Here at oprainfall, we are currently working on our yearly awards. The voting process will begin shortly and it’s always a heated affair amongst the contributors. In the meantime some of us thought it would be a great idea to share some of our personal picks for top games of 2015. You will see more of these lists come out in the coming days leading up to the oprainfall Awards. So, without further ado, here is my list of top games of last year. These are in no particular order, since picking a favorite from these would be almost impossible for me.
- Disgaea 5 (PS4)
If you took everything that makes the Disgaea franchise great and made it even better, then Disgaea 5 would be the end result. From the improvements in the combat to making the character development system more streamlined, there are so many upgrades to an already great formula that it would take a while to list them all. Throw in some of the best hand drawn graphics and animations I’ve seen on the PS4 and one of the best stories in the franchise and it’s no wonder it was one of my favorite games of last year.
- Sword Art Online Re: Hollow Fragment (PS4)
Sword Art Online Hollow Fragment is one of my favorite Vita games of all time. I was really excited when they announced an upgraded version would be coming to the PS4. Aside from the improved graphics and actual online mulitplayer, Bandai Namco fixed the horrible localization the plagued the previous version. I’ve spent well over 150 hours with this title across both systems and I still love it. Even now I find new things I can do with the combat system or areas I missed in previous playthroughs, and I always have a great time hanging out with the gals.
- Eiyuu Senki – The World Conquest (PS3)
While some will find this one very cliche and full of anime tropes, I personally had a blast with it. This is primarily a visual novel but there is a pretty deep strategy element here as well. I really enjoyed the writing, Fruitbat Factory did a fantastic job bringing this title West and their care shows in the quality found here. I enjoyed all of the characters and getting to know all of them was just a plain joy. I think Lancelot and Sun Tzu are my favorites, they are just too adorable.
- Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson (3DS)
It’s no secret I love the Senran Kagura franchise, and while this title may have not have been as technically advanced as Senran Kagura; Shinovi Versus I still found a lot to love here. First off, the story this fantastic. I know a lot of people want to brush this series off as pure fanservice and that is a huge mistake. The story of these girls working together to overcome the odds is not only well written, it lets you get to know your favorite characters a bit more. Throw in some over the top tag team moves, unlockable weapons, and improved dressing room fun and you have a pretty great 3DS entry into the series.
- Moe Chronicles (Vita import)
The next entry in the Monster Monpiece series from Idea Factory. Instead of being a card game this time we have a full blown dungeon crawler. Not only is the dungeon crawling here top notch, with enemies based off anime fetishes, which is hilarious, the touch gameplay is back and improved. I loved that the girls gain new abilities by equipping new pantsu – now underwear is not only sexy but life saving. Add to this some deep and fun combat, a great story, and pretty decent translation and you have yourself a sexy / fun dungeon crawler that will consume many hours of your life.
- Hypersdimension Neptunia Re;Birth3: V Generation (Vita / PC via Steam)
Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory was one of my favorite games on the PS3, so it’s not really surprising the Vita update would be one of my favorite games of last year. The tweaked combat system adds a bit more depth to the already great combat formula. The plan system is back with tons of unlockables for you to enjoy and the story additions are really fantastic as well. This game also features the biggest roster of playable characters in the franchise, so there are plenty of options for you to Nep Nep with.
That is just a few of my favorite games of last year. Let me know some of your favorites in the comments below.
