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[Hupsel]

1. Overwatch ; Just a very good, fun, polished multiplayer FPS with a great cast of characters. Really liked the gunplay as well.

2. Doom ; One of the best single player FPS campaigns of all time. Great weapons, good length and ran amazingly on consoles as well.

3. Dark Souls III ; Another very good Souls entry. Might be the best in the series. Yeah, yeah, the formula is getting old, but it´s still too damn fun and no one else seems to copy it well. Still the series for me with the best sense of exploration by far.

4. Tyranny ; Great game by Obsidian. Shorter than most CRPGs, but also gets directly to the point, without useless side quests. Combat improvements as well.

5. The Banner Saga 2 ; Underrated strategy game with a very cool story and decisions that can matter a lot. I like some of the new classes they introduced as well.

6. Hyper Light Drifter ; Short but sweet game. Great combat and the boss fights were really, really cool.

 

[Ikon]

1. Dark Souls 3 ; A wonderful mix of all things Souls/Bloodborne. Some things seem lost on the way, but what's been gained makes for a fantastic experience which is probably the best game of the bunch. This game wound up the only game I played for a whopping five months this year - which is saying something for me as I'm trying to make a serious effort to make it through my backlog.

2. Doom ; How is this possible?! How can a new Doom game be this good? This game has no right being as good as it is and I'm wondering how Bethesda does it. I know they're not making them themselves but first Wolfenstein and now Doom are brought back and just completely blows me away. Among the top best 3 FPS campaigns of all time for sure!

3. Uncharted 4 ; Naughty Dog keep impressing with the way they handle their characters. In a sense it's sad that there won't be any more Nate but what a send off! Absolutely amazing adventure with crazy good presentation.

4. Fire Emblem Fates ; As much as I want to put Fire Emblem at the top of any best of list they're stumbling somewhat as of late. The gameplay of Fates is the best it's been in a while but the story and characters seem to be getting progressively worse. I think I should have just skipped all of the conversations and it might have made it.

5. Tricky Towers ; Kudos to Weird Beard for managing to turn a new take on Tetris into a wonderful little gem of a game. Looking forward to seeing what these guys manage to come up with next!

6. Street Fighter V ; Yes, there were issues with this game. Yes, I quit playing it way sooner than I had planned to. But, if your interest in fighters is playing against your friends this is one of the best fighter in quite a few years.

 

[ZZMitch]

1. Civilization VI ; The best Civ game I have played at launch. Still rough around the edges (AI, diplomacy etc.) but I have already put 100 hours into the game so I cannot fault it too much. I will be playing this game for many years and it will only get better! I especially love the increased importance of geography/terrain and the new district system.

2. Hearts of Iron 4 ; This game, like Civ at launch, still has a lot of kinks to work out and the AI leaves much to be desired. Despite that, however, HOI4 is still really fun to play. A great World War 2 strategy game and a huge time sink for an alternate history buff like myself.

3. Duelyst ; A digital card game, similar to Hearthstone, but with the added dimension (literally) of a tile-based board where your units move around and battle. Much more skill intensive and much less RNG based than Hearthstone and it will be my main digital card game going forward.

4. Starbound ; I loved Terraria when it came out and this game takes it to the next level.

5. Stellaris ; I had super-high expectations for Paradox's foray into space strategy and was only slightly disappointed. The early game exploration phase of Stellaris is some of the best gaming experiences I had this year. The mid-game can still use a lot of work however. Like Civ 6 and HOI4, I am excited for what this game becomes in the future.

Note... none of these games are actually on the spreadsheet! I am sure they should be eligible. Starbound and Duelyst were both available to the public before 2016, but their official releases were this year.

 

[Reedirect]

Let's make this 2016 only. I don't want to have Life is Strange on top for two years straight.

1. Overwatch ; I never thought a multiplayer shooter could conquer my yearly top ten list. But then 200 hours disappeared and I still find myself drawn to its addictive gameplay and brilliant, yet simple design. Blizz has a masterpiece on their hands, one of those rare games I'll be playing for months to come.

2. Oxenfree ; A very strong teen supernatural thriller that's not afraid of being filled with long walks and long talks, supported by the most fluid in-game conversations I've ever heard. You'll only spend a couple of hours with the characters, but they definitely leave a great impression. By far the most atmospheric game of the year.

3. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Our favourite thief and scoundrel didn't disappoint with his final outing. He treats some familliar grounds, but goes through some staggering set-pieces, fantastic characters moments and visits locations so visually gorgeous, Naughty Dog made me believe in magic again.

4. Titanfall 2 ; Expected nothing, got everything I want from an FPS. Most surprising campaign of the year that keeps things fresh and interesting till the very end. Meaty MP mode, which never becomes predictable and stale.

5. Inside ; A beautiful lesson on how to tell a story through the visuals and world alone.

6. Dark Souls 3 ; After I finished Dark Souls 3, I felt like I didn't need to play a Souls game ever again. That's not a necessarily a bad thing. It feels like a definitive end to a series that forever changed the industry. And while I'm sure it's not the case, Dark Souls 3 wouldn't be a bad goodbye considering its mastery of the Souls formula.

7. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Maybe a little more was expected after five years from Human Revolution, but Jensen's European Adventure is still a thrill, which includes the year's best hub world (Prague) and many fantastic (side)quests to sink your robotic teeth in.

8. DOOM ; DOOM is a solid FPS shooter that brings back the series' charm after a very long period of downtime. Sometimes overpraised, but still a very satisfactory ride.

9. Dishonored 2 ; This game would be higher it wasn't so damn stressful all the time. A tight, challenging experience that had me at the edge of my sanity due to some bugs, while also being incredibly satisfying when learned well.

10. Tom Clancy's The Division ; Although some of its ideas are half-cooked or not very well implemented, I still had a lot fun with the co-op campaign and the Darkzone.

Honorable mentions:
Ratchet & Clank
Recore
Let It Die

Still in the running, if I finish them in time:
Final Fantasy XV
The Last Guardian

 

[Wagram]

1. Dark Souls III ; The culmination of Dark Souls went out on a very high note. As much as I liked Bloodborne, i'm very happy that Dark Souls 3 stayed true to the Souls formula and didn't try to capture everything that Bloodborne attempted to mainstream the series. Not only was it harder than Bloodborne (base), it also offered much more flexibility in combat and better bosses. FROM Software should be incredibly proud of the Souls franchise. (9.0)

2. The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine ; It's heartbreaking to me that The Witcher franchise (starring Geralt at least) is over. It's easily (in my opinion) the top western role playing series bar none. Blood and Wine was yet another example of CD Projekt Red's generosity to players with extremely well done story telling, lovable characters, fantastic music, and much more at an extremely low price point. Rest well Geralt, you deserve it. (9.0)

3. Bravely Second: End Layer ; If there's one game this year that was grossly overlooked it's Bravely Second. This is the example of a game that was passed over due to the failings of the previous entry. Everything was improved upon ranging from the story, to combat, to characters, and even the music. This was easily Square-Enix Japan's BEST JRPG this year. Take note Final Fantasy. (8.5)

4. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered ; One of the absolute best strategy JRPGs on PS3 returns after 8 years and proves it's just as amazing as it was back then. The cast of characters are so likable and the combat system is complex enough for both newcomers and veterans alike. Please, Sega, make more Valkyria in the vein of 1. (9.0)

5. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; The best moments I experienced in Uncharted 4 were the ones where I wasn't even holding a gun. It was a refreshing take as i've already played four different Uncharted's where Drake mows down endless enemies. This change may have proved divisive, but I absolutely loved it. The voice work, animations, story, and characters were all top notch. (9.0)

6. Salt and Sanctuary ; This indie title was very clearly inspired by Souls and it delivered on all fronts. For a reasonable cost I experienced 28 hours of rich content and there's several different play-styles I could choose upon for future playthroughs. Some may not like the very blatant inspiration from Souls, but I thought they did a great job putting Souls into 2D form. I would love a sequel from the folks over at Ska Studios. (8.5)

7. Gravity Rush Remastered ; If there's a game out there that deserves a second chance it's Gravity Rush. I remember playing the Vita version at the Gamestop demo kiosk (pre-release) and I didn't like the controls. I went from interested to immediately put off because I hated the controls. I bought this remaster (since it was fairly cheaply priced at launch) and I couldn't put it down. Gravity Rush is one of those games where it's simply fun to play and Kat herself is an awesome character. This is my favorite super hero related title. (8.0)

8. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; I had a lot of fun with Rise of the Tomb Raider. The story was without a doubt better than the original, but I do hope the next entry doesn't focus on hubs with endless amounts of collectables. I'm looking forward to her next adventure. (8.5)

9. World of Final Fantasy ; Being someone that has played every Final Fantasy released in the United States, it was fun to see a game pull them altogether in a mash up. It surprised me as to how much I forgot about the franchise and brought up nostalgic memories for everything that I did remember. (8.0)

10. Final Fantasy XV ; I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions with Final Fantasy XV during pre-release. I experienced those same emotions while playing it. I liked it, loved it, hated it, found it disappointing, and at times felt nothing at all. However, after playing 70 hours I can't deny that even though it is unfinished and has a myriad of problems, I did have fun with it. The combat is mostly solid, the characters are good, and the music is mostly satisfying. I'm hoping Final Fantasy XVI isn't doomed from the get go. (7.0)

 

[Hasney]

This has been the hardest year since I joined GAF. I means my list is missing XCOM2, Civil and Steallris and when I go to take something off, in just cant because they're just outside the top 10. Hell, surprised I can't find room for Darkest Dungeon or World of Final Fantasy.

 

[Steve McQueen]

It's that time of the year again and I really love reading this thread. Tbh... this thread is more valuable to me than metacritic, opencritic etc. Gonna try some games because of this thread and I always discover new gems that I somehow missed.

 

[Mikey Jr.]

1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Gorgeous game that wraps up the series and a great package overall.

2. Ratchet and Clank ; Reignited my love for this series all over again.

3. Gravity Rush Remastered ; Holy crap! Never knew I would love gravity rush as much as I did. Kat is such an awesome character, and man is that game fun to play! Here I come GR2!

4. Final Fantasy XV ; A great game, but not a true FF in my opinion. Feels more like a spinoff instead. Story feels very comprised because of the move to open world.

5. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Really fun game. I like the open environments. It's not open world, but it strikes a nice balance between what Uncharted does, and a true open world.

6. Stardew Valley ; For a period of about 2 weeks, this game was literally the only thing I could think about. So yeah, it was an ok game lol.

7. Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir ; Never played one of these games, but man, did I have a ton of fun. Gets a little repetitive though.

8. Downwell ; More addicting that heroin.

9. Dragon Quest Builders ; Hate Minecraft, loved this game.

 

[CosmicQueso]

Really good list!

Hey this is a really good list!

 

[Dundar]

1. The Last Guardian ; This game seems like it came out the day after SOTC, except something happend and it was delayed again and again. The fact that it came out, and the fact that Ueda's vision has not been compromised after all this time, is truly a gaming miracle. Having finished it 2 days ago, I'm still thinking fondly of the game and its ending.

2. The Witness ; The best puzzle game of all times, probably. The sheer satisfaction in understanding a logic is sublime, and the game is tailored so that it's never unfair with the player, in any of its puzzle. And that's a feat since there are hundreds of them. Besides, runs like a charm on a proprietary engine done specifically for this game, no Unity-cheap-ass game engine.... that's also why it's fully deserving of the 30+ dollars price of day one.

3. Furi ; Boss rush with amazing soundtrack, simple game mechanics yet the game is really ruthless with its difficulty, making real the necessity to master every single game mechanic before defeating a boss, and ensuring total satisfaction from the user who feels that he's killed the boss in a fair fight and not in a "whelp, somehow I won" way, and a mix of shoot'em'up too for added pleasure. Fantastic game!

4. Uncharted 4 A Thief's End ; Loved the single player campaign, both in length and overall polish it is unmatched. Their storytelling prowess is basically in a league of their own, and I still don't understand I they managed to keep cutscenes in real time. They're so freakingly detailed, my god, yet there's no load time or performance issue to speak of. I can't even begin to comprehend how they did it.
Played quite a lot out of the MP and I like ND's support of it.

5. Quantum Break ; I love Remedy and I loved QB. It's probably their worst game.... yet it's amazing. An highly polished TPS with a super-cool storyline hidden being some strange choices like the FMV parts, the focus on high profile actors (Sean Durrie >>> Iceman!), probably a mismanage by Microsoft anyway, and the excess of readables in the game which contain details of the storyline which may get lost.
The absence of an encounter-select option (a la Uncharted 4) hurts so much, shooting is amazing (it's a Remedy game allright) but there's so few shootouts in the game :/

6. Doom ; RIP. TEAR. I'M STILL NOT DONE

7. Inside ; Incredibly polished experience, it's not a game design wonder, being a more refined Limbo-kind-of-game, but it's still amazing and thought provoking.

8. Ratchet & Clank ; My first R&C game, I'd love to experience some more. The sheer "poetic of destruction" and firing those awesome weapons was a pretty good feeling! I'd like a more cohesive narration in a sequel, anyway, this one gets the pass being tied to the movie but I think Insomniac can do even better.

9. Firewatch ; Amazing walking simulator, art by Olly Moss (so talented, I'm jelly), amazing voice over and atmosphere. Even loved the ending, I feel like it gives the games its purpose instead of a generic good or bad ending. Whatever Camposanto does next, I'm in.

10. Day of the Tentacle remastered ; By far the best Tim Shafer game (sorry, Grim fandango) reborn with amazing 2d high definition graphics, remastered audio, and probably what are the best puzzle in a Lucasarts adventure game, both intuitive yet never too simple. Funny as the first time, a timeless classic imho.

 

[lt519]

What a year for games, I’ve left so many wonderful games off my Top Ten and have had to be so overly critical of some great games. Anytime I’m considering leaving off Titanfall 2 of a Top 10 list has been an amazing year. I’ve played a total 30 games this year, 26 new to 2016.

1. Pocket Card Jockey; the other game by GameFreak this year. Pocket Card Jockey is a little adorable charismatic game that is devilishly addictive and insanely deep. The simple concept of solitaire with some twists and strategic horse racing make for a simple gameplay hook that grabs hold and won’t let go. Solitaire at its core is simple but becomes strategic when you throw in horse skills, power-ups, and a risk reward of more difficult shuffles adding to a bigger boost for your horse. The racing itself is simple, drag your horse into position and save up your endurance for the final sprint. That is until you consider your horse has a personality that prefers different positions in relation to other horses, has a comfort zone in relation to the pack, and a peak during the race all the while managing your burst out of the gate, positioning for turns and the home stretch. Then when you are done racing enjoy breeding your breadwinners to create better and better horses to final take home the big race!

2. Pokemon GO; Ho boy, the first game I've ever got my wife into. I was never really able to share gaming with her until now. Something I played (walked) for hours and hours on end, got me to commit to fitness, and brought me together with more friends than I normally would have reached out to. Flaws and all, living in a city, the craze was real and warranted. Hordes of people walking around, sharing tips with each other is something I'll never forget. Really, the game itself wasn't that fun and the issues have been awful but it has the most off the chart intangibles I've ever seen from a game. There's just something there that isn't explainable but really made my summer so much more enjoyable.

3. Ratchet & Clank; Every year there is a game that comes along that reminds me why I love video games so much. Ratchet & Clank was that game this year and from start to finish brought such a smile to my face. Beating a game 3 times in a row is a testament to it’s great gameplay, stunning graphics, and fantastic level design. The Groovitron may be the best weapon in a game, period.

4. Batman Arkham VR; I am Batman. VR was a big bust for me this year, but Batman was almost worth the price of admission alone. Without spoiling the experience for others, donning the cape and solving an incredibly well crafted mystery was a surreal experience. Looking down at my bat belt, grabbing a batarang and throwing it at a target will never ever ever get old.

5. Alienation; Housemarque sure knows how to make a frenetically paced game with eye melting graphics. Their follow up to Resogun is just as tightly controlled and satisfying to pull off death defying escapes against all odds. With a decent loot mechanic, fun enemies, challenging difficulty, online co-op, and great post release support this is an easy pick for my Top 5. Running through the Mothership with 3 others, testing your strength against hordes of aliens, has never been so fun.

6. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End; I absolutely love popcorn movies, especially ones with deceivingly good stories. Uncharted 4 is the video game incarnation of that. It is exactly the spectacle I was hoping it would be. I found the gunplay and platforming lackluster but the game play set pieces are still the best in the business, by a mile. The story was heartfelt, had some good twists, and kept moving at a brisk pace. Oh and not to mention it is the best voice acting and visuals in a game to date.

7. Final Fantasy XV; If this game had an semblance of a cohesive story this would have been Game of the Year. A complete drag of a final third along with massive holes and clearly cut (incomplete) content nearly killed the game for me. And then I got back to the post game, the beautiful Open World, and the bromance that made the first 2/3rds so much fun. The combat system could use some work, the AI is largely useless, but it was still surprisingly fun fighting giant scale enemies in real time. The dungeons were some of the best in recent Final Fantasy memory. It’s a game I look back at, have a lot of complaints for, but ultimately loved. There’s a magic here that makes the game great and had it been fully capitalized on it would have been amazing.

8. The Witness; It took a while to click, I found it pretentious and often obtuse, but the intrigue and visuals kept me going. Boy am I glad I kept going. Underneath the surface of the simple line puzzles you find in the world is an incredibly brilliant game design. Environmental puzzles were one of the greatest surprises of the year for me and were a blast hunting down. The Challenge was also my favorite skill based Trophy of the year. Color-blindness and difficult audio puzzles held it back a little.

9. Picross 3D Round 2; I’m a logic puzzle game junky and Picross 3D Round 2 is the purest form of that I’ve played this generation. It strips away all the layers of graphics, story, etc to deliver pure puzzling bliss. As an avid Picross fan, this game is exceedingly difficult and it’s new twists with multiple colors adds a layer of complexity that really really taxes one’s mental faculty.

10. Oxenfree; I only just finished this now, but also having beat INSIDE in the same week I can safely say I enjoyed Oxenfree a lot more. It just had that whole Stranger Things childhood sci-fi adventure going on with the right amount of creepiness and humor mixed together. The music and dialogue were top notch and I just really had a lot of fun with the story and dialog choices. I plan on playing it again to search out the collectibles and learn more about the island and the motivations, but mostly so I can play through again as a total jerk and see what happens. I had to knock TMS #FE off the list for this, and that was a really tough choice, but ultimately the fun factor of Oxenfree makes it deserving of my Top 10.

Honorable Mentions:
x. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE; The plot and theme really threw me off. A funny dialog and upbeat nature did help it stand out from the rest of the crowd but it never entirely clicked. What did click was an incredibly fun combat system that was a joy to watch play out. The game did drag in the latter parts, like the other RPG on my list, but the Fire Emblem lore and battle system elevated it enough to be one of my favorite RPGs of the year.

x. Titanfall 2; Solely on Titanfall 2’s magnificent single player campaign. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed an FPS campaign since Goldeneye and this one pulled it off. Mixing Titan and Pilot gameplay at a breakneck pace with great level variety and one of the coolest gameplay gimmicks of the year left me grinning ear to ear at the end of the campaign. The BT and Pilot relationship was very charming.

x. INSIDE; Stunning looking game, controls well, sounds absolutely fantastic, fantastic message. But ultimately it wasn't really "fun" to play. It was such a great game, but its not something I have any interest in touching again.

x. VEV; My second favorite VR game. A relaxing trip at the microscopic level, until you are being chased by immuno-globulins and performing moves often reserved for aerial dog fights.

x. The Division; Ugh was the PvP a mess. I absolutely loved the first trip through the PvE with my 3 buddies, but without an end game The Division quickly fell off my radar.

x. Destiny: Rise of Iron; A great expansion, but really just left me wanting Destiny 2.

x. Tomb Raider 20th; Bow hunting and fun tombs make up for a horrendous story.

x. No Man’s Sky; Ignoring the hype and taking it for what it is, No Man’s Sky was an interesting experiment. I look forward to playing the full game in a couple years.

x. Abzu; Breathtakingly beautiful and relaxing. A bit short but an absolute stunner.

x. Brut@l; Creative concept with crushing difficulty that really puts you on edge, but ultimately a bit repetitive.

 

[Jonneh3003]

1. The Last Guardian ; one of the most well craft and emotionally involved games ever created, truly worth the wait in every conceivable way. A masterpiece even by Team Ico standards.

2. Tokyo Mirage Sessions ; surprisingly the best RPG of the year, a truly memorable take on Atlus's role playing games and I can't wait to see where the series goes next.

3. Bravely Second ; the first game is in my opinion a near perfect RPG, the only thing holding it back? The fluff. That's Bravely second, Bravely default without the fluff.

4. Overwatch ; I'm not a Blizzard fan by any stretch of the imagination but Overwatch is pure unadulterated fun.

5. Doom ; proof that purely single player first person shooters can still be a blast in this day and age. It's as good as the original but doesn't try too hard to walk in its shadow.

6. Dark Souls 3 ; the series is getting a little dry but it's hard to get much better than Souls. I'm sure if I hadn't already played through the other 4 entries this would have been my game of the year. A truly brilliant game that treads familiar ground.

7. Street Fighter V ; say what you will, this is the best Street Fighter. From the day it launched the core fighting mechanics were so strong, even if it was lacking in other areas.

8. Pokemon Sun and Moon ; Some of the best entries the series has seen so far, Sun and Moon take a familiar formula and turn it on its back in surprising and engaging ways.

9. Uncharted 4 ; Great end to a great series, I felt it had some pacing issues but it's hard to deny how great it is as an overall package.

10. Paper Mario Color Splash ; don't judge a book by its cover and don't throw away ideas. Reevaluate and refined. Colour Splash is living proof that we as fans don't know what we want.

 

[Justinh]

1. Titanfall 2 ; Such a magnificent game. Everything is fun with this game. The campaign was great, the multiplayer is great, even the paid DLC cosmetic stuff was handled in a great way IMO (I mean... in comparison to loot boxes. To quote Jim Sterling "You pay for what you want, you get them, and that’s that."). Hoping that co-op mode makes its way over soon. I liked that mode in the first game.

2. Doom ; I effing loved this game. In fact I loved it more than Titanfall 2! Why is it 2 instead of 1 then? I agree with the idea that if a game is great in every aspect of itself, and another game is greater in one (single player), even if it's the "main course" yet lacking in another (multiplayer), then the game with all the goods deserves the win. I didn't hate the multiplayer like most, but I still must concede that it's nowhere on the level as Titanfall 2. I'm hoping they can tweak it so it's more fun to play. I hoping more though, for an Episode 2 DLC expansion.

3. Inside ; Such a fascinating adventure following this boy. It might be cliche to say, but I felt like it was the perfect length (despite it taking me a week to finish because I would get stressed out and would need breaks from the game). I adore games with this kind of mystery and storytelling.

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine ; I loved the Witcher 3, and I loved the DLC even more than the base game. Although I thought Blood and WIne was weaker than Hearts of Stone, I still think it was an amazing expansion with a whole new area to discover and a strong story to keep goading me into playing 'till wee hours of the morning.

5. Forza Horizon 3 ; I tend to prefer the Forza Motorsport series to the Forza Horizon series after the original Forza Horizon because I don't too much like the driving through fields in 2 and 3, but this game is just so much fun, it looks gorgeous, and I love the music (this game got me to buy an album for the first time since... 2006ish. I've just been listening to old stuff like Coheed & Cambria, Thrice, and Thursday, not that I've been stealing music or anything like that)

6. The Witness ; I have only played this game for a few hours now, but damn those few hours made me a believer of the praise for this game. At first, all I could think was "It's just a bunch of line puzzles! What's wrong with people?" In the brief time I've played of the game so far though, I've had more "What? Why didn't this work this time? Oohhh, I see what's going on now!" moments (which are so satisfying) than any other game I can remember.

7. Quantum Break ; I think this game doesn't get much love outside of GAF, I loved this game though. I thought I was going to be bored to tears with the stupid TV show cutscenes as I tend to skip cutscenes in games unless I'm way into them, but I found them really interesting to watch despite them being cheesy and corny as the SciFi channel reminiscent story had me kinda intrigued (that's SciFi channel, not SyFy) . I found the gameplay to be very fun too, once I let go of typical third-person cover shooter habits and laid waste while using time powers.

Honorable Mentions
x. Recore ; I thought this game was a blast to play in the beginning. I soon felt like it was a drag later on, even though I going out of my way from the beginning to find things.
x. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; I loved this game on Xbox One. I loved it more on PC for the faster refresh rate, better visuals, and much improved controller response. I just don't like voting for rereleases of games.
x. Dead Rising ; Same with this. I love the first Dead Rising, and I finally found a good way to get the "Saint" achievement easily (for me) and immediately went back to the 360 game to get it there the next day, lol. The game never felt better, and I love that it's been freed of the Xbox 360, and has finally been ported to the PC (I played the Xbox One version, though...)


I was planning to edit my post later on solely for the purpose of "purtying up" my post (I think I wanna take my own screenshots). Is this acceptable?

 

[isaacnukem]

1. The Last Guardian ; A marvelous piece of gamemaking, Ueda's strongest storytelling to date, and a game for all the ages, as timeless as Ico and Shadow of the Colossus before it.

2. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered ; My passion for strategy games are fleeting wild moments, only a handful of them have made me fall madly addicted, ignoring virtually everything else when I play them. Valkyria Chronicles has been hyped to the moon and back, so when I was finally able to play it, I was so happy that it was another one of those strategy games that find a special place in my heart. Fantastic characters, gripping story, an amazing strategy gameplay, not to forget the outstanding soundtrack, this game is a bonafide classic.

3. Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma ; Dividing fans of the series more than ever, the introduction of fully animated cutscenes gave the series its most intense and visceral outing to date, and the story did the series justice as a final chapter, critics be damned.

4. Dark Souls III ; The weakest entry in From Software's storied action RPG line of titles starting back from Demon's Souls is still leagues better than most games released this year. Even though it feels like the series is starting to show its age, moments of brilliance still shine through.

 

[chadskin]

1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; From start to finish, from story to gameplay to audio and visuals, Naughty Dog delivered a near-perfect single player campaign with a much appreciated greater focus on story as well as on the characters we've come to know and love over the years.
2. Firewatch
3. The Last Guardian
4. Forza Horizon 3
5. INSIDE
6. Quantum Break
7. Fragments of Him
8. Oxenfree
9. Ratchet & Clank
10. Virginia

Honorable mentions:
x. ABZU
x. Orwell
x. RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic ; Fantastic port of one of my all-time favorite games, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, to mobile devices.

 

[ZZMitch]

Hey this is a really good list!

Haha thanks! Seems like PC strategy game fans are pretty rare on this forum

 

[SuperInuit]

1) The Last Guardian - stellar level design, storytelling, beautiful visuals, and Trico; the greatest partner I've ever experienced in a game.

2) Dishonored 2 - brilliant level design and encounter design, true player agency and some sheer genius throughout.

3) Titanfall 2 - fun, frenetic and inventive - like the mario galaxy of FPS

4) Deus Ex Mankind Divided - engaging world, brilliant player agency and a wonderful aesthetic

5) Inside - dense atmosphere, fantastic animation and storytelling.

6) The Witness - makes me feel like a moron and a genius in equal measure!

7) Stardew Valley - best harvest moon ever

8) Thumper - tense, gripping, horrifying and one hell of a soundtrack

9) Firewatch - beautiful story about a mid life crisis, gut wrenching opening and some of the best dialogue in the medium, and a ballsy ending which totally skews expectations.

10) Dark Souls 3 - more souls, with Bloodborne's adrenaline fuelled gameplay.


Honourable mentions:
Doom - great fun, but got a bit too intense for me towards the end

Steep - far more enjoyable than it has any right to be

 

[Vic_Viper]

1. Final Fantasy XV ; Might be the only one but I LOVED this game! Most played game on my list by far. Yea the story was a bit thin but the gameplay alone makes this my GOTY. It never ends! Been playing for 60 hours at this point and I still have soo much stuff to do.

2. Deus Ex Mankind Divided ; If it wasnt for the smaller scale story in this game compared to HR, it would have been my #1 pick. This game was such a huge improvement over HR which is a shame since the story didnt improve also.

3. Doom ; Cannot believe how good this game is. Who would have thought after Doom 3 that this game could have been this much fun!

4. Titanfall 2 ; Best Multiplayer shooter in years. Loved this original but really wanted a single player campaign. Wasnt expecting though to have this awesome campaign filled with crazy portal esc mechanics.

5. Overwatch ; Team Fortress 2 with an awesome roster of characters. What more could you want?

6.Quantum Break ; This game might not make it into alot of top 10 lists this year but I think it still deserves some attention. The story was really cool and the gameplay was super fun. Wish it was a little longer though.

7. Battlefield 1 ; Going back to WW1 era for this Shooter was such a smart decision. With a FPS market full of near future shooters, this game was such a refreshing change.

8. Hyper Light Drifter ; Best Indie game ive played in years. After years of waiting, this game went above and beyond what I was expecting it to.

9. Hitman ; So much fun and some of the best stealth sandboxes ive played in. Not as good as Deus Ex but its not even trying too anymore. Hitman has become something completely new that we havent seen a game do in a long time.

10. I Am Setsuna ; This last game is on here because of my love for Chrono Trigger. It felt so great to playing this type of game again after not playing a game like it in years. Like riding a bike.


Honorable Mentions:

X. Dark Souls III
X. Va-11 Hall-a
X. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
X. Dragon Ball Fusions
X. Rise of the Tomb Raider
X.SMT IV Apocalypse
X. Tokyo Mirage Sessions

 

[Cheesemeister]

Is that because I put a number two at the start? Well, thank you for finding that.

Yes. The parser is flexible in order to pick up some misformatted ballots, but sometimes produces false positives like this. I probably would've caught it if it weren't at the last minute. Sorry about that. Please don't start lines with numbers if not posting a ballot to avoid this.

 

[op_ivy]

God damn, give dirt rally more love

 

[CosmicQueso]

Haha thanks! Seems like PC strategy game fans are pretty rare on this forum

Yeah PC Strategy and Sports game fans are way under represented on GAF. Do you play any turn based strategy from slitherine? There are so many strategy war games I can't even figure out where to start. I loved Panzer General II back in the day, can't seem to find a game that scratches that same itch. Know of any?

 

[ZZMitch]

Yeah PC Strategy and Sports game fans are way under represented on GAF. Do you play any turn based strategy from slitherine? There are so many strategy war games I can't even figure out where to start. I loved Panzer General II back in the day, can't seem to find a game that scratches that same itch. Know of any?

No I haven't! I got into the genre with Paradox with the Europa Universalis series so have mostly focused on those types of games so far. There are a few smaller scale war games like Panzer General that I have played some. Give Ultimate General: Gettysburg a try if the Civil War setting interests you! Also the Three Moves Ahead podcast is a good resource for these types of war games.

 

[A Link to the Past]

Is Another Metroid II Remake eligible for inclusion?

 

[Primethius]

Is Another Metroid II Remake eligible for inclusion?

Believe earlier it was posted that unofficial stuff is not.

 

[Wollan]

2016 has been the strongest year in videogame technology since the advent of polygonal 3D graphics in the 90’s. The incredibly polished & benchmark setting production that is Uncharted 4, Virtual Reality technology best demoed by the HTC Vice and what I consider to be the first proper foray into AR thanks to Pokémon GO. My list:

1. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End ; If you own a PS4 you need to have this in your collection. It’s overwhelming how well Uncharted 4 manages to excel on practically every front. Narrative structure, tight action gameplay sandbox, wide-linear worlds, variety & length, animation & physics, audio… Articles could be written about all of these aspects though ultimately it's the personal moments and characters you will end up remembering the most. It’s a power demonstration in videogame production and it’s my favorite in the franchise and while a really strong and bittersweet ending helps add a lasting impression I also feel the last third of the campaign was one of the most thrilling takes on the Heart of Darkness in all of gaming.

2. The Last Guardian ; Trico is the most accomplished A.I companion in interactive entertainment. His extraordinary natural behavior, unmatched animation and belonging with his surroundings was never once disturbed by any oddity in my dozen hours playing. Incredible craftsmanship. The story arc is really well executed with a finite scope and I really came to appreciate the smartly implemented narration and how well it worked as a guide but also for it’s wit and insights. The boy is a very likeable character but the game is unfortunately not so well executed control & camera wise but don’t let that deter you. Some of the set pieces & spectacle in this are mouth-agape stunning and the game is surprisingly dark and violent in segments. A highly emotional ride and a classic. A decade in production yet still ahead of its time.

3. Pokémon GO ; I ran 100 km during the initial two weeks of release back in July. I greeted married couples that were busy discovering Pokémon in hiking tracks on the outskirts of Edinburgh. I competed in Pokémon gyms against school kids. I associated real locations with types of Pokémons found and I learned not to play during the afternoon rush and servers crashing which had me going for jogs past midnight. Playing this game I felt I was experiencing a truly important moment in the medium like the first time I played Minecraft or Demon’s Souls or my first ever MMO. I consider Pokémon GO my first foray into AR gaming not due to it’s simple camera gimmick (that one quickly turns off) but due to it’s real world gps mapping and the social moments. A Pokémon MMO has been requested for a decade but somehow its launch took us all by surprise.

4. Doom ; Demo felt safe & polished and boring. After sufficient great word of mouth months after release I finally decided to pick this up and I ended up having a blast. Sure, the demo segments and early parts were still safe and boring but at a certain point you will have earned a deck of abilities with the game constantly presenting you with larger and larger white-knuckle arena showdowns that just clicks perfectly. The operatic showdowns in Hell was a thing of FPS gameplay nirvana. While its 90's roots is a large source of inspiration I would say it owes almost as much to Devil May Cry. Post-Carmack ID Software has managed to make Doom relevant again and for the sequel I will be there day one.

5. Overwatch ; The Street Fighter of multiplayer shooters with a highly iconic ensemble of characters that all play uniquely. I don’t play multiplayer shooters anymore (haven’t really done it intensely for a decade+) but this game grabbed me for a couple of weeks and I’ve since double-dipped on it digitally with it having a permanent spot on my PS4 HDD. I want to see where this develops. It’s a delight how Blizzard has been able to iterate on the FPS genre with fresh eyes.

6. REZ Infinite ; I have owned REZ before but I never bothered to finish it (despite its short running time). On PSVR however this finally came into its own for me and I was bobbing my body with the rhythm and being completely enveloped in its world. Then you unlock Area X and the visuals melt your eyes. Highly compelling experience.

7. The Lab ; The Lab showcased the potential of VR in an incredible fashion and provided me with the greatest technological jawdrop since first witnessing 3D polygonal graphics in Toshinden and Mario 64. The arrow minigame is a slice of gameplay perfection with it’s truly convincing haptic feedback (they really need to make a full game with these mechanics) and the photogrammetrically created mountain scenery where I was throwing stick with a robotic dog made me burst out in laughter of pure awe.

8. Lucky’s Tale ; Demonstrated in great fashion how an existing genre can be augmented using VR. It’s important to note that Lucky’s Tale is fundamentally a surprisingly polished platformer (this is no Knack) controlled with a traditional gamepad, but the seriously impressive VR implementation lifts it to another level with a highly immersive yet comfortable camera implementation that plays with various elements such as miniaturization and lighting. It’s fun, it’s polished, it’s a full-on game and not an ‘experience’. Owning all the VR platforms out there and having played most of the acclaimed games throughout the year I still feel this is one of the very best.

9. Clash Royale ; Instant match-making and small bite-sized yet deeply strategic battles makes this one of the best pure gameplay standouts of the year. While this is a F2P game I ended up pouring more money into this than a boxed game and it almost frightened me how much it hooked me (even when I had mentally prepared beforehand) so I ended up deleting it. Lots of activities to put your hands on and deeply satisfying to play.

10. Chronos ; This is a solid adventure feeling like a light mixture of Onimusha & Zelda Twilight Princess. It has rarely any music but rather quiet and ambient background noise with interesting scenery and fixed camera positions. That combined with plenty of sword action, a light upgrade system and puzzle solving gave me a flashback to the former title mentioned. It’s in the latter parts it starts to remind you of the Zelda TTP endgame. Like Lucky’s Tale this is another existing genre that is lifted thanks to the implementation of VR though this one had a less dramatic implementation. Very atmospheric.

Honorable mentions: Titanfall 2, Battlefield 1, Tethered, Edge of Nowhere, Vanishing Realms, Final Fantasy XV, The Division, Devil Daggers, Headmaster, Batman Arkham VR, Super Mario Run.
Backlog: Shenzhen I/O, Watch_Dogs 2, Darkest Dungeon, The Witness.

 

[A Link to the Past]

Believe earlier it was posted that unofficial stuff is not.

Okay, thank you.

 

[Bishop89]

I didnt even get around to playing doom even though ive had it since launch.... -.-
There were a lot of games I haven't bought/played this year. Watch dogs, mafia, The last guardian, final fantasy 15
Honestly I struggled to pick a #1, but decided on Deus Ex cause it needs more love!

1. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; I loved Human Revolution. Probably my GOTY for 2011. This game builds on HR. I loved how open Prague was, being able to go into a lot of buildings, vents, breakable walls, secret passages etc.. but I wasn't a fan of the actual setting visually. I wish we had gotten something like Shanghai in HR. I thought the story was very interesting, the side-quests were a lot of fun and the characters were great. Jensen being a badass as he always is. The music was great but I thought weaker than HR. The MP mode was pretty awful and it soured me a little bit.
Also, the piss filter should never have left..

2. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; What a finale for the series, as far as ND is concerned. I feel it lacked in set pieces which is one of the reasons you'd play an uncharted game, and as people have previously mentioned it does have a lot of downtime. However the characters and visuals are the best around and the times there actually is combat, it nails it with its dynamic gameplay.

3. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth ; Simply put, a better pokemon game than pokemon. Super charming and heaps of fun. Catching and leveling up digimon is way more fun and less grindy than the pokemon games.

4. Titanfall 2 ; I didn't really like the MP, that and the community is sorta dead'ish. The campaign on the other-hand, holy shit balls!! So much fun, no bloat whatsoever. Zampella and co prove yet again why they are among the best when it comes to cinematic and fun campaigns.
BT was also one of the coolest characters this year.

5. Battlefield 1 ; There is no denying the game is pretty shallow, with a lack of customization it is really noticeable especially coming off its predecessor. Still, its a blast to play and one of the best looking games out there. The campaign is utter shit though.

6. Ratchet & Clank ; The original R&C is one of my all-time favourite games, so it was a given i was going to love this. I wish the story wasn't slightly altered as I prefer the original, and some of the levels were missing which i liked a lot too. But there is no denying this is one of the most gorgeous games out there, extremely solid gameplay mixed in with humour.

7. Street Fighter V ; A few launch problems can be ignored when the gameplay is so good. Probably the best combat system in the franchise (though I still have a soft spot for SFA2). The music is perfectly remixed, the graphics are great.

8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered ; Still a solid game, 9 years on. The MP is as good as it was back then, the campaign is still great and everything about it is just top tier gold.

9. Gravity Rush Remastered ; I had the original on the vita, but it just never hooked me. To be honest I don't really like playing 3D games on my vita which aren't turn based because it just doesnt feel good like it does on a dualshock controller. So i bought this and i loved everything about it. I reckon they could have probably used a better colour palette though. Traversing around was so much fun. Music was great too.

10. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse ; What a fun little title. This was a surprise hit for me. Its exceptionally fun, funny and super charming. Loved it and cant wait to get around to the new one.

 

[NYmanutd]

1.The Last Guardian; Unique, Emotional, storytelling at its finest,epic,masterpiece,an instant classic.
Without a doubt the greatest game i have ever played.

2.Ratchet and Clank;Gorgeous to look at, insanely fun to play.

3.Uncharted 4; A well deserved farewell to drake.

 

[NathanDiego]

1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I truly love this game,since I have played became one of my all time favorite games and by far my GOTG
2. The Last Guardian ; The waiting was worth
3. Hitman ; Blood Money is one of my top 10 PS2's games,and this surpassed it,thats enough to me
4. Final Fantasy XV ;
5. Ratchet & Clank ;
6. the Witness ;
7. Inside ;
8. Battlefield 1 ;
9. XCOM 2 ;
10. Firewatch ;

x. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 ;

 

[DrD]

1. Titanfall 2 ; The king of movement of any FPS I've played on consoles. Unlike my second and third picks, Titanfall 2 has both a fantastic campaign and a fantastic multiplayer.
2. Overwatch ; My most played game this year and the one that got me back into multiplayer games. I love the character designs as well.
3. DOOM ; The best combat of any FPS I've played in a long time.
4. Stardew Valley ; A really addicting game and by far the most relaxing game on my list.
5. Furi ; Insanely fun and intense. We need more action games and this is a damn good one.

 

[Otherspacing]

1. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ; I didn't think much of this game before launch. My expectations were really low, I thought it was just going to be really dumb. And it kind of is, but it has so much heart to compensate for that, a lot of detail was put into the battle system, the characters, blending in Fire Emblem and SMT in one game that I couldn't really get mad at it, it was a blast to play through it. Really memorable, even if really corny at times.

2. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse ; I really enjoyed SMT IV, but Apocalypse is just better, it's great to see an RPG that has your character reach levels as high as 99 in the main quest. Characters are pretty good this time around too, their use in battle this time adds real strategic value to boss fights. The only reason I'm not putting this in my first position is that the last dungeon was not in the same quality level as the rest of the game, and I thought the compendium was a touch expensive this time around, it felt Atlus really wanted me to buy the Macca DLC when playing it.

3. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I'm not really a fan of the first Uncharted trilogy. I think they are mediocre games with good graphics. This game was also a good surprise. The "spongeness" of enemies was toned down from old entries, stealth mechanics were introduced to make the game more varied, and the pacing is pretty good.

4. Overwatch ; Pure multiplayer goodness, My experience is akin to the fun I had with Splatoon in 2015.

5. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice ; Even if this was still not on the same level of the original trilogy, I still had a great time with it. There are some writing issues like the previous entry, but I honestly can't say the cases were boring this time around.

6. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Good game, better than the first due to more open environments and less tedious combat.

7. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse ; Fun metroidvania, it made me interested in checking out the rest of the franchise.

I'm always playing stuff from previous years along with the new releases, my lists will never reach 10 games.

 

[Wensih]

Believe earlier it was posted that unofficial stuff is not.

This seems like a silly rule, especially for a site that's not beholden to a corporate relationship.

 

[Jim_Cacher]

1. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ; I didn't thought much of this game before launch. My expectations were really low, I thought it was just going to be really dumb. And it kind of is, but it has so much heart to compensate for that, a lot of detail was put into the battle system, the characters, blending in Fire Emblem and SMT in one game that I couldn't really get mad at it, it was a blast to play through it. Really memorable, even if really corny at times.

2. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse ; I really enjoyed SMT IV, but Apocalypse is just better, it's great to see an RPG that has your character reach levels as high as 99 in the main quest. Characters are pretty good this time around too, their use in battle this time adds real strategic value to boss fights. The only reason I'm not putting this in my first position is that the last dungeon was not in the same quality level as the rest of the game, and I thought the compendium was a touch expensive this time around, it felt Atlus really wanted me to buy the Macca DLC when playing it.

3. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I'm not really a fan of the first Uncharted trilogy. I think they are mediocre games with good graphics. This game was also a good surprise. The "spongeness" of enemies was toned down from old entries, stealth mechanics were introduced to make the game more varied, and the pacing is pretty good.

4. Overwatch ; Pure multiplayer goodness, My experience is akin to the fun I had with Splatoon in 2015.

5. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice ; Even if this was still not on the same level of the original trilogy, I still had a great time with it. There are some writing issues like the previous entry, but I honestly can't say the cases were boring this time around.

6. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Good game, better than the first due to more open environments and less tedious combat.

7. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse ; Fun metroidvania, it made me interested in checking out the rest of the franchise.

I'm always playing stuff from previous years along with the new releases, my lists will never reach 10 games.

I am playing Spirit of Justice, currently finished Case 3. I think, up to this point, it surpasses the writing of both 1 and 2, and Case 3 is one of the best cases in the series. If the remaining two cases stay strong, I think it will be my GOTY.

 

[lt519]

Shit I knew I was forgetting something important, forgot Pokemon GO. That's gotta go on my list but I have no clue what to take off ):

 

[Ekai]

Wait- are games that are re-releases on a system they weren't on previously eligible for ranking? It would change my list somewhat.

 

[Deserted Maniac Island]

1. Overwatch ; A meticulously designed shooter, that can cater to most play styles. The character designs become quickly iconic and enjoyed how inclusive the characters are (My Favorites are Pharah and D.Va). I like how the game is constantly changing, with new things and modes to play with. Kept me hooked for more than a 100 hours.
   
2. Pokemon Sun and Moon ; Even though I have not finished this game yet, the game is just joy to play. I haven't been drawn to a Pokemon game since the Red/Blue, until this game. Sun/Moon has the right balance between new and old ideas, I had a sense of nostalgia for the older games but still excited about the new ideas (Like the shrine challenges). The game provides a relaxing trip through a wonderfully designed world, with an upbeat attitude that is very welcome this year.
   
3. Inside ; Masterfully designed puzzle platform, brought back memories of the first time playing Super Metroid, because of the sense of discovery and the atmosphere of the world. The game was a stressful journey (I played the game in one-sitting), yet fulfilling experience. The world and mechanics are explained through the natural progression of gameplay, not through cutscenes or tutorials. Gameplay mechanics are introduced and then eventually expanded upon, leading me to say "This is really clever!" out loud several times. Inside doesn't punish experimentation, because of the use of sensible checkpoints, which makes solving puzzles enjoyable and satisfying. This game is going to stay with me for years to come.
   
4. DOOM ; A fun self-aware romp through hell. I had zero expectation for this game, but came out very pleasantly surprised. The combat is not only very fun, but deep as well. The glory kill system made the combat feel more fluid and tactile, I have to engage with enemies close up to get ammo and armor. The irreverent story ties all the elements together, just the term "Demoniac Invasion in Progress." is great. Although I'm disappointed that the multiplayer is mediocre and generic.
   
5. Titanfall 2 ; Another first-person shooter with tight controls and mechanics. I loved the structure of the single player, akin to a Mario Galaxy, introducing new gameplay mechanics around the great movement and controls of the main character. The story, while not a amazingly inventive plot, was great at creating a connection between Cooper (The player) and BT. The ending did a great job of connecting all the different sections of the single player, and concluded the story emotionally well.
   The multiplayer is awesome. The inclusion of the A.I. in Attrition and Bounty Hunt changes the gameplay so it's more inclusive to less experiences and gives the sense that the matches are bigger. Of course the movement is great, pulling of a wall slide into a slide kill feels badass. Also it's great to see skillful movement as a key component of the gameplay
   
6. Final Fantasy XV ; Although a deeply flawed game, I thoroughly enjoyed this game. The relationship between Noctis and his friends is portrayed well, with a lot of ambient flavor dialogue. Combat is handled really well, simple in the way it controls, but challenging and complex (Positioning, Warping, Parrying and managing party member and items). There are little moments in the story that I found powerful (The little time you spend with
   Spoiler

   Iris, doing side quests with her and telling you how she's going to miss the guys
   I found touching). Chapter 13 is bad and the story is missing integral parts, but overall the game is a great journey, that columnated in a well executed ending (In terms of emotional impact, not plot).
   
7. Rhythm Heaven Megamix ; A great rhythm game that is visually interesting (Plucking the beard of an onion is pretty cool) and satisfyingly challenging. The game is simple, with most games only requiring the use of A button The game is composed of several old and new mini games. I found the game to be challenging, but not frustrating. The moment a mini game clicks feels awesome, but the challenge of figuring out the rhythm is also fun. Also this game reminds me of Wario Ware, which always a positive!
   
8. Fire Emblem Fates ; The story may have been disappointing (Not to the extent of the people), but the gameplay remains interesting and challenging. The change to the weapon triangle changed the gameplay a bit, but still the overall tactical RPG gameplay is still really fun.
   
9. The Witness ; The other game I haven't beaten but still had a big impression me. The puzzles were really engaging, because my abilities at solving puzzles improved as the game went on. The design of the world is excellent, creating a cool sense of mystery.
   
10. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Fantastic game due to it's story telling and impressive art and visual design, but the gameplay is still lackluster. This game has impressive attention to detail, from the animations to environmental design and dialogue. The story was paced well and has well executed twists (I loved the ending
    Spoiler

    Walking in the house as Nate and Elena's daughter was a great slow final chapter.
    ). However, too many times I'm forced to walk and look at the environment, which is okay but is oddly paced with the set pieces and gun battles. While the game provides more freedom with the grappling hook and stealth elements, but I felt the shooting was adequate, not amazing. The ludo-narrative dissonance (I know it's a trite term, but certainly implies here) is hard to ignore, which is indicative of the conflict between high budget gameplay and well written stories. However, I still very much enjoyed this game, despite it's flaws.
    

Honorable mention:
x ; Stardew Valley

Overall this year has been pretty great for video games, with a varied mix of great game coming out throughout the year. I still need to play Inside, more of Hitman and Dishonored 2.

Edit: Removed Stardew Valley, added Inside

 

[Primethius]

Wait- are games that are re-releases on a system they weren't on previously eligible for ranking? It would change my list somewhat.

Yes, a game like Life is Strange on PS4 or Dragon's Dogma on PC are both eligible.

 

[Shahed]

What about different region releases? For example the first Trails of Cold Steel released in America last year, but for us Europeans it was this year. It's not on the list but can we not still vote for it?

 

[Otherspacing]

I am playing Spirit of Justice, currently finished Case 3. I think, up to this point, it surpasses the writing of both 1 and 2, and Case 3 is one of the best cases in the series. If the remaining two cases stay strong, I think it will be my GOTY.

I just feel they try to write too many characters at once, Phoenix, Apollo and Athena all at once is a bit much. The original trilogy feels more consistent with the overarching character development.

But yes, it's a great game, maybe someday I'll be able to adapt to the post-Takumi Ace Attorney universe. lol

 

[BannedEpisode]

1. Overwatch ; I put by far the most time into OW this year out of everything I played in 2016. A blast with friends and endlessly entertaining.

2. Doom ; One of the best FPS campaigns I've ever played

3. Stardew Valley ; Charming, addicting, and impressive for what it is.

4. Uncharted 4 ; A great send off and rebound for a great series

5. VA-11 Hall-A ; Curveball here, first time playing a visual novel and really appreciated the fresh experience. The game has a lot of problems with its voice/dialogue but overall strikes an awesome aesthetic. Very comfy game.

 

[Jim_Cacher]

I just feel they try to write too many characters at once, Phoenix, Apollo and Athena all at once is a bit much. The original trilogy feels more consistent with the overarching character development.

But yes, it's a great game, maybe someday I'll be able to adapt to the post-Takumi Ace Attorney universe. lol

Oh, I agree with this. The writer seems to write more about Phoenix and Apollo but not Athena. While the original trilogy is better in writing the main character, the supporting characters in SoJ are the best in the series (well, except that prosecutor).

Spoiler

I nearly cry at the last scene in Case 3 trial, when the high priest was sent back to Twilight Realm

.

 

[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]

1. Uncharted 4 ; This series will never grow old on me, love the way the story's told, love the characters, the graphics, enviroments, music. It's not better than the amazing Uncharted 2, but it is my favorite game of the year.

2. Forza Horizon 3 ; Forza 3 made me feel the same way i felt back in the PS2-GC era with the NFS series, fell in love with a racing game again have no price. So good.

3. Dark Souls 3

4. TMS #FE

semicolons LUL

 

[chadskin]

Yes, a game like Life is Strange on PS4 or Dragon's Dogma on PC are both eligible.

But only the retail version of LiS released in January 2016, all five episodes were made available digitally on PS4 in 2015. Not really a re-release imho.

 

[Primethius]

But only the retail version of LiS released in January 2016, all five episodes were made available digitally on PS4 in 2015.

It's on the spreadsheet which makes me think the physical full release makes it eligible. I think it makes sense.

 

[WooHooAlex]

1. Final Fantasy XV ; I have my problems with it, but when we look back on FFXV, I think it will be considered one of the best in the series and an important turning point for FF going forward.

2. Pokemon Sun & Moon ; Not exactly my favorite in the series, but I still had and will have a blast playing this game for many, many more hours.

3. Ratchet & Clank ; This was the most fun I’ve had playing a game this year. Great game, takes you back to a simpler time.

4. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End ; Again, a game I have problems with, but it was a strong conclusion to one of my favorite series. The ending was perfection.

5. Tricky Towers ; Got this one for free on PSplus and it became one of my favorites of the year. Very pleasant surprise. Tetris on drugs.

6. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered ; I was stupid, I skipped this one on PS3. Few games have pulled me in with just the first few cutscenes like this did. I haven’t finished it yet. In fact, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface but I’m excited to get back to it.

7. Pokemon GO ; Good game? Not really. There isn’t a lot to do, it’s very repetitive and I lost interest after a few weeks. But… for a few weeks, I went on amazing Pokemon adventures everyday. That makes it worthy of a spot on my list.

8. Civilization VI ; Haven’t spent enough time with this one yet, but Civ has always been one of my favorite series. I look forward to sinking many hours into this when I finish up a few other games.

9. Bravely Second: End Layer ; A damn good JRPG. In a huge year for the genre, this was one of the better ones and one of the most underrated games of the year.

10. The Witness ; I’ll admit, I haven’t finished this game yet. I bought it the day the night it came out and spent quite a bit of time with it but became a little frustrated and put it aside. I’ll get back to it eventually.

 

[Ekai]

Yes, a game like Life is Strange on PS4 or Dragon's Dogma on PC are both eligible.

I'm editing my list to include Dangan Ronpa 2 for PC then. Never played the first release of it.


I'm also noticing a good 5 games that should be eligible aren't in the list. Noticed it cause they're in mine...some of them appear in other people's list too.
1. 1979 Revolution: Black Friday
2. Diaries of A Spaceport Janitor
3. VA-11-Hall-a: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
4. Mr. Robot:1.51exfiltrati0n.apk
5. Civilization VI

And Zero Escape's full title would be Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma.





Have to remove Overwatch beta from my honorable mentions and Slime Rancher since it's early access.
Kinda weird as a rule but whatever, I'm not running it.

 

[hydruxo]

1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; This game was truly incredible experience for me. I never cared that much for the first three games, but I just really enjoyed the story in UC4. There were moments where I was genuinely in awe and had to pick my jaw up off the ground. The graphics just blew my mind at every turn. Naughty Dog outdid themselves again.

2. Overwatch ; The older I get, the more I start to gravitate towards games that are just straightforward fun. Rocket League was my first reminder of this last year, and Overwatch was next. OW doesn't try to be anything it isn't, the game modes are light and to the point, but man the gameplay is just phenomenal. I love the cast of heroes and the maps don't really get old to me like they do in most other MP shooters. Blizzard has also done a great job supporting the game with free DLC and cosmetics. I'll be playing this game for a very long time.

3. The Witness ; This was the first game I played in 2016, and it's one of the best puzzle games I've ever played. The island of puzzles that Jonathan Blow and his team crafted is just so painstakingly thorough and well done that I was absorbed by this game for two weeks straight when it came out. Two of my friends and I would get on PSN every night and hop in a party then just chat about where we were at on the island and screaming out in frustration whenever we were stumped on a puzzle (which was pretty often). This is a once in a generation type of game, I can't recommend it enough.

4. Hyper Light Drifter ; Waited for this one ever since it was announced, and man did it deliver. The aesthetic / artstyle and the soundtrack is perfection. That never wavered even from the inital reveal and I love that. The gameplay was very tight and the fights were difficult. I hope we get more from Heart Machine in the future, really loved this game.

5. Ratchet & Clank ; I played alot of the original game on PS2, but I hadn't played a R&C game since Up Your Arsenal and Deadlocked, so returning to the series felt good. Insomniac nailed it with this game. The Pixar-like graphics were mindblowing at times, and the variety of weapons is top notch. I ended up beating the whole game 5 times and getting the platinum.

6. Enter The Gungeon ; Actually picked this one up on a whim when it came out, and despite usually avoiding bullet hell games, I really had a fun time with it. I love the massive amount of insane guns you can get and the high replayability made it super addicting.

7. Dishonored 2 ; Dishonored 2 definitely was more up my alley in comparison to the first game. Loved the tropical setting and the level design is incredible.

8. The Division ; If you'd asked me what my GOTY was in late March, I'd probably say this. The beta + the first few weeks of the full game was among the most fun I've had in a mp game. The Dark Zone with friends was so intense. Massive kind of messed up the balance of the game for a while but they've managed to mostly fix most of the complaints and the new Survival dlc is actually one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. Still an enjoyable game despite the initial flaws.

9. Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 ; The amount of characters and variants of characters in this game is crazy, and I had a blast playing this when it came out.

10. Battlefield 1 ; I never thought we'd get a good WW1 game, but DICE delivered. I'm admittedly not very good at BF but the MP is well done. Also the feel of the sniping in this game is really something special. Pulling off a headshot across the map feels amazing.

 

[StrawberryJam]

1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Most exciting gunplay in the series, jawdropping visuals and quality acting.
2. DOOM ; Forward movement, metal as fuck, violence. DOOMSLAYER!
3. Dishonored 2 ; Should be used in classes to teach level design for years to come.
4. Dark Souls 3 ; Doesn't hit the heights of DS1, but also doesn't hit the lows.
5. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Without Square Enix tampering, this could've been special.
6. Furi ; Fantastic action game, full of new ideas, great art and an awesome OST.
7. Hyper Light Drifter ; A Link To The Past via Studio Ghibli.
8. The Last Guardian ; Only just started and I can't stop smiling. Trico is wonderful.
9. SteamWorld Heist ; Turn based strategy without the RNG. Great fun.
10. Superhot ; SUPER. HOT. SUPER. HOT.

Had a lot less time for games this year sadly, so I've missed out on a few titles, but still a great year.

 

[dancingphlower]

1. Titanfall 2 ; The best FPS that I've played in years. The campaign is so expertly paced, the mobility so fluid, and the shooting so satisfying. So many memorable moments from both the singleplayer and multiplayer. No other game this year brought the hype like this one did.
2. Dishonored 2 ; A truly empowering experience, with so many options presented to the player, and so many ways to play. Beat it three times for the Platinum trophy, and each playthrough felt completely different. Most games can't boast that.
3. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Naughty Dog closed the story on Nathan Drake in the most satisfying way. The first Uncharted that felt truly fun to play, as far as the shooting goes.
4. Final Fantasy XV ; The best Final Fantasy since XII. Unpolished but somehow all of it comes together to create a memorable experience.
5. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Sure, the main story may have been a little too truncated, but the side missions! Gameplay felt substantially improved over Human Revolution.
6. Dark Souls III ; It speaks volumes about the quality of content this year that Dark Souls III doesn't make it to the top of my list, considering Bloodborne is one of my favorite games of all time. It felt a little too familiar, perhaps, but more of the same when it's Dark Souls isn't really a bad thing.
7. The Witcher III: Blood and Wine ; A fantastic expansion that manages to feel like a whole new game. Truly concluded the tale of Geralt of Rivia in a satisfying manner.
8. Street Fighter V ; Sure, the content was anemic at launch, but the gameplay is incredibly satisfying to both play and watch.
9. Call of Duty Infinite Warfare ; I was pretty excited about this game going in based on the E3 footage, and I'm glad the game delivered. Easily my favorite COD since Modern Warfare 2.
10. DOOM ; The most METAL game I have played in years. Fast, frenetic, and fun.

 

[ASilentProtagonist]

What about different region releases? For example the first Trails of Cold Steel released in America last year, but for us Europeans it was this year. It's not on the list but can we not still vote for it?

You're good. Just note the region for that particular game, and i'll add it to the spread sheet.