Home Gaming The Lazygamer Awards 2015–Best Xbox Game

The Lazygamer Awards 2015–Best Xbox Game

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Best Xbox Game Lazygamer Award 2015

In stark contrast to the PlayStation first-party holiday line-up, Microsoft came out firing with exclusives launching left right and centre. Most of them throughout the year have been for established franchise, with Gears of War, Halo and Forza all getting in on the action. The Xbox One itself took massive strides forward this year under the guidance of Phil Spencer, and they’ve setup a rather intriguing bout for the beginning of 2016 too between themselves and Sony.

Suffice to say, if you were an Xbox One owner this year you were probably happy for most of it, with loads of quality exclusives to keep you busy. The best of them came from familiar places, and choosing just one was actually a lot harder than expected. But when it came down to it, there was one game that screamed “buy me now” – even if that meant dipping into a console you didn’t see yourself investing in. That’s what a console exclusive is all about.

So the award for best Xbox Game of 2015 goes to…a game that won’t even be an exclusive this time next year.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider Best Xbox Game 2015

It doesn’t matter that exclusivity is simply timed here. Rise of the Tomb Raider was a big bet by Microsoft, and they sure as hell wanted to make sure that people knew it was only on Xbox in 2015. The game itself paid off, delivering one of Lara Croft’s most finely tuned, engaging experiences yet – no simple feat given the amazing work Crystal Dynamics did with the reboot a few years ago.

It filled the gap that some of Microsoft’s heavy hitters failed to hit, with Forza Motorsport putting up a good fight and Halo 5 simply not hitting the mark in terms of series quality. The closest competitor though had to be Ori and the Blind Forest, with its captivating tale and brilliant gameplay for such a small title nearly besting the big budget blockbusters.

But when it comes down to it, Rise of the Tomb Raider is a game that I, and everyone else here, can recommend to anyone. And it’s got enough behind it to suggest the purchase of an Xbox One just to play it early. There’s still a lot of debate around the morality of timed exclusives such as this, but it’s a game that can twist your arm into buying an Xbox One. And that’s all an exclusive needs to be really.

Honourable Mentions

Like I said, it’s been a great year for the Xbox One – especially if your a fan of their existing franchises. While some didn’t live up to their billing in a few regards, most were still standout experiences in others. And it would be hard to really go wrong with either of these:

  • Halo 5: Guardians
  • Forza Motorsport 6
  • Ori and the Blind Forest
  • Gears of War: Ultimate Edition

Will Sony bounce back a little in 2016 or will Microsoft have even more surprises with games like Quantum Break and ReCore. Time will tell.

Last Updated: December 14, 2015

91 Comments

  1. [casts PietK +1]

    Reply

  2. Captain JJ 4x

    December 14, 2015 at 15:32

    Ori is killing it.
    I vote Forza also here.

    Reply

  3. HvR

    December 14, 2015 at 15:34

    So do they need to give back the reward after the timed exclusivity expires?

    Reply

    • Captain JJ 4x

      December 14, 2015 at 15:35

      LOL
      I don’t think TR will ever be seen the same again by everyone outside the Xbox inner circle.

      Reply

    • Ryanza

      December 14, 2015 at 15:39

      Yes.
      Lance Armstrong had to give back his medals.

      Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      December 14, 2015 at 16:59

      Can we please get a clear answer on this from a mod?

      Reply

  4. GooseZA

    December 14, 2015 at 15:38

    OOORRRIIII

    Reply

  5. Ryanza

    December 14, 2015 at 15:38

    So Xbox One’s best game is a paid for time exclusive game. So next year, Xbox One’s best game will be on PS4 and PC.
    Just like next year Bloodborne and Uncharted will be out on Xbox One. Oh wait, that’s not how it works.

    Don’t Support DRM and Don’t Support Exclusive Timed Releases. I wonder why PS4 is selling so much better and faster than Xbox One.

    Reply

    • frikkenator

      December 14, 2015 at 15:48

      You sound angry.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ 4x

        December 14, 2015 at 15:51

        That’s actually his happy “voice”

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          December 14, 2015 at 15:52

          LOL

          Reply

      • Francois Knoetze

        December 14, 2015 at 15:52

        I agree with Captain JJ…that is his calm tone…

        Reply

    • Lordjax Jax

      December 14, 2015 at 16:14

      As well as various temporary exclusive announced at PS experience that will come to PC or other console as Ni no Kuni2 has already been confirmed in other platform, No mans Sky most likely reaches the Xbox because it’s “debut console,” Dragon Quest Heroes already came out for PC, FF7 remake also can XOne.

      http://gearnuke.com/yakuza-0-king-fighters-xiv-nioh-apparently-headed-pc/#

      Reply

      • Ryanza

        December 14, 2015 at 16:27

        The point was not about having exclusive timed releases. Sometimes small developers make their game for one platform at a time. Plus Microsoft when big with their time exclusive deals and not focusing on their on developing studios. Sony also had to use, “first one” marketing bullshit.

        But Bloodborne a non timed exclusive is PS4’s best game of 2015 not a timed exclusive game representing Xbox One’s best game of 2015.

        Reply

        • Pieter Kruger

          December 14, 2015 at 16:41

          Relax, you do know that’s this is only Lazygamers’ awards right? It’s what THEY voted for right? I also said I’d voted for an exclusive title like Forza or Halo 5, but it’s THEIR votes and I’ll accept it as that! ????????????

          Reply

          • Ryanza

            December 14, 2015 at 16:50

          • Pieter Kruger

            December 14, 2015 at 17:01

            I mean, this from the same guys that voted Splatoon as Best Shooter…..ROFL!

          • Ryanza

            December 14, 2015 at 17:03

            From the same people who didn’t give Bayonetta 2 best Wii U game last year.

          • Pieter Kruger

            December 14, 2015 at 17:04

            Exactly!

          • HvR

            December 14, 2015 at 17:17

            Same people who hired Darryn.

          • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

            December 14, 2015 at 17:35

            What? Splatoon? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH Holy crap, that is the lame! 😮

          • Ryanza

            December 14, 2015 at 17:07

            I can’t remember which scene, “calmer than you are”, was used in the movie. I don’t think this pic represents that.

        • Lordjax Jax

          December 14, 2015 at 16:46

          Only on this site that he received an appointment in several others were:

          Halo5 and Ori.

          I do not know what world you are living, but MS is focused on creating new Fist Party more than ever just to see the new variety Ip announced:

          Sunset Overdrive
          Ori
          Sea of the Thives
          Recore
          Crackdown
          Quantum Break
          Scalebound and Among others

          Unlike Japanese Dev only to launch PS4 by patriotism, fortunately so this ending for producing games this increasingly expensive and need more income in various platforms.

          Reply

    • coip

      December 14, 2015 at 16:23

      No thanks. I’m quite enjoying playing Rise of the Tomb Raider at the moment.

      Reply

      • Ryanza

        December 14, 2015 at 16:30

        Legalize Foreskin? lol.

        Reply

        • coip

          December 14, 2015 at 16:50

          Hell yeah. Protect the babies from the butchers. Talk about some demented ‘traditions’. Oy ve.

          Reply

          • Ryanza

            December 14, 2015 at 16:56

            Ya but where is it illegal to have foreskin? Doesn’t it come down to parents choice or your own choice when to go to the bush.

          • coip

            December 14, 2015 at 17:08

            Right, it’s not “illegal” to have one anywhere, but the phrase “Legalize Foreskin” is a knock on the United States’ cultural practice of routine infant circumcision in which they legally protect infant girls from circumcision but do not protect infant boys–and, in fact, the majority of newborn boys get the knife in the U.S. Frankly, I find it barbaric and I have a huge problem with parents imposing medically unnecessary surgery on helpless infants. It should be an individual choice–not a choice imposed on babies.

            The “Legalize _____” phrase is sometimes used in U.S. politics as a way to provoke thought. For example, “Legalize Gay” was used by gay rights advocates who were fighting for same-sex marriage rights. “Legalize Me” was used by immigrants rights activists fighting deportation. So, “Legalize Foreskin” is used to argue that people should decide for themselves what happens to their own genitals.

  6. Pieter Kruger

    December 14, 2015 at 15:41

    Goooooooooooo Microsoft!!! Personally I’d given it to an exclusive title…….but that’s just me!????

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      December 14, 2015 at 15:44

      Microsoft is going already. Going for a sequels and remasters.

      Reply

      • Pieter Kruger

        December 14, 2015 at 15:53

        As opposed to Sony doing………oh yeah, sequels and remasters! ROFL!

        Reply

        • HvR

          December 14, 2015 at 15:56

          Both consoles exclusivity sucks, pricing sucks, premium benefits sucks. That is why I’m going bak
          https://media.giphy.com/media/l41lGTDPL3ryH5qW4/giphy.gif

          Reply

          • HvR

            December 14, 2015 at 15:59

            AND they are slowly phasing in region locking again. Which frankly means they can GITFS and hulle MSSC en hulle oumas sin ook.

          • Pieter Kruger

            December 14, 2015 at 16:13

            What? Who’s phasing in region blocking??!!

          • HvR

            December 14, 2015 at 16:27

            Sony the bigger culprit here but M$ has made their intent clear in the past they also want to do it and have had a few services and features only available in Canada and the US.

          • miaau

            December 14, 2015 at 16:36

            like Netflix and Hulu, you mean? Region blocking in some attempt to protect quality of service OR region blocking to protect commercial agreements?

          • HvR

            December 14, 2015 at 16:42

            Sony produced series only available to PS+ in US, HUGE disparity between pricing and specials between ZA and US online stores….

          • miaau

            December 14, 2015 at 16:46

            ah, so more commercial agreements than quality of service then. sad….. for us

          • HvR

            December 14, 2015 at 16:52

            This combined with Playstation South Africa total lack of response on various mails was the nail in the coffin for staying with PS despite being paid up for the PS+ for 2 more years and having dozen free PS4 games in the collection.

            Remember those sucky days when we paid more and waited weeks or months for release; clear console makers want to go back to those days if they can make the money.

          • oVg

            December 14, 2015 at 15:59

            CENSORED IN THE EU

        • Hammersteyn

          December 14, 2015 at 15:56

          What sequels?

          Reply

          • Pieter Kruger

            December 14, 2015 at 15:58

            OK, gonna leave you to catch up on some reading for a couple of days……

          • Hammersteyn

            December 14, 2015 at 15:58

            Pfffft too busy playing games

          • Pieter Kruger

            December 14, 2015 at 16:46

            Seriously, you still busy with Knack????????

          • Hammersteyn

            December 14, 2015 at 17:09

            LOL never bought that. Fallout 4 atm.

  7. Hammersteyn

    December 14, 2015 at 15:43

    How come Ori is on the list if it’s on PC as well?

    Reply

    • Captain JJ 4x

      December 14, 2015 at 15:43

      Because Xbox doesn’t have enough cool exclusives?

      Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      December 14, 2015 at 15:47

      To bring balance to the force (Helldivers….Tearaway Unfolded)????

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        December 14, 2015 at 15:48

        Forget about Tearaway, that’s never going to PC, forgot about Helldivers though

        Reply

  8. oVg

    December 14, 2015 at 15:43

    Shame the Xbox One owners dont give a crap. Over 10 million Xbones and the sales are worse than a MGSV demo.

    BUY THE GAME, ITS GOOD.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      December 14, 2015 at 15:44

      Rofl

      Reply

      • oVg

        December 14, 2015 at 15:45

        Worst thing is, its true.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          December 14, 2015 at 15:46

          Indeed. Serves Square right though

          Reply

          • oVg

            December 14, 2015 at 15:49

            The only people who loose out are the devs and the gamers.

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 14, 2015 at 15:51

            I hope Triangular Enix regrets their decision about Tomb Raider.

          • oVg

            December 14, 2015 at 15:52

            I always had an unpleasant feeling when seeing the Square logo at the start of the re-boot.

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 14, 2015 at 15:54

            It’s like your favourite band starts doing songs with Beyonce and Justin Bieber.

          • oVg

            December 14, 2015 at 15:54

            To be fair, anything was better than Midway. But why did no other Western Producer pick up the IP?

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 14, 2015 at 15:55

            Yea, agreed. Though I’d rather pick Squeenix ten times before EA. So maybe it’s a safe bet. Who knows what could have happened if it were elsewhere.

          • Hammersteyn

            December 14, 2015 at 15:55

            Biebers publishers would never allow it for fear of him being beaten to death by said favourite band

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 14, 2015 at 15:56

            Except if it’s Coldplay. Then the lead singer would cry/sing in the corner while Bieber flexes his abs.

          • Hammersteyn

            December 14, 2015 at 15:58

            Funny, I would think Biebers foreplay is kinda cold to start with

          • Captain JJ 4x

            December 14, 2015 at 15:58

            XD

          • HvR

            December 14, 2015 at 15:53

            Doubt it, the first reboot they spent multiple times their dev budget on ads and then complained about barely breaking even 5 million + copies sold.

            Guys heading SE probably took the JZ course in management.

          • Pieter Kruger

            December 14, 2015 at 16:51

            I cannot believe the ponies are so butt hurt over this LOL! You’ll get to play this, be happy! Street Fighter went full exclusive and nobody gives a f*)-k really, there’s plenty other good games!????????????

          • Hammersteyn

            December 14, 2015 at 17:11

            It’s the principle, you don’t kick your fans in the teeth. Sequels should never be exclusive property. Even Timed. Also SF5 is going to PC the same time as PS4 so there’s that.

    • Pieter Kruger

      December 14, 2015 at 15:54

      I will, promise!

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        December 14, 2015 at 15:55

        You bought Halo instead didn’t you?

        Reply

        • oVg

          December 14, 2015 at 15:56

          Fallout 4 lol

          Reply

        • Pieter Kruger

          December 14, 2015 at 16:54

          I wish I could buy them all….

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            December 14, 2015 at 17:08

            Well I know you have the Remastered so there’s that.

  9. Ryanza

    December 14, 2015 at 15:45

    Xbox One needs an awards for this console. God knows why they didn’t sell this console to the public. God knows I would have bought one.
    http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2825276-witcher3xboxone.jpg

    Don’t Support DRM. Support God. Happy Birthday Jesus. Give me a present. Oh wait, that Santa.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      December 14, 2015 at 15:47

      If only the game played on XBOX like the footage they stole from PC

      Reply

      • Ryanza

        December 14, 2015 at 15:50

        Oh, God. If anyone bought The Witcher 3 for Xbox One, then shame on you. You should have known that the Xbox One would have been the worse version of the game to buy.

        CDPR wasn’t going to waste our time with Xbox One footage.

        Reply

        • miaau

          December 14, 2015 at 16:27

          I am, actually, mildly offended by that statement, Shame on me?

          I had loads of fun playing it, on MY Xbox one. That, ultimately, is it. I had fun.

          Reply

          • Pieter Kruger

            December 14, 2015 at 16:53

            Fun=Win

    • oVg

      December 14, 2015 at 15:51

      My dad had one of those minus the paint job. 1978 I think. 😛 He told me VHS sucks and that BETA is the future 😛

      RUNS

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        December 14, 2015 at 15:51

        XD we has a BETA when I was younger.

        Reply

        • HvR

          December 14, 2015 at 16:30

          Like the rich kid in class with the uber cool Macintosh but no games to play. Lulz

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            December 14, 2015 at 17:13

            Hahaha, I remember vividly how it ended in the trash after the video store went full VHS

          • HvR

            December 14, 2015 at 17:23

            Think the worst was probably the poor guys who paid extra for Xbox 360 with HD-DVD

      • miaau

        December 14, 2015 at 16:24

        Well your father was a wise man, Betamax was a damn good piece of technology. They did not lose out purely on tech, BetaMax.

        Good move, Sony. Better move, JVC

        Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      December 14, 2015 at 17:37

      Why did someone put all those decals on an old VCR?

      Reply

  10. Francois Knoetze

    December 14, 2015 at 15:55

    Would have given it to Forza just for the sake of not making Tomb Raider win double. Pitty people have to wait for this.

    Reply

  11. Hammersteyn

    December 14, 2015 at 16:01

    Won’t this cheapen both awards once we get to play it on better platforms?

    Reply

    • miaau

      December 14, 2015 at 16:19

      well, no. Cause then it will be 2016, GOTY Playstation, right?

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        December 14, 2015 at 17:11

        Actually PC, because we all know that’s the best platform

        Reply

  12. coip

    December 14, 2015 at 16:30

    It’s hard to pick between Halo 5, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Rise of the Tomb Raider, because they’re all really good and they’re all in really different genres. Halo 5’s multiplayer gameplay is superb: easily the best FPS of the 8th-gen so far and the best Halo ever in terms of gameplay mechanics. Ori and the Blind Forest is a nearly flawless 2D puzzle platformer, with gorgeous animation, clever puzzles, and challenging gameplay (you will die, hundreds upon hundreds of times). Rise of the Tomb Raider is an excellent improvement over Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (which itself is a great game): they didn’t fix what wasn’t broken but noticeably improved everything. It’s an extremely polished game. Honestly, those are three must-have titles for any Xbox One owner.

    Reply

  13. Lordjax Jax

    December 14, 2015 at 16:32

    A fanboys site of Sony, I was expected something to debunk the Xbox, just watch others post about Games.

    They talk about unique temporary but the amount that came out and was announced the PS4 to PC or other such blind fanboys platform not see.

    Bunch of alienated child.

    Reply

    • HvR

      December 14, 2015 at 17:20

      No idea what the 2nd sentence is trying to convey.

      * We are a bunch of alienated childREN

      Actually half the Lagz staff are avid Xboners.

      Reply

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        December 14, 2015 at 17:36

        Lol exactly, the boner 360 fanboyism was strong among the Lagz staff.

        Reply

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