Guide
These are the game highlights for August
by Philipp Rüegg
These are our highlights from this year’s Gamescom
22.8.2025
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
We tried out almost 70 games at Gamescom. Here are our highlights.
More calendar entries than is reasonable, but the stress was worth it. We traversed the endless halls of the world’s biggest game fair in search of the best upcoming releases. We weren’t disappointed, and are more hyped than ever about what to expect in the coming months. Hopefully some of our enthusiasm will rub off on you after reading our Gamescom highlights.
Phil: The Expanse: Osiris Reborn – more than just a TV adaptation
If, like me, you’ve been waiting ages for a new Mass Effect, put this game on your wish list. Expect a third-person action role-playing game set after season two of the sci-fi TV show.
You and your crew are thrown right into the middle of the political conflict between Earth, Mars and the Belters. In addition to many conversations where your choices influence the story and missions, I was particularly impressed by the action in the hands-off demo.
A large part of the environment can be destroyed. Every so often, you fight outside space stations in zero gravity. And by running along sloping walls, you open up ever more tactical options. Thanks to the latest Unreal Engine, the visuals also leave nothing to be desired.
When: 2026
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Phil: The Blood of the Dawnwalker – a taste for blood
The parallels to The Witcher 3 here are unmistakeable, and not by accident. Many former CD Projekt Red developers are behind the fantasy open-world game.
But instead of a Witcher, you play a vampire in Dawnwalker. Mind you, one that doesn’t immediately turn to ash when seeing the sun. The protagonist’s day and night forms are a central aspect of the game. As a vampire, you can climb walls and teleport. In human form, you can talk to the dead and solve quests.
These dual approaches sound promising – same for the time limit you have to save your family. Lazily completing only side quests has its consequences. Visually, the game is also an absolute stunner and won’t just delight Witcher fans.
When: 2026
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Phil: Road Kings – truckers tackling a storm
After Snowrunner and Roadcraft, another truck simulator from Saber Interactive is coming out once more. The simulation aspect is also very important in this game. I notice this immediately as I grab the huge steering wheel controller to steer my 40-tonner through a storm.
A storm, exactly. Even though the rest of the game places great emphasis on realism, there are regular disaster events during the campaign. During those, you have to get your load to its destination safely, all while roads collapse, flooding pushes you off-road and destroyed vehicles turn your route into an obstacle course.
When: 2026
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Domagoj: Kirby Air Riders – perfect sensory overload
After playing Kirby Air Riders, I needed a few minutes to get my heart rate down. I’ve rarely played a game where so much happens in such a short space of time.
At first glance, the newest Kirby looks like a fun Mario Kart racer with Kirby characters. The gameplay looks even simpler – cars accelerate automatically and you only need two buttons to play. Behind this simple facade, however, lies incredibly complex, competitive chaos with great depth of play.
Kirby Air Riders feels like Super Smash Bros. on wheels. In City Trial mode, up to 16 players get to compete against each other. Your first step here is to collect as many upgrades as possible before all participants compete against each other in various challenges. An addictive game loop that I would’ve loved to play for longer.
When: 20 November
Where: Switch 2
Domagoj: Pokémon Legends: Z-A – real-time Pokémon battles
Developer studio Game Freak is trying something new with the latest Legends spin-off. The game is set in a single metropolis inspired by Paris. There, the world’s best trainers battle each other in a mysterious tournament.
Battles take place in real time, a first for Pokémon. My play session reminded me of the Xenoblade games as well as MMOs. My Pokémon’s attacks have cooldowns, and I have to position myself correctly during battles, constantly swapping Pokémon in and out to counter my opponent as efficiently as possible. The combat system feels very familiar thanks to the tried-and-tested rock-paper-scissors principle. It’s also surprisingly fresh thanks to the real-time elements. This helps me forgive the title for looking like a low-budget PS3 game. After all, the game still runs smooth and crisp on the Switch 2.
When: 16 October
Where: Switch 1 and Switch 2
Domagoj: Phantom Blade Zero – lightning-fast action gameplay
After my one-and-a-half hour session, I’m more certain than ever: this game’s going to be great. The combat system in this jet-quick action game from China is reminiscent of Soulslike titles. You aim at enemies, block and counter their attacks or dodge them. However, the timing of combat actions is much more merciful than in other representatives of the genre, but the gameplay is much faster. My character deals brutal blows with extremely nimble martial arts attacks, dancing elegantly across the battlefield.
The rapid gameplay really comes into its own with the creative bosses involving clever gameplay twists. I also like the gloomy Chinese setting. The only thing that developer S-Game could improve is the graphics.
When: tbd
Where: PC and PS5
Domagoj: Pragmata – an ingenious gameplay twist
By lucky coincidence, I was able to try a half-hour demo of Capcom’s sci-fi shooter without an appointment. And man, am I happy about that: Pragmata surprised me more than any other game at the fair.
My character shoots down all kinds of killer robots in a stylish space suit. I’m assisted by a childlike android who holds on to my back. The gameplay twist: my kid android can hack robots while I shoot laser volleys.
Both the shooting and hacking bits are controlled simultaneously, and both gameplay elements benefit from the other. I can slow down robots by hacking and weaken their defences before killing them with my arsenal of weapons. An ingenious multitasking concept that had me hooked after just a few minutes.
When: 2026
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Michelle: Lego Party! – beautiful bricks
The new Lego Party is easily a league above my other Nintendo favourite Mario Party. And the mini-games aren’t the only entertaining factor. You can also let off steam on the game board itself by setting traps, for example. My IRL highlight: all figurines and mini-games can be recreated with real Lego bricks.
When: 30 September
Where: Switch 2
Michelle: Spongebob Squarepants: Titans of the Tide – pure, happy F.U.N.
In the latest spin-off straight out of Bikini Bottom, you dash through the depths as both Spongebob and Patrick. As the yellow sponge, you swing your spatula and keep hungry fish visiting the Krusty Krab happy. Meanwhile, you can bury yourself in the sand as the pink starfish, turning enemies into useless green bubbles too. The 3D world is incredibly lovingly designed.
When: 20 November
Where: Switch 2
Samuel: Anno 117: Pax Romana – familiar, yet fresh
Ubisoft’s strategy builder set in ancient Rome was one of the most sought-after titles at Gamescom. Fans queued for two hours or more for just half an hour of playing time. I was hyped too. I used the early hours of the morning for two sessions, and was even allowed to play a full hour in a separate area as a member of the press. I wasn’t disappointed.
As a fan of the series, the two hours of gameplay in Anno 117: Pax Romana felt familiar yet new. The basic principle behind the game hasn’t changed: build houses, produce increasingly complex goods and explore new islands. Two regions were available for the first time at Gamescom – Latium, where the Romans live, and Albion, populated by Celts. With new mechanics such as the god system and a tech tree, the new Anno also offers enough innovative features outside of the setting to keep old hands from getting bored.
When: 20 November
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
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