With E3 2015 wrapping up, the time has come to sit back and organize our thoughts on all that has changed in video games over the last week. Whether you’re an owner of a PC, PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, there are very likely to be some new games on your radar that weren’t there before.
We’ve already listed off our favorite PlayStation 4 games that will be released in 2015, and now the time has come to give the Xbox One the same attention.
Halo 5: Guardians (October 27)
We might as well start things off with a bang. Halo is to Xbox as Uncharted is to PlayStation. That is to say that it is likely the most important franchise to the system, regardless of generation. With Halo 5: Guardians, the Master Chief is back with the largest ensemble cast that Halo has ever seen. Players will be able to play from the perspectives of John-117’s Blue Team, as well as Spartan Locke’s Fireteam Osiris. If you own an Xbox One, this is the must-have title that should be in your library on launch day.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (November 6)
Even though the PlayStation 4 sort of stole the thunder from the Xbox/Call of Duty relationship, the Xbox One is still considered the go to system when playing a Call of Duty game. Want proof? Look at the players who compete competitively. With that in mind, every Xbox One owner should have Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 on their map, as Treyarch have made some positive improvements by ripping out and replacing the AI, implementing four player co-op for the campaign, and bringing back zombies!
Star Wars Battlefront (November 17)
What do you get when you combine the Frostbite 3 engine, the developers (DICE) that created games like Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4, and Star Wars? You get Star Wars Battlefront, perhaps the most anticipated shooter that we’ll see this year. It features Storm Troopers and the Rebel Alliance battling it out on the ground, with TIE Fighters and X-Wings dueling for supremacy in the skies. You can also play as either Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker, which was really all you needed to know to be sold on this one.
Destiny: The Taken King (September 15)
Sure, Destiny has been out since September of 2014, and The Dark Below and House of Wolves expansions are available right now, but The Taken King will be a game changer this September. That is the all-new DLC from Bungie that will introduce three new sub-classes, one for each class of Guardian (Hunter, Warlock and Titan). It will also feature a Raid that pits players against Oryx, the father of Crota, the crazy sword wielding fool that you killed during The Dark Below (with his own sword).
Forza Motorsport 6 (September 15)
Microsoft Studios will publish the sixth installment of the Forza Motorsport series this fall, and with it will come their most ambitious racing game to date. In addition to the more than 450 cars that will be included, there will also be 10 new tracks (26 in total) and four new locations, including Rio de Janeiro, Daytona, Brands Hatch and Watkins Glen. The single-player campaign alone is said to contain more than 70 hours of content, but there’s still the multi-player modes to be considered as well.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Released)
If there aren’t a lot of games catching your interest right now and you’re looking for something to hold you over until the fall, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a slam dunk option. Just the main story alone will take you more than 50 hours, but there are still hundreds of side quests, contracts, mini-games and secrets that can be played through and uncovered. When it’s all over, you could easily sink 200 hours into that game and not have experienced everything that the Northern Realms has to offer.
Rare Replay (Released)
If you’re looking for value, Rare Replay might be the best bet, as it’s a compilation of 30 games that have been released by Rare, dating all the way back to 1983. This includes titles such as Jetpac, Atic Atac, Sabre Wulf, Gunfright, Battletoads, Killer Instinct Gold, Perfect Dark, Perfect Dark Zero, Jetpac Refuelled, and obviously many more. It’s the perfect way to experience some games that were either before your time, or that are a part of your gaming history. Don’t let this one get lost in the pile.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (October 23)
This year will see yet another Assassin’s Creed game with the release of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. However, it looks like Ubisoft will be bringing some new features to the table, allowing players to switch back and forth between male and female protagonists, partake in vehicles chases, and even us a zip-line for both vertical and horizontal movement. There are bound to be many features returning that players will remember from previous titles, including what is likely to be a top-notch story.
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (August 25)
The original Gears of War video game will turn nine years old later this year, so it seems fitting that gamers will get a chance to re-visit it with Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. It will be released for both the Xbox One and PC, and will contain five previously unreleased chapters from Gears of War. It will also grant access to the multiplayer beta for Gears of War 4, which is due out sometime in the latter half of 2016. For those who have never experienced the series, this is the perfect opportunity.
Fallout 4 (November 10)
Todd Howard’s E3 2015 presentation for Fallout 4 should be used as an example of how to reveal a game, even though it was technically revealed earlier. We learned a lot about Fallout 4, including that you could play as a male or female, customize your look, build settlements, add over 700 modifications to the game’s 50 base weapons, and hang out with your canine companion. Simply put, Fallout 4 is set to be one of the most popular games to come out in 2015, and for a very, very good reason.
Rise of the Tomb Raider (November 10)
Set after the events of Tomb Raider, a highly successful game that was released in 2013, Rise of the Tomb Raider will see Lara Croft to take on the shady organization, Trinity. She’ll have new weapons, such as the hunting knife for more stealth attacks, and will be able to use her environment better to give players more gameplay options. She’ll once again have use of her bow, and the game will feature day and night cycles that impact not only Lara, but also the humans and animals that threaten her.
Now check out the games we’re most excited to play on PS4.
