2016 has been an exciting year full of blockbuster sequels and breakout new franchises; developers have marvelously created titles that remain compelling after repeated play. Only a select few stand out and have shown that they are Game Of The Year material. Here are our personal favorites from the year.
Matt’s Top Three
Kiyo’s Top Two
Max’s Top Three
Preston’s Top Three
George’s Top Three
Vincent’s Top Three
Honorable Mention:
Shantae 1/2 Genie Hero
I’ve never touched any of the Shantae games until this year when I received Pirate’s Curse via Humble Bundle. After playing the game I went back and got every other Shantae game that ever came out. 1/2 Genie Hero comes close to being the best one of them all. This platforming, hack and slash action game was such a blast I finished it in just a few days. I’ll be going back to try and beat my best time collecting every power up and getting 100% completion. It was released very late in the year but if you have the chance definitely go and pick up Shantae 1/2 Genie Hero. It’s available on current gen console and PC. – George
Matt’s Top Three
For me Uncharted 4 was amazing not just in the graphics department, but it was the story that made the whole game for me. I would definitely nominate Uncharted 4 for game of the year in a heartbeat. Combat was fun and kept me motivated to keep going and going. I mean it’s not too often you come across a game that you just don’t want to end. I hope Naughty Dog keeps the franchise going even though they have said this would be the last one.
Dark Souls 3
This was my first foray into the Souls universe for me as I’m not usually into hard mode gaming. As unforgiving as it was when I started out, things slowly changed as I became one with the combat and found myself no longer afraid of getting into a fight and rushing into battles with confidence. The game really makes you feel rewarded after a big boss fight. I will definitely play the next game in the series from here on out.
Batman: The Telltale Series
Telltale in my book can keep the games a coming since everything they put out turns to gold in my eyes. This Batman title brings not only great story telling but action as only Telltale can produce. You get to see life through Bruce Wayne and not just Batman; of course you get the talented voice work of Troy Baker as the Bat himself so it feels like you never left off from the other Batman titles. I look forward to more Telltale Batman in the future.
Kiyo’s Top Two
DOOM
DOOM2016 is the digital embodiment of a tasty chicken wing. No matter your choice of flavor, dry rub or dripping in sauce, you will always do your best to RIP and TEAR every last piece of meat off the bone. Straight out the gate, your every action as Doom Guy has viscera and scores of carcasses in your wake. John Romero once said “Suck it Down” and I feel that’s the best summary of DOOM2016; funnel-fed FPS action fueled by a desire for that vintage Quake/Doom style action.
Not even a month ago, I reviewed and rated Final Fantasy XV as a return to greatness for the series. I’ve now double the time invested when I wrote that review, and it only gets better. The absolute breadth of content available, and the wide array of things to do still astounds me. Let alone the photo-surrealistic food, the Monster Hunter styled Hunts, the fishing minigames, and the bevy of unique situations across the land of Eos, and this isn’t even including the free content updates on top of the traditional DLC upcoming. Its good to be a fan of Final Fantasy, because Final Fantasy XV pumping out quality of this caliber bodes well for Square Enix but also gives even greater expectations for Final Fantasy XVI.
Max’s Top Three
This game is a master piece and an amazing reason to own a PlayStation 4. Uncharted has always been one of Sony’s way to show what a “cinematic adventure” in game form. Naughty Dog is a truly talented studio. Speaking of which, this is the most technically sound game in the series. The controls are smooth, responsive, and I never blamed a failure because I thought I was cheated by the controls. The game is ALSO drop dead gorgeous, borderline photo realistic. The locales you visit are detailed to the tiniest minutiae. But the real winner here is the story and the performances by the actors. Nolan North and Troy Baker are on the forefront for most of the game, but every actor that plays a role in the story has plenty of screen time and they really shine. This is the best possible send off for the mainline games.
When I found out Lefithrasir was being remade for the PlayStation 4 I jumped at the chance to play it. It is genuinely one of my favorite games this gen. While the story didn’t hook me immediately, the further in I got the more invested I became. It’s still a tad melodramatic but not bad by any stretch of the imagination. The action focused gameplay is fun and never gets too repetitive because each of the five characters have totally different play style. As you play you level up, learn new techniques, and it is possible to dominate any enemy as long as you pay attention and remember to block. As a VanillaWare game it is gorgeous and flows so beautifully. Overall it’s a game I recommend you buy, especially if you love unique art styles.
This was great year for fighting games as well. But there was one game that was miles ahead of the pack…and that was Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator. Developer Arc System Works took an already beautiful game and made it look even better with dynamic lighting and new visual effects. The game also continued Xrd Sign’s story in a grand fashion; Revelator’s story was captivating and allowed the characters further time to develop and revealed some long standing mysteries. The games online modes are well put together and online play remains a solid experience. I definitely praise the game for is its expanded training and tutorial modes. The tutorial handles like its own game and is a GREAT way to teach people how to play. The training mode is so robust with a new tool that let’s you visualize your inputs; it helped me reduce my input errors greatly.
Preston’s Top Three
When you think of phenomenal storytelling, gorgeous character models, excellent character building, breathtaking scenery, intense gunfights, and stellar gameplay mechanics, only a small group of developers deserve to be mentioned in this topic of conversation. Naughty Dog keeps bringing the heat and improving the craft of telling a story through the art of video games. The emotional rollercoaster that Naughty Dog delivers makes you want to see what’s next for Drake. We finally get to take a look into his personal life with Elena, bonding with a lost brother, and Sully being there for Drake help with one last job. There are so many memorable scenes through the series that will stick with me going forward (* cough* motorcycle scene *cough*). Uncharted has been the flagship game for the PlayStation brand and it’s sad that Nathan Drake story has come to an end.
In 2016 there been a lot of great shooter such as Call Of Duty Infinite Warfare, Modern Warfare Remastered, Battlefield 1, TitanFall 2, Doom, and the recent DLC for Destiny. All these games were mostly single player campaign centric with typical multiplayer modes on the side. After much anticipation, the arrival of Overwatch added a great, refreshing take on how fun multiplayer shooters can be. The game has a wonderful art style and its 23 unique playable characters that look like they’re straight out of a Pixar movie. Overwatch also has well thought out map designs that fits the game well. Since every character has different play styles, the game is fun to play and challenging to master.
Valkyrie Eve
2016 not only bought us great games, but also bought new hardware and new ways to play video games in a new perspective that’s more immersive than ever. Some could call this year the rise of VR gaming. Playing Eve Valkyrie felt more like the full AAA experience I was looking for from VR. Eve Valkyrie makes you feel badass as you maneuver your ship through space, avoiding space debris all while finding enemy ships and taking them down. Getting in the cockpit of a fighter ship or heavy ship or a support ship, is just pure fun. Eve Valkyrie is the game that made me believe VR could become something more and is one of the reason I bought a VR headset for myself.
George’s Top Three
Final Fantasy XV was a game a long time coming. I had lost interest only to have a renewed interest again once they rebranded it from Final Fantasy Versus XIII. After finally playing it, it truly feels like a new Final Fantasy. Baring a few graphical issues, the game is front loaded with side quests and dungeons to explore; it’s the exact opposite of the linearity that you could plainly see in Final Fantasy XIII. Actually playing the game is fun, too, even if the game has you frequently killing the same type of enemies over and over. The gameplay mechanics are fun enough for most players to not care about the repetition and want to do every single side mission before the main story.
Pokemon Sun and Moon
Pokemon Sun and Moon strays away from the norm of traditional Pokemon games while keeping true to many other core elements that kept the series going strong. It flips between hand holding the player while still providing a challenge. As always, like in recent Pokemon games, it’s the post game that really makes it fun. The Battle Tower, AR Scanning to fill out your Pokedex, to actually defending your Championship status against multiple opponents once you beat the Elite Four. I was thoroughly impressed with this latest entry.
I’ve always been a bigger fan of SNK games more than Capcom since I was younger. After the lackluster release of Street Fighter V and lackluster debut trailer for King of Fighters XIV, I wasn’t too excited about the game. After trying out the demo I wanted to give it another shot. When I played the full game, I realized that it felt good to be playing KOF again. Even if the graphics in the game aren’t stellar, they’re still greatly improved from the original trailer. Once the graphical update gets released later in 2017, it’s only going to make the game even better. Solid gameplay, continued support, and a wealth of extra content for long term fans of the series has kept me coming back to this game.
Vincent’s Top Three
It’s no surprise that Blizzard’s first person shooter has taken the world by storm. Blizzard has thoughtfully crafted a multiplayer experience that anybody can enjoy. The characters’ diverse backgrounds and mechanics are infinitely exciting with repeated play. I’m still having a blast more than seven months after its release, and the game’s continued post launch support will undoubtedly sustain many more thrilling matches.
2016 was a fantastic year for fighting game fans. Its exciting lineup included new entries in beloved franchises and re-releases of old favorites. King of Fighters XIV departs from its predecessors with newly built 3D visuals, but it still provides the same solid fast paced fighting that the series is known for. With simpler mechanics, plenty of unlockables, and the series’ most extensive character roster to date, it’s a well rounded package that anyone can enjoy. Its forthcoming update will have fans burning to fight for many matches to come.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 2
With an extensive history of developing platformers, Inti Creates has once again created an excellent platforming title that veterans and newcomers can enjoy. Gunvolt 2’s two unique playable characters, varied levels, and numerous optional challenges create a memorable experience. To top things off, the characters’ interactions are often as entertaining as the levels and bosses themselves. We hope Inti Creates will continue to create excellent adventures!
