GameSided’s Top 10 Game of the Year 2015 List

Game of the Year 2015 – #5: Rise of the Tomb Raider (125 points – one 1st place vote, one 2nd place vote, two total votes)

Developer: Crystal Dynamics

Publisher: Square Enix

In a year where the Uncharted games were bundled together into a single collection for the PS4, Rise of the Tomb Raider showed players how an expanded version of the Nathan Drake adventure (who, in part, was inspired by the original Lara Croft) excels in 2015 for the Xbox One.

Lara Croft returns once more, with the events of Rise of the Tomb Raider set a year after the reboot. Lara, once more, is raiding tombs, snappin’ necks and cashing checks over the course of dozens of hours. A weather system has been expanded to react to an integrated day-night cycle, one that tailors gameplay objectives and content based on the time of day. The pseudo-RPG elements include improvised weapons and upgrades, while the updated Xbox One graphics help create gorgeous visuals and wintery, mountainous backgrounds.

Rise of the Tomb Raider relies on its story, expanded mechanics, excellent voice acting and its intriguing setting to meld into one supreme package, one that was overlooked due to an unfortunate November 10, 2015 release date competitor.

Next: A Blind Adventure Through An Unforgettable Forest