The bottom of the top…
And so, good readers, we arrive at NGB’s Game of the Year 2015 Top 10 list! We’ve broken it down into two lists, 10-6, and 5-1. Hopefully you come back to check out both parts! It was hotly contested this year, with the top 10 changing drastically each time someone sent their votes in. So, without further ado, let’s go through numbers 10 to 6 of the best games of 2015…
10 – ROCKET LEAGUE
Adam: Maybe a surprise entry in my GOTY choices this year is Rocket League. Although Rocket League hasn’t been one of the ‘biggest’ releases this year, it’s popularity has shown it is one of the most played games this year. Hitting a giant football with cars? What more can a man ask for? It just clicks so well, and is a barrel of laughs when playing with mates.
Ben: Rocket League takes the “easy to learn, hard to master” concept and runs with it. A deceptively simple game, but one that will provide hours of fun once you get into it. Flinging your rocket-powered car down an oversized football pitch, in pursuit of getting that vital touch on the ball to just knock it into the goal provides a rush that I can’t say I’ve felt in a game in a long time. The fact it was free on PS+ has obviously helped its popularity, and at one point I couldn’t scroll down my PSN friends list without seeing “ROCKET LEAGUE” underneath every single name of people that were online. Brilliant stuff, and easily one of the best games of the year.
9 – EVERYBODY’S GONE TO THE RAPTURE
Deb: When I first heard about this game and all the buzz it generated I have to admit I hadn’t really looked into it. Although I was curious I didn’t dive right in, then I found the soundtrack on Spotify. From the moment I finished listening it had already captured my heart; leading me to instantly purchase the game.
There are many reasons why this was my top game of 2015. You may be thinking that its not really much of a game, that its just a story. Well you may be right, it doesn’t have any fancy mechanics; no action or puzzles but the story is all you need, it is that powerful. It fills you with so many emotions, the uneasiness of being alone; the curiosity and confusion of your situation, the chills down your spine from the blood and dead birds; dread of opening a door, sadness from memory footprints left behind. Hidden within these mixed emotions is the disturbing sense of tranquility; from the gorgeous graphics and scenery it is like walking through a painting. There was not a place I could go without seeing a shared screenshot and I too took my fare share, it is so photographic and real that you could easily print a number of them to display on your walls and mistake them as real photos.
The story was sad; moving; surreal and dreamlike. Each revelation brought you closer to the truth, a message cleverly hidden in the pages of these peoples lives; all connected. But what truly makes it is the music, the way it entrances you. Jessica Curry is an incredible woman as is the masterpiece she created. It is what leads the story and the mood, it stirs something inside and is so beautiful yet sad that it will often reduce me to tears. Yet I love it so much I have it on both CD and Vinyl! If I can sum this all up, whilst it may not be full of action its simplicity yet complexity will remain with me for a great time to come. Nothing has ever moved me so much for quite some time, it is certainly something that will haunt me in a very good way!
8 – BLOODBORNE
Charles: It’s not often that a game can really get the adrenaline pumping as much as Bloodborne. It captures the old school feel of a classic NES game that could have you stumped on a boss, and blends it with a beautiful environment (weird, but beautiful) as well as some highly rewarding game play. Each defeated boss is guaranteed to make you fist pump and truly feels like a well earned victory. The guys at From Software have also brought a faster pace to the game that it’s forerunners haven’t seen before. If ever you needed an excuse to buy a PS4, you now have one.
7 – PES 2016
Adam: This choice may get the most reaction. Yes, for my 3rd best game of 2015, I have decided to go with PES 2016. I’ve hyped past releases of PES, but this is the first PES that has kept me playing after a month of release. The gameplay is absolutely top notch, so much so that I haven’t even touched FIFA since a few days after it come out. I really hope Konami can now build on the success and PES 2017 can be even higher on my list come next year.
Nico: Whilst I accept that sports games don’t usually make these types of lists, PES2016 is the game most of us football fans have been waiting for! A smooth and beautifully flowing football experience has me addicted like the old days. Everyone may not agree but the proof is in the budding and I’m spending a whole lot of time with PES.
6 – THE WITCHER 3
Nick CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher series has grown from strength to strength and the third iteration sets new benchmarks for depth and vastness in the genre. The reason I enjoy RPG’s so much is their ability to take you away into worlds you could never possibly be a part of, and The Witcher 3 sucked me into one full of rich environments, excellent narrative and one that I might never be able to fully explore – and that’s a wonderful thing.
Asim: This is how you do a next-gen, open world RPG. Unlike a certain other game, Geralt’s third outing built on what made its predecessor special and polished it up for the new consoles. A massive world with loads do (literally hundreds of hours), a solid combat system and top notch RPG elements. Oh and it’s not a buggy mess either. The best RPG of the year, CD Projekt Red are straight up masters of the genre. Everyone else take note.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvfbcwKf3NA[/youtube]
And there we have it! Remember to come back tomorrow for our top five list of the best games of 2015 – Any of your favourites that haven’t yet made it in?
