Xbox Developer Direct 2025: Doom, Ninja Gaiden and others take centre stage
From a Ninja Gaiden revival to a medieval-esque Doom, this year's Xbox Developer Direct was jam-packed.
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Note: This feature was first published on 24 January 2025.
Five new games were talked about at this year's Xbox Developer Direct. (Image source: Microsoft)
This year's Xbox Developer Direct just took place on January 23. The 2025 edition of this event is Microsoft's third Xbox Developer Direct, and though its list of announcements was short, each one packed a punch, with notable game developers releasing new information about their upcoming (and now-available) projects; some big names this year included Team Ninja and id Software, along with two smaller studios.
Here are the announcements made on the Developer Direct livestream:
Ninja Gaiden 4 and Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
This is a good year for Ninja Gaiden fans. The long-lived series is seeing another major installment, this time a collaboration between game studios Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, of Bayonetta and NieR:Automata fame. Ninja Gaiden 4 is the first installment in the mainline Ninja Gaiden series since Ninja Gaiden 3 in 2012.
NInja Gaiden 4 is set in a Tokyo besieged by the Dark Dragon. Despite being defeated in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, his husk has plunged Tokyo into an endless rain, setting the game's dark atmosphere. Ryu Hayabusa, the game's longest-serving protagonist, also makes a return as a playable character, but he shares that spot with a new protagonist: Yakumo, a young ninja of the rival Raven Clan who is attempting to defeat the Dark Dragon once and for all.
Aside from environmental changes such as increased verticality and the usage of rails, the game's hack-and-slash mechanics also see some tweaks, particularly as the developers seem excited to take Yakumo's position as a new character to their advantage. This includes a new "Bloodbind Ninjutsu Nué Style", which the developers say is aimed at providing a fast-paced and dynamic fighting style that allows players to turn the tide of battle when outnumbered. It was mentioned during the Developer Direct that this focus on speedy fights was one of PlatinumGames's influence on Ninja Gaiden 4.
Ninja Gaiden 4 will be available in Fall 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5 and Game Pass. In addition to this, Team Ninja also announced Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a remaster of 2008's Ninja Gaiden 2 using Unreal Engine 5 (watch the trailer for that here). Here's the kicker: It's available now for PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and Game Pass.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Originally announced in June 2024, we now have more information about the new installment in the Doom series. A prequel to 2016's Doom and 2020's Doom: Eternal, id Software is pitching Doom: The Dark Ages to be the "perfect entry point into the series".
The setting is a cross between sci-fi and medievalism, and id Software has taken the medieval influences down to the core gameplay. Never the franchise to shy away from violence, players get a new Shield Saw (a shield with chainsaw blades) to parry with, and new melee weapons including an iron flail, an electrified gauntlet and spiked mace. This is in tandem with new guns as well, with different projectiles focused on precise impalement to rapid firing. The game also allows you to control a 30-storey mech to fight larger demons with.
This represents a change in gameplay compared to Doom: Eternal. As game director Hugo Martin stated, there's an "emphasis on power over the acrobatics" of its predecessor. The developers also aimed to make Doom: The Dark Ages more accessible, with a new in-depth difficulty menu that allows you to adjust variables such as parry window, game speed and damage to player.
We also got a release date for Doom: The Dark Ages. The game will come out on May 15 of this year for PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 for S$99 (and change, depending on where you get your game) and Game Pass. It's up for pre-order now on Bethesda's website; this includes pre-order bonuses, as well as a Premium and Collector's Edition with even more exclusive items.
South of Midnight
Compulsion Games is a studio that places great importance in the setting they tell their story in, and South of Midnight is no different. Although the third-person action adventure game was originally announced in 2023, Compulsion Games has revealed a release date, as well as new information about the story and gameplay: In the aftermath of a hurricane in the American Deep South, the land chooses 19-year old Hazel as a 'Weaver', in order to fight corrupted beings known as Haints while she searches for her mother.
Drawn from the art of spinning fabric and crafting textiles, the game's 'Weaving' mechanics run deep, from one of Hazel's weapons resembling a spindle, to Hazel needing to literally unravel enemies. They also play a part in the game's platforming and puzzle-solving portions. Combat in the game is broadly split into 'Push', 'Pull' and 'Weave' skill trees; as the game progresses, you get to upgrade these skill trees.
While the culture of the American South might be unfamiliar to us Singaporeans, Compulsion Games has spared no expense in infusing a gothic version of it into South of Midnight's world, with characters and enemies inspired by Southern mythos (including a talking catfish who serves as your guide), an environment inspired by the swamps and farms of the American South, as well as the music.
South of Midnight releases April 8th this year for Xbox Series X|S and PC for S$56.90, and Game Pass. Pre-orders are up on Steam and Xbox now.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The first game under new studio Sandfall Interactive's belt, and originally the solo project of studio co-founder Guillaume Broche, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG made in the style of old JPRGs, taking place in a fantasy version of 19th century France.
Much like these RPGs, a huge focus is on the game's story. The game takes place in a world where a Paintress has emerged, along with a Monolith; every year, the Paintress paints a number on the Monolith, currently '33', with those past that age passing away. Time is ticking as the Paintress counts down her number each year, and expeditions are made to counter this existential threat. You follow the titular Expedition 33. As you continue on the journey to defeat the Paintress, you can also encounter a wide range of NPCs and playable characters.
Sandfall Interactive intends to switch-up the usual turn-based formula, including quicktime events that take place as you make your attacks, as well dodging and parrying during attacks by your foes. Each character also has customisable skill trees, with Sandfall Interactive aiming to make "every type of playstyle viable". Expedition 33 also features an explorable 3D world map, navigable with a character named Esquie, a giant living balloon.
Clair Obscura: Expedition 33 comes out on April 24th this year, with pre-orders up for Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and Epic Games Store and PS5, along with Game Pass. Its US pricing is US$49.99, though local prices range from S$53.91 (after a 10% discount) on Steam to S$72 on Xbox.
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