MOST ANTICIPATED GAMES OF 2015

MOST ANTICIPATED GAMES OF 2015

1. NO MAN'S SKY 

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PC

Who knew that a game made by a tiny indie team would be one of the headline games of the year? That's the case with No Man's Sky, a jaw-dropping space simulation that gives you your very own procedurally generated planet to explore, full of odd creatures and distinctive sights. And at any time, you can fly your ship into the stars and drop in on other users' planets as well. It looks amazing, but can it really live up to the surprising hype?

Due: TBD 2015

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III

Platforms: TBD

No huge surprise here: we all knew a new Call Of Duty was coming, and it was Treyarch's turn in the rotation, so Black Ops III it is! We're short on hard details as of this writing – a full reveal is promised in late April – but some purportedly leaked info makes its sound like the trilogy-capper takes place in another grim future setting, and that zombies will naturally make a return. So about the same, then?

Due: Holiday 2015

4. WOLFENSTEIN: THE OLD BLOOD

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Last year's Wolfenstein: The New Order was a real surprise, as the ultra-violent shooter put a jolt back into the classic series and smartly straddled the line between intense action and compelling character development. The Old Blood isn't a totally new release, but rather a downloadable, standalone prequel that uses the same game engine and delivers a small stack of new missions for a budget price. Ready to mow down loads more Nazis in the run-up to the events of the last game? Here's your chance.

THE WITNESS

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PC, IOS

Braid remains one of the gold standard indies of the past several years, and creator Jonathan Blow has spent the time since crafting this miraculously beautiful first-person puzzler. The Witness finds you exploring an absolutely stunning island, which is covered with puzzles, mazes, and audio bits for you to decipher. There's a lot of mystery still surrounding the game, and it's probably best that way, to be honest.

BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Another 2014 release casualty, Batman: Arkham Knight instead intends to be a big summer blockbuster, bringing the Caped Crusader's amazing open-world series to new-gen hardware for the first time. Gotham City will be about five times larger than in the last main game, and you'll have a badass new Batmobile to use to get around and blast enemies to bits thanks to its new Battle Mode transformation.

RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox 360

Lara Croft experienced some rather unsettling things in last year's excellent series reboot, and it's all changed her as a person. But while she might dabble in therapy (see the teaser above), it's clear that her thirst for adventure isn't nearly sated. Despite the hokey title, we can't help but await seeing how Rise of the Tomb Raider evolves the formula – although note that it's an Xbox exclusive in 2015, at least.

JUST CAUSE 3

Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Look, we love Grand Theft Auto and Sunset Overdrive, but there's no open-world series as wildly, raucously fun as Just Cause, and we're excited to pull out our grappling hook and parachute with Rico Rodriguez once more. Just Cause 3 takes advantage of the latest console and PC hardware for crazy combat and explosive moments on a Mediterranean island, plus it adds a wingsuit that'll no doubt amp up the absurdity. In the best way, of course.

Due: Holiday 2015

MIGHTY NO. 9

Platform: Xbox One, PS4, Wii U, PC, Xbox 360, PS3, 3DS, Vita

It looks like Mega Man, plays like Mega Man, and comes from the creator of Mega Man, butMighty No. 9 isn't Mega Man – simply by virtue of the fact that the action-platformer comes from a different studio. Capcom has abandoned the Blue Bomber, so the creator jumped ship and Kickstarted this spiritual successor, which looks like a modern reimagining of the formula. It's not the most original game on the list, but we crave the old-school action.

ADR1FT

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Essentially an immersive video game twist on outer space nightmare film Gravity, Adr1ftfinds you awaken on a demolished space station, alone and unsure of what happened. With limited oxygen and minimal resources, you must float through the wreckage in zero gravity and piece together the events to led to your situation – and find a way back to Earth. It's coming to consoles, but we may well wait to enjoy it with Oculus Rift, which sounds like the ultimate way to play something like this.

TOM CLANCY'S THE DIVISION

Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Even with the author himself deceased, the Tom Clancy's gaming brand continues to explore new avenues – and The Division could well be its most exciting incarnation to date. Set in New York City after a pandemic sends the U.S. into chaos, it follows a team of sleeper agents attempting to restore order in the destroyed setting. The Division merges solo campaign and massively multiplayer online action for what should be a powerful concoction.

METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes proved an underwhelming start to the next big MGS rollout – a very expensive extended demo, if you will – but what we've seen of the full game looks downright jaw dropping. No surprise, considering the seminal stealth-action series' pedigree, but still, the footage of free-roaming exploration and combat, along with wild new tactics and typically peculiar storytelling, has us thrilled for its debut.

STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT

Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC

It's the year of Star Wars, and alongside The Force Awakens in cinemas comes Star Wars Battlefront from DICE, the celebrated maker of the Battlefield series. It promises 40-player skirmishes on massive levels, with a look that aims to mirror the films, plenty of iconic vehicles to take control of, and some classic villains to play as. Battlefront lacks a campaign, but will have single-player and co-op challenge missions to play beyond the huge, chaotic online showdowns.

TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX SIEGE.

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Ubisoft's long-in-development Rainbow Six Patriots was canned, and in its wake comesRainbow Six Siege with a new focus on destructible environments and even more multiplayer action than usual. Asymmetrical 5-on-5 matches put you on offense and defense in tense skirmishes, with a Hostage Rescue mode putting teams in charge of protecting a character that can think for himself/herself. Now that's a scary prospect.

PROJECT CARS

Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, Wii U, PC

Losing its steady gig with EA after developing the two excellent Need for Speed: Shift games,Slightly Mad Studios crowdfunded millions in development funds and decided to create its own racing simulation. Project CARS is the result, and it looks every bit as impressive as the studio's previous entries, with realistic circuits from around the world, some of the Earth's top supercars, and plenty of new-gen polish.

THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT

Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC

The Elder Scrolls gets all the attention, but PC die-hards know that The Witcher is every bit as strong a robust role-playing affair – and the last entry also hit consoles, earning a five-star review from us in the process. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes full advantage of new hardware to deliver a huge, enticing world to explore, plus you can expect another strong, mature narrative and plenty of brutal combat in the fantasy universe.

MIRROR'S EDGE

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

One of the most underrated games of the last generation is set to make its return on new hardware, this time with a prequel and an open-world setting. As before, the starkly rendered experience finds you in the role of Faith, a rogue courier in a futuristic setting who must use all manner of parkour maneuvers to navigate the world from a first-person view. If it's anywhere as stylish and intense as the original, we're in.

FINAL FANTASY XV

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Once the default example of an amazing role-playing experience, Final Fantasy has stumbled in recent years with the sleepy XIII and the initially botched MMO entry that was XIV. We don't fully understand the storyline behind Final Fantasy XV quite yet, but we're so relieved to see that it just looks fun. A group of powered-up chaps on a monster-killing road trip sounds miles more exciting than what this series has pumped out otherwise in the past several years.

MAD MAX

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

It's revival time for Mad Max, and between summer's Fury Road  film and this open-world action affair from the makers of Just Cause (Avalanche Studios), the cult action hero ought to have a fine year. You'll cruise the wasteland in your armoured ride, bashing enemies and getting into all kinds of trouble. Vehicle customization and a crafting system should add depth, but mainly we're looking forward to getting into a bit of desert mayhem. And sorry Xbox 360 and PS3 fans: those once-planned versions are canceled.