Home Gaming The Lazygamer Awards 2015–Best RPG

The Lazygamer Awards 2015–Best RPG

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Role-playing games stay dear to so many gamers thanks to the sheer amount of time and effort they demand from you. Playing through an RPG isn’t a short experience, and it’s one that likely keeps you entertained well into weeks and months of play. They’re an investment of your time, and making sure every second of it counts is not easy feat.

Thankfully so many games in 2015 managed to do just that, delivering some truly standout RPG experiences for nearly every possible crowd. Most of them were of high standards of quality though, even if some maybe didn’t live up to the inordinate amount of hype generated around them. If you’re all for role-paying in games, 2015 was a good year – made better by one game in particular.

And the Award for Best RPG goes to…

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

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You’ve got Bloodborne. You’ve got Fallout 4. Hell there’s even Xenoblade Chronicles thrown into the mix at the last minute. They’re all second to The Witcher 3 this year, the capping of a truly brilliant trilogy from Polish developers CD Projekt Red and easily their best game to date. Seeing off the closing moments of Geralt of Rivia’s adventure was both heart-warming and gut-wrenching, as The Witcher 3 made sure to bring back decisions you had made hours ago, forcing you to enjoy or endure the consequences.

The Witcher 3 managed to build on it’s predecessors in astonishing ways, letting players explore a truly massive world with captivating quests, characters and challenges throughout. It’s biggest triumph was in making sure that all these stories fit in somewhere, and it was rare to find a quest line that didn’t actually meaning something by the time it end. It featured some phenomenal writing and characterisation backed up by solid combat, addictive crafting and compelling exploration. The trifecta of good RPG design.

The Witcher 3 is a hallmark in gaming excellence and an RPG that you shouldn’t think twice about playing. And it just makes CD Projekt Red’s next project all the more intriguing for it.

Honourable Mentions

But to be entirely honest, you’d be hard pressed to go wrong with any of our runners-up, ensuring that 2015 definitely was a good year for the RPG fan inside of you. And if you haven’t played any of these other stellar titles, you need to get to it.

  • Fallout 4
  • Xenoblade Chronicles
  • Bloodborne
  • Pillars of Eternity

Which world had you lost in it for hours upon hours on end this year?

Last Updated: December 15, 2015

151 Comments

  1. No-one wants to hear from me. So i’ll just leave this here. It speaks volumes.

    http://i.imgur.com/7WOkeXv.jpg

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      December 15, 2015 at 13:46

      All the DLC patches also helped us read all the volumes in the game.

      Reply

      • Ryanza

        December 15, 2015 at 13:50

        I didn’t need any DLC patches. But when people bond and fuse with their internet line, they tend to need the help of DLC patches.

        Just a shame that there are so many people out there who can’t get internet lines to meld with.

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          December 15, 2015 at 13:52

          It needed a DLC to fix the inventory and increase the text because most people can’t read font 6 for hundreds of hours.

          Reply

          • Ryanza

            December 15, 2015 at 13:55

            it’s the witcher 3. why would you want to sit so far from the tv. it’s the witcher 3 you sit witht he tv on your lap. Don’t people know how to play games.

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 13:56

            Because most people want to see the game and not the pixels that make it 😛

        • The Grand Admiral Chief

          December 15, 2015 at 13:53

          Yet you are using an internet line to comment?

          Reply

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 13:54

            Shhh! Logic!

          • Ryanza

            December 15, 2015 at 13:58

            just because i was lucky enough that my area had adsl ports and i was lucky to wait but months for a port to clear up, doesn’t mean that ever neighborhood in the world has adsl support.

            So i wouldn’t force the world to use internet when half of this world doesn’t have internet.

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 13:59

            One whole half of the world has internet? Never knew that there were that many people online. Bring on DRM

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 13:59

            Or that every neighborhood has electricity? Or houses? Or access to electronic equipment? Lol

          • The Grand Admiral Chief

            December 15, 2015 at 14:00

            Civilization moves forward (but not our government, but they are not civil, lol)

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:01

            haha

          • Ryanza

            December 15, 2015 at 14:01

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:02

            How are you supposed to ride a bike if you are playing Witcher III on your lap?

          • Ryanza

            December 15, 2015 at 14:04

            why else would you marry or have a gf. The dangers of no electricity is babies.

          • miaau

            December 15, 2015 at 14:05

            THAT is where console gaming comes into its own. Peddle while holding controller, staring at 48″ TV.

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:05

            If the person is not included to generate that electricity for you, it’s just not worth it.

    • miaau

      December 15, 2015 at 14:07

      They are both loads of fun. For me, anyway. Will replay Witcher 3 next year, when 2nd expansion or DLC or whatever it is called is out.

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    December 15, 2015 at 13:38

    GOTY! The bar’s been raised. From now on I’m comparing every AAA SP RPG to W3.

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      December 15, 2015 at 13:43

      But there were updates…

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        December 15, 2015 at 13:44

        Don’t tell me, tell the pity party for one.

        Reply

      • The Grand Admiral Chief

        December 15, 2015 at 13:47

        And FREE DLC

        Reply

  3. RinceThis

    December 15, 2015 at 13:42

    Yes, yes and yes.

    Reply

  4. Captain JJ 4x

    December 15, 2015 at 13:44

    Yes

    Reply

  5. The Grand Admiral Chief

    December 15, 2015 at 13:47

    Ploughin’ awesome

    Reply

  6. Ryanza

    December 15, 2015 at 13:47

    Fallout 4 – God what year did Fallout 3 come out in. It’s like i’m playing Fallout 3 again with longer loading times.
    Bloodborne – Bloodborne, Dark Souls 1, Demon’s Souls, should just be in their own category. Good fucking games. Not Dark Souls 2, that’s shit. And have big doubts about Dark Souls 3.
    Xenoblade – I don’t know it but it looks ok. Just spreading that alien agenda.
    Pillars of Eternity – If Witcher 3 wasn’t around, Pillars would have taken it. But Witcher 3 made every other game it’s bitch. So sorry, blast from the past, Pillars of Eternity, you can’t stand up against Geralt The White Wolf.

    Reply

  7. Umar

    December 15, 2015 at 13:47

    Obviously…Still, Withcer 3 is amazeballs, but it’s such a basic game outside of the story

    Reply

    • The Grand Admiral Chief

      December 15, 2015 at 13:48

      You lie, it didn’t have purrrdy colours so you didn’t like it

      Reply

      • RinceThis

        December 15, 2015 at 13:48

        It had tentacles, I don’t understand!

        Reply

        • The Grand Admiral Chief

          December 15, 2015 at 13:52

          Umar is a complicated…..person

          Reply

          • Umar

            December 15, 2015 at 14:20

            You guys are mean 🙁

    • Mossel

      December 15, 2015 at 13:48

      Basic. Basically awesome!

      Reply

    • Captain JJ 4x

      December 15, 2015 at 13:50

      Yes, that kind of immense landscape with so many different monsters, plants, animals, people, houses (with no loading times to enter each – I might add) and all the options and freedom with limited bugs compared to games of the same size is truly basic 😉

      Reply

      • RinceThis

        December 15, 2015 at 13:51

        HAHAHA. But there were no 13-year-old girls that you could increase the size of their breasts and have them play in their underwear!

        Reply

        • Captain JJ 4x

          December 15, 2015 at 13:53

          An important missed opportunity on CDPR’s side, I’ll admit.

          Reply

        • Umar

          December 15, 2015 at 13:56

          Awwww, don’t undermine my opinion because I said something bad about your precious Geraldo 🙁

          Reply

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 13:57

            I didn’t undermine your opinion, what I just said is 100% factual!

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 15, 2015 at 13:58

            You’re an underminer!

          • Umar

            December 15, 2015 at 13:59

            Pssssssssh. I object to that notion! I object 100%

      • Umar

        December 15, 2015 at 13:52

        Combat was extremely streamlined an basic, same goes to the customization options of the game. Story is extremely deep though

        Reply

        • Captain JJ 4x

          December 15, 2015 at 13:53

          Well, compared to Fallout 4’s combat of “click and aim to shoot”, “press button to enter VATS and then click and aim to shoot at slow motion”, I’d say the combat isn’t too bad.

          Reply

          • Umar

            December 15, 2015 at 13:56

            Fallout at least provided a really robust gun customization system. Just how I feel about Witcher, Still an amazing game, I just felt the mechanics were a tad bit shallow.

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 13:58

            I know, and I definitely agree. But I’m talking combat system versus combat system. At least you can parry in Witcher. :/
            My one gripe with Witcher is needing to FIND all the armour paperwork before you can craft it.

          • Umar

            December 15, 2015 at 14:01

            ooh, well Fallout’s shooting is actually much better now, but I hear ya. I liked that though, made you work for that armour.

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:04

            Fallout’s shooting is as basic as anything from 2010 and before, only you have VATS also. There’s nothing intuitive or tactical about it. I think Bethesda could have put some more thought into that at least. But I’ll stop dissing Fallout’s combat system before someone puts a RadRoach down my throat 😀
            I worked damn hard for my armour…but then when I realised it’s not the coolest one…the search was on again! I suppose the charm of Witcher 3 was also the exploration, so it’s not that bad.

          • Umar

            December 15, 2015 at 14:09

            I’m not going to disagree even because you’re right lol The customization options however made up for that. Like I said though, I hear ya 😀

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:11

            Haha. Yea. I love the customisation…and I do name each gun also 🙂

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:01

            It has to be located in one of the 200 ? points on the map

    • Mossel

      December 15, 2015 at 13:51

      To be honest the main story was the boring part. The actual game made it awesome in my opinion.
      Like plenty of musicians have said before: It’s easy to make a good complex song, it’s very difficult to make a good simple song.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ 4x

        December 15, 2015 at 13:52

        The Bloody Baron quest beats the main story with a dead chort in the face!

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          December 15, 2015 at 13:53

          Oh them feels…

          Reply

        • Mossel

          December 15, 2015 at 13:54

          Yeah dude! It was so dark, sinister and intriguing!

          Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          December 15, 2015 at 13:57

          Made me stop drinking for a minute because of how much he drank

          Reply

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 13:58

            WHAT?! You lied, you bloody Barron/Agent!

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 13:58

            But only for a minute.

      • Umar

        December 15, 2015 at 13:53

        Dunno, I just felt there wasn’t AS much choice in how you build Geraldo as there was in the actual story.

        Reply

        • Captain JJ 4x

          December 15, 2015 at 13:54

          I think I’m going to start calling him Geraldo now. Seems so much more up-beat. 😀

          Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          December 15, 2015 at 13:56

          I tried to make all the green, red and blue colours stick together… Yeah basically just that.

          Reply

        • Mossel

          December 15, 2015 at 14:04

          Perhaps I’m not as into RPGs as I thought then. But I liked the simplicity of it. Some RPGs can be overwhelming.

          Reply

          • Umar

            December 15, 2015 at 14:06

            Just how I feel about it 🙂 I looooove games with a lot of systems to mess around with which is why I feel this way about W3. Still an amazing game

          • miaau

            December 15, 2015 at 14:08

            The way you type that…..

            you some of gun nut? I somehow see Rocket Powered Grenades everywhere…..

            Hmm. Maybe it is me not you……….

          • Mossel

            December 15, 2015 at 14:10

            hahaha! Didn’t even realise!

    • Hammersteyn

      December 15, 2015 at 13:51

      Also combat was meh, press x to Geralt. snooze

      Reply

      • Umar

        December 15, 2015 at 13:54

        Combat was very streamlined and basic, but hey, it’s FAR better than Dragon Age Shardquisition

        Reply

        • JHN

          December 15, 2015 at 13:55

          press x to collect elfroot

          Reply

          • Umar

            December 15, 2015 at 14:01

            URRRGH, don’t want to think about it lol

          • miaau

            December 15, 2015 at 14:14

            at least you could grow it, 3 pots elfroot, other pots change as needed

      • Mossel

        December 15, 2015 at 13:59

        Either I suck at games or you played on the lowest difficulty! xD

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          December 15, 2015 at 14:00

          Play Witcher after completing Bloodborne and you’ll understand XD

          Reply

        • Captain JJ 4x

          December 15, 2015 at 14:00

          I’m convinced I just suck at it.

          Reply

          • Mossel

            December 15, 2015 at 14:03

            lol same here!

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 15, 2015 at 14:04

            I was playing on normal & I still died if I wasn’t careful.

          • Mossel

            December 15, 2015 at 14:05

            Haha expecially when a higher level monster pops up out of nowhere. And you saved 20min ago.

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:07

            That’s when I run. Sometimes I even leave Roach behind

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:07

            Good. Useless fucking horse

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:08

            I tried to scrap him for glue and meat, but the game wouldn’t allow it.

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:10

            HAHAHAHA

          • ElNicko

            December 16, 2015 at 00:35

            Horsemeat pies anyone?

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 15, 2015 at 14:09

            Shut up! She won every race easily. Bestest horsie!

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:10

            Yes!

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:10

            She? 0_O

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 15, 2015 at 14:10

            Do you even horse, bro!?

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:11

            Till I am sometimes!

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:12

            You’re a lost case man.
            Seriously.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 15, 2015 at 14:12

            I mean it’s not like he says numerous times in-game that she’s a mare. We should be more understanding I guess.

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:14

            True. It’s also never mentioned that Geralt prefers mares.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 15, 2015 at 14:16

            Listening, who has the time?!

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:15

            YES YOU SHOULD!

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:15

            Assumptions!

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:16

            XD

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:18

            Which says a lot about the other horses

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:19

            Yes. They were nowhere as awesome. That’s what you mean, right?

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:24

            About as awesome as my enthusiasm for COD

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:27

            Damn. SO close.

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:10

            Hey. Don’t be mean. Roach is awesome. You’re just bad at using a controller (shots fired)

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:08

            The difference with Fallout 4 is by the time you realise that you probably need to run it’s too late.

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:20

            Run in Fallout? Did you run out of ammo. Playing it on hard difficulty at the moment. I’m way to OP

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:22

            Yea. I never run anyway. I either kill, or die horribly.
            When I do die, I haven’t saved in an hour.
            When I do kill, I save immediately.

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:23

            Mostly happens when i run into a Deathclaw

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:26

            Yea.
            I’ve found the RadScorpions to be more of a problem…for some reason. They’re damn tough to kill. At least deathclaws can still get stuck behind trees, buildings, doors, dogmeat etc ;P
            The deathclaws overall seem easier than in New Vegas though.

  8. RinceThis

    December 15, 2015 at 13:48

    No MSGV mention? Hue huehue

    Reply

  9. Pieter Kruger

    December 15, 2015 at 13:48

    Pretty sure Bloodborne is more hack & slash action than RPG?

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      December 15, 2015 at 13:50

      Yip. I get annoyed every time I hear it being called an RPG. It’s all about combat, it’s an action game.

      Reply

      • Umar

        December 15, 2015 at 14:11

        Why is not an RPG?

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          December 15, 2015 at 14:12

          Because it’s all about action? Same reason CoD isn’t 😛

          Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          December 15, 2015 at 14:15

          Because it’s main focus is fighting, not story, not character. An upgrade system does not an RPG make.

          Reply

    • Ryanza

      December 15, 2015 at 13:52

      it depends on how many points you put into hack or into slash. No points and you will be hacking and slashing forever.

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      December 15, 2015 at 13:55

      Pretty much. The stats and all the different equipment was just for show as well as the time spent on posting PVE builds. you just walk in a dodge roll till the enemy stands still for two minutes at which point you press X to kill it.

      Reply

  10. Jan Prins

    December 15, 2015 at 13:50

    Hey hey hey! Was there any doubt? Now if I only can get myself so far to play it.

    Reply

  11. Captain JJ 4x

    December 15, 2015 at 14:02

    No Battlefront?
    Oh wait, maybe EA was “innovating too much” again.

    Reply

  12. Jan Prins

    December 15, 2015 at 14:05

    No The Sims??? I am a Sad Panda Prins.

    Reply

  13. HvR

    December 15, 2015 at 14:15

    • Captain JJ 4x

      December 15, 2015 at 14:16

      I bet it has rads protection too. Win-win.

      Reply

    • Ryanza

      December 15, 2015 at 14:21

      Should have saved it for Game of the year.

      And don’t act like my excitement is that big. This is not news to me. Witcher 3 getting rpg of the year and game of the year, is just expected. So no need for juice protection.

      Now if the Witcher 3 doesn’t get game of the year from Lazygamer…
      http://i.imgur.com/CoAtgLp.gif

      Reply

      • miaau

        December 15, 2015 at 14:26

        can it not win both?

        Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      December 15, 2015 at 14:21

      Only if it comes with DRM

      Reply

  14. Umar

    December 15, 2015 at 14:20

    Bloodborne should’ve won best RPG.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      December 15, 2015 at 14:21

      Yup

      Reply

      • miaau

        December 15, 2015 at 14:25

        “Pretty much. The stats and all the different equipment was just for show as well as the time spent on posting PVE builds. you just walk in a dodge roll till the enemy stands still for two minutes at which point you press X to kill it.”

        erm. Um.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          December 15, 2015 at 14:28

          haha

          Reply

    • RinceThis

      December 15, 2015 at 14:22

      Oh you. *pats head.

      Reply

      • Umar

        December 15, 2015 at 14:22

        purrrr purrrrrr

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          December 15, 2015 at 14:24

          I didn’t say your head!

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:25

            You pat yourself? Is it because no one else will?

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:26

            I didn’t say my head either!

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:28

            So either you’re a villain with a cat on your lap.
            Or a psycho with a person’s head on your lap.
            Neither would surprise me.

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:28

            a psycho with a cat’s head on his lap?

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 15, 2015 at 14:29

            Haha. Wow.

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:30

            Damn, just saw this, snap!

          • Hammersteyn

            December 15, 2015 at 14:30

            XD

          • RinceThis

            December 15, 2015 at 14:30

            How about a cats head on my lap? 0_O

          • Mandrake

            December 15, 2015 at 15:21

            Head on your lap or head in your lap?

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      December 15, 2015 at 14:26

      And Mobile game, because it’s so casual.

      Reply

      • RinceThis

        December 15, 2015 at 14:26

        HAHAHAHAHA! Oh you.

        Reply

      • Umar

        December 15, 2015 at 14:34

        *hugs*
        That said though, I never said that an upgrade system makes an RPG, because it doesn’t. Everything these days has an upgrade system, but you’re saying an RPG’s main focus is on the story and character? So how is Souls not doing that? Just because it puts more emphasis on combat? It’s still very much the story and your character and how you affect the world around you.

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          December 15, 2015 at 14:47

          I know you never said it, I said it when you asked me why I say Bloodborne isn’t an RPG. ;P

          By that line of reasoning, COD is an RPG.

          Reply

          • Umar

            December 15, 2015 at 14:50

            Freaking everything has an upgrade system these days. Even Tomb Raider has one lol

  15. Greylingad[CNFRMD]

    December 15, 2015 at 14:49

    Not surprising at all really, The Witcher 3 has set a new standard as to how I look at games, the sidequests were superb, the scenery is still the best looking and Ciri was the true powerhouse of the story… Not only did they raise the bar with regards visuals, they set it… After spending so much time in the game, I still go back every now and then, whether it be to do a quest or to just stroll through the beautiful landscapes, before you know it, you’ve spent 2 hours in game and not necessarily doing anything specific. It was brilliant.

    Reply

  16. Aaron Lucas

    December 16, 2015 at 15:13

    Sorry, I just can’t agree with this. I know people love Witcher, but it’s just not enough of an RPG for me to consider it the best. It’s an amazing game, with a great story, but there’s not enough “Role Playing” to make it an RPG. They give you a pre-built character with a defined history and back-story and leave very little room for freedom of choice in my opinion. As someone whose first exposure to RPGs was the Grand-Daddy of them all, D&D, I expect (within reason), to be able to do what I want, when I want, with whom I want. If I want to slaughter the town guard, I should be able to (especially if I’m as bad-ass a warrior as Geralt supposedly is), but I can’t, because the game doesn’t want me to. If I want to sneak into the king’s castle and steal his shit, I should be able to, but alas no stealth function (again, odd given that Geralt is a HUNTER, a profession that often relies on stealth). So no, The Witcher 3 isn’t really that great of an RPG in the end, in my opinion. If an Elder Scrolls game had released this year I would probably be championing that, but since there isn’t, I’m going with Fallout 4. Sorry, rant over.

    Reply

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