Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

I sat down for the Xbox Developer Direct 2025, ready to absorb the information on the upcoming games. The presentations offered direct access to the developers. Four games were showcased: the newly confirmed Ninja Gaiden 4, South of Midnight, Claire Obscure: Expedition 33, and Doom The Dark Ages.

The Return of Ryu Hayabusa: Ninja Gaiden 4

The event began with the official confirmation of Ninja Gaiden 4. We were shown an abandoned Tokyo, marked by a past conflict with a “Dark Dragon.” Cursed rain falls from the dragon’s remains.

“Infiltrate the facility,” a voice commands, followed by “Commencing mission.” These lines, along with robotic beeping and radio static, suggest a world where traditional ninja arts blend with advanced technology. The name “Ryu Hayabusa” is spoken, followed by a cough. With the official announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4, this confirms the return of the iconic protagonist of the Ninja Gaiden series. Also, there is a line “Hello, avocado.” spoken by one of the characters. Another character says, “Do your splits look like this? But you want them to look like this?”. The setting, the dialogue, and the confirmed presence of Ryu Hayabusa create anticipation. This, combined with the news that an Xbox remake of Ninja Gaiden II is already available, signals a strong resurgence for the franchise and that’s good.

Compulsion Games’ Deep South: South of Midnight

South of Midnight, from Compulsion Games, takes players to a reimagined American Deep South. This world blends Southern Gothic themes with dark fantasy, using a style inspired by stop-motion animation.

Players assume the role of Hazel, a 19-year-old who becomes a “Weaver.” This title, given to her by the land itself, allows her to perceive the “grand tapestry,” a concept of interconnectedness. Weavers see “mystical strands” and “stigmas.” Hazel’s journey involves mastering “weaving,” an ancient magic appearing as intricate lace patterns.

Hazel’s tools are based on textile crafting: a spindle, two weaving hooks, and a distaff. Her magic is linked to these tools, with spells like “push,” “pull,” and “weave.” South of Midnight is a third-person action-adventure where Hazel’s movement is key for both traversal and combat.

Combat features “haints,” corrupted beings with unique movesets. The “Slug” burrows and attacks from afar, while the “Ravager” uses speed to close in. Hazel uses melee combos, jump attacks, and charge attacks, alongside her magic. “Unraveling” enemies is a core mechanic, freeing them from corruption and providing “L-boosts” and reduced cooldowns.

The game unfolds across multiple regions, each ruled by a mythical creature transformed by tragedy. These creatures were once human or animal, and Hazel can heal them by collecting “Echoes,” fragments of their past. Each region reflects its ruler, with unique music themes. Players will traverse abysmal swamps, flooded farmlands, and the Appalachian Peaks. “Bottle trees” and “haint-blue porches” are mentioned as in-world details, along with themes of decay and the “Weight of the Past.”

“Catfish,” a storyteller, serves as Hazel’s guide. Other creatures mentioned include “Duke told Tom” and “Hugging Molly.” One of the locals says, “You mind if I take a look around? You can see every place old Molly terrorized and more, now for the low, low price of a dollar.” Another says, “So I’m the last person left here. All those damn haints. And this part of the river’s filthy with ’em.” Hazel says, “What kind of person would do that to someone?”

Hazel’s story begins with a massive hurricane that seemingly claims her mother’s life but also awakens her magical abilities. She will visit different regions ruled by magical creatures, each with a distinct Southern Gothic history. The trailer showed several of these creatures, including a large bird and a massive, spike-covered crocodile with trees growing from its back.

South of Midnight is set to release on April 8th for most players, with premium edition owners getting access on April 3, 2025. The game is estimated to take around 10-12 hours to complete.

Sunfall Interactive’s French RPG: Claire Obscure: Expedition 33

Claire Obscure: Expedition 33 is the debut game from Sunfall Interactive. It’s a turn-based RPG set in a fantasy version of late 19th-century Belle Époque France.

The story revolves around a “paintress” and a monolith. 67 years ago, they appeared, and each year the paintress paints a number on the monolith, causing everyone of that age and older to vanish. “Expeditions” are launched to kill the paintress, but none return. The game follows “Expedition 33.” The story focuses on complex characters.

The developers emphasized character depth, focusing on relationships and internal conflicts. Key characters include:

• Gustave and Luné: Deeply committed to the expedition, with their personal identities intertwined with its success. They argue but care for each other. They say, “The protocol doesn’t cover every contingency. There’s a… You know that. No.”
• Ciel: A character marked by past loss. She says, “I’m always missing something that everyone else just gets,” and “What are the stars whispering to you? Actually, I’m the one whispering to them. It’s something my dad and I used to do.”
• Maëlle: Prioritizes living in the present. She asks, “Gustave, are you… real?”
• Monoko: A philosopher described as “friendly but kinda bloodthirsty.” A playable character who can transform into defeated enemies. He is a member of the Jethro race, who view battle as a form of meditation. He says, “What are you doing? Just lead by foot. Aha!”. Another Jethro exclaims, “[YELLS] Bonjour!”.
• Eskier: An ancient, powerful creature that acts as a mount. Players can unlock new abilities for Eskier by finding special stones.

The game features a “reactive turn-based system” that incorporates real-time elements, allowing players to dodge or time their attacks during enemy turns.

Character customization is a major focus. Each character has unique mechanics, a custom skill tree, and access to “Lumina,” which are passive effects. Maëlle, for instance, can switch between stances that boost defense or power. Each character has over 20 unique skills.

The game world features distinct levels, each with its own visual style. The “Gestural Village” is described as a chaotic, toy-like area hidden within an ancient sanctuary. The developers also incorporated a fully 3D navigable world map. This world map will include secrets and hidden bosses. The world draws inspiration from French Art Deco style. The art director, Nicohlas Maxson-Francombe, mentioned wanting to move away from typical sci-fi or zombie settings.

One line spoken in the trailer is in French: “[FOREIGN] This, too, is your legacy.” The phrase “Tomorrow comes” is repeated in English and French as “Demain viendra.”

Claire Obscure: Expedition 33 launches on April 24, 2025, on Xbox Series X and S and will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one.

id Software’s Medieval Doom: Doom The Dark Ages

Doom The Dark Ages, developed by id Software, closed the show. This prequel to Doom 2016 throws players into a medieval war against hell. The developers characterized the Slayer as an “iron tank,” emphasizing grounded combat that prioritizes power over the agility of Doom Eternal. Strafing to aim is a viable tactic, similar to classic Doom games.

New mechanics include the “shield saw,” enabling blocking, throwing, parrying, and deflecting with a single input. The game also features a melee system with three options: an iron flail, an electrified gauntlet, and a Doom spiked mace, each with unique combos and upgrades. The “glory kill” system is now unsynced and entirely player-controlled.

Doom The Dark Ages introduces a new difficulty system with sliders, allowing players to adjust the game’s speed and challenge. Besides on-foot combat, players can pilot a 30-story mech called the “Atlint” and a fire-breathing, gatling gun-wielding cybernetic dragon. Both have unique abilities and associated mini-bosses.

The developers highlighted the game’s scale, claiming it features the largest play space ever in a Doom game. A sample mission involves defending a city, exploring a battlefield, and uncovering secret areas. The soundtrack is composed by Finishing Move.

The story is conveyed through cutscenes rather than codex entries and features new characters, allies, and villains. The story directly connects to the Slayer’s Testaments found in Doom 2016. One of the developers said during gameplay trailer “that was so stupid, i mouthed the words”. There is a scene where character is holding a gun with “Made in Argentina” written on it. Doom The Dark Ages releases on May 15, 2025, across Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC. It will be available on Game Pass from day one. The Collector’s Bundle offers up to two days of early access. The game will be single-player campaign only. The developers explained that this decision allowed them to fully focus on creating a large and expansive campaign. This focus also enabled them to include features like the dragon and Atlan mech sections.

Looking at the Event

The Developer Direct provided even little information beyond the games themselves. The developers’ work and passion were evident throughout the presentations and it was nice to see. Discussions touched upon the challenges of balancing innovation with established genre conventions. Accessibility in game design was also highlighted. The worldbuilding was a recurring theme. So, let’s see how they manage. And we are definitely looking forward for playing these games, another event and informing you about them 🙂