Xbox’s Keeper is like taking all the best psychedelics in the world all at once, and it’s pure artistry

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Video games have been consistently good this past year, with many big companies releasing excellent titles. However, as 2025 comes to a close, I still find myself most drawn to games that do a few things really well, such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Alters.

The final piece of a three-game series has arrived, and it’s perfectly tailored to my gaming preferences. It’s incredibly imaginative and unpredictable. This game, called Keeper, has a surprisingly straightforward premise: you play as a living lighthouse who, with the help of a friendly bird, decides to go for a walk.

If you’re curious, I suggest trying Keeper without knowing too much beforehand. Plus, it’s available on Xbox Game Pass! I don’t expect Keeper to become a huge hit, and reviews will likely be mixed – that’s common for games like this – but I’ll still happily recommend and champion it for a long time.

Go into Keeper as blind as possible

I have to say, Keeper is incredibly imaginative – calling it ‘creative’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. The whole idea behind the game is wonderfully strange, the kind of thing you’d expect from Double Fine Productions, the team behind 2021’s Psychonauts 2. It’s great to see them back with something this unique!

It’s best to go into this game knowing as little as possible, and I’ll do my best to avoid spoilers in my review. But honestly, I’d suggest skipping reviews altogether and just playing the game yourself.

If you’re like me and like to get a feel for a game before committing to a purchase and download, let me tell you about Keeper. It’s basically a puzzle-adventure game – think exploring and solving challenges as you go!

Discover a stunning world teeming with strange creatures and brilliant colors as you seek a path forward. Along the way, you can uncover the secrets of this mysterious place if you choose to explore.

I thought Keeper would be a fairly short game, lasting around three or four hours like many indie titles, but I was pleasantly surprised! It actually took me eight to ten hours to complete. The game starts slowly, but it cleverly develops and changes as you play, keeping things exciting and engaging right up to the very end.

From a technical standpoint, Keeper runs very well, though it’s not groundbreaking. The game performed flawlessly most of the time, with only a few minor hiccups during one cutscene, and quick loading screens between larger sections. I didn’t find any significant bugs or glitches while playing.

Keeper is a fantastic game from Double Fine, but it’s surprisingly different from their other titles.

This is Double Fine at its finest

Double Fine has always marched to the beat of its own drum, and they’ve been one of my favorite game developers for a long time—probably not a coincidence! Just like with their game Keeper, you can always expect the unexpected from Double Fine, and they consistently create some of the most imaginative and original game worlds around.

While many Double Fine games are known for being silly or tackling difficult subjects with a lighthearted touch, *Keeper* takes a consistently serious and melancholic approach. It’s a notably different experience from their other titles, largely because no one ever speaks within the game’s world.

Keeper’s story isn’t told with words, but through the world around you. You’ll uncover it by observing the bizarre creatures, the remnants of a lost civilization, broken statues that suggest a troubled past, and a creeping decay that threatens everything. Even your own actions as a lighthouse – guided by a purpose you may not fully understand – contribute to the unfolding narrative.

Keeper is one of the most stunning games of the year — Double Fine truly outdid itself.

It’s immediately clear that Double Fine has really excelled with the art and visual design of Keeper. It’s hard to put into words just how stunning the game looks, and it consistently surprises you with new visuals as you play. I’ve mostly shared screenshots from the early parts of the game to avoid spoiling anything, so you’ll have to take my word for it – Keeper gets incredibly creative and visually interesting as you go on.

Keeper truly stands out thanks to its beautiful colors, detailed environments and characters, and incredibly smooth animations – even the camera work, though sometimes a bit tricky, adds to the experience. All of these elements work together to enhance the story. The gameplay itself is initially straightforward: you move around and use a light source.

Throughout the game, Keeper constantly evolves, adding new features, tweaking how things work, and sometimes completely reinventing itself. I initially questioned how it would stay interesting, but by the end, I was amazed by how cleverly the gameplay changed to keep me hooked and deepen the story without ever explicitly stating it.

As a researcher, I’ve found that the sound design in Keeper is probably its weakest point. While the audio is *okay* and there are definitely some strong moments, it doesn’t quite have the same punch as the game’s visuals. I think my expectations might be a little high, though, as I recently played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which really set the bar for immersive audio.

Keeper review: My final thoughts

✅You should play this if …

  • All you needed to hear was “new Double Fine game.”
  • You love immensely creative games with stunning visuals.
  • You were looking for a new, low-energy puzzle-adventure game.

❌You should not play this if …

  • You only play games with high-octane gameplay or spoken stories.
  • You bizarrely hate lighthouses, specifically, and can’t stand to play as one.

Following my highly-rated experiences with Clair Obscur and The Alters, Keeper is the third game this year I’ve given a perfect 5/5 score. It’s now my second favorite game of 2025 – though I doubt anything will surpass Expedition 33, which remains my top pick.

This is easily the best game Xbox Game Studios has put out this year, and I’d be surprised if The Outer Worlds 2 can top it – though I’m still really looking forward to playing it. I absolutely love this game, and I’m thrilled to hear that Double Fine is working on several new projects.

I’m really tired of seeing the same old remakes and sequels from big game companies. What we need is more originality – something like the game *Keeper*, but genuinely new and different. Honestly, recent events have shaken my confidence in Xbox’s willingness to take risks. With the cancellations and studio closures we’ve seen, I’m constantly worried that Double Fine might be next on the chopping block. It feels like they’re only interested in games that are guaranteed hits now.

I highly recommend you check out *Keeper*. It’s a fantastic game, and at $29.99 on Xbox, it’s a great value. Plus, it’s available with Xbox Game Pass right away! It’s a truly creative work, and playing it helps support the talented studio behind it so they can continue making innovative games in the future.

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2025-10-17 18:11