5 – Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
I know guys, I know. What’s with all these remasters and remakes always hitting our current gen consoles, right? Amidst a vast ocean of crappy remasters out to make a quick and dirty buck there are the odd ones that stand out. Adding in the formerly PC only available chapters as well as not just spit-shining but totally overhauling the graphics this made the game a blast to revisit. It definitely makes Gears of War: Ultimate Edition stand out against many of its less worthy compatriots.
4 – Forza Motorsport 6
There aren’t many franchises that consistently improve upon their last game quite like that of the Forza series. Forza Motorsport 6 introduced wet-weather driving that severely impacts how you race, features over 450 cars and has a unique mode called ‘Stories of Motorsport’ that can suck you in for over 70 hours of play. Turn 10 are one of the kings of racing games and they aren’t about to hand over the crown any time soon.
3 – Halo 5: Guardians
The mainstay of the Xbox family made its long awaited debut on the Xbox One console with Halo 5: Guardians and very few were left disappointed. Featuring the biggest and most epic battles the franchise has ever seen it is a visual juggernaut that packs in story, action and excitement. Many lamented the loss of couch co-op split-screen but when the world has moved on to playing online with friends I know that I hate sharing my 80” screen with anyone. I’m greedy like that.
2 – Ori and the Blind Forest
What can we say about this indie game from Moon Studios? It’s stunning, gorgeous, heart-wrenching and more. Featuring some of the best platforming we’ve seen in years, Ori and the Blind Forest is a Metroidvania inspired game that brought everything to the table from its graphics to the setting to the music and the narrative. It really didn’t do a single thing wrong. With the Definitive Edition set to drop this year that adds new content, mechanics and more, you aren’t too late to experience one of 2015’s best.
1 – Rise of Tomb Raider
You’ve got to admit it, there hasn’t been a lot of crowing from the Xbox One side of the fence when looking at its competition in the PS4. Pulling up the rear in console sales (and naturally game sales to follow) the Xbox One scored a big win when it locked down the timed exclusivity for one of the year’s biggest games. Crystal Dynamics crafted the best Tomb Raider game to date as Rise of the Tomb Raider improves upon its predecessor in every way. Compelling storyline and acting with graphics and mo-cap done so well that you can literally see the emotion on an actor’s face will keep you glued to your screen from start to finish. Let’s not forget that the gameplay and world traversal in this series is like no other and an absolute joy to experience. If you haven’t picked this up… DO IT.
