The hottest releases of January. Games of January 2025 - console hits rule on PC!

Foundation (end of Early Access)

This is one of those small games that are easy to overlook, even though it has been on the market for quite a few years. Foundation is a pleasant to the eye and unhurried city builder, in which we get incredibly juicy grass and slightly disturbing faces of the residents. There are also several interesting mechanics related to buildings. We can expand a manor, monastery, or fort with additional segments, we also have the freedom to extend our towers. Yes, it's possible to build a small tax collector's hut with a hundred-meter tower, because why not?

Although Foundation's stay in Early Access since 2019 may be concerning, the release planned for January 31 should offer players a quite solid project. So far, I've spent just over 30 hours in the game and I'm having a great time. Minor shortcomings are compensated by a fresh approach to the subject and freedom in the construction of key objects.

Konrad "Eklerek" Sarzynski

Delta Force Black Hawk Down

I think I've seen Ridley Scott's movie about 200 times. I have read several books about events in Somalia, watched a few documentaries, and of course, I have played a lot of the original 2003 version. The new version of Black Hawk Down is therefore one of the most anticipated titles for me in 2025, and I have as much hope as fear about it. I liked a lot of things from the trailer, others not so much. I also know that I will be much more nitpicky in my assessment and will pay attention to details that the vast majority of players won't notice. Despite everything, I am optimistic and counting on an atmospheric action game in the old style.

Dariusz "DM" Matusiak

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Fog

Deathloop or Resident Evil Village? - I was wondering, trying to pick the best game of 2021. The answer was not obvious and wasn't included in the question, and it became clear to me roughly two years later, when I stumbled upon the modest metroidvania Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights. Equally beautiful and dark in terms of visuals, it tells a simple yet touching story, offers a pleasant but not too demanding combat system, and is full of secrets and catchy songs by the band Mili. Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is its sequel, in many ways very similar to the original, yet differing from it with a female protagonist, a more complex plot, and some mechanics.

However, there are more similarities than differences, which means that essentially we will get more of the same—and quite a lot more, as the devs assure us that it takes about 35 hours to complete the sequel, while "maxing out" Ender Lilies takes an average of 21 hours. Well, without using the Internet at all, it took me 35 hours, so I'm preparing for the pleasure that I will spread over several evenings. I'll mention that the start of Ender Magnolia is excellent - I played the version released at the beginning of Early Access right when it came out. All in all, it's a 3-5 hour demo that leaves a person hungry, with a strongly stimulated appetite. Luckily, the feast is near - I hope to indulge in it so much that this melancholy, gentle tune, which makes my heart wait endlessly for Hollow Knight: Silksong, will be silenced for a long while.

Hubert "hexx0" Sledziewski

The Stone of Madness

After Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun revived the Commandos series formula, the market became flooded with similar games. However, few of them offer a fresh approach to this genre. This is exactly what the people from The Game Kitchen studio, known for the Blasphemous series, want to deliver. Their The Stone of Madness will allow us to control not a band of experienced soldiers, but ordinary people trying to escape from an 18th-century Spanish monastery. Every one of our wards is meant to be mentally ill, and their traumas will have a substantial impact on the gameplay. Let's add to this beautiful graphics stylized on European comics and The Stone of Madness may turn out to be one of the dark horses of January.

Adrian Werner