If you know me at all, you know my favorite horror icon of all time is Michael Myers, his first appearance – 1978’s Halloween – being my favorite horror movie, too. With hundreds of hours played in IllFonic’s ill-fated Friday the 13th: The Game, which launched in 2017, I have been devoutly awaiting the day this studio tackles Halloween. It is the natural next step, and though I had to wait nearly a decade and play other (great) IllFonic asymmetric multiplayer titles during the wait, the time has come. And with Halloween set to launch this September, it will arrive just in time for me to perfect my abilities as Michael Myers for what will no doubt be a fun Halloween night play session the following month.

Halloween promises to flip IllFonic’s asymmetrical multiplayer formula, pitting one Michael Myers player against four Civilian players. But unlike Friday the 13th, for example, where your primary goal was to escape, Civilians in Halloween are both attempting to bring in local police to stop Michael Myers and save as many residents as they can. It’s not prey vs predator this time, but rather predator vs some Laurie Strode-like characters who refuse to let this boogeyman plague their home.

“Halloween is a special one because it is a true slasher horror game,” IllFonic chief creative officer Jared Gerritzen tells me. “We wanted to go back to the basic rules, jump scares, lots of gore, tension of what is around the corner; a real back-to-the-basics of what is seriously scary.”

The team revealed the Haddonfield Heights map last month, which faithfully recreates the iconic neighborhood from Halloween, and while I’m excited to see what the multiplayer survivor action is like on it, I’m just as excited to become the boogeyman there and use his Shape Jump ability. It lets you show up out of nowhere and terrorize player-controlled civilians with great effect. But it’s not a cheat code to kill.

“[Michael’s] ability to show up in the most insane moments [during films] was not only a great jump scare but a really great way to break up moments,” Gerritzen says. “I noticed he shut the lights off in a scene, and we thought maybe he just wants it dark all the time, and why would that be? Then the idea of how we could play with that as a game mechanic started to form, and Shape Jump, as an ability to move around the map without anyone knowing, was born.

“We made some gameplay rules around it for balance purposes, of course. [As] long as there is no direct light and no one is looking at the area Michael is in, then the ability can be used. It really adds a great level of play, [and] the ability has brought a horrifying element of being stalked by Michael and never knowing where he will pop up.”

To use that ability, though, it’s likely the player controlling Michael will need to power up to an extent by racking up their kill count. Gerritzen says the biggest element IllFonic has been focusing on is adding a major focus on the bots in multiplayer. “They really add to the body count and allow a Michael player to power up if they desire,” he tells me. “This also affects the hero players as well, with their fear systems.”

What’s so exciting about all of this is it’s only one part of Halloween, which also features a single-player campaign where you play through the events of the original film (and a little beyond it) behind that terrifying, sterile white mask. It represents IllFonic’s first crack at a single-player campaign in one of its multiplayer-centric games, and I can’t wait to see how the Shape shapes up in it later this year. 

Pragmata captured my attention way back in *checks notes* 2020 (wow). I finally played Pragmata earlier this year at Gamescom and walked away both thoroughly impressed and annoyed with Capcom for making my demo only 20 minutes long. Following a new trailer at The Game Awards 2025, which showed off new gameplay in a New York City-like simulation on the moon, an engaging reprieve from the lunar station that’s been heavily showcased so far, Capcom released a demo for the game; it’s basically what I played earlier this year and I can’t recommend it enough. It quickly highlights how unique Pragmata’s gameplay is, which mixes third-person gunplay with real-time hacking minigames.

“From the start, the core vision was a buddy-action experience where you would control two distinct characters with a single controller,” Pragmata director Yongchee Cho tells me. The team explored giving protagonist Hugh a small drone that aids him in combat, but once the developers landed on the android Diana as a second protagonist, this idea evolved into the hacking system. This created various layers of gameplay that all happen at once, and when coupled with the mysterious narrative and various locales warped and twisted by Luna Filament, the name Pragmata makes a lot of sense. 

“The word comes from Greek, meaning things, actions, or facts, and in philosophy, it connects to pragmatism,” Cho tells me. “A single word carrying so many layers of meaning felt like the perfect fit for the story and world of this game.” 

Speaking of that Luna Filament, it's the stuff that's causing Times Square-ish location on the moon to look so different in the latest Pragmata trailer, and that's not the only place that will be transformed by this mysterious substance. Cho says it's key to the sci-fi world Capcom is creating in the game. 

"We want players to enjoy diving into the unique sci-fi world that defines Pragmata, and not just the protagonists and their interactions," he says. "You'll come across areas warped by Luna Filament, where strange reactions and irregular structures create an atmosphere that feels both alien and intriguing. The game is full of moments and locales that spark curiosity, whether you're into sci-fi or not, and those surprises run throughout the game.

"Personally, I can't wait to see the incredible, super-plays players pull off once they get their hands on it." 

Those super-plays will be performed throughout Pragmata by the two unlikely protagonists, Hugh and Diana. Cho says Hugh tends to be laid-back and reluctant, but has a strong sense of responsibility. It's no surprise, then, that he teams up with Diana. 

"At first glance, he might seem distant, yet deep down, he's a kind person," Cho adds. "Diana might have felt like a burden early on, but through their explorations of the space station, he gradually starts to see her as someone he truly wants to help. We worked hard to express that side of Hugh's character, not only in dialogue, but also during combat throughout the game." 

On the flip side, Cho describes Diana as an android girl with vast AI knowledge but little real-world experience, making her a perfect fit for Hugh. "She's full of curiosity about a world she knows almost nothing about," Cho says. "She originally intended to stay on the Moon, but meeting Hugh gives her a new purpose, and she chooses to travel with him. As they journey together, learning from Hugh's experience, Diana becomes increasingly fascinated by Earth and eager to discover more." 

 

All manner of media inspires the Moon and other settings we'll visit in Pragmata, Cho tells me. "The character-driven story takes cues from human drama; the visual world borrows ideas from animation and Hollywood films; and the mechanical design and presentation are influenced by Japanese animation," he says. "Of course, it's not just about inspiration. We've blended these influences while preserving the unique atmosphere that makes Pragmata stand apart." 

Pragmata launches in April, so we don't have to wait long to see whether it really stands out from its inspirations. If what we've played so far is any indication – and don't forget, you can check out a Pragmata demo right now – Cho and team are on the right track. 

Editor's Note: This article previously incorrectly stated that a recent Pragmata trailer showcased New York City's Times Square. While the trailer does show a setting that looks like Times Square, Capcom says that the location is on the moon. The article has been updated to reflect that. 

As 2025 wraps up, I’ve been thinking a lot about the games that have stuck with me from a year filled with trying out dozens of excellent releases. Absolum is one that keeps coming back to mind, pulling me to boot it back up and play just one more run.

As the year comes to a close, we're highlighting some personal favorite games from our team that we feel you shouldn't miss. If you're still looking for the right game to carry you into 2026, and you've already hit up our Top 10 Best, we're hoping one of these recommendations will hit the mark.

 Absolum harkens back to early great fantasy beat ‘em ups, but thinking of it as a retro throwback is a misunderstanding of the game’s strength. The melee-focused battles are precise and rewarding, with each of the playable characters featuring small distinctions that grow in depth as you play more. Each run, borrowing from great titles like Hades, your character develops a short-term build focused on a particular mix of powers, and even after dozens of runs, you’ll be constantly finding new favorite power combos.

The storytelling is a continuous narrative that accounts for your character’s death and return, and individual pathways through the game’s many varied biomes further enhance replayability; maybe last time you delved far beneath the dwarven mountain, but this time you chart a path through the burning village, and head on to the ruined city of the ancient elves.

The visuals are a delight, recalling a cartoon aesthetic of exaggerated bodies and faces alongside vibrant environments and flashy magic effects. Likewise, the musical score is a consistent high point, with catchy melodies that aptly capture the fantasy adventure vibe.

The other thing I love about Absolum is how great the game is when played solo, even while it can be enjoyed equally by partnering with a friend, either on the couch next to you, or connected to online. The addition of another player only adds to the onscreen chaos and fun.

Absolum arrived during a busy season of game releases, but if you want a satisfying fantasy adventure, some great world-building, and a surprisingly deep but approachable combat system to master, it’s one well worth tracking down. 

2025 was a stellar year for video games, and consequently, also a stellar year for video game music. These aren’t official Game Informer awards for the best music of the year (though we did award South of Midnight best original score), but rather an opportunity for us as a staff to point to some of the tracks that stood out to us this year. Check out some of our picks below.

From Alex Van Aken

One of my favorite video game composers, Sam Webster (Grindstone, Reigns: Beyond), teamed up with developer Furcula to tackle the soundtrack and sound design for Morsels. The weird-as-hell creature collecting roguelike is brimming with trippy visuals, and Webster's recognizable sample-heavy sound makes for an excellent pairing. Put on a nice pair of headphones and immerse yourself in the lush synths, distorted bass lines, and saturated drum machines that define Webster's signature style.

 From Wesley LeBlanc

The entire score of South of Midnight is incredible, a fantastic facet of my favorite game of 2025. The way composer Olivier Deriviere mixes authentic Southern instruments with lyrical storytelling creates a soundscape that lifts the rest of this heartfelt, folktale-infused adventure. No track demonstrates that more than The Tale of Two-Toed Tom. Enjoy!

I love Assassin's Creed Shadows – it's my favorite game set in feudal Japan of the year, actually. I have always loved the scores of Assassin's Creed, too, as they tend to remix themes and motifs I already love to fit the era of the historical fantasy in which each entry takes place. But The Flight's take on Assassin's Creed music genuinely surprised me – instead of defaulting to familiar melodies played on Japanese instruments, this musical duo mixed modern 808s and production with all sorts of classical Japanese instruments. The result is the most unique-sounding Assassin's Creed score to date. 

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is one of the best games of the year (and my personal number 2, right behind South of Midnight).  Its score is one of the reasons why. It sounds fantastical but medieval, hopeful but mysterious, and ultimately, quickly places me into this 15th-century epic. I just adore how "knights and princesses and dragons" it sounds, and the track below, which is a motif that runs throughout the wider score, is an excellent demonstration of that. 

From Matt Miller

Absolum's soundtrack is one of the best features in an already great game, offering memorable melodies, exciting battle themes, and surprising instrumentation. In addition to the fun of playing one more run for the joy of the gameplay, I often found myself choosing my path through the game just to hear particular tracks again.

From Charles Harte

You can actually here more context from Charles (and Kyle) about his favorite game music tracks of the year over on MinnMax.

From Eric Van Allen

From Kyle Hilliard

The track below is, admittedly, not a song I am jamming to outside of the game, but I just love how bizarre it is in the context of Donkey Kong Bananza. This track sounds like it belongs in a Playdead game, not a bombastic game about a little girl who dreams of being a singer.

And this one I like because it recalls Donkey Kong Country, specifically.

Fair warning that the video I am embedding here does contain spoilers for the end of Clair Obscur, but it is the best way to present the track.

This is just some primo background/study music that is also just a little creepy.

I am still holding out to play Deltarune for when it is complete, but my Deltarune/Undertale superfan daughter introduced me to this track and I fell in love with it.

And here’s a great cover version of it that I have also been enjoying.

What have been some of your favorite video game tracks of 2025? Let us know in the comments below!