Most Anticipated Games of 2015
2014 was a strong year as games finally had a chance to flex their muscles on the full 12 months of new generation of consoles. For 2015, we expect this trend to continue – with bigger, more expansive and deeper experiences. So the staff at New Game Network got together and voted on our 12 most anticipated games for the next year. The list is in alphabetical order, and is based only on the information we have at the moment. As you’ll see in our recap on the last page, things often change!
Bloodborne
Bloodborne is the latest Action RPG from renowned Japanese developer FromSoftware, makers of the hit Dark Souls series, coming exclusively to the PlayStation 4 system. Face your fears as you search for answers in the ancient city of Yharnam, now cursed with a strange endemic illness spreading through the streets like wildfire. Danger, death and madness lurk around every corner of this dark and horrific world, and you must discover its darkest secrets in order to survive.
When: March 24, 2015
Where: 
Evolve
The creators of Left 4 Dead, Turtle Rock Studios, bring you Evolve, the next generation of multiplayer shooters where four hunters face-off against a single, player-controlled monster. Grab three friends and hunt the monster with powerful weapons and abilities. As the monster – the lone predator – you are the boss battle. Use savage abilities and an animalistic sense to wreak havoc, kill the humans and prove you are the dominant species.
When: February 10, 2015
Where: 
Halo 5: Guardians
Launching in fall 2015 exclusively on Xbox One, Halo 5: Guardians continues the story of the Master Chief, and introduces a brand new central character to the Halo universe – Spartan Locke. Peace is shattered when colony worlds are unexpectedly attacked. And when humanity’s greatest hero goes missing, Spartan Locke is tasked with hunting the Master Chief and solving a mystery that threatens the entire galaxy.
When: Q4, 2015
Where:
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number commands you to step into the murderous minds of several distinct characters – each with their own motivations and methods of execution – as storylines intersect and reality slips away into a haze of neon and carnage. Witness hundreds of new sprites and animations in lush new areas to clear floor-by-floor, and harness a variety of savage new weapons to satisfy your murder lust.
When: Q2-Q3, 2015
Where: 
Hyper Light Drifter
Hyper Light Drifter is an upcoming 2D action role-playing game developed by Heart Machine. The game is a homage to 8-bit and 16-bit games of the late 20th century, and is considered a combination of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Diablo. Alex Preston, an animator and lead developer for the title, originally launched Kickstarter funding for the title for approximately $27,000 to develop the title for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux computers, but ended up with more than $600,000, allowing him to hire more programmers and artists, and expanding the title for console and portable platforms through stretch goals.
When: Q1-Q2, 2015
Where: 
Just Cause 3
In Just Cause 3, the Mediterranean republic of Medici is suffering under the brutal control of General Di Ravello, a dictator with an insatiable appetite for power. Enter Rico Rodriguez, a man on a mission to destroy the General’s hold on power by any means necessary. With over 400 square miles of complete freedom from sky to seabed and a huge arsenal of weaponry, gadgets and vehicles, prepare to unleash chaos in the most creative and explosive ways you can imagine.
When: 2015
Where:
The list continues on page 2….
Killing Floor 2
In Killing Floor 2 players descend into continental Europe where the outbreak caused by Horzine Biotech’s failed experiment has quickly spread and gained unstoppable momentum, essentially paralyzing the European Union. Set just a month after the events of the original Killing Floor, KF2 drops players into a world where society is in total disarray. Communications are down, governments have collapsed, and military forces are nowhere to be seen.
When: March 24, 2015
Where:
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is an upcoming open world action-adventure stealth video game, and the next chapter in the iconic franchise. The game features new advances made possible by Kojima Productions’ FOX Engine, such as new game design, day and night cycles, and weather conditions that will all dynamically affect gameplay. Players will be taking the role of Venom Snake (Big Boss) in a massive collection of open-world environments. Snake can also call on AI companions – including Quiet, a female soldier; and DD, a trained wolf – to assist him in the field. The title will also include the new Metal Gear Online.
When: 2015
Where: 
Persona 5
Persona 5 is an upcoming role-playing game and the fifth main title in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series, which is part of the larger Megami Tensei series of video games. The central theme of the game is freedom and how the characters attain it. The thematic color of the game is red, as that of Persona 3 and 4 was blue and yellow respectively, which was meant to convey a harsh feeling. In spite of the changes, the setting is still set within a high school as with previous entries.
When: 2015
Where:
The Division
The Division takes place in New York three weeks after a lethal virus, released on Black Friday, has swept through the city. One by one, basic services have failed. Society has collapsed into chaos. The President invokes Presidential Directive 51, and The Division, a top-secret unit of self-supporting tactical agents, is activated. Leading seemingly ordinary lives, Division agents are trained to operate independently of command in this type of emergency situation. When the lights go out, their mission begins.
When: 2015
Where:
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
In Uncharted 4, Nathan Drake will embark on a globe-trotting journey in pursuit of a historical conspiracy behind a fabled pirate treasure. Set three years after the events of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Nathan Drake, now retired as a fortune hunter, has settled into a normal life. His world is turned upside-down when his older brother Sam, long believed dead, suddenly appears seeking Drake’s help. Together they embark on a globe-trotting journey in pursuit of a conspiracy behind a long lost pirate colony and its fabled pirate treasure.
When: Q4, 2015
Where:
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the final chapter in the legend of Geralt of Rivia, thrusting players into multi-region, open-world combat. In the game, an ancient evil stirs, awakening. An evil whose name is spoken only in whispers: the Wild Hunt. Led by four wraith commanders, this ravenous band of phantoms is the ultimate predator and has been for centuries. Its quarry: humans. The witcher must bring all his abilities to bear in confronting this ancient force, these ghastly spectral riders who for ages have brought misery to the world. For this time the Hunt seeks just one person: the one individual Destiny itself entrusted to Geralt. The one soul Geralt considers kin.
When: May 19, 2015
Where:
See how our predictions panned out for the year that was. Go to page 3….
Now, it is time to see how well our predictions played out a year ago. Let’s take a look at our most anticipated games for 2014 and how well they scored!
Dark Souls II
78/100: “Another big, deep, engrossing action RPG in the Souls series that is more polished but ultimately weaker due to a fractured world, lack of direction, uneven difficulty and uninspired boss fights.”
Destiny
70/100: “Destiny has many great elements at its core, with solid action mechanics and especially if you were already a fan of Bungie’s previous work. But there are many design concerns which bog down the experience, from the boring story to the underdeveloped MMO concepts and dull mission design. Destiny rarely feels engaging or feature-complete.”
Dragon Age: Inquisition
90/100: “Dragon Age: Inquisition is nothing short of astounding, from its immense world to the deep characters. The memorable adventure has flaws, but they pale in comparison to its numerous triumphs.” GOTY 2014 Winner
Dying Light
Game was delayed to 2015!
Infamous: Second Son
79/100: “Infamous: Second Son is yet another technical tour de force for the PlayStation 4, but one that’s lacking in other areas.”
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes
80/100: “A bold and inventive new take on Metal Gear Solid that placates rather than fills the appetite. As billed, Ground Zeroes is merely a prologue to the true sequel, The Phantom Pain. Enjoyment will rely on expectations and on how invested you are in the overarching story of the various Snakes.”
Thief
51/100: “A poorly-designed outing that might, in another continuity where the previous Thief games never existed, have earned itself the heady accolade of ‘barely average’. Unfortunately, we all know that it could be – and has been done – so much better.”
Titanfall
86/100: “There’s so much going on in Titanfall it’s hard to nail down the best part of it. Many games aren’t as good as the sum of their parts, but Titanfall certainly is, and each section is good enough to stand up on its own.”
Transistor
84/100: “People were looking for a really good follow up to Bastion, and that’s what they’ve got here. Transistor is really smart, looks and sounds great, and will leave you wanting more when it’s all over.”
Watch Dogs
83/100: ” Watch Dogs refines stealth action in an interconnected open world that’s worth exploring. It may not be the ultra-slick, revolutionary vision that everyone got excited about in 2012. It is still, however, a great open world stealth action title with lots of mission variety, and a ton of things to do.”
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Game was delayed to May 2015!
Wolfenstein: The New Order
90/100: “Out of nowhere, MachineGames have turned up to the first-person-shooter party with the old man of the genre and given the likes of EA and Activision an absolute beating. Wolfenstein: The New Order is an early shout for FPS campaign of the year.”
Thanks for reading!