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[Morfeo]

As I am getting older, the number of games i am able to complete or even play keeps decreasing, meaning there are tons of awesome games I have not played this year and thus are not on my list. In total, I have completed 32 games this year, down from 33 last year, and almost all of them are older releases that I finally got around to like Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Secret of Mana. Thinking only about the stuff eligible for this vote though, it feels like a pretty decent year with the indies once again hitting high on all fronts and Nintendo still keeping it strong with great and original games like Splatoon. My tastes seems to be evolving too, and while it always was pretty gameplay-focused, it seems the games I like the most are increasingly games that ditch every pretense of being modern (story, artsy, easy etc), and simply takes the best from the late 80s or early 90s gaming, and create a new experience based in those experiences - something that will also be quite apparent when reading my list.

My post here would not be complete without talking a bit about my favorite played games of the year though. While we are still going along with our neogaf-based multiplayer group in the 2013-game Europa Universalis IV - a game that continues to be captivating enough to be played every single wednesday and sunday - my favorite single player experiences not on the list below, have like last year been in the original Dark Souls - which I led to rest this year after 20 months. I also greatly enjoyed the original Final Fantasy Tactics which I finally completed this year - that game is simply fantastic in every imaginable way (well except the sucky fight against Wiegraf early on), from the mature story, the high tension, the almost unlimited customization and high challenge in almost all battles, meaning it is something as rare as a long game without filler. But enough about that, on to the best games of 2015:

1. Super Mario Maker ; I do not really care too much to make my own levels. And this has still been my dream game for more than 20 years. The simple reason why, is that in this game, I finally have unlimited levels of my favorite game of all time, Super Mario World. And while the designers still lack the ability to make secret exits, string levels togheter in worlds and create their own story-mode - to just name a few important features lacking - the levels created can still be so creative and fun that this game easily, easily propels itself to the premier spot on my game of the year-list just on the back of all those amazing levels. Super Mario Maker really is the Game of the Forever.

2, Odallus ; I just played this game this week, and was floored by the overall quality of the game. The presentation is frecking amazing, and while it like Shovel Knight is much more advanced than what was possible on the Nes, it still managed to give off that retro-feel, by taking inspirations from the dark character models of the Famicom-only game Holy Diver, the colours of Faxanadu, the image portraits of Willow, and of course the scenery of more modern games like Rondo of Blood, Bloodlines and Demons Crest with water reflexions and parallax scrolling. Talking about Demons Crest, this game together with stuff like Mega Man X is probably the biggest inspiration for the overall progression- and upgrade structure, and also the light rpg-mechanics and level design. Of course, everybody who have played all these games, now understand how amazing this game is. Fantastic visuals, incredible and deep level design that rewards exploration with both health upgrades, sub-level upgrades, new weapon and armour, and of course, very Castlevania-like ability upgrades. The atmosphere of the game also takes the best of these games I have mentioned, by being very dark and somber, something that also goes into the surprisingly fun story, while not really deep, still is pretty enjoyable just for how it emulates stuff like the original Ninja Gaiden-trilogy. Combine all this with a light metroidvania (think the map and bigger levels of Order of Ecclesia), perfect controls, lots of interesting abilities, and a challenging, but not unfair difficulty, and you have one of the absolute best games of the indie-revolution. Synthesizing

3. Splatoon ; What more is there to say about the Game Awards shooter and multiplayer game of the year at this point? Incredibly creative, fast, fun and competitive, and unlike anything I have ever played. Even including a surprisingly rewarding singleplayer campaign makes this game a lock for any top ten this year. Sign me up for Splatoon 2 on the NX. Inspirational

4. Fast Racing Neo ; I was actually slightly disappointed by this game for two reasons. First, the Ikaruga-like colour boosting seemed superfluous to me, and second, the lack of any meaningful combat. After thinking about it, what I really was unhappy about was that this game was not completely like an HD F-Zero, which is really not a fair criticism of anything. Judged on its own terms this game is a hell of fun to play, even though I still dislike the Ikaruga-stuff. Perfect controls, challenging but fair difficulty, and great level design. Finally the kind of racing game we have been waiting for. Fast

5. Broken Age: The Complete Adventure ; As a huge fan of the old days of Lucasarts, I was a day zero backer of the kickstarter of Kickstarter - Double Fine Adventure. While Broken Age never reaches the heights of Grim Fandango or Monkey Island - it is still a pretty damn good game judged on its own merit with great puzzles, nice presentation and an actually really interesting story that kept me guessing the whole way through. Lost a bit of momentum by being split in two and released over several years, but would probably be high on many lists had the whole game been released this year. Puzzling

6. Freedom Planet ; Another retro-throwback, this time to the Mega Drive/Genesis and plattformers like Sonic the Hedgehog, Ristar, Rocket Knight Adventure and Pulseman, and as with Odallus, higher up my list, this game completely succeeds in emulating those great experiences and feels like I finally discover an old Sega-game lost in an archive or something like the official version behind Dark Void Zero. Needless to say, the feeling of discovering a new top quality game for one of the best plattforms ever, is incredible, as is this game. Colourful

7. Titan Souls ; The premise for Titan Souls is kinda like the premise of Shadow of the Colossus, a one-man wanderer set up in a huge, empty land with only a set number of bosses to defeat, making the game and the challenge about finding them and defeating them. Where Shadow of the Colossus was a 3D action-adventure with Zelda-like bosses, this demake keeps the puzzle-elements, but also introduce that insane difficulty we know and love from 8-bit games, including making the wanderer die in one hit and having to play the bosses over and over. Just that, is what makes the game so satisfying to make progress in though, and while I still havent beaten it, Ive had a great time with the 12 or so Titans I have beaten. Satisfying.

8. Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures ; Both a tribute to AVGN and old-school gaming, and while it does include some intentionally bad design decisions in the vein of old Nes-plattformers, the end result is a surprisingly enjoyable plattform game that like Shovel Knight last year, manages to fuse elements from many of its inspirations while also creating its own, distinct and very funny identity with some great level design, tons of secrets and really cool bosses. The shit

9. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D ; Rounding up my list, is two older games that both got a release this year. First Majoras Mask for the 3DS. Based on the quality of the core game here, it certainly could top the list, or at least be top 3, but when considering a remake, I feel like it should be considered in a slightly wider way, most importantly the changes done to it. And while I like most people like the improved frame rate, I actually dislike the slight change in visual style and casualization of some dungeons and puzzles, all in all making the remake a little hit and miss for me. Still as I said, the game itself is incredible, and i think I do prefer it to the original - its just not as clear as it should have been. Thus putting it at the bottom of this list - but still over most other games released this year. Apocalyptic

10. Grim Fandango Remastered ;
With bony hands I hold my partner
On soulless feet we cross the floor
The music stops as if to answer
An empty knocking at the door

It seems her skin was sweet as mango
When last I held her to my breast
But now we dance this grim fandango
And will for years before we rest

And finally, Grim Fandango, which in my opinion is the second best point & click adventure game of all time (even though it doesnt actually use point & click) after Monkey Island 2. Like with Majoras Mask, this game could top the list, or at least come second, simply based on the quality of the original. However, since the changes in this rerelease does little more than make the game playable on modern machines, I have to push it to the bottom of this list. Its still of course, one of the absolute best releases this year, either if you have played it before or not, with one of the best, beautiful and bittersweet stories in gaming ever, and including probably the single coolest city I've ever visited virtually in Rubacava. Beautiful

Honorable Mentions (including games I havent played, but looks like I would have considered if I had.)
x. 3D Classics (including Out Run, Thunder Blade and After Burner II) ; M2 are continuing their amazing work of making these games available in a modern form for a new audience.
x. Axiom Verge ; Looks freaking amazing, and will definitely play it when it comes to the Wii U later this year.
x. Bloodborne ; A new game from Miyazaki is always a big deal, but have not been able to play this game since Sony unfortunately made it exclusive. Looks like it would have been a lock for top 3 though.
x. Calvino Noir ; Interesting but flawed game, that is well worth a try if you can accept the gameplay jank.
x. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker ; Was on my list last year, and is therefore placed on the honorable list this year, but the quality of the game can not be doubted.
x. Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. ; IS can do no wrong, unfortunately this great and creative strategy game got ignored by both gaming media and consumers alike.
x. Contradiction - Spot The Liar ; Everything old is new again - including Tex Murphy and the Sega CD.
x. Dark Souls 2: Scholars of the first Sin ; The original Dark Souls 2 was already on my list when it came out, still an amazing game though.
x. Galak-Z ; This game looks amazing, and will hopefully play it in 2016.
x. Hegemony III ; While this strategy game probably wouldnt appear on my top ten, it does look very interesting and it is a game I need to play more to decide how much I like it.
x. Her Story ; I usually dont like games of this nature, but this one is just so fresh and interesting, that it deserved a spot on the honorable mention-list.
x. I Shall Remain ; Great action-rpg with cool premise.
x. Invisible Inc ; Amazing looking game from the makers of Mark of the Ninja that I need to play more to judge properly.
x. Life is Strange ; Looks interesting for sure, but have only played it slightly so cant judge it yet.
x. Mega Man Legacy Collection ; Best bang for your bucks this year, with 6 great games including Mega Man 2 which is the best action-plattformer ever. Essential buy for every fan of gaming.
x. Metal Gear Solid V ; Metal Gear Solid 2 is game of all time-material, but I hated Portable Ops and Peace Walker despite them also being praised, so kinda afraid of starting this which is even less like the old games.
x. Ori and the Blind Forest ; Amazing visuals, slightly disappointing gameplay.
x. Pillars of Eternity ; Looks amazing, but considering I still have a backlog from the golden age of crpgs, I will probably never properly play this, but definitely looks good enough to be considered for the list it I had.
x. Rare Replay ; Forget what I wrote about the Mega Man-collection, this is the best value this year with 30 games from one of the best developers ever, all the way from the Spectrum to the 360. Really considered for the list, but decided against it since there are no real changes to the games. Same reason I left Mega Man down here with honorables.
x. Rodea the Sky Soldier Wii ; Very fun and creative use of the Wii remote from the maker of NiGHTS. Stay away from the Wii U/3DS-version though.
x. Satellite Reign ; Finally another game like the amazing Syndicate.
x. Shadow Complex ; The best game of Xbla finally returns - and its even free this time!
x. Shovel Knight ; Got released on a ton of new plattforms this year, and even got a huge upgrade. Amazing game that was third on my list last year.
x, StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void ; The final part in the slightly disappointing but still very good StarCraft II-saga deserves a mention.
x. Stasis ; Looks like an amazing game in the style of the old horror-adventure games, need to play it in 2016.
x. Steamworld Heist ; Steamworld Dig was pretty good, and this game is better.
x. Transformers Devastation ; The yearly Platinum-game is always quality.
x. UnderRail ; Best Fallout released this year?
x. Undertale ; I think Earthbound is kinda overrated, but still a very good game - just like this tribute.
x. Yakuza 5 ; Segas premier rpg franchise is back, and its amazing as always. Not played this entry enough, but know I will love it when I get the time considering the consistent quality of the series.
x. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; This could possibly be a top 5 this year, but I dont know if I will ever have time to play it sadly.

Morfeos 2014 goty-list
Morfeos 2013 goty-list
Games I have completed this year

 

[jgminto]

1. Life is Strange ; A fantastic blend of science fiction and teenage life. Life is Strange captures the great elements of young adult fiction while creating characters and relationships that end up being more interesting than the time travelling. No other episodic game has kept me so drawn in for the entire run.

2. Undertale ; An absolutely magical adventure through an underground land of monsters that will soon be your best friends. There are many games that I have found exciting, tense and shocking but I can't think of many that filled me with such a sense of joy and happiness. Papyrus, Sans, Undyne, Alphys, Toriel, Asgore, Asriel, Mettaton, Napstablook, Temmie, Monster Kid, Various Dogs and all of the other residents of the underground, I'm glad I was able to experience that adventure with them.

3. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

4. Rocket League

5. Bloodborne

6. Yakuza 5

7. Anna's Quest

8. Mortal Kombat X

9. Galak-Z

10. Dropsy

 

[jesu]

I do seem to recall having this conversation with you before. There are a few underground locations and caves, you've just forgotten (and some you may not have visited).

Then I appoligis e in advsnce
Or whatever th opposite of advance is.

 

[dreamfall]

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ; This game is everything. CDPR have created an absolutely beautiful, massive open world that feels alive. The narrative in the game was so intriguing, and kept me engaged for more than 150+ hours. Geralt’s relationships really define the experience, and Ciri is a force to be reckoned with. A lot of people really hated the combat but for me, as a third person RPG, I really enjoyed preparing through meditation and mixing up melee with magic. Even side quests and monster hunts all felt unique and incredible. Hearts of Stone is one of the best pieces of DLC content, and the tale of Gaunter O’ Dimm was sinister and a ton of fun.

2. Bloodborne ; As a long time fan of the Souls series, this was a dream come true. It was deliciously creepy as the game kept progressing; and some of the boss encounters are right up there with the best of all the Souls games. The Nightmare of Mensis was horrifying to get through, the Forbidden Woods was one of the sections that after navigating I knew I couldn’t stop until I had seen the end. I still haven’t gotten to the DLC, but I’m sure what awaits promises even more incredible map layouts and boss encounters to remember. When Miyazaki is at the helm, it’s noticeable - in world design, shortcuts, and enemy encounters. Although there weren’t as many weapons or armor to customize from, combat felt so aggressive and fast paced that I didn’t mind. From start to end, an incredible journey.

3. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; In spite of the horrible exclusivity, the sequel to Lara Croft’s reboot was something fiercely wonderful. The game had so much heart - each hub felt so much more explorable and open, the swan dive returned, the puzzles were a lot more challenging and a step in the right direction. The story was still simplistic, but it didn’t feel like it took as much precedence when exploring the intricately crafted hubs throughout the entire adventure. Crystal Dynamics created a great Tomb Raider game that will definitely be better appreciated as more people get the opportunity to play it.

4. Yakuza 5 ; Nagoshi will always be my hero. Hearing Gio announce that this was coming stateside at the last PS Experience conference made the wait excruciating, but holy goodness it’s arrived. Kazuma and the gang are back, and it’s a reason to dust off that PS3 and experience the bliss of Kamurocho for the last time on Sony’s last gen machine. This series means so much to me, and will always. It’s a wonderful step in ensuring that the franchise continues to receive translation and attention. I’m only just scratching the surface of this title, and it’s definitely such a nice game to play during the holiday. It has arrived!

5. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate ; I’ve enjoyed every Assassin’s Creed title since the series was introduced way back when. This was one of the best entries in the franchise since the second title - Evie is exactly what this series needed. Victorian London was full of grandeur and I was worried that the grappling hook would make parkour meaningless but it opened up the gameplay in some brilliant new ways. The banter between the Frye twins was great, and the assassination missions almost felt Hitman-esque. Carriages promised wild mayhem, and taking over the city map really allowed you to feel how much of an impact the upgrades had on stealth and combat. It was such a refreshing experience after Unity.

6. Batman Arkham Knight ; Even though the Batmobile was heavily overused, Arkham combat remains one of the most fun melee systems around. The story was absolutely predictable, but the use of the Joker was absolutely terrific. The Riddler puzzles also continue to be mind bending side attractions, and some of the side mission encounters had great finales. I think the Season Pass left a lot to be desired, but getting to wander around Gotham one last time definitely deserved a place on this list.

7. Life is Strange ; As far as episodic adventures games, this was unlike anything I had ever played. Such a beautiful soundtrack to match perfect moments of quiet brilliance, with a ton of mystery to match. Not enough can be said about how Dontnod perfectly balanced an incredible visual style with such strong characterization. Bravo.

8. Resident Evil Revelations 2 ; I think Raid mode alone makes this RE title so much fun. To see Claire and Barry back in this adventure provided a ton of fan service. I think RE combat continues to offer some of the tightest TPS mechanics in the genre, and the monster boss battles were a lot of fun. Those invisible monsters were awful, and although it definitely felt like an RE title on a smaller budget, it was great fun.

9. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture ; This game is so peaceful. It’s so unnerving, but one the best wandering sims out there. Everything about Shopshire felt lived in, and then promptly abandoned. Trying to decipher what happened almost felt like an after thought when walking about and interacting with parts of the world felt so endearing.

10. WWE 2K16 ; Another year, another great showcase. The gameplay from Yukes still leaves a lot to be desired, but seeing Stone Cold’s evolution in a video game mode can’t be beat. It was also such an incredibly deep roster, with a lot of the earlier modes returning as well.

Honorable Mentions:
x. Dead or Alive 5: Last Round ; Every year, a new edition! Lord knows how much money I spent on the DLC this year - but it’s still my favorite fighting game franchise. Tina 4eva!

x. Until Dawn ; What happens when you take the Cage formula and turn it into a cheesy high school horror drama? Greatness! A roller coaster thrill ride from start to finish, with incredible visuals to match. Some of the character deaths were very unexpected, and the cheap scares were a plenty - and it was all amazing!

x. GTA V PC ; 60fps in Los Santos. I can’t wait for the snow to fall again this year to take so many pictures throughout, and for a game with one of the most meticulously detailed open worlds, Rockstar continues to grow stronger in their PC porting development. I sunk in an obscene amount of time messing around in Director mode and it was a long wait, but it’s absolutely gorgeous to play through on the PC.

 

[GamerJM]

Does the Wii version of Rodea the Sky Solider count as a separate game from the Wii U version, or do they count as a singular game because they're bundled together?

 

[papercamm]

GAMES OF DA YEAR


1. Undertale ; Possibly the first game I've played in 4 or 5 years that made me genuinely happy every moment I was playing it, and constantly interested in what was around the next corner of the experience. As opposed to every other game that's been serving me as a simple distraction this one existed to me as an experience that was as memorable as it was fun to go through.
2. Fallout 4 ; the latest entry in my favorite RPG series disappointed me slightly but it was to be expected from my incredibly high expectations for the latest entry. Even though it's not my most played game of the year I fully expect it to take that mantle soon.
3. Cities: Skylines ; a simulator game that's deep, easily moddable, and very relaxing. It's a great game to turn on when watching a show or a movie.
4. Ori and the Blind Forest ; another indie darling of the year, Ori was one of the better metroidvanias I've played in recent memory. The jaw dropping art design and tight gameplay only improved the experience.
5. Bloodborne ; disappointed as I was by its relative lack of combat complexity and build diversity compared to previous entries in the souls games, I nevertheless enjoyed the twisted and dark descent into Yarnham.
6. Batman: Arkham Knight ; the "final" Arkham game ultimately ended up as my least favorite of the series due to the anemic boss fights and, at times, ridiculous over-use of the batmobile. But as it stands this title lives up to the stellar production and fantastic gameplay that has made the series so appreciated.
7. Mortal Kombat X ; as a life long MK fan I loved the new layers added to the combat with the class system and the new characters it introduced as well.
8. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ; a game I've only lightly delved into it 40 hours is light, but considering this game it is. While I enjoyed what I played I found myself very detatched from the characters in the game after a while. Jumping into such a dense series as the Witcher in it's ultimate installment has that effect I suppose.
9. Halo 5: Guardians ; horrendous story aside, the multiplayer and gameplay of Halo 5 is the best it's been since 3. And having toyed around with Forge, I'm very excited to see what the community can build with such an incredibly feature rich tool set.
10. Rocket League ; late night fooling around with friends in games has never been as fun as it has with Rocket League.

 

[Tizoc]

Does the Wii version of Rodea the Sky Solider count as a separate game from the Wii U version, or do they count as a singular game because they're bundled together?

Should be seperate since it has gameplay differnces doesnt it?

 

[mrmickfran]

1. Splatoon ; I hate shooters and I hate online focused games, so WHY DO I LOVE THIS GAME SO MUCH? Because of It's awesome music, it's simple yet deep gameplay, the surprisingly amazing Mario Galaxy like single player which ended with an amazing final boss "IT'S TIME TO D-D-D-DROP THE SEA BASS". Definitely an example of why Nintendo should take a break from Mario every now and then, so that they can stay fresh

2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D ; Clock Town was such an amazing place to explore.

3. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; While I was not a fan of some of choices made during this game's development, this game does get a few things right, and do they do it wonderfully. The exploration manages to surpass it's predecessor which at the time, was the best game to just jump and explore every nook and cranny. Every sequel should have mechas.

4. Yoshi's Woolly World ; Probably the most underated game ever. Such a charming and cute platformer that caught way too much hate. Reviewers have no soul.

This was probably the worst year for me gaming wise. Nothing on the market appealed to me, well except for BloodBorne. But, I don't have a PS4 yet

 

[plaidtopia]

I expect 3-10 will get shuffled/pushed back as I play more games during the next couple of weeks ...

1. Rocket League ; No other game was instantly fun for all and endlessly deep for the hardcore. It's impossible not to enjoy yourself with RL, and it's a master stroke in polishing a single idea.
2. Witcher 3 ; The best RPG in years in perhaps the most realized fantasy world of all time
3. Her Story ; A remarkable achievement in restrained game design
4. Batman: Arkham Knight ; If you could play it, you were treated to a title that ended the series on a high note and dared to push the Batman mythos outside its comfort zone
5. Tales from the Borderlands ; The most I've laughed while playing a game in years
6. Galak-Z: ; Ignoring the (still) missing final chapter, it's the best rogue-lite I played all year with perfectly-tuned controls
7. Titan Souls ; Pure and tight action-puzzle boss rushing
8. Android Assault Cactus ; The best twin-stick shooter of all time
9. Lara Croft GO ; Perhaps my favorite mobile game ever made and one of the best puzzle games I've played on any platform. A wonderful take on the franchise.
10. Ori and the Blind Forest ; A beautiful and challenging Metroidvania

Yet to play:Fallout 4
Undertale
Metal Gear Solid V
Walking Dead Season 2
Game of Thrones
Nuclear Throne
Sunless Sea
Soma
Invisible Inc.
Bloodborne
Life is Strange

 

[Kurt Angle]

1. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; Best WRPG in years, easily best of the gen for me
2. Ori and the Blind Forest
3. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

 

[AniHawk]

Does the Wii version of Rodea the Sky Solider count as a separate game from the Wii U version, or do they count as a singular game because they're bundled together?

this is going to have to be a distinction made to timetokill/cheesemeister because without a description somewhere i don't know if they'll know the difference.

i'm definitely counting the wii version as its own thing, but it really needs to be separated out from the wii u/3ds version.

 

[FunkeeFresh]

1. Rocket League ; Immense multiplayer fun, with a myriad of ways to team up locally and online. Plenty of depth to keep you practicing, and a continuous stream of dlc and free content to keep you coming back. I only get addicted to very few games, where I could stay on a couch for an entire weekend. I still play on a daily basis, and I don't see signs of giving it up anytime soon.
2. OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood ; Loved the first game. The sequel adds lots of new ways to gain massive scores, along with a fresh veneer and banging soundtrack to make it one of the most stylish sports games around. Knocked hours out of this on my Vita. Über challenging, but super rewarding. There's a knack to the controls, but few games carry the same weight and depth with as few buttons as this game does
3. Grow Home ; My childhood was spent throwing countless hours into 3D platformers (I was a little late for the 2D stuff). The genre hasn't had much to shout about over the past 2 generations. This game is a perfect example of evolution of a genre. The cartoon-ish and colourful wonder is reignited on a fresh approach to mechanics and control. Let's hope the high-profile Kickstarter hopefuls looking to reimagine 3D platformers of yesteryear have been taking notes.
4. Until Dawn ; Executed the teen-slasher perfectly. I was enthralled throughout the entire playthrough.
5. Her Story ; Thoroughly enjoyed the narrative, with enough intrigue in the smaller details to keep digging through the videos.
6. Apotheon ; I'm a sucker for style, and this game had it in bucket-loads. Enjoyed the story and boss battles the most.
7. Helldivers ; Played a lot of this locally with friends, and we had a blast.

Honourable Mentions
x. Undertale ; It had some memorable moments. The humour wasn't to my tastes, and it's not easy on the eyes either.
x. Sunless Sea ; I had fun playing this. The rouge elements didn't vary enough for my liking, so I found the permanent death a bit tedious, and there's a LOT of text in this game
x. Dirt Rally ; I was a big fan of PS1 era rally games, and I really liked this. I just didn't play enough of it

 

[Lumpy Onion]

1. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; The most fun game I have ever played. As a longtime MGS fan I was simply amazed at how enjoyable and intuitive the controls were compared to previous MGS control schemes. Even riding around on a horse is intuitive and damn fun, which is something I usually find clunky as hell. I enjoyed the story well enough but just wish there was a bit more beyond tapes. I don't mind Chapter 2 because I see it as more of an epilogue. Also visually stunning and I was rather impressed by the score and the compositions by Ludvig Forssell and others. Best of all was the infinite amount of fun I could have from all the spontaneous situations that would take place. The absurd amount of gadgets and weapons makes me sure I will always have a new toy to play with. My favorite MGS and probably my favorite game I've played in all my 30 years of gaming!

2. Bloodborne ; As a Souls fan I felt right at home. While at first I was put off by the lack of build variety, the ferocity of the combat system won me over in the end. I'm currently on my fourth character and about to dive into the DLC. Once I mastered the art of parrying through firing bullets and back attack viscerals the sense of satisfaction grew greatly. Split second moments of life or death have never felt so good. Not to mention the stunning world-setting visuals and sound design and this game takes me to a place of nightmares. I hope to play it for years to come since it is so enjoyable.

3. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; At first I was overwhelmed in the worst way possible. That pic you see of the dog who has no idea what he is doing was me for the first several hours of the game. Even looking at the screen during combat sent me into panic mode. But eventually that fear went away and I am learning to love the complexity. At only 10 or so hours in I have barely scratched the surface but I am having a blast. That saying about "see that mountain over there" as a selling point in games has never felt so true. For many years I have dreamed of a game where you explore a strange alien world and do more than just fighting (although there is plenty of that too). The adventures I have taken off the beaten path into unknown territory have satisfied me very much. It's the kind of imagined world that Carl Sagan talked about in an episode of Cosmos I saw while growing up. But now I am actually walking around such a world and it takes my breath away. Visually incredible and the score by Sawano is impressing me with it's uniqueness.

4. Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin ; My favorite of the Souls games tweaked into a more satisfying product. While some areas were changed in ways I didn't like as much, I enjoyed an entirely new take on one of my favorite games. I appreciated the switching out of various items into different locations to allow for more freedom of how to approach the game. As someone who will probably go into his sixth-or so new character I can't wait to play more. It's the kind of game I daydream about new playthrough styles and builds. So much freedom makes this my favorite Souls game. The 60 FPS and higher visual clarity on PS4 made the experience all the more comfortable to play.

 

[Chris1]

1. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; This fucking game... Pre release I was only half hyped for this game, looked cool and I needed something to play and I loved that they were giving 10% off to preorder on the xbox store. Truthfully I didn't expect much, I'm glad I bought it as it's not only my GOTY, but it's one of the best games i've ever played. The game itself and how CDPR have handled it post release with free DLC, expansion packs that's longer than some full games so cheap to the point where I actually feel like I'm robbing the developer by buying it have made CDPR one of my favourite developers of all time up there with Rockstar, and I can't wait to buy Cyberpunk.
2. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Loved the first one and this improved on every aspect of the original. At times the graphics are mind blowingly good, not much to say as I expected it to be about as good as it was, it's sucks that it released on the same day as fallout 4 which hurt the sales as more people deserve to play it.
3. Ori and the Blind Forest ; Another game that crept up on me like Witcher 3. Wasn't expecting much until the reviews hit and I absolutely had to buy it after seeing how critically successful it was, there was no holding off any more. Game is absolutely beautiful.. and hard as fuck. Fuck I hate this game at times.
4. Tales from the Borderlands ; I laughed at this pre release, why would I ever want to play a game based on Borderlands lore? Damn this is another game that took me by surprise, the best game Telltale has made and had me wanting more every time.
5. Batman: Arkham Knight ; Batmobile overstayed it's welcome and the true ending is bullshit but a great addition to the series.
6. Rare Replay ; Normally I wouldn't rank remasters etc in a GOTY list because it sort of feels like cheating but getting 30 games for $30 is god damn phenomenal value. The reason I list it here is due to titles I never played at release (Kameo, Grabbed by the Ghoulies) that were excellent.
7. Halo 5: Guardians ; I thought the story was ok, I was disappointed because of what it could have been but enjoyed it non the less. Halo 5 feels excellent to play. 60FPS and the gameplay changes made in H5 was for the better, IMO Halo has never felt better to play than in H5, based on how the game feels to play it's made my top 10.
8. Fallout 4 ; My biggest let down of the year but after putting over a hundred hours into it the game deserves a spot. Not a bad game by any means, just felt like it didn't bring anything new to the table and slightly outdated compared to masterpiece's like Witcher 3.
9. Star Wars Battlefront ; The game definitely lacked in content but despite being a shallow and casual game it was strangely fun. Only used my EA Access free trial as I'll be waiting for the full game to hit the vault due to lack of content, but I enjoyed my time with it.
10. Pool Nation FX ; Any list without this game in it is wrong.

Spoiler

Can I put games as a joke?

 

[Tizoc]

SMH. So many invalid votes....

There is still time for people to fix up their posts we are still on the first day and some just dump their list before fixing it up

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

1. Bloodborne ; This game is absolutely sublime. The moment I started the game and I heard the main menu music I knew that this game would be special. The enemy design, level design, and sound design are all amazingly well done. The gameplay is bar none the best I've seen in a rpg. In addition to this, the DLC added new, fun weapons that are each unique; and each boss has a great-amazing soundtrack. This game is phenomenal and the PS4 first champion.

2. Witcher 3 ; This game would've been neck and neck with Bloodborne if the combat was better, but this game gets so many things right that I can look pass that. For the most part, the quests were all interesting, with Witcher Contracts being my favorite. There is something about hunting higher leveled monsters in a dense forest while setting up traps that no other game can replicate. The variety of vistas are a welcome and truly add to the amazing atmosphere. I also loved the characters that each had their own personalities and traits that made them unique. The Witcher 3 is truly an amazing western rpg that should be recognized and replicated in the industry.

3. Metal Gear Solid 5 ; Kojima's final work in the Metal Gear series, it fell flat in the story aspect, but it is still a blast to play. Open world stealth should be a thing and I feel that MGS5 nailed it splendidly. If the story had been better, alongside with the removal of some repetitive elements, this would've been my favorite MG. But it is still a great game nonetheless.

4. Destiny: The Taken King ; As much hate as Destiny gets, it manage to pull me in and kept my attention. It is my go to multiplayer this generation for a reason. The gunplay feels amazing and I never get tired of shooting. With the release of this expansion, Destiny essentially became a new game. It fixed the bullshit of hand cannons in year 1 and implemented player friendly ui. There are still hiccups, but that can be fixed through continual updates.

5. Batman: Arkham Knight ; This game excels at making you feel like Batman as you glide in the night through Gotham city looking for baddies. The Arkham Knight reveal was disappointing as was the boss fights, which were a missed opportunity. However, the gameplay is as great as ever and the Batmobile was a worthy addition in the series.

6. Rocket League ; This game took me by surprise. The simplicity of the game is what drew me in and it is absolutely fun to play with your friends. The competitive aspect is still present because of the precision needed for high level play. This is definitely the best indie I've ever played because it's F.U.N.

 

[Koh]

Gosh dang. I don't even play 10 new games a year. People have honorable mention lists longer than my 2015 games played!

Sadly several games I played don't deserve on my top 10 list even though I don't fill up all the slots.

 

[SallyIsNow]

1. Bloodborne ; At the time, this was the sole reason I decided to buy a PS4. And boy did it justify my purchase. A near perfect game. Everything from the music, the gameplay, the bosses, and atmosphere came together to make an amazing game.

2. Shovel Knight ; Was very hesitant to purchase this game, because I was never really a fan of MegaMan which inspired this game. But playing at a friends house changed my mind. Just like Bloodborne, the tight controls, bosses and music really sold me on this game.

3. Until Dawn ; I avoid games like these, because I find it hard to really get immersed into amy game. And after the David Cage game comparisons, it might as well have been the plague. But, after watching a couple of vids I decided to check it out. And it was such a breath of fresh air to see a game take the cinematic approach without being up its own asshole *cough* quantic dream *cough*. And it's great to have a game that's so easy to let family and freinds play.

4. Undertale ; Good gameplay, good characters, good writing, good ass video game with lots of heart.

5. WWE 2K16 ; Just another wrestling game. Same gameplay, lackluster career mode, just as many bugs as last year. Still a whole lotta fun. Much like real life WWE there's PLENTY to complain about, but the part's that shine make it bearable to put up with the rest.

6. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection ; Technically, BL2 came out in 2012. But it'd be unfair to not include a game I put 350+ hours into on this list.

7. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; The gameplay was absolutely perfect. Gameplay wise it's the greatest thing I've played, I just wish the story had held up. It felt like half of it was left out.

8. Grow Home ; Game that's only about 90 minutes feels so rewarding by the end. After a long day it was great to put this game on to relax. Aesthetics are beautiful, gameplay is fun, and the sound design is great.

9. Super Meat Boy ; The pinnacle of 2D gameplay. The controls just feel perfect. Any mistake you make is your fault, and you immediately know what the mistake is cause the controls are so crisp.

10. Rocket League ; I know I've said this alot. But the controls in this game also feel perfect for what it's trying to do. I couldn't give less of a shit about soccer, but this game was exciting and fun 100℅ of the time. Easy for almost anyone to pickup.

 

[KevinCow]

I don't have 10 games that I felt were good enough to put on a list this year, but here's my top 6. (Edit: Updated with 2 more!)

1. Splatoon ; I usually hate online shooters. They piss me off because I'm terrible at them. All that usually happens is I wander around a map trying to get my bearings, and then somebody spots me before I see them and I die almost instantly. It's not fun. But Splatoon... I actually don't suck at it. I'm not great, but I'm competent. It still pisses me off because I'm a sore loser, but I'm actually able to win and have fun some of the time, and that makes it probably my second favorite shooter ever (behind Kid Icarus Uprising).

2. Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China ; This one kinda came out of nowhere and surprised me. I got it during the PSN sale for $3.50, but given the measley 69 it has on Metacritic, I expected it to kinda suck. But... it didn't. It's actually really fun. Not quite as good as Mark of the Ninja, but it scratches that same itch while still being different enough to have its own identity.

3. Yoshi's Woolly World ; Adorable and charming, with tight controls and levels full of cleverly hidden secrets that will make you rack your brain to find every little nook and cranny so you can find all of the collectibles. I think this game is even better than Yoshi's Island.

4. Batman: Arkham Knight ; A great game, but a bit of a disappointment. The Bat-Tank was fun in small doses, but unfortunately, this game does not deliver it in small doses, but rather heaping portions. However, combat was probably the best out of all the Arkham games, stealth was definitely the best thanks to the Fear Multi-Takedown, and it was more fun to traverse the city than ever before thanks to the Batmobile and upgrades to Batman's glide. I wish I could place it higher because I was super hyped for it, but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

5. Resident Evil: Revelations 2 ; This game looked awful from everything they showed pre-release. I don't know what prompted me to try Episode 1 - I was probably just desperate for something to play on my PS4 - but I did get it, and I'm glad I did. It's the best Resident Evil game since RE4.

6. Box Boy! ; This is just a pleasant little puzzle platformer that everyone should check out. It's not too hard, but not too easy. Just the right difficulty to make you think a little bit without getting frustrated. And every world adds a new mechanic, so it keeps changing things up all the way to the end of the game.

7. Chibi-Robo! Ziplash ; I love Chibi-Robo. He's so cute. How could you not love him? But I didn't really like his game on the Gamecube, and I never played any of his other games because of that. But I figured his jump to 2D platforming would be a good opportunity to give him another shot! And I'm glad I did, because it came with an awesome Chibi-Robo amiibo! Oh, and also because the game is pretty fun. But mostly the amiibo.

8. Mortal Kombat X ; Since I don't pay for PSN+, I didn't play this game online at all. However, between the story mode and going to tournaments, I got plenty of play out of it. It doesn't break the mold of fighting games, but it's a solid entry, and probably the best MK yet as far as gameplay is concerned.

 

[Crash Station]

Games banned on Gaf are eligible? I see them in the doc.

 

[jesu]

It happens multiple times

It doesn't really.

Witcher3 = very little dungeons.

 

[LinkMaster111]

1. Fallout 4 ; This game matched or exceeded pretty much every expectation I had, I absolutely loved it.
2. Bloodborne ; I wasn't quite sure what to expect given that I had never played a Souls game, but when I finally dug into Bloodborne I was not disappointed. I especially loved the incredible art direction.
3. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; MGSV seriously gets way too much hate for a game that was almost universally praised when it came out. While the story is lacking, the gameplay makes Phantom Pain the most fun Metal Gear to play.
4. Super Mario Maker ; I love Super Mario Maker more in concept than I do as a game. It does what it sets out to do very well, but I personally can never get into the creation aspects of games. The fact that there just isn't that much content beyond what is generated by users knocked it down a little for me.
5. Batman: Arkham Knight ; This is another game that gets way too much hate. I liked the vast majority of the game, but the only part people want to talk about is the terrible tank parts.
6. Rare Replay ; It's hard not to love Rare Replay, it's an incredible package of games at a great price. Obviously there are a bunch of duds, but the fact that you get classic games like Banjo-Kazooie/Tooie, Conker, Blast Corp, etc. more than makes up for it.
7. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D ; I've always maintained that Majora's Mask is the worst 3D Zelda game and replaying it on the 3DS did not change that opinion. It's still a great game overall, but man does this game get massively overrated.
8. Yoshi's Woolly World ; Woolly World is a solid yet unspectacular platformer. It's definitely not of the same quality of a game like Yoshi's Island, but it's fun and charming.
9. Splatoon ; Splatoon is a game I wanted to love but I just end up frustrated half the time I play it. The concept is awesome but there are just a bunch of small, annoying aspects that hurt the overall experience.
10. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; To be honest, I just haven't played this game enough to render a full verdict. I like what I've seen though so it deserves a spot on the list somewhere.

 

[timetokill]

this is going to have to be a distinction made to timetokill/cheesemeister because without a description somewhere i don't know if they'll know the difference.

i'm definitely counting the wii version as its own thing, but it really needs to be separated out from the wii u/3ds version.

So the U/3DS versions are the same?
And the Wii is unique?

 

[Tizoc]

So the U/3DS versions are the same?
And the Wii is unique?

Yup wii u ver is based on the 3ds version

 

[bathsalts]

1. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; An absurd amount of quality content, there has not been a game this packed with not bloat but actual meaningful writing and characters since Baldurs Gate 2.
2. Underrail ;
3. Pillars of Eternity ;
4. Dirt Rally ;
5. Undertale ;
6. Ori and the Blind Forest ;
7. Contradiction - Spot the Liar! ;
8. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege ;
9. Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide ;
10. Life is Strange ;

 

[timetokill]

Games banned on Gaf are eligible? I see them in the doc.

Which?

Yup wii u ver is based on the 3ds version

Great, thanks.

 

[Alo0oy]

1. Bloodborne ; Over 1k hours spent on the game and counting, I'm still playing it.
2. Bloodborne: The Old Hunters ; From software continues their trend of the DLC being better than the main campaign.
3. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain ; Story sucks, but this game is the best playing shooter ever so it deserves some recognition.
4. Until Dawn ;
5. Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin ;
6. Rocket League ;
7. Marvel Future Fight ;
8. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 ;

 

[Crash Station]

So the U/3DS versions are the same?
And the Wii is unique?

Yes, the Wii version is an action game and the version Yuji Naka worked on and recommends people play. The 3DS version is more of an adventure game and has been critically panned. The Wii U version is a port of the 3DS version.

 

[HORRORSHØW]

1. Bloodborne; no engendering passivity here.
2. Until Dawn; the only game my girlfriend also enjoyed.

 

[True Fire]

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The most beautiful game I have ever had the pleasure of playing. The writing and voice acting are also impeccable, and the world building and characterization of NPCs is beyond what I have ever seen in video games.

2. Bloodborne
As a fan of atmospheric games, Bloodborne is absolute heaven (in a hellish package). The soundtrack deserves a special shoutout, as every boss fight sounds like a final boss battle, and the music does wonders for the gothic aesthetic.

3. Life is Strange
Episodic done right. Life is Strange has an amazing realistic quality to it that really immersed you in the story. There were a few missteps along the way and the writing may have been a bit try-hard, but the game has set the bar for episodic games very high.

These are the three games that really surpassed my expectations. Other games, while not bad (Arkham Knight was incredible and Fallout 4 was a time sink) did not really stand out in the way these three games did.

 

[RK128]

My list is the following:
1) Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D; As one of my favorite games of all time, it getting such a great remake is amazing to me . Graphical updates that still look faithful to the original, touch screen support making mask swapping easier and the new song of double time works wonderfully. Overall a great update to an utter classic.

2) Shovel Knight PS Vita; This was such a great ride. Retro game that mixes Ducktails, Mega Man and Zelda 2 into one? Talk about a winner ! From tight level design, creative special items and some great humor (not to mention the great Plauge Knight expansion!), the game is one of the years best.

3) Splatoon; Never played this but I have to talk about it. The game is a Nintendo shooter that works wonderfully mixing platforming, navigation and shooting; all the while being kid-friendly and shying away from blood/gore. The game having a single player that is solid and with Amiibo, unlocks more content within it was also a big plus too. Nintendo supporting the game so much these past few months has done a lot in making the game something any Wii U owner can come back to and do something new.

4) Bastion; Really fun action/rpg game. Got it only a few weeks ago but I really love the game so far. Between having a strong story, some solid mechanics, and mixing exploration and combat makes the game a really strong title.

5) Tearaway Unfolded; Another game I didn't play but dammit more people should X(. I would of gotten this if I had a PS4 but I do not have one yet, so its was heartbreaking seeing this amazing game bomb again on PS4. From really great visuals, solid level design, strong adaption to the DS4 features and a soundtrack that is one of the years best, this is a great platformer that every PS4 owner should own. The Vita original was my 2013 game of the year and I really hope its PS4 owners' game of the year this year.

 

[Crash Station]

Which?

Criminal Girls and Dungeon Travelers.

I mean they're not going to win or even get a mention in any of the compiled lists, but I know there will be a few people that vote for them.

Edit: Though they could end up in the top 5 or 10 Vita games. If it's just listed, I don't see the harm though, but I'm not making the rules.

 

[billy beane]

I played very, very few games this year that released in 2015. I played very few games this year period. It's kinda sad to think about, because I used to be able to put a whole ballot out for these. But what can I say I'm a busy man. Anyways, there was one game from 2015 that I played enough to feel comfortable giving a vote to, and it's a game I doubt will get a lot of love so I figured I'd give it a good word.

1. Downwell ; Brilliant little game. Normally I'm not a big mobile game fan, but Downwell is different. It's really well made, the mechanics are really simple to learn, but the game itself has a lot of depth. It's challenging, but I never felt like the game was cheap. It controls great, and I also think it looks and sounds great. It's like a Game Boy game made in 2015. Everything about this game reminds me of the Game Boy. Playing it reminds me of playing games like Tetris and Link's Awakening. It's a game that's really opened my eyes to what games on iOS can be, and it's a game I'd highly recommend to anyone, even people who don't like mobile games. I think it's on Windows too, so if you're completely against mobile games then try it out there, the mechanics probably fit very nicely on a keyboard. But this is mobile gaming perfection, just one of those games you can pick up and play for five minutes, but it's also a deep and well designed package. (Also no microtransations, just pay once and that's it.)

Maybe if I get around to getting a new console next year my list will be bigger.

 

[Jachaos]

1. Splatoon ; One of the freshest games in year, the third-person shooter was brought to a whole new level with the gameplay polish Nintendo is known for. Scoring by splatting the most territory means that everyone can get in on the fun and put up points while the movement and multitude of strategies on offer make for a deep game with potential for skilled players to thrive. The way the movement and scoring blend together is genius.

2. Steins;Gate ; One of the best narrative games to come out this year, this also features my favourite protagonist in a while. A very well made, deep one with lots of character development. The music is good and the plot is well thought out (though it does suffer from a real slow start). The interaction is minimal but it's there, it got me into a surprising ending.

3. Life Is Strange ; Another great narrative game, amazing soundtrack, great artstyle, good story and characters, voice acting was nice but most of all, the gameplay was surprisingly decent. The investigation puzzle made me think and it was one of the best gameplay parts in a narrative game out there. The choices you made had the world feel organic too. Overall, one of my favourites this year.

4. Rocket League ; Great, great gameplay. Simply solid replayability and good fun. The soundtrack and visuals supported it well and this game felt like the real deal from the get-go.

5. Yakuza 5 ; I hadn't even played Yakuza 4 before this year but I'll throw that one as an old release. Yakuza 5 however is new here and is a great game too. I'm not done with it yet but I feel comfortable having it round out my top 5. I don't have many games in mind that I played this year that blew me away - well, I do, but most have come out in years past (Virtue's Last Reward, Catherine, etc.).

 

[etta]

1. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; Absolutely incredible characters, storytelling and world.
2. Life is Strange ; Incredible storytelling and characters, atmosphere.
3. Batman: Arkham Knight ; Gotham felt very authentic with an epic presentation, campaign and mechanics were very good.
4. Grand Theft Auto V; The world Rockstar built is fantastic, gameplay is solid, and online is something fresh and incredibly fun to play with friends.
5. Halo 5: Guardians ; Disappointing campaign, but incredible multiplayer.
6. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; Gameplay is amazing, characters and storytelling are pretty good.
7. Fallout 4 ; World is very rich in detail and feels immersive.
8. FIFA 16 ; Much needed improvement and refinement in gameplay over last year's.
9. Forza Motorsport 6 ; My favourite non-Forza Horizon 2 racing game.
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops III ; Very fun multiplayer.

 

[Field]

1. Bloodborne ; So dark and beautiful
2. Resident Evil Remaster

 

[KevinCow]

5) Assasin's Creed Chronicles: China ;

I thought I was going to be the only one with this on my list!

 

[Wagram]

1. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; It’s quite rare that a series improves with each new entry. I’m dumbfounded that my favorite male and female protagonist exist in the same universe. CDPR has created a world with likable characters, a rich story, superb music, insane value, and quite possibly the best writing in video games. It’s not perfect, but nothing is. Take a bow CDPR because you’ve earned it.

2. Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin ; This is without a doubt the funnest experience i’ve had this year. However, it is a re-release of a 2014 game with updates and alterations. I don’t believe it would be fair to honor the same game twice, especially when Witcher 3 was so damn good.

3. Bloodborne ; Miyazaki has proven once more that he is a master at creating a universe that you want to explore endlessly. The tight combat makes Bloodborne extremely fun to play, but there are more components to what I want in a Miyazaki “Souls like” experience. If it didn’t feel like a stripped down Souls with less challenge, content, variety, and value then it would have been higher. If the main game was The Old Hunters for the entire experience it would have been by far and away GOTY.

4. Telltalle's Game of Thrones ; This one surprised me to be completely honest. It could have been a miserable failure, but Telltale seems to have captured everything I like about Game of Thrones. Everything from the cast to the ending of the first season felt right, and I can’t wait for Season 2.

5. Final Fantasy Type-0 HD ; Type-0 offers a very interesting take on Final Fantasy due to being a much darker and more mature experience. I liked the overall story and the cast of characters. There definitely needs to be improvements as it is quite clear the PSP held the overall experience back in areas. However, i’m very excited to see what they do with a console sequel.

6. Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward ; (story review only) Quite possibly the best Final Fantasy storyline since X. Everything felt right, and I couldn’t wait to see what was next as I was playing it. However, it’s a shame that the story and music is pretty much the only reason to play FFXIV at this point.

7. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; Without a doubt the absolute best core gameplay experience the Metal Gear franchise has ever had. Controls felt tight and the FOX engine was extremely well done. I would have rated it higher, but there was some development decisions made that makes the overall experience feel like an excellent stealth game, but a bad Metal Gear Solid.

8. The Order: 1886 ; Interesting experience with very nice graphics, animations and an interesting story. However, it's very short, the walking is annoying, and the sequel bait ending are quite negative marks. I would like a sequel. It's not a bad $20 game.

9. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; This RPG is extremely divisive at times and has absolutely no idea what it wants to be. The main storyline is very well done with likable characters, and I can’t wait to see what the extremely obvious sequel does to follow it up. However, this is the perfect game that exemplifies the quantity over quality approach and I hope that with the sequel that Monolith returns to their roots and tells a story with a decent presentation once more. Enough of the 400 boring fucking sidequests.

10. Celestian Tales Old North ; Not a bad experience for a low budget RPG. I’m up for a sequel, but it does need improvements if it wants to climb higher on these types of lists.

Admittedly, I haven’t gotten to everything in my backlog thus far so that means titles like Until Dawn haven’t earned a place in my rankings as of yet.

Honorable mention: This isn't a 2015 game, and I know it will not be counted, but fuck man was Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time awesome. If the folks at Sanzaru ever see this take a bow because you made the perfect Sly game.

 

[Jigorath]

1. The Witcher 3 ; A massive AAA RPG with a great story, writing, and characters? Those don't get made very often.

2. Bloodborne ; This could have been number one any other year. Masterful level design, great art style, and a fantastic combat system. Not to mention some really well done lore with a mix of both gothic and cosmic horror.

3. Until Dawn ; It's like a David Cage game... but actually good.

4. Pillars of Eternity ; A wonderful throwback to classic Infinity Engine era RPGs.

5. Batman: Arkham Knight ; I don't care what anyone says, this game was a blast. And I liked the Batmobile.

6. Wolfenstein: The Old Blood ; The grandaddy of the FPS embarrassed everyone else again this year. Not a ton of changes from The New Order, but you don't fix what ain't broke.

7. Life is Strange ; It's like a Telltale game... but actually works.

8. Rocket League ; This game was made for GIFs.

9. Mad Max ; Held back a little by the Ubisoft style open world, but it does a good job of letting you live like Max. I'd only recommend it to fans of movies though.

10. Bastion ; I know this came out forever ago, but it only released for Vita a few weeks back, and that's when I finally played it. One of the better indie games I've gone through.

 

[Hypron]

1. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; Brilliant game, I'm just in love with it. The character interactions, story, world, music, art direction and graphics are just phenomenal. The combat isn't as good but it's still enjoyable and doesn't take away from the experience. I wasn't expecting to like Gwent but it turns out I'm loving that too. Just a thoroughly entertaining game.

2. Bloodborne ; Great combat, bosses, atmosphere, music, art direction. I love the way the game world changes as the game goes along too. Some performance issues but nothing too major.

3. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; Absolutely sublime gameplay and some scraps of brilliance in some story missions (e.g. mission 43). Brought down by a sorely lacking story and one of the worst female characters that I had the occasion of seeing in a videogame.

4. Until Dawn ; Great interactive movie. Playing that with my brothers was a great experience. The writing nails the type of movie feel they were going for and the game surprised me on several instances.

5. Transformers: Devastation ; Enjoyable game with good combat brought down by a lack of environment variety and tacked on levelling and loot systems.

6. The Order 1887 ; Great graphics, animations and voice acting. The weapons also feel powerful and shooting them was quite fun. Shame that the game barely gave you the time to play with them. Story also ends in an unsatisfactory place.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

I haven't played many games this year, but from what I have played I'd rank them as follows:

1. Splatoon ; Incredibly fun and addictive game. I love the visuals, the soundtrack, and the gyro controls. Also features one of this gen's most memorable final bosses.

2. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

3. The Talos Principle

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Man I spent near 200 on a few titles from 2015 (and more than that on at least one), but I don't even feel like making a list this year. I don't have an underdog to root for other than Pillars but I wouldn't put it on top of some of the AAA this year, even Undertale is a favorite and I don't consider TALOS a 2015 game.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Bloodborne is one of the finest games I’ve ever played. I’ve always enjoyed the Souls series, though it could be argued that the series’ style may have been wearing a bit thin since the release of Dark Souls II. Simply put, Bloodborne is the shot in the arm that I wanted from the series. Shields are traded for an improved dash mechanic, and enemies are generally more aggressive. This creates a new dynamic facilitating Miyazaki’s intention of “truly perilous combat” – a phrase he noted at his PSX 2014 panel as a primary design goal. Every hit can feel like life or death, and the Souls series’ trademark damage increase when being struck during recovery for an action, such as dodging, forcing players to quickly but carefully plan and execute their moves in the face of often-unrelenting enemies. Dodging to weave in and out of a boss' attack range, while dealing damage that will inevitably bring them to their next, even more deadly phase (also a Souls first) feels both graceful and harrowing. Additionally, basic melee combat is greatly upgraded over past games with tremendous feedback. Blood gratuitously sprays from stricken enemies, and hit sounds are sharper and meatier than ever before. “Thrilling” is an apt word to describe Bloodborne’s combat experience, and that isn’t a feeling I often receive from games.

Bloodborne also evolves the Souls games’ concept of weapons, with the implementation of two-in-one trick weapons. On a surface level, trick weapons already succeed at delighting the player with their snappy and satisfying transform animations that beg to be spammed during downtime – the modern Halo: CE pistol draw animation, if you will. In combat, however, effectively having two distinct weapons to choose from at any time that can also combo into each other at the press of a button increases tactical depth and the possibility for player expression. A flogging cane that transforms into a serrated whip is already neat, but seamlessly transitioning between those two forms in a bloodletting ballet of death makes for a stunning display of style. Now imagine doing the same with a longsword that slots in to become the handle of a sadistically-crude hammer, or a curved sword that becomes the blade of a giant scythe. Acting as a far-cry from games in the Souls series, Bloodborne's combat is almost as fun to watch as it is to play.

My favorite addition to Bloodborne’s combat system is the visceral attack – performed after parrying an enemy by interrupting their attack with an offhand firearm. After parrying the enemy, the player can perform a gruesome visceral attack, effectively ripping the enemy’s chest out with appropriate sound and blood effects for massive damage. It’s digital crack, and as someone who never parried in previous Souls games, I can say with a high degree of certainty that this is my favorite new system in Bloodborne, and one of my favorite mechanics to use in any action game. The dangerous-but-rewarding parry system melds with the brutally-stylish trick weapons to create one of my favorite combat experiences in any game.

Level design has always been a strong aspect of the Souls series, and Bloodborne delivers what I consider to be some of the series’ best. The world, while mostly interconnected, doesn’t emphasize that aspect with frequent backtracking like in Dark Souls. However, I would suggest that the individual area design is improved over Dark Souls, and stands alongside, or slightly above Demon’s Souls. Souls logic dictates that there will be shortcuts, and finding them feels like finding out Net Wrecker finished a video game in 2015 – it just warms your heart. Central Yharnam might be my favorite 3D level since Metroid Prime 2’s Sanctuary Fortress, with seemingly-endless secrets, shortcuts, and vistas of both previous areas and areas to come. Forbidden Woods is a forest that actually feels like a damn forest for once in a video game, with a very wide layout and multiple intersecting “lanes” that force the player to traverse and either re-traverse, or traverse backwards to find everything. Of course, the critical path is signposted with glowing lanterns, should the player feel lost. Cathedral Ward is unassuming at first, but eventually reveals its seedy underbelly as an additional layer, while Nightmare Frontier involves one of the few mostly-natural environments consisting of poison swamps and caves. For the first time in the series since Demon’s Souls, I feel like I could make an argument for nearly every level in the game being a winner.

Many levels also feel distinct through their encounter design. Central Yharnam focuses on mob-like encounter design, often pitting the player against groups of villagers and occasionally their attack dogs. Nightmare Frontier often relies on deformed giants with a penchant for rock throwing to keep the player moving, while Forbidden Woods contains a number of traps for the player to avoid, including pressure-activated spiked logs, covered pits, and oil-throwing enemies. Yahar’gul encourages the player to quickly dispatch, or outright avoid infinitely-spawning minions in favor of killing the bell-ringing women that resurrect them. Old Yharnam requires the player to move from cover to cover to avoid a hair of gatling gun fire, and later Nightmare of Mensis pulls a similar trick with the gaze of an eldritch horror that affects players and enemies indiscriminately. Upper Cathedral Ward contains a relatively-small number of enemies, but places those enemies in such a way that nearly every encounter is an ambush. Bloodborne’s variation in both level and encounter design help keep the experience fresh over 20+ hours.

Aesthetically, Bloodborne is a stunning achievement. The unhinged laughter and screams of demented Yharnamites bring life, however twisted, to Central Yharnam. The roofs of Yharnam’s Gothic Victorian architecture point towards the sky, perhaps reflecting the world’s tendency to look to the cosmos above. Seemingly randomly-placed statues become more distorted and twisted in later game areas - mirroring the increasingly more bizarre horrors faced by the player...even if you don't consciously notice them, your brain did. An act as simple as pushing open an iron gate is made impactful through the use of heavy sound design. Simply picking up an item is met with a sharp, satisfying sound. Enemies verbally curse the player, suggesting that we may not be the hero in this world. Short, often ambiguous lines of dialogue from characters such as Micolash and Father Gascoigne are delivered in a memorable way. An enemy as laughable as a crow with its wings clipped turns into a startling foe once it begins barking like some kind of demonic hellhound. The game’s aesthetics expertly convey the mood of each area, from the frozen wastes of Cainhurst Castle, to the gnarled trees, fog, and the Soothing Hymn of Upper Cathedral Ward, to the ominous moon watching over Byrgenwerth, and many areas in the game world past the halfway point are like nothing else I’ve seen. The soundtrack also stands out; boss themes range from intensity of Father Gascoigne’s second form, to the creepiness of the Witch of Hemwick, to the finality of Gehrman’s theme. I just can’t get enough of how Bloodborne looks and sounds – a murder of crows cawing and flying away past twisted trees after opening the gate to Hemwick, the chanting and droning as the player approaches The One Reborn…Bloodborne’s aesthetics are probably 90% of why I play it. A master class.

The game’s presentation of its story and lore, along with the other games in the series, has been contentious. I like to think of the series as having a sort of detective metagame, where the player is tasked with piecing together information from various scraps of written evidence. On this level, Bloodborne’s lore, while more ambiguous than in past games, satisfied me on a similar level. However, I find the content of Bloodborne’s tale to be the most gripping yet. The game successfully weaves together Van Helsing-style Gothic Victorian beast hunting with horrific Lovecraftian elements that raise both questions and provoke constant tension. Elements such as the Madman’s Knowledge item granting Insight, which in turn causes Frenzy (insanity) is a wonderful blend of mechanics and storytelling. Bloodborne’s lore is not conclusive, especially as it concerns the “Great Ones”, but it captivated me while playing, and I continue to think about it as time passes.

I should mention that the game isn’t perfect. The chalice dungeons don’t quite come into their own, though the lower depth dungeons contain some of the game’s toughest challenges, and can be enjoyable as a result. Load times were abysmal at launch, but have since been fixed to what I could consider an acceptable length. The blood vial system will punish players that neglect stocking up on them from the in-game store, and may require grinding for them as a result if the player runs out. Many NPC storylines also don’t resolve in a satisfying way. Winter Lanterns can also lead to some cheap deaths if the player is packing a significant amount of Insight, though while the description for Insight on the character stat screen indicates that it induces Frenzy, most players probably won’t notice this (I certainly didn’t). Most of these flaws didn’t take away from my overall experience, though they should be mentioned.

Regardless if it’s allowed to factor into my evaluation of the base game, I want to mention The Old Hunters expansion as an excellent piece of DLC. Five bosses are fought in the expansion, and I would say three of them are excellent, while the other two are at least average. The level design across the three areas lives up to the main game, and the final area in particular contains a heavy sense of atmosphere that competes with the series’ best. It took me about six hours to see everything. The expansion should absolutely be required playing for anyone who owns and enjoys the base game.

Overall, I believe the game presents a masterful, perilous combat experience wrapped in expert art, sound, and level design. The game is cohesive at all times, and does not relent in its effort to terrorize the player. It’s also one of my favorite games ever. I have about four and a half playthroughs completed, and I’d love to go back and try a new trick weapon or a new stat allocation. Finally, I want to throw a quick shout-out to the game’s pacing - it’s fluid as hell and there are no forced walk sequences or unskippable cutscenes or any of that kind of thing. The game is just a joy to play and replay. And I’m glad to have played it.

The sky and the cosmos are one

Spoiler

edit - shit, posted unfinished and now no one will see it, oh well boys

Don't really feel compelled to write much for other games this year. The gap between my number one and everything else is pretty huge. Though I'll list them since I think they deserve some recognition:

1. Bloodborne ; Bloodborne is truly perfect. If you do not get this amazing new generation of From Software madness, you are stupid. Yes, I know. That's insulting, but it's also the truth.
2. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; Top class stealth-action gameplay hampered by an empty open world, limp story, and abysmal gameflow unless you collect shipping invoices, which I didn't even discover until after I was 30 hours in. Still the top stealth gameplay around.
3. Batman: Arkham Knight ; Incredible presentation with the camera doing shit like I've never seen before. Also a limp story and a few too many Batmobile tank combat sections. Predator and freeflow encounters are at their best.
4. Fallout 4 ; Useful and immersive as an exploration sim, but the gunplay doesn't hold up for me. I also dislike most of the writing and story beats.
5. Star Wars: Battlefront ; This is the only game this year that lets me perform psycho crushers as Sheev Palpatine while creepily saying "do it" over the mic in the appropriate context. I also enjoy ramming the Slave I as the Millennium Falcon.
6. Yoshi's Woolly World ; Lovingly crafted 2D platforming action. Excellent level design, barring some questionable collectable placements. Outstanding music as well.
7. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 ; Multiplayer carries this package to number 7 for me. Fantastic gun balance, map design, and traversal make this one of the best CoD multiplayer suites overall.
8. Transformers: Devastation ; Insanely stylish graphics pared with fast, fluid Platinum combat and some rockin' tunes. If only it were longer and more varied...
9. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number ; This game trades out the frenetic melee action of the original game for a more tactical, gun-focused approach. Sporting more content and a better soundtrack (imo) than the first game, I found it to be an enjoyable overall package.
10. Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist ; It's an assload of duels from the anime with a not-busted system for unlocking more cards. Simple in concept, but fun and deep in execution. I'm also a Yu-Gi-Oh stan

 

[The Lone Courier]

WIP

1. Grand Theft Auto 5; Still remains my game of the year for the 3rd consecutive year. Great open world, amazing attention to detail.
2. NBA 2K16 ; The pinnacle of what modern sports games should be. In-depth offline modes, numerous online modes. Captures the game of basketball.
3. Cities Skylines ; A great city builder, and the inclusion of in shop mods breathes new life into the game.
4. Dying Light ; Bar none the best zombie game to date. Maneuverability, gun-play, and open world design are top notch.
5. Rocket League ; A charming simple fun little game.
6. Battlefield Hardline ; Spectacular set pieces, multiple approaches are what made BFH one of the best FPS of the year.
7. Witcher 3 ; Fantastic writing, suspenseful combat and an interesting open world.

 

[fargofallout]

When I first started compiling my list for 2014, I was supremely bummed by that year's games. Looking back on it now, I think I was mostly dismayed that Dragon Age: Inquisition was winning so many awards, and until I finished South Park: The Stick of Truth, I didn't have any clear winner for my list.

I feel completely the opposite this year. I could take my top five games, put them in a hat, draw them out one at a time, and be happy with the order in which they came out. I want all five of these games to be my number one. I also suspect I may come back to this and edit the order a bit, but as of now, this is how I feel.

1. N++ ; I don't quite know how to explain my love for this game. I could say Super Meat Boy is one of my favorite games ever, and that sort of explains it - both games are 2D platformers, have a very fast respawn, have fantastic soundtracks, don't interrupt the music when you die, are comprised of rather short levels, have a relatively simplistic (but great!) art style, and are games with a similar type of challenge.

N++ is a more expansive game than Super Meat Boy, though. When you first start the game and see the grid of levels, you may think to yourself "wow, there are a lot of levels." Then you start playing, and every once in a while, you encounter something that makes you think there is more to the game than you are aware of. Maybe it's a random switch you find in the corner of a room that turns on an elaborate laser trap, which makes the level both waaaaaaay harder, but also unnecessarily harder. You may say to yourself "why is that switch there?"

Finally, after either playing the game for way longer than you should have, or after doing a little bit of research, you realize the crazy depth and replayability of the game. You realize that a) you probably aren't good enough to complete everything in the game, and b) if you decided to try anyway, it would probably take 500 hours to do so.

In some alternate universe, I have the time to try to do everything in this game. I sort of wish I was in that universe, because the more I play this game, the more I appreciate how well-designed each level is - especially when you start considering the alternate ways to complete each level. I'm simply astonished by how much they managed to cram into such an innocuous package.

2. Fallout 4 ; Fallout 3 was a revelation for me. I hadn't played Oblivion or Morrowind at the time, and the freedom and depth offered by the game were things I had never encountered.

Fallout 4 is basically the same thing. I don't know how much more I need to say - it has improved in a bunch of small ways, but if you didn't like Fallout 3, I doubt you'll like Fallout 4. If you enjoyed Fallout 3, you'll probably enjoy Fallout 4. There's something about the game that just sucks up my time. I got to an ending about a month after it came out, and I somehow put a hair over 100 hours into it. That 100 hours equates to over three hours per day, which seems impossible. I like it a lot.

3. Ori and the Blind Forest ; This game comes across as the well-drawn and well-animated indie game du jour, but it's so much more than that.

First, it's exceptionally beautiful. Second, the music is generally great and fits whatever situation you find yourself in. Third, it's a Metroid-ish 2D game. Finally, it's a legit platformer - not quite Super Meat Boy hard or anything, but way more difficult than your typical game in this genre.

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ; This game. Good god, this game.

When I learned The Witcher 3 was going to be more of an open world game than The Witcher 2 was, I was worried. My enjoyment of The Witcher 2 came from the combat and the storytelling, and I thought plopping the same sensibilities into an open world would dilute the game. I had faith it would be fun, but I assumed they'd lose something.

Nearly 100 hours later, my fears were completely put to rest. Ignoring the combat and the main story (both of which were thoroughly enjoyable), I appreciate this game for the crazy scope of it. And I don't just mean the size of the world when I say "scope" - I also mean the work that went into all of the side quests and the detail of the world. I didn't do a single quest that felt like a filler quest, and that is simply amazing to me. This game sets an impossibly high bar for future open world RPGs - imagining a game like Dragon Age: Inquisition coming out after The Witcher 3 makes me chuckle.

5. Bloodborne ; This game is getting a lot of love on a lot of lists here. I don't have much else to add - Dark Souls was one of those revelatory sorts of experiences for me, so Bloodborne was inherently slightly less impressive, but still a wonderful experience. It created such a bleak world that felt oppressive, and kept me wondering what was going to be around the next corner to kill me.

6. Axiom Verge ; It's tempting to dismiss a game such as this as just another pixel-y 2D Metroid-ish game, but if the game is done well, I don't care. And this game is done exceptionally well, from the music to the slight twist on the items/weapons hidden throughout the game. I had a blast with it, and the only reason it isn't in my top five is because of how strongly I feel about each of those. If this had come out last year, it may have been in my top three.

7. Crypt of the Necrodancer ; I haven't gotten as far in this game as I would like - I got to world 3, at which point I hit a wall, and I started getting into other games. I've gone back every once in a while, but I haven't dug in as much as I did when I first started.

As for the game, you can compare it to Spelunky in the broadest sense - both games consist of levels that are grouped into worlds, and you can start in a world past world 1 if you'd like (but Crypt of the Necrodancer doesn't require anything special to unlock these shortcuts). Both games start you from scratch each time you begin a run. Both games have item shops and random items throughout the levels, and finding/buying the right items can make a huge difference in how successful your run is.

As I said, though - it's the broadest structures of the games that are similar. Whereas Spelunky is a straightforward 2D platformer, Crypt of the Necrodancer is a game where you explore a dungeon, moving to the beat of the awesome music. Your attacks are based on getting within range of enemies, and then getting out of range before they attack you. I've never played anything quite like it, which is probably part of the reason I'm not very good at it.

8. Nuclear Throne ; The more I play this game, the more I like it. I had been waiting for it to leave early access to pick it up, and the Playstation release was a surprise to me. I suspect I would enjoy it more with a mouse and keyboard, but the crossbuy PS4/Vita was too good a deal to pass up.

I can't quite put into words what I like about it just yet, though. The game is challenging in a fun way, and I suspect there are secrets to find, similar to the secrets in a game like Spelunky.

9. Halo 5 ; I'm torn about this game. On the one hand, I think the story is pretty meh (but way better than 4) and the repeating boss is the lamest thing in any Halo game I have played. But on the other hand, it plays like a Halo game, which I prefer above any other shooter out there (with the possible exception of Destiny).

I don't envy 343 and a) their impossible task of pleasing Halo fans while also trying to bring in new people, and b) their bleak future where they either make Halo games until the end of time, or until the franchise sinks and Microsoft lays everyone off.

10. Yoshi's Woolly World ; I include this game almost solely because of how charming it is. The game isn't particularly difficult (although I haven't finished it yet, so there might be some Mario-ish twist where completing the first set of worlds opens up a new set), but the yarn aesthetic makes it one of the best-looking games I have ever seen. The consistency of the art style and the attention to detail is simply remarkable.

X. Super Mario Maker ; I can't quite put this game into my top ten - I've played a fair amount of it, but I enjoy games with a bit more structure and more well-defined goals. That being said, I respect the hell out of this game, and if I was the sort of person that had ideas for levels, this would very likely be number one. There's a lot they could add to this game to make it even more amazing, but the current package is a lot of bang for your buck.

Old game of the year (formerly LTTP). Sunset Overdrive ; When I reflect on how negative I felt about 2014, I have to keep in mind that I didn't play Sunset Overdrive until this year. It would have absolutely been number one if I'd played it, and I probably would have been more positive on the year overall - there's just something about Insomniac's approach to games that resonates with me. I loved how bright the world was, moving around the world was a blast (once you were comfortable with it), and upgrading and using the guns was a ton of fun. I also could have seen myself really getting into the multiplayer if I'd played it closer to release. I was able to find a fair number of matches, even though I played it six-ish months later.

 

[Chris1]

.

Holy shit

 

[Auto_aim1]

Edit: Thank you Cheese

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ; CDPR's third Witcher game is the best one yet. It's a massive technical accomplishment on the PC and consoles. Well written quests, great characters, lovely OST, and some incredible graphics makes it a treat for any RPG fan.

2. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; One word: Skell. Soaring through Mira in your Skell is an amazing experience. The world is massive and looks stunning at times. While the story is a bit lacking and the gameplay systems are convoluted, it still manages to do a lot of things right. JRPGs usually have a lot of jank, this game does too, but once it clicks say goodbye to 50+ hours of your life.

3. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; Kojima's final MGS game is fantastic. Less cinematics, more gameplay, what more could you want? While, it doesn't quite hit the highs of MGS3 or 4 and is incomplete, there's a lot of thought put into the gameplay systems and that carries the game on its own.

4. Rainbow Six: Siege ; A fantastic team-based shooter designed so well that its kinda impossible to get bored with it. It all boils down to a battle of wits between you and your enemy and once you come out on top, the feeling of satisfaction is incredible.

5. Bloodborne ; A Souls game that requires you to go on the offense by executing precise attacks and dodging by reading enemy movesets perfectly. It's no longer possible to turtle behind a giant shield and poke your enemies to death, and that what makes this game so good. The in-your-face action can be exhilarating sometimes. Not a fan of the DLC because of recycle environments but there were a bunch of good boss fights.

6. Life is Strange ;
7. Rocket League ;
8. Halo 5: Guardians ;
9. Rise of the Tomb Raider ;
10. Batman: Arkham Knight ;

 

[_Clash_]

LOL at that guy helping Bloodborne votes be formatted correctly

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

I wouldn't be surprised to see people linking their youtube reviews now under each entry.

 

[Ridesh]

LOL at that guy helping Bloodborne votes be formatted correctly

Also LOL at the Bloodborne fans only voting for Bloodborne and nothing else.

Guys, it's not that important.