Now that the New Year is upon us, it's time to look forward at the top 10 games that I'm looking forward to (and you should be too) in 2015. There are so many awesome looking titles lined up for this year that it was rather tough to whittle this list down to just 10, but I managed to do it somehow...with the exception of several honorable mentions that I just couldn't leave of this list in good conscience.
Again, there's no real order to this list, these are just the ten games that I'm most looking forward to playing in the next 12 months or so.
"NO MAN'S SKY"
Now that we are past the initial burst of interest for Hello Games' procedural space exploration game, we can get down to the nitty-gritty of figuring out what it's all about. A recent trailer showed solar systems being discovered and named by players, plus spaceships, space combat, mysterious portals, space dinosaurs, galaxies and more. This is certainly one of the most intriguing games of the year, and it is coming for the PlayStation 4 and Windows PC.
"ARMIKROG"
Announced on Kickstarter as a spiritual successor to the cult classic "The Neverhood," "Armikrog" is a point-and-click adventure title that makes use of Claymation techniques, rather than traditional sprites or polygons. The plot centers on the adventures of space explorer Tommynaut and his dog-like alien companion Beak-Beak. The intrepid adventurers crash-land on a planet and find themselves trapped in a forbidding fortress. It's planned for Windows PC. Take a gander it the trailer for "Armikrog" here.
"INSIDE"
"Inside" is the next game from Finnish developers Playdead Studios, the indie team behind one of my favorite games of 2010, the black-and-white platformer "Limbo." Due out on multiple platforms, the experience is pitched as a spiritual successor to "Limbo," with 2.5D levels in a moody world of muted color and sharp distinctions of light, which is an vital aspect of the game's play mechanics. If the trailer for this game doesn't entice you, nothing will.
"SPLATOON"
In "Splatoon," due out on Wii U in the first half of 2015, players take charge of an ink gun-armed cartoon child that can morph into a squid. The four-on-four multiplayer game has players fighting not to take out the opposing team, but to coat as much of the map as possible with their color ink. The colorful concept doesn't just make the shooter more kid-friendly, it also delivers a ton of interesting new concepts and play-styles to the aging, multiplayer shooter genre. Take a gander at the vibrant, paint-splattered trailer right here.
"CUPHEAD"
"Cuphead" is a platform-puzzle run-and-gun game from StudioMDHR. What's truly striking here is its inspiration, taken from herky-jerky 1930s-era cartoons. Planned for launch on Windows PC and Xbox One, "Cuphead" looks like an old cartoon in the style of Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop or Popeye. Players take control of the titular character or his friend Mugman in an effort to settle up accounts with the devil himself. It all sounds so oddball and awesome, it's hard to fathom a game like this getting made in 2015. A trailer for "Cuphead" is right here.
"THE ORDER: 1886"
Set in an alternative Victorian London, this cover-based shooter is a damn fine looking game for the PlayStation 4. Players lead a disparate group of fighters, who have ties to the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend, against abominations and rebels in a world of complex hierarchies and rivalries, making use of steampunk weapons and locations along the way. Developed by Ready at Dawn, it will be released on Feb. 20. Here's hoping that it plays as good as it looks. Check out this holiday themed trailer here.
"BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT"
Rocksteady's excellent series of Batman/Arkham games have consistently been acclaimed for their tight controls, convincing portrayal of Gotham City, and adherence to a franchise view that finds favor among die-hard Bat-fans. "Arkham Knight" attempts to offer a bigger, better, more significantly expanded playing area and a much bigger role for the now-drivable/controllable Batmobile. It's due out on June 2 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC. A three part trailer is here for your viewing pleasure.
"LIFE IS STRANGE"
This five-part adventure game from "Remember Me" developer Dontnod Entertainment will be released Jan. 30 by publisher Square Enix. It will be available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The coming-of-age story focuses on a teenage girl named Max Caulfield who goes in search of a missing girl, and discovers she can bend time to her advantage. To me, it looks much like "My So-Called Life" meets "Braid," and that's a pretty cool mix. Check out the slickly produced trailer right here.
"METAL GEAR SOLID 5: THE PHANTOM PAIN"
This is one of my favorite video game franchises of all time so you can bet I am waiting for this one with bated breath. Konami's follow-up to "Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes" continues the tale of espionage and stealth in the latter years of the Soviet empire and stars Kiefer Sutherland (not David Hayter...boo!) in the lead role. Players make use of tools at their disposal to evade enemy soldiers and take out targets. There are base-building and recruitment elements to the story, too. It will also come with versus mode via "Metal Gear Online." You want a trailer? You got one right here, my friend.
"QUANTAM BREAK"
Made by Remedy Entertainment, the company behind "Max Payne" and the vastly under-appreciated "Alan Wake," this heavily scripted action game for Xbox One plays with the notion of time travel and, if trailers are to be believed, big set-piece disasters. In demos so far, the game has displayed a very "Alan Wake" feel, with dialogue scenes and cover-based shooting, albeit with graphics that are worthy of the new console.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: "Rise of the Tomb Raider," "Evolve," "Legend of Zelda Wii U," "Superhot," "Until Dawn," "Mighty No. 9," "Mad Max," "Hyper Light Drifter," "Devil's Third," "Mortal Kombat X"
