My Year in Gaming: 2015 Edition

With just a few hours left this 2015, it is very common for people to remember what are their “highs” and “lows” of the past year has been, and while many people are going out to enter a panic buying state on cooking ingredients or fireworks, I sit here thinking: “Wow I played a ton of games this year, some good, some bad, some I really didn’t want to play.”. For gamers, many will argue that 2015 (especially the latter half), has been better for gaming compared to last year, with tons of major releases that were highly reviewed, and truly worthy of “Game of the Year” accolades, and while there are tons of games out there, I still am picky on which to get however I consider myself having played a ton of games on PS4 and PC, iOS and one game on my 3DS compared to most people I know, it is unavoidable that I would have played games that were all hype, while the others were living it up to the name.

This is not a review but a sometimes, epic (or tragic) re-telling of my impressions on the games I bought this year up until December 31, 2015. Also even though I liked Pac-Man 256, Crossy Road, and other mobile releases, I have focused mostly on games I really intended to bank hours in, so below are mostly, PC or PS4 titles. I will also be specifying which platform I played the game on since some games are better on different platforms.

THE GOOD

Fallout 4 (PC/PS4)
Probably the game that I got most hyped on was Fallout 4, I really loved playing Fallout 3 and got New Vegas on a recent Steam Sale just to get the feeling back again, while some may argue that it has turned mostly into a shooter with some RPG elements, I have never imagined that I would like this game enough to literally buy the game TWICE (I did sell my PS4 copy though, I liked the PC for modding and console commands). Boston’s Commonwealth was really a nice environment to explore in, with dozens of characters inhabiting it, some good, some wanting to kill you, it has always been a pleasure to sink a few hours into this game only stopping when I get headaches due to the my camera sensitivity settings. Adding base customization was a chore for me but really got my “kleptomaniac” cells running grabbing everything so I can salvage it later. And even though I have yet to finish the game, something tells me that I would be having multiple saves on this title on my hard drive.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PS4)
First of all, I didn’t like The Witcher 2, and have never played The Witcher 1, so this title was a “maybe” for me, but the idea of an open world forced me to give the game a second chance and my instincts were right, I am fond of games that almost “hands” you the victory so yes, I admit that I really sucked at the combat at this game even dying a couple of times, it was really a long time since a game forced me to form a strategy and Geralt and company got me immersed into this game again, add that with developer CD Projeckt Red’s amazing post-game support, and you’ve got one of the most “complete” and “loved” games of this year. I found it really rewarding to just roam around to get myself ambushed by a huge monster and killing it for the loot. I have yet to touch the expansion as I haven’t still completed the main story, if only CDPR would give me faster internet connection so I could update my game faster as the latest update is a whopping 17GB worth of data, while I may play the game un-patched, I still want to see CDPR’s work on its updates.

Destiny: The Taken King (PS4)
I just bought a PS4 last July, a few days later, I bought Destiny, the base game, and guess what? I was disappointed, I didn’t connect with the game too much and I felt that progression was really slow, whether I just didn’t invest my time in this title or not, I never felt that the price tag was worth it (but hey it included 30 days of Playstation Plus, so I guess that made me feel better). However, The Taken King expansion gave Destiny the boost it needed, some friends suggested I try the game out again so I went and bought the Legendary Edition (which included all previous expansion) and voila, while it may feel that it was the same game, I had the feeling of “curiosity” that gave me the urge to get to the expansion storyline. Leveling is definitely better since the expansion and even though the game still has its rough edges, Cayde-6 (Nathan Fillion) and the new voice of Ghost (Nolan North) helped me get care about the story a lot more. The three new subclasses, while some are overpowered, are a great addition to “try” and change some playstyles (also yes I played a Warlock-Stormcaller just so I could be Emperor Palpatine).

NBA 2K16 (PS4)
Another year, another release of 2K’s basketball simulation, NBA 2K greatly improved from its predecessor, albeit the game’s “Be the Story” mode, new animations, PHOTO/VIDEO-bombing, a more improved multiplayer experience and a lot more “historic” teams join the roster, the game looks polished as ever with only a few gripes on my end, I hope 2K17 remedies those, also too bad that I ran out of Steph covers when I bought my copy, one major thing I felt that 2K should implement was the face uploader WITHOUT using the Playstation Camera (which NBA Live 16 had). Over-all 2K is still the better basketball simulation in the market.

Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns (PC)
Pardon the use of a really huge image, but ArenaNet’s first expansion for its MMORPG has been a blast, I got back in time to play it using the new Revenant profession and I loved channeling “legends” of the past to slice and dice my enemies, also throwing a two handed hammer to break faces is nice. While the new zones may be a bit tougher, I do find it a good platform to finally venture out into groups instead of clearing the maps alone. Traversing the Maguuma Jungle is also a bit confusing at first but very rewarding once you unlock Gliding, bouncing mushrooms, etc as it is a REQUIREMENT to get map completion. Raids also make a debut in the expansion but without the usual trinity present in most games, it does indeed provide a ton of challenge to those not familiar with the game’s mechancs.

DC Unverse Online (PC)
Probably the only MMO that I have invested more hours than compared to Guild Wars 2 (Post-Level Up! Games era) was DC Universe Online, granted that there are pay-walls such as money limitations on free accounts and subscriber accounts but I do find that the perks of paying $15 a month is a bit fair as it gives me access to all the games post-game content, minus the PVP/PVE-Legends roster, add 500 Daybreak Cash (Item Mall points) and 150(?) Replay Badges (currency that allows you to remove loot-lock mechanics on instances) a month and a complete lifting of any restriction make me feel that the game is worth it, also I like running around and seeing Saitama clones.

inFamous: Second Son (PS4)
When I bought my PS4 I was pretty sure this game was to be the first one I buy, especially since it is an exclusive title, I loved the game since I loved the PS3 inFamous games, so I was definitely a sucker for this title, I did find the story to be very short and some activities very repetitive but all other aspects were greatly improved, you have 4 powers to freely switch around this time, good graphics, destructible environments and essentially two play-throughs (Evil and Good), while the game may have been short on DLC, I still do find that this game is really a must-get for those who are just getting a PS4.

Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (PS4)
Yes, Ubisoft once again milked one of their favorite IPs and to be honest, especially comparing to last years Assassin’s Creed Unity, ACS is a whole lot better, lesser bugs to work with, more verticality especially with the grappling hook, and while the game may feel like a chore, you do get the feeling of accomplishing something through the upgrades you earn and prioritize, for the first time you get to play as two protagonists, the Jacob and Evie Frye, and while combat may still be a bit easy, it indeed has been tweaked a bit to the point of taking no damage is possible at most scenarios. However only time will tell what happens or when the franchise truly ends as it seems that the room to grow for the series is slowly getting smaller and smaller.

THE BAD

Just Cause 3 (PS4)
Even though it was just recently released and I really loved Just Cause 2, I felt that Just Cause 3 was more of a letdown, there are indeed improvements such as the new wingsuit, no more costs to supply/buy items, however the repetition was just too much and earning upgrades seemed more like a chore rather than give me the feeling of being rewarded, driving is just not really preferred in this game because of the really clunky controls, and that really long loading time. Don’t get me wrong though, the game is really nice if you JUST want to blow stuff up, if ever you do get the game, expect hitches and hope that Avalanche Studios patch the game up so the game goes smoother.

Mad Max (PS4)
Sure the new Mad Max movie was great and all, but the game, at least in my opinion, was not as good as it is, having the same developer as Just Cause 3 (Avalanche Studios), I can’t stop but feel that Mad Max was a “prototype” of Just Cause 3, or just the same game but with a Mad Max skin on it, but this time driving and car combat is better, customizing the Magnum Opus is very rewarding, I felt that the game had too much “collectibles” to justify the continuous loop of doing and collecting every single scrap in the wasteland.

Star Wars: Battlefront (PC)
Everyone was so hyped when EA Dice announced that they will be “rebooting” the franchise, forgetting that this game is from EA, a company that used to have the title of being the “Worst Company in America” for two years,  and a history of having products that are overpriced in today’s present video game era, the game was criticized for a lot of reasons: No single player campaign, very limited game modes, and a game that costs over $100 to experience fully (due to the season pass). The game itself was nice and smooth, a fairly good shooter with Star Wars coated over it. Also if you want to buy this game, I HIGHLY suggest getting the PS4 version (if you have a PS4), as far as I have experienced, matchmaking in PC would take me around almost an hour just to find a team deathmatch mode, so definitely not getting anymore out of this game and I do regret buying this game even though I love the whole Star Wars franchise.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire (PC)
When Bioware announces an expansion that continues the story, most people would want to see and experience it since Bioware has a good (but not perfect) resume in terms of storytelling, so when they announced the Knights of the Fallen Empire expansion, I was really excited to get back into the game, add some updates that give leveling easier, however while you may be excited to know that the expansion is “FREE”, as ironic as it may seem, you CANNOT experience the whole story without being a subscriber, so yes, EA just found a way to add more pay-walls to the game, given that it already has a whole ton of restrictions on free players. And while the story is promising, it just doesn’t help to think that the game is pretty much still a pay to play game, with an item mall.

Wildstar: Reloaded (PC)
Now this game is where I probably feel most conflicted, I really do not want to add this to my “The Bad” list but there is one specific problem that I experienced that affected everything that the game has to offer to justify its place here. Wildstar is still one of the games to try out there, and probably invest in, not only can you buy a “Signature” membership using ingame currency but I find the costs to be fair compared to most free-to-play transitions out there. Honestly, the reason its here is because of technical issues, specifically, INTENSE lagging when I’m near players, therefore not allowing me to participate in some quests and end-game dungeons but that is just me, and I am pretty sure it isn’t my internet connection, and if I didn’t have that problem, I would probably still be playing Wildstar but until that problem is fixed, its gonna stay unused but patched on my desktop.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PC)
I love Final Fantasy, I didn’t finish every game but I fell in love with the franchise since I played Final Fantasy VIII, (yes I played 8 before 7), but I have played every game except the 11 since then. The gameplay has been greatly updated with Square Enix and Yoshi-P flushing out content regularly (some may argue that is even faster or consistent than World of Warcraft). However the game is indeed still very grindy, whether you’re going for your endgame (Ultima(?)/Anima(?) weapons) or just leveling other professions/classes, it is still very grindy, and most people just doesn’t have the time to play that long. Also endgame is pretty much dead(?) if you rely on random groups for endgame, but if you do manage to clear it, it is pretty rewarding.

Marvel Heroes 2015 (PC)
Probably the game in which I have yet to invest major hours in, I was not interested in this game at all but given that I was really bored, I tried it and I do have that feeling that this game has just so much wasted potential. This game is classified as a “Massively Multiplayer Online Action Role Playing Game”, but for me I feel that playing a character that I did not make, is not a Role-Playing game, this game lets you pick from a growing list of already established heroes, and I feel that it breaks immersion when I get to see ten Thors walking around throwing hammers everywhere. Also the game is heavily instanced, there is no true open world, at this point, I would accept a re-skin of DC Universe Online, but this game was just really lost, almost failing at every aspect before being updated to its current state. While also being a free to play game, the price of unlocking using real money is expensive, however the game allows you to unlock it through special currency earned in game. but still, I can only imagine if the game was executed differently.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited (PC)
I got this game at launch, even pre-ordered it to unlock the perk that allows me to pick any race for any faction I want, so when the transition to Buy-to-Play came, I indeed was one to try it out, so I updated the game and even subscribed to it, however while leveling was “easier” now, I still felt that it was too grindy, and I felt that everything was just too slow. Zones feel empty especially leveling areas, and while I do understand that everyone is at endgame, roaming around a semi-ghost town is just dragging me to boredom, the game still has tons of room to grow though and hopefully it doesn’t become pay-to-win, but the PVP in this game especially the faction war, is just too damn good, but not enough to remove it from this section of my list.

WWE 2K16 (PS4)
I have been a sucker for wrestling, I mean I love the theatrics and all but considering this year and having player WWE 2k15 earlier this year, I was underwhelmed by the current edition of 2K’s wrestling simulator, at first they promised 120 UNIQUE playable characters, not counting DLC, still I had that feeling that I had 2-3 versions of Steve Austin, 2 versions of The Rock, 2-3 versions of Triple H, for me that felt like a scam, also factor in some managers that cannot be played at all and the exclusion of some NXT Divas. Also from a studio that encourages “Create Your Own”- Superstar, etc. The choices seem limited, the options are lackluster, you can’t even put custom audio anymore. Showcase mode feature Steve Austin, while being a good teacher about the history of Stone Cold and reliving most of the Attitude era, I do find that the mode is not really “viable” and the game should focus more on a career mode perspective since you can only “relive” moments so much that you’ll essentially get bored. The main reason doing showcase mode was to unlock more stuff I could use in game and not really because I want to see the rise of the Rattlesnake.

World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor (PC)
Last on the list is still the KING(?) of MMORPGS today, I have to admit that I have yet to sink major hours in this game but because that I feel that the crowd has already finished gearing up and is getting ready for the next expansion (Legion coming 2016) that they are just loitering around showing off their transmogs. I have yet to raid in the game because I still have yet to find a stable/consistent guild to raid in as well. I loved the additions and even though questing is still, in my opinion, the best way to level, is fast. People just clear the content so fast that they stop and drop the game once they plow through the content. Garrisons are nice however its just that the economy of the game, whilst not totally broken, I felt that it was out of control with the pricing etc. No offense to hardcore fans though, I enjoyed my time in Draenor but not enough to get me hooked up anymore.

So as I close out my gaming year, I feel that I have burned out both myself and my wallet in buying and trying out different games that came out this year, I may not have played all major (and some minor) games but I really am picky at what to get so I am really sorry if you feel that I played very little. My opinions also will vary to most of you as we are all gamers with different preferences, so I may have said something offensive and to that I am sorry and I can assure you that I did not intend to say that but please understand that these are my impressions when I played the games listed.

PS. I intentionally didn’t put any MOBA games (DOTA 2/ LOL / etc) as I do not like playing those games. Don’t ask why because I really have an intense feeling of hatred for these games.