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Despite having a slight existential crisis thinking about the fact that it's been a decade since I first raced a young Ciri through Kaer Morhen in The Witcher 3, that very realization got me thinking about the wealth of notable games celebrating 10-year anniversaries in 2025. Any time I think about what I was playing in any given month in 2015, it's like a who's who of memorable experiences that have stuck with me to this day. From losing myself to the angst and mystery of Max Caulfield's journey at Blackwell Academy in the first episode of Life is Strange, to getting caught up in Victorian London in Assassin's Creed Syndicate, or the rad-filled wastelands of the Commonwealth in Fallout 4, I really was spoilt for choice – and that's not even touching on the stellar indie games that came our way as well.
But 2015 wasn't just impactful personally speaking. CD Projekt Red's engrossing fantasy RPG was just the tip of the iceberg in a year that forever changed the industry. So many of the games that came our way back then are still very much talked about now, and their influence on players and developers alike can also still be felt.
Yearning for Yarnham
Whenever I return to the world of The Witcher 3, I forget it came out in 2015. I think that speaks volumes about how effective it is as pulling you right in with its worldbuilding and storytelling, and thanks to a shiny next-gen upgrade, it looks better than ever. Of course, it took some time to get the grand adventure into the shape it's in today. At launch, it wasn't entirely smooth sailing for Geralt, with some game-breaking bugs and issues in its sprawling open-world that needed ironing out. But despite some bumps in the road – including Roach's now infamous penchant for roofs being among them – its gripping questlines, morally grey choices, and engaging combat worked together to deliver one of the most influential and best RPGs of all-time.
But before Geralt's last adventure even entered the scene, FromSoftware came in swinging earlier that year to change the face of action RPG horror. Drawing us into the gothic, decaying city of Yarnham, Bloodborne is considered to be one of the best – if not the best – examples of its genre. By learning from what came before in the likes of Demon's Souls and Dark Souls, it refined and improved on the Soulslike formula with its distinctly dark horror aesthetic and lovecraftian foes.
I'm by no means a Souls player, but even I was aware of how big it was in 2015. In fact, it often dominated the conversation online at the time, and a decade on, its influence in the modern soulslike landscape can still very much be felt. Neowiz's excellent dark fantasy, Lies of P, is a prime example – being about as close to a successor as you can get. While Elden Ring's expansion Shadow of the Erdtree - and the upcoming standalone adventure Elden Ring Nightreign - are helping to sate the Soulslike hunger, Bloodborne still has a firm hold over the hearts of players. Hell, any time there's an announcement for another State of Play showcase, the outcry for a remaster or Bloodborne PC port is never far behind.
Hella good
Personally speaking, Life is Strange is the game that shaped 2015 for me the most. Thanks to its episodic format, its steady release ensured that it was never far from my mind throughout the entire year, and I got swept up in thoughts and theories of a growing community who tried to guess where Max Caulfield's journey would take us next. At the time, I'd never played anything quite like it. Telltale's Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead were some of the few points of comparison, but Don't Nod's narrative adventure stood out for exploration of the highs and lows of the teen experience, and how it played around with choice-based decision making with its supernatural rewind mechanic.
Life is Strange filled a gap in the gaming space that would go on to spawn a whole series. Above all, I think it demonstrated that there was a growing desire among players for more story-driven adventures with relatable characters that could be just as entertaining and engrossing without combat being a factor.
While Life is Strange saw the start of something new in 2015, the release of Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain closed a chapter at Konami. As Hideo Kojima's swansong game before he parted ways from the studio, we haven't seen a mainline Metal Gear game since Big Boss' action-packed open-world adventure. With remasters such as Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater to fill that hole, there's been speculation and rumor about a potential Metal Gear Solid 6 for almost 10 years, but whether we'll see a comeback remains to be seen. Still, Kojima has gone on to make waves outside of Metal Gear and Konami, with his studio Kojima Productions bringing us the likes of Death Stranding and its upcoming sequel, Death Stranding 2.
Nintendo even went outside of its wheelhouse by bringing us the paint-filled shooter, Splatoon on the Wii U, which would spawn two subsequent sequels in the years to follow. Plus, we saw the arrival of Mario Maker that awakened our imagination by putting the iconic plumber's platforming directly in our hands by allowing us to create our own levels and challenges.
Outside of some of the bigger releases, the indie scene brought us some imaginative and impactful gems that still hold weight today. Before Telling Lies or Immortality, there was Sam Barlow's Her Story, which came our way in 2015 to pull us right into an inventive interactive FMV mystery that blurred the lines between TV and games in such a novel way.
Towards the latter half of the year, Undertale from developer Toby Fox stole the hearts of many (myself included). With its unique storytelling, loveable characters, and memorable lines, it's a thought-provoking, funny, and emotionally impactful RPG wrapped up in a nostalgic pixelated art style. It feels like a mishmash of genres in certain respects, but the themes it explores make it so relatable, and at this point, I think it's fair to call it a timeless indie classic.
Frictional Games then came along to bring us more scares with Soma. Following the breakout success of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Soma proved the developer could continue to deliver original psychological horror experiences that aren't afraid to explore what it means to be human and leave you with lasting questions.
Double trouble
2015 was also a big year for major series, with the launch of both Assassin's Creed Syndicate and Fallout 4 in November. The former tread new ground in the core AC series by bringing in dual protagonists, including a lead female assassin in Evie Fyre. It also introduced the grappling hook, which freshened up rooftop traversal and changed the way we could parkour around the Victorian London open-world. With Assassin's Creed Shadows set to come in 2025 from the same developer behind Syndicate, the Fyre twins still arguably influence the stealthy series, with Shadows also boasting two lead characters.
Fallout 4, on the other hand, signaled the last mainline entry in Bethesda's post-apocalyptic RPG we'd see for a long time. Fallout 5 is still years away, but with an unexpected next-gen upgrade and the Fallout TV show, the last adventure in the Wastelands is far from forgotten.
There are so many more games I could highlight, from the likes of Yakuza 0 – which launched in Japan in 2015 and eventually made its way out into the wider world a few years later – to Moon Studio's moving Metroidvania-like platformer Ori and the Blind Forest, and Rocket League, which is still going 17 seasons later. Not to mention the stellar Trespasser DLC for Dragon Age Inquisition, and the visually impressive (albeit divisive) Order 1886. As with any year there are highs and lows, and while it's easy to let nostalgia skew your perspective, it's undeniable that 2015 saw some fantastic games that have made a lasting impression.
That we still talk about so many of the releases a decade on says it all. While I still can't quite believe that so many years have passed since I was in Kaer Morhen learning the ropes, thinking back on everything 2015 brought us has been quite a ride. But more than that, it's also made me appreciate the year we have ahead. With so many new games coming our way and a wealth of exciting upcoming indie games on the horizon, I can only hope that in 10 years time, I'll look back on 2025 in the same way. With everything from Avowed to Assassin's Creed Shadows, Monster Hunter Wilds, Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Lost Records Bloom & Rage, and Elden Ring Nightreign – to name a few – I'd say there's a chance.
