My 2025 wishlist just got bigger thanks to this sci-fi horror action game from the Hyper Light Drifter devs, inspired by platform fighters like Super Smash Bros

Key art for Possessor(s). — (Image credit: Heart Machine)

The packed lineup of games releasing in 2025 just got even bigger thanks to this newly announced side-scrolling action game from Hyper Light Drifter studio Heart Machine, which already looks very intriguing.

Possessor(s) was revealed today during the Devolver Direct showcase, and is set to bring with it spooky sci-fi horror vibes and a deep, interconnected world. Players will step into the shoes of the 'host', Luca, as well as her counterpart Rehm, as they journey through a quarantined mega-city that's been destroyed by a mysterious interdimensional catastrophe. They're not alone in this world, however, as you'll encounter a whole bunch of characters with their own backstories – all of which you can expect to be pretty tragic given as, y'know, the city has been left devastated and flooded. As you delve into the truth of what happened, there'll be multiple paths to follow and an open-ended world structure to explore.

Looking at the trailer below, I'm personally most excited by the combat, which looks super satisfying, fluid, and precise. It's no wonder, really, as it was inspired by platform fighters including Super Smash Bros. and Rivals of Aether. This is reflected by all the slick moves you'll be able to pull off, with both ground and air attacks, as well as combos and juggles that you can unleash against the enemies and bosses you cross paths with. As you progress throughout your adventure, you'll be able to find an array of different weapons, too, as well as upgrades to both power you up and allow you to step foot into areas that are initially blocked off.

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To top it all off, the art style is absolutely gorgeous, with hand-drawn and animated characters, and 3D environments in the background to set the scene. With such a strong indie dev team behind it, it's shaping up to be very promising.

For now, Possessor(s) doesn't have an exact release window, but it's coming to PC and consoles sometime next year.

Make sure you stay up to date with all of the exciting streams and game reveals happening over the coming days with our Summer Game Fest 2024 schedule.

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I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.