What's your 2015 Game of the Year?

[Xeogred]

1. Bloodborne - I like games that don't hold my hand!

2. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain - Well it's incomplete, thanks Konami. Still got like 70 hours out of it, and it's 10x better than most sandbox games.

3. Fallout 4 - Absolutely loved it, but the story does fall apart near the end. The ride and gameplay was fantastic though.

4. Shovel Knight - I'm super picky about indie games, but this is as legit as it gets.

For old releases that were new to me:

1. Castlevania Rondo of Blood - Brutal! Was amazing getting through this.

2. Suikoden 3 - Fantastic after giving it a second shot after a decade of hating it. Once you get over its quirks, it's quite good.

[CFFJR]

Hands down, without a doubt, System Shock. The original mind you, not 2.

It just blew my freaking mind. Slowly but surely making my way through the station, finding awesome upgrades (skates!) and new weapons, squeezing out of the devious traps laid by that queen bitch Shodan whom I love to love to hate...

The game felt both wide open and claustrophobic with an atmosphere that just sucked me in completely. The soundtrack was excellent (I genuinely burst out laughing the first time I entered an elevator) with some great catchy music and some delightfully creepy ambient tracks, and I personally found the graphics to be beautiful. The logs added a lot both to the story and delivered all the hints you'd ever need, and even though your path is clear if you pay attention, it still just plain felt good to figure everything out. The way you get the reactor code still makes me smile just thinking about it. I also got a lot of joy from simply exploring and mapping every inch of every floor.

Everything about System Shock is perfect as far as I'm concerned, and it now numbers among my favorite games ever. I know that if I had played the game as a kid, it would have stuck with me for life and I'd have probably completed it dozens of times over the years.

As for games actually released this year, I've only actually played a handful, and completed maybe 3. So I guess I don't really have one. I just started Bloodborne, so maybe that if I finish it before the year is out. I haven't done much, but its stellar so far.

[Pulsar_t]

Is Undertale getting a portable release?

[Sarge]

Are we limiting this to games that were released in 2015, or just what we've played?

Looking at the list of games I've played, I don't know that there's anything released this year that is a clear-cut winner. I think it's going to be Pillars of Eternity and Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows by default.

If we go by unique titles that I played for the first time this year, it would be Freedom Planet (it did get a Wii U release this year), followed by Bayonetta 2, Rex Rocket, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and Child of Light, with a special shout-out to Super Cyborg and Odallus.

If I can include anything, then the best games I played were Link's Awakening and Chrono Trigger.

[Exhuminator]

Are we limiting this to games that were released in 2015, or just what we've played?

Aww man. Even with the obnoxious glitter text ya didn't read the OP?

So what's your own personal BEST GAME ya played in 2015? It can be a game that legit released in 2015, or a game that released whenever but you just happened to actually play it in 2015.

It's all good. Or if not, poop.

[Sarge]

Are we limiting this to games that were released in 2015, or just what we've played?

Aww man. Even with the obnoxious glitter text ya didn't read the OP?

So what's your own personal BEST GAME ya played in 2015? It can be a game that legit released in 2015, or a game that released whenever but you just happened to actually play it in 2015.

It's all good. Or if not, poop.

Honestly, I kinda forgot between this morning when I read it on my phone, and when I actually posted in the topic.

Or poop.

(I still like my breakdown, though.)

[BoneSnapDeez]

It isn't even close...

The game isn't perfect - the graphics are lackluster and it's 20 hours longer than it needs to be - but the characters are endearing and the battle system is one of the best ever seen in a JRPG. All things considered, I'd go as far as to say this is the best game on the PlayStation.

Also, that Brandish artwork is friggin' gorgeous.

[Sarge]

Oh, right, I was supposed to say why it's my game of the year.

Well, in the case of Freedom Planet: It's like a Sonic game that tries to actually not be Sonic at all. It feels more like a Saturn game, or an evolution of Sonic that isn't solely focused on speed. In fact, I'd say the speed is actually pretty deemphasized, instead integrating mechanics from other games like Mega Man X (wall-jumping, melee combat akin to Zero), Rocket Knight (Lilac's charge move), and some bosses akin to Gunstar Heroes. It can sometimes be really tricky, but it all comes together in a package far better than it had any right to for what started as a Sonic fangame.

For the games actually released this year:

Pillars of Eternity actually managed to get me to play through an Infinity Engine-style game. It really recalled some of the best of BioWare's games, and while it dragged a little bit at the end, it was a wonderful update of the formula. Now if I could have played it on a rig that didn't sputter quite so much on it!

Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows takes an already great game, and puts a new character in that changes how you approach the game completely. It's the same thing that happens in the best of brawlers, except here you've actually got some interesting platforming challenges and means of conveyance compared to Shovel Knight. And there's even a shocking amount of story integration for ol' Plaguey. They could have sold this for money, and I don't think anyone would have batted an eye.

EDIT: Oh, hey, Exhuminator, did they release Dark Revenant in physical form? Or is it digital-only? I see it's on sale right now for $10, might need to pick it up!

[PartridgeSenpai]

1. My number one game I played this year would have to be Nier, a game which I had heard was good, but totally blew my expectations away. A great LoZ-style game with great combat and a better story: It certainly satisfied my itch for a good action adventure game with a story that really kept me hooked through all 3 new game +'s (for all the endings).

2. Marvelous: Another Treasure Island (my rough translation). Another game I imported on a recommendation, and really loved. A very fun mix of Zelda-style viewing with Maniac Mansion (several characters with their own unique abilities) -style puzzle solving.

3. Lost Odyssey. Looking for exclusives for the Xbax 360 I finally picked up, this did not disappoint. The immortal vs mortal-skills combat system, along with the stellar intro to really get you hooked, and topped off with great short stories inbetween, really made this a memorable one.

[BogusMeatFactory]

It isn't even close...

The game isn't perfect - the graphics are lackluster and it's 20 hours longer than it needs to be - but the characters are endearing and the battle system is one of the best ever seen in a JRPG. All things considered, I'd go as far as to say this is the best game on the PlayStation.

Also, that Brandish artwork is friggin' gorgeous.

Man Grandia was a really close call for me. How could you deny the absolute adorableness of Sue?! The game was incredibly charming and I loved it to death. Problem is that I played tons of grade A stuff this year. It takes a lot for me to finish a Japanese RPG of that length and I had no qualms with finishing it.