When it comes to games, be it shooters, RPGs, or roguelikes, some players only engage with the titles that are the most open-ended. Not open in terms of open-world design necessarily, but open as far as customization options go. These come in many forms, and not all players are alike.
Broadly speaking, customization can include creating a character, designing clothes, following a skill tree, making dialogue choices, and so on. For anyone who wants a big, customizable game to look forward to in 2025 and beyond, these upcoming games are worth wishlisting on the double. Some of these games are more customizable than others, but overall, they are looking pretty sharp.
Demon Tides
Going Beyond Platforming
Demon Tides is an upcoming platformer that’s also going to be semi-open-world. Players will be able to sail to new islands to confront various baddies and platforming challenges. This series began in 2021 with Demon Turf, and the sequel looks like the most ambitious game yet, even beyond the open-world design.
The description on Steam boasts that there are 50,000 possible combinations for hair and outfits. That number seems extraordinary for anyone who wants more customization options in their platformers to go along with the possibility of open-ended exploration.
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined
Vocations For Days
- Planned Release Date: 2/5/26
- Planned Systems: PC, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S
The original Dragon Quest 7 was released for the PS1 in 2001 in North America, and while it received a 3DS remake in the interim, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined looks even bolder. The graphics are almost toy- or clay-like in design, which looks unreal, and could make it the best looking Dragon Quest entry to date.
Battles are turn-based and characters can equip various classes called Vocations. The remake even allows characters to use two Vocations at once, which is a new addition. Creating a patchwork party of classes is its own brand of customization option, along with some narrative customization in being able to tackle the game’s various time puzzles out of order.
Voidling Bound
Splicing Monsters
- Developer: Hatchery Games
- Publisher: Hatchery Games
- Planned Release Date: Q1 2026
- Planned Systems: PC
There are tons of Pokemon clones out there, but how many monster-catching games actually let players create their own companion? Voidling Bound is the answer to that missing element, as there are three gameplay mechanics to consider. As an explorer and scientist, players can go out and scout for materials and then, back at the lab, they can use those parts to create their own monsters.
Instead of monsters accompanying players in battle, they are fully controllable on their own in real-time combat. The creatures shown off so far don’t look as cute as other monster-catching games, but the more grotesque and realistic features could attract a different type of player to the game, which is a plus.
Pokemon Pokopia
Ditto Becomes A Trainer
- Planned Release Date: 2026
- Planned Systems: Nintendo Switch 2
There are lots of strange Pokemon spinoffs out there, like Pokemon Conquest, a tactical game based around conquering the feudal Japan. Pokemon Pokopia looks even stranger, as players assume the role of a Ditto who lost its Trainer and decides to transform into a human.
It’s a life-sim game where players can befriend various Pokemon and use their powers to cultivate the land and build a Pokemon society. Bulbasaur’s vines can help plant grass, while Squirtle’s water attacks can hydrate crops. It looks like a chill game for Pokemon fans who wish to have a bit more Minecraft in their monster-catching experience.
Palworld: Palfarm
A More Focused Palworld
- Planned Release Date: TBA
- Planned Systems: PC
Palworld is still in Early Access, and yet the developer, Pocketpair, will be releasing a spinoff soon called Palworld: Palfarm. It will be a top-down version of the original Palworld that looks like it will focus more on the life sim aspect of the experience.
Players can build up their town, hunt for materials, farm, fish, and even get married. There will be multiplayer options, and monsters can still be caught in some fashion. Combat will be involved, but how deep those mechanics will go has yet to be determined, as this game’s announcement is still fairly fresh.
Animula Nook
Grounded Crossing
- Developer: LilliLandia Games
- Publisher: LilliLandia Games
- Planned Release Date: TBA
- Planned Systems: PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch 2
Animula Nook has a similar art design to Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, with the characters looking almost too good to be in a video game. It looks a bit like a crossover between Grounded and Animal Crossing. Players, as tiny humanoid creatures, will create their town on top of a table located in someone’s home. They can then venture outside the home to look for materials that will be vital to crafting.
It looks like it could be a semi-open-world setting, with some cute traversal methods teased, like floating down rivers in teacups. From town-building to dressing up to playing music with townsfolk, Animula Nook looks like it will be bursting with whimsy. It will also be free-to-play at launch. The only strange thing about the game is that it’s unclear if it will just release on PS5, or if there will be a PS4 version too.
Chrono Odyssey
Rewinding Your Potential
- Planned Release Date: TBA
- Planned Systems: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
For anyone looking for a customizable experience outside the smaller life sim games, Chrono Odyssey is worth looking into. It’s an upcoming giant open-world game with an MMORPG design. Players can create their character and then go on adventures alone or with friends on specific missions like raids.
There’s also plenty to do, like fishing, mining, logging, harvesting, crafting, and so on. The combat may be the coolest feature, as players can stop and rewind time mid-fight. Controlling time is a top-tier ability in gaming, and anyone who wants to know how true power feels should check this game out when it eventually launches.
