2015 GOTY
Things I wanted to play, but didn't get to it: Undertale, Axiom Verge, Tomb Raider
Things I expected on this list that didn't make it: Halo 5, Just Cause 3
List items
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What can I say about rocket cars that hasn't already been said. It's a damn near perfect video game. Making a competitive multiplayer game accessible and deep at the same time is crazy hard but this game nails it. The hours spent playing this with kite co duders was easily the most fun I had playing a game this year so it's no surprise that not only is this my favorite game of the year, but also my most played game of the year. I don't know if I'll ever stop playing this. Thank you, video games.
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I would never have expected this to be so high on my list. Honestly, I probably wouldn't even have given it the time of day if it wasn't for Bek and Tomiko talking it up but man am I glad they did. This game hit me in the feels like nothing else has in a while. It's also one of the best examples of choice used well in video games. It's not just "pick A or B and something slightly different happens later on." It gives you tough, shades of gray decisions that make you think real hard about WHY you're picking that choice. For one choice in particular, I had to set down the controller and just think for 10 minutes. I've never done that. Ever.
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This had real #1 GOTY potential, and except for Rocket League, it's definitely the best playing game mechanics-wise of the year. There are a few things that hold it back though. I really wish this wasn't a Metal Gear game, because as far as a Metal Gear story goes, this one is super weak. After playing for 60ish hours and getting to the "credits", none of the questions I cared about were answered or even addressed and then the game says "HEY, YOU BEAT THE GAME BUT HERE'S MORE. ISN'T THIS EDGY AND COOL?" No. I was just done at that point. I was never into the FOB stuff and it sounds like that became more of a shitshow after I stopped playing. I can forgive all of that though and confidently give this game #3 because D-DOG IS BEST NEW CHARACTER OF 2015. I'LL FUCKIN FITE U M8.
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I'm sunk on this game and I don't know why. On paper it's every JRPG you've ever played. Lots of fetch quests, go here:kill thing quests, mediocre story at best, but something about it pushes all the right buttons and makes it one of those games where you blink and you're suddenly 30 hours in. This game is DENSE. The combat feels really good and there is always some aspect of your party and loadout to improve that gives you the edge in battle. It's that sense of progression that feels so good and makes this game so addicting. This game does a great job of giving you a huge world to explore and then giving you satisfying rewards for doing so. I haven't even dug that deep into the multiplayer stuff yet because at 60 hours in, I'm still trying to figure out exactly how I want my party to be set up. Also, you can put your anime ladies in swimsuits.
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What a positively beautiful game. This is easily the best looking game of the year and a solid platformer to boot. This is a perfect example of what modern game design can do for classic formats like a 2D platformer.
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As someone that likes him a big ass shield in Souls games, Bloodborne was an interesting challenge for me since they took away that option. Other than that it lives up to the standards you expect out of the souls series. Unforgiving, but fair, combat. Excellent artistic design, and lots of cool stuff to discover. I like Souls games and this is a pretty good Souls game.
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Specifically, Destiny: The Taken King. Putting aside the argument for if this really counts as a game that came out this year, I ended up putting a huge amount of time into this game. It's probably my second-most played game of the year behind Rocket League. Destiny's core mechanics have always been solid, it was just that the reasons to use those mechanics were always disappointing. TTK solves that problem with a new chunk of story missions and a raid to play through, an improved loot system, hidden items/quests and a smattering of other tweaks and updates. It all comes together in a way that makes running missions and getting dank loot with your friends really fun and rewarding. Finally beating the raid after weeks of beating our heads against the thing was one of my favorite video game moments of the year. The biggest problem Destiny has now is that once you've consumed that content, there really isn't much to stick around for. I eagerly await Destiny 2.
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This one crept up on me. I like Dota 2 a lot, but that game requires an EVE-level of commitment to figure out and get good at. Not to mention dota games can easily last over an hour so you better have nothing to do for a while. HotS bridges that gap for me so I can scratch that moba itch with low overhead. It's so easy to just hop on, play a 20 minute match or two and get on with my life. Sure, it's not as deep an experience as Dota and can be frustrating to play because of it, but I think it's a worthwhile trade-off. Also, since it's lighter on mechanics, getting new people to play with is way easier. Playing with friends instead of randos is HUGE for a moba. The grind to buy characters is pretty real, but ultimately not a huge problem because the free rotation usually gives you a decent selection of heroes to play or try for the first time.
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Of all the games I enjoyed this year, this is probably the least surprising. It was basically more Fallout 3 with some bells and whistles, but hey, I really like Fallout 3. The base building was the hot new thing, and people seemed to get in to it, but I never did. I ended up getting 40 or so hours in and putting it down. I'm okay with that though because I could easily see myself getting back in to it later on when there are more mods to play around with. Also, game has dog, check box.
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I really should've spent more time with this game. I think I got 20-30 hours in, took a break for a few days and just lost all momentum with it. I bet if I had dug in and finished it, it would've been higher on this list. It didn't help that I found the combat to be somewhat boring. That said, this game is visually stunning and the storytelling is great. One day, I'll dive back in to this game and see all that it has to offer.
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