Feature: Our Most Anticipated PlayStation Games of Holiday 2015

Madden NFL 16 is out, which means that the holiday rush is upon us. As such, we thought that it would be fun to collate our most anticipated titles from the coming months in one place. There was one rule, however – no one was allowed to include a title releasing prior to 7th September. Why? Because we didn't want a list that consisted of little other than current hotness Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Everyone just picked Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection instead.

Sammy Barker, Editor

Adr1ft: 505 Games has quietly built a pretty impressive portfolio of digital games, and it appears to be positioning Adr1ft as its next big thing. Much like Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, I intend to go into this one knowing very little, but from what I've seen of it – astronaut lost in outer space – I know that I'm going to like it a lot.

Need for Speed: To say that I'm a little excited by the PS4's current FMV renaissance would be an understatement, but while I can't wait for the sickly live action sequences in Guitar Hero Live, I know that Ghost Games' new Need for Speed is going to have a pitch-perfect blend of cars and cringe. Now all that I need is confirmation of Razor Callahan's return.

Yakuza 5: Yes, it's on a console crustier than a loaf of bread, but I can't wait to embark on this taxi drivin', girl group dancin', hostess datin', face pastin' escapade. I really do adore Kazuma Kiryu's campy exploits, and by including this here I'm hoping that the gaming gods will smile upon me, and convince SEGA to localise Yakuza Zero, too.

Robert Ramsey, Associate Editor

Destiny: The Taken King: I had to think long and hard about this one, but at the end of the day, I'm quite excited for Destiny's upcoming expansion. I've recently been pulled back into Bungie's sci-fi shooter with the creation of a new character, and I'm relatively confident that the game may finally fulfil its ambitious promises come 15th September.

Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below: As a huge fan of hack and slash gameplay, role-playing titles, and the art of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Quest Heroes seems like a bit of a dream come true. Sure, it may not be the traditional Dragon Quest game that many have been holding out for, but from what we've seen of it so far, it could easily end up being one of the best PS4 exclusives of 2015.

Fallout 4: Bet you didn't see this one coming. Even though I have a very rocky history with Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas thanks to their shoddy PS3 ports, it's still incredibly difficult not to be excited for Fallout 4. Bethesda has a knack for creating open worlds that manage to ensnare me for weeks at a time, despite their consistently questionable technical performance. Needless to say, as long as this latest trip to the wasteland doesn't crash every 15 minutes, you probably won't hear from me until sometime next year.

Chris Harding, News Reporter

Just Cause 3: After watching Tom Cruise mess around on a plane in MI:5, I've been itching to have a go myself. Unfortunately I'm banned from my local airport now, so Just Cause 3 will be my go-to for any and all ill-thought (though totally wicked) stunts.

Star Wars Battlefront: Despite my manly exterior, I'm quite the Star Wars geek. Bright lights and loud bangs are a staple in my gaming diet these days, so even if it does turn out to be poo, I'll be enjoying it anyway. Hopefully.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection: I actually played the Uncharted trilogy starting with a borrowed copy of Uncharted 3, then Uncharted 2, but I never bothered with Drake's Fortune. What better way to gear up for Uncharted 4?

Graham Banas, Reviewer

Fallout 4: Fallout 3 upon release was one of my absolute favourite gaming experiences in my entire life. Wandering aimlessly around the Capital Wasteland and stumbling onto exciting things was great fun. So it goes without saying that I cannot wait to do it all over again, but this time in Boston. Fallout 4 cannot get here soon enough.

SOMA: There's one game that has nearly every ounce of my attention moving forward: SOMA. As quite a big horror fan, I can't help but be excited when the masters of its craft, Frictional Games, prepares to unleash its creation upon an unsuspecting public – that's us.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection: While SOMA isn't leaving me much room to be excited about other stuff, the fact remains that there's still a ton yet to come out this year. One of those is Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. This happens to be a remaster of one of my favourite series to ever grace a Sony console, so bring it on.

Jamie O'Neill, Reviewer

Star Wars Battlefront: I'm nostalgic by nature, but I reminisce about the old days even more during the festive season. Spare gift money spent on Star Wars Battlefront will link back to memories of repeatedly watching The Empire Strikes Back to create a Christmassy vibe from its Hoth setting, and importing Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader on the GameCube for Christmas Day 2001.

Transformers: Devastation: I'm sensible enough to wait for reviews before allowing nostalgia to determine my holiday gaming. However, my glasses have an undeniable rose-coloured tint for anything that reminds me of cartoons on Timmy Mallet's Wacaday, watching Transformers: The Movie at the cinema during Christmas 1986, and having my question published in Transformers comic on Grimlock's letters page in the mid-1980s – or was it Soundwave's letters page?

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection: This collection is a safe bet for a quality gaming experience, as I regard the games included as three undisputed classics. Surprisingly, it's the first Uncharted: Drake's Fortune game that I'm most looking forward to replaying, because it's been almost eight years since I last completed Naughty Dog's original Indiana Jones-esque jungle romp.

Joey Thurmond, Reviewer

SOMA: This is essentially Alien: Isolation, BioShock, and Amnesia: The Dark Descent mixed together. It looks to be a psychological thrill with its industrial, retro-futuristic setting in an underwater facility, where things have gone horribly wrong. From the trailers that I've seen, it makes for some deeply unsettling interactions and horror. I can't wait to see how Frictional Games works with it.

Star Wars Battlefront: I have my reservations about the depth of content, replayability, and ways EA will be doing DLC in Star Wars Battlefront, but from the trailers, DICE looks like it's created the most faithful, beautiful video game realisation of the Star Wars universe to date – visually and aurally. Coupled with the Battlefield-esque gameplay, I really hope DICE does justice to the legacy it stands upon.

Tearaway Unfolded: I haven't made time for one of the Vita's most imaginative titles. Whether we're talking about the attractive paper-like visuals, ingenious utilisation of the Vita's peripheral functions, or its infectiously joyous vibes, this game's a work of art. Now it's coming to the PS4, so no excuses this time.

Michael Passalacqua, Reviewer

Fallout 4: Okay maybe it's a no brainer, but with Fallout: New Vegas being my favourite game of all time, Fallout 4 is something that I've been waiting a long time for. Stepping out of the vault for the first time is something that I won't take for granted this time around. I can practically see it now: me roaming the wasteland, dog and shotgun by my side while picking up girl ghouls – nothing can go wrong.

Rainbow Six Siege: There's something about only having one life that I love about multiplayer modes. It's why I loved The Last of Us' survival mode and it's why I loved Search and Destroy in Call of Duty. Siege is taking this one life mentality and basing most of its game around it. I can't wait for the heated battles and emphasis on team play.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection: I'm about to say something that may shock you, but I think that the Uncharted games are a tad bit (emphasis on tad bit) overrated. I get why people love the trilogy, but none of the games, having beat them all, fully spoke to me. Thanks to The Nathan Drake Collection, I'm looking forward to going back in to give them another try.

Sam Brooke, Reviewer

Hitman: After seeing the astoundingly terrible Agent 47 movie, I can't wait to see if the annoyingly titled reboot will be any good or not. The MMO-inspired mechanics seem pretty interesting, and if it's anything like Blood Money – or anything not like, shudder, Absolution – then I'll be happy.

Just Cause 3: Literally my dream game. Any title that gives you unlimited C4, lets you play "stop hitting yourself" with a statue, and allows you to fill a tractor with nitrous is good in my book. Hopefully there'll be crappy voice acting again.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5: Yes, I know that this game's PR has been an absolute car crash, and I have noticed how weird Tony Hawk is now, but I've been begging for this game for ages. The last good skating game was the hilariously broken Skate 3 – released all the way back in 2009 – so you better believe that I'm hungry for some Hawk.

Stephen Tailby, Reviewer

Star Wars Battlefront: I have very fond memories of playing Battlefront 2 with my brother back in the day. Now it's time to relive those memories – in HD! DICE's take on the sci-fi shooter is looking impressive... most impressive. Just don't let me review it, Sammy – with the movie coming this Christmas, too, my hype will certainly bring imbalance to the Force.

The Tomorrow Children: An asynchronous multiplayer town management sim set in an infinite void consisting of the consciousness of the dead human race with an oppressive, cold aesthetic is a hard sell. However, I've yet to see a more intriguing, fascinating, and unique offering this side of Christmas.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection: Normally I don't entertain the remaster/definitive edition titles that are filling the shelves at the moment, but the stars have aligned for this trilogy of triumphs. The quality of the remasters looks top-notch, it's fantastic value for money, and I haven't played them for years. I can't wait to play them all again.

That's us, but now it's your turn. What three PlayStation games are you most looking forward to this Christmas and why? Think long and hard in the comments section below.