It’s time to look back on a fantastic trip to Summer Game Fest in 2025. GamingTrend took a look at many different video games, and certain ones were incredible standouts amongst a wide variety of titles. Ron, David, and Adam all had several picks for our “Best Of” awards, and here is what you need to be watching as the next cycle of video game drops.
Ron Burke’s picks
Crimson Desert from Pearl Abyss – Biggest Surprise of the Show / Game of the Show
Hands on with Crimson Desert at Summer Game Fest 2025 — A complex and well-realized adventure lies ahead
If there was a game I was most excited for at Summer Game Fest 2025, it was my very first appointment. I met up with the Pearl Abyss team to check out Crimson Desert. The demos we’ve seen thus far have focused on some of the boss combat in
I had a good idea of what Crimson Desert was about when I sat down to check it out. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The team gave us an hour of time to sit down and just experience the world they’ve created, and every single interaction was filled to bursting with detail and purpose. A fully-realized world, Crimson Desert looks to do far more than build something ambitious – it looks to set a completely new bar for action RPGs. Something new and exciting lies around every corner, and after just an hour of hands-on time with Crimson Desert, it’s already clear that Pearl Abyss is giving us something pretty amazing when it ships later this year on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Thick As Thieves from Otherside Entertainment – Pure Genre Evolution
We check out Thick as Thieves at SGF 2025 and come away excited to hide in the shadows
We’ve finally gotten our second look at Thick as Thieves and now, for the second time, our interest is piqued. Billed as the next evolution in games like Thief, we’re even more excited for the PvPvE from the team at Otherside Entertainment. Led by Thief / Deus Ex creator
We didn’t get to go hands-on with this one, but we aren’t that far off. Backed by industry experts who helped define the genre, Thick As Thieves aims to take stealth to a whole new level. Multiplayer-focused, this PvPvE heist game pits players against one another using gadgets and guile in a bid to obtain procedurally generated and placed loot, all while outsmarting one another and the NPCs that patrol the joint. Four classes will be ready at ship, and even at this early stage it looks like it’s going to be an absolute blast. Coming to Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox X|S, and Epic Games at some point in 2026, we’ll know more as the game progresses and we eventually get hands-on for ourselves. In the meantime, this is one to put on your radar.
Wishlist Thick As Thieves here!
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance from Sega – Best IP Resurrection
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance — Summer Game Fest Hands-On Preview
A return to classic Shinobi roots
Shinobi wasn’t the only ninja game at SGF – far from it, in fact. It was, however, the best of them. The art style, the movement mechanics, the tight combat, and gameplay that is evocative of the original while injecting some of the best new mechanics I like in a Metroidvania-esque sidescroller – Shinobi was full of surprises. The art style and new ninjitsu mechanics make this a pleasure to play, and a blast to watch in motion. Best of all, we won’t have to wait long as this Joe Hyabusa’s return is right around the corner, coming to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and even Xbox One on August 29th, 2025.
Pre-order Shinobi: Art of Vengeance here!
Marvel’s Deadpool VR from Twisted Pixel in collaboration with Oculus Studios – Pure VR Fun
Do you think Deadpool is aware of how tangled up his licenses are with Marvel, Disney, Oculus, Twisted Pixel, and others? Well, one thing is for sure, he’s aware he’s in yet another videogame, only this time in VR. It’s so easy to tip over from irreverent to irritating, but the team at Twisted Pixel have absolutely nailed the look, feel, and sound of Deadpool (courtesy of Neil Patrick Harris stepping in as the voice of the Merc with the Mouth), giving us a game that’s easy to play, but hard to master.
Before long I was sliding underneath dudes, bisecting them with my katanas, popping up onto the wall for a wall run, and then headshotting another dude for maximum carnage with minimal effort. Somehow, despite all that crazy movement, I experienced zero nausea, having an absolute blast the entire time. This one is exclusive to the Meta Quest 3 and 3S, but if you have that headset it’s a must-have. Look for Marvel’s Deadpool VR to hit in the later half of 2025.
Wishlist Marvel’s Deadpool VR here!
David Burdette’s Picks
Dying Light: The Beast from Techland – Bloodiest Good Time
Dying Light: The Beast hands-on preview — Castor Woods calamity
Kyle Crane is back with a vengeance… literally
There’s a lot out there competing for your attention. We get it, just a single-player zombie FPS might not seem as inviting with the plethora of other games out there. But, hear me out. Dying Light 2 Stay Human was pretty awesome. This is bigger and better, and killing zombies is still as brutal as you might remember. Even better, slaying the big beasts is akin to Skyrim and taking out a dragon; you get powers from these encounters. If my fight with the Chimera boss at SGF is any indication, Dying Light: The Beast is going to be an incredible outing.
Pre-order Dying Light: The Beast here!
SPINE from Nekki – Most Over-The-Top Gameplay
SPINE hands-on preview — Wick-ed and Woo-nderful
No matter which John W comes to mind, SPINE makes you feel like an action hero
You can give Nekki this award both figuratively and literally. I was excited to play SPINE at SGF, as I’ve been keeping an eye on it for a while. The FreeFlow style combat works, and it’s elaborate in the best ways. That said, as soon as they swapped my camera to one above Redline’s head – yeah, in John Wick 4 fashion – I pumped the shotgun I’d just picked up and went after some baddies. Sure, we won’t unfortunately get SPINE in 2025, but the taste I received has me hyped for its potential.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire from Fumi Games – Best Art Direction
MOUSE: P.I. for Hire preview — The great mouse detective
Fumi Games says cheese in their debut title
I was certainly hoping MOUSE would live up to expectations, even if I didn’t get hands-on time with it. Given I still got to see the game in action, played in front of me by one of the devs, I was flabbergasted by the results of my demo. This game looks amazing, and the cartoonish artstyle is downright ginchy. If Fumi Games crafts the gameplay as well as they have the aura of this 50s, rodent-infested shooter, we’re in for a swell time.
Wishlist MOUSE: P.I. For Hire here!
FBC: Firebreak from Remedy Entertainment – Most Fun Shooter
FBC: Firebreak review — Going down in Hiss-tory
Bringing your friends along is Firebreak at its best
Remedy knows how to give you a good time. While the game has technically already launched since our team got back from Summer Game Fest, we put in some time with FBC: Firebreak, and it’s definitely fun. The whole “let’s fix it” bravado works, and it makes everything going wrong as you try to clear out sticky notes with your friends a hilarious outing. With even more jobs coming to the game for free this year, you owe it to yourself to destress in The Oldest House.
Sword of the Sea from GiantSquid – Most Chill
Sword of the Sea hands-on preview — Serene sand surfing
It’s hard to find as peaceful of an experience as Sword of the Sea
I needed a break at SGF. I didn’t expect to find my favorite game at the show while searching for additional appointments. GiantSquid is no stranger to experiences you don’t get anywhere else, and Sword of the Sea is a hidden gem sitting in plain sight. The smooth gameplay of sword-surfing is magical, and the serene waves of sand and water I traversed in my demo were peaceful in a moment where I needed it most. Add in the outstanding DualSense haptic feedback, and you have a game I can’t wait to play again.
Wishlist Sword of the Sea here!
Adam Moreno’s Picks
Ambrosia Sky from Soft Rains – Best New IP
Ambrosia Sky hands on preview — A first-person sci-fi “clean-em-up” from Soft Rains
An out of this world premise with so much promise!
I had absolutely no idea what to expect as this game’s name wasn’t even shared with us when I signed up. However, after playing the demo and meeting the developers there at Summer Game Fest, I fell in love with this idea. It’s taking things we recognize and turning it into something new to experience. The art, the sound, the movement, are all fun to play around with, I cannot wait for the full release!
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds from SEGA – Best Kart Racer
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds hands-on preview — Gotta drive fast!
Standing apart in the kart-racing genre!
This game already has so much hype out there. Especially with the inclusion of the collaborations bringing in characters from Ac-CrossWorlds such as Joker, Hatsune Miku, and now SpongeBob SquarePants!
The gameplay shines in this cart-racer as I was always on the lookout for the collectibles, new shortcuts, best world combinations, and more. Plus, I’m such a fan of being able to customize your vehicle on so many levels.
Pre-order Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds here!
Infinitesimals from Cubit Studios / Epic Games – Best 3rd Person Adventure Game
Infinitesimals hands-on preview — Fast-paced combat and amazingly-fluid movements for just 8mm tall
Cubit Studios comes out fast with their new game, Infinitesimals
From the moment they told me there’s a jet pack, I knew the movement style and I couldn’t have been happier. This takes the 3rd person adventure genre and makes it as small as a bug but as large as you need it to be. From a small studio called Cubit and published by Epic Games, Infinitesimals is going to be a ton of fun for players who love exploring and mobile combat.
Mixtape from Annapurna Interactive — Best Vibes of Summer Game Fest
Mixtape hands-on preview — a perfectly nostalgic slice of life
Bringing everything you love from the 90’s back for one night only!
I knew from the trailer that I would love this game, but I’ve been burned by trailers before… thankfully, Mixtape’s demo was everything I could have wanted and more. It’s chill, it’s funny, it’s full of heart and soul. Their setup at Summer Game Fest matched the vibes as they had full set of everything 90’s/early 00’s with glass coke bottles and gushers/fruit by the foot as well! The vibes were immaculate.
The gameplay felt fluid and like I could do as much or as little as I felt the story needed to have during my time with the demo. You can talk as much or as little to the other characters as you want, and there’s not much better than reliving a night of insanity with your friends.
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