I can say with great certainty that one of the most surprising games I’ve played in 2025 is Ghost of Yotei on PlayStation 5. After it was first revealed, I knew the game was going to be very good as a follow-up to s***er Punch Productions’ previous t**le, Ghost of Tsushima. But I wasn’t prepared for how much I would enjoy exploring the land of Ezo and engaging with its many side quests and emotional battles. But it wasn’t until the very final battle of the game, with Takezo the Unrivialed, that I stopped to reflect on my time with Ghost of Yotei, and how epic of a journey I just went on.