Who Will Emerge Victorious in the February 2025 RPG Royal Rumble: Kingdom Come, Assassin’s Creed, Avowed, or Monster Hunter?

In the past several years, right after the holiday excitement wanes, a fascinating trend has emerged in the gaming world. As the dust settles from the Christmas rush leaving us nursing food comas and fully engrossed in newly gifted games, publishers have found a lucrative secret weapon in releasing standout titles in the quieter months from New Year to Spring. This period, once considered a lull, has become prime time for unconventional hits to shine, often overshadowed during the high-octane fall lineup of blockbusters.

Reflecting on this shift, I remember Dying Light as one of the first to capitalize on this strategy. Released ten years ago in 2015, it captured the imagination of players during the height of both zombie craze and the PS4 open-world fervor. This new IP became an unexpected record-breaker, showing that a well-timed release could let a game thrive without facing off against gaming giants.

Post-Dying Light, the pattern seemed undeniable. Each year, indie gems and undervalued series sidestepped the holiday chaos to claim their success in the early months. A notable milestone came when the Resident Evil 2 Remake reaffirmed the franchise’s dominance. This marvel of a game reintroduced Resident Evil to both old fans and newcomers, catching the cultural wave with its meticulously crafted experience.

Fast forward to 2025, and the secret’s out. February alone is packed with potential blockbusters from leading publishers and ambitious indie studios. Some contenders have stumbled onto the release schedule due to delays (cue Assassin’s Creed and Avowed), while others like Monster Hunter and Kingdom Come are returning, having previously benefited from this strategic timing.

Regardless of how they landed in this prime slot, February 2025 promises an exhilarating clash of RPG titans. With an array of sprawling 100-hour adventures vying for your attention, which one will pull ahead to claim the top spot? Let’s explore the lineup.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – February 4, 2025

Leading the charge is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, ready to seize the throne—with authenticity at its core. While it’s perhaps the most grounded of the quartet, it’s undoubtedly ambitious, too. Driven by a "dungeons not dragons" philosophy, the game delivers a medieval role-playing experience like no other. It marries the historical with the fantastical—a mix of ren-faire authenticity, open-world exploration, and unpredictable creativity.

Built on CryEngine, originally designed for first-person shooters, the game summons a bustling medieval world teetering on the edge of realism and fantasy alike. Kingdom Come’s first outing was a marvel of a game, replete with novel role-play concepts that promised much but delivered varying results. For example, the game’s skills system diverged from traditional difficulty curves, instead simulating player knowledge growth by making tasks easier with repetition. This was both fascinating and frustrating, as newcomers found tasks like lockpicking and combat encounters bewilderingly challenging if they opted for stealth over strength.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 continues the tale of Henry of Skalitz, a low-born blacksmith who rises through the tumult of the Holy Roman Empire. How the game will harness Henry’s established growth is a point of great curiosity, especially without relying on the usual trope of stripping a character’s learned powers as seen in other franchises.

With reports suggesting a game twice the size of its predecessor, while boasting improved performance and smoothed-over pain points, how well Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 navigates this expanded scope might just determine if it can surprise us all amid fierce competition this February.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows – February 14, 2025

Despite some bumps in the road, my hope for Assassin’s Creed Shadows remains high—especially from the team behind my personal favorite, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. However, as part of a series with a towering reputation, Shadows bears the weightiest expectations of February’s releases, especially given Ubisoft’s recent high-profile setbacks like Skull and Bones and Star Wars: Outlaws.

Assassin’s Creed aspires to redefine itself with Shadows, finally stepping into the much-coveted setting of Japan. Yet, with games like Ghost of Tsushima and Rise of the Ronin already mapping out a captivating feudal backdrop, can Ubisoft present a fresh twist without the rich mythologies of old Greece or Norse lands?

There’s hope on the mechanical side. The narrative introduces dual protagonists—Naoe, a shinobi, and Yasuke, a samurai. They promise a dynamic blend of combat styles, featuring iconic weapons like the katana, tanto, and naginata. Furthermore, the long-overdue revamp of the franchise’s stealth mechanics could make Shadows a game-changer for the series.

The contrast between its protagonists adds another layer. Yasuke’s formidable presence draws attention, while Naoe embodies the archetypal silent assassin. This dynamic could breathe new life into mission structures, previously perceived as overly guided and bloated, leading to a potential rejuvenation of the franchise.

Avowed – February 18, 2025

The cruel paradox in a bustling game release schedule is that even if you postpone a launch, you might still end up in direct competition with big titles. Avowed finds itself in such a situation, having been delayed to dodge Game Pass contemporaries like Stalker 2 and Indiana Jones. Now, it’s sandwiched between two major launches. Yet, isn’t the exclusivity and ease of access Game Pass offers exactly what Avowed needs to stand out?

Dubbed as a fusion of Skyrim and Dragon Age, Avowed invites players to immerse in the universe of Pillars of Eternity through self-contained maps brimming with loot and the hallmark quests Obsidian Entertainment is celebrated for—stories dense with moral dilemmas and unexpected turns.

As an ardent fan of Obsidian’s catalog—be it Fallout: New Vegas, Alpha Protocol, or even South Park: The Stick of Truth—Avowed is the February release I’m most eager for, though ironically, the same mystique might cause it to be overlooked amidst giants.

Rooted in vivid swashbuckling fantasy, Avowed’s allure will rest in its storytelling finesse. Coupled with its gameplay depth, this RPG could very well exceed modest expectations and resonate as a sleeper hit, even as the likely least funded of the group.

Monster Hunter Wilds – February 28, 2025

The transformation of the Monster Hunter franchise from niche favorite to global sensation has been remarkable, especially since Monster Hunter World redefined its formula, capitalizing on a timely free week in February 2018 to seize worldwide attention.

In today’s gaming ecosystem, Monster Hunter faces competitors eager for a slice of its unique genre—from Dauntless, despite its rocky updates, to titles like Wild Hearts. Yet, Monster Hunter Wilds is here to stake its claim as the unparalleled champion.

Where Monster Hunter Rise, albeit impressive, was constrained by the limits of the Switch, Wilds seeks to unleash its full potential on more expansive platforms. Rich with interaction possibilities, challenging terrains, and a host of diverse, vertical landscapes, it presents a robust world filled with vibrant life.

Expectations are high as monsters dynamically navigate their environments—emerging from sand, scaling branches, and attacking in groups to thwart ambitious hunters. This showcases the living, breathing ecosystem that is Monster Hunter’s hallmark.

Far from niche, Monster Hunter is poised to be a powerhouse once more, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the adventure at the month’s end.

So, which new release will you dive into first? Maybe some will go on the backburner, waiting for that inevitable rainy day. This year’s February lineup seems nearly limitless, even before considering other anticipated titles like Elden Ring: Nightreign, Borderlands 4, Death Stranding 2, Ghost of Yotei, Pokémon Legends Z-A, and, the one looming large over all—GTA 6.