Great read, Rorie, would love to read more of your musings on games. I feel ya on the LFR in WoW, but as usual, the game shines when you play with peeps you know. I still have yet to replicate the satisfaction of first time downing bosses in WoW raids with friends in any other video game.

@moregrammarplz: Tanking is definitely the hardcore anxious path to life.

I had a feeling that WOW was going to be in here.

We can't all be vatt'ghern

Story may not be the focus of Souls games for you, but to say it's not the focus implies the creators didn't focus on it, which is incorrect. I would argue that Dark Souls has more focus on story than 99% of games, because they very rarely put something in the game purely for gameplay considerations without tying it into the story. Does Dragon Age explain how you're able to save and load your game? Does Dragon Age justify the location of every piece of loot or chest within the history and logic of its world?

I prefer stories that put me in scholar mode and force me to do research and figure shit out myself. If that isn't for you that's fine, but to call it lazy or lacking in substance irks the hell out of me because it's literally the opposite of that. Fromsoft's games are the equivalent of movies like 2001, Primer, Eraserhead, Donnie Darko, etc. The truth is deliberately withheld and obfuscated. Does that make the writer lazy, or the consumer who can't be arsed?

I got to mission 46 in MGSV at about 60 hours in, so I'm not sure what Rorie's doing when he's playing.

Very well written list, Rorie.

I had the same issue with Bloodborne about how nothing is explained. The other Souls games at least try to give you some background or context to why you're there. Although there's something to be said in just placing someone in a world and leaving it at that. Especially in a game where your profession dictates you should know all this already. Noboby's going to fill in a Hunter on the intricacies of the hunt or explain the religious elements because its so ingrained in the world you inhabit.

*people say "If only Rorie did a list and sat in on podcasts we could get RPG coverage on the site for GOTY and someone who cares about quality writing and argue for Pillars of Eternity for GOTY"*

*Rorie writes a list where he says every Witcher game is bad and played an hour of Pillars of Eternity*

Not to hate I just had a laugh at that narrative after reading this.

"I just find that many recent games have stories that extend somewhat further beyond the ability of their gameplay to interest me." This was a very astute criticism.

Ah, I do so love Rorie's writing

You forgot indolence, Matt. It's a good one :)

That there's a fun read, by golly. Three cheers for being lazy!

Also, all of you should pay attention when Rorie talks books. Dud knows what's good. I read a couple of his recommendations in the past and found them to be smart and fun.

@slimepuppy said:

This. Even if he's not playing through enough games to write full reviews, a "Rorie's Impressions" column would be worthwhile. Good writing is good.

fantastic article.

So did Rorie finish any of these games he's listed? I know finishing a game isn't a requisite to add it to your personal top whatever list and Rorie does emphasize "being lazy" as his favorite past time of 2015 (though I'll add him gushing over pups takes way more of his time than sleeping), but man, not a single one.

Woo, daily Spelunky.

Good write up Rorie! I like that you are straight up on some of the opinions! While Witcher 3 is big and beautiful, and there are tons of things to do, if the hook is not there, then it's all for nothing. I totally understand.

Was not planning of checking it out, but since you mention AC: Syndicate, I may give it a look.

Dead Rising 3?

Reaffirms my feeling that Rorie is one of the best writers on this or any gaming site. I still remember his great essay on the original Dark Souls.

Here's rorie still bein my favorite

@wertt: Agreed. Rorie's one of the few writers who I'd rather read than listen to on a podcast, and I mean that as praise for his writing, not as a slight on his presence in podcasts in the slightest.

Thanks Rorie! That's a lotta words!

I've tried my best to like Witcher 3, but I have that same "clocking in at work" feeling. I'm actually going to start the game over from the beginning after putting about 12 hours in because I feel like breaking it up into so many 30 min to an hour sessions has done it a disservice. I'm going to start it on a weekend when the kids are at the grandparents and just plow through a huge chunk of it to see if I can discover the love.

" I just find that many recent games have stories that extend somewhat further beyond the ability of their gameplay to interest me."

Been feeling like this alot this year, even last year too. A lot of AAA games I'll start, get 10-20 hours in, basically see all the mechanics, then can't be bothered to finish cause I don't care enough about the story and the mechanics started to bore me. I only finish maybe 2-3 AAA games a year. Only other games I really finish are those that only take like an hour or so, like Cibele.

I had the same EXACT experience with Axiom Verge!! I wanted to like the game but just got lost and really don't feel like ever starting a brand new save too. Oh well. The movement was kind of meh too, always felt like you could never get into a rapid flow it seemed to hint at.

It sucks you can't get into TW3, damn those quests/characters get so rad. Plus traveling around those islands in that part of the world was like damn! I can't wait to see what fucked up shits gonna be on that island! I just love sailing in games. Oh and Triss is a pretty cool gal.

I’ll be 50% of the way to beating Xe’phelos, Eater of Galaxies, but 100% done with using the same dumb attacks to fight the millionth Terror Droid that she’s sent out of her hatcheries.

This is a fabulous sentence that mirrors much of my feelings towards many games these days. I just wish it would extend more critically towards more games, and be voiced by more people (look at all those caveats around every Fallout 4 nomination on every site, everywhere).

To paraphrase Danny, we should be demanding more of our games, more often.

I can't find any information about the removal of the fatigue system from pillars of eternity (or what this even is?). After reading this I realized I NEED to play that game. I went to their page and see that they have an expansion coming in january with a bunch of changes to make it better so I think I will do what you said too. What do you mean the fatigue system though?

Honestly, if you are reading this and since you have a good video card go play the witcher 3 with reshade. There is no better looking game besides maybe assassin's creed syndicate. I have a good laugh when people tell me how good a game looks when I've been playing the witcher 3 at 4k on my 980 ti with reshade. It looks almost lifelike. That game is just a joy to behold. I can walk around the wilderness for hours doing nothing but just walking. It is just so beautiful it makes me want to tear up sometimes. I hope that whatever game they do next can compare to the witcher 3 since this is easily one of my top 10 games of all time besides quake and everquest.

It's good to see you guys clearly elaborate on what you disliked about Witcher 3, and I must admit...I feel much the same way that you do, Rorie, but maybe a little more of a positive bent involved there.

Witcher 3 does things with writing and characterization that no other game, PC or otherwise, has ever done. But that alone won't excuse the janky combat, the open and beautiful - but ultimately - sterile world, wrote "by-the-numbers" crafting and loot systems. It's a game I tried for months to give a damn about, but after around seven or so hours of playing the damn thing, I just stopped giving a shit.

In summation: Witcher 3: It's a slightly over-rated game more loved by its rabid fans for CDProjekt's pro-consumer stance on DRM and DLC than anything the game does itself. A real shame.

And YAY, more Fallout 4 love...maybe??

I have the same anxiety when it comes to MMO raiding, ended up quitting FFXIV when I got to the 8 and 24 player stuff on my white mage. It was fine in the 4 player dungeons since there you have one tank, one healer and two DPS, but having to communicate with the other healers/tanks in raids was a big hurdle for me, especially since they didn't want to communicate with me. They were probably running the place for 30th time or so and just wanted to get through it quickly so they could move onto the next thing on their list, but for someone doing that stuff for the first time it was extremely confusing and of course lead to me fucking up and everyone wiping. Kinda soured me on playing more of that game, I considered leveling up black mage and joining the DPS blob but at that point I didn't really have any interest in running all those dungeons I had already run a bunch of times again and ended up peacing out on the game instead.

Rorie's "top 10" is always fascinating to me, it's such a personal take on the best games of any given year.

I really do need need to finally power through my backlog of Assassin's Creed games!

Great write up Rorie! I wish you had more time to write more for the site - I love your personal musings and we tend to agree a lot. Hope you get the time to finish some of these.

Great list Rorie!

Gaming fatigue is a real thing, and so far the only cure I've found is walking away for a period of time and doing something else. I had to stop playing MGS5 for 2 weeks before I could actually finish it. I just wasn't having the same amount of fun I had and the game felt like a chore.

Wow @rorie wait to be so mainstream. I kid, I kid.

Rorie you're the best.

Ah to hell to raiding, hardcore or otherwise, it all feels like a second job when you're not playing with close friends. It's like playing jump rope with 8+ other people, and the difficulty is always either too low or too high while everyone is scared to death of wasting others' time or their own.

I get the desire to see all the content the game has to offer, but as I get older the stress versus payoff just seems more and more ridiculous. I used to frown on people who play MMO's more casually but now I completely understand.

@frybird: That first part was a joke

Always nice to see Dead Rising get a mention. I know I'm probably in the minority, but I just adore those games and all their silliness.

And besides, if I wait for a full UI reskin, that will also give the community time to decide which erection mod features the penises with the most believable throbbing motions and vein coloration. These variables are not unimportant to a discriminating gamer like myself.

Wow Rorie, wow.

Hotline Miami 2 REALLY better be in the "disappointment for 2015" list, I'm still on day 1's podcasts but I'm eager to hear Jeff rip it the new one that game needs.

What a gargantuan disappointment when you consider the original. (and no, I don't even think the sountrack holds a candle to the original either)

I've heard it referred to as "Tanxiety" and it's real. I've done nothing but tank in MMOs since I got started the first month after WoW's launch, but I still get it. For no real reason, either. Playing FFXIV these days and there's only one fight that's hard enough to challenge a baby, but I still get that twinge of anxiety even going into a 4 man random dungeon if I don't know at least one other person.

Also agreed on The Witcher... It took me years to finally force myself through The Witcher 2, and I felt like the story was incredibly rewarding but the gameplay was a barrier. The combat always felt to me like they were trying to go for Souls, but got it mixed up with Two Worlds and ended up a horrible amalgamation of the two. Spot on about Fallout's UI as well, and anyone that says otherwise is deluding themselves. It's a well-established fact that Bethesda's UI designers are monkeys, so it's really not worth playing their games in any really serious capacity until the modding tools are out.

Alastair Reynold's Revelation Space-trilogy was the most excited I've been about sci-fi (novels) in a very, very long time. It's great stuff. His side-novel Chasm City (of the same universe) was a real disappointment however. Will still try and have a look into his other books in 2016 though.

Soma has a memorable and fascinating story, and it saddens me a little that so few seems to have played it to completion.

You've read IJ 4 times? Jesus. Props to you, sir.

Rorie is easily one of the funniest guys on gb! Laughed out loud at the thirteenth labor of Hercules.

@rorie Is that picture on the main page you using a puppy as a vaping device?

Great article, Rorie. I agree with you about the UI bullshit.

I checked Infinite Jest out of the library soon after it was released. Before diving into the story I decided to flip around through the pages and read a few paragraphs here and there. I landed on the story of a character telling about how his father committed suicide and it was so graphic and intense that I immediately returned the book unread after that. Even now, decades later, every time I ever even think of that story I'm still horrified at it. So, I don't think I'll ever read that book, it's just too much for me to handle.

Matt is such a good writer.

WoD has been a pretty terrible expansion. I would personally put it below Cataclysm. (I actually liked Cataclysm, but I also stopped playing shortly after the last raid was released so I didn't experience the year-long fatigue of it.) I've been playing WoD since release, so that says something about me, I suppose. Although to be fair for the past 6+ months I've not really been "playing" so much as I have been logging in to do dailies and raid with my guild on raid nights. I really like my guild, which is the first time I can say that in years, so I guess it's because of them I keep playing.

Anyways, what I wanted to say was I absolutely sympathize with Rorie about tanking. My main has always been and will always be a mage, but I have a warrior alt that I like to tank on. Tanking 5-man dungeons is fine, and I like doing that. But I'm afraid as hell to tank LFR. Which has led to me not really playing my warrior at all this expansion. I actually did try to tank a wing of LFR early on, and got blamed for something I didn't even do (including by the other tank). So that ended that.

Rorie, you continue being a damn good writer. Awesome list.