Gaming Influence: Thoughts - Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Gaming Influence, a reboot of the same name I created in WrestleCorp. However, I will not only share my thoughts on certain video games and video game series, but also on video game movies, anime, digital presentations, and more.

For this edition of Gaming Influence, I'll share my thoughts on Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 19, 2025.

Before I start, not every game shown in this presentation will be discussed, as I will mainly talk about games that I care about and are interested in. If the games you care about and are interested in don't show up here, don't take it personally, have nothing against the games, but they're just not for me, or it's just that I don't have much to say about them except cool. However, if you're happy with the games that you care about and are interested in, I have nothing to say about it; good for you, and I'm happy for you.
Anyway, let's get started!

If you're wondering what Gamescom Opening Night Live is, you can check that out with my thoughts on last year's show here: Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 Thoughts

With that out of the way, let's get to it!

Bubsy 4D is a 3D platformer developed by Fabraz and published by Atari. The game is set to be released on Switch, Switch 2, Xbox Series X, PS5, PS4, and PC in the future.

Wait what?! We're getting a new Bubsy game?! That's insane! It's been a while since we last saw Bubsy, so it's great to see them making a comeback. I'm very curious to see how the game will be and hope to see more of this game in the future once it's released.

Outlaws + Handful of Missions Remaster is a remaster of the action adventure game developed by LucasArts and Nightdive Studios and published by Atari, Outlaws + Handful of Missions. The game will be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Switch, and PC in the future.

Dang, didn't expect this game to get a remaster, but this is quite cool. The original game came out in 1997 on PC, and it was quite interesting as it's pretty much classic DOOM, but in an outlaw setting. Cool to see this game getting a remaster and I'm very curious to see how he game will turn out overall once it is released.

Denshattack! is a 3D platformer developed by Undercoders and published by Fireshine Games. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 in Spring 2026.

This game definitely stood out to me during the presentation, as I really love the art style of the game; it just pops. The game also kind of reminds me of Jet Set Radio, too, with its art style and gameplay, a bit with the fast-paced rails, and you're controlling a train, too, which is quite interesting. I definitely have an eye on this game and hope to see more of it soon once it's released next spring.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction is a beat 'em up game developed by Bitman Bureau and published by Limited Run Games. The game is set to be released on PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, and Switch in the future.

Okay, this is another surprise right here with a classic-looking beat 'em up, and it looks to be a lot of fun. The fact that it not only has the classic art style, but also plays like an arcade beat 'em up, sounds awesome to me. Hope to see more of this game in the future once it's released.

Valor Mortis is a first-person action soulslike game developed and published by One More Level Spólka Akcyjna, where the game will be released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X in the future.

Huh, a first-person soulslike game is not common in today's gaming, but it's very welcome regardless. Ghostrunner was a pretty good game, so nice to see the developers making a new game, and this game looks great so far. The first-person aspect of a soulslike game is going to be very intriguing, and I'm very curious to see how it'll turn out. Hope to see more of this game once it's released in the future.

PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC is a platformer developed and published by Bandai Namco, where the game is set to be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, Switch, and PC on September 26, 2025. The Sonic the Hedgehog DLC for the game will be released in late 2025.

Wow! I didn't expect a crossover between PAC-MAN and Sonic the Hedgehog in PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC, but here we are! It looks like PAC-MAN will be playing on Sonic the Hedgehog levels as well as having costumes as well which is nice. Looking forward to replaying this game and playing the DLC for the game as well once it comes out next month, and the DLC later this year.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a kart racing game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. The game is set to be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, Switch, and PC on September 25, 2025. PAC-MAN for the game will be released in early 2026.

Just like with the crossover with PAC-MAN and Sonic the Hedgehog in PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC, seeing PAC-MAN and Ghosts from PAC-MAN being playable drivers in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is awesome. It looks like they also have their own course as well which is awesome to see. There's also a network test for the game between August 29 to September 1, but by the time you read this, it's already over, but still cool regardless. Either way, looking forward to playing this game once it comes out next month and looking forward to the DLC next year.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a first-person shooter developed by Treyarch and Raven Software and published by Activision. The game is set to be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and PC on November 14, 2025.

Even though I'm not really into the series that much, I can't deny that the game is looking great in terms of graphics and the number of modes that this game has. The gameplay for this game is what you expect from the Call of Duty series, and there's nothing wrong with that. Nice to see the developers of the game talk about the game and how much it means to them as they're looking to make the players have fun with the game, whether it's solo or local co-op. We'll see how the game will turn out once it's released in four months.

Lords of the Fallen II is a dark fantasy action role-playing game developed by Hexworks and published by CI Games. The game is set to be released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X in 2026.

Dang, I didn't expect this game to get a sequel, but I get the first game did pretty well to get a sequel, so that's awesome. Granted, we didn't get any gameplay of the game, unfortunately, but since this is a sequel, we should know what to expect, as it should be a lot of fun. Very curious to see how the game will turn out and hope to see more of it soon once it's released next year.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is a LEGO-themed action-adventure game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Games. The game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and PC in 2026.

Okay, didn't expect a new LEGO Batman game here, but it looks really awesome. The combat looks to be a lot of fun, and the fact that this game seems to be an open playground is huge. A lot of references to the comics, movies, and games of Batman in this game, which is awesome. Hope to see more of this game in the future once it comes out next year.

Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War IV is a real-time strategy game developed by KING Art and published by Deep Silver. The game is set to be released on PC in 2026.

Oh wow, I didn't expect a new game within this series, but it looks like we are after nine years, which is insane. However, despite it being nine years since the last gam,e which was Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War III, which was released in 2017 on PC, it looks like it's still keeping that traditional real-time strategy that this game series is well known and that's only a good thing. Very curious to see if they added any changes to it, and we'll find out once this game is released next year.

MONSTER HUNTER WILDS is an action role-playing game developed and published by Capcom. The special collaboration with Final Fantasy XIV Online, along with the new update, will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in late September 2025.

Wow, this is a collaboration I didn't expect to come again, but it's awesome. Nice to see that players will be able to ride Chocobos in this game, as some other Final Fantasy XIV cameos will appear, which is nice. The new update gets an awesome monster. Very curious to see how the special collaboration will turn out once it's released next month.

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. The special collaboration with Monster Hunter Wilds will be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and PC in early October 2025.

With Monster Hunter Wilds collaborating with FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, I wasn't surprised that we got the reverse of it, and it looks to be great as we got cameos of Monster Hunter Wilds' characters and monsters in the game, which is awesome. I'm very curious to see how this collaboration will turn out overall once it's released in about two months.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is an action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. The game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2026.

The more I see about this game, the more I'm excited about it, as it continues to look great every time we see a new trailer for it. They also added the English voice acting for the game as well which isn't bad at all. Looking forward to this game and hope to see more of it once it comes out next year.

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is an action game developed by FIRST Studio and published by XSEED Games. The game is set to be released on Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 5, 2025.

We've seen this game in past presentations, so nice to see it again here, and it continues to look great. They're continuing to expand upon the first game as the gameplay looks to be fun, and the story seems quite intriguing. There's also a demo available now for this game too so I'm looking forward to trying the game out myself. We'll see how this game will turn out once it's released in a few weeks.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants is DLC for the action-adventure game developed by MachineGames and published by Bethesda. The DLC is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on September 4, 2025. The game will also come to Switch 2 in 2026.

This looks to be a very big DLC expansion for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants, which is great to see. It's also great to see that the game will also be coming to Switch 2 next year, which is huge. Looking forward to seeing how the DLC expansion will turn out once it's released in a few weeks.

Death by Scrolling is a rogue-like vertically scrolling role-playing game developed by Terrible Toybox NZ and published by MicroProse Software. The game is set to be released on PC in the future.

This is one of the nice surprises for me within the show, as it looks to be a fun rogue-like RPG that makes you keep moving and doesn't stop, which is quite interesting. I really like the concept of this game and really love the pixel art style as well. Hope to see more of this game in the future once it's released in the future.

ZERO PARADES is a story-rich espionage role-playing game developed and published by ZA/UM, where the game is set to be released on PC in the future.

Oh wow, the developers of Disco Elysium are making another nice RPG. I really enjoyed playing Disco Elysium, and it looks like ZERO PARADES is trying to expand upon what Disco Elysium did, but also doing its own thing as well. I'm definitely intrigued by this and hope to see more of this game in the future.

Honor of Kings: World is an eastern fantasy multiplayer action role-playing game developed by TiMi Studio Group and published by Tencent Games. The game is set to be released on PC in the future.

Oh wow, I didn't expect that Honor of Kings would actually have a game that is outside of mobile, which is quite interesting. However, what they've shown with this game so far looks pretty good, as I'm liking the graphics and gameplay of the game. We'll see how the game will turn out once it's released in the future.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is an action-adventure game developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on October 21, 2025.

I still can't believe that this game actually exists, but I'm happy regardless. I continue to be impressed with everything that this game has offered so far in terms of graphics, gameplay, and story. I'm really looking forward to the final product of this game and looking forward to playing it once it's released in two months.

Silent Hill f is a survival horror game developed by NeoBards Entertainment and published by Konami. The game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 25, 2025. 

The more I see this game, the more creepy and hype it is, which makes me very excited. I continue to love the environment that the game gives with its spooky and creepy vibes, and the gameplay looks to be a lot of fun as well. The English voice acting for the game has been done well, too. Looking forward to playing this game myself once it's released next month.

Cronos: The New Dawn is a survival horror game developed and published by Bloober Team. The game is set to be released on PC, Xbox Series X, PS5, and Switch 2 on September 5, 2025.

I continue to be intrigued with this game, as Bloober Team has definitely improved a lot since The Medium, as it shows with this game. Their work with the remake of Silent Hill 2 really helped shape this game here, and it looks great. It has that creepy nature of a survival horror, and the gameplay looks to be fun as well. Looking forward to seeing how this game will turn out once it's released in a few weeks.

The Outer Worlds 2 is an action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on October 29, 2025.

It's cool to see that Xbox continues to market this game after they had the Outer Worlds 2 Direct during their Xbox Games Showcase at the Summer Game Fest season. They need to show more of the characters that players will be playing as, as well as a tease for the game's story. We'll see how this game will turn out once it's released in two months.

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is an action role-playing game developed by Digital Sun and published by 11 Bit Studios. The game will be released on early access for PC on October 23, 2025.

Great to see more footage of this game, as we've seen it before in past digital presentations. I really do enjoy the art style that this game has, and the gameplay looks to be a lot of fun, especially with the combat. I'm very curious to see how this game will turn out overall once it's released in two months.

Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is a real-time strategy game developed by Relic Entertainment and World's Edge and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set to be released on PS5 on November 4, 2025.

It's still crazy to me that we're still getting Xbox games coming to other consoles, but I love to see it regardless. This edition of Age of Empires IV pretty much has all of the DLC within the game, so that's great for PlayStation players to experience it. We'll see how the game does on PS5 once it's released in three months.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Legacy of the Forge is DLC for the action role-playing game developed by Warhorse Studios and published by Deep Silver, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. The DLC is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 9, 2025.

Nice to see that this game will get more DLC, as it should be a fun time. It looks like with this DLC, you get to forge items and weapons in the game, which would definitely come in handy in a game like this. We'll see how the DLC will turn out once it's released in a few weeks.

Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven is DLC for the roguelike game developed by Massive Monster and published by Devolver Digital, Cult of the Lamb. The DLC is set to be released on Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC in early 2026.

Dang, I didn't expect Cult of the Lamb to get more DLC after the game's release, but I'm here for it. The fact that this game still gets support after being released three years ago is insane. However, I love it, and the DLC is looking great so far in terms of challenges. Hope to see more of it soon once it's released early next year.

World of Warcraft: Midnight is DLC for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, World of Warcraft. The DLC will be released on PC in 2026.

I still find it wild to me that this game is still getting support after being out for twenty-one years. That's insane. The CGI trailer they provided here was pretty good, as it gives a synopsis of what the story is about, as well as the characters involved in this DLC expansion. Very curious to see how this DLC will turn out once it's released next year.

Project Spectrum is a free-to-play, asymmetric-PvPvE thriller tactical shooter developed by Team Jade and published by TiMi Studio Group. The game will be released on PC in the future.

Okay, this was another nice surprise, as this game gives me Resident Evil vibes, and it looks pretty good. It has that survival horror aspect to it, as well as the intense action that the Resident Evil games have. The story seems quite interesting as well. Hope to see more of this game in the future as it has potential.

Ghost of Yōtei is an action-adventure game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The game is set to be released on PS5 on October 2, 2025.

My goodness. Every time I see more of this game, I just get amazed because it looks absolutely stunning. Plus, the game will also get free DLC in 2026, which is awesome. I'm very curious to see what the Ghost of Yōtei Legends DLC will be like since it's a co-op mode. Well, we'll probably see more of it when the time comes. Either way, I'm totally hyped for this game and can't wait to play it once it comes out in two months.

Resident Evil Requiem is a survival horror game developed and published by Capcom, where the game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 27, 2026.

This game was first announced back at Summer Game Fest earlier this year, and we finally got to see more of it, as it looks amazing. It definitely has that survival horror aspect to it, and the graphics look incredible. The story seems very interesting, too, and I definitely want to see more of the game for sure. Looking forward to this game when it comes out in six months.

Black Myth: Zhong Kui is an action role-playing game developed and published by Game Science, where the game will be released in the future for unannounced consoles.

Holy crap! They just finished Black Myth: Wukong just last year, and they're already working on another game in the series?! Man, that was fast. Granted, it'll be a while until the game actually releases, but it's great to see that the series will continue, and it'll have a different playable character in the game as well, with Zhong Kui, as his design looks awesome. If the game is anything like Black Myth: Wukong, we're in for a treat with Black Myth: Zhong Kui, and looking forward to seeing more of it in the future.

Overall, this was a solid presentation from Geoff Keighley and his team. Just like with Summer Game Fest, they tend to get better each year as they continue to improve in terms of pacing. However, just like with Summer Game Fest, it still lacks those big game announcements, as we did get a few, but not a lot either. Although we also got other cool surprises that weren't game-related, like the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice anime and the second season of Fallout, they looked great. Besides the issues I had with the show, I can't deny that Gamescom Opening Night Live has come a long way since it started, and I'm curious to see if they'll continue to improve it from here.

You can catch the whole presentation of Gamescom Opening Night Live yourself with the link below:

What are your thoughts on Gamescom Opening Night Live?

What were your highlights, and what games do you really want?

Let me know in the comments below, and thank you for reading.