The 10 Best Video Games Released In 2015
2015 was a very good year for gaming, with the current generation of consoles being two years old at that point, giving developers enough time to be able to get the most performance out of the hardware. For this list, we will be using the now-defunct Game Rankings as the basis for our list, with only the platforms that made the top 10 included, so if a game was released for multiple that isn’t listed it means either that port was released in another year, or it didn’t score high enough. Here are the top 10 best games released in 2015.
10. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D – Nintendo 3DS
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask were not only two of the most popular and most beloved games on the N64, but of all time. For many years, fans begged Nintendo for a remake/remaster and rerelease of the games. Finally, this happened on the Nintendo 3DS and Majora’s Mask 3D was released in 2015 after Ocarina of Time 3D in 2011. Majora’s Mask 3D featured updated visuals and gameplay mechanics to help bring it into the modern age while still retaining the original feel of the game.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D scored 90% on Game Rankings.
9. Bloodborne – PlayStation 4
Bloodborne is often regarded as one of the best PS4 exclusive games and it is clear to see why. The game was developed by FromSoftware, the studio behind Dark Souls and Elden Ring, which does make it unusual that it ended up being a PlayStation exclusive. Bloodborne has won numerous awards and is often claimed to be one of the greatest games of all time, which is a good indicator that you should be checking this out.
Bloodborne scored 90% on Game Rankings.
8. Shovel Knight – PlayStation 4
2D indie platformers have become incredibly popular in recent years and a large part of that popularity is due to games such as Shovel Knight. The game was originally crowdfunded and released in 2014 before being ported to various platforms in recent years, as well as receiving many add-ons and editions to further expand the game. Shovel Knight is highly regarded as one of the greatest games of all time.
Shovel Knight scored 91% on Game Rankings.
7. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain – PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Metal Gear Solid V is currently the final mainline entry in the series, and likely the last one we will see for some time due to Kojima’s relationship with Konami breaking down around the time of the game’s release. For this final entry, Kojima took the series in a new direction with a more open-world feel that shook up the traditional formula that fans were used to, and it paid off. The future of the series looked promising but now it is unclear whether we will see Snake going on an espionage mission again.
Metal Gear Solid V scored 92% on Game Rankings.
6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – PC, PlayStation 4
The Witcher 3 is the game that put the series on the map, finally appealing to the mainstream market, going on to sell over 40 million copies, making it one of the best-selling games of all time, and it even spawned The Witcher TV show on Netflix.
The Witcher 3 scored 92% on Game Rankings.
5. The Swapper – Xbox One
The Swapper is a game that you’d be forgiven for not having heard of until now, with it flying under the radar of many gamers at the time. The Swapper is an award-winning narrative-driven sci-fi puzzle game, which could be likened to games such as Limbo, INSIDE, and The Talos Principle.
The Swapper scored 93% on Game Rankings.
4. Undertale – PC
Undertale took the world by storm when it was released in 2015, immediately becoming one of the most popular games of the year and one you’d see content for no matter where you turned on the internet, and it was created by just one man, apart from the artwork and character designs. Undertale has gone on to sell millions of copies and has been included on many greatest games of all time lists.
Undertale scored 94% on Game Rankings.
3. Journey – PlayStation 4
Journey is a breathtaking visually-driven game that is unmatched, with players exploring the vast landscape either solo or co-op while listening to the Grammy-nominated musical score.
Journey scored 94% on Game Rankings.
2. Out of the Park Baseball 16 – PC
If you haven’t heard of Out of the Park Baseball before we wouldn’t blame you, as it is certainly a niche genre of game. Out of the Park Baseball 16 is a text-based baseball simulation game that has licenses for both Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball, and it is a hit with fans of the sport.
Out of the Park Baseball 16 scored 95% on Game Rankings.
1. Grand Theft Auto V – PC
GTA V has become the second best-selling video game of all time with over 165 million copies sold and over $6 billion in revenue generated, as well as winning numerous Guinness World Records since it was released. Two years after its release, GTA V finally made its way to PC, having previously only been available on PlayStation and Xbox. The PC port finally allowed for resolutions beyond 1080p and a much higher frame rate, as well as the addition of mods which have helped transform the game and eventually usher in GTA Role-Playing, a fan-made sub-genre of GTA Online that sees the player live life as a regular everyday person in the game.