An interesting trend I noticed at Summer Game Fest 2025 was the amount of direct sequels coming from a whole host of developers. Personally, I love to see developers get the chance to make a direct sequel and be able to continue improving and exploring themes, worlds, and mechanics. Some are coming very soon, and some are yet to have release dates, but there’s a lot to be excited about here if you’re a fan of any of these burgeoning series.
Mortal Shell II
The team at Cold Symmetry released their debut game, Mortal Shell, back in 2020, with a small core team of only 15 developers. With resumes at studios like Blizzard, Sucker Punch, Wargaming, and Rocksteady, the team clearly has some serious talent. Their brutal original title, although not lighting the world on fire, looks to expand in its sequel with what the developer describes as a “dense, open world filled with dark secrets, strange companions, and loathsome foes.”
The announcement trailer shows visceral and fast-paced combat, intense takedowns, and grotesque enemy designs, with a host of unique weapons, including guns. And who doesn’t love to see weird, horrifying snail enemies? Souls-like indie titles have a lot to do to separate themselves from the brilliance of FROMSOFTWARE, and it will have to be seen how Cold Symmetry does just that when Mortal Shell II releases for consoles and PC in 2026.
Code Vein II
Another Souls-inspired game that is seeing a sequel more than 5 years later, Code Vein II was announced with mostly a pre-rendered trailer, but it did show some gameplay towards the end that is definitely reminiscent of the original. I played Code Vein a few years back, although I never finished it, but it was a decent Souls-esque experience that, as a newcomer to the genre, I found mostly enjoyable.
With a hugely robust character creator and an anime art style, Code Vein found ways to be unique, but I’m not entirely sure if I love the new art design, at least from what we’ve seen so far. The (and I hesitate to use this analogy) Fortnite-inspired art we see in the main character in the announcement trailer didn’t have me immediately interested. However, art direction is not the be all and end all if the gameplay is solid and the world interesting. This is another one set for 2026.
The Outer Worlds 2
This really is the year of Obsidian Entertainment. Avowed released in February, Grounded 2 launches into Game Preview in July, and The Outer Worlds 2 drops October 29th. The veteran studio continues to be the shining star of Xbox Game Studios. When Obsidian revealed The Outer Worlds 2 in 2021 with a CG trailer and cheeky, self-aware humour about how far away from launch they were, and with Avowed taking the spotlight, I was surprised, like many, to see the sequel aiming for Fall 2025.
I really adored the setting, the humour, and the style of The Outer Worlds, and I am immediately excited for how the developers have expanded upon what was so great about the first in this series. The team at Obsidian showed off the game in detail at The Outer Worlds 2 Direct, with a new colony, new traversal mechanics, weapons, a complete overhaul of skills, perks, and flaws, and the game looks stunning. With Leonard Boyarsky and Fergus Urquhart in charge, I think we have a lot to be excited about.
Grounded 2
As much as The Outer Worlds 2 releasing in 2025 was a surprise, I’m not sure if anyone saw Grounded 2 coming this year. And it’s just around the corner. Potentially even more surprising is the fact that Obsidian Entertainment has partnered with Deus Ex developers Eidos Montreal for this one. The teams actually do have a lot in common, with a history of making character and decision-driven games, yet Grounded is such a departure from their usual work.
The map has moved out of the backyard and into a much larger Brookhollow Park; insect buggies are now a major feature, giving players more traversal options and assistance in combat, and Obsidian are promising an even bigger focus on story. Seeing the positive sentiment online for the original in addition to the announcement of the sequel, Obsidian are really proving their worth as an Xbox Game Studio.
Atomic Heart II
I wanted to love Atomic Heart when I played it in 2023, but it just didn’t grab me the way I wished it would. Its gameplay loop really lacked that x-factor to keep me interested in a game where the protagonist was entirely unlikeable. With that in mind, I wonder how the sequel will sit with me. It seems the development team at Mundfish are changing things up in a big way for the sequel. Atomic Heart II has a bigger focus on open world traversal, deeper RPG elements, and, if the announcement trailer is to be believed, a more lighthearted vibe.
There is a lot I liked the announcement trailer. Retrofuturism is at its most extravagant and flamboyant, and there are fast-moving gunplay, abilities, and interesting looking vehicles aplenty. Honestly, though, if I ever hear Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen in a trailer again, I may just explode… There’s no release date yet, and Mundfish are still in the process of releasing DLC for the original game, so this one could still be a few years away.
High on Life 2
Man, this list of games is just my unfinished pile of shame from the last 5 years. But here we go with High on Life 2.
Squanch Games released the original High on Life in 2022, and it truly failed to impress. I think it came at the end of the Ricky & Morty golden years, and, despite how much I love(d) that show, the humour in High on Life didn’t click for me. Couple that with pretty boring and repetitive gameplay, and I didn’t last long before putting the game down.
The way Squanch Games revealed High on Life 2 definitely captured my interest, however. I personally enjoy the focus on music over comedy. Still showing a range of alien weaponry in the arsenal, with a backdrop of a slightly unsettling neon-cyberpunk-sci-fi aesthetic, I hope that the addition of skateboarding traversal helps to make their follow-up more memorable. Either way, it’s coming to Game Pass this Winter, so it’ll be worth a look.
We will surely have more to say on these games when they release. Stay tuned for updates and reviews in the coming months and years!
