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GAF Games of the Year 2015 - Voting Thread [LAST DAY FOR VOTING]
- Thread starter Cheesemeister
- Start date
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I already made a video for my top 10 of the year just for fun, which you can watch here https://youtu.be/laA-dWXjjsw but I figured I'd post my picks here for posterity and to contribute 
Thanks to the people who have organised this and collate all the votes!
1. Life is Strange ; I was excited for Life is Strange from the very first trailer and holy shit this game delivered in aces. It took me on an emotional rollercoaster, and told such an amazing story. I played the first episode as soon as it came out, but knew I couldn't wait months for the next ep, so waited until they were all out to finish it. It's stuck with me too, there hasn't been a day go by since I finished LiS that I haven't thought about it's stories, it's characters, and the pivotal moments. I can't say enough good things about it, so if you are yet to play it, do yourself a favour and pick it up!
2. Bloodborne ; Goddamn, this was supposed to be my GOTY haha! Bloodborne is insanely good, and there isn't anything to be said that hasn't already been said. This was my favourite game for the whole year until I played through Life is Strange, and the excellent DLC only cemented that with some even better bosses. Insanely good game, robbed from even my personal GOTY awards T_T sorry Bloodborne.
3. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt ; Witcher 3's story alone was good enough to keep me playing for some 70+ hours, including an all nighter which is something I rarely ever do. It's just that good, along with the fantastic Hearts of Stone (which has more content than a lot of full priced games) I can't really say a bad thing about The Witcher 3.... the combat sucks, there you go I said a bad thing about it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an outrageously good game, goddamn Witcher, you were awesome.
4. Until Dawn ; Pure hollywood. This game was everything I wanted and more. It's a better Quantic Dream game that wasn't made by Quantic Dream. The performances were astounding and have led me to other stuff like Mr Robot, and I just loved the game so much.
5. Mad Max ; This one completely side swiped me! Coming out of Fury Road my hype for the Mad Max game was through the roof, and I couldn't wait to play it. I was actually more hyped for it than I was for MGS V. However in the end MGS V won that battle, and I put Mad Max on the back burner. I eventually picked it up during crazy boxing day sales for AU$32, and played it non stop for a whole week. It's insanely addictive, has a beautiful world, and is just an incredibly fun game to play. The story sucked, but the world was so much more interesting. I was amazed at myself that I found Mad Max's wasteland more appealing than Fallouts after having finished both games, given where my hype was at for Fallout. Plus it's damn cool to hear some Aussie accents in video games, even if Max slightly overdid it at times.
6. Tearaway Unfolded ; This game is pure bliss, and if you have a PS4, for gods sake buy it. Even if you have it on Vita, buy it. It's damn near a new game! It just exudes joy and bliss, try playing it and not cracking a massive smile.
7. Wolfenstein: The Old Blood ; Technically I guess it's DLC, but it came on a retail disk, so I'm counting it as a full release, it's meaty enough to count here imo. More of what I loved about The New Order in 2015 with polished controls and graphics, just more of a good thing. I can't wait to see what MachineGames works on next.
8. The Order: 1886 ; I'm one of the few that loved The Order, I've always loved cinematic games though, I also loved Beyond: Two Souls. But what impressed me most about The Order was the level of polish, this game has a mirror sheen, like wow. Insane graphics, no bugs, tight controls, and just ooooof the style is sick, right up my alley. I had one hope for the game storywise to hit, and they totally went there, I loved every moment haha. The shooting felt tight too, it felt really good. You've all seen the GIFs, shooting top hats off feels great, and the combat has a good weight to it. The werewolf encounters sucked, but that's the only part I didn't like. It's just a shame there wasn't more shooting, and more substance overall, but still, top game, one I'll be replaying sometime in the future.
9. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; Holy shit MGS V, wtf. MGS V has THE BEST gameplay out of anything on this list, it's just fucking perfect, but man they fucked up the story, pacing and to me personally the ending of the game. The pacing completely erased the goodwill that I had early on by bringing the game to a grinding fucking halt. The mechanics borrowed from F2P games were nothing but an annoyance too. It's on my list purely for the amazing gameplay and some of the missions. It could have been so much better...
10. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker ; I'm not sure if this is eligible since it's a 2014 game in the US, but where I live it came out in 2015. It's just a gorgeous game, CG like graphics, with cute puzzle platforming. There's not much else to say really.
Honorable Mentions
x. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter ; My first "walking simulator" and it changed my mind about what a game can be. A really special game.
x. Splatoon ; Insanely addictive multiplayer shooter from Nintendo, just awesome.
x. Yo-kai Watch ; It came out too late, and I finished it in 2016, it probably would have been on my list had I finished it in 2015.
x. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; Same as above, although I'm only 20 hours in, this is a really special game.
Thanks!!
Thanks to the people who have organised this and collate all the votes!1. Life is Strange ; I was excited for Life is Strange from the very first trailer and holy shit this game delivered in aces. It took me on an emotional rollercoaster, and told such an amazing story. I played the first episode as soon as it came out, but knew I couldn't wait months for the next ep, so waited until they were all out to finish it. It's stuck with me too, there hasn't been a day go by since I finished LiS that I haven't thought about it's stories, it's characters, and the pivotal moments. I can't say enough good things about it, so if you are yet to play it, do yourself a favour and pick it up!
2. Bloodborne ; Goddamn, this was supposed to be my GOTY haha! Bloodborne is insanely good, and there isn't anything to be said that hasn't already been said. This was my favourite game for the whole year until I played through Life is Strange, and the excellent DLC only cemented that with some even better bosses. Insanely good game, robbed from even my personal GOTY awards T_T sorry Bloodborne.
3. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt ; Witcher 3's story alone was good enough to keep me playing for some 70+ hours, including an all nighter which is something I rarely ever do. It's just that good, along with the fantastic Hearts of Stone (which has more content than a lot of full priced games) I can't really say a bad thing about The Witcher 3.... the combat sucks, there you go I said a bad thing about it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an outrageously good game, goddamn Witcher, you were awesome.
4. Until Dawn ; Pure hollywood. This game was everything I wanted and more. It's a better Quantic Dream game that wasn't made by Quantic Dream. The performances were astounding and have led me to other stuff like Mr Robot, and I just loved the game so much.
5. Mad Max ; This one completely side swiped me! Coming out of Fury Road my hype for the Mad Max game was through the roof, and I couldn't wait to play it. I was actually more hyped for it than I was for MGS V. However in the end MGS V won that battle, and I put Mad Max on the back burner. I eventually picked it up during crazy boxing day sales for AU$32, and played it non stop for a whole week. It's insanely addictive, has a beautiful world, and is just an incredibly fun game to play. The story sucked, but the world was so much more interesting. I was amazed at myself that I found Mad Max's wasteland more appealing than Fallouts after having finished both games, given where my hype was at for Fallout. Plus it's damn cool to hear some Aussie accents in video games, even if Max slightly overdid it at times.
6. Tearaway Unfolded ; This game is pure bliss, and if you have a PS4, for gods sake buy it. Even if you have it on Vita, buy it. It's damn near a new game! It just exudes joy and bliss, try playing it and not cracking a massive smile.
7. Wolfenstein: The Old Blood ; Technically I guess it's DLC, but it came on a retail disk, so I'm counting it as a full release, it's meaty enough to count here imo. More of what I loved about The New Order in 2015 with polished controls and graphics, just more of a good thing. I can't wait to see what MachineGames works on next.
8. The Order: 1886 ; I'm one of the few that loved The Order, I've always loved cinematic games though, I also loved Beyond: Two Souls. But what impressed me most about The Order was the level of polish, this game has a mirror sheen, like wow. Insane graphics, no bugs, tight controls, and just ooooof the style is sick, right up my alley. I had one hope for the game storywise to hit, and they totally went there, I loved every moment haha. The shooting felt tight too, it felt really good. You've all seen the GIFs, shooting top hats off feels great, and the combat has a good weight to it. The werewolf encounters sucked, but that's the only part I didn't like. It's just a shame there wasn't more shooting, and more substance overall, but still, top game, one I'll be replaying sometime in the future.
9. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; Holy shit MGS V, wtf. MGS V has THE BEST gameplay out of anything on this list, it's just fucking perfect, but man they fucked up the story, pacing and to me personally the ending of the game. The pacing completely erased the goodwill that I had early on by bringing the game to a grinding fucking halt. The mechanics borrowed from F2P games were nothing but an annoyance too. It's on my list purely for the amazing gameplay and some of the missions. It could have been so much better...
10. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker ; I'm not sure if this is eligible since it's a 2014 game in the US, but where I live it came out in 2015. It's just a gorgeous game, CG like graphics, with cute puzzle platforming. There's not much else to say really.
Honorable Mentions
x. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter ; My first "walking simulator" and it changed my mind about what a game can be. A really special game.
x. Splatoon ; Insanely addictive multiplayer shooter from Nintendo, just awesome.
x. Yo-kai Watch ; It came out too late, and I finished it in 2016, it probably would have been on my list had I finished it in 2015.
x. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; Same as above, although I'm only 20 hours in, this is a really special game.
Thanks!!
1. Life is Strange; This game took me by surprise and I think I enjoyed it the most of any game this year. It has some issues but they got the feel right and made something wonderful.
2. Bloodborne; This game got me into souls games and helped me understand why people love them so much. It definitely elicits the emotions that FROM intend.
3. Steins Gate; I didn't think I would like this game but it became quite endearing.
4. Her Story; Piecing together the story was great fun. If there was more content or game here I would have rates it higher.
2. Bloodborne; This game got me into souls games and helped me understand why people love them so much. It definitely elicits the emotions that FROM intend.
3. Steins Gate; I didn't think I would like this game but it became quite endearing.
4. Her Story; Piecing together the story was great fun. If there was more content or game here I would have rates it higher.
1. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter ; A wonderfully written JRPG filled with great characters and an amazingly detailed and coherent world. In addition, the combat is a huge step up from first chapter, since it actually provides a good amount of challenge. Easily up there with Persona in terms of characters and writing, as well as one of the best JRPGs of all time. This is a series that fans of JRPGs, especially those clamoring for the return of traditional SNES era JRPGs definitely need to check out, even with its rather slow start. It also features one of the most amazing localizations I've ever seen. Despite the incredible amounts of text, every line feels incredibly well written, and the characters manage to express more personality purely through text than most games manage with actual voice acting.
2. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel ; I was initially skeptical of Cold Steel due to its high school setting and a seeming overabundance of generic anime tropes, especially since I was just coming of Second Chapter. However, Cold Steel managed to greatly surpass my expectations, as the writing still carried the same level of quality and polish that was present in second chapter. The high school setting also carried some unexpected benefits. The Trails series is well known for giving almost every minor NPC their own story, and providing a central location that you kept returning to throughout the game with the school setting made following those stories much easier than in Trails in the Sky. Still, Cold Still wouldn't be as high on this list if it didn't also feature one of the most intense and well executed couple of final hours, as well as a great improvement on the combat system that makes it much more fun to play then Trails in the Sky (as well as much faster). If you've been a fan of the franchise up to this point, this one is definitely well worth playing, despite initial appearances, and I'd personally rate it above Trails in the Sky: First Chapter. The localization, too, is still great, despite being worked on by a different team than Trails in the Sky, and the English dub is one of the best JRPG dubs out there.
3. Sunless Sea ; This is probably the closest a game has come to Planescape: Torment for me, which is quite an achievement considering Torment is essentially one of the best games ever made. Incredibly well written with and insanely original world. It also deserves huge praise for its writing. This days, it seems that people usually equate good writing with lots of text, which is something that I personally feel has rather detracted from some otherwise fantastic RPGs (Shadowrun: Hong Kong being the biggest one, and Pillars of Eternity also suffers from this). On the other hand, Sunless Sea is wondrously minimalist, explaining just enough to fill your mind wonder, while leaving plenty to imagination. Sure, the game has some problems in the gameplay department, mostly to do with the slow movement and having to repeat content after you die thanks to permadeath, but it absolutely nails the exploration aspect, rewarding you for exploring not with loot or experience point, but with stories, and some of the best stories I've seen in a while at that.
4. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; Incredible amount of work has been put into The Witcher 3, resulting in by far the best open world I've had a chance of experiencing, littered with interesting quests, great characters and amazing visuals. Sadly, the game flounders a bit at the end with a very unsatisfying and poorly written conclusions to several important quest lines and character arcs, including the main quest. Still, while the destination might not be the greatest, this is still a journey well worth experiencing.
5. Kerbal Space Program ; A game that makes orbital mechanics and space exploration fun. Rarely are games both educational and fun to play, but Kerbal Space Program manages to achieve excellence in both. Its also incredibly challenging and rewarding in a way few games manage to achieve, since you are not actually fighting or competing against anything but the universe itself. A game that has taught me more about space exploration and orbital physics than anything else out there, as well as one of the shining examples of the early access model, KSP would easily make at least top 3 in most other years, but this year is just incredibly stacked with amazing games, so it'll have to settle for number 5.
6. Undertale ; A charming cast of characters, great gameplay that combines JRPGs with bullet hell shooters and absolutely incredible music. While I don't consider it as amazing as some of its dedicated fans, I still had a lot of fun with it, and it tackles some interesting themes.
7. Pillars of Eternity ; Its no Baldur's Gate 2 or Planescape: Torment, but Pillars of Eternity is still a great infinity engine games with some absolutely incredible moments. Sadly, it just doesn't quite manage to hold up to its predecessors, both from the story and gameplay department, although the bar the old Infinity engine games set is pretty hard to reach. Its well worth playing just for Durance, who is one of the most interesting RPG party members I've seen in a while and in easy standout in an otherwise slightly disappointing cast. Still, this is a good throwback to the good old infinity engine games, and we'll hopefully see more like it in the future that improve on some of the shortcomings.
8. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 - Break Record ; An enhanced remake of one of the greatest games on the DS. Devil Survivor easily holds its own against other more well known SRPGs, such as Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Ogre, and I'd personally easily consider it a much better series than both of those. In fact, I'd even say that the original Devil Survivor is the finest SRPG ever made, with Devil Survivor 2 not far behind. An incredible combination of a developer with a history of games with sublime strategy gameplay that struggled a bit in the story department (Career Soft) with Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei universe, Devil Survivor 2 manages to excel both in gameplay, as well as in the story, art and music department. The only reason this only comes in at number 8 is that it's a remake, and as such it just doesn't feel right to put it above other standout titles that came out this year.
9. Ori and the Blind Forest ; Ori is simply a very beautiful game released this year. An amazing art style, combined with some fun and difficult platforming is enough for me to put it at number 9.
10. DiRT Rally ; A racing game that is actually incredibly fun to play, even as someone who generally doesn't care for the genre. Its lacking a bit in the content department, with a rather limited selection of cars and tracks, but it makes up for it with gameplay that simply feels right.
2. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel ; I was initially skeptical of Cold Steel due to its high school setting and a seeming overabundance of generic anime tropes, especially since I was just coming of Second Chapter. However, Cold Steel managed to greatly surpass my expectations, as the writing still carried the same level of quality and polish that was present in second chapter. The high school setting also carried some unexpected benefits. The Trails series is well known for giving almost every minor NPC their own story, and providing a central location that you kept returning to throughout the game with the school setting made following those stories much easier than in Trails in the Sky. Still, Cold Still wouldn't be as high on this list if it didn't also feature one of the most intense and well executed couple of final hours, as well as a great improvement on the combat system that makes it much more fun to play then Trails in the Sky (as well as much faster). If you've been a fan of the franchise up to this point, this one is definitely well worth playing, despite initial appearances, and I'd personally rate it above Trails in the Sky: First Chapter. The localization, too, is still great, despite being worked on by a different team than Trails in the Sky, and the English dub is one of the best JRPG dubs out there.
3. Sunless Sea ; This is probably the closest a game has come to Planescape: Torment for me, which is quite an achievement considering Torment is essentially one of the best games ever made. Incredibly well written with and insanely original world. It also deserves huge praise for its writing. This days, it seems that people usually equate good writing with lots of text, which is something that I personally feel has rather detracted from some otherwise fantastic RPGs (Shadowrun: Hong Kong being the biggest one, and Pillars of Eternity also suffers from this). On the other hand, Sunless Sea is wondrously minimalist, explaining just enough to fill your mind wonder, while leaving plenty to imagination. Sure, the game has some problems in the gameplay department, mostly to do with the slow movement and having to repeat content after you die thanks to permadeath, but it absolutely nails the exploration aspect, rewarding you for exploring not with loot or experience point, but with stories, and some of the best stories I've seen in a while at that.
4. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; Incredible amount of work has been put into The Witcher 3, resulting in by far the best open world I've had a chance of experiencing, littered with interesting quests, great characters and amazing visuals. Sadly, the game flounders a bit at the end with a very unsatisfying and poorly written conclusions to several important quest lines and character arcs, including the main quest. Still, while the destination might not be the greatest, this is still a journey well worth experiencing.
5. Kerbal Space Program ; A game that makes orbital mechanics and space exploration fun. Rarely are games both educational and fun to play, but Kerbal Space Program manages to achieve excellence in both. Its also incredibly challenging and rewarding in a way few games manage to achieve, since you are not actually fighting or competing against anything but the universe itself. A game that has taught me more about space exploration and orbital physics than anything else out there, as well as one of the shining examples of the early access model, KSP would easily make at least top 3 in most other years, but this year is just incredibly stacked with amazing games, so it'll have to settle for number 5.
6. Undertale ; A charming cast of characters, great gameplay that combines JRPGs with bullet hell shooters and absolutely incredible music. While I don't consider it as amazing as some of its dedicated fans, I still had a lot of fun with it, and it tackles some interesting themes.
7. Pillars of Eternity ; Its no Baldur's Gate 2 or Planescape: Torment, but Pillars of Eternity is still a great infinity engine games with some absolutely incredible moments. Sadly, it just doesn't quite manage to hold up to its predecessors, both from the story and gameplay department, although the bar the old Infinity engine games set is pretty hard to reach. Its well worth playing just for Durance, who is one of the most interesting RPG party members I've seen in a while and in easy standout in an otherwise slightly disappointing cast. Still, this is a good throwback to the good old infinity engine games, and we'll hopefully see more like it in the future that improve on some of the shortcomings.
8. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 - Break Record ; An enhanced remake of one of the greatest games on the DS. Devil Survivor easily holds its own against other more well known SRPGs, such as Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Ogre, and I'd personally easily consider it a much better series than both of those. In fact, I'd even say that the original Devil Survivor is the finest SRPG ever made, with Devil Survivor 2 not far behind. An incredible combination of a developer with a history of games with sublime strategy gameplay that struggled a bit in the story department (Career Soft) with Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei universe, Devil Survivor 2 manages to excel both in gameplay, as well as in the story, art and music department. The only reason this only comes in at number 8 is that it's a remake, and as such it just doesn't feel right to put it above other standout titles that came out this year.
9. Ori and the Blind Forest ; Ori is simply a very beautiful game released this year. An amazing art style, combined with some fun and difficult platforming is enough for me to put it at number 9.
10. DiRT Rally ; A racing game that is actually incredibly fun to play, even as someone who generally doesn't care for the genre. Its lacking a bit in the content department, with a rather limited selection of cars and tracks, but it makes up for it with gameplay that simply feels right.
Vince DiCola
Member
1. Destiny The Taken King. Such an improvement over vanilla in so many ways I scarcely know where to start. Better PvP maps, a satisfying raid, enjoyable story with.. characters! Progression system overhauled for the better, live events good and bad so far, 3 excellent new subclasses and all wrapped and the delicious Destiny gameplay. My GOTY by miles
2. Bloodborne. Dark Souls via Lovecraft, what started as a gothic werewolf horror adventure ends with cosmological head fuckery and mystery abound. Loved almost every second I spent in Yarnham. Sadly, I had to part with my PS4 and so, never got to defeat the last couple of bosses..
That's it for me, I mainly played Destiny this year, had a blast with my clan and other friends. Played a wee bit of Fallout 4 and Battlefront, enjoyed what I've played. Bought Halo 5 and really didn't enjoy my time with it at all which sucks as I've been playing Halo since the first one, sad to say a Halo game disappointed me. First time for that.
2. Bloodborne. Dark Souls via Lovecraft, what started as a gothic werewolf horror adventure ends with cosmological head fuckery and mystery abound. Loved almost every second I spent in Yarnham. Sadly, I had to part with my PS4 and so, never got to defeat the last couple of bosses..
That's it for me, I mainly played Destiny this year, had a blast with my clan and other friends. Played a wee bit of Fallout 4 and Battlefront, enjoyed what I've played. Bought Halo 5 and really didn't enjoy my time with it at all which sucks as I've been playing Halo since the first one, sad to say a Halo game disappointed me. First time for that.
timetokill
Banned
Well, I subtracted 1 point for every "Bloodborne was robbed" post on GAF so it actually has negative points now
Dance Inferno
Unconfirmed Member
4,900 words and I'm halfway done.
i need an editor
I'm at 6,800 words and I still have one last game I'm playing through that I need to do a write-up on. I console myself by putting pretty pictures in the post and hoping it convinces people to read it.
Fbh
Member
Here are my top 5.
Can't put more because I haven't played 2015 games. There were a lot of things going on in my life last year (got my degree, moved to a new country, started a new job) that kept me from playing more games.
Stil
1. Bloodborne ; Game of the gen so far for me. An amazing achievement in gameplay, art direction and level design. FROM had already made one of my favorite combat systems ever with the Souls franchise and somehow they made it even better with Bloodborne. It's like they took the way I play the souls games (dex build focusing on evading) and evolved the combat with those concepts in mind. Combine that with memorable locations, great bosses, awesomely unique weapons and, as allways, a great showing of how to do DLC right and you have my GOTY
2. The Witcher 3 ; I'm not a fan of open world games. To me it has reached a point where the concept has almost become a negative aspect. But the Witcher 3 sold me the concept of open world and recaptured my interest in the genre. It's one of the first modern games that doesn't only have a giant open world but actually has the type of content to justify it. This game has 100+ hours of side content and almost all of it is memorable because of the great writing and attention to details. It doesn't just fill up your map with 100 icons of monsters for you to find and kill but rather tries to tell a new story with each one of them, making them all feel meaningful and unique.
It could have, mabye, even ranked above Bloodborne if the actual gameplay was as good as the stories it tells. But in the end Bloodborne is, to me, still on a whole different tier when it comes to combat and game mechanics
3. Rocket Legue ; I have to admit that this game came out of nowhere for me. I saw some positive reaction to the beta... and then it was suddenly released on Ps+ and I was hooked. Fun concept, great controls and great gameplay that is fun as you learn how to play and only keeps getting better as you start mastering the systems. It's one of those games where my team can be losing 0-5 and I'm still having fun.
I also really appreciate the simplicty of it. I love how, for the most part, all cars are the same and the upgrades are just cosmetic (I'm aware the hitboxes are indeed a bit different but it's not such a big deal). That sort of even, balanced playing ground is something that I have missed in online games ever since loadouts and tons of unlockables started to become the norm
4. Black Ops 3 ; The last game in this franchise that I bought and played was Black Ops 1 back in 2010. I had wanted to go back to this franchise for a while and Black Ops 3 looked like a good place to do so. It's not a incredible game, unlike something like The Witcher 3 or Bloodborne I doubt I will have many memories of this 10 years from now. But in an age of online only, shitty season passes and big AAA multiplayer games being critizied for lacking content I really think Black Ops 3 offers a great complete package. With a solid campaign, fantastic multiplayer, a great zombies mode and tons of extras.
The campaign in particular has surprised me. After reading so many bad comments about it on here I was expecting it to be horrible, but playing it with 2 of my friends has been some of the most fun I've had with a shooter this gen. The story is silly but the gameplay is solid, locations are fun and varied and I actually really like the level design. On a technical level it feels a bit unpolished and some aspect of it are really weak (those turrent sections are really really bad) but overall it's a ton of fun.
5. Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain ; The most dissapointing game of the year, yet it still makes the list. The thing about MGSV is that it's a really great stealth game with fantastic gameplay. But as a Metal Gear, specially the last "real" metal gear ever, it was just a massive dissapointment. Underwhelming story, uderwhelming bosses, a design based around missions which I'm not a fan of, and Farmville inspired unlock mechanis which were already an issue in Peace Walker. As someone who got into MGS because of it's crazy story and conept more than its stealth gameplay, this isn't what I wanted from MGSV. Still, it can't be denied that what it does well it does really really well
Can't put more because I haven't played 2015 games. There were a lot of things going on in my life last year (got my degree, moved to a new country, started a new job) that kept me from playing more games.
Stil
1. Bloodborne ; Game of the gen so far for me. An amazing achievement in gameplay, art direction and level design. FROM had already made one of my favorite combat systems ever with the Souls franchise and somehow they made it even better with Bloodborne. It's like they took the way I play the souls games (dex build focusing on evading) and evolved the combat with those concepts in mind. Combine that with memorable locations, great bosses, awesomely unique weapons and, as allways, a great showing of how to do DLC right and you have my GOTY
2. The Witcher 3 ; I'm not a fan of open world games. To me it has reached a point where the concept has almost become a negative aspect. But the Witcher 3 sold me the concept of open world and recaptured my interest in the genre. It's one of the first modern games that doesn't only have a giant open world but actually has the type of content to justify it. This game has 100+ hours of side content and almost all of it is memorable because of the great writing and attention to details. It doesn't just fill up your map with 100 icons of monsters for you to find and kill but rather tries to tell a new story with each one of them, making them all feel meaningful and unique.
It could have, mabye, even ranked above Bloodborne if the actual gameplay was as good as the stories it tells. But in the end Bloodborne is, to me, still on a whole different tier when it comes to combat and game mechanics
3. Rocket Legue ; I have to admit that this game came out of nowhere for me. I saw some positive reaction to the beta... and then it was suddenly released on Ps+ and I was hooked. Fun concept, great controls and great gameplay that is fun as you learn how to play and only keeps getting better as you start mastering the systems. It's one of those games where my team can be losing 0-5 and I'm still having fun.
I also really appreciate the simplicty of it. I love how, for the most part, all cars are the same and the upgrades are just cosmetic (I'm aware the hitboxes are indeed a bit different but it's not such a big deal). That sort of even, balanced playing ground is something that I have missed in online games ever since loadouts and tons of unlockables started to become the norm
4. Black Ops 3 ; The last game in this franchise that I bought and played was Black Ops 1 back in 2010. I had wanted to go back to this franchise for a while and Black Ops 3 looked like a good place to do so. It's not a incredible game, unlike something like The Witcher 3 or Bloodborne I doubt I will have many memories of this 10 years from now. But in an age of online only, shitty season passes and big AAA multiplayer games being critizied for lacking content I really think Black Ops 3 offers a great complete package. With a solid campaign, fantastic multiplayer, a great zombies mode and tons of extras.
The campaign in particular has surprised me. After reading so many bad comments about it on here I was expecting it to be horrible, but playing it with 2 of my friends has been some of the most fun I've had with a shooter this gen. The story is silly but the gameplay is solid, locations are fun and varied and I actually really like the level design. On a technical level it feels a bit unpolished and some aspect of it are really weak (those turrent sections are really really bad) but overall it's a ton of fun.
5. Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain ; The most dissapointing game of the year, yet it still makes the list. The thing about MGSV is that it's a really great stealth game with fantastic gameplay. But as a Metal Gear, specially the last "real" metal gear ever, it was just a massive dissapointment. Underwhelming story, uderwhelming bosses, a design based around missions which I'm not a fan of, and Farmville inspired unlock mechanis which were already an issue in Peace Walker. As someone who got into MGS because of it's crazy story and conept more than its stealth gameplay, this isn't what I wanted from MGSV. Still, it can't be denied that what it does well it does really really well
generic_username
I switched to an alt account to ditch my embarrassing tag so I could be an embarrassing Naughty Dog fanboy in peace. Ask me anything!
1. Bloodborne ; A macabre masterpiece. Every aspect of the game - from the level, enemy and encounter design to the stunning art style and sublime gameplay just makes this game not just the best game of the year but one of the greatest games ever made. Whenever we look back in video game history from this point on ward, this game will be remembered as one of the few games that truly stands the test of time.
2. Metal Gear Solid V ; The best controlling third person game ever made and one of if not the greatest stealth game ever made. The sheer number of both offensive and defensive options available to the player still boggles my mind. While the story most certainly suffered, the gameplay did not. The game establishes Kojima as a true game design genius.
3. Witcher 3 ; A game so flawed yet so endearing. The combat is truly a low point but I still found myself amazed by the awe inspiring beauty of the world and its deep characters. I loved how the side quests and main quests intertwined to create a cohesive and powerful story where your decisions as a player truly mattered. I abused my PS4 share play button while playing the game because it just looked that damn good. If only it had a better gameplay loop I would have bumped this higher but even now as it stands it is one of the most memorable experiences I have had playing a game in 2015.
Camp Freddie
Member
1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ; A brilliant and immersive game world, with interesting quests. Coupled with a brilliant DLC strategy (free minor items and real expansion packs!) Proof that open world games don't have to be full of meaningless 'ubisoft-game' filler. Makes me embarassed about thinking Dragon Age was GOTY material last year.
2. Until Dawn ; Imagine a Telltale game with AAA production values and you've got Until Dawn. If you've ever found yourself yelling at the screen during a horror movie, this is your chance to teach those spoilt rich kids how to deal with a murderous madman. Supermassive really understand and love the horror genre, which shows. Possibly the only Telltale-style game where you might actively try to get some characters killed.
3. Life is Strange ; While some of the scenes and dialogue go into soap opera territory, it remains a brilliant game. Max is a great protagonist and the time-travelling teen angst plot is pretty unique. The game engine is beautiful, even if it lacks the AAA production values of Until Dawn. This game shows Telltale how their games should be done.
4. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; A great game that fails to get the top spots to the Konami bullshit and poor plot, especially in the second half. Still it's a showcase for how to do an open world shooter, giving players a lot of tools to traverse through the missions. Some of the attention to detail is amazing.
5. Tales from the Borderlands ; To my surprise, this is the best Telltale game since the Walking Dead, arguably the best full stop. I didn't try it until a month ago because I didn't think a story-driven game about Borderlands could possibly work. It does.
6. Rocket League ; Simple yet brilliant. Manages to be brilliant for casual "got half an hour to kill" players like me while somehow being deep enough for hardcore competitive people.
7. Satellite Reign ; A great spiritual successor to Syndicate. A bit rough around the edges, but it provides a fluid open world that has the right balance of stealth, subterfuge and action. A game that is at its most fun when you make a mistake and things go wrong (which they will). The only downside is that there can be a lot of repetitive backtracking.
8. Her Story ; The return of FMV games, with a clever interesting story. It's short and there isn't much 'gameplay', but it's a unique and compelling experience. It's something you'll want to discuss on GAF after you complete it.
9. Contradiction - Spot The Liar! ; If Her Story is the Memento of FMV games, then this is The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Endearingly overacted and somewhat camp, it's simple and fun to play. It's also proof that a few people can make a good game on a tiny budget. Detective Jenks is the most likeable protagonist of 2015 and the setting is a perfect recreation of a UK home counties village.
10. Pillars of Eternity ; A very good old-school RPG. Let down by the bugs and repetitive combat. The story is good and so are your companions. If this is the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, then hopefully we'll soon get the successor to Baldur's Gate 2. Maybe EvilLore can do a cameo as the new Irenicus.
x. Invisible Inc. ; A really good turn-based strategy game. Games are relatively quick and it uses procedural generation to encourage re-playability. The Cyberpunk setting and art style are great. Like the best strategy games, you're constantly forced to make interesting and tough decisions, weighing up the risks and benefits. Worth playing while you wait for XCOM2.
x. Massive Chalice ; Actually, this is the game to play if you want something like XCOM (reboot version). The tactical combat is very similar. The bloodline system provides a great strategic layer to the tactical battles and I'd love to see other games try something similar. It reminds me a bit of Crusader Kings, but with a much more humourous tone. Unfortunately, some of the weapons/items are poorly balanced so you'll quickly figure out an optimum upgrade path. Worse still is the horrible kickstarter-named house names/base names/warcries which really hurt immersion with their terrible cliches, dank memes and ripoffs of other fanstasy games/novels/movies. Of course you can't name anything ourself because the ability to name your castle as the "Dreadfort" and have "All your base" as your warcry is only given to high-tier backers instead of regular customers. They even hardcoded it to prevent modders from customising the names.
x. Volume ; A reimagining of Robin Hood, recast as an annoying teenage youtube celebrity in a near-future world ripped from V for Vendetta with added Doctor Who memes. Seriously though, it's a nice, simple puzzle-style tactical stealth game that's great to play when you've got a few minutes to kill - but the kid seems to be doing the voiceover as if he's reading the subtitles for his youtube Let's PLay audience. I'm not expecting Charles Dance levels of gravitas and pathos, but come on!
x. Undertale ; A very clever take on classic JRPGs. Some people will love it, but I thought it hewed a bit too close to twee JRPG tropes. If you like 'random' ironic humour, you'll love it. The soundtrack is amazing. It's also cheap, so everyone should try it.
x. Batman: Arkham Knight ; On the list for the incredible graphics of the PS4 version. It was as good as the PC version was bad. However, the batmobile bullshit and collect-a-thon "ubisoft-game" open world really drag it down. Still, I enjoyed it overall.
A great year overall, especially for non-traditional games and forgotten/unfashionable genres. It's very hard to pick a top ten with such diverse games. If I was in a different mood I'd probably choose a different order.
2. Until Dawn ; Imagine a Telltale game with AAA production values and you've got Until Dawn. If you've ever found yourself yelling at the screen during a horror movie, this is your chance to teach those spoilt rich kids how to deal with a murderous madman. Supermassive really understand and love the horror genre, which shows. Possibly the only Telltale-style game where you might actively try to get some characters killed.
3. Life is Strange ; While some of the scenes and dialogue go into soap opera territory, it remains a brilliant game. Max is a great protagonist and the time-travelling teen angst plot is pretty unique. The game engine is beautiful, even if it lacks the AAA production values of Until Dawn. This game shows Telltale how their games should be done.
4. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; A great game that fails to get the top spots to the Konami bullshit and poor plot, especially in the second half. Still it's a showcase for how to do an open world shooter, giving players a lot of tools to traverse through the missions. Some of the attention to detail is amazing.
5. Tales from the Borderlands ; To my surprise, this is the best Telltale game since the Walking Dead, arguably the best full stop. I didn't try it until a month ago because I didn't think a story-driven game about Borderlands could possibly work. It does.
6. Rocket League ; Simple yet brilliant. Manages to be brilliant for casual "got half an hour to kill" players like me while somehow being deep enough for hardcore competitive people.
7. Satellite Reign ; A great spiritual successor to Syndicate. A bit rough around the edges, but it provides a fluid open world that has the right balance of stealth, subterfuge and action. A game that is at its most fun when you make a mistake and things go wrong (which they will). The only downside is that there can be a lot of repetitive backtracking.
8. Her Story ; The return of FMV games, with a clever interesting story. It's short and there isn't much 'gameplay', but it's a unique and compelling experience. It's something you'll want to discuss on GAF after you complete it.
9. Contradiction - Spot The Liar! ; If Her Story is the Memento of FMV games, then this is The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Endearingly overacted and somewhat camp, it's simple and fun to play. It's also proof that a few people can make a good game on a tiny budget. Detective Jenks is the most likeable protagonist of 2015 and the setting is a perfect recreation of a UK home counties village.
10. Pillars of Eternity ; A very good old-school RPG. Let down by the bugs and repetitive combat. The story is good and so are your companions. If this is the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, then hopefully we'll soon get the successor to Baldur's Gate 2. Maybe EvilLore can do a cameo as the new Irenicus.
x. Invisible Inc. ; A really good turn-based strategy game. Games are relatively quick and it uses procedural generation to encourage re-playability. The Cyberpunk setting and art style are great. Like the best strategy games, you're constantly forced to make interesting and tough decisions, weighing up the risks and benefits. Worth playing while you wait for XCOM2.
x. Massive Chalice ; Actually, this is the game to play if you want something like XCOM (reboot version). The tactical combat is very similar. The bloodline system provides a great strategic layer to the tactical battles and I'd love to see other games try something similar. It reminds me a bit of Crusader Kings, but with a much more humourous tone. Unfortunately, some of the weapons/items are poorly balanced so you'll quickly figure out an optimum upgrade path. Worse still is the horrible kickstarter-named house names/base names/warcries which really hurt immersion with their terrible cliches, dank memes and ripoffs of other fanstasy games/novels/movies. Of course you can't name anything ourself because the ability to name your castle as the "Dreadfort" and have "All your base" as your warcry is only given to high-tier backers instead of regular customers. They even hardcoded it to prevent modders from customising the names.
x. Volume ; A reimagining of Robin Hood, recast as an annoying teenage youtube celebrity in a near-future world ripped from V for Vendetta with added Doctor Who memes. Seriously though, it's a nice, simple puzzle-style tactical stealth game that's great to play when you've got a few minutes to kill - but the kid seems to be doing the voiceover as if he's reading the subtitles for his youtube Let's PLay audience. I'm not expecting Charles Dance levels of gravitas and pathos, but come on!
x. Undertale ; A very clever take on classic JRPGs. Some people will love it, but I thought it hewed a bit too close to twee JRPG tropes. If you like 'random' ironic humour, you'll love it. The soundtrack is amazing. It's also cheap, so everyone should try it.
x. Batman: Arkham Knight ; On the list for the incredible graphics of the PS4 version. It was as good as the PC version was bad. However, the batmobile bullshit and collect-a-thon "ubisoft-game" open world really drag it down. Still, I enjoyed it overall.
A great year overall, especially for non-traditional games and forgotten/unfashionable genres. It's very hard to pick a top ten with such diverse games. If I was in a different mood I'd probably choose a different order.
Love that fan art, do you by any chance know who made it?
1. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; I've owned this since release but didn't get to play it until I had some vacation time around the holidays. It's amazing.
2. Bloodborne ; It was my goty until recently. It would still be my goty if I didn't have to do chalice dungeons every time I want to do a new build.
3. Destiny: The Taken King ; Amazing content that burned out quickly.
4. The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth ; I still like the original game better but rebirth and afterbirth are still good.
5. Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin ; Some of the new enemy placements actually make the game worse but it's still a great game and the PS4 version is a big step up from the PS3 version.
6. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft ; My go to game to play while watching tv.
Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time to play games anymore and the games I chose to play this year are either really long or have tons of replay value.
I really want to play MGS V but that probably won't be until the summer after I've played through Dark Souls 3 a few times.
2. Bloodborne ; It was my goty until recently. It would still be my goty if I didn't have to do chalice dungeons every time I want to do a new build.
3. Destiny: The Taken King ; Amazing content that burned out quickly.
4. The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth ; I still like the original game better but rebirth and afterbirth are still good.
5. Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin ; Some of the new enemy placements actually make the game worse but it's still a great game and the PS4 version is a big step up from the PS3 version.
6. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft ; My go to game to play while watching tv.
Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time to play games anymore and the games I chose to play this year are either really long or have tons of replay value.
I really want to play MGS V but that probably won't be until the summer after I've played through Dark Souls 3 a few times.
Haha
generic_username
I switched to an alt account to ditch my embarrassing tag so I could be an embarrassing Naughty Dog fanboy in peace. Ask me anything!
check your formating.Like this: 2. Bloodborne; >at least a sentence here< (game name, semicolon, sentence why it is there)
ToyMachine228
Member
1. Destiny: The Taken King
The game I played most in 2015. Incredibly addicting, incredibly disappointing, incredibly engaging, flawed and underwhelming all at the same time. Still, you can't argue with the fact that it kept me playing all year and has its fair share of great moments and elements.
2. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
The most gameplay perfect game that I played all year. Astounding visuals, attention to detail and presentation. Such a tragedy that the game got caught up in development troubles that put a glass ceiling on it's potential and cut the story and game-content short.
3. Life is Strange
One of my biggest surprises of the year. After I made it through the first episode I found myself drawn to play more and more to see what happens with these characters. Was very impressed by the emotional tone that the game struck and clever use of the "time-control" mechanic.
4. Her Story
Another great surprise for me. Once I started playing, I was hooked. I had to try and find that one extra detail that I hadn't found. It really engaged me in trying to solve the mystery.
5. Halo 5: Guardians
While the campaign was incredibly disappointing, the multiplayer is miles ahead of any other multiplayer shooter in my opinion. The weapons and combat abilities are perfectly balanced. The modes have been fine tuned to perfection. While this is a bold statement, I truly believe that this is the best combat that the Halo series has ever seen and makes most modern multiplayer shooters pale in comparison.
6. Tales from the Borderlands
I never fell in love with the Borderlands universe. After not be amazed by Borderlands or Borderlands 2, I wasn't sure I'd ever try the series again. Thankfully, I gave Tales from the Borderlands a shot. This represents, by far, the best work that Telltale has ever done. In every aspect. Unless you despise episodic adventure games, you should buy it.
7. Hearthstone: Heroes of WarCraft
A game that I get into for periods of time and never lets my down. Lots of entertainment to be had and never too frustrating. Just clean, casual competition.
8. Heroes of the Storm
While I'm not actively playing Heroes of the Storm anymore, I had my fun with it and think it's a very solid MOBA. I could see myself getting into it again sometime.
9. Ori & the Blind Forest
Very original, stylish and challenging side-scrolling platformer. Enough has said about this game.
10. Rise of the Tomb Raider
While disappointing in many ways (ie. Pretty much a TR 2013 retread, with lackluster combat), still a very strong game. Great visuals and adventuring.
The game I played most in 2015. Incredibly addicting, incredibly disappointing, incredibly engaging, flawed and underwhelming all at the same time. Still, you can't argue with the fact that it kept me playing all year and has its fair share of great moments and elements.
2. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
The most gameplay perfect game that I played all year. Astounding visuals, attention to detail and presentation. Such a tragedy that the game got caught up in development troubles that put a glass ceiling on it's potential and cut the story and game-content short.
3. Life is Strange
One of my biggest surprises of the year. After I made it through the first episode I found myself drawn to play more and more to see what happens with these characters. Was very impressed by the emotional tone that the game struck and clever use of the "time-control" mechanic.
4. Her Story
Another great surprise for me. Once I started playing, I was hooked. I had to try and find that one extra detail that I hadn't found. It really engaged me in trying to solve the mystery.
5. Halo 5: Guardians
While the campaign was incredibly disappointing, the multiplayer is miles ahead of any other multiplayer shooter in my opinion. The weapons and combat abilities are perfectly balanced. The modes have been fine tuned to perfection. While this is a bold statement, I truly believe that this is the best combat that the Halo series has ever seen and makes most modern multiplayer shooters pale in comparison.
6. Tales from the Borderlands
I never fell in love with the Borderlands universe. After not be amazed by Borderlands or Borderlands 2, I wasn't sure I'd ever try the series again. Thankfully, I gave Tales from the Borderlands a shot. This represents, by far, the best work that Telltale has ever done. In every aspect. Unless you despise episodic adventure games, you should buy it.
7. Hearthstone: Heroes of WarCraft
A game that I get into for periods of time and never lets my down. Lots of entertainment to be had and never too frustrating. Just clean, casual competition.
8. Heroes of the Storm
While I'm not actively playing Heroes of the Storm anymore, I had my fun with it and think it's a very solid MOBA. I could see myself getting into it again sometime.
9. Ori & the Blind Forest
Very original, stylish and challenging side-scrolling platformer. Enough has said about this game.
10. Rise of the Tomb Raider
While disappointing in many ways (ie. Pretty much a TR 2013 retread, with lackluster combat), still a very strong game. Great visuals and adventuring.
You need semi-colons bud
AngmarsKing701
Member
I don't get a lot of time to play games, and even less in the past year given how busy my job was. As of a couple of weeks ago, the only games I played in 2015 were Telltale's Walking Dead S1 and S2, so yeah, I'm a bit behind. That being said, I've had a bit of free time over the holidays and a couple of Christmas presents were new games, so I've got just a couple to add to the list.
1. Halo 5: Guardians ; what impressed me with this latest Halo is just how much it feels like Halo. That might not make sense, but there was something missing in the last couple of attempts coming out of 343. But really, when you fire a gun in Halo 5, you are going to feel it, the weight of it, the recoil of it. The maps in MP are tighter (at least for Slayer), and hearken back to maps like Midway and Lockout that I played endlessly on Halo 2.
2. Destiny: The Taken King ; the fact that Bungie took so much of the feedback from the launch of Destiny and worked it into the product, essentially using the base game as a platform upon which to build, is just a great move. They could have used TTK to serve as Destiny 2 and split the community, but rather than go that route (basically eschewing a CoD per year kind of format), they pushed the improvements into the game and kept going. Great experiences, great loot... and the way it was done suggests that many of us will stick with this one for some time.
3. Divinity: Original Sin Extended Edition ; I played the original version for just about 10 hours, fiddling around in the first town, messing with the combat, getting the feel for the game. Then they announced the EE and I decided to wait for more. Got it installed and fired it up with slight changes to my characters, paying more attention to detail. Really enjoying it. The turn-based combat system is something someone old like me can still handle!
4. Rock Band 4 ; well, it's Rock Band. It's still one of the best party games out there, and the NYE party at our house always has it fired up and ready.
1. Halo 5: Guardians ; what impressed me with this latest Halo is just how much it feels like Halo. That might not make sense, but there was something missing in the last couple of attempts coming out of 343. But really, when you fire a gun in Halo 5, you are going to feel it, the weight of it, the recoil of it. The maps in MP are tighter (at least for Slayer), and hearken back to maps like Midway and Lockout that I played endlessly on Halo 2.
2. Destiny: The Taken King ; the fact that Bungie took so much of the feedback from the launch of Destiny and worked it into the product, essentially using the base game as a platform upon which to build, is just a great move. They could have used TTK to serve as Destiny 2 and split the community, but rather than go that route (basically eschewing a CoD per year kind of format), they pushed the improvements into the game and kept going. Great experiences, great loot... and the way it was done suggests that many of us will stick with this one for some time.
3. Divinity: Original Sin Extended Edition ; I played the original version for just about 10 hours, fiddling around in the first town, messing with the combat, getting the feel for the game. Then they announced the EE and I decided to wait for more. Got it installed and fired it up with slight changes to my characters, paying more attention to detail. Really enjoying it. The turn-based combat system is something someone old like me can still handle!
4. Rock Band 4 ; well, it's Rock Band. It's still one of the best party games out there, and the NYE party at our house always has it fired up and ready.
cosmicblizzard
Banned
The thing is the rape scenes are actually pretty important for character development at first, but there's so many that you can kind of just skim through them and discern enough info based on what you already know. Except for one near the end of one of the character's paths, which actually has a plot twist in it. So it's not THAT bad, but still probably pretty rough for most people.
Here's my full impressions for you or anyone else that cares:
I have two more posts already written and ready to go, similar in length to my first post (click here!), but I'm very carefully considering the order of the remaining titles. I love all of them and will talk about them all at length, with lots of nice screens. But trying to rank one over the other... It's tough. In the end, they're all winners!
Dance Inferno
Unconfirmed Member
I feel ya. Just go with your gut. At the end of the day you can come up with reasons for any order you pick, but to me it's all about which games felt better to you.
The Xtortionist
Member
I think my ultimate criteria will be how happy each game made me in the moment. I might replay other games more often in the future, but I think I'll organize my top picks based on their original impact.
You must separate game titles and comments with a semicolon for your vote to count.
It's up there! I really want to post what I've written but need a bit more time to verify my feelings.Hopefully Bloodborne doesn't get robbed!
/s
I doubt anything can top your incredible writeup on Bloodborne, though.
I am easily swayed by pretty pictures so I'll make sure to check it out.
Xtortionist pls.
Reading it in context, he means it's not technically perfect — no game is — but it perfectly delivers the kind of experience he wants out of games.
lol, that video is amazing
And it reminds me, I've been replaying DKC2 lately in between other games, and man, it fills me with such feelings of love that I'd make a tribute thread if not for the other tribute thread there was recently.
You're so right about the DK coins, Xtortionist. Best collectible ever.
Lostconfused
Member
Yeesh.
1. Bloodborne ; Nothing beats the adrenaline induced when you win a boss battle after getting your ass handed to you over and over again. Level design is also some of the best I've ever seen in a video game.
2. Undertale ; I liked how much style the game had. Plus the soundtrack was god-tier.
3. Metal Gear Solid 5 ;
2. Undertale ; I liked how much style the game had. Plus the soundtrack was god-tier.
3. Metal Gear Solid 5 ;
The Xtortionist
Member
But really, it was the David Sirlin article that articulated the feelings I had playing it as a kid.
Need to play it again. Need to buy it on Wii U to play it again. But don't have access to Wii U right now *heavy breathing*
Magic Mushroom
Member
I was playing through the first level of Krem Quay and struggling to find the DK Coin. IIRC, it was quite clever where they hid it: Normal progression through the level reveals a "No Rambi" sign, and you're like, "Wait, what — Rambi is in this level?" But if you watch carefully as you launch from one blast barrel to the next, you can see another blast barrel down below in the lower left of the screen. Turns out, if you save the DK Barrel you find at the start for the Zinger at the end of the boardwalk, and if you use it on him instead of following the bananas up to the first Blast Barrel, you can leap across the swamp to a croc head that takes you to the platform with Rambi's crate... and that blast barrel you glimpse from above is in fact the blast barrel you use to leave that platform with Rambi! And naturally, if you manage to get Rambi to the end of the stage, the "No Rambi" sign will turn him into the delicious DK Coin.
But really, it was the David Sirlin article that articulated the feelings I had playing it as a kid.
Need to play it again. Need to buy it on Wii U to play it again. But don't have access to Wii U right now *heavy breathing*
It's amazing how DKC2 continues to reveal new layers of its design after all these years.
ViewtifulJC
Banned
this will never stop being wonderful
The Xtortionist
Member
Thanks. I actually think the most apt observation about Bloodborne was made by another poster in this thread who I can't remember off the top of my head. IIRC, they basically said that Bloodborne is so cohesive in its style - from its art, to its sound, to its weapons and combat mechanics - that, barring the reality of game development, it feels like the entire game was created by a single person. I like to think my post touched on many different aspects about the game, but in hindsight I think it lacked a satisfying wrap-up, or a single higher-level observation like that to tie everything together.
I'll try to find that post.
This is going to tie to the above response in a weird way, but I also like how the Sirlin article observes the feeling that every DK Coin is placed by a single entity, and that the player has to keep up with how that entity thinks and evolves its coin placement over the course of the game. Almost makes it a sort of chess match disguised as a platformer lol.
Oh dang, thought I missed this boat.
I didn't have a whole lot of time to play games in 2015, but I certainly did spend a lot of time watching games being played (downtime at work). A lot of my list is based off that as well as my own experiences playing them.
1. Fallout 4; Yeah, game is flawed, but I still had a great experience playing it nonetheless. It's no New Vegas but it's certainly great.
2. Life is Strange; I did not start this game expecting to like it. I ended up loving it. Even the ending that people didn't seem to like.
3. Bloodborne
4. Super Mario Maker; Never has a single game made me want a system more than this one. Still haven't pulled the trigger on a WiiU, but it has made me go back to Super Mario World to replay.
5. Metal Gear Solid 5; It has a horse that poops on command.
6. Rocket League
That's it for now. I may edit more games in if I feel like it before the deadline.
I didn't have a whole lot of time to play games in 2015, but I certainly did spend a lot of time watching games being played (downtime at work). A lot of my list is based off that as well as my own experiences playing them.
1. Fallout 4; Yeah, game is flawed, but I still had a great experience playing it nonetheless. It's no New Vegas but it's certainly great.
2. Life is Strange; I did not start this game expecting to like it. I ended up loving it. Even the ending that people didn't seem to like.
3. Bloodborne
4. Super Mario Maker; Never has a single game made me want a system more than this one. Still haven't pulled the trigger on a WiiU, but it has made me go back to Super Mario World to replay.
5. Metal Gear Solid 5; It has a horse that poops on command.
6. Rocket League
That's it for now. I may edit more games in if I feel like it before the deadline.
We all know the single intelligence who placed the coins is Cranky Kong
The Xtortionist
Member
Peter Molyneux Award for Least Living up to Expectations
Anno 2205 – Despite not necessarily being a terrible game, Anno 2205 is easily the poorest entry in the franchise and wastes a great setting and concept. The core of the issue is that they oversimplified things to an incredible degree, and at the same time took away any competition. There is no real challenge in city planning anymore, it’s all fairly basic stuff and you don’t have to plan things too carefully. There’s also no effort anymore in balancing production, as it just displays the amount you gain. You’re also freed from the burden of building ships to set trade routes, as that’s been replaced by a simple slider. Meanwhile, any combat or competition has been relegated to doing some combat quests off-map, which get you a few special resources you need. In the main citybuilding portion, you will never experience any pushback at all. There are no enemies and there are no disasters. You’re also given ample building room and do not lack for natural resources.
On top of this issue of simplification, there is also a staggering reduction in player options and features. There is no multiplayer, there are no scenarios, there are no real options for game setup. The game setup has essentially become that of your typical Ubisoft game. You get a somewhat open world, you unlock more of it as you progress, and once you’re through the main quest you’re free to finish up a few things but generally there’s not much more to do. Now, admittedly, given that the simplification allows for a swift pace to the game, you’re pretty entertained for a few hours as more new things constantly unlock. Finishing the game will take you maybe fifteen hours however, and there’s literally no replay value to be had after that. I certainly wasn’t expecting an Anno game to actually be shorter than Ubi’s action titles.
On the plus side, in terms of presentation, this was easily the most impressive game to me in 2015.
Best User Made Modification
Colonial Charter 1.6: The Forge Awakens for Banished – Since the game selection rules don’t apply to my made up awards, I get to list the latest version of the Colonial Charter mod for Banished, which is technically only out in beta whilst the developer of Banished finishes up the latest patch it depends on. Anyway, this mod totally transforms Banished from a barebones survival city builder to an incredibly extensive city builder with countless new buildings, new options, new production chains and way too many other things to list. It is as good as mods are ever going to get, and I highly recommend any fan of city builders to try it out.
I really hope the developers of this mod, BlackLiquid, at some point branch out on their own and make their own game, free from the restrictions that modding someone else’s bring. I really think these people could make a truly great city builder if they give it a go.
1. Cities: Skylines ; What is there to say that many others haven’t already said about this game? It’s a game that got so many things right, when Maxis had got it so very wrong. It certainly wasn’t the most fully featured city builder at launch, and there were absolutely problems with the simulation. However, most of it simply worked, and the decision to fully support modders was a brilliant one. It took only days for the modding community to run completely wild with it and improve the game in countless ways. Now that Colossal Order itself has also improved the game through many patches and an add-on, and mods have had a year to mature, it is hard to deny that Cities: Skylines is one of the best city builders ever made. I can see myself playing this for years and years as both Colossal Order and the modding community keep improving the game and expanding the content.
2. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate ; Initially, I didn’t have the highest hopes for this entry in what certainly is one of my favourite AAA franchises. I was worried the game would take a real step back compared to Unity, which I absolutely loved. However, I was thankfully wrong. While the city isn’t quite as amazing as Unity’s Paris and it lacks the huge crowds, Ubisoft made many improvements in other areas that made getting my historical tourism fix a lot more entertaining. Usually, I just spend time wandering around the world in these games and only bothering with the story if I need to advance to unlock more of the world. This time around however, I found myself really enjoying playing through it in addition to exploring and taking in the spectacular recreation of Victorian London.
Part of the reason is that in terms of movement and particularly combat, this is the best Assassin’s Creed game by some distance. Another reason however is that both main characters are actually ones I like. They are neither bland like Arno was in Unity, nor simply annoying like Edward Kenway in AC4. Overall, I think Syndicate is probably my favourite Assassin’s Creed game. It’s a shame we appear not to be getting a new Assassin’s Creed game this year, because with Syndicate as good as it is, I can’t wait to see what Ubisoft does next with it.
3. Grand Theft Auto V ; Yes, 2015 was finally the year Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto V on PC, and I was certainly not disappointed. The open world that Rockstar created with GTA V really has no equal. It’s vast, it’s varied, and there’s so much attention to detail it’s scary. Couple that with some fantastic mission design, beautiful visuals (especially for a last-gen port), a great soundtrack, excellent controls and so many other things and Rockstar really produced a gem.
The addition of multiplayer was also a great call, some of the most fun I had with GTA V was with going through the heists with fellow GAF members. That said, the longevity of the multiplayer for me is limited. The design of it in general is too geared towards selling shark cards, and I have no interest in paying for virtual money or grinding for endless hours.
4. Kerbal Space Program ; I finally get to vote for this! I’ve been playing KSP on and off for years now and I just keep coming back to it. There’s just something so wonderful about spending time tinkering with a rocket to get it just right, only to see it end in disaster seconds after launch, and then refining it yet again until finally, finally you nail it and you manage to go someplace you hadn’t gone before or build a better space station, or build a nice colony.
Hopefully, having finally released version 1.0, Squad doesn’t move on to other things for a while. I’d love to see them add more things, like at least the option for life support. I want to really build a vibrant colony where all the needs for colonists are met and I can actually fabricate things.
5. Planetbase ; Which leads me nicely to Planetbase, a game that does simulate the building of a vibrant colony on another world. This is a small game that I didn’t hear too much about on GAF, but that I absolutely fell in love with. You land with a ship on one of three different worlds, are given a few resources and with that have to build a successful colony that is self-sufficient for all its basic needs. It shares a lot in common with the original version of Banished in appeal I feel. There’s a lot of a survival city builder feel to it, as you fight off meteorites, solar flares, sandstorms, armed intruders and your colonists’ hunger. What makes it such a strong game is the fact that it’s very well balanced and there’s just something inherently rewarding about your base slowly growing and getting past the early days of shortage to eventually construct that utterly pointless monolith.
6. Galactic Civilizations III ; There’s nothing that GalCiv 3 really particularly excels at. It doesn’t really innovate either. What it is is simply a very refined and full-featured version of an established design. And sometimes that’s enough for many dozens of hours of enjoyment.
7. Assassin’s Creed Rogue ; Yes, more Assassin’s Creed on my list. Rogue is essentially the most refined version of the AC games set in the Americas (AC3, AC4, Liberation being the other ones), and more specifically is essentially a hybrid design between AC3 and AC4. However, beyond being a refined version of a solid design, it also does mix things up a bit by letting you play as a Templar for once for most of the game rather than just the opening portion. I really enjoyed my time with it and loved revisiting some of the places from AC3 as well as exploring the arctic, since I always have a soft spot for wintery settings. Incidentally, the game’s main theme is the best in the series.
8. The Room Three ; The Room Three, like its predecessors, is a very well designed puzzle game with good pacing, good puzzle design and a fairly good difficulty level. After finishing this I realized what it is that makes the Room more enjoyable to me than many other puzzle games however. It’s the way all the mechanisms and devices move when you solve (part of) a puzzle. It’s a very simple, yet very rewarding way of progressing through the game.
9. Just Cause 3 ; I haven’t actually finished this yet, but I’ve played more than enough to say that this is no less fun now than Just Cause 2 was a few years ago. Like many other games on my list it is a refinement of what came before rather than a game changer, but it’s something I’m thoroughly enjoying. I don’t think I’ll ever stop enjoying the crazy over the top action these games offer either.
10. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate: Jack the Ripper ; Yes, more Assassin’s Creed! This came as even more of a surprise to me than Syndicate itself did, but this brief DLC was a surprisingly excellent addition in a franchise where the major DLCs are so often poor (AC3’s Washington DLC being the worst offender). There was a lot to like here. Older Evie was a strong protagonist, Jack the Ripper a good antagonist, and they really transformed the atmosphere of the game world to fit with the much darker theme and tone of the DLC. The new fear mechanics took some getting used to but I ended up enjoying them as well. The only real disappointment here is mostly related to the rumour mill after. I thought the DLC was a great setup for an AC game set in India with Jacob and Evie as protagonists yet again. However, it sadly looks like that is not happening.
Honorable Mentions
x. Saints Row: Gat out of Hell ; This game has the dumbest plot and setting in video game history. It was awesome.
x. Valhalla Hills ; A neat Settlers-esque game where you progress through randomly generated levels with your Vikings opening portals by military or economic means. It’s basically a bite-sized Settlers, and it works very well. It also has a great graphical style.
timetokill
Banned
Very interesting list, Kabouter. You sure do love your city builders/resource management sims.
Planetbase completely dodged my radar, but I'm intrigued. I love space exploration stuff so it sounds right up my alley. But that said I've been holding off on Cities: Skylines, and I have Banished but haven't tried that incredible looking mod you posted. So much city, so little time.
Planetbase completely dodged my radar, but I'm intrigued. I love space exploration stuff so it sounds right up my alley. But that said I've been holding off on Cities: Skylines, and I have Banished but haven't tried that incredible looking mod you posted. So much city, so little time.
Thanks
. And yes, I love those types of games, and AC as haly notes Planetbase is a smaller game that is easier to get into, if you don't have the time to really dive into Cities: Skylines, that might be the way to go first.
1. The Witcher III: The Wild Hunt ; IMO the best game I ever played.
2. Ori and the Blind Forest ; Fantastic metroidvania, gorgeous game.
3. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Adventure game done right.
4. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; Best stealth game I ever played
5. Halo 5: Guardians ; Besides the weak story, I loved Halo 5.
6. Batman: Arkham Knight ; Excellent game, I enjoyed the batmobile sections as well.
7. Dying Light ; Sleeper hit of 2015, really good game.
8. Tales from the Borderlands ; Episode 5 is really fantastic.
9. Fallout 4 ; I enjoyed Fallout 4, but yeah, it could be better.
10. Mortal Kombat X ; Finally a good MK game.
2. Ori and the Blind Forest ; Fantastic metroidvania, gorgeous game.
3. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Adventure game done right.
4. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ; Best stealth game I ever played
5. Halo 5: Guardians ; Besides the weak story, I loved Halo 5.
6. Batman: Arkham Knight ; Excellent game, I enjoyed the batmobile sections as well.
7. Dying Light ; Sleeper hit of 2015, really good game.
8. Tales from the Borderlands ; Episode 5 is really fantastic.
9. Fallout 4 ; I enjoyed Fallout 4, but yeah, it could be better.
10. Mortal Kombat X ; Finally a good MK game.
I speel my dreenk
Member
Thanks for mentioning this, it sounds like just the sort of thing I wanted from Banished that it lacked on its own. Definitely going to give it a go.
Leon S. Kennedy
Member
1. Code Name: STEAM ; Its received mixed reviews, but I love it. Very challenging. I purchased it after the patch so I never experienced the slow enemy moves.
2. Splatoon
3. Xenoblade Chronicles
4. SteamWorld Heist
5. Bloodborne
6. Yoshi's Woolly World
7. Super Mario Maker
8. Stella Glow
9. Boxboy
10. Yo-Kai Watch
2. Splatoon
3. Xenoblade Chronicles
4. SteamWorld Heist
5. Bloodborne
6. Yoshi's Woolly World
7. Super Mario Maker
8. Stella Glow
9. Boxboy
10. Yo-Kai Watch
- Status