This year's E3 has showcased some damn fine titles we're eager to get our hands on, however looking back over the year so far, there's been quite a few titles that have definitely captured our interest.

So, as we hit the halfway point in 2015, we thought we'd do a quick rundown of some of the best gaming experiences we've had.

Take a look!

 

5. HOTLINE MIAMI 2: WRONG NUMBER (PlayStation 4)

The blood-soaked follow-up to Hotline Miami may not have had the same initial charm that the first one, but damn if it wasn't incredibly addictive gaming. Fusing 16-bit visuals with one of the best game soundtracks of the last five years, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number blasted its way into our hearts. Trivia fact: the main theme for Hotline Miami 2 was written by Dublin's own Benny Smiles.

 

4. SUPER MARIO GALAXY 2 (WiiU)

From blood-soaked badness to galactic goodness, Super Mario Galaxy 2 was the hoped-for silver bullet that would save Nintendo's flagging fortunes. As a platform experience, it exceeded our expectations and the gorgeous use of colour and sound was a feast for the eyes. Nintendo cleverly ported the game straight without any alterations or adulterations, allowing us to experience it all over again.

 

3. BLOODBORNE (PlayStation 4)

Comparisons between Bloodborne and Dark Souls II were, we think, unfounded. Bloodborne's mixture of hack-basics with glorious visuals meant that the experience was unique and unlike anything we'd experienced from From Software in quite some time. Needless to say, it was a commercial and critical smash. But can we see a next-gen Tenchu at some stage? Cheers.

  

2. BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT (XboxOne, PlayStation 4)

If you read our review, you'll know that we're fans of Arkham Knight - although not unreservedly. However, it's still an ending to a series that's reinvigorated the Batman property in gaming and reunited the fabled Animated Series duo of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill.

 

 

1. THE WITCHER 3 (XboxOne, PlayStation 4)

The reviews for Witcher 3 are completely superfluous, some hailed it as the game of the century and others said it redefined the RPG genre. That's a bit of an over-sell, but The Witcher 3 did have a rich story, a deeply intricate map and a gaming experience unlike something we've played in quite a while.