34 Under the Radar PS5 Games to Watch Out For in 2025 1
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Every year brings us a treasure trove of games to enjoy — some would say too many — and 2025 will be no exception. While a lot of eager gamers will be patiently awaiting the arrival of some true juggernauts, like Grand Theft Auto 6, Ghost of Yotei, and Monster Hunter Wilds, countless more titles of all shapes and sizes are heading to PS5 this year, and many of them are well worth your attention. We've put together a list of the most promising indie, AA, and under-the-radar games heading to our consoles in 2025.

Afterlove EP (PS5)

From the makers of Coffee Talk, this narrative adventure focuses on a young musician who's struggling with the passing of his girlfriend. The heavy themes of loss and grief are partnered with elements of visual novels and rhythm games, which will all lend to what sounds like a hard-hitting story. Those looking for a meaningful narrative, lovely art, and moving music will want to keep an eye on this.

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Baby Steps (PS5)

Devolver Digital is publishing this unusual title, which comes from the creators behind Getting Over It and Ape Out. Playing as a slacker living in his parents' basement, you enter a strange world in which he has to relearn how to use his legs. Sure to entertain, confound, and frustrate in equal measure, we're looking forward to seeing what this game has in store beyond its baffling controls.

Bionic Bay (PS5)

We're intrigued by this physics-heavy side-scroller, which gives you a bunch of nifty abilities to pull off some impossible platforming puzzles. You're able to change gravity, bend time, and even swap places with objects in your quest for success. Much of the story is unknown, but we're curious to discover what's going on in this world in which you're granted these powers.

Bounty Star (PS5)

This has been in the works for some time now, so we're hoping 2025 will be its year. From Annapurna Interactive and developer DINOGOD, this game is an interesting mix of mech-based combat action and more serene farming and base building. It's always looked quite promising whenever we've seen it, so fingers crossed we get to check it out ourselves this year.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (PS5)

The first Citizen Sleeper came out of seemingly nowhere and presented players with a rewarding and engaging narrative adventure. The sequel is coming very soon indeed, and it looks like it'll be more of the same but expanded. You play as a rogue android with the mind of a human, and it's down to you to survive as you hop between space stations and make friends and foes along the way. The first game was very good, so we have high hopes for the follow-up.

Date Everything (PS5)

The clue is in the name of this unorthodox dating sim. You'll form relationships (and maybe romances) with personified versions of numerous household objects, or even concepts. Ever wanted to talk to a toaster or befriend a frying pan? Oddly enough, this game will let you live out these fantasies with hundreds of characters to engage with.

Despelote (PS5)

Despelote is one game we've loved the look of from the moment it was announced. Set in early 00s Ecuador, this is a first-person narrative adventure about a child and his love of football. You'll kick the ball around to interact with the world and the people in it, and it's all presented with a unique and striking art style. This looks to be a real snapshot of one place at one time, and we can't wait to learn more.

Holstin (PS5)

This moody survival horror title won us over with its atmospheric art style, but the real hook is its hybrid perspective. Much of the game is played from an isometric point of view, but when you need to fend off bad guys, the camera swoops into first person while aiming your gun. It's a great effect that reveals its pixel art is sort of hiding a 3D-modelled environment. Obviously visuals can only carry you so far, but this definitely has promise.

InKonbini (PS5)

If you're after something nice and laid back, InKonbini might be just the thing you're after. Set within a Japanese convenience store in the 90s, you play as a girl working shifts at the shop, stacking shelves, cleaning up, and serving customers at the till. However, this isn't a simulator as such — there's some narrative threads to pull at, with NPCs that'll gradually reveal their stories throughout the game. We love the vibe of this one.

Lost Hellden (PS5)

Lost Hellden is an action RPG inspired by JRPGs of the PS1 era, and it looks like it could be a good one. Players explore a "living painting" and engage in a combat system that swaps between two phases: Action, in which you wail on the enemies, and Reaction, where you must defend or retaliate against enemy attacks. It looks like a combo of turn-based strategy and action-focused gameplay, while the art and music are looking solid too.

MIO: Memories in Orbit (PS5)

This is an intriguing Metroidvania published by Focus Entertainment. It has a really neat visual style, and the combat and movement looks nice and snappy. We don't know a whole lot about MIO: Memories in Orbit yet, but if you're a fan of side-scrolling Metroidvanias, it could definitely be worth keeping in mind.

Mixtape (PS5)

Publisher Annapurna Interactive knows how to pick 'em, and Mixtape looks like it could be another hit. From the makers of The Artful Escape, this is a stylised game in which you explore the memories of a group of teenage friends, with the gameplay changing things up throughout. With a licensed soundtrack and really cool presentation, this musical adventure could be a banger.

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault (PS5)

We're really fond of Moonlighter, a roguelike action game that doubles as a shopkeeping sim. The sequel looks like it'll build on the already solid foundation, albeit with a new, 3D-modelled art style. You'll be delving into dangerous dungeons in search of items to sell in your store, and during the day, open up, adjust prices, and keep customers happy. We're confident Moonlighter 2 will be one to watch.

Morsels (PS5)

Another Annapurna-published title, this oddity is a roguelike game about collecting critters. For each one of the titular Morsels you find, you can transform into them and take advantage of their various abilities. It sort of reminds us of The Binding of Isaac, but somehow even more grubby. The art style is particularly striking, with low-fi scanlines overlaid onto chunky pixel art. The reveal trailer hints at some artistic and possibly gameplay changes as you progress, so we're super curious to learn more about this one.

MOUSE: P.I. for Hire (PS5)

It looks like Cuphead may have inspired some devs to explore old-fashioned animation techniques, with MOUSE: P.I. for Hire being the prime example. Fundamentally a fast-paced first-person shooter, the game's main hook is its amazing presentation, which makes it look like you're playing inside an old black-and-white rubber hose animation. With 3D environments and 2D sprites, the effect is pretty staggering — we just hope it plays as good as it looks.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (PS5)

This throwback side-scrolling action game has lots of potential. Published by Dotemu and developed by The Game Kitchen — best known for the Blasphemous series — Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is in safe hands. Harkening back to the series' roots, this looks like a challenging action platformer, and it boasts great pixel art to boot. We have high hopes for this one.

No Rest for the Wicked (PS5)

No Rest for the Wicked has been in early access for the best part of a year, and it's always looked good, even before then. This is a top-down action RPG in the same vein as Diablo, only it has some fresh ideas that mean its combat and exploration stand apart. Hopefully this reaches its final 1.0 build in 2025 and makes its debut on PS5.

One Move Away (PS5)

If you're a fan of the wonderful Unpacking, you may be interested in this title. Similar in concept but very different in execution, One Move Away has you exploring the lives of three characters as they pack up boxes and personal items into their cars to move house. This is a sort of narrative adventure game with a three-dimensional puzzle about fitting everything into your vehicle. We expect this will pack an emotional punch when it moves to PS5 this year.

Promise Mascot Agency (PS5)

From the makers of the brilliant Paradise Killer comes Promise Mascot Agency, something completely different. Part crime drama, part open world exploration, and part management sim, this unusual game casts you as an exiled yakuza member who must repay his debt by reviving one of the family's dying businesses — an agency for mascots. You'll find these mascots around the town, recruit them on various jobs, and meet their needs to keep everyone happy. It looks totally unique, and we can't wait to explore its strange world.

Ratatan (PS5)

Patapon fans, take note: spiritual successor Ratatan is on the way. With key team members on board, this game is very similar in many ways to the cult hit rhythm strategy series. You control an army by issuing commands in time with the beat, defeating enemies and gathering resources. There are some differences in how it plays; it includes roguelike elements, and individual troops may have unique abilities you can employ. Here's hoping it can live up to the beloved PSP franchise.

Reanimal (PS5)

The next horrifying adventure from the creators of the Little Nightmares series is Reanimal. Played from a similar perspective but based in an all-new world, you play as a pair of children on an island inhabited by creepy, mutated animals. Darker in tone than its previous games, Tarsier Studios is set to deliver a truly unsettling horror title with this one.

Rematch (PS5)

Incredibly, arcadey football game Rematch comes from the team behind Sifu, so this is quite a pivot. Rather than having you control a whole team, you play as an individual on the field, able to pull off fancy footwork as you and your team work your way towards the goal. Clearly taking inspiration from Rocket League, the playing field is walled in, there are flashy effects, and there looks to be a high skill ceiling. We have a lot of confidence in developer Sloclap — this could be very good indeed.

Rusty Rabbit (PS5)

We'll be honest, we don't know a huge amount about Rusty Rabbit, but this trailer has pretty much sold us. Set in a post-apocalyptic world of trash where rabbits have become the dominant intelligent species, you play as Stamp (voiced by Kiryu actor Takaya Kuroda) who digs deep into the ruins of Smokestack Mountain using his mech suit. After discovering an archived record belonging to his estranged daughter, he begins a quest to find her in this side-scrolling action adventure. With a setup like that, how can you not be interested?

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter (PS5)

Tails of Iron is quietly one of the better 2D titles inspired by Dark Souls, and the sequel is looking bigger and better in all the right ways. Telling a fresh story with new characters in a different part of the world, you must fend off the recently awoken hordes of bats and other fearsome creatures as you defend your home. With a more open world to explore, a day/night cycle changing up encounters, and refinements to the combat, this has lots of promise.

Tales of the Shire (PS5)

The Lord of the Rings has had many game adaptations, but Tales of the Shire is a very different proposition. This is a peaceful life sim game in which you play as a hobbit in the tranquil village of Bywater. With a cute art style and easy-going gameplay, you'll be cooking up feasts for your friends, decorating your home, and forging relationships with the village folk. Developed by Weta Workshop — the creative team that also worked on all the movies — this could be a fun alternative to the likes of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing.

The Eternal Life of Goldman (PS5)

This 2D platformer is easy to fall in love with thanks to its absolutely gorgeous art style. The Eternal Life of Goldman has a wonderful illustrated look with hand-animated movement, making it a real visual feast. More than that, though, the game itself looks like it has potential, with a mix of platforming and combat as you go through the story. Many details are unknown, but if this has the gameplay to match the art, it'll be a real winner.

The Mermaid Mask (PS5)

Before it made Crow Country, SFB Games produced a murder mystery adventure by the name of Tangle Tower. The Mermaid Mask is the next case for Detective Grimoire and Sally to crack, featuring a strange murder aboard an unusual submarine. A combination of various puzzles and point-n-click elements, this is sure to be a fun, head-scratching adventure.

The Midnight Walk (PS5)

The Midnight Walk is a stylish claymation game that has optional PSVR2 support. Coming from some of the folks behind Lost in Random, this is a creepy adventure title in which you must protect a lantern creature's flame as you evade various unsettling monsters. Visually it looks fantastic, though exactly how it plays out is unclear. Hopefully we find out more about this atmospheric game soon.

The Stone of Madness (PS5)

The makers of Blasphemous are turning their attention to a whole other genre with The Stone of Madness, an interesting take on stealth strategy. Set in 18th century Spain, a group of asylum inmates plot their escape, and it's down to you to use all their various abilities and strengths to make that happen. You'll search the monastery for clues and opportunities, while also keeping an eye on the characters' sanity levels. It's very different from the team's other work, but it's a really interesting idea, so we're hopeful it will deliver.

Thrasher (PS5)

Admittedly there's still no word on when exactly this will be coming to PS5 and PSVR2, but Thrasher is the next game from the people behind Thumper, so it has our attention. In this ethereal arcade game, you control an eel-like creature as you avoid threats and aim to score as high a points tally as you can within short time limits. It's received tons of praise on other platforms, so hopefully we get to see what all the fuss is about sometime soon.

Two Point Museum (PS5)

Two Point Museum looks like a brilliant new instalment in the management sim series. Curating and developing a museum is an ingenious idea; not only do you have to keep tabs on your staff and your exhibits to maximise profits, but you'll also need to send out teams on expeditions to track down all new items to put on display. We're big fans of the Two Point games, and this looks like it could be the best yet.

Unbeatable (PS5)

Some games just ooze style, and Unbeatable looks, er, unbeatable in that regard. This is a narrative-driven rhythm game set in a world where music is illegal. You're a character in a rebellious band on the run from the law, and your escapades play out in varied rhythm challenges. The presentation is stellar, and judging by the trailer, the music will be excellent too. Scott Pilgrim/The World Ends with You fans take note: this has huge potential.

Wanderstop (PS5)

From one of the minds behind the excellent Stanley Parable comes Wanderstop, a wholly different experience. This is a spin on the life/farming sim, in which you gather resources and run a tea shop, only the protagonist doesn't want to be there at all. With narrative themes that'll subvert the cosy game trope, this should deliver a meaningful story when it lands on PS5.

Wheel World (PS5)

Formerly known as Ghost Bike, Wheel World is the next game from the team behind the brilliant Nidhogg. This is a highly stylised game about cycling, where you compete in races against other cyclists in a picturesque open world city. We love the vibe of this one, and if the cycling feels good to control, we can see ourselves really enjoying this laid back excursion.

That concludes our list of under-the-radar PS5 games to look forward to in 2025, but there will be many more examples popping up as the year goes on. Which PS5 titles are you excited about in 2025, besides the obvious candidates? Tell us in the comments section below.