10. Smite
Release Date: 2015

Two teams are formed with 3-5 players and are challenged to take out the opposing team’s Phoenixes and the Titan, a colossal warrior which must be killed in order to win the game. Play as a variety of 62 different gods, each with their own specific and unique abilities. Extreme team based gameplay, a lot like League of Legends but being more casual than hardcore.

Smite has by far, the most mediocre graphics but that doesn’t make it a bad game. The gameplay still can get very complicated which is why I decided to place this 10th on the list. Xbox really doesn’t have any MOBAs due to the fact that they aren’t supposed to be played on consoles. Most of them are played on the PC because PC has multiple buttons and keys. Hopefully High-Rez can make Smite work well with the Xbox One’s very little button scheme.

9. Evolve
Release Date: February 10, 2015

A team of four hunters are pitted against a monster in a arena. Hunter classes include: Medic, Trapper, Assault, and Support. While the hunters are tasked to hunt down and kill the monster, the monster is able to kill smaller animals and feed on them to evolve. The game consists of many different game modes and map layouts. Once the monster has reached the final stage of evolution, it’s able to destroy the teams power source. Every class, including monsters, have a specific set of characters/monsters with different moves and weapons.

Evolve has a major problem which is it cannot get repetitive. The same thing happened to Titan Fall, the gameplay got pretty stale with not much to stay for. Evolve definitely looks like it has potential to become a great game but one step in the wrong direction could be the downfall for a great concept. A major problem was when I played the Beta I felt that it was literally the full release. With the exception that you don’t get to play as the other characters unless you unlocked them via pre-buying the game and unlocking the other by playing for a while. The reason this is a problem is because the developers, Turtle Rock Studios, can’t just add in new maps and characters; that might be fun but it will get extremely repetitive.

8. Quantum Break
Release Date: 2015

A time travel experiment has I terribly wrong causing time to start to break down; but grant the three main characters, Jack Joyce, Beth Wilder, and Paul Serene a set of powers that allow them to manipulate time. Paul Serene, the game’s antagonist, and his corporation pursue the game’s two protagonists, Jack and Beth. Gameplay consists of the ability to stop and slow down time.

The title sounds amazing and a game with these mechanics deserves a title like Quantum Break.  A Quantum Break TV show is even being produced where the viewers control what happens in the show by playing the game and the show helps you play the game by informing you of certain things. I’m pretty sceptical about this because I have no clue how they could make this work. Besides the awesome time-stopping mechanics, the graphics look pretty up to par with the Xbox One’s graphics. I have high hopes for this game. 

7. Hyper Light Driftor

The player controls the Drifter, a character that has access to technology that has long been forgotten by the inhabitants of the game’s world, but is forced to search through the world and the ruins of civilization before to find a cure for an illness he carries.

Holy crap this game reminds me of Zelda or Pokemon. The graphics look stunning and the gameplay has that RPG feel that makes players feel almost at home. Donors of the Kickstarter have already donated $645,158 out of the $27,000 goal asked for. With that much money I know that it will go to good use when it comes to development of the game. Any game with dystopian feel is my type of game and because it’s by an indie developer I know they won’t cheat their audience. 

6. Dragon Ball Xenoverse
Release Date: February 5th

Dragon Ball Xenoverse features an all new storyline with the ability to customize your own character and input him or her into your game. Not much else has been released/confirmed but one major leak is that there will be at least 47 playable characters.

The main reason why this game is so high up is because a lot of fans of the Dragon Ball franchise (including me) have been eager for a game that allows you to create your own character and actually play as him/her. I really think this is a big comeback for the Dragon Ball series and I’m expecting that the game won’t be too big of a bust like the last ones.

5. Dying Light
Release Date: January 26th

Run and jump over hordes of infected while trying to survive from a ruthless dictator and help protect a group of survivors. Craft more than 100 weapons and use them to your advantage. A day/night cycle is used against you causing increasing difficulties at night and better survival during the day.

Dying Light is the only game on this list that has been released so I can give my full opinion. So far from what I’ve seen the game looks great. The environment is HUGE; a lot of the gameplay focuses on the parkour which is a new take on survival against the zombie horde. One thing that really stuck out to me is that the graphics weren’t the best. They aren’t bad but nothing that really stands out.

4. Batman Arkham Knight

The game’s main storyline is set one year after the events of 2011’s Batman: Arkham City and follows Batman, at the peak of his ability, as he confronts the Scarecrow, who has returned to Gotham City to unite Batman’s enemies in a plot to finally kill the Dark Knight. Many of the old gadgets return to help aid Batman including grapnel gun, line launcher, batarangs, the countering system and detective vision.

Finally RockSteady is creating a sequel to Batman Arkham City! I have a huge feeling that this is going to be a big success. Arkham Origins wasn’t my favorite because I felt that they only focused on the combat rather than the story. Now players will be able to drive the Bat Mobile; the gameplay with   the iconic vehicle really reminds me of GTA, a “drive around and shoot everything” feeling.

3. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
Release Date: March 24, 2015

LOOT LOOT LOOT! Borderlands: The Handsome Collection brings new light to next-gen. Play as one of the four vault hunters as you battle against Handsome Jack in order to save Pandora.This beautiful pack comes with Borderlands 2, every DLC for Borderlands 2, and Borderlands: The Prequel.

The last time I played Borderlands was such a long time ago because I had to switch to next-gen; and this happened to a lot of people because next-gen consoles are so expensive that it causes players to have to sell their old consoles. When games are re-mastered, players don’t have to necessarily wait for the next game release which is why Borderlands: THC appeals to players that are unable to play the old games.

2. Mortal Kombat X
Release Date: April 14, 2015

The storyline has not been released but I expect it to be even better than the last. All we know is that it’s going to be a new, original, non-linear storyline that continues from the previous game. Mortal Kombat X will be adding in new characters, moves, and fatalities.

Despite having major gore and brutality, Mortal Kombat is by far one of the best video game series ever to be created. Not only has the series been fun, it’s become one of those franchises that you know will never become repetitive. The last release by NetherRealms really showed what they can do when it comes to creating a well-rounded and immersive story that almost makes you attached to that one favorite character.

1. Tom Clancy’s: The Division
Release Date: 2015

A disease spreads across the world causing United States Government to collapse in five days; basic services fail one by one, and without access to food or water, the country quickly descends into chaos. In the wake of the devastating pandemic that sweeps through cities across the country, including New York City, it is discovered that the spread of the disease is transmitted through germs on banknotes. As a last resort, the player is part of a classified unit of self-supported tactical agents, known as the “The Division”. Leading seemingly ordinary lives among us, the agents are trained to operate independent of command when all else fails.

When I heard about the Division my first thought was “oh it’s probably just another boring Tom Clancy game”, and now I could not be anymore hyped for The Division. The gameplay left me in awe and the graphics left me drooling. The Division is something the Tom Clancy series has never done which is why I’m worried it’s going to turn out way too over-hyped. New York City cannot be small, if The Division wants to flourish in becoming the next huge series than it really has to go big in the environment section of the game.