Discover underrated gems like Monster Hunter Wilds, Overwatch 2, and Titanfall 2 that deserve more love in 2025 despite industry challenges and player decline.
In the ever-evolving landscape of gaming, some titles soar to incredible heights only to experience a gradual descent into relative obscurity. It's a tale as old as gaming itself - a brilliant release captures the hearts of millions, only for player numbers to dwindle as time marches on. This doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of these games, but rather the fickle nature of the industry and its audience. Let's dive into some fantastic games that, despite their current state, absolutely deserve more love from the gaming community in 2025.
The Monster Hunter That Could
Monster Hunter Wilds represents a magnificent evolution for the franchise, pushing boundaries with its stunning visual fidelity and introducing a menagerie of new beasts to hunt. The game allows players to embark on hunts solo or team up with friends, with late-game encounters requiring meticulous planning and flawless teamwork.
The game is, quite frankly, a beast-slaying paradise that makes you feel like the ultimate predator one minute and a terrified prey the next. The satisfaction of finally taking down that monster that's been wiping the floor with you for hours? Absolutely chef's kiss.
However, despite its incredible gameplay loop, Monster Hunter Wilds has been plagued by optimization issues that have left many players frustrated. What started as overwhelmingly positive reviews quickly soured as performance problems persisted without adequate fixes. It's such a shame to see a gem of a game being held back by technical issues that could be resolved with proper attention from the developers.
Overwatch 2's Identity Crisis
Remember when Overwatch first dropped in 2016 and literally everyone and their grandmother was playing it? Those were the days! Overwatch 2 attempted to recapture that magic with its 2022 release, bringing fresh heroes and a revamped experience to the hero shooter space.
The shift to 5v5 and numerous fundamental changes to gameplay have, however, alienated many longtime fans. Unlike other sequel-updates such as CS2, Overwatch 2's transition seems to have damaged its core appeal rather than enhanced it. The result? A steady decline in player numbers and waning interest in the once-thriving esports scene.
It's particularly heartbreaking because, at its core, Overwatch 2 still delivers those moments of pure team-based ecstasy when everything clicks. When your Zarya bubble perfectly saves your Ana from a Tracer dive, or when your team executes a flawless push with ultimate combos... there's nothing quite like it in gaming.
Titanfall 2: The Abandoned Masterpiece
Titanfall 2 remains one of the most criminally underappreciated shooters of all time. Its seamless integration of pilot movement and mech combat creates a gameplay experience that feels like poetry in motion. The gunplay is tight, the movement system is unparalleled, and the bond between pilot and Titan adds an emotional dimension rarely seen in multiplayer shooters.
Yet despite its brilliance, Titanfall 2 has been left to gather dust with minimal updates and little attention from its developers. The player base experiences occasional spikes when the game goes on sale, but these moments of revival are tragically short-lived. The rumors that a potential sequel has been shelved in favor of other projects only twists the knife deeper for dedicated fans who recognize the game's unique brilliance.
Like, seriously folks, wall-running into a slide-hop, grappling onto an enemy Titan, stealing its battery, and then calling down your own mech to crush another enemy? That's not just gameplay – that's art!
BattleBit's Brief Moment in the Sun
BattleBit took the large-scale warfare of Battlefield and the accessibility of more arcade-like shooters, wrapped it in a blocky aesthetic, and created something genuinely fun. Its low-stakes approach to massive multiplayer battles offered a refreshing alternative to more serious military shooters.
The game's simplistic yet engaging gunplay made it easy to jump in for a quick session of chaos and destruction. With diverse weapon classes and wide-open battlefields, BattleBit had all the ingredients for sustained success.
However, without substantial updates to keep players engaged, the initial excitement fizzled out within months. Player counts have dropped to the low thousands, and the game that once dominated Steam charts has faded into relative obscurity. The lack of a meaningful progression system likely contributed to its inability to retain players long-term.
Among Us: The Pandemic Phenomenon
Among Us defined an era of gaming during the global pandemic, bringing friends together virtually when physical gatherings were impossible. Its simple social deduction formula became a streaming sensation, with content creators entertaining millions as they accused each other of being the impostor.
As the world reopened and daily routines normalized, Among Us gradually lost its grip on the cultural zeitgeist. Content creators moved on to newer experiences, and the player base naturally contracted. Despite this decline, Among Us remains the gold standard for accessible social deduction games and has expanded significantly since its viral breakout.
The game's legacy is secure, having brought countless people joy during a difficult time and introducing many non-gamers to the medium. It's still an absolute riot when you get the right group together – nothing beats the tension of trying to convince your friends you're innocent while they're all side-eyeing you!
Halo Infinite's Unfulfilled Promise
Halo Infinite launched with the weighty expectation of revitalizing Microsoft's flagship franchise. Its campaign offered an open-world approach to the classic Halo formula, while the free-to-play multiplayer aimed to attract both veterans and newcomers alike. Initially, things looked promising – the core gameplay felt fantastic, capturing the essence of what made Halo special while modernizing the experience.
Unfortunately, 343 Industries struggled to deliver post-launch content at a satisfactory pace. Core features like Forge mode and campaign co-op arrived months later than promised, while the battle pass progression system frustrated many players. The result has been a steady decline in player engagement despite the underlying quality of the gameplay.
FragPunk's Style Over Substance
FragPunk burst onto the scene with a distinctive visual identity and an innovative card-based twist on the hero shooter formula. Its fast-paced gameplay and stylish aesthetics positioned it as a potential disruptor in the competitive FPS market, generating significant early access buzz.
However, launch issues including problematic matchmaking and balance concerns quickly dampened enthusiasm. The initial player surge evaporated almost as quickly as it arrived, leaving the game struggling to maintain a healthy population. Without regular updates and balance adjustments, even FragPunk's unique gameplay hook hasn't been enough to sustain long-term interest.
Wildgate's Extraction Failure
Wildgate entered the increasingly crowded extraction shooter space with ambitious promises of dynamic world events and a gameplay loop that would appeal to veterans while remaining accessible to newcomers. Its early community, while not massive, was passionate and hopeful about the game's future.
Server instability and limited endgame content, however, proved to be significant barriers to growth. The core extraction shooter audience never fully embraced Wildgate, leaving it with a dedicated but insufficient player base. Without the resources that come with commercial success, the game's promising foundation may never reach its full potential.
The Gaming Circle of Life
It's a strange paradox that games can be simultaneously excellent and struggling to maintain relevance. The quality of these titles isn't in question – each offers something special that deserves appreciation. Yet the modern gaming landscape is more competitive than ever, with limited time and attention to go around.
For players, this presents both challenges and opportunities. Some of gaming's most rewarding experiences can be found in these underappreciated gems, away from the spotlight of whatever's currently dominating Twitch and YouTube. There's something special about finding a brilliant game that feels like your own secret discovery, even if it once had its moment in the sun.
So what do you think – is it better for a game to burn bright and fade away, or never reach those heights at all? And more importantly, which of these fallen stars do you think most deserves a second chance at greatness in 2025?