2025 has been one of the best years forRPGsin a very long time. Of course, last year we got the likes ofFinal Fantasy 7: RebirthandMetaphor: ReFantazio, and the year before we got the RPG to end all RPGs,Baldur’s Gate 3. However, the sheer diversity on display, coupled with the novel ideas, new IPs, and reinvention of certain formulas, ideas, and mechanics, has made 2025 feel substantially more refreshing.
There are already so manyamazing 2025 RPGsthat deserve to earn the award, fromClair Obscur: Expedition 33toKingdom Come: Deliverance 2. However, the year is not quite over, and there are a few more incredibly unique games on the horizon, including one hidden gem releasing at the tail end of August. Without being too hyperbolic,this game may just end up stealing GOTYfrom under all of those aforementioned RPGs' noses.
The Knightling Is Releasing At The End Of August
It Has Been In Development For Quite A While
The Knightlingis an incredibly colorful open-world action-adventure game thatblends the humor of theFableseries, the engrossing exploration of Breath of the Wild, and the smooth platforming ofMario Odyssey. Oh, and throw in a little bit of surfing in there while you’re at it. You bounce, glide, surf, and platform your way across a gorgeously detailed world teeming with secrets to uncover, enemies to whack with your enormous shield, and quests to complete along the way.
IpreviewedThe Knightlinga while back andfound it to be a genuinely enthralling experience, with a world that kept surprising me and throwing just enough collectibles and upgrades at me to make me want to keep playing. I’ve not stopped thinking about it since that initial playthrough, and yet, I feel like so few people are talking about it. That’s surprising considering not just how incredibleThe Knightlinglooks, but also the caliber of its developer, Twirlbound.
For those who missed Twirlbound’s previous game,Pine- which ranks easily as one of thebest indie RPGs ever made- you should absolutely play it.Pineis an open-world RPG with an intricately designed faction mechanic that sees battles break out randomly in the open world, towns and villages being taken over, and relationships sour all without your input. Its strongest asset is its living, breathing world, and Twirlbound has brought that over intoThe Knightling.
Fortunately, if all of that sounds great, you’re in luck, asThe Knightlingis releasing on Thursday, July 26, 2025. I have been following it intently since its reveal trailer, both thanks to its gorgeous art design, but also because of my love forPine. The fact that it is finally here is incredibly exciting, and I can’t wait to finally play the full thing. I also genuinely believe, even despite adoring the likes ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33andKC:D2, thatThe Knightlingcould be my game of the year.
The Knightling Could Be Game Of The Year
It Is An Incredibly Engrossing Experience
The Knightlinghas a lot going for it that I find utterly compelling. I think what will likely resonate the most with players is its open world. While it skews on the smaller size,its compact nature makes for a more curated experience, an intricately designed, vertical worldthat’s purpose-built not only to accommodate the protagonist’s ability to surf across it, but also the numerous secrets tucked away in every nook and cranny.
Much likeBOTW,a lot of the joy from playingThe Knightlingis stumbling across a gorgeously detailed area off the beaten pathor a reward you may only get by overcoming some form of traversal adversity. There are a lot of ways thatThe Knightlingfalls into thebest games likeBOTWcategory, especially considering its RPG-lite elements, such as unlocking new abilities and upgrading your shield help it squeeze into the genre, alongside all the others it’s trying to hit.
The Knightling, likeVampire SurvivorsandHadesbefore it, is also just an incredibly unique game, one that takes familiar mechanics or ideas and recontextualizes them. 2025 very much is the year for reinvention, andThe Knightlingfeels like it is doing that in spades.
It is as refreshing asBreath of the Wildwas when it tackled the open-world genre back in 2017, a complete overhaul of what we’ve come to expect, but in the best possible way. I truly believeThe Knightlingwill end up being one of thebest indie gamesof the year, if not the best game.
We Need More Unique RPGs
2025 Has Been A Great Year For Them
WhileThe Knightlingmay not be selling itself as an RPG on its Steam store page, it very much felt like one when I was surfing through its mesmerizing open world. It may lack the min-maxing of games likeBaldur’s Gate 3, but that, at least to me, is a selling point.It’s more of a cozy RPG, a game that embraces the art of exploration and the joy that comes from that, much likeBreath of the Wildbefore it.
It’s also just a unique game, one releasing during an era of remakes, sequels, and remasters. Just likeClair Obscur: Expedition 33before it,The Knightlingoffers a fresh perspective on a tired genre, an injection of joy and creativity when we need it the most. Its bright aesthetic and bold art direction evoke memories of GameCube and Dreamcast classics while adorning that modern, detailed sheen to make it all the more palatable to a 2025 audience.
Yet its gameplay is as polished and refined as any triple-A game of today. It perfectly balances innovation and nostalgia in the best possible way, and that’s why I believe this hidden gem needs more attention, not just from action-adventure fans, but RPG ones too.The Knightlingis exactly the kind of game we need in 2025, and the perfect remedy for those exhausted by the Ubisoft-style brand of open-worldRPGfare.
