timetokill
Banned
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GAF Games of the Year 2016 - Voting Thread [Voting closed]
- Thread starter Cheesemeister
- Start date
Always-honest
Banned
1. Titanfall 2 ; Enjoyed every second of it. Single player was a big surprise with awesome game mechanics. Almost flawless gaming fun. Mp was great too imo..
2. Inside ; Wow, what an amazing experience. And so open to interpretation. Great atmosphere, art-direction, animation, etc. Final bit was bonkers.
3. Watch_dogs 2 ; A big surpise. Ubi really turned things around with this sequel. Great characters, great gameplay, lots of content. Everything is so charming.
4. Doom ; Now that's an adrenalin rush. Great music, great speed, great guns, looks great, etc..
5. Rise of the Tomb Raider (ps4) ; We had to wait a bit but it was worth it. Played it on the Pro and it looked great. Puzzles and gameplay were good.
6. Battlefield 1 ; First level sucked but the rest of the game is very immersive and well done.
7. Uncharted 4 ; It's a perfect ending for the series. Unfortunately, the gameplay doesn't really stick with me. I liked the combat parts and the new found verticality and rope swinging, but i was soooo bored with the climbing. Love the characters, the Story, the epilogue and ofcourse the graphics. Levels weren't particularly memorable.
8. Ratchet and Clank ; It's a remake but what a remake it is. Really well done and a lot of fun. I played it with my girlfriend and son and we had a blast. Looks insane on the Pro.
I still have to play The Last Guardian, Hitman, FF XV, Dishonored 2, etc... so..
2. Inside ; Wow, what an amazing experience. And so open to interpretation. Great atmosphere, art-direction, animation, etc. Final bit was bonkers.
3. Watch_dogs 2 ; A big surpise. Ubi really turned things around with this sequel. Great characters, great gameplay, lots of content. Everything is so charming.
4. Doom ; Now that's an adrenalin rush. Great music, great speed, great guns, looks great, etc..
5. Rise of the Tomb Raider (ps4) ; We had to wait a bit but it was worth it. Played it on the Pro and it looked great. Puzzles and gameplay were good.
6. Battlefield 1 ; First level sucked but the rest of the game is very immersive and well done.
7. Uncharted 4 ; It's a perfect ending for the series. Unfortunately, the gameplay doesn't really stick with me. I liked the combat parts and the new found verticality and rope swinging, but i was soooo bored with the climbing. Love the characters, the Story, the epilogue and ofcourse the graphics. Levels weren't particularly memorable.
8. Ratchet and Clank ; It's a remake but what a remake it is. Really well done and a lot of fun. I played it with my girlfriend and son and we had a blast. Looks insane on the Pro.
I still have to play The Last Guardian, Hitman, FF XV, Dishonored 2, etc... so..
GrayDock
Member
1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; An amazing "end" to an amazing series.
2. Dark Souls III ; Isn't the best Soul's, but still better than most games.
3. Final Fantasy XV ; Not perfect, but pretty damn close.
4. XCOM 2 ; More XCOM is always a good thing, but those "Rule Reactions"....
5. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; The new standard in metroid-prime-vania games.
6. Titanfall 2 ; SP AND MP done right in a FPS?!
7. Street Fighter V ; Is not "complete", but when you play it...
8. Life is Strange ; Simple and awesome! Time travel done right!
9. Eve: Valkyrie ; It justifies owning a PSVR.
10. Shadow Complex Remastered ; A good Metroidvania to scratch that itch.
Making this list made me realize, again, that I should play more games in the year they are released....
2. Dark Souls III ; Isn't the best Soul's, but still better than most games.
3. Final Fantasy XV ; Not perfect, but pretty damn close.
4. XCOM 2 ; More XCOM is always a good thing, but those "Rule Reactions"....
5. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; The new standard in metroid-prime-vania games.
6. Titanfall 2 ; SP AND MP done right in a FPS?!
7. Street Fighter V ; Is not "complete", but when you play it...
8. Life is Strange ; Simple and awesome! Time travel done right!
9. Eve: Valkyrie ; It justifies owning a PSVR.
10. Shadow Complex Remastered ; A good Metroidvania to scratch that itch.
Making this list made me realize, again, that I should play more games in the year they are released....
Oh so you're also keeping watch on the thread? That's good then. Thanks for your combined efforts.
1. Dark Souls III ; Maybe it doesn't quite hit the same highs as the original Dark Souls (or Bloodborne for that matter), but it remains a captivating experience. Fantastic areas, awesome enemy design, & a great soundtrack all contribute to making it my favourite game of 2016.
2. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Prague may lack the atmosphere of Detroit in Human Revolution (at least until the sun goes down), but the gameplay itself was as refined as ever. I often would spend more time actually scouting out a location than anything else. Even if I didn't have the Aug required to move some massive crate blocking my way, I at least wanted to know the various options available.
3. The Witness ; Played through this as soon as it was released, was fun being part of the zeitgeist for something like this. Beautiful world, some great puzzles (except the jungle, fuck that place), & a rabbit hole that just kept getting deeper.
4. Dishonored 2 ; Say what you will about their new 'review policy', but as a publisher, Bethesda crushed it this year.
5. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I feel Naughty Dog's brilliance may actually be costing them now. Uncharted 4 was a fantastic game, and that came as no surprise whatsoever.
6. Overwatch ; I may have fallen off it a little these days, but back at launch I played so much Overwatch. Considering I am normally all about single-player games, I was surprised at just how much I enjoy Overwatch. Even now I will dive in at least a couple times a week for a quick match or two.
7. Firewatch ; Maybe the best standalone story of 2016.
8. Final Fantasy XV ; MAGITEK ENGINE, IT'S CLOSE!
9. VA-11 HALL-A ; Maybe my favourite surprise of 2016. Picked this up in the Steam sale mere days ago, and couldn't stop playing.
10. Doom ; See comments for number 4.
2. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Prague may lack the atmosphere of Detroit in Human Revolution (at least until the sun goes down), but the gameplay itself was as refined as ever. I often would spend more time actually scouting out a location than anything else. Even if I didn't have the Aug required to move some massive crate blocking my way, I at least wanted to know the various options available.
3. The Witness ; Played through this as soon as it was released, was fun being part of the zeitgeist for something like this. Beautiful world, some great puzzles (except the jungle, fuck that place), & a rabbit hole that just kept getting deeper.
4. Dishonored 2 ; Say what you will about their new 'review policy', but as a publisher, Bethesda crushed it this year.
5. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I feel Naughty Dog's brilliance may actually be costing them now. Uncharted 4 was a fantastic game, and that came as no surprise whatsoever.
6. Overwatch ; I may have fallen off it a little these days, but back at launch I played so much Overwatch. Considering I am normally all about single-player games, I was surprised at just how much I enjoy Overwatch. Even now I will dive in at least a couple times a week for a quick match or two.
7. Firewatch ; Maybe the best standalone story of 2016.
8. Final Fantasy XV ; MAGITEK ENGINE, IT'S CLOSE!
9. VA-11 HALL-A ; Maybe my favourite surprise of 2016. Picked this up in the Steam sale mere days ago, and couldn't stop playing.
10. Doom ; See comments for number 4.
1. DOOM ; The biggest surprise of the year. Picked it up based on positive wom here on GAF. I was playing Uncharted 4 at the time but decided to give DOOM a quick whirl to see what the hype was all about. Let's just say that a few weeks passed before I picked up Uncharted 4 again. DOOM is the perfect blend of fast paced gameplay, level design, aesthetics and oh that music to encourage the player into action and boy is that action well worth the price of admission. A minimalist package that doesn't bog itself down like many of its peers. DOOM is fast, brutal and beautiful. If you haven't already done so, make sure to check it out.
2. INSIDE ; The only game I played through twice this year. Playdead nailed it. The puzzles, art style and story combine to create one of the most memorable games this gen.
3. Overwatch ; It did what Titanfall could not, it made an FPS game accessible and rewarding to the masses.
One of the best online shooters that is easy to play but hard to master. Blizzard once again prove that they are masters of their craft.
4. Uncharted 4 ; My most anticipated game of the year was one of ND's best games. A well polished, visually stunning rollacoaster ride which was held back by not enough action sequences and somewhat lackluster story. DOOM and the hype killed some of my enjoyment of this game. That said, it was a worthy end to Nate's saga, right up there with UC2.
5. Titanfall 2 ; Effect and Cause is arguably the best FPS level since all ghillied up. The campaign is well put together and does a great job introducing the many traversal and gameplay elements that made TF1 memorable. The MP is a bit of a miss for me. I was looking forward to more TF1 MP and that is not what this is.
6. Dark Souls 3 ; Surprised it is so low on my list. One heck of an experience. An amalgam of some of the best design elements from BB and DS. DS3 continues the great tradition of FROM games.
7. Deus EX: Mankind Divided ; An excellent sequel that expands on the AUGs and offers complex, varied environments to explore. Main story was a bit of a let down but the side quests are absolutely worth your time.
8. Forza Horizon 3 ; Basically FH2 on steroid. Harder, better, faster, stronger. Enjoy the ride down under.
9. Battlefield 1; MP is still as good as ever. The SP stepped it up this time around.
10. Gears 4 ; The campaign offered cool visuals, old school Gears gameplay, a likeable cast of characters and interesting set pieces sandwiched between the seemingly endless stretches of underground catacombs where you just cut your way through SWARM, which is not a bad thing if you enjoy Gears gameplay. The story was okay and did a decent enough job setting up the sequel.
2. INSIDE ; The only game I played through twice this year. Playdead nailed it. The puzzles, art style and story combine to create one of the most memorable games this gen.
3. Overwatch ; It did what Titanfall could not, it made an FPS game accessible and rewarding to the masses.
One of the best online shooters that is easy to play but hard to master. Blizzard once again prove that they are masters of their craft.
4. Uncharted 4 ; My most anticipated game of the year was one of ND's best games. A well polished, visually stunning rollacoaster ride which was held back by not enough action sequences and somewhat lackluster story. DOOM and the hype killed some of my enjoyment of this game. That said, it was a worthy end to Nate's saga, right up there with UC2.
5. Titanfall 2 ; Effect and Cause is arguably the best FPS level since all ghillied up. The campaign is well put together and does a great job introducing the many traversal and gameplay elements that made TF1 memorable. The MP is a bit of a miss for me. I was looking forward to more TF1 MP and that is not what this is.
6. Dark Souls 3 ; Surprised it is so low on my list. One heck of an experience. An amalgam of some of the best design elements from BB and DS. DS3 continues the great tradition of FROM games.
7. Deus EX: Mankind Divided ; An excellent sequel that expands on the AUGs and offers complex, varied environments to explore. Main story was a bit of a let down but the side quests are absolutely worth your time.
8. Forza Horizon 3 ; Basically FH2 on steroid. Harder, better, faster, stronger. Enjoy the ride down under.
9. Battlefield 1; MP is still as good as ever. The SP stepped it up this time around.
10. Gears 4 ; The campaign offered cool visuals, old school Gears gameplay, a likeable cast of characters and interesting set pieces sandwiched between the seemingly endless stretches of underground catacombs where you just cut your way through SWARM, which is not a bad thing if you enjoy Gears gameplay. The story was okay and did a decent enough job setting up the sequel.
1. The Last Guardian ; Another masterpiece by Ueda, the star here was Trico and the way he moved and reacted. Beatiful game.
2. Dragon Quest Builders ; The demo hooked and the full game did not disappointed, was not expecting to be caught by this game, loved the builiding aspect that worked in conjuction with the missions
3. Titanfall 2 ; Only played the single-player campaign but it was the most fun I've had in a while. Short but packed with good stuff
4. The Witness ; Mind-bending puzzle design, not a lot of story but the way it teached each puzzle type and slowly made it's way to harder stuff was masterful.
5. Obduction ; Backed in kickstarter but was not really expecting to be this good, challeging but not unfair. Some bugs at release but didn't detract from the whole experience. Great retun by Cyan.
6. Inside ; Great atmosphere and story. Only letdown was how small it was. Reminded me of classics like Another World
7. Candle ; Another game I backed and forgot about. Started it up to see how it looked and hours flew by in this very competent Machinarium-like adventure game
8. Doom ; Most of it I enjoyed the gameplay and the humour, a classic return of the franchise and fast paced FPS.
9. Day of the Tentacle Remastered ; A good looking remaster of one of my favorite adventure games ever. Still holds up great
10. Firewatch ; A bit underwhelmed by the gameplay but the characters won me over. Great voice acting.
2. Dragon Quest Builders ; The demo hooked and the full game did not disappointed, was not expecting to be caught by this game, loved the builiding aspect that worked in conjuction with the missions
3. Titanfall 2 ; Only played the single-player campaign but it was the most fun I've had in a while. Short but packed with good stuff
4. The Witness ; Mind-bending puzzle design, not a lot of story but the way it teached each puzzle type and slowly made it's way to harder stuff was masterful.
5. Obduction ; Backed in kickstarter but was not really expecting to be this good, challeging but not unfair. Some bugs at release but didn't detract from the whole experience. Great retun by Cyan.
6. Inside ; Great atmosphere and story. Only letdown was how small it was. Reminded me of classics like Another World
7. Candle ; Another game I backed and forgot about. Started it up to see how it looked and hours flew by in this very competent Machinarium-like adventure game
8. Doom ; Most of it I enjoyed the gameplay and the humour, a classic return of the franchise and fast paced FPS.
9. Day of the Tentacle Remastered ; A good looking remaster of one of my favorite adventure games ever. Still holds up great
10. Firewatch ; A bit underwhelmed by the gameplay but the characters won me over. Great voice acting.
Star Falcon
Member
1. Overwatch ; Definitely the game i had the most enjoyment out of over the year, although it's started to wane a little now. Simple, polished mechanics with a diverse set of characters and maps. So easy to pick up and play. I love it.
2. Dark Souls III ; Doesn't tread much new ground, but hits all the highs of the series. Such a fantastic series of games and this is no exception.
3. Doom ; Beautiful resurrection of a classic, some of the meatiest game play ever!
4. Forza Horizon 3 ; Almost forgot this! The best racing game of the gen, possibly since the PS2 days. Beautiful world with a great selection of cars.
5. The Witcher: Blood & Wine ; Great send off for one of the very best games so far this generation
6. Fire Emblem: Fates ; Not as good as its predecessor, but still a fantastic tactical RPG to close out the 3DS
7. World of Warcraft: Legion ; Panic button maybe, but such great value for money that gave the venerable old MMO a shot of adrenaline.
8. Superhot ; Cleverest VR experience i've had so far
9. Pokemon GO ; Has to be mentioned, a phenomenon like no other. I went on a few walks with friends and it was genuinely a new, enjoyable experience
10. The Lab ; Lovely collection of small VR experiences
I really want to get Titanfall 2 at some point.
2. Dark Souls III ; Doesn't tread much new ground, but hits all the highs of the series. Such a fantastic series of games and this is no exception.
3. Doom ; Beautiful resurrection of a classic, some of the meatiest game play ever!
4. Forza Horizon 3 ; Almost forgot this! The best racing game of the gen, possibly since the PS2 days. Beautiful world with a great selection of cars.
5. The Witcher: Blood & Wine ; Great send off for one of the very best games so far this generation
6. Fire Emblem: Fates ; Not as good as its predecessor, but still a fantastic tactical RPG to close out the 3DS
7. World of Warcraft: Legion ; Panic button maybe, but such great value for money that gave the venerable old MMO a shot of adrenaline.
8. Superhot ; Cleverest VR experience i've had so far
9. Pokemon GO ; Has to be mentioned, a phenomenon like no other. I went on a few walks with friends and it was genuinely a new, enjoyable experience
10. The Lab ; Lovely collection of small VR experiences
I really want to get Titanfall 2 at some point.
For me this was the first year that I got into online competitive gaming. Rocket league really grew on me and I sank around 900 hours into the game since release. Also Overwatch, which I didn't think was fun in the free-to-play weekend, grew especially on my girlfriend. Now we are both hooked on that game as well. Without further ado, this is my personal top 10 for 2016;
1. Ratchet & Clank ; Ever since I was a teenager I have been absolutely in love with this series. The movie was a disappointment, but this game... Oh man, this game is awesome! The weapon and map variety only add to the experience!
2. Dishonored 2 ; Non-lethal ghosting through this game was so much fun, savescumming my way through. It uses the fundament of the first game and expands it phenomenally. Especially the differences in powers between Corvo and Emliy are fun to explore. Currently starting my fourth playthrough with no-powers or HUD and allowing myself to have max 1 save between each checkpoint, let's see how far we get before I yell at the screen again.
3. Enter the Gungeon ; I absolutely love this game, I don't even know why, but it keeps pulling me back in...
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Being in the field of biomedical sciences, the first game really was a joy to explore. Finding all of these notes on the computers, the semi accurate biology behind their theories and last but not least the unique gameplay was astonishing. Mankind divided did not have the same sense of novelty, but still is an amazing game that further expands on these ideas.
5. Salt and Sanctuary ; This game feels like the embodiment of Souls in 2D with influences from Super Ghosts and Goblins. Playing through this with a friend was amazing, even though the balance is a bit off in co-op. I really hope they revisit this game with a sequel or DLC.
6. SteinsGate 0 ; Doesn't need an explanation, I'm still recovering from the first one, that I am scared to even play too much to get through the sequel too fast...
7. Overwatch ; I regret showing this game to my girlfriend... Even now she claimed my Ps4 and is playing this game. I was scared she took down my rank, but it's been me that's doing that so far. All of the characters just drip in personality, there is so much variety and different ways to play!
8. Dark Souls III ; Unfortunately this game was a disappointment to me. More of the same was not something I was looking for. I wanted the same novelty that Bloodborne brought to the table, yet this game only took previous ideas, not really expanding a lot on the gameplay or designs of the bosses/areas. Having said that, this game still is amazing, but not GOTY contenders like all of the previous souls games.
9. Firewatch ; Disliked the "game" mechanics, but the story was on point. Really made me appreciate my current relationship more.
10. RIGS: Mechanized Combat League ; It's feels a bit like Rocket league with mechs and shooting, how can I not love it.
Honerable mentions
x. Rocket League ; >900 hours and counting from release on PS4, I can't stop playing this game...
x. Darksiders: Warmastered edition ; This was one of my top 10 games in the previous generation. I just bought it for Christmas and can't wait to play through it again!
x. Keep talking and nobody explodes ; The go to game for me and my friends on gaming evening. All of them yelling in my ears is awesome.
1. Ratchet & Clank ; Ever since I was a teenager I have been absolutely in love with this series. The movie was a disappointment, but this game... Oh man, this game is awesome! The weapon and map variety only add to the experience!
2. Dishonored 2 ; Non-lethal ghosting through this game was so much fun, savescumming my way through. It uses the fundament of the first game and expands it phenomenally. Especially the differences in powers between Corvo and Emliy are fun to explore. Currently starting my fourth playthrough with no-powers or HUD and allowing myself to have max 1 save between each checkpoint, let's see how far we get before I yell at the screen again.
3. Enter the Gungeon ; I absolutely love this game, I don't even know why, but it keeps pulling me back in...
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Being in the field of biomedical sciences, the first game really was a joy to explore. Finding all of these notes on the computers, the semi accurate biology behind their theories and last but not least the unique gameplay was astonishing. Mankind divided did not have the same sense of novelty, but still is an amazing game that further expands on these ideas.
5. Salt and Sanctuary ; This game feels like the embodiment of Souls in 2D with influences from Super Ghosts and Goblins. Playing through this with a friend was amazing, even though the balance is a bit off in co-op. I really hope they revisit this game with a sequel or DLC.
6. SteinsGate 0 ; Doesn't need an explanation, I'm still recovering from the first one, that I am scared to even play too much to get through the sequel too fast...
7. Overwatch ; I regret showing this game to my girlfriend... Even now she claimed my Ps4 and is playing this game. I was scared she took down my rank, but it's been me that's doing that so far. All of the characters just drip in personality, there is so much variety and different ways to play!
8. Dark Souls III ; Unfortunately this game was a disappointment to me. More of the same was not something I was looking for. I wanted the same novelty that Bloodborne brought to the table, yet this game only took previous ideas, not really expanding a lot on the gameplay or designs of the bosses/areas. Having said that, this game still is amazing, but not GOTY contenders like all of the previous souls games.
9. Firewatch ; Disliked the "game" mechanics, but the story was on point. Really made me appreciate my current relationship more.
10. RIGS: Mechanized Combat League ; It's feels a bit like Rocket league with mechs and shooting, how can I not love it.
Honerable mentions
x. Rocket League ; >900 hours and counting from release on PS4, I can't stop playing this game...
x. Darksiders: Warmastered edition ; This was one of my top 10 games in the previous generation. I just bought it for Christmas and can't wait to play through it again!
x. Keep talking and nobody explodes ; The go to game for me and my friends on gaming evening. All of them yelling in my ears is awesome.
kingpotato
Ask me about my Stream Deck
1. Overwatch ; I doubted a team fortress clone would hold my attention, but it is my most played game of the year. The support that Blizzard has shown makes me believe this may even be my most played next year as well.
2. Dark Souls 3 ; Loved every minute of playing this with my bro co-op. Fixed most of my issues with Bloodborne.
3. Hyper Light Drifter ; Amazing indie with solid gameplay, great art design and thoughtful presentation.
4. Hearthstone ; Can't stop, won't stop playing this solid card game despite many balancing issues.
5. Resident Evil VII Demo ; It isn't PT, but this is the closest we're going to get. Great content for free with great updates throughout the year.
6. Uncharted 4 ; Amazing game from start to finish. Great wrap-up to the story of Drake with funny fan service added in.
7. Lovers in a dangerous spacetime ; Fun couch co-op in a year that was somewhat lacking for party games.
8. Overcooked ; Fun couch co-op for up to four players.
9. Inside ; Interesting title that was short yet well crafted.
10 Resident Evil ; (ps4 remake) The game is rough around the edges and shows its age but totally got me back into the RE universe and hyped for the other games in the series.
x No Man's Sky ; Dishonorable Mention. Failing to deliver a fun experience is the cardinal sin for a game and Sean's lies were the extra coffin nails for this over hyped bust.
2. Dark Souls 3 ; Loved every minute of playing this with my bro co-op. Fixed most of my issues with Bloodborne.
3. Hyper Light Drifter ; Amazing indie with solid gameplay, great art design and thoughtful presentation.
4. Hearthstone ; Can't stop, won't stop playing this solid card game despite many balancing issues.
5. Resident Evil VII Demo ; It isn't PT, but this is the closest we're going to get. Great content for free with great updates throughout the year.
6. Uncharted 4 ; Amazing game from start to finish. Great wrap-up to the story of Drake with funny fan service added in.
7. Lovers in a dangerous spacetime ; Fun couch co-op in a year that was somewhat lacking for party games.
8. Overcooked ; Fun couch co-op for up to four players.
9. Inside ; Interesting title that was short yet well crafted.
10 Resident Evil ; (ps4 remake) The game is rough around the edges and shows its age but totally got me back into the RE universe and hyped for the other games in the series.
x No Man's Sky ; Dishonorable Mention. Failing to deliver a fun experience is the cardinal sin for a game and Sean's lies were the extra coffin nails for this over hyped bust.
I've played so few games this year, almost exclusively on 3DS, I feel unworthy of making a list 
I got a PS4 recently though, so I hope I get to finish FFXV and The Last Guardian before
voting is closed. Maybe? I'm well into FFXV so I'll include it anyway.
1. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse ; A masterpiece that improves upon every single aspect of the first game and easily surpasses it. Some may have found the more character-focused approach to the story unlikeable, but it hit it out of the park for me and made me feel way more invested in the game. Music is great, characters are great, battle system is outstanding.
2. The Last Guardian ; As of this writing I have yet to finish this game, but I've seen and played enough to know I'm in love. Superb music, beautiful visuals, great puzzles, solid mechanics, not to mention the outstanding characterization of Trico; 2 hours into the game I was already ridiculously attached to it. Sure, there are some performance issues here and there and the camera could use some improvements, but those are blemishes in an otherwise masterful game.
3. Pokemon Sun & Moon ; The best Pokemon entry since that last generation you liked, and definitely a marked improvement coming from X/Y. The story is pretty good without reservations (no "for a Pokemon game" here), the new monsters are great looking (Popplio <3) and the music is incredibly enjoyable. There's a ton to like here, for newcomers and veterans alike.
4. Picross 3D Round 2 ; I was recently in Japan for like 20 days, and this was my game of choice for train rides, and what a great choice it was. I love Picross games, own pretty much all of them on the 3DS (and there's plenty), but there's a special addictiveness to this one that makes it impossible to put down. Clearing a difficult puzzle and getting that perfect result is incredibly satisfying, and paired with great visuals and controls, this is a difficult game to rate any lower than this.
5. Rhythm Heaven Megamix ; Another game I'd been crossing my fingers to get a localization of, RHM surpasses every other iteration of the franchise, even if it's "just" a collection of minigames available in the other ones. There's not much to say about this one other than it's more Rhythm Heaven with perfect execution and very few flaws.
6. Final Fantasy XV ; I have yet to finish this game but I'm close to the end and feel comfortable placing it here. Despite its flaws, it's a great looking game, with an incredibly good soundtrack, a solid battle system that suffers from a shitty camera, and with a good sense of adventure. Pacing issues stop it from becoming something greater, but I'm enjoying it a lot regardless, and even find the open world-into-linear-game approach appealing.
7. The Witness ; A day one purchase for me, as a fan of exploration and puzzles. It's a beautiful game to look at, with a captivating ambience and clever puzzles that make you think you're a genius when you figure out the smallest thing.
8. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice ; Yet another great entry to one of my favorite franchises ever. The cases are fun, the cast is great, and even the DLC case is better than the last game's. BRING THE GREAT ACE ATTORNEY TO AMERICA CAPCOM.
9. Fire Emblem Fates ; After Awakening this felt a bit "more of the same"-ish than I expected after being so hyped for it, but it's still a great game with an incredible amount of content, solid music, and a very satisfying battle system. Too bad about the incoherent story.
10. Kirby: Planet Robobot ; It almost feels wrong to place this here considering how much I like everything about this game, but Kirby is sort of my comfort food and I'm bound to like every single Kirby game that comes out. I love the character, I love the aesthetics, the story is charming and cute, level design is impeccable... it's a Kirby game.
Honorable Mentions:
x. Earthbound ; It had a re-release this year on the 3DS's virtual console and I played it (like I do every year) so there's no way I'm not taking this opportunity to remind anyone who reads this that EB is one of the best games ever created and you owe it to yourself to play this masterpiece.
x. Inside; I didn't love this nearly as much as most did, but it's a fun game with some really good visuals and clever puzzles.
x. Pokemon Go
x. Oxenfree
Games I wish I'd played this year:
x. Hyperlight Drifter
x. Stardew Valley
x. Doom
x. Dishonored 2
x. Rise of the Tomb Raider
I got a PS4 recently though, so I hope I get to finish FFXV and The Last Guardian before voting is closed. Maybe? I'm well into FFXV so I'll include it anyway.
1. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse ; A masterpiece that improves upon every single aspect of the first game and easily surpasses it. Some may have found the more character-focused approach to the story unlikeable, but it hit it out of the park for me and made me feel way more invested in the game. Music is great, characters are great, battle system is outstanding.
2. The Last Guardian ; As of this writing I have yet to finish this game, but I've seen and played enough to know I'm in love. Superb music, beautiful visuals, great puzzles, solid mechanics, not to mention the outstanding characterization of Trico; 2 hours into the game I was already ridiculously attached to it. Sure, there are some performance issues here and there and the camera could use some improvements, but those are blemishes in an otherwise masterful game.
3. Pokemon Sun & Moon ; The best Pokemon entry since that last generation you liked, and definitely a marked improvement coming from X/Y. The story is pretty good without reservations (no "for a Pokemon game" here), the new monsters are great looking (Popplio <3) and the music is incredibly enjoyable. There's a ton to like here, for newcomers and veterans alike.
4. Picross 3D Round 2 ; I was recently in Japan for like 20 days, and this was my game of choice for train rides, and what a great choice it was. I love Picross games, own pretty much all of them on the 3DS (and there's plenty), but there's a special addictiveness to this one that makes it impossible to put down. Clearing a difficult puzzle and getting that perfect result is incredibly satisfying, and paired with great visuals and controls, this is a difficult game to rate any lower than this.
5. Rhythm Heaven Megamix ; Another game I'd been crossing my fingers to get a localization of, RHM surpasses every other iteration of the franchise, even if it's "just" a collection of minigames available in the other ones. There's not much to say about this one other than it's more Rhythm Heaven with perfect execution and very few flaws.
6. Final Fantasy XV ; I have yet to finish this game but I'm close to the end and feel comfortable placing it here. Despite its flaws, it's a great looking game, with an incredibly good soundtrack, a solid battle system that suffers from a shitty camera, and with a good sense of adventure. Pacing issues stop it from becoming something greater, but I'm enjoying it a lot regardless, and even find the open world-into-linear-game approach appealing.
7. The Witness ; A day one purchase for me, as a fan of exploration and puzzles. It's a beautiful game to look at, with a captivating ambience and clever puzzles that make you think you're a genius when you figure out the smallest thing.
8. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice ; Yet another great entry to one of my favorite franchises ever. The cases are fun, the cast is great, and even the DLC case is better than the last game's. BRING THE GREAT ACE ATTORNEY TO AMERICA CAPCOM.
9. Fire Emblem Fates ; After Awakening this felt a bit "more of the same"-ish than I expected after being so hyped for it, but it's still a great game with an incredible amount of content, solid music, and a very satisfying battle system. Too bad about the incoherent story.
10. Kirby: Planet Robobot ; It almost feels wrong to place this here considering how much I like everything about this game, but Kirby is sort of my comfort food and I'm bound to like every single Kirby game that comes out. I love the character, I love the aesthetics, the story is charming and cute, level design is impeccable... it's a Kirby game.
Honorable Mentions:
x. Earthbound ; It had a re-release this year on the 3DS's virtual console and I played it (like I do every year) so there's no way I'm not taking this opportunity to remind anyone who reads this that EB is one of the best games ever created and you owe it to yourself to play this masterpiece.
x. Inside; I didn't love this nearly as much as most did, but it's a fun game with some really good visuals and clever puzzles.
x. Pokemon Go
x. Oxenfree
Games I wish I'd played this year:
x. Hyperlight Drifter
x. Stardew Valley
x. Doom
x. Dishonored 2
x. Rise of the Tomb Raider
LordBaztion
Member
I haven't played many games this year, I spent most of my time with Inquisition (totally worth it). Anyway:
1. Quantum Break: the game has pacing and variety problems but overall a good game. The setting is strongly portrayed with every game element building its world, specially complemente by the TV series; unlike most games, QB actually manages to build Moarch as an entity instead of just relying on the antagonist to replace fill the villians role. The story is strong and characters well written. Gameplay is great, they could have exploited more combat scenarios to build on it but I appreciate that Remedy chose to prioritize the story.
2. Titanfall 2: I was in the exceptical side after the alpha but the game is a blast. Certainly maps were better in the first one but the movements compensates. I have only played the MP so far but if the campaign is half good as I read it was, definitelly deserves this spot. Probably will be my top game of the year after I finish the campaign.
3. Final Fantasy XV: the gama has several flaws from the main and side quests structures to an rushed narrative but the game feels so refreshing. The aesthetics of the game are their strongest part, from the attention to tiny details to the comradery it build with your party. They nailed that part. The seeting and art direction are stelar and the story, despite its narrative flaws, has a souls that many games curently lack. And the music, oh the music
4. Firewatch: Beautiful game, the writing is very touching and it makes me eager that motion controls come back because the game could be much better with those.
5. Doom: Haven't finished it yet but I having fun with it. I appreciate the game design that encourages aggresiveness (which fits terrifically with the aesthetics of the game).
6. Gears 4. I havent played many games this year. Gears 4 has a competent campaign and Horde is a blast with friends.
1. Quantum Break: the game has pacing and variety problems but overall a good game. The setting is strongly portrayed with every game element building its world, specially complemente by the TV series; unlike most games, QB actually manages to build Moarch as an entity instead of just relying on the antagonist to replace fill the villians role. The story is strong and characters well written. Gameplay is great, they could have exploited more combat scenarios to build on it but I appreciate that Remedy chose to prioritize the story.
2. Titanfall 2: I was in the exceptical side after the alpha but the game is a blast. Certainly maps were better in the first one but the movements compensates. I have only played the MP so far but if the campaign is half good as I read it was, definitelly deserves this spot. Probably will be my top game of the year after I finish the campaign.
3. Final Fantasy XV: the gama has several flaws from the main and side quests structures to an rushed narrative but the game feels so refreshing. The aesthetics of the game are their strongest part, from the attention to tiny details to the comradery it build with your party. They nailed that part. The seeting and art direction are stelar and the story, despite its narrative flaws, has a souls that many games curently lack. And the music, oh the music
4. Firewatch: Beautiful game, the writing is very touching and it makes me eager that motion controls come back because the game could be much better with those.
5. Doom: Haven't finished it yet but I having fun with it. I appreciate the game design that encourages aggresiveness (which fits terrifically with the aesthetics of the game).
6. Gears 4. I havent played many games this year. Gears 4 has a competent campaign and Horde is a blast with friends.
1. Final Fantasy XV ; This will probably end up replacing X as my favorite Final Fantasy game. The most fun I've ever had with the franchise and probably the most I've enjoyed any video game in the last several years.
2. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Very satisfying ending for the franchise. I often forget how good this was until I pick it up again and realize how polished the whole game was. Incredible game start to finish.
3. The Last Guardian ; The game's a disaster in many ways to me but none of it is enough to override the satisfaction I got from the game when it's peaking.
4. Forza Horizon 3 ; Somehow the Horizon series keeps better. One of the best racing games around.
5. Ratchet & Clank ; Very surprised how much I enjoyed this. Appreciated the straightforward and polished gameplay.
6. Bound ; The best looking game of 2016. I consider Journey a classic and this game is right up there alongside it.
7. Watch Dogs 2 ; Given how bad I thought the first game was and my general dislike of open world games, I'm amazed at how much I liked this game. Hopefully the franchise continues on with Marcus as the lead character.
2. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Very satisfying ending for the franchise. I often forget how good this was until I pick it up again and realize how polished the whole game was. Incredible game start to finish.
3. The Last Guardian ; The game's a disaster in many ways to me but none of it is enough to override the satisfaction I got from the game when it's peaking.
4. Forza Horizon 3 ; Somehow the Horizon series keeps better. One of the best racing games around.
5. Ratchet & Clank ; Very surprised how much I enjoyed this. Appreciated the straightforward and polished gameplay.
6. Bound ; The best looking game of 2016. I consider Journey a classic and this game is right up there alongside it.
7. Watch Dogs 2 ; Given how bad I thought the first game was and my general dislike of open world games, I'm amazed at how much I liked this game. Hopefully the franchise continues on with Marcus as the lead character.
Cornbread78
Member
I'm sure I'm in the minority on a bunch of these, but oh well, I only have enough time to play so many games in a year, so these ones all work for me.
1. Uncharted 4; From start to finish, this game carried the massive expectations on its back and absolutely delivered an amazing adventure. One of my favorite games ever, not just because the gameplay was great, but the story was more grounded and really exploited the characters greatness. Plus that ending.... so damn good!
2. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II; This was a crazy and fun ride and easily validated my Vita purchase by experiencing this on the go. I really got swept up into the crazy fantasy story as well as the characters faults and strengths. This was an excellent follow-up to the original and was well worth the 125 hours spent on it.
3. Final Fantasy XV; This game has been a blast to play so far and the characters are all pretty likable. Not to mention how beautiful the world is and how great just exploring it is.
4. World of Final Fantasy; lighthearted and fun game to play. The amount of Final Fantasy fanservice in this game is amazing and I'm going to miss my time spent with it. Very high quality production for this game!
5. Star Ocean 5: Integrity and Faithlessness; I certainly didnt hate this game as much as everyone else. Even though it had more than a few issues, it was still a fun experience to play through. The characters were pretty standard, but they didn't get in their own way and actually excelled in some areas, such as motivations.
6. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth; Always love more jrpgs to play. I need to spend a LOT more time with this one to give it an accurate rating. OK, this is a really fun game and I'm having a blat with it. Had to bump it way up my list.
7. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered; I really enjoyed the presentation style and aesthetics of the game, I just wish I didnt suck at it so I could finally finish the story..
8. Ratchet & Clank; Bravo Insomniac, bravo. My daughter really enjoys this game as well! If you guys could put in this kind of work for RFoM (or a trilogy remaster), I would love you long time.
9. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered; Impressed with its quality and cant wait to play more of it.
10. Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky; I had to give the game a pat on the back for the VP homage attempt.
Honorable Mentions:
x. Tales of Zestiria; While this shouldn't be on the list, I spend early 2016 playing the game and really enjoyed my time with it.
x. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel; While I don't agree with this one being on the list for 2016 either, I thought I'd give it a shout-out since I spend several months this year playing nothing but this game and it was great!
1. Uncharted 4; From start to finish, this game carried the massive expectations on its back and absolutely delivered an amazing adventure. One of my favorite games ever, not just because the gameplay was great, but the story was more grounded and really exploited the characters greatness. Plus that ending.... so damn good!
2. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II; This was a crazy and fun ride and easily validated my Vita purchase by experiencing this on the go. I really got swept up into the crazy fantasy story as well as the characters faults and strengths. This was an excellent follow-up to the original and was well worth the 125 hours spent on it.
3. Final Fantasy XV; This game has been a blast to play so far and the characters are all pretty likable. Not to mention how beautiful the world is and how great just exploring it is.
4. World of Final Fantasy; lighthearted and fun game to play. The amount of Final Fantasy fanservice in this game is amazing and I'm going to miss my time spent with it. Very high quality production for this game!
5. Star Ocean 5: Integrity and Faithlessness; I certainly didnt hate this game as much as everyone else. Even though it had more than a few issues, it was still a fun experience to play through. The characters were pretty standard, but they didn't get in their own way and actually excelled in some areas, such as motivations.
6. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth; Always love more jrpgs to play. I need to spend a LOT more time with this one to give it an accurate rating. OK, this is a really fun game and I'm having a blat with it. Had to bump it way up my list.
7. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered; I really enjoyed the presentation style and aesthetics of the game, I just wish I didnt suck at it so I could finally finish the story..
8. Ratchet & Clank; Bravo Insomniac, bravo. My daughter really enjoys this game as well! If you guys could put in this kind of work for RFoM (or a trilogy remaster), I would love you long time.
9. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered; Impressed with its quality and cant wait to play more of it.
10. Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky; I had to give the game a pat on the back for the VP homage attempt.
Honorable Mentions:
x. Tales of Zestiria; While this shouldn't be on the list, I spend early 2016 playing the game and really enjoyed my time with it.
x. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel; While I don't agree with this one being on the list for 2016 either, I thought I'd give it a shout-out since I spend several months this year playing nothing but this game and it was great!
FallenGrace
Member
1. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel ; Took a while to get to the UK even after the US release but wow this game was a blast. My first Legend of Heroes game and I would say I'm a fan by this point. Superb music, great characters and I like the story a lot.
2. Dark Souls III ; Been a fan of the series ever since I imported Demons Souls from Asia thinking it would never get a western release. DSIII feels like a bit of a "best of" of the series but that doesn't make it any less great.
3. Hyper Light Drifter ; The first game I ever kickstarted and I loved it. Reminded me a lot of Story of Thor (Beyond Oasis for the americans here) Great action adventure game with gorgeous art design.
4. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; While I think this is one of the weaker games overall there are several scenes in it which are just great, especially the ending. I have had great fun on the multiplayer as well especially recently playing the free survivor update with two friends.
5. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine ; Well I feel like every new piece of content simply made this game better. This expansion was surprisingly large and while some activities were repeats of main game content the characters, voice acting, art, story and quests continue to excel for me. It also ran smoother and looked better than the original game for such a cheap price. Loved it.
6. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered ; Never played this on the PS3 so was hyped at this release. Crazy impressed with the gorgeous art, designs and strategic gameplay. The story was also surprisingly involved and occasionally emotional. Shame the series seems to be being run into the ground
7. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; This surprised me, although I liked the Tomb Raider reboot I expected little of the sequel and although flawed I was addicted to playing it.
8. Valley ; This just turned up on PSN one day so I took the risk and gave it a shot. It has it's flaws, mainly I think it needed more audio logs to push it a long but it's otherwise a great looking game that's fun to jump and explore around in and the music is also surprisingly great.
9. DragonQuest Builders ; Had good fun with this. Building my perfect town and upgrading everything while following missions was incredibly addictive. Just a shame it is spread out over chapters forcing you to restart each time. Good fun overall though, had to be as I spent 60 hours playing it ha ha.
10. Divinity Original Sin ; So it took me a little to get into this but once I did I couldn't stop playing. The combat has such a wealth of options and exploring around the maps is absorbing as there is always something to find and see. I went all out to get the platinum on it.
Honorable Mentions :
x. The Legend of Heroes Trails of Cold Steel II ; Had a blast with this as well, it had some amazing moments. It reused far too many areas of the first game though so while I like it a lot it didn't reach the wow factor of the first. Can't wait for part III.
x. Oxenfree ; This was a fantastic little story game. The dialogue and voice acting are top notch and I like the slight changes you can get on NG+ playthroughs keeping it a little fresh.
x. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; While not as good as Human Revolution I still adored playing it. Exploring Prague and the cyberpunk future was addictive and the story seemed to be really going places until it fizzled out at the last. Hope a sequel does get green lit.
x. Gravity Rush Remastered ; Not played the vita version so this was my first foray into the series. Love the art design, love the music and Kat is such an awesome character. Using gravity powers to move around and essentially fly through these crazy designed places was incredibly fun. It's let down on it's pretty poor story though. I'm hoping the sequel improves upon that and I have it pre-ordered to find out.
2. Dark Souls III ; Been a fan of the series ever since I imported Demons Souls from Asia thinking it would never get a western release. DSIII feels like a bit of a "best of" of the series but that doesn't make it any less great.
3. Hyper Light Drifter ; The first game I ever kickstarted and I loved it. Reminded me a lot of Story of Thor (Beyond Oasis for the americans here) Great action adventure game with gorgeous art design.
4. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; While I think this is one of the weaker games overall there are several scenes in it which are just great, especially the ending. I have had great fun on the multiplayer as well especially recently playing the free survivor update with two friends.
5. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine ; Well I feel like every new piece of content simply made this game better. This expansion was surprisingly large and while some activities were repeats of main game content the characters, voice acting, art, story and quests continue to excel for me. It also ran smoother and looked better than the original game for such a cheap price. Loved it.
6. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered ; Never played this on the PS3 so was hyped at this release. Crazy impressed with the gorgeous art, designs and strategic gameplay. The story was also surprisingly involved and occasionally emotional. Shame the series seems to be being run into the ground
7. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; This surprised me, although I liked the Tomb Raider reboot I expected little of the sequel and although flawed I was addicted to playing it.
8. Valley ; This just turned up on PSN one day so I took the risk and gave it a shot. It has it's flaws, mainly I think it needed more audio logs to push it a long but it's otherwise a great looking game that's fun to jump and explore around in and the music is also surprisingly great.
9. DragonQuest Builders ; Had good fun with this. Building my perfect town and upgrading everything while following missions was incredibly addictive. Just a shame it is spread out over chapters forcing you to restart each time. Good fun overall though, had to be as I spent 60 hours playing it ha ha.
10. Divinity Original Sin ; So it took me a little to get into this but once I did I couldn't stop playing. The combat has such a wealth of options and exploring around the maps is absorbing as there is always something to find and see. I went all out to get the platinum on it.
Honorable Mentions :
x. The Legend of Heroes Trails of Cold Steel II ; Had a blast with this as well, it had some amazing moments. It reused far too many areas of the first game though so while I like it a lot it didn't reach the wow factor of the first. Can't wait for part III.
x. Oxenfree ; This was a fantastic little story game. The dialogue and voice acting are top notch and I like the slight changes you can get on NG+ playthroughs keeping it a little fresh.
x. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; While not as good as Human Revolution I still adored playing it. Exploring Prague and the cyberpunk future was addictive and the story seemed to be really going places until it fizzled out at the last. Hope a sequel does get green lit.
x. Gravity Rush Remastered ; Not played the vita version so this was my first foray into the series. Love the art design, love the music and Kat is such an awesome character. Using gravity powers to move around and essentially fly through these crazy designed places was incredibly fun. It's let down on it's pretty poor story though. I'm hoping the sequel improves upon that and I have it pre-ordered to find out.
homeworkfilms
Member
1. The Witness ; A masterpiece of world building and puzzle design. An enormously successful sophomore effort from one of the best designers out there.
2. Dark Souls III ; To echo many people above, the DS series continues to set the standard for gameplay and design across many genres. It is also an absolutely gorgeous game.
3. World of Warcraft: Legion ; An ambitious expansion to one of the greatest games of all time has made Warcraft great again.
4. Pony Island ; A brilliant 4th wall game.
2. Dark Souls III ; To echo many people above, the DS series continues to set the standard for gameplay and design across many genres. It is also an absolutely gorgeous game.
3. World of Warcraft: Legion ; An ambitious expansion to one of the greatest games of all time has made Warcraft great again.
4. Pony Island ; A brilliant 4th wall game.
1. BlazBlue: Central Fiction ; First time I have ever played a blazblue game and I am utterly blown away with the fun I am having.
2. Dark Souls III ; Another masterpiece experience from the incredible From Software.
3. Street Fighter V ; It is a fun game even if not my favorite series.
2. Dark Souls III ; Another masterpiece experience from the incredible From Software.
3. Street Fighter V ; It is a fun game even if not my favorite series.
1.- Planet Coaster; Is the return in shape of the construction and management genre since a couple of fiascos and maybe is the most enjoyable game of its kind since Roller Coaster Tycoon. A must have.
2.- Pokemon Sun/Moon; Reinventing Pokemon is hard, but this game made it so right, it's like a fresh restart.
3.- Stardew Valley; Yes, another spititual succesor. But this year was THE year of reviving concepts with other materials and a new coat of paint. It has the vibes of the firsts Harvest Moon, but with a lot of things to do and has the addictive factor of keep making things.
4.- Overwatch; Fun, addictive and has a lot of humor. Team Fortress 2 has it's succesor and i hope it has the constant support for 5 + years that the former has.
That was ALL the good 2016 games i've played.
2.- Pokemon Sun/Moon; Reinventing Pokemon is hard, but this game made it so right, it's like a fresh restart.
3.- Stardew Valley; Yes, another spititual succesor. But this year was THE year of reviving concepts with other materials and a new coat of paint. It has the vibes of the firsts Harvest Moon, but with a lot of things to do and has the addictive factor of keep making things.
4.- Overwatch; Fun, addictive and has a lot of humor. Team Fortress 2 has it's succesor and i hope it has the constant support for 5 + years that the former has.
That was ALL the good 2016 games i've played.
prag16
Banned
1. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; The top 5 could have been in almost any order Went with this because it was my most highly anticipated of the bunch, and it (mostly) lived up to expectations. (PC)
2. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Probably the best in the series, even if it bogged down a bit in places. May try to do a full series 1-4 runthrough before the Chloe expansion drops. (PS4)
3. Quantum Break ; Thought it might be my #1 but after I finished it, my compulsion to play through it a second time was much lower than I expected. I know reactions were very mixed, but the gameplay was a blast and the story was interesting. (PC)
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Even better than 2013. For a while I would have said this out-Uncharted Uncharted but UC4 did enough to stay ahead imo. (PC)
5. Obduction ; Had high hopes for this and it delivered on almost every level. I actually got stumped somewhere near the end and never got around to tackling it again.. need to do that soon. (PC)
6. MLB The Show 16 ; Scooped this up cheap on Prime Day without high expectations but ended up having a lot of fun with it. (PS4)
7. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens ; One of the better recent LEGO games in my opinion; my son and I have had a blast with it. (Wii U)
8. Firewatch ; Was great for a while before kind of falling apart in the final act. But I like these types of games from time to time and I'll definitely buy whatever this developer makes next. (PC)
9. The Witness ; What this really did was whet my appetite for a much better game in the genre (Obduction). On its own merits it's decent, but after a while you're just solving line puzzles, and for what?
. (PC)
10. Pokemon GO ; To be honest, this game is kind of garbage in my opinion. But it held my attention for a few weeks with is VASTLY more than I ever expected going in, so without anything that really jumped out at me as deserving inclusion as the final entry in my list, I'm tossing this in here. (Android)
2. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Probably the best in the series, even if it bogged down a bit in places. May try to do a full series 1-4 runthrough before the Chloe expansion drops. (PS4)
3. Quantum Break ; Thought it might be my #1 but after I finished it, my compulsion to play through it a second time was much lower than I expected. I know reactions were very mixed, but the gameplay was a blast and the story was interesting. (PC)
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Even better than 2013. For a while I would have said this out-Uncharted Uncharted but UC4 did enough to stay ahead imo. (PC)
5. Obduction ; Had high hopes for this and it delivered on almost every level. I actually got stumped somewhere near the end and never got around to tackling it again.. need to do that soon. (PC)
6. MLB The Show 16 ; Scooped this up cheap on Prime Day without high expectations but ended up having a lot of fun with it. (PS4)
7. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens ; One of the better recent LEGO games in my opinion; my son and I have had a blast with it. (Wii U)
8. Firewatch ; Was great for a while before kind of falling apart in the final act. But I like these types of games from time to time and I'll definitely buy whatever this developer makes next. (PC)
9. The Witness ; What this really did was whet my appetite for a much better game in the genre (Obduction). On its own merits it's decent, but after a while you're just solving line puzzles, and for what?
Zero payoff in the end, and yes, I've seen the "secret" ending...
10. Pokemon GO ; To be honest, this game is kind of garbage in my opinion. But it held my attention for a few weeks with is VASTLY more than I ever expected going in, so without anything that really jumped out at me as deserving inclusion as the final entry in my list, I'm tossing this in here. (Android)
visiblemode
Member
1. Uncharted 4 ; a gorgeous technical acheivement. Superb scenario design, gunplay, traversal, storytelling and multiplayer.
2. The Last Guardian ; simply stunning. A game which, impossibly, exceeded nearly a decade of hype with its gorgeous visuals, fun puzzles, intriguing story, and raw emotionality.
3. Doom ; continuing on on the amazing throwback trend kicked off with TNO, this game managed to show how much could still be accomplished with simple FPS design philosophy. Also features great visuals, a good upgrade system, fantastic atmosphere, exciting music and fun scenarios.
4. Ratchet and Clank ; another game that looks backward and shows that appreciation for old games design philosophies isn't all the work of rose coloured glasses. Fantastic looking, fun, silly and a satisfying length.
5. Zero Time Dilemma ; while not reaching the heights of it's predecessors, ZTD was an enjoyable puzzler with intriguing story elements.
2. The Last Guardian ; simply stunning. A game which, impossibly, exceeded nearly a decade of hype with its gorgeous visuals, fun puzzles, intriguing story, and raw emotionality.
3. Doom ; continuing on on the amazing throwback trend kicked off with TNO, this game managed to show how much could still be accomplished with simple FPS design philosophy. Also features great visuals, a good upgrade system, fantastic atmosphere, exciting music and fun scenarios.
4. Ratchet and Clank ; another game that looks backward and shows that appreciation for old games design philosophies isn't all the work of rose coloured glasses. Fantastic looking, fun, silly and a satisfying length.
5. Zero Time Dilemma ; while not reaching the heights of it's predecessors, ZTD was an enjoyable puzzler with intriguing story elements.
FunkeeFresh
Member
1. Overwatch ; Played the beta, and free weekends. Wasn't too pushed about it. Once I leveled up enough to start playing ranked matches, I was completely hooked. I started looking into the competitive side of things, learning how to improve with each character, and the game continues to be tuned nicely with each update.
2. Amplitude ; I didn't realize I didn't need to have a plastic instrument to get a kick out of rhythm games. I really appreciate the OST Harmonix crafted for this game. There's nothing quite as satisfying as besting a high-score, or getting 3 gold bars on the hardest difficulty on a song.
3. Inside ; I had my jaw agape for at least 75% of my playthrough.
4. Thumper ; Incredibly intense, great style, and a fresh take on the rhythm genre
5. Superhot ; It's got styyyyyyyyle
6. Titanfall 2 ; I really enjoyed TF1, and this was more of the same for me. FPS on cocaine
7. Virgina ; I was left pondering over this game after I finished it, not being sure whether I liked it or not. I still don't have an answer for that. Personally, I'd rather have that kind of experience with a game, than be disappointed with a stale conclusion. (see Uncharted 4, Firewatch)
8. Twilight Struggle ; I only played about 3 games of this online with a friend, but it was one of my favourite experiences of the year
9. Oxenfree ; Very simple game with some neat mechanics. I enjoyed the characters and the dialog throughout the story.
10. Reigns ; Interesting concept. Suits the mobile platform perfectly as a 5 minute run rouge-like
Honorable Mentions
x. Steamworld Heist ; Only managed to play a few hours of this, but I liked what I started
2. Amplitude ; I didn't realize I didn't need to have a plastic instrument to get a kick out of rhythm games. I really appreciate the OST Harmonix crafted for this game. There's nothing quite as satisfying as besting a high-score, or getting 3 gold bars on the hardest difficulty on a song.
3. Inside ; I had my jaw agape for at least 75% of my playthrough.
4. Thumper ; Incredibly intense, great style, and a fresh take on the rhythm genre
5. Superhot ; It's got styyyyyyyyle
6. Titanfall 2 ; I really enjoyed TF1, and this was more of the same for me. FPS on cocaine
7. Virgina ; I was left pondering over this game after I finished it, not being sure whether I liked it or not. I still don't have an answer for that. Personally, I'd rather have that kind of experience with a game, than be disappointed with a stale conclusion. (see Uncharted 4, Firewatch)
8. Twilight Struggle ; I only played about 3 games of this online with a friend, but it was one of my favourite experiences of the year
9. Oxenfree ; Very simple game with some neat mechanics. I enjoyed the characters and the dialog throughout the story.
10. Reigns ; Interesting concept. Suits the mobile platform perfectly as a 5 minute run rouge-like
Honorable Mentions
x. Steamworld Heist ; Only managed to play a few hours of this, but I liked what I started
1. Overwatch ; Great cast, great atmosphere, great gameplay. The game is dripping with personality, and it's fucking fun. The only FPS to ever come close to rivaling Halo in my eyes. I really appreciate the racial and gender diversity, too.
2. Severed ; I'm really glad this ended up making it to 3DS, because damn, it's really great. The game is simple in concept and design, but what it does it does great. It's probably the most fun I've ever had with melee combat.
3. Pocket Card Jockey ; I would never have guessed this game would capture my heart so hard, but after GAF kept talking about it, I decided to try the demo out. I was hooked. This game is dripping with charm and personality, and is blast to play in short chunks before bed or on my commute.
4. Hyper Light Drifter ; It didn't live up to the hype, but it got close. The combat was challenging, at times unforgiving, and I loved it. The sense of exploration was also top notch. The game is rich with secrets, and finding them never stopped feeling satisfying. Also: the art. The fucking art. And the music!
5. DOOM ; So good, I insist on writing it in all caps.
2. Severed ; I'm really glad this ended up making it to 3DS, because damn, it's really great. The game is simple in concept and design, but what it does it does great. It's probably the most fun I've ever had with melee combat.
3. Pocket Card Jockey ; I would never have guessed this game would capture my heart so hard, but after GAF kept talking about it, I decided to try the demo out. I was hooked. This game is dripping with charm and personality, and is blast to play in short chunks before bed or on my commute.
4. Hyper Light Drifter ; It didn't live up to the hype, but it got close. The combat was challenging, at times unforgiving, and I loved it. The sense of exploration was also top notch. The game is rich with secrets, and finding them never stopped feeling satisfying. Also: the art. The fucking art. And the music!
5. DOOM ; So good, I insist on writing it in all caps.
I don't think you have to worry about it, the OP says to just post the games in your list if you're sure they count for the year and they'll be included.
1. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II ; Far and away the best JRPG series out there (in my mind). The combat is exceptional. The story - while cliché - is satisfying. Most characters are complex and have different motivations for acting the way they do. The world building is phenomenal. Plus, head pats.
2. World of Final Fantasy ; This one kicked me right in the nostalgia gut. The lighter tone was appreciated and allowed me to play in front of my son. The battles themselves were quite fun and sneakily (is that even a word?) deep. I was initially turned off by the monster collecting aspect, but it really grew on me to the point where I had to make sure I collected them all. The cameos and nods to past games were fun and made this FF-fanatic seek out everything it had to offer. This, along with #3 on my list, were the surprise hits of the year.
3. Dragon Quest Builders ; Who knew that a Minecraft clone (at least, at its core... this game is so much more) would make my list?! I certainly didn't. I'm usually not a fan of those kinds of games, but this one really spoke to me. The music is wonderful. The throwback to DQ1 was great. The building and crafting are really addicting. I've barely touched the free build mode, too...
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Another great entry in a solid series. Visuals were crisp and the gameplay as fun as it's ever been. I'm already looking forward to a replay.
5. Stardew Valley ; I was blown away by this HM clone. It has everything I wanted in this type of game and then some. It's really a testament to its creator (only 1 guy!) that this game turned out so good. I hope he does more in the future!
6. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past ; The original on PSX was one of my favorite games of that generation (3rd behind Final Fantasy Tactics and Star Ocean 2). I was eagerly anticipating the 3DS remake, and I was not disappointed. The updated models/visuals are charming and the gameplay amazing for those who appreciate old-school turn-based combat. The class system is the real attraction here and remains one of my favorites to this day.
7. Forza Horizon 3 ; The best racing game of the year. Hell, it's the most fun I've had with a racing game since Burnout's candle was snuffed out.
8. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered ; It didn't pack the same punch as the original did on PS3, but this second experience was still well worth the money and time investment. It's a damn shame they completely changed the gameplay for the latest VC title...
2. World of Final Fantasy ; This one kicked me right in the nostalgia gut. The lighter tone was appreciated and allowed me to play in front of my son. The battles themselves were quite fun and sneakily (is that even a word?) deep. I was initially turned off by the monster collecting aspect, but it really grew on me to the point where I had to make sure I collected them all. The cameos and nods to past games were fun and made this FF-fanatic seek out everything it had to offer. This, along with #3 on my list, were the surprise hits of the year.
3. Dragon Quest Builders ; Who knew that a Minecraft clone (at least, at its core... this game is so much more) would make my list?! I certainly didn't. I'm usually not a fan of those kinds of games, but this one really spoke to me. The music is wonderful. The throwback to DQ1 was great. The building and crafting are really addicting. I've barely touched the free build mode, too...
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Another great entry in a solid series. Visuals were crisp and the gameplay as fun as it's ever been. I'm already looking forward to a replay.
5. Stardew Valley ; I was blown away by this HM clone. It has everything I wanted in this type of game and then some. It's really a testament to its creator (only 1 guy!) that this game turned out so good. I hope he does more in the future!
6. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past ; The original on PSX was one of my favorite games of that generation (3rd behind Final Fantasy Tactics and Star Ocean 2). I was eagerly anticipating the 3DS remake, and I was not disappointed. The updated models/visuals are charming and the gameplay amazing for those who appreciate old-school turn-based combat. The class system is the real attraction here and remains one of my favorites to this day.
7. Forza Horizon 3 ; The best racing game of the year. Hell, it's the most fun I've had with a racing game since Burnout's candle was snuffed out.
8. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered ; It didn't pack the same punch as the original did on PS3, but this second experience was still well worth the money and time investment. It's a damn shame they completely changed the gameplay for the latest VC title...
DeadOnions
Member
1. Uncharted 4; Didn't think I'd place it this high but it has ended being the most memorable game I played. Personally I loved the walking bits and found the combat the boring part which is probably thanks to playing Telltale games.
2. Battlefield 1; A decent campaign but a superb multiplayer with the best soundtrack of the year. Dice nailed it this time.
3. Titanfall 2; A more complete package than BF1 and would probably be higher if not for the mp maps letting it down.
4. Forza Horizon 3; A bigger and more polished version of the last one but that's exactly what I wanted it to be.
5. Inside; Great atmosphere and style with some tense moments and great story presentation.
6. The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine; I haven't finished it but from what I played it was more of what I loved about the base game.
7. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided; Thought this would be higher but the stealth being too easy and weak story let it down.
8. Watch Dogs 2; Better than the first in everyway but the controls. Had the shooting and driving been better than this would have been alot higher.
9. Batman: The Telltale Series; A couple of weak episodes but still enjoyable.
10. Gears of War 4; Multiplayer is great but horde packs and a very weak first half of the campaign let it down. A good start though.
2. Battlefield 1; A decent campaign but a superb multiplayer with the best soundtrack of the year. Dice nailed it this time.
3. Titanfall 2; A more complete package than BF1 and would probably be higher if not for the mp maps letting it down.
4. Forza Horizon 3; A bigger and more polished version of the last one but that's exactly what I wanted it to be.
5. Inside; Great atmosphere and style with some tense moments and great story presentation.
6. The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine; I haven't finished it but from what I played it was more of what I loved about the base game.
7. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided; Thought this would be higher but the stealth being too easy and weak story let it down.
8. Watch Dogs 2; Better than the first in everyway but the controls. Had the shooting and driving been better than this would have been alot higher.
9. Batman: The Telltale Series; A couple of weak episodes but still enjoyable.
10. Gears of War 4; Multiplayer is great but horde packs and a very weak first half of the campaign let it down. A good start though.
Cornbread78
Member
I just finished the
Crystal Tower
make sure they talk to their sister when they had the chance
demosthenes
Member
Will post mine tonight. Read through some of these, do this many people always ignore the rules?
DriftingSpirit
Member
Yep, it is practically tradition now lol.
2016 was a pretty underwhelming year for me, but it did have a couple of standout moments.
1. Pokémon Sun/Moon ; A new generation of Pokémon is always an event. While they have had their ups and downs, no mainline Pokémon game has ever truly disappointed me. Sun and Moon are no different - in fact, I would say it's one of the best generations in the franchise. With a ton of quality-of-life additions as well as smart callbacks to old games, Sun and Moon reminded me why I fell in love with the series in the first place. A great way to end the jam-packed anniversary year.
2. Steins Gate 0 ; I realize I'll be one of the only people to vote for this game. Visual novels are becoming more and more popular, and I hope fans of the genre will give Steins Gate a chance. Steins Gate 0 expands upon the already incredible story of the original. While I can't recommend it to people who haven't played the original, the saga as a whole is one of the most memorable stories I've ever seen in any form of media. It's fantastic.
3. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice ; Ace Attorney is a franchise I've been following for quite some time now, and I always look forward to every game. Spirit of Justice, to me, will be remembered as a highlight in the series. It has progressively introduced more and more characters, but Spirit of Justice does a great job balancing them all and giving most of them the spotlight they deserve. While it doesn't do a whole lot to reinvent the wheel, I don't think it needs to. The franchise still excels at what it does.
4. Gravity Rush Remastered ; While I did give this game a go on the Vita, it really shines on the PS4. I believe this is the best new IP Sony has introduced in a very long time. I love the world and the art direction they went for. The story is quirky and stands out in a unique way. I am glad this got released, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
5. Kirby: Planet Robobot ; Kirby is that Nintendo franchise that doesn't generate very much hype, but always delivers in the end. The series has a fantastic track record. I really enjoyed Triple Deluxe in 2014, which I thought was one of the best games in the franchise, but Planet Robobot takes it to a new level. Personally, I believe we're in a Kirby renaissance. The robot mechanic is an interesting gimmick, and the game continues to take great advantage of the system's 3D capabilities.
6. Fire Emblem Fates ; This is the second Fire Emblem game on the system. As a result, it doesn't feel as inventive or game-changing as Awakening. However, it was still a highly enjoyable ride. I loved the idea of picking a side. Each of the three routes gives you a piece of the puzzle which kept things interesting for me. Great addition to the franchise.
7. Picross 3D: Round 2 ; Sleeper-hit of the year. I had never played 3D Picross before this game, and I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I'm still playing it regularly. Another great game from HAL this year.
1. Pokémon Sun/Moon ; A new generation of Pokémon is always an event. While they have had their ups and downs, no mainline Pokémon game has ever truly disappointed me. Sun and Moon are no different - in fact, I would say it's one of the best generations in the franchise. With a ton of quality-of-life additions as well as smart callbacks to old games, Sun and Moon reminded me why I fell in love with the series in the first place. A great way to end the jam-packed anniversary year.
2. Steins Gate 0 ; I realize I'll be one of the only people to vote for this game. Visual novels are becoming more and more popular, and I hope fans of the genre will give Steins Gate a chance. Steins Gate 0 expands upon the already incredible story of the original. While I can't recommend it to people who haven't played the original, the saga as a whole is one of the most memorable stories I've ever seen in any form of media. It's fantastic.
3. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice ; Ace Attorney is a franchise I've been following for quite some time now, and I always look forward to every game. Spirit of Justice, to me, will be remembered as a highlight in the series. It has progressively introduced more and more characters, but Spirit of Justice does a great job balancing them all and giving most of them the spotlight they deserve. While it doesn't do a whole lot to reinvent the wheel, I don't think it needs to. The franchise still excels at what it does.
4. Gravity Rush Remastered ; While I did give this game a go on the Vita, it really shines on the PS4. I believe this is the best new IP Sony has introduced in a very long time. I love the world and the art direction they went for. The story is quirky and stands out in a unique way. I am glad this got released, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
5. Kirby: Planet Robobot ; Kirby is that Nintendo franchise that doesn't generate very much hype, but always delivers in the end. The series has a fantastic track record. I really enjoyed Triple Deluxe in 2014, which I thought was one of the best games in the franchise, but Planet Robobot takes it to a new level. Personally, I believe we're in a Kirby renaissance. The robot mechanic is an interesting gimmick, and the game continues to take great advantage of the system's 3D capabilities.
6. Fire Emblem Fates ; This is the second Fire Emblem game on the system. As a result, it doesn't feel as inventive or game-changing as Awakening. However, it was still a highly enjoyable ride. I loved the idea of picking a side. Each of the three routes gives you a piece of the puzzle which kept things interesting for me. Great addition to the franchise.
7. Picross 3D: Round 2 ; Sleeper-hit of the year. I had never played 3D Picross before this game, and I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I'm still playing it regularly. Another great game from HAL this year.
gamerMan
Member
1. Batman Arkham VR ; This demo put VR on the map for me. This wasn't really a game but more of a technical demo. Being able to put on the Batsuit and actually throw a Batarang was extremely cool. While it was impressive, it makes you realize that right now VR is limited because if you are using your hands, you can really move around. Still, this was the most incredible thing I have seen in video games in a long time. Going down the batcave and seeing bats flying all around was a surreal experience. I felt like I was in Gotham.
2. Uncharted 4 ; The game had its issues but there were some brilliant moments in the game. The graphics and acting in the cut scenes were the best I have seen in a video game. I love the vertically that the encounters offered. Stealth was a bigger part of the game. Playing it on the harder difficulty settings was especially fun as you had to use strategy against the AI.
3. Hitman - Season 1 ; I was really surprised at the freedom this game offered. I love replaying through scenarios trying to complete them in different ways.
4. Rise Of The Tomb Raider ; I thought that Tomb Raider looked better than Uncharted 4 during gameplay especially the texture work and lighting.
2. Uncharted 4 ; The game had its issues but there were some brilliant moments in the game. The graphics and acting in the cut scenes were the best I have seen in a video game. I love the vertically that the encounters offered. Stealth was a bigger part of the game. Playing it on the harder difficulty settings was especially fun as you had to use strategy against the AI.
3. Hitman - Season 1 ; I was really surprised at the freedom this game offered. I love replaying through scenarios trying to complete them in different ways.
4. Rise Of The Tomb Raider ; I thought that Tomb Raider looked better than Uncharted 4 during gameplay especially the texture work and lighting.
You need to use ; not : .
Magic Mushroom
Member
Edit: beaten by the person above me.
Tyrant Rave
Banned
1. Overwatch ; The best goddamn game of this entire generation without a doubt. It's incredibly accessible yet still immensely rewarding to learn. It's the kind of game where you feel like you're contributing with every shot you make or encounter you take part in thanks to the fantastic Elimination system which doesn't differentiate between assists and kills. The art design is out of this world and it has generated such a rabid fanbase for a reason. It's easy to write it off as a TF2 clone or rip-off, but it couldn't be more different. The characters all feel incredibly unique and satisfying to use in their own ways and you're always striving to improve, whether it's your own aim or your comps with your team. I've spent countless nights playing this with my group of friends and fellow GAFfers here. I've made friends in real life because of it too. This game is a phenomenon that is not slowing down.
2. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse ; The original SMT4 was already among my favorite MegaTen titles, but this one just crushes it in almost every aspect. It rebalances the entire game by changing the levels you aquire stronger skills and throws in Skill Affinities, which means each demon specializes in specific skills so there's more of a reason to actually change. Beyond that, Atlus has also adjusted the smirk system and added on additional AI party members who serve to better support you. Need a buff/debuff but don't have space in your party? Go with Navarre. Need some healing? Asahi's top at that. And so on. This is one of the best playing turn based JRPGs out there and a complete masterpiece.
3. Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator ; If you know me, you know I love Guilty Gear. While Revelator really just builds off of the amazing -SIGN-, it's still the top fighter on the market. What's really remarkable about Revelator is how good Arcsys's support has been on this game. Pre-ordering the game netted you full access to the arcade version of the game and post launch they've offered the DLC characters for free for a limited time along with a special figure display mode. They also continue to update the login message with announcements and reminders for various tournaments! If you enjoy fighting games, there is no better place to start. Xrd has really simplified the crazy controls from the older games without sacrificing the depth and also features a very detailed tutorial for newcomers. This is the fighting game you deserve.
As for the picture chosen, I actually went to EVO this year for the first time to play this game and several others. I got to meet Daisuke Ishiwatari, the mastermind behind the series, and he drew my favorite character on my arcade stick for me. I was the last person to receive a drawing from him and I feel incredibly fortunate for that. Thanks for everything, Ishiwatari-san.
4. VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action ; This game really came out of nowhere and blew me away. I was introduced to it via their "waifubartending" site on GAF and I'm incredibly happy I gave this a shot. You work as a bartender dealing with regulars and more zany customers and everyone's got their own problems. VA-11 HALL-A also provides a lot of commentary on social issues and real world events and wraps it all up with a fantastic aesthetic and lovely soundtrack. I can't recommend it enough and the fact that the only games ahead of it on my list are two sequels in my favorite series and my game of the generation, that really says a lot for how good this game is.
5. Street Fighter V ; One of the most controversial titles online this year, but I love this game. I think Capcom has done an excellent job with the roster here and making the game itself more accessible by dropping the strict links and more unintuitive mechanics like FADC from SF4. While it's not perfect in really any aspect, it's still a very satisfying game to play with the excellent feedback on attacks.
6. MELTY BLOOD Actress Again Current Code ; This year marked the first official English release for the series, and it's still one of the best fighting games made. Melty Blood is a sequel to some Visual Novel I've never played, but man is this game fun. Each character's got three different styles all with their own unique mechanics, movesets, and options so there's really a character for anyone. Beyond that, it's just a well made fighter. There's a big emphasis on converting jumping attacks to combos and it's really satisfying get that j.BC airthrow. A classic fighter and a very important localization.
7. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ; This was one of my most anticipated titles of the year and it really delivered. While I haven't gotten the time to finish it just yet, it's a wonderful gem of a game that got far too much hate between the initial reveal and localization. The dungeons are very well crafted and engaging to explore and map out. The combat is a nice shake-up on the typically Press Turn system found in Shin Megami Tensei with the session attacks and emphasis on swapping party members mid combat. The actual party members are also incredibly charming and hard to hate. One of the finest console JRPGs in years and a must play if you enjoy them at all.
8. Dishonored 2 ; I never played the first title, and that's something I plan to fix, but this game is insanely good. I'm still working my way through it, but I am so happy with what I've played so far that including it is just a no-brainer. The level design in this game is world-class and jawdropping. There are layers upon layers of things going on in every single area and there's an infinite amount of ways to approach each scenario between the two protagonists. I don't even like stealth games and I love this game!
9. Battlefield 1 ; It's Battlefield in WWI. By now, I'm sure most people have tried the series so it's really nothing revolutionary. BF1, just like the rest of the series, features crazy teamfights and immersive sound effects that really keep you in the game.
10. Titanfall 2 ; This game was not on my radar until I heard it described as "Half Life 2 meets PlatinumGames" and I was sold. The single player campaign is probably the best single player FPS I've played in years. Every level introduces a new gimmick, Super Mario Bros. 3 style, only to toss it away and do something else the next. It helps that the core gameplay feels REALLY nice here. You slide hop and wall run around these levels taking out enemies before engaging in titan combat and it all just feels so good. I've seen a fair amount of praise for the multiplayer on GAF, but I don't think it's really anything special. Still, a very fun romp even if you only care about single player and features one of the most memorable levels since All Ghillied Up years ago.
Honorable mentions:
x. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir ; I thought the original was, well, ass. Pretty, but shitty to play. This one managed to fix that and it's probably VanillaWare's best game to date.
x. Battlerite ; This one would've been on my actual list, but it's still in Early Access. Beyond that, it's a really great competitive brawler that takes all the good parts of a MOBA while removing the excess baggage.
x. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X ; More Miku is always good. I didn't play it a ton but I enjoyed my time with it
Other cool games:
Blue Revolver
DoDonPachi Resurrection
Umineko
The Silver Case
My LTTP GOTY is: Rainbow Six Siege. If it weren't for Overwatch, this would be probably my favorite multiplayer game right now. It's SO good and such a thrilling game to play.
Overall, 2016 was a fantastic year for videogames and the best one in... years. I have yet to start a few games I've picked up like The Last Guardian, Zero Time Dilemma, and Steins Gate Zero, but I'll get there. I'm happy with my list and have no plans to change it.
I didn't buy many new games this year (FE: Fates, Starfox 0 + Project Guard, Monster Hunter X, Paper Mario Color Splash, Pokemon Moon, and Shantae). Too soon to form an opinion on Shantae and the Wii U games on my list, while enjoyable, were flawed enough to not really deserve a nod.
1. Monster Hunter X; this game really smoothed out a lot of the quality-of-life kinks that have held back previous entries, and was a delightful all-star list of monsters from across franchise history (which for me, who's only played the ones after III, meant a lot of new-to-me content).
2. Fire Emblem Fates; suffered from a few things (like needing to make everyone be able to marry everyone else, and Corrin's varying levels of stupidity across the different versions), but the three versions made for a very flexible experience whether you wanted a character-focused grindfest or a lean challenge of wit.
3. Pokemon Moon; more examples of long running franchises getting some badly-need QoL updates, and the game had a more ambitious story than any Pokemon thus far.
1. Monster Hunter X; this game really smoothed out a lot of the quality-of-life kinks that have held back previous entries, and was a delightful all-star list of monsters from across franchise history (which for me, who's only played the ones after III, meant a lot of new-to-me content).
2. Fire Emblem Fates; suffered from a few things (like needing to make everyone be able to marry everyone else, and Corrin's varying levels of stupidity across the different versions), but the three versions made for a very flexible experience whether you wanted a character-focused grindfest or a lean challenge of wit.
3. Pokemon Moon; more examples of long running franchises getting some badly-need QoL updates, and the game had a more ambitious story than any Pokemon thus far.
1. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; I really enjoyed the first and this is a worthy sequel.
2. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice ; I was enjoy the over the top stories and characters and this was back on form.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD ; Zelda is my favorite series and whilst this isn't my favorite it is a strong entry. Great dungeons.
4. Beyond: Two Souls ; I probably enjoyed this more than I should have, but I enjoyed the story a lot.
5. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; This would be higher but I am currently playing now. It's a lot of fun so far.
6. Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma ; Crazy story, shame about the underwhelming end.
7. Resident Evil 0 ; Fun classic resident evil.
8. Ratchet & Clank ; Colourful and a lot of fun.
9. Star Fox Zero ; There is a good game here, but is let down by the controls. Shame.
10. Heavy Rain ; A bit odd but I guess I enjoyed it.
2. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice ; I was enjoy the over the top stories and characters and this was back on form.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD ; Zelda is my favorite series and whilst this isn't my favorite it is a strong entry. Great dungeons.
4. Beyond: Two Souls ; I probably enjoyed this more than I should have, but I enjoyed the story a lot.
5. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; This would be higher but I am currently playing now. It's a lot of fun so far.
6. Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma ; Crazy story, shame about the underwhelming end.
7. Resident Evil 0 ; Fun classic resident evil.
8. Ratchet & Clank ; Colourful and a lot of fun.
9. Star Fox Zero ; There is a good game here, but is let down by the controls. Shame.
10. Heavy Rain ; A bit odd but I guess I enjoyed it.
1- The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine ; So you remember that game you put 400 hours in? How about you get another 100 hours from this DLC? Aw, Thank you.
2- Thumper ; First time I played this game, I lost my breath in awe of its exhilarating pace. That feeling continued for the rest of the game. Greatest rhythm game I have ever played.
3- DOOM ; Couldn't have asked for a better comeback from this series. It acknowledges its cheesiness and embraces it.
4- HITMAN ; If you would tell me that I would be spending 60 hours in a Hitman game, after Absolution I would have laughed in your face. Now look at me.
5- Dishonored 2 ; It is so hard to find amazing art style, mixed with fantasticly designed levels in AAA games. If only the AI, voice acting and story elements would better, it would force top three.
6- Watch Dogs 2 ; Geniounly surprised with this one. Great characters, amazing art style and fun story missions keep it all together.
7- XCOM 2 ; Same same but different but still same.
8- Darkest Dungeon ; "The match is struck, a star is born."
9- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; I am a bit dissapointed with this one but playing as Jensen still feels awesome.
10- Killing Floor 2 ; The only reasons this one is here its because of the soundtrack it has. Oh and the gore.
Honorable mentions:
Firewatch
Forza Horizon 3
The Division
Californium
2- Thumper ; First time I played this game, I lost my breath in awe of its exhilarating pace. That feeling continued for the rest of the game. Greatest rhythm game I have ever played.
3- DOOM ; Couldn't have asked for a better comeback from this series. It acknowledges its cheesiness and embraces it.
4- HITMAN ; If you would tell me that I would be spending 60 hours in a Hitman game, after Absolution I would have laughed in your face. Now look at me.
5- Dishonored 2 ; It is so hard to find amazing art style, mixed with fantasticly designed levels in AAA games. If only the AI, voice acting and story elements would better, it would force top three.
6- Watch Dogs 2 ; Geniounly surprised with this one. Great characters, amazing art style and fun story missions keep it all together.
7- XCOM 2 ; Same same but different but still same.
8- Darkest Dungeon ; "The match is struck, a star is born."
9- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; I am a bit dissapointed with this one but playing as Jensen still feels awesome.
10- Killing Floor 2 ; The only reasons this one is here its because of the soundtrack it has. Oh and the gore.
Honorable mentions:
Firewatch
Forza Horizon 3
The Division
Californium
If you're talking to me these did all come out in 2016.
wild wild rice
Member
It's so easy to just copy/paste from the OP.
Cyborg
Member
- Uncharted 4; Epic conclusion to a great serie. UC1 had a rough start but UC4 has proven that ND are truly from another planet.
- BF1; Big scale warfare is right where I belong. Starting a game with 64 players on a console is all I ever wanted since BF2 on PC.
- Dark Souls 3; Im a huge fan, this wasnt the best Souls game but I had so much fun with it, it just deserves the spot.
- FF15; After so many years, It cant miss from my list. Great nostalgia for me personly.
- DOOM; One word ''Nostalgia''
1. Uncharted 4 ; A brilliant finale to the series. It pulled on nostalgia while still innovating. I had an enormous amount of fun with this, and also love the elements they pulled from TLOU.
2. Witcher 3 Blood and Wine ; The Witcher 3 continues to impress. As with the other piece of DLC, Blood and Wine tells a story better than most games. It feels like a complete game in a way, and I couldn't have been happier to return to the open world I loved the most of any.
3. Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse ; The battle system of SMT IV was near perfection. It's old school while still feeling snappy and strategic. Apocalypse improves on everything in smart, crucial ways. I really liked the characters in this game, too, even if it did get a bit anime for a SMT. In a way it hit the spot that I was missing when Persona 5 got delayed.
4. Final Fantasy XV ; Overall I had fun with XV. It was disappointing in a lot of ways, but still had enough charm to it to warrant some love.
5. Overwatch ; I'm not normally a multiplayer gamer, but this one was pretty darned fun. I had some great moments and consider it well worth the money.
2. Witcher 3 Blood and Wine ; The Witcher 3 continues to impress. As with the other piece of DLC, Blood and Wine tells a story better than most games. It feels like a complete game in a way, and I couldn't have been happier to return to the open world I loved the most of any.
3. Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse ; The battle system of SMT IV was near perfection. It's old school while still feeling snappy and strategic. Apocalypse improves on everything in smart, crucial ways. I really liked the characters in this game, too, even if it did get a bit anime for a SMT. In a way it hit the spot that I was missing when Persona 5 got delayed.
4. Final Fantasy XV ; Overall I had fun with XV. It was disappointing in a lot of ways, but still had enough charm to it to warrant some love.
5. Overwatch ; I'm not normally a multiplayer gamer, but this one was pretty darned fun. I had some great moments and consider it well worth the money.
You need atleast one comment.
1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; The gold Standard in how Action Adventure games should be. Great ending to a great character.
2. The Last Guardian ; Very emotional game. I hate it but I love it.
3. Dark souls 3 ; It's the dark souls you know and love but better.
4. Doom ; Surprise! I thought this would be a generic game, ended up in my top 5.
5. Ratched & Clank ; Beautiful 3d platformer. Wee need more games like this.
6. Final Fantasy XV ; Modernized the final fantasy formula. Amazing visuals.
7. Hitman ; Episodic formula works great with this game. Loved it.
8. Battlefield 1 ; Best Multiplayer first person shooter on PS4. Period.
9. Titanfall 2 ; Took me by surprise. I loved the campaign.
2. The Last Guardian ; Very emotional game. I hate it but I love it.
3. Dark souls 3 ; It's the dark souls you know and love but better.
4. Doom ; Surprise! I thought this would be a generic game, ended up in my top 5.
5. Ratched & Clank ; Beautiful 3d platformer. Wee need more games like this.
6. Final Fantasy XV ; Modernized the final fantasy formula. Amazing visuals.
7. Hitman ; Episodic formula works great with this game. Loved it.
8. Battlefield 1 ; Best Multiplayer first person shooter on PS4. Period.
9. Titanfall 2 ; Took me by surprise. I loved the campaign.
1. Deus Ex Mankind divided ; Love the world and gameplay so much hidden things to find.
2. Watch_Dogs 2 ; Fun open world great characters lots to do.
3. The Division ; Really enjoyed this game and I did all the main missions single player.
4. Mafia 3 ; Great story and gun play, stealth was solid and shooting from the car is great.
5. NBA 2K 17 ; So much to do in this great NBA game.
6. Madden 17 ; Fun football for all.
7. The Walking Dead: Michonne ; Good story from a main character.
8. Batman telltale ; Finally being able to play as Bruce Wayne was great.
9. Pokemon Go ; Fun mobile game to play when your walking.
10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered ; The king returned strong.
2. Watch_Dogs 2 ; Fun open world great characters lots to do.
3. The Division ; Really enjoyed this game and I did all the main missions single player.
4. Mafia 3 ; Great story and gun play, stealth was solid and shooting from the car is great.
5. NBA 2K 17 ; So much to do in this great NBA game.
6. Madden 17 ; Fun football for all.
7. The Walking Dead: Michonne ; Good story from a main character.
8. Batman telltale ; Finally being able to play as Bruce Wayne was great.
9. Pokemon Go ; Fun mobile game to play when your walking.
10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered ; The king returned strong.
1. Titanfall 2 ; I really can't express how some of the levels in this game made me feel specially the last one. The SP alone is worth the price tag EASILY as one if not the best FPS compaign in the last decade or so. Didn't play the multiplayer that much yet but from what I've played it's damn fun.
2. Hitman ; As a blood money huge fan I can't be happier with a game than what we got.
3. Doom ; What is there not to like, great gameplay with great level design and atmosphere, I was never excited for it after the E3 gameplay but it blow my mind after playing it of how good it is.
4. Zero Escape: Time Dilemma ; the game may not have lived up to my expectations but it was still a damn fine game with a story better than the majoraty of games in the market.
5. Dark Souls III ; if BB wasn't released in 2015 this would have probably been my goty, but being burned out of the series a bit plus how superior BB is, made the experience less enjoyable for me.
6. Hearts of Iron IV ; More depth might have been needed but that didn't stop me from sinking over 130 hours and still counting.
7. Bioshock: The Collection ; the original Bioshock is probably one of the best games I've ever played. Infinite had a great ending that compensated for a lot of the shortcomings before it, and I still have 2 to play!
8. Uncharted 4 ; the gunplay is hugely improved but still not great, the ending was just perfect and some of the chapters were just breathtaking.
9. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine ; The best dlc I remember playing since like forever apart from The old hunter dlc. The fact they had two completely different pathway to take and each was more than enough makes me appreciate the game way more.
10. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; that ending ruined a game that would have been perfect otherwise. Still everything up to the point was as good as I expected it to be and more.
I still have Dishonored 2, FF:XV & TLG to play but I don't think I will finish any before the deadline
2. Hitman ; As a blood money huge fan I can't be happier with a game than what we got.
3. Doom ; What is there not to like, great gameplay with great level design and atmosphere, I was never excited for it after the E3 gameplay but it blow my mind after playing it of how good it is.
4. Zero Escape: Time Dilemma ; the game may not have lived up to my expectations but it was still a damn fine game with a story better than the majoraty of games in the market.
5. Dark Souls III ; if BB wasn't released in 2015 this would have probably been my goty, but being burned out of the series a bit plus how superior BB is, made the experience less enjoyable for me.
6. Hearts of Iron IV ; More depth might have been needed but that didn't stop me from sinking over 130 hours and still counting.
7. Bioshock: The Collection ; the original Bioshock is probably one of the best games I've ever played. Infinite had a great ending that compensated for a lot of the shortcomings before it, and I still have 2 to play!
8. Uncharted 4 ; the gunplay is hugely improved but still not great, the ending was just perfect and some of the chapters were just breathtaking.
9. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine ; The best dlc I remember playing since like forever apart from The old hunter dlc. The fact they had two completely different pathway to take and each was more than enough makes me appreciate the game way more.
10. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; that ending ruined a game that would have been perfect otherwise. Still everything up to the point was as good as I expected it to be and more.
I still have Dishonored 2, FF:XV & TLG to play but I don't think I will finish any before the deadline