Another year with some great video games, and great video games featuring some stellar world-building, characters and narratives.

Here are our picks for the Top 5 Best Game Narratives of 2025.

5.) Avowed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYvTNAaXMUA&pp=ygUOQXZvd2VkIHRyYWlsZXLSBwkJTQoBhyohjO8%3D

Avowed is set in the Pillars of Eternity world crafted by the team at Obsidian, and although the Pillars games have had their own successes, Avowed was the team’s bringing their world to the open-world RPG genre. What makes the narrative in Avowed such a success is its ability to let players unfold and discover the world and its characters themselves, rather than being hand-led through moments and lore-dumps. It helps that the world, politics and social-economic commentary feel relevant in 2025 as well. Avowed is a narrative you’ll get the most out of by diving in headfirst, exploring and talking to as many characters as you can, rather than relying on b-lining it through the main story beats.

-Dylan

4.) Hades II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8lJRcUeEMs&pp=ygUWSGFkZXMgSUkgc3RvcnkgdHJhaWxlcg%3D%3D

Hades II follows Melinoë, the determined daughter of Hades, on her quest to rescue her family from Chronos, the Titan of Time who has overthrown the gods. This narrative highlights Melinoë’s internal struggle as she grapples with her identity and familial legacy.

Guided by Hecate from the Crossroads, Mel navigates the dangerous Underworld, challenging not just external foes but her own uncertainties. Each encounter with mythological figures reveals her resilience and develops her character, emphasising her connection to those she seeks to save.

The story explores themes of generational trauma, as Mel contends with the weight of her family while fighting against a tyrannical fate. As she battles Chronos, she ultimately discovers that her true strength lies in embracing her past and forging her own path, transforming her from a mere warrior into a symbol of hope and defiance.

-Jacob

3.) Ghost of Yotei

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVBLJYjSAhg&pp=ygUcR2hvc3Qgb2YgWW90ZWkgc3RvcnkgdHJhaWxlcg%3D%3D

Ghost of Yōtei follows Atsu, a determined mercenary on a relentless quest for vengeance against the notorious Yōtei Six, who brutally massacred her family. Set in the haunting landscapes of 17th-century Ezo, modern-day Hokkaido, Japan, this standalone narrative unfolds 300 years after Ghost of Tsushima, delving deep into themes of trauma and retribution.

Atsu’s journey is not merely about revenge; it reflects her struggle with grief and identity. As she hunts down her enemies, she grapples with the emotional scars of her past and the moral dilemmas that her path presents. Each encounter challenges her understanding of justice and forces her to confront the darkness within.

Along the way, Atsu forms unexpected alliances that push her to reconsider her motivations and the true cost of vengeance. Ghost of Yōtei poignantly explores the complexities of her transformation from victim to warrior while questioning whether revenge leads to healing or merely perpetuates a cycle of violence. Through her brutal odyssey, the story offers a poignant reflection on the fragility of the human spirit and the choices we make in the pursuit of justice.

-Jacob

2.) Dispatch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzRQrDK7zUs&pp=ygUWRGlzcGF0Y2ggc3RvcnkgdHJhaWxlcg%3D%3D

When the strength of your game’s storytelling is the key draw of your title, it needs to be absolutely amazing. Thankful for Adhoc Studios, Dispatch is one of the best-written episodic adventure games since the heyday of original Telltale Games. In a heavily mined genre, the game has its own unique charm with its balance of biting humour with genuine emotional weight, allowing the cast of characters to feel flawed, human and believable beneath the superhero chaos. Like the best TV shows, Dispatch had you impatiently forced to wait for the next episodes to drop as its story and characters had you desperate to find out what happens next.

-Ashley

1.) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oecZmlLXqXk&pp=ygUpQ2xhaXIgT2JzY3VyOiBFeHBlZGl0aW9uIDMzIHN0b3J5IHRyYWlsZXI%3D

One of the highest-concept narratives we’ve had in recent memory, the team at Sandfall Interactive crafted such an emotionally powerful story here and didn’t hold back from any of the themes they wanted to explore. It can be bleak at times, but the game also has such a unique focus on exploring our mortality, and the connection between life, art and how we all deal with grief in an unbridled direction that you wouldn’t have got from a larger studio.

– Dylan

Find all of Explosion Network’s Best of 2025 coverage right here, and be sure to let us know your thoughts on any of our lists in the comments section.