The busiest shopping season of the year is about to begin, and whether you’re buying for yourself or giving gifts to loved ones, you need to know what games to buy and which to avoid. 2015 has been an exceptional year in digital entertainment, including fresh entries from classic franchises and original IP’s that have broken the mold. Regardless of console, there are plenty of top-tier titles ready for your purchase and if you aren’t sure which way to go by the end of this list, just buy a ton of Playstation Network or Xbox Live cards and buy everything digitally! 

Fallout 4 

Let’s just get this one out of the way right now: Fallout 4 is a stunning game. In a pure dollars-to-time ratio, it might be the most economical game on this list, providing hundreds of hours of gameplay. That time is spent foraging, crafting, fighting and surviving the harsh realities of a post-apocalyptic wasteland with an insane cast of characters and a ton of player freedom. The PC might be the way to go for this one, as console versions suffer from a few framerate hiccups and other unfortunate bugs. Still, the inherent flaws of a Bethesda game are totally worth it once you’ve slayed a thousand super mutants and collected every piece of scrap metal in the world. 

Revisit “8 Reasons Why Fallout 4 Might be the Best Game Ever”

[Enter Sports Title Here]

It’s impossible to recommend ONE sports game, as everybody has their own preference of athletic entertainment. Luckily, 2015 has provided a quality game for almost all sports, so no matter which one you’re into, there is something good for you. For hockey (NHL 16), football (Madden NFL 16), and baseball (MLB 15: The Show), you only have one choice. But for hoops, NBA 2k16 is still the clear winner. Even with an insane career mode and minor graphical improvements, its fluid gameplay and authentic presentation put it head and shoulders above Electronic Arts’ offering in NBA Live 16.

Halo 5 

One of the greatest franchises is back with a gigantic new game, with some of the best looking and feeling gameplay to date. Halo 5’s story is still as serious as ever, but quality voice acting and stellar cutscenes keep the game from getting too bogged down in its own weight. For those that look back fondly on giant Halo battles from years past, the multiplayer is as good as it has ever been and the new Warzone mode blends team-based objectives with player-vs-player battles across gigantic maps. Free updates have already hit, dropping in more modes, maps, and more, giving this game a long post-release life. 

Revisit “5 Ways Halo 5 is Changing the Franchise”

Destiny: The Taken King

Assuming you are entering Destiny for the first time, there is a great bundle that puts all of the first year’s worth of Destiny content on one disc for you. That’s three expansion packs, the base Destiny game, and all the cumulative updates that shaped this massively multiplayer shooter into something pretty dang special. Either current console is worth buying the game for, as both fanbases are huge, but check with friends and fellow gamers before picking one side or the other. The worst feeling is when you buy something so dependent on community gaming and find out all your friends are playing on the other system. 

Revisit “5 Reasons Why The Taken King Saved Destiny”

Star Wars: Battlefront 

Much like Destiny, Battlefront will live or die based on how much you like playing online and if you have a good crew with which to roll. However, one’s love for Star Wars might trump any speed bumps, as this game is the closest representation of the beloved universe George Lucas created four decades ago. Given developer DICE’s history as stellar FPS creators, with a penchant for amazing sound design, this game really is the best way to experience these fantastical worlds and take a side in the intergalactic war. The single-player content is a little light, but the stunning visuals and the pure joy of swinging a lightsaber will carry this through 2015 and beyond.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain 

Mileage might vary on this one, depending on how enjoyable you found the previous entries, but there is no doubt that is the best Metal Gear Solid ever made from a gameplay standpoint. Open world fans that have burned out on the Assassin’s Creed franchise will find tons of freedom here, beyond what any Far Cry or Ubisoft clone could ever provide. The story is just as bonkers as always, and the tacked-on online components can be odd when dug into, but the 40+-hour campaign is one of the ages, taking the characters within the MGS universe to places never before seen. If you like your games to go beyond the competition and don’t mind a bit of repetition, look no further than this gem.

Super Mario Maker  

Yes, Nintendo still makes video games. And in the case of Super Mario Maker, they have made one of the greatest games in their storied history. Imagine the power to create and modify any level from Super Mario 1, 3, World, and Wii, allowing for any devious traps or brilliant jumping puzzles your mind can create. The gamepad and stylus make for the perfect tableau for your insane concoctions. The online community has already created thousands upon thousands of levels, ranging from the super challenging to the hilarious. Even if the creative suite of tools do not interest you, the base game comes with a ton of levels and the ever-growing collection of downloadable levels means you may never stop playing Mario.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

It has been a pretty great year for Role Playing Games, but none have been as polished and transformative as the new Witcher game. The Witcher 3 is perfect for both fans of the prior games and new players, as the refined gameplay and combat are leaps ahead of the prior entries. The world is as gorgeous as anything you can play with a controller, and the quest writing is maybe the best ever in a game. Fans of Game of Thrones, D&D, or classic RPGS will find plenty to love and anyone willing to spend their Holiday break slaying trolls and saving the world will find a true treasure in Wild Hunt.