The top 5 of 2015!

Greetings once again Internet Hivemind!

As usual, it has been far too long. After an entertaining bout with bronchitis and large amounts of work, I finally found the time to return. As 2015 has concluded, it is time for my list of favorite games of the year. Keep in mind, these are purely opinion based, and my taste in games probably does not line up with yours...that being said these games are fantastic.

Delrain's Top 5 of 2015

5. Mad Max

 
Mad Max was met with skepticism and more than a few poor reviews - I, on the other hand, found the game immensely enjoyable. Is it a profound or innovative experience? I wouldn't say so; Mad Max does not redefine the sandbox genre but damn if it doesn't make it fun again. Being a cathartic experience gives a game major points in my book, and Mad Max provided catharsis in spades. Something about kitting up my car to my own standards and rocketing around the wastelands provided me with unending glee. Firing a harpoon into an enemy vehicle, tearing the door off, and then yanking the driver out and firing him into the air at 80mph never got old. The basic hand to hand combat was also a blast. Melee battles are not as deep as many similar titles (Batman Arkham Knight for instance),  but they are brutal and watching Max pick up a thrashing Warboy and suplex him into the dirt always left a smile on my face.

The world is beautifully crafted, car battles are fun (once you get the hang of it), and tearing enemy strongholds apart kept me coming back to this title. I rarely 100% a title, it has to get its claws deeply set for me to commit such time and effort - but I can say without a doubt that wrapping up every loose end in the wasteland is on my to-do list.

4. Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void

I have yet to find the time to adequately review this title by itself, but it deserves a spot on this list. Let me start off by saying this - I am TERRIBLE at Starcraft II multiplayer, always have been always will be. When I discuss Starcraft II I am mostly speaking about the single player experience - and what an experience it is. The wait for the Starcraft II trilogy to finish was beyond worth it, Legacy of the Void provides a stunning conclusion to an amazing storyline and brings some of the best and most varied mission types in an RTS title I've ever enjoyed. By the time I was halfway through the game, I felt more like I was being allowed to influence a fantastic sci-fi film than playing a game. While Activision/Blizzard sit low on the list of companies I respect, this title demands attention.

New units, varied maps, interesting characters, and exciting missions leave little for complaint. This title launched on the same day Fallout 4 did and still pulled enough to be a success - that alone should show its strength (that and Fallout 4 is not on the list). Sit back, put on your Space-General hat, and enjoy the epic events unfolding around you.

3. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

Surely, you saw this coming. What is there to say about the Witcher 3 that has not already been said? CD Projekt Red pulls off one of the best and certainly most ambitious RPGs released to date. I'm hoping the men and women who developed this title are still taking a much-needed break from development because this title must have required GALLONS of blood, sweat and tears to bring it to life. The world is massive, the quests all carry narrative weight, and the combat is tense. Again, this is a title I need to spend time giving an entire review to - but trust me when I say that if you enjoy a dark-fantasy setting and role-playing games, you simply cannot go amiss by joining Geralt on his adventures.

2. Darkest Dungeon

I have such profound respect for Darkest Dungeon that choosing between it and my next selection for the number 1 spot was a nail-biter. Darkest Dungeon provided me with one of the most engrossing gameplay experiences I have had in years. I just love so many this about this title that I could ramble on for pages. This title tasks you with reclaiming your family's old estate (now swarming with vile creatures lurking in the catacombs and warrens beneath) - a goal that at first seems feasible. This is no stroll through the park, though, the poor souls you send into the depths suffer from stress that can lead to mental breaks, these breakdowns apply psychological and physical effects that stick with that character forever (or until they die, which they will). 

It soon becomes a game of difficult choices. Do you flee from battle because you favorite party of adventurers that you have invested so much gold into is losing, or do you press on in hopes of accomplishing your goal? Sacrifice is something you will find yourself face to face with on every dungeon raid. Most recently, my rock-star party that I use to put down the various bosses you will have to deal with ran into something even they could not overcome. As the battle progressed and their fate became more apparent, I was faced with a choice. The boss was nearly beaten, but my group was battered, bloody, and almost insane. If I ran I would have to come back and find my way back to this beast again - something I barely managed the first time, so I fought...and lost. Not many games besides this title (and my number one pick) can cause me to cry physically out in lament, but as my final brave party member took what could have been the fatal stroke against the boss the unthinkable happened, he missed. I then had to watch as the boss took its turn and dealt the fatal blows to all four of my vulnerable members; they were dead. I felt their loss, and upon returning to town, my squads of weaker members all became highly stressed when the toughest group around never returned. 

Do yourself a favor and pick up Darkest Dungeon. You will be challenged, forced to make hard calls, and die - but you will keep coming back for more.

1. Bloodborne + The Old Hunters DLC

As I stated earlier, the battle between Bloodborne and Darkest Dungeon was tough - but Bloodborne emerged on top as my favorite game of the year. In fact, as I compose this list I am pushing myself to finish so I can continue playing my New Game+. Bloodborne and its amazing DLC bring everything to the table I ever wanted in a game. Incredible atmosphere, combat that not only challenges your twitch skills but your mind, and mysteries that are not openly revealed but must be sought out and solved on your own. Every step forward in Bloodborne is its own small victory, every bloody fight against a monstrous boss that leaves you as the last standing combatant provides pure elation. 

You will WORK for everything you accomplish here. Some bosses or areas may not be as difficult as others, but trust me when I say that somewhere along these streets filled with the blood of the unfortunate you will stumble and die - over and over and over again. 

A quick word on the DLC. The Old Hunters DLC is one of the downloadable additions to a game that I can say is completely worth every penny. Hell, I probably would have paid more - the playtime I got out of this expansion makes it as worthy a game as Bloodborne on its own! The Old Hunters features my favorite boss encounter as well; I have yet to take part in such an exciting fight, and even though I came out on top the first time I still look back on it as one of the most memorable pieces of combat in a game I have had the pleasure of enjoying.