Welcome Aboard Guys,
This year was great when it came to gaming! We were treated to fantastic experiences on all platforms, each one great in its own way. But which one is better? Which one deserves to be crowned game of the year? This has been a hard year to breakdown and put into a list. And to be honest it’s been hard keeping up with new games. So just that we are clear there are a few games I didn’t get to, such as, Witcher 3, Dying Light, and Splatoon (Just to name a few). This was an awesome year with plenty of games to pick from, and while this isn’t a buyer’s guide. These are the games I think are worth your time. Because I sure loved giving them mine!
Honorable mentions I didn’t have time to write about:
-Rise of the Tomb Raider
Probably the best Action/Adventure game we have had in years! Even better then the first one.
-Need For Speed
Definitely lived up to my expectations. The FMV added to the experience rather than hindering it. And it was nice to finally have a map worth exploring!
-Rare Replay
A Beautiful Collection of fantastic games I love, as well as new gems to explore. This is how re-masters should be handled.
Alright onto the top of the list:
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
Oh no! Who in their right mind would put a Call of Duty game on their games of the year list? Well to answer your question in a non-sarcastic way. I think anyone who really gave this a chance instead of writing it off as “another” Call of Duty would definitely understand why it isn’t just a great game. But it’s also a fantastic Call of Duty. It’s full to the brim with amazing content, because there is really 3 distinct ways to play and enjoy this game. You have Campaign, Multiplayer, and of course Zombies. This game is so many things in one. Each mode has a rewarding rank system, and you can play each with 4 players (or more if you are on the multiplayer side). I genuinely think you could chop each of these modes up and release them as their own separate games. They are all well thought out and pose enough replay-ability that you can’t help but come back to each one. While the campaign certainly isn’t the most fleshed out and memorable, it still is a blast and a half to run through, especially with co-op partners. The multiplayer in its entirety is the best since Black Ops 2 and my favorite since the second Modern Warfare, the specialists add so much depth and tactic to the game without sacrificing anything that has already made multiplayer so addictive. And then there’s Zombies mode. Let’s not forget how great Zombies Mode in general has been in the past. I have been a huge zombies advocate and fan ever since Nacht back in World at War. And this time around it’s still just as engaging. We've moved away from simply trying to survive. And now we are diving deeper into the lore and story that Treyarch is building. You can still play just as it always has been; survive the waves until you die. Or you can go through the Easter Egg story and really get an idea of what the world of Zombies has to offer. If you have skipped previous Call of Duty’s in the past this is the one to Jump back in with.
4. Mad Max
If you were one of those people who bought Metal Gear over Mad Max you are probably totally happy with your choice, but you are doing yourself a genuine disservice skipping over this gem. Think the Arkham series combat mixed with an open world actually worth exploring. A story that throws you into the post apocalypse with not much to go off of, Mad Max finds a unique way to compel you to climb the ranks. This game does exactly what it sets out to achieve. You have to try and survive in the desert with your sidekick (probably the best companion in videos games) “Chum Bucket” All the while you have to deal with savages and raiders alike. Using hand to hand combat similar to Batman, as well as car combat that just makes me want a demolition derby styled game even more. And even while you try to cooperate and help other people in the world you still feel like you can’t trust anybody. I believe that this game has been criminally overlooked. And if you haven’t delved into it you should definitely pick it up.
3. Rock Band 4
What can I say about the Rock Band series that I already haven’t? This franchise means so much to me as a gamer, as a musician, and more importantly as a human being. I have friendships that started because of Rock Band. And while some people very clearly feel this is the weakest link in the series. I still have enjoyed the hell out of it. It’s as fun as it ever has been. The improvements to the games engine and the scoreboard make this a step above the others. I will admit the on disc soundtrack isn’t the best in the series. (That award goes to Rock Band 3) But the whole point of Rock Band for me was discovering new music, and picking apart new genres. Plus you can bring all of your old DLC songs into the game as well as your old exports. It’s still as much fun as ever. I love the Freestyle Solos, and what they did with the drum fills this time around, and with the promise of future updates to come on top of the already amazing new addition of Brutal Mode, I don’t think this game will leave my hard drive anytime soon.
2. Ori and the Blind Forest
Beautiful artwork, intense and rich gameplay, wonderful music and sound, and a story that literally had me in tears. What more could make a great game? Well brilliant level design would help. Oh wait! This game has that too! Ori was a game I had on my radar when it was revealed at E3 2014. I couldn't wait Rio play in such a beautiful landscape. The metroidvania gameplay was so addicting and contained just enough of an RPG element that I couldn’t put this game down from the start. There is always something special about a game you finish in an afternoon. But there is something more special about that same kind of game that leaves such a lasting impression. I have sold Xbox One Consoles to people at work based solely on me explaining how much I loved this game. That in itself speaks wonders, and I can’t wait to see what Moon Studio does next.
1. Fallout 4
Okay before I get flak for putting this game as my number one, hear me out. This is my list. My opinion. Of you disagree that is totally fine. But I love this game. I am so happy to say that Fallout 4 was a game I went in totally ready to dislike. I never got into fallout 3, I enjoyed what I played with fallout 2, but I also never enjoyed New Vegas. So I didn’t think I would like Fallout 4. However I went in open minded, and came out 3 days later with plenty of amazing war stories. This game does so many things right. And being that I haven’t touched Skyrim in years, it definitely helped fill that void. The game sucked me in with its story and kept me playing with its amazing art style and fantastic world building. V.A.T.S. is easy to understand and utilize, crafting and upgrading weapons is addictive, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I put 15 hours into improving my settlement. This game surprised me in so many ways; especially with just how much there is to do. I still hadn’t even been to Diamond City and I’m 40+ hours in. How, I have no clue. But it was a fantastic ride either way.
To sum it up: This was a great year for Video games both as a medium and as an industry. I am proud to say that I spent my free time in amazing virtual worlds. If you disagreed with my choices that's totally fine. Let me know in the comments below or on my Twitter @bluemuztang96 I’d love to hear your picks. I'm looking forward to the New Year and I think 2016 will be a make or break situation on many fronts. But more on that later.
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