The 8 Best Anime Games to Play in 2025

Anime and gaming—a match made in nerd heaven, right? Few things compare to diving headfirst into a world bursting with vibrant visuals, unforgettable characters, and stories that pull at your heartstrings long after you’ve put down the controller.

In 2025, anime-inspired games aren’t just about flashy animations or nostalgia hits; they’re delivering some of the most compelling, stylish, and deeply engaging experiences you’ll find in gaming.

From battling otherworldly threats in neon-lit futures to navigating high school drama while pulling off supernatural heists, there’s something here that hits every emotional note. Ready to see what games are worth your precious gaming hours this year?

Here are the 8 best anime games to play in 2025.

Persona 5 Royal

Persona 5 Royal is widely regarded as one of the best anime-style RPGs of all time, blending a deep story, strategic combat, and an unparalleled sense of style. Players take on the role of a high school student falsely accused of a crime, navigating daily life in Tokyo while secretly leading the Phantom Thieves—a group that enters the minds of corrupt individuals to make them atone for their sins.

The game’s turn-based battles are fast-paced and tactical, encouraging players to exploit enemy weaknesses and coordinate flashy All-Out Attacks. With its stylish UI, vibrant art direction, and a soundtrack that sticks with you long after you’ve stopped playing, Persona 5 Royal delivers a polished and immersive experience from start to finish.

Beyond its combat and heist mechanics, Persona 5 Royal is a social simulator where players balance school life, friendships, and personal growth. Every in-game day presents choices that shape relationships and unlock new abilities, adding depth to both the gameplay and story.

The expanded Royal edition improves on the original with additional characters, new story arcs, and extra content, making it the definitive way to experience the game. While the journey spans well over 100 hours, its pacing ensures that players remain engaged, with emotional highs, unexpected twists, and deeply personal character moments that make it more than just another RPG.

The game’s impact extends beyond its mechanics—it resonates with players on an emotional level, tackling themes of rebellion, justice, and self-discovery. Its gripping narrative and relatable characters create a sense of attachment that lingers long after the credits roll, leading many players to describe it as a life-changing experience.

Tales of Arise

Among the best anime games to play in 2025, Tales of Arise stands out as a visually striking and action-packed JRPG. Set in a world torn apart by oppression, the game follows Alphen, a masked warrior unable to feel pain, and Shionne, a woman cursed to harm anyone who touches her. Their journey to free the enslaved planet of Dahna unfolds through an engaging mix of real-time combat, dramatic storytelling, and anime-inspired visuals powered by Unreal Engine 4. The game’s “Atmospheric Shader” enhances its anime aesthetic, delivering breathtaking environments and fluid character animations that elevate both exploration and battles.

Combat in Tales of Arise is a highlight, refining the franchise’s signature action-based system with fast-paced mechanics and spectacular special moves. Players can switch between multiple characters, each with unique fighting styles, while executing high-speed combos, dodging enemy attacks, and triggering cinematic “Boost Strikes” for devastating team-based finishers. However, some players have noted that enemy health pools can feel excessive, extending battles longer than necessary. Despite this, the game’s dynamic combat, engaging skill system, and rewarding exploration keep the experience fresh throughout its lengthy campaign.

While Tales of Arise offers a rich single-player experience, its monetization model has been a point of contention. Some abilities and customization options are tied to paid DLC, leading to criticism about content being locked behind microtransactions. That said, the core game remains highly enjoyable without additional purchases, offering a well-balanced mix of story-driven progression and rewarding gameplay.

DRAGON BALL FighterZ

DRAGON BALL FighterZ remains one of the most polished anime fighting games available, blending high-speed combat with stunning visuals. Developed by Arc System Works, the game captures the look and feel of the Dragon Ball anime with incredible detail, thanks to its use of Unreal Engine. Battles are flashy, fast-paced, and filled with cinematic moments that recreate iconic scenes from the series. With 3v3 tag mechanics, aerial combos, and destructible environments, every fight feels like an explosive anime episode brought to life.

The game offers a large roster, featuring multiple versions of fan-favorite characters like Goku, Vegeta, and Broly, alongside unique fighters such as Android 21, a character created specifically for the game. The simple but deep combat system makes it accessible to newcomers while rewarding mastery for competitive players. Online play includes ranked matches, casual lobbies, and chaotic 6-player party battles, ensuring plenty of replayability for those looking to test their skills.

Despite its age, DRAGON BALL FighterZ continues to thrive in the fighting game scene, supported by DLC characters and balance updates. While some fans have criticized the paid DLC model, the base game still offers an impressive experience.

Scarlet Nexus

Scarlet Nexus delivers an electrifying blend of fast-paced action and deep narrative, set in a futuristic “Brain Punk” world where psychic abilities are key to survival. Players choose between two protagonists, Yuito and Kasane, each offering a distinct storyline that intertwines to reveal a greater mystery.

The combat system revolves around psychokinetic abilities, allowing players to hurl objects at enemies while seamlessly chaining melee combos. As the game progresses, new powers unlock through the SAS system, letting players borrow abilities from party members, such as teleportation, duplication, and elemental attacks, creating dynamic and highly strategic battles.

The game’s anime-style visuals are striking, with a sleek cyberpunk-inspired world filled with glowing neon cities and monstrous enemies designed with eerie surrealism. Cutscenes mix traditional animated sequences with a unique visual novel-style presentation, emphasizing character interactions and world-building. The narrative unfolds through a mix of political intrigue, conspiracies, and personal struggles, immersing players in a high-stakes battle against the grotesque “Others,” creatures that feed on human brains. Despite occasional pacing issues and a few repetitive side quests, the core story remains engaging, especially when experienced from both protagonists’ perspectives.

For those who enjoy deep, story-driven action RPGs with a distinct anime aesthetic, Scarlet Nexus is a must-play. Its combat remains engaging throughout, thanks to the evolving mechanics and high-speed encounters, while its character-driven storytelling adds emotional weight to the experience.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Granblue Fantasy: Relink delivers a premium action RPG experience set in a beautifully realized world of floating islands, skyfaring adventurers, and powerful primal beasts. Unlike its mobile gacha counterpart, this standalone game offers a fully fleshed-out adventure without microtransactions or time-gated mechanics.

Players take on the role of the captain of a diverse crew, engaging in fast-paced, combo-heavy combat with a roster of over 20 playable characters. The combat system blends elements of Monster Hunter and Final Fantasy, featuring real-time battles with party-based mechanics like Link Attacks and Chain Bursts, making every encounter feel dynamic and rewarding.

Beyond its main story—which runs about 15–20 hours—the real draw of Relink is its expansive postgame content. The game encourages deep character customization and mastery, with each skyfarer offering unique weapons and abilities. Cooperative multiplayer lets up to four players team up for challenging boss fights reminiscent of MMORPG raid battles, complete with well-telegraphed attack patterns and strategic mechanics. While the game’s story is relatively straightforward, its stunning anime-style visuals, exhilarating combat, and an impressive orchestral soundtrack elevate the overall experience.

For anime game fans looking for a stylish, action-packed RPG with deep combat mechanics and a satisfying gameplay loop, Granblue Fantasy: Relink stands out as one of the best choices of 2025. The absence of predatory monetization makes it a rare gem in the genre, offering a complete experience from start to finish. With ongoing updates adding new content, characters, and challenges, it’s a game that rewards both casual players and those looking to master its intricate battle system.

Persona 3 Reload

One of the most anticipated anime games of 2024, Persona 3 Reload is a complete remake of the beloved Persona 3, bringing modern visuals, updated gameplay mechanics, and reworked character interactions. Players step into the role of a transfer student who stumbles upon the enigmatic Dark Hour, an extra hour hidden between days, where mysterious creatures called Shadows roam.

As part of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES), you’ll battle these threats while navigating daily life, forging relationships, and uncovering the truth behind the supernatural events. The game retains the core narrative that made Persona 3 a fan favorite, but with enhanced voice acting, additional scenes, and a refined social link system that strengthens the connection between the protagonist and their allies.

The turn-based combat system has also received significant upgrades, bringing in modernized mechanics from later Persona titles while introducing Theurgy attacks—special moves unique to each character that add another layer of strategy. Tartarus, the ever-changing labyrinth that serves as the game’s primary dungeon, has been visually reworked to feel more atmospheric and less repetitive. Beyond combat, the game emphasizes the importance of time management, requiring players to balance school life, social interactions, and dungeon exploration effectively.

With overwhelmingly positive reception from both longtime fans and newcomers, Persona 3 Reload solidifies itself as one of the best anime games to play in 2025. Its blend of narrative depth, turn-based combat, and immersive social elements creates an unforgettable RPG experience. While some players may lament the exclusion of Persona 3 FES‘s The Answer expansion at launch, the remake more than makes up for it with its sheer polish and emotional impact.

One Piece Odyssey

For fans of One Piece, One Piece Odyssey offers a fresh RPG experience set within the world of the long-running anime and manga series. Developed by ILCA, Inc. and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, this turn-based RPG follows the Straw Hat Crew as they find themselves shipwrecked on a mysterious island after a storm. The adventure unfolds as players control different members of the crew, reliving key moments from One Piece‘s past while navigating an original storyline. The game blends traditional turn-based combat with a unique positioning system, allowing players to engage in multiple skirmishes within a single encounter. While the combat is accessible, it emphasizes flashy character abilities that stay true to the anime’s over-the-top action.

Visually, One Piece Odyssey embraces a vibrant cel-shaded art style that captures the essence of Eiichiro Oda’s world, bringing characters and environments to life with impressive detail. The game is packed with fan service, from signature Straw Hat interactions to faithfully recreated moments from the series’ most memorable arcs. However, its structure leans heavily on exploration and backtracking, which may test the patience of some players. While the story provides an engaging premise, it primarily serves as a nostalgic journey through One Piece history rather than offering a truly original adventure. Longtime fans will likely appreciate the opportunity to see their favorite characters interact in a new setting, even if the narrative doesn’t break new ground.

Despite some repetitive gameplay elements, One Piece Odyssey stands out as one of the best anime games to play in 2025, especially for dedicated One Piece fans. It captures the series’ adventurous spirit while offering a relaxed RPG experience with a focus on character-driven storytelling. While the combat lacks deep challenge, the sheer joy of playing as the Straw Hat Crew and reliving iconic moments from the anime makes it a worthwhile experience.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered

Few anime games capture the magic of Studio Ghibli’s artistry like Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered. This RPG, originally developed by LEVEL-5 and brought to life with animation from Studio Ghibli, delivers a storybook experience full of wonder, emotion, and adventure. Players take on the role of Oliver, a young boy who embarks on a heartfelt journey across a parallel world, hoping to bring his mother back after a tragic loss. The game’s world is beautifully realized, from its hand-drawn cutscenes to its vibrant environments, all backed by a sweeping orchestral score from legendary composer Joe Hisaishi.

Beyond its captivating narrative, Ni no Kuni offers a deep and rewarding RPG experience. The combat system blends real-time and turn-based mechanics, allowing players to switch between Oliver and his “familiars”—creature companions that can be trained and evolved, reminiscent of Pokémon. While the battle system has some quirks, including AI companions that require micromanagement, the game’s strategic depth and the variety of available creatures make every encounter engaging. Exploration is another highlight, featuring a massive overworld filled with towns, dungeons, and secrets that encourage players to immerse themselves in the game’s magical setting.

For fans of anime games, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is an essential title. It perfectly captures the charm and emotional depth of classic Ghibli films while delivering a well-crafted RPG experience.

FAQ: The Best Anime Games to Play in 2025