Top 10 Best Video Games of 2015

The Top Ten
1 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

This game is absolutely incredible! The developers obviously put an immense amount of effort into creating such a deep and rich world for the player. The story is an emotional journey that's not all about killing monsters, but also about the relationships and bonds you form along your journey to save the world.

The combat allows for many variations that the player can choose from. Whether you choose to use alchemy or magic to destroy your foes, or you prefer the classic silver sword (heck, why not all three?!). Speaking of abilities, the developers also did an incredible job to not only make all the abilities given to you useful throughout the entire game, but they also ensure that they are balanced so that the player can choose any battle tactics they desire and they will work.

During and after the story, there are so many kingdoms, forests, castles, dungeons, oceans, caves, towers, and other hidden gems to explore in this vast game. Whether you choose to search for treasures, take up monster contracts, or simply go on an adventure or play some card games, there's something for everyone to enjoy in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt!

2 Fallout 4

Fallout 3 was crap, so when I heard that Fallout 4 came out, I wasn't too excited. But then my friends introduced me to it and convinced me to get it. Honestly, that was one of the greatest choices I ever made. I'm in love with Skyrim, so when I played this, maybe even a better version of Skyrim, it was like a dream come true for me. Also, in most games, you might get bored by the storyline. Well, in this game, the storyline is exciting, and you can do side missions instead if you want a change. The makers put loads of detail into it, so the mediocre graphics make no difference when you see the game's beautiful landscape. Anyone who doesn't like this needs to hugely reconsider, as I think this is the best game of 2015.

People just love to hate on number one. Anyone claiming that the first and second games were the best is mistaken. Don't think the graphics are amazing enough? Play it on a gaming PC with the highest graphic settings, and then realize what you've been missing. I don't understand why everyone likes V.A.T.S. so much. I thoroughly beat the hell out of Fallout 3 and New Vegas, only using it a handful of times when absolutely necessary, like shooting antennae off of ants. It feels like cheating, and you don't need it if you're any good.

My biggest complaints about Fallout 3 and New Vegas were just having to switch outfits so often, and mostly shuffling around the endless belongings between you, party members, and storage areas because of clutter and weight/strength restrictions. With needing so many different items to build and cook with, it was endlessly tedious. It made me miss magical bottomless bags in fantasy RPGs. I do wish they would incorporate more new creatures, though. You get sick of the same old ones. There's really an endless array of mutations you could imagine, and still be true to the series and concept.

3 Batman: Arkham Knight

Voted for Super Mario Maker because it's better, you plebs.

The non-canon Arkhamverse might just be the best thing that's ever happened to Batman (besides the abomination that was Origins). Arkham Asylum and Arkham City could probably sit comfortably on a best-of-all-time list, with Arkham City possibly being my favorite game of all time.

Arkham Knight, the final installment, is a bizarre one. The first one rated M, the first one with the Batmobile, and yet the first that has some issues. It's an amazing game. The story's awesome, the dialogue is priceless, Batman's fear hallucinations are ingenious, and the Batmobile is awesome and overpowered in ways that don't make gliding irrelevant.

However, I do have my gripes. The Arkham Knight is a badass, but his identity was just so... copout. It would be awesome if it was a new villain or something, but he isn't. And also, the tank battles are kind of overdone. You spend more time blowing up automated tanks and helicopters than actually fighting, and while that may sound fun, it gets tedious when it's 40-on-1, or when they bring in the Cobra drones.

Overall, this game is amazing. 9/10. However, its extreme ambition caused there to be some missteps.

4 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

I had a hard time deciding between this game and Undertale, but I have to give the award of the best game of 2015 to this game. I love the way the gameplay mechanics worked together and the organic nature of the open-ended missions. They allowed us to create our own memorable experiences without being punished for deviating from stealth. The only downside is the overarching storyline lacks focus. However, this is truly a gameplay marvel, rewarding intelligence and creativity in a way few games do.

This is not just my favorite game of 2015, but of all time. You are the game. The game revolves around you and the choices you make as the boss. The freedom, the leveling up, the unexpected twists or mystic turns that might unfold, your ability to customize so much of yourself and your armory. I was so used to the odd shooter where you just killed off any enemy in sight. My decisions totally changed when I learned that you can be a hero and spare their lives, and then fulton them to your base where they become your soldiers. The perfect game in terms of graphics, design, story - oh my God, the story - and characters. Just perfect.

5 Mortal Kombat X

Best game of 2015? Maybe. Maybe not. But I voted for it just because of how great the graphics are! The characters' eyes look rather funny, but on the whole, the graphics for this game are superb. The redesigns on Kitana, Scorpion, and Mileena are good too.

Mortal Kombat 9 was great, but this one is even better! Seriously, it has much smarter reasons for fights, great graphics, and a compelling story. All characters are interesting, even the new ones.

It really improved the fighting from Mortal Kombat 9. The action is faster, and the X-Rays and Fatalities are shockingly amazing.

6 Bloodborne

How is Fallout 4 above this? Fallout 4 was good, but dumbed down and kind of boring at times. I was NEVER bored in Bloodborne! You're always on your toes, trying to defeat your foes without dying and losing 40,000 blood echoes. The DLC was great with new weapons, areas, and story. The lore is fascinating and engaging! This game had the best bosses from any game all year, along with Undertale! There aren't a ton of weapons, but the ones that are there are unique, useful, and none of them are useless! They all have their strengths and weaknesses and are better than Skyrim's 'Do I choose that slow 20 damage axe or this quick 60 damage sword with fire magic' (I do really like Skyrim by the way).

It's the best PS4 exclusive and my favorite game of all time! GOTY!

This game is awesome. It doesn't hold your hand - it beats you. It wants you to learn, to act quickly, and to calculate the risk of your actions, whether you should be fast and furious or calm and secure. It's challenging. I do understand some people might not like it, but if you own a PS4, you have at the very least to try it. Moreover, the satisfaction you feel when you defeat a boss has no equal, and the setting, the details, and the art direction are superb.

However, this game also has issues. The 1st version had a long loading time, the frame rate in some places drops under 30fps, many say the camera is not good (I personally like it), the illumination is horrible, and the moon texture could have been done better. The story is whispered through the game. You must have good insight to reveal it... I hope you agree.

7 Super Mario Maker

After nearly a decade of Super Mario side scrollers being way too easy with the New Super Mario Bros. games, Mario Maker is the side-scrolling Mario game I have spent my whole life waiting for. It brings the most challenging levels to ever grace a Mario game and features the gameplay of some of the franchise's greatest titles. I hope Nintendo sees that most of these fan-created levels are insanely difficult and realize that it is what is needed to bring new life to the series. If anything, they better ramp up the difficulty on the next Mario side scroller because by the time it comes out for the NX, Mario Maker will have already turned us into pros.

There are just so many possibilities here. This game definitely had room for improvement, and guess what? They've delivered - with additions that don't just fix problems (which the game didn't have a lot of to start with, just a lot of features that would be nice, many of which have been and may continue to be added), but also add new possibilities for creative level designs that keep me coming back day after day for more.

8 Undertale

Though I can't endorse the fandom or the hype, Undertale itself is definitely worth a play. The gameplay is challenging, yet oddly compelling. The characters are all interesting (not necessarily likable), and the game is fun. It's a trope-filled RPG, full of so much ridiculousness and frustration, that doesn't masquerade as anything else. I wouldn't call it Game of the Year, but it is so unlike any other game that it deserves a spot on the list. The elements of the story are absolutely amazing, and the MERCY system is something that made the game more lovable. You can't take Undertale seriously, yet it has an element of seriousness about it. It's a good time and unique enough to deserve a vote.

Nobody knows how or why it became popular. Nobody knows how or why it had to become popular. Nobody knows how or why it had to attract these PewDiePie-loving kids who would ruin everyone's first impression of the game. If you're reading this and you haven't played Undertale, hear my plea.

Would you like to play a funny, quirky game that subtly destroys anything separating our reality from its own? If you would, then please play it. Right now. Don't talk to anyone about it first. They'll either change your mind or spoil the experience. Ignore the fanbase, and ignore the haters. Ignore the videos about it and such. Don't let anyone influence your way of playing the game. Yes, there are multiple ways to play it. Everyone will try to convince you to play in a particular way. Don't listen to them. Avoid the fans, and play the game yourself. When you're done - or rather, when you want to be done - you can talk to someone about it. I know this sounds silly, but trust me, it's better this way.

9 Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Wow, a bunch of hipsters had to vote this game so low and hate on it and its fans because they think it's cool to do that. Get your heads out of your butts, people! Two weeks into this game, and I have to say, this game has offered the most content in a Call of Duty game ever. It's also a really fun and enjoyable experience. In my opinion, the story is the weakest out of all the Black Ops entries, but it is still very enjoyable. Some would even say it's "the most ambitious Call of Duty campaign ever," but not me. Zombies mode is epic, the new mode, Free Run, is very fresh and exciting, and the Multiplayer is phenomenal. There's so much variety and so much to do. The maps are pretty good too. Overall, a really fun game.

This is my personal favorite Call of Duty game. But, in my defense, I am a zombies player. People who dislike the zombies most likely enjoy the less complicated maps, which I respect. However, if you love managing multiple things, amazing gameplay, one of the best stories I've ever played, or even just shooting zombies, everything in this game delivers.

Now, the campaign. Everything after BO2 has been absolute trash. This one doesn't feel like the stakes are high, which I do in fact hate.

The multiplayer is kind of fun. Not my personal favorite (BO2 or BO1), but I still have an enjoyable time playing multiplayer.

If you do not enjoy this game, I completely understand, especially if you're not a zombies player.

10 Just Cause 3

A severely underrated game.

This game will tie "Game of the Year" with Fallout 4.

One of the best open-world games ever made. It favors freedom, creativity, and epic action-packed gameplay with explosions. You will never be bored of this game with all the things to do in this fictional open world based on taking down military dictatorships in beautiful, exotic countries.

How can you not love a game whose only purpose is to be a fun game? You can go in guns blazing and destroy everything, or you can try to be subtle (good luck with that).

It is a very fun sandbox that unlocks each thing at the right pace so you don't get bored. Also, it has Weeping Angels in one area.

Okay, so maybe the frame rate can be a bit choppy and it's low on overall content, but a video game should be about fun, and no game I have ever played has had me having as much pure fun as this one does. It takes its predecessor and improves almost every detail. My game of the year.

The Contenders
11 Life is Strange

It may not have been graphically the best or had the most exciting action sequences, but no game since The Last of Us has left such an impact on me and millions of other players. The music is among the best I've ever heard in a game. The plot twists and compelling characters that you form a relationship with become actual friends to you.

It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it taught me a life lesson not to take things for granted because I don't have a rewind button. I need to make everything count. Yes, it's only a game, but it will change you and your view on how games are made forever.

Do you want to cry? We've got that. Do you want one of the best indie soundtracks and scores ever heard in a video game? We've got that. Are you looking for a compelling story that twists and turns in every direction? We've got that. Do you want so much character development that nearly every character isn't just an "everyman" or "Mary Sue"? We've got that too. Are you searching for some of the prettiest graphics of the year? We have that. How about some of the most depressing scenes in video game history? You bet your sweet ass we've got that. There has never been anything else like this.

12 Rocket League

Awesome! Really innovative, with a great formula for replayability.
Difficulty: 7/10. I liked the level of difficulty to master it, but it's too hard to get into.
Graphics: 9/10. I really like the animation style for some reason.
Soundtrack: 9/10. Cool lobby music and sound effects. However, there's no in-game music.
Replayability/lasting appeal: 10/10. Really addictive. Rounds are 5 minutes unless there's a forfeit or overtime, and you'll want to play lots and lots of rounds to try and improve.
Gameplay: 10/10. So original, with a great set of modes, and just really well-designed.
Overall rating: 9.5. Pros: Original, well-designed modes, compelling you to play lots and lots of rather long rounds to improve. The appeal remains the same in your 1st round and your 50th, takes the right amount of time to master, cool sound and lobby music, great animation style.
Cons: Too difficult to get into, graphics and sound were slightly less than perfect, no in-game music (not a huge flaw).

13 Halo 5: Guardians

This game hangs at the border of Call of Duty and Halo. I was thoroughly disappointed by the amount of new material that brought the game further away from the general concept of Halo and more towards a game about the weapons in the game, and how cool the players can make them. That aside, I thought it was a decent game. I appreciate the game bringing back the infected game mode and the almost identical armors from Halo Reach. The Emile's Regards assassination was a nice nostalgic touch.

My biggest complaint for this game is: Where is the split screen? This should be a basic part of any Halo game. What's the fun of playing the game at your friend's house if only one of you can play? Not everyone has an Xbox One.

I really think this game could have done better than what they had. The multiplayer and the graphics were spot on. I loved the scenery. But the campaign was horrible. It wasn't about the Chief and Locke fighting. They had one really good fight scene, and that was it. After that, it was just activating Guardians one after another. The requisitions were cool, but they could have done better on getting more stuff and more points. It seemed like every now and then all I get is garbage like guns for Warzone, and I don't even play it! Half of the people that play Halo don't play it for Warzone. But the worst thing ever is that it doesn't have splitscreen.

14 Star Wars Battlefront

I agree with the person below me on the graphics and sound design: they were phenomenal. I enjoyed the iconic dogfights, blasters, and all the characters. However, looking at it purely from the perspective of how it fared as a game, I don't find it spectacular. It's great for giving fans something to relate to the movies, but as a game, the lack of single-player content and repetitiveness makes it something that would just be taken out of the case every once in a while. It's not a game that would keep me entertained for a long duration of time.

I have played the Battlefront games since I was 4. I started off with the first one, featuring maps like Bespin, and the time when the engineer class had an arc caster. Then the second one came, offering better mechanics, improved graphics, new classes, and even adding two more game modes: Campaign and Galactic Conquest. And then, we got to number three... the best game of 2015... Battle of Jakku - Amazing, and that's just a DLC for FREE! Nothing else to explain about this game...

15 Assassin's Creed Syndicate

Even though Assassin's Creed has changed a lot, I still love this one. I've been playing Assassin's Creed since the second one was released, but this one is way better.

Mostly, I love the atmosphere. London is such a beautiful city, and in the game, it's portrayed perfectly. You can find the most popular historical buildings and figures who lived in London in the 19th century, like Big Ben, St. Paul's Cathedral, Charles Darwin, Queen Victoria, or Alexander Graham Bell.

The shooting mechanics are way better than in Unity. The designers really did great work here.

Switching between Jacob and Evie is also really interesting.

Syndicate deserves to be in the top 3!

Syndicate was a fantastic game. It had nice graphics, fun gameplay, and plenty of missions to keep you occupied throughout. I also appreciated how they introduced a female role, and the environment of London is beautifully depicted. A really solid and entertaining game for the series, this should be higher on the list. Who cares about making a Mario level when you can live the life of the coolest and most dangerous assassin, saving historic London from the clutches of evil.

16 Dragon Ball Xenoverse

Pretty solid fighter. It's got a ton of abilities. You can customize your own character, and there's a pretty good twist to the story.

There are a few problems, though:
- Almost every boss has super armor, which makes them immune to stagger and take less damage. I wouldn't mind this with insanely powerful beings like Beerus or Broly, but the super armor is a little ridiculous.
- There are quite a few difficulty spikes and canyons.
- Super Saiyans are absolutely OP.

This game needs to be higher! After over a decade of attempts, Xenoverse perfectly encapsulates what it would be like to play as a DBZ fighter in a game. Plus, the original story and villain is a fresh change from just rehashing the same story as the show. I pre-ordered the sequel on pure faith because of how good this game was.

Definitely a good game for the series of DBZ games. I dislike generic fighters but have always wanted DBZ to be somewhat an RPG-type game. I hope they move forward and continue to make this game better!

17 Splatoon

Uh... How the heck is Call of Duty, of all things, higher than Splatoon? I know people hate it when someone says this, but guess what? Call of Booty is the same thing over and over again. People say, "No, there's new guns and maps!" when Ubisoft (or Activision, I can't remember) could just release that stuff as DLC. Improved Zombies mode? Patches/updates. New mode? DLC.

My brother is a huge Call of Duty fan, but he admits that one of the newer ones he purchased was just Black Ops with a jetpack. Splatoon? It's a unique shooter. Heck, you don't even have to shoot. Use a roller, inkbrush, octobrush! And while you can kill, your main focus is inking everything. There's even competitive Ranked Battles, map and gun DLC, (cough Call of Duty cough) campaign, local multiplayer, and not only do you buy weapons, but you can also get clothes, hats, and shoes. And they actually do something. They give you special abilities instead of just looking cool. Point is, Splatoon rocks. It is definitely top 5 material.

18 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege

This game isn't flawless by any means, but it deserves better than being ranked #22. It's an innovative breath of fresh air in the FPS realm, which is currently dominated by the likes of Call of Duty and Battlefield.

It's also worth mentioning that it's continuously improving as the months go by. More operators and content are being added (for free!), bugs are continuously being fixed, and the overall playing community is steadily growing. 90% of video games can't say that after 8+ months since their release date.

My personal favorite FPS of all time now, it's bugged to hell but it's so intense, so fun, so gripping. It may not be the best looking, it may not work right all the time, but it's just a good change of pace from the bore fest of Call of Duty and Battlefield. Not to mention free DLC.

Amazing game. Too bad it was published by Ubisoft, so the connection breaks a lot and it takes forever to find a game. Incredibly good game, though.

19 ARK: Survival Evolved

This is my favorite dinosaur game ever. Like Fnaf 4, I haven't bought it but someday I will. It's like Minecraft and Garry's Mod, except that it has dinos, and I like that you can actually tame dinos and other primeval creatures, and you can do what you want in that game.

Fight dinosaurs, tame them, fight with them, build and collect materials to build your bases.

Have underwater adventures, kill alphas, breed dinosaurs, collect eggs.

This game is my favorite game ever. It totally tops Minecraft, and you can ride, fly, and swim with your dinosaurs around this giant map. By Ian Markovic. Sponsors MQH Mary Queen of Heaven School. The best school on earth, a Catholic school. Do you want to be an MQH Knight?

ARK is a game with great graphics and gameplay, and there are many things to do.

20 Dying Light

The storyline is somewhat engaging, and the gameplay is very engaging. However, it gets boring after you finish the main quests. It's not fun to play by yourself, killing zombies to level up for no reason in campaign mode. Moreover, when you blindly queue for online mode, the players that are matched up to you can be at any level and have weapons and damage potential 100 times less or 100 times more than yours. It's also hard to ignore the fact that you can ask a higher level for their discarded weapons and use them to one-hit virals.

Dying Light takes an overused genre and gives it a breath of fresh air. It isn't the typical zombie game where you find yourself fending off mass hordes of the undead only to retrieve a random quest item for a random dude. You fight against unique zombies with a variety of customizable weapons while parkouring through the city to help save people you grow to love.

21 The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D

In my opinion, Majora's Mask was the best game I had growing up. I can't tell you how much I loved it. I had always loved creepy things, and it sure as hell made my day many times. The storyline was phenomenal, and no matter how many times I played it, I still kept a keen interest in it. Then comes the BEN Drowned story to go along... Long story short, we the people want more LOZ like this.

This game is a masterpiece. It was the game that got me into one of the best game series of all time, The Legend of Zelda. With great gameplay elements, an amazing story, and the highest-pitched scream in gaming history, it well deserves to be in the top ten.

Majora's Mask 3D is a very philosophical game. Playing it could change your life, no joke. I especially love what the moon children say after you give them masks and stuff. So philosophical. So good.

22 Until Dawn

I loved this game so much. I've been playing it for almost 2 years. It drives me crazy how good it is. Although, let's be honest, it's not as popular as Life Is Strange, but it's still worth so much, and it could be popular if people wouldn't overlook it. It makes you sad to see how much time, care, and effort the people and actors put into it. It took 2 years to make the game. Life is Strange is a beautiful game, but Until Dawn took a lot more time and care.

I'm not begging to have this in the top ten because it doesn't belong there. It hasn't been around long enough. The games that have worked for years and years belong in the top ten. Graphics? Outstanding. Gorgeous. It's actually scary and really captures the horror genre. Life Is Strange is meant to be a click-style game - great choice. Their choices actually change the game - Until Dawn had some trouble with that. Mainly, the game felt the same even when different choices were made. That's the one problem. Other than that, for a low-fame cast (other than Hayden and Jordan (Sam and Matt)) – well done.

23 Rise of the Tomb Raider

Many are saying that this is a great game that deserves just as much love as some of these other titles. Crystal Dynamics basically took everything right with the 2013 game and improved upon it. And to top it all off, it looks gorgeous. It's such a shame that it will be overshadowed due to timed exclusivity and coinciding with the release of games like Black Ops 3 and Fallout 4. Oh Microsoft, you silly bastards.

I like Tomb Raider. I'm just disappointed that the publishers made it a timed exclusive for Xbox One. So now I have to wait another year. But now Sony is going to smack Microsoft in the face by making Final Fantasy 7 Remake a timed exclusive. Talk about payback.

This game is gorgeous. It's an excellent sequel and a great way for Microsoft to make me get an Xbox, because I'm certainly not waiting for it to come out on PS4. It's a shame it was an exclusive, though. It could have garnered a larger fanbase.

24 Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer

A cute, fun, and original Animal Crossing! I must say, I love it. I've been playing Animal Crossing, each game that came out, since the GameCube AC. I'm never let down by the new games.

I really love this! The only thing I don't like is that you don't have your own house.

Had to hire the plumber to clean my pipes. A clean home is a happy home.

25 Mad Max

I don't hear many people talking about this game, but it's actually really good!

I've played it, and it's a really good game.

How is Call of Duty better than this?

8Load More
PSearch List