I forgot Dying Light was released in 2015.

This isn’t to say that I thought the game was bad. Far from it. The year’s best games need to do more than be great: They need to leave an impression in a way that demands attention and creates lasting memories for years to come.

With that in mind, this is my list of the best games of 2015.

Game of the Year

Life Is Strange (PC, PlayStation, Xbox)

I can count on one hand the number of games that have made me cry.

As the curtain closed on my time with Life Is Strange, I found myself unable to shake the haunting chill and emotional resonance that the game left in its wake. Not only had Max Caulfield’s story brought me to tears, but it left an impression that I still find myself thinking about to this day.

The best games aren’t always the ones with the largest stakes and explosions. In the case of Life Is Strange, 2015’s game of the year is one that tells an emotional, poignant story unlike anything in recent memory.

Max’s tale about the struggles of high school, time travel, and lasting friendship improves upon the adventure game formula found in recent best-sellers like The Walking Dead and Tales From The Borderlands. The rural, hipster town of Arcadia Bay is the perfect setting for a unique tale of two teenage girls and the struggle of growing apart.

These decisions come to life through one of the best voice acting performances of the year. Ashly Burch as the angry, yet sensitive Chloe Price breathes life into a character that could be one-note and annoying in the hands of a less capable performer. Burch’s performance is the glue of the story.

Life Is Strange is a unique voice among the year’s glut of action adventure powerhouse releases. Do yourself a favor and experience the game for yourself. I promise that you won’t regret it.

Runner-up: Bloodborne (PS4)

Best Independent Game

Rocket League (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)

I’m shocked that it took so long for soccer and cars to come together in harmony. Developer Psyonix struck gold earlier this year with Rocket League, which places gamers into the seat of turbocharged cars that take the place of human players on the pitch.

This may sound dumb, but trust me: It’s fun and it works as expected.

What makes Rocket League stand out among other quirky sports games in recent years are the responsive, comfortable controls. Your car can spin and sail through the air with the greatest of ease or stop on a dime, eliminating the need for players to learn complex controls.

More modes and cars are coming in 2016, cementing that Rocket League will continue to see action well into next year. Hop in a car and hit somebody.

Runner-up: Nuclear Throne (PC, PlayStation)

Best Console Exclusive

Super Mario Maker (Wii U)

The modding community has been creating its own Super Mario Bros. levels for years, but having that same ability in your own hands via the Wii U tablet is a revelation.

The worst thing you can say about Super Mario Maker is that it’s just more Mario levels, which is to say that there is little wrong. Whole communities have sprung up around creating levels, all done with a creation suite that anyone can begin using within minutes.

Super Mario Maker is the best reason to own a Wii U, something that no other platform exclusive game from 2015 can brag about. You’re doing it wrong if you own the Wii U but not Super Mario Maker.

Runner-up: Persona 4: Dancing All Night (Vita)

Best Mobile Game

Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector

The best mobile games are the ones you can play at any time while staying engaged and looking forward to what comes next. As luck would have it, attracting stray cats to an urban Japanese home with toys and food is compelling and satisfying.

Neko Atsume became so popular with American audiences that the game was localized from the original Japanese, proving that looking at adorable cats transcends cultural differences and languages.

Runner-up: Lara Croft Go

Best Art Design

The Witcher 3 (PC, PS4, Xbox One)

Beautiful games are more than just impressive visuals. A game can have the shiniest polygons in the world, but it means nothing without a sense of liveliness.

The Witcher 3 universe is a vibrant world that spreads across towns, mountains, sprawling cities, and murky bogs. Many games tout being able to get lost in their massive game worlds, but Witcher 3 more than achieves a true sense of a living, breathing world through art design.

Wander through the world of The Continent and get lost in its awe inspiring wonder. Nothing else in gaming compares.

Runner-up: Star Wars Battlefront (PC, Xbox One, PS4)

Contact Will Harrison at wharrison@theblade.com or on Twitter @DoubleUHarrison.

First Published December 31, 2015, 5:00 a.m.