0 - Square Enix

Square Enix brings us another entry into the HD-2D RPG series Octopath Traveler, with Octopath Traveler 0 - a reimagining inspired by key aspects of the mobile game, Octopath: Champions of the Continent. But from the previews, it's an extensive remake that's been reworked in almost every way. From a new script, lovely pixelated graphics the franchise is known for and a tweaked battle system.

Octopath Traveler 0 sees the regular party size of 4, doubled to 8, a massive change that has strategic repercussions. You have two rows of teammates, 4 active in the front row and four passive in the back row, ready to be swapped when the game allows. But these back row fighters offer the use of passive abilities when possible.

But what makes the prequel different is how it tells its story. Instead of the mutli-protagonist approach fans are used to, Octopath Traveler 0 has players create their own main character via a character creator that lets you choose the appearance as well as skills and favourite food. Trading the old approach for a focused one that gives your character background and personality which is vital when you consider the games other new mechanic: a town builder. That's right, like many an RPG before it, your character's home town is destroyed, but this time, you have the tools to rebuild it and fill it with the people you meet along your journey.

Octopath Traveler 0 is shaping up to be a much larger experience than I'd expected, with many new features that hopefully take the franchise in fun new directions. But to see how it all works out, we will have to wait for December 4th.

ROUTINE - 4/12/25

Isolation in space. Check. Unsettling Lunar space station. Check. Unknown threats. Check.

Routine is a first person survival horror game set on an abandoned lunar base in world with the aesthetic of an 80s vision of the future, like film Alien. First announced by Lunar Software over 12 years ago. I remember being excited by the polished visuals and eerie atmosphere in the announcement trailer, and after a decade, like others, I didn't expect it to come out.

But Lunar Software resurfaced with some nice looking gameplay trailers and a release date of December 4th. Based on the gameplay tenets of explore, observe, immerse, operate, survive. Routine has you exploring the abandoned halls and malls of the lunar base and searching the deteriorated living quarters to unravel the story of what happene on the base before you arrived. Your main means of progression is using your C.A.T - cosmonaut assistance tool. Used to access terminals and examine the environment for clues, or as a defensive tool to defend from enemies as a last resort.

The game also has diagetic audio and a minimal UI to truly immerse you into the trials and tribulations of your character. All of this sounds perfect to increase the tension of a survival horror game. I hope the long development time has paid off and Lunar Software can pull off a memorable horror experience.

THIEF VR: LEGACY OF SHADOWS - 4/12/25

Image: Thief VR: Legacy of Shadows - Maze Theory

More than a decade since the last entry into the stealth series, Thief, VR veterans Maze Theory who brought us Doctor Who The Edge of Time and Peaker Blinders The King's Ransom, have brought us Thief VR Legacy of Shadows.

The story is set between the original games and the 2014 reboot, containing callbacks to old characters and a key artifact that's integral to the new plot. You play as Magpie, a thief in the aptly named The City, where danger lurks in the shadows. But the real danger is Baron Northcrest - a oppressive ruler that Magpie intends to battle. Until one day, Magpie uncovers an artifact that leads to a legacy of secrets.

It all sounds like a fine setup for a fun stealth adventure in VR. Where you can explore The City's rooftops by scaling buildings, dark alleyways, and use your bow and arrow to distract or dispatch enemy patrols. All made more immersive in VR. Maze Theory also boasts that each multi-step heist offers multiple paths that cater to different playstyle, whether you like to eliminate targets from the shadows with your bow or risk using your blackjack up close to know them out. This means that patrolling guards can wake up their allies and cause you trouble.

This complexity and attention to detail is expected in a normal flat screen stealth video game, and thankfully, it looks like Thief VR could be a good addition to the genre. From previews, it seems like there's a variety of enemy types like heavily armoured guards that force you to sneak past them. It also encourages you to collect loot from around each level, to increase your stealth ranking and to spend on upgrades for arrows and such. Each little detail adds further potential for extra strategies and routes.

Everything is designed with vr in mind from the get go. There are interactive objects, you can pickpocket, pick locks, pilfer for treasure in drawers, and use zip lines. All tactile and immersive. But one of the biggest features is Glyph Vision - think Batman's detective vision - that highlights points of interest and key elements to solve puzzles.

So far, Thief VR: Legacy of Shadows looks like a promising title, and if everything comes together, it has the potential to be a solid game and one of the best vr titles of the year.

SKATE STORY - 08/12/25

A skater made of glass, grinding and kickflipping their way to complete a deal with the devil to swallow the moon. Yes, that's the plot of Skate Story, an action skateboarding game developed by Sam Eng and published by Devolver Digital. You're tasked with skating through the nine layers of the underworld whilst helping tortured souls along the way.

Even without the zaney, intriguing plot, the psychedelic visuals and street skating gameplay are more than enough to tempt me to try the game. The camera placement looks similar to Skate, which fits the more street skater gameplay. But my favourite visual is when you bail off your skateboard and your glass character shatters into pieces.

There are also skate trials to complete, to learn new tricks and get new gear. With over 70 plus tricks and skateboard decks, wheels and trucks to get, there's plenty of things to do. Then, with your new 360 flip trick in tow, you can beat or impress the demons.

But what would a skateboarding game be without a soundtrack? Skate Story knows this, and has a psychedelic soundtrack to set the atmosphere.

All in all, Skate Story is a game where every facet of design has seemingly fit together to bring a strong creative vision to life. And if the skating gameplay handles well, then I think it should get fans of Skate and Tony Hawks interested. I look forward to giving it a go on December 8th.

UNBEATABLE - 9/12/25

An interesting story hook where music is illegal; pristinely hand drawn animations; and fun rhythm based gameplay. Unbeatable is one of the most unique, stylish and fun looking titles out in December.

Unbeatable is an action adventure game, where you play as Beat who is a member of a band alongside her friends Quaver, Treble and Clef. In a world where music is forbidden, their passion is a crime. So, Beat fights back against the tyrannical regime. The game has a 90s anime cross Scott Pilgrim inspired presentation with expressively animated hand drawn character populating beautiful scenery in a sort of 2.5D perspective.

The main gameplay is a rhythm based battle system, which is set around timed button presses, to a wonderful original soundtrack created by Peak Divide. These arcade style setpieces are frantic and oozing with style, but fear not, as developer D-Cell has included a set of accessibility options to make the game welcoming to as many players as possible.

But combat isn't the only gameplay. As Beat, you explore various locales where you can converse with people, choose to help them, or simply practise with your band. All of this impacts how the day and night cycle progresses.

Everything I've seen so far makes me believe that this could be something special.

CODE VIOLET - 12/12/25

With Capcom having chosen to not remake or continue their beloved Dino Crisis series, the developers at Teamkill Media are looking to fill the void. On first glance, Code Violet looks like a spiritual successor to everything that made Dino Crisis work. Although it does look to lean more into action horror than survival horror. It classed as a third person action horror with inventory management and puzzles, in a world with roaming killer dinosaurs.

Visually Code Violet looks decent in the trailers, with all the modern bells and whistles, and as pS5 exclusive title, it promises good use of the dualsense's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and includes Sony's 3D audio technology.

Although, the story about a sterile world that abducts women from the past for a surrogacy program does worry me, as it will need great writing to be done well. Also, I have concerns from the reviews of the studio's previous game, but like Code Violet, their games do seem brimming with creativity and interesting concepts. They're clearly a passionate team who I hope have managed to learn from the past and deliver an entertaining action horror game. As if they do, I can see a lot of dinosaur and horror fans buying the game.

TERMINATOR 2D: No Fate - 12/12/25

A returning entry from my November 2025 preview, after being delayed by a month. Terminator 2D: No Fate makes its much anticipated appearance on December 12th.

A faithful retelling of the James Cameron movie, Terminator 2, Bitmap Bureau let us play through the story with perfect pixel artwork as Sarah Connor or T-800, and experience missions set in the apocalyptic future as John Connor.

It reminds me of playing the old action side-scroller games from the mega drive or super Nintendo era, that clearly inspired it. Those fun, pick up and play games you reply for high scores - a proper arcade game. If it nails that feeling in each of its multiple modes, then it should be a very good time whilst it lasts.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

LET IT DIE: Inferno - 3/12/25

The latest entry in the Let It Die series takes players on a journey down to Hells Gate. It's a pvevp rogue lite game, where you embark on randomised runs to reach your goal, and upon death, you lose everything and must start again. Here's hoping fans of the series find something they like.

SIMOGO LEGACY COLLECTION - 2/12/25

Image: Simogo Legacy Collection - Simogo

Simogo Legacy Collection is a cool curio, in that it honours the legacy of an ever improving studio that brought us the great Sayonara Wild Hearts and the mind bending puzzle game, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. Whether you enjoy smaller indie games or love to see the history of a unique indie studio, there's lots to appeal to everyone.

SHE'S LEAVING - 2/12/25

Now, this is an interesting one. She's Leaving is a survival horror game that uses real life forensic techniques to understand evidence. You play as Charles Dalton, a blood spatter expert, as he heads to the snowy region of Haywood, to an old Tudor manor to investigate the disappearance of multiple people. But unfortunately, Charles isn't alone.

You investigate every corner of the town of Haywood, to find clues and uncover the mystery. But as well as investigating, Charles must hide or fight, equipped with only his taser - the choice is yours.

For the small team at Blue Hat Studio, She's Leaving is a real passion project that I hope comes to fruition for them.

If you enjoyed the article, please check out the games in the video version.

Preview - December Video Games 2025

Preview - November Video Games 2025