Every year has their highs and lows when it comes to gaming, this year is no exception. But with that being said, we’ve been treated to some great titles that have raised the bar in their respective fields. With so many good titles released in 2015, it’s hard to pick my favourite five. But here we go…

5. Dying Light

Zombie genre games have always found their place within the gaming community, but it’s been a while since anything really raised the bar; Dying light achieved this back in January this year. Set in a fictional quarantine zone, Dying Light saw you follow the story of Kyle Crane via First Person gameplay.

Dying Light incorporated a dynamic night and day cycle, which changed the gameplay depending on the time of day. At day players are able to scavenge for supplies, set traps whereas night time saw players being hunted by more ferocious zombie opponents. Traversing the open world was also achieved by incorporating a parkour movement system (think Mirrors Edge with Dead Island). This movement system is what made Dying Light a smash hit in my eyes and a must own for any Zombie and First Person fanatic.

4. Fallout 4

In all honesty, I was never going to buy Fallout 4. I was never a big fan of the series and didn’t understand the hype surrounding Fallout 4. But thankfully a friend of mine talked me into purchasing the game and I never looked back. Fallout 4 is a truly immersive experience. Following the story of a dad searching for his son, you roam a nuclear wasteland making friends (and enemies) along the way.

What’s so great about Fallout 4 is the freedom you are entitled to. I played Fallout 4 for around 20 hours before reaching the first main city, Diamond City. The sheer volume of distractions/side quests in Fallout 4 is phenomenal. One second you could be exploring an underground tube station and the next joining a newly found faction. There’s just so much to do in Fallout 4 which is great to see in a modern game where content is usually found via DLC’s.

3. Just Cause 3

So to put everything out there, Just Cause isn’t the best game around. It’s got its fair share of bugs and glitches and the story isn’t going to set the world on fire. But the reason its number 3 on my list is because of the sheer amount of fun I’ve had while playing it. Back following Rico Rodriguez (Just Cause 1 & 2), players return home to Medici to over throw Dictator Sebastiano Di Ravello.

As mentioned, it’s the gameplay that puts Just Cause 3 on my list. I’ve had hours and hours of fun tethering objects together, blowing up bridges, exploding cars, liberating towns, exploding military bases, parachuting above the islands, exploding boats, gliding through tunnels, exploding barrels… as you can see things exploding in Just Cause 3 is a big part of the game. The game only lacks where your imagination ends. If you can think of something to do, it can probably be done in Just Cause 3.

2. Rainbow Six Siege

I think it’s fair to say that I’m a Rainbow Six fanboy, especially when it comes to Rainbow Six Siege. Having played the closed Alpha, closed Beta and open Beta, I’ve seen this game progress through the stages and become the game it is today and it’s been incredible. Rainbow Six Siege isn’t your average first person shooter. What sets it apart from those games is the strategy and teamwork involved in order for you to win the game.

Rainbow Six Siege looks and sounds incredible. The level destruction is epic and leaves no-one safe. There is always an element of fear as you never know where the enemies are coming from. You could be perfectly tucked away in the corner of the room, only for the opposing team to blow the ceiling up above you, the wall behind you or even below you. It’s this suspense and creativity that leaves me wanting “just one more” match when playing Siege.

1. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

There is so much I could say about this game. I’ve always been a massive fan of the Metal Gear franchise and adore the way in how Hideo Kojima tells an incredible story. Metal Gear Solid 5 carries that over, but also introduces a whole new way of playing the stealth driven game.

For the first time in the franchise, players were invited to experiment with their play style. No longer was it game over if you were spotted or killed an enemy. Now you could decide if you wanted to go in guns blazing or remain in the shadows and pick off enemies one by one. And of course, all of this is done in the massive open world. Missions were started by the player and could be played in any order. This gave Metal Gear fans a heck of alot of freedom over how they want to spend their time with Kojima’s creation, but while retaining the features of what makes Metal Gear Solid so special.

The Phantom Pain also bought back FOB’s (Forward Operating Base) for players to fill and evolve. A lot of focus was put on extracting enemies in the field so that your base could grow. The same goes for military weaponry and vehicles. This allowed players to watch their base grow and expand as they saw fit.

All of this coupled with a great story, exceptional scenery and immersive gameplay, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain holds the spot Game of the Year for me. An absolute masterpiece.

Honourable mentions

Battlefield Hardline

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Rocket League

Batman Arkham Knight

Star Wars Battlefront

Do you agree with our list? What are your top games of 2015? Let us know in the comment section below!