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GAF Games of the Year 2016 - Voting Thread [Voting closed]
- Thread starter Cheesemeister
- Start date
Put ; after games names.
I'm now making a comment post since despite reading and rereading the OP, I wasn't 100% sure if making a long comment below my ballot was okay. Please let me know if this post itself is unwelcome. I put a lot of thought into my ballot comments so I hope someone reads them, lol.
Some game notes first (this is NOT a ballot):
* Mirror's Edge Catalyst is only listed as a PS4 game, when it should be on XB1 and PC as well for 2016, right?
* Obduction isn't listed in the spreadsheet at all. It should be Windows (and Linux), Mac, PS4.
* Civilization VI isn't listed at all. This seems like a huge release which should be in there (Windows, Mac).
I don't feel like I play a lot of games anymore which is why my ballot was so short. Games that are interesting to me but which did not make it because I haven't played them much include (this is NOT a ballot):
* Street Fighter V, seems decent quality and still improving, but I lack the mechanics and reflexes to play much.
* The Turing Test, another puzzle game that sounds like it might be Portal-ish
* Obduction, a Myst-like exploration puzzle game
* Stardew Valley, a farm simulation game that looks high quality to me despite my never playing Harvest Moon games
* Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, looks good but I haven't finished the first game.
* Dishonored 2, same as the previous comment.
Some game notes first (this is NOT a ballot):
* Mirror's Edge Catalyst is only listed as a PS4 game, when it should be on XB1 and PC as well for 2016, right?
* Obduction isn't listed in the spreadsheet at all. It should be Windows (and Linux), Mac, PS4.
* Civilization VI isn't listed at all. This seems like a huge release which should be in there (Windows, Mac).
I don't feel like I play a lot of games anymore which is why my ballot was so short. Games that are interesting to me but which did not make it because I haven't played them much include (this is NOT a ballot):
* Street Fighter V, seems decent quality and still improving, but I lack the mechanics and reflexes to play much.
* The Turing Test, another puzzle game that sounds like it might be Portal-ish
* Obduction, a Myst-like exploration puzzle game
* Stardew Valley, a farm simulation game that looks high quality to me despite my never playing Harvest Moon games
* Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, looks good but I haven't finished the first game.
* Dishonored 2, same as the previous comment.
1. Overwatch ; I have never spent so many hours in an online multiplayer shooter since the early days of TF2. Blizzard had outdone themselves with Overwatch by creating a simple online FPS in the age where everybody is chasing after the MOBA craze. Blizzard has created an unforgettable ensemble of heroes that are unique and instantly recognizable, they all have character, quirks and even some interesting lore behind most of them. One of the most defining features of this game is the asymmetric map design, maps are not symmetrical and could change the advantage that each team could have at any given time, and that makes for some dynamic firefights. The matches in Overwatch are quick and fast with no dull moment, most matches take about 8-12 minutes at average, a lot faster that the likes of TF2 where every match takes about 40-50 minutes, this is pretty convenient to the likes of me who could play a match or two before going to work or in between chores. The game also lacks a loadout system which gives each hero a specific ability set which makes for a more fair playground than if Blizzard had a loadout system like Call of Duty or TF2.
2. Doom ; Doom was this year’s biggest surprise for me, after RAGE and Carmack leaving id, I had no faith in the company, they even cancelled the original Doom 4 in favor of this one and I thought it’s was going to suck, but boy was I wrong ! Doom is a great example of a retro throwback, they took the gameplay of Doom 1 and 2 and updated it for 2016, the graphics sure look modern, but gameplay is pretty retro. There is no regenerating health, no reloading, and there are barely any cutscenes in the campaign. Instead, the levels are littered with health, ammo and armor pickups and the occasional power up. Put that alongside a fast and pretty tense combat that never lits up. id did a great job with this one and I hope they continue to bring such glorious games in the future.
3. Titanfall 2 ; I skipped the original Titanfall because it looked uninteresting to me at that time, but I tried that one and I enjoyed myself a lot. The singleplayer campaign was admittedly short, but it didn’t outstay it’s welcome and it did introduce some very interesting game mechanics that I will not spoil here. While I enjoyed the multiplayer, it didn’t take my attention away from Overwatch.
4. ICEY ; At first glance, it seems like a generic 2D action title, but not only this game has one of the most polished combat systems I’ve seen in an indie title, it has one of the funniest meta-narratives I've seen in a game, it’s comparable to games like The Stanley Parable and Undertale in it’s 4th wall breaking and that’s all I gotta say because I really wish people go into this game with as little info as possible.
5. Aragami ; It’s a really good stealth game that I had never knew it even existed if I didn’t casually browse steam. The animation in this game is so good that it boggles my mind that’s from an indie studio, the animation makes all the stealth killing you’d be doing in this game so satisfying that you wouldn't want to stop. It’s also one of the most punishing games I’ve played this year, stealth in this game is not as forgiving as other AAA games like Assassin’s Creed or Dishonored.
6. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; The latest entry into the Deus Ex series gave us one of the most detailed cities in gaming as of yet. Prague has a lot of nooks and crannies to discover at your own leisure and the game gives you a lot of great tools to deal with various problems in many different ways, there is almost no one solution to every problem. It’s a big shame that art direction and story are weak compared to the rest of the series.
7. Battlefield 1 ; It has probably the best map design since Bad Company 2 (although BC2’s maps are still better), I’ve spent a lot of hours playing with my friends and I have never had fun playing a BF game in a long time. But the biggest surprise for me was that they actually tried to have a good and unique singleplayer campaign for one, unfortunately, half of it is still not very good and could have been a lot better. Still, I hope this means that DICE would learn and give better campaigns in the future.
8. Owlboy ; This has to be one of the most beautiful games I have ever played, this game set the bar high for pixel art and almost every background looks like it belongs in a frame. It also has a silent protagonist who is actually a mute for once! It just pains me to say that the gameplay is average at best. I wish the game had more interesting dungeons rather than dungeons that have the same switch puzzles repeated over and over again.
9. Gears of War 4 ; While the singleplayer campaign was a pretty standard Gears fare, the multiplayer and horde mode were fantastic, it has all the tension of the campaign without the stupid story elements holding it back. I have played a lot of horde sessions with friends and had tons of fun. I just wish they took more risks with the concept.
10. Quantum Break ; It saddens me when I see a studio I love so much produce such a huge disappointment. It has an amazing concept with a lot of new ideas, it is a big shame that they couldn’t advantage of it. Despite that, I still enjoyed it, even if it wasn’t up to Remedy’s usual standards.It also didn't help that they bundled it with a pretty average TV show.
2. Doom ; Doom was this year’s biggest surprise for me, after RAGE and Carmack leaving id, I had no faith in the company, they even cancelled the original Doom 4 in favor of this one and I thought it’s was going to suck, but boy was I wrong ! Doom is a great example of a retro throwback, they took the gameplay of Doom 1 and 2 and updated it for 2016, the graphics sure look modern, but gameplay is pretty retro. There is no regenerating health, no reloading, and there are barely any cutscenes in the campaign. Instead, the levels are littered with health, ammo and armor pickups and the occasional power up. Put that alongside a fast and pretty tense combat that never lits up. id did a great job with this one and I hope they continue to bring such glorious games in the future.
3. Titanfall 2 ; I skipped the original Titanfall because it looked uninteresting to me at that time, but I tried that one and I enjoyed myself a lot. The singleplayer campaign was admittedly short, but it didn’t outstay it’s welcome and it did introduce some very interesting game mechanics that I will not spoil here. While I enjoyed the multiplayer, it didn’t take my attention away from Overwatch.
4. ICEY ; At first glance, it seems like a generic 2D action title, but not only this game has one of the most polished combat systems I’ve seen in an indie title, it has one of the funniest meta-narratives I've seen in a game, it’s comparable to games like The Stanley Parable and Undertale in it’s 4th wall breaking and that’s all I gotta say because I really wish people go into this game with as little info as possible.
5. Aragami ; It’s a really good stealth game that I had never knew it even existed if I didn’t casually browse steam. The animation in this game is so good that it boggles my mind that’s from an indie studio, the animation makes all the stealth killing you’d be doing in this game so satisfying that you wouldn't want to stop. It’s also one of the most punishing games I’ve played this year, stealth in this game is not as forgiving as other AAA games like Assassin’s Creed or Dishonored.
6. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; The latest entry into the Deus Ex series gave us one of the most detailed cities in gaming as of yet. Prague has a lot of nooks and crannies to discover at your own leisure and the game gives you a lot of great tools to deal with various problems in many different ways, there is almost no one solution to every problem. It’s a big shame that art direction and story are weak compared to the rest of the series.
7. Battlefield 1 ; It has probably the best map design since Bad Company 2 (although BC2’s maps are still better), I’ve spent a lot of hours playing with my friends and I have never had fun playing a BF game in a long time. But the biggest surprise for me was that they actually tried to have a good and unique singleplayer campaign for one, unfortunately, half of it is still not very good and could have been a lot better. Still, I hope this means that DICE would learn and give better campaigns in the future.
8. Owlboy ; This has to be one of the most beautiful games I have ever played, this game set the bar high for pixel art and almost every background looks like it belongs in a frame. It also has a silent protagonist who is actually a mute for once! It just pains me to say that the gameplay is average at best. I wish the game had more interesting dungeons rather than dungeons that have the same switch puzzles repeated over and over again.
9. Gears of War 4 ; While the singleplayer campaign was a pretty standard Gears fare, the multiplayer and horde mode were fantastic, it has all the tension of the campaign without the stupid story elements holding it back. I have played a lot of horde sessions with friends and had tons of fun. I just wish they took more risks with the concept.
10. Quantum Break ; It saddens me when I see a studio I love so much produce such a huge disappointment. It has an amazing concept with a lot of new ideas, it is a big shame that they couldn’t advantage of it. Despite that, I still enjoyed it, even if it wasn’t up to Remedy’s usual standards.It also didn't help that they bundled it with a pretty average TV show.
DryvBy
Member
1. Stardew Valley ; I already wrote a piece on my GOTY on my website, but basically this was the most incredible game to come out of the gate this year if you were a fan of SNES Harvest Moon.
2. DOOM ; I expected much from this and got even more! Killer music, fast paced, gore and arena shooting. It's a 90s wet dream from hell.
3. Overwatch ; Tons of free DLC, quality changes, and a game I've yet to uninstall on any of my systems. Addictive multiplayer. That's all that this is.
4. Hitman ; The best Hitman to come out ever. And I've been a huge fan since Codename 47. I never would have thought this would be on the list when I saw episodic Hitman. But it's actually the most fun and innovative Hitman to date. Lots of content and the illusive targets a blast.
5. Pokemon Sun/Moon ; This is the biggest leap for me since Silver/Gold. It feels like they created the game from the anime. Classic gameplay with more animations and better monsters. And it's nice to have a more tropical beginning.
6. Uncharted 4 ; This is the most beautiful game I've seen in my life. There's portions that I thought were just pre-rendered cinematics before noticing I could move. Story was terrific and my wife was excited to sit down and play every night. Plus, I like pirate hunts.
7. Dark Souls III ; A greatest hits of Dark Souls, and a great one. I think this is the most fun I've had since Demon's Souls in these games. Boss fights felt extremely epic.
8. Battlefield 1 ; I hated the beta and love the release. The single player was short as balls, which is why it's down the list, but the multiplayer feels like it's heading in a better direction. On the PC and the Pro, this game has amazing graphics and runs smooth.
9. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; I'm a Deus Ex fanatic and this is just a nice improvement over the previous game.
10. The Witness ; I hate the preachy crap in this game, and the slow movement, and I hate puzzle games in general, but the game itself is incredible. It amps up and really required focus and attention. It made me question what I thought I knew about the puzzles over and over again.
2. DOOM ; I expected much from this and got even more! Killer music, fast paced, gore and arena shooting. It's a 90s wet dream from hell.
3. Overwatch ; Tons of free DLC, quality changes, and a game I've yet to uninstall on any of my systems. Addictive multiplayer. That's all that this is.
4. Hitman ; The best Hitman to come out ever. And I've been a huge fan since Codename 47. I never would have thought this would be on the list when I saw episodic Hitman. But it's actually the most fun and innovative Hitman to date. Lots of content and the illusive targets a blast.
5. Pokemon Sun/Moon ; This is the biggest leap for me since Silver/Gold. It feels like they created the game from the anime. Classic gameplay with more animations and better monsters. And it's nice to have a more tropical beginning.
6. Uncharted 4 ; This is the most beautiful game I've seen in my life. There's portions that I thought were just pre-rendered cinematics before noticing I could move. Story was terrific and my wife was excited to sit down and play every night. Plus, I like pirate hunts.
7. Dark Souls III ; A greatest hits of Dark Souls, and a great one. I think this is the most fun I've had since Demon's Souls in these games. Boss fights felt extremely epic.
8. Battlefield 1 ; I hated the beta and love the release. The single player was short as balls, which is why it's down the list, but the multiplayer feels like it's heading in a better direction. On the PC and the Pro, this game has amazing graphics and runs smooth.
9. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; I'm a Deus Ex fanatic and this is just a nice improvement over the previous game.
10. The Witness ; I hate the preachy crap in this game, and the slow movement, and I hate puzzle games in general, but the game itself is incredible. It amps up and really required focus and attention. It made me question what I thought I knew about the puzzles over and over again.
It's been this way for some years, there's a script that scrapes the posts and counts up the numbers. That is why folk are urged to read the OP before posting.
If you don't want to play, fine, but don't complain about it.
level1
Member
1. Uncharted 4 ; The best overall package this year. Excellent gameplay, awe inspiring graphics, great story and character development. Can't remember the last time a game left me constantly in awe.
2. Dishonored 2 ; Incredible level design, gameplay and world building. Chapters 4 and 7 made my head hurt a bit, but by god are they rewarding.
3. Titanfall 2 ; The most fun I've had with a multiplayer game this year by far. Helps that there's an actual really well crafted SP campaign too.
4. Final Fantasy XV ; A flawed game, no doubts about. But it nails the road trip aspect and probably got me more attached to the main cast than any other FF game since VII. The ending fucking wrecked me. I also think combat is the best it's ever been.
5. Firewatch ; A really relaxing game with an almost ethereal atmosphere. Somehow I really resonated with the main character and the storyline remains with me to this day.
6. Doom ; A fantastic return to form and probably the biggest surprise of the year for me. Pity about the multiplayer.
7. Hyper Light Drifter ; Probably some of the best pixel art visuals and animations I've ever seen. Absolutely loved the level design, bosses and combat system. Certainly needed more content though.
8. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Prague is what made me fall in love with this game. More developers need to realise the benefits of having small, atmospheric and incredibly dense hub cities. Some incredible side missions too. I did feel, however, that the main storyline was slightly underwhelming (despite enjoying it overall)
9. Furi ; Goddamn that soundtrack. But also, goddamn those bosses. Pity about the (true) final boss which slightly soured me on the game.
10. Superhot ; I thoroughly enjoyed every second spent with this game. Which is unusual, as I usually start disliking puzzle games very fast. Really loved the story too. It did however, leave me wanting more (and in this case I'm pretty sure it's because there really isn't enough content)
2. Dishonored 2 ; Incredible level design, gameplay and world building. Chapters 4 and 7 made my head hurt a bit, but by god are they rewarding.
3. Titanfall 2 ; The most fun I've had with a multiplayer game this year by far. Helps that there's an actual really well crafted SP campaign too.
4. Final Fantasy XV ; A flawed game, no doubts about. But it nails the road trip aspect and probably got me more attached to the main cast than any other FF game since VII. The ending fucking wrecked me. I also think combat is the best it's ever been.
Sue me
5. Firewatch ; A really relaxing game with an almost ethereal atmosphere. Somehow I really resonated with the main character and the storyline remains with me to this day.
6. Doom ; A fantastic return to form and probably the biggest surprise of the year for me. Pity about the multiplayer.
7. Hyper Light Drifter ; Probably some of the best pixel art visuals and animations I've ever seen. Absolutely loved the level design, bosses and combat system. Certainly needed more content though.
8. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Prague is what made me fall in love with this game. More developers need to realise the benefits of having small, atmospheric and incredibly dense hub cities. Some incredible side missions too. I did feel, however, that the main storyline was slightly underwhelming (despite enjoying it overall)
9. Furi ; Goddamn that soundtrack. But also, goddamn those bosses. Pity about the (true) final boss which slightly soured me on the game.
10. Superhot ; I thoroughly enjoyed every second spent with this game. Which is unusual, as I usually start disliking puzzle games very fast. Really loved the story too. It did however, leave me wanting more (and in this case I'm pretty sure it's because there really isn't enough content)
Primethius
Banned
You are going to have to number your list for point allocation.
level1
Member
Yeah, thanks for the heads up
You're going to need to put semicolons after each title, not a colon
GravityInsanity
Member
I think a mod should put (Follow the Rules) in the title.
FlaygletheBagel
Banned
1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End; An excellent end to a series that already had a way of exceeding expectations. A game that, in my opinion, shows off the absolute best of what AAA games can be.
2. Titanfall 2; Despite being sandwiched between the two biggest shooter franchises this year and underselling as a result, this game left a bigger impression on me than either of the other two. It had a campaign that genuinely surprised me with its focus and its platforming challenge, and a multiplayer that absolutely embarrassed Call of Duty's this year. Amazing game.
3. Final Fantasy XV; I was astonished that this game, after 10 years in development hell and a change of directors, still came out as well as it did. And not only did it come out a good game, but in my opinion it came out a great game. One of my favorites of the year. It's combat is satisfying, its story - while disjointed - is enjoyable, and its world is immersive. And having everything come together after everything the game went through is an impressive feat.
4. Forza Horizon 3; Unmatched in its genre, Horizon 3 is a damn near perfect open-world racer. It's an extraordinary game in a unique setting, and it's still giving me hours of pure fun.
5. Ratchet & Clank; An excellent reimagining of the original R&C and a fantastic game in its own right. Well worth the low asking price, it's a hell of a good time and it has some of the best art direction I've seen all year.
6. Pokémon Sun/Moon; I've been on the fringes of Pokemon ever since Gen 2, and I always end up trying new Pokemon installments only to put it away halfway through. I would get frustrated at how slow it always felt, and was never immersed in the world past Gen 2. I didn't think Pokemon Sun/Moon would break that streak, but the numerous QoL improvements, the change of setting, and the change in progression pulled me back in. It's a streamlined game that, for me, finally makes the Pokemon franchise feel like a solid modern RPG rather than a dated one.
2. Titanfall 2; Despite being sandwiched between the two biggest shooter franchises this year and underselling as a result, this game left a bigger impression on me than either of the other two. It had a campaign that genuinely surprised me with its focus and its platforming challenge, and a multiplayer that absolutely embarrassed Call of Duty's this year. Amazing game.
3. Final Fantasy XV; I was astonished that this game, after 10 years in development hell and a change of directors, still came out as well as it did. And not only did it come out a good game, but in my opinion it came out a great game. One of my favorites of the year. It's combat is satisfying, its story - while disjointed - is enjoyable, and its world is immersive. And having everything come together after everything the game went through is an impressive feat.
4. Forza Horizon 3; Unmatched in its genre, Horizon 3 is a damn near perfect open-world racer. It's an extraordinary game in a unique setting, and it's still giving me hours of pure fun.
5. Ratchet & Clank; An excellent reimagining of the original R&C and a fantastic game in its own right. Well worth the low asking price, it's a hell of a good time and it has some of the best art direction I've seen all year.
6. Pokémon Sun/Moon; I've been on the fringes of Pokemon ever since Gen 2, and I always end up trying new Pokemon installments only to put it away halfway through. I would get frustrated at how slow it always felt, and was never immersed in the world past Gen 2. I didn't think Pokemon Sun/Moon would break that streak, but the numerous QoL improvements, the change of setting, and the change in progression pulled me back in. It's a streamlined game that, for me, finally makes the Pokemon franchise feel like a solid modern RPG rather than a dated one.
EnduringGnome
Neo Member
1. Uncharted 4 ; The perfect ending to a great series
2. Dishonored 2 ; Absolutely love the world that Arkane have created here, amazing art design and refined gameplay over the original
3. DOOM ; Surprise of the year, a damn fun time and the best metal soundtrack of recent memory
4. Dark Souls 3 ; One of the optional boss battles in this one left me struggling to breathe with hands shaking. Mission accomplished, another good Souls game
5. Final Fantasy XV ; There's some good moments during the first few chapters however the main reason this game makes the list is due to the outstanding soundtrack and the way it wrapped up. It's not too often where I find myself watching the full credits without trying to skip them. Best experienced with Kingsglaive and Brotherhood.
6. Banner Saga 2 ; Loved returning to this oppressive Norse themed world and meeting new characters to continue the adventure
7. Total Warhammer ; Creative Assembly really nailed the Warhammer aesthetic here, although not the best Total War game I still ended up having a lot of fun playing though each of the faction campaigns
2. Dishonored 2 ; Absolutely love the world that Arkane have created here, amazing art design and refined gameplay over the original
3. DOOM ; Surprise of the year, a damn fun time and the best metal soundtrack of recent memory
4. Dark Souls 3 ; One of the optional boss battles in this one left me struggling to breathe with hands shaking. Mission accomplished, another good Souls game
5. Final Fantasy XV ; There's some good moments during the first few chapters however the main reason this game makes the list is due to the outstanding soundtrack and the way it wrapped up. It's not too often where I find myself watching the full credits without trying to skip them. Best experienced with Kingsglaive and Brotherhood.
6. Banner Saga 2 ; Loved returning to this oppressive Norse themed world and meeting new characters to continue the adventure
7. Total Warhammer ; Creative Assembly really nailed the Warhammer aesthetic here, although not the best Total War game I still ended up having a lot of fun playing though each of the faction campaigns
Dance Inferno
Unconfirmed Member
Yo dude - it's Civilization VI, not Civilization IV
Incendiary
Banned
Top 10
1. Overwatch ; If you would have told me that a team-based, multiplayer-only online FPS was going to be my GOTY at the beginning of this year, I would have laughed at you. Mostly because for one, I play multiplayer very rarely if it isn't co-op, and for two I haven't set foot in the multiplayer FPS genre since Killzone 2. And yet Overwatch has pretty much dominated the time I've spent playing video games this year. I have over 200 hours invested in the game, which is probably more than the other nine games on this list combined. It's just that addicting. I love the gameplay, I love all the different, unique characters, and I love that it's not focused on K
ratios. It's also been the first game where I actually felt like I was a part of the game's GAF community - I've met and played with a lot of cool GAF people through Overwatch, something I haven't really done with any other game. Also as an unintentional side effect, it's made me stop spending as much money on other games because I know I'll just keep playing this. Win-win! The point is, there's no other game that comes close to the amount of time I've put into enjoying Overwatch, and anything else as my GOTY would just not make any sense to me.
2. XCOM 2 ; I absolutely loved Firaxis' reboot take on XCOM, and it probably has my favorite turn-based strategy system of all time. That being said, the sequel changes it up a bit but in nothing but good ways. It offers a decent challenge while keeping the gameplay fresh by switching up the classes a little bit. The idea that you're the ragtag rebellion instead of fighting off an invasion was a neat twist to the story and allowed for some interesting new game mechanics. I upgraded my PC just so I could play this in February, and recently double-dipped so I could play it again on PS4. Love this game.
3. Enter the Gungeon ; Probably the most surprising hit for me on my list, this was an indie game that came out of nowhere for how addicting it was. I've probably put about twenty hours into it and I still haven't technically "beaten" it, but I'm having fun all the time. I'm not really big on bullet hell but I love rogue-lites, and this perfectly balances both genres (although the RNG gets a little frustrating at times). Plus, my friends enjoy playing couch co-op with me which is always a plus. Highly recommend for anyone who likes the rogue-lite genre.
4. Uncharted 4 ; While it's not the best in the series, U4 is a satisfying conclusion to Drake's story. I enjoyed the more open world aspect of it, the combat was satisfying as always, and it's an amazing graphical showcase on the PS4. The U4 screenshot contest thread was a great example of how pretty the game could look. It pulled all the right nostalgia strings while still having (what I considered) a decent story to end the series. While I'm still kind of interested in seeing what Amy Hennig's original version of the game would have been like, what we got was still a very, very good game.
5. Doom ; I still haven't finished this because I'm slowly making my way through it on stream every week. However everything about this game's single-player makes me scream MORE. The frantic battles where aggression is key and hiding in a corner does nothing for you, well, I wish more FPSes were like this. My only gripe is just how much damn space the game takes up on my hard drive. But holy crap, there isn't an FPS on the market that feels better mechanically.
6. Final Fantasy XV ; Another game I still haven't finished, but still worth putting on my list. It's been a long time since I could properly dive into a JRPG that wasn't an SMT game, but this scratches that itch very well and it's a return to form for FF, in my opinion. I'm all the way to chapter 8 and still have no idea what's really going on in the story, but I don't care. The combat is fun, the world is beautiful and a pleasure to explore, and the four bros are a great cast of characters to spend time with on your road trip. I'm glad this finally came out, and I'm looking forward to what the FF brand has in store for us in the future.
7. Dark Souls 3 ; If you would have told me a Dark Souls game wouldn't make top 3, hell top 5 in my best of the year list, I would have also laughed in your face. Sadly, this was the first Souls game I didn't finish. Demon's, Dark Souls & DS2, Bloodborne...all of them I played through to completion no matter how many times I threw my controller. But this one...while it was fun to play, eventually I just got bored. I definitely had my fun moments, and some of the PVP areas were the best of the series, but none of the bosses were particularly memorable after the fact. All it really did was make me want to play more Bloodborne. Still a good game, just...nothing new enough to wow me.
8. Ratchet & Clank ; I've been a fan of Insomniac's platformer-shooter bros since the original game on PS2, so playing this kept a stupid smile on my face for hours. I wish more developers did what was done with this game - a reboot/remake of the original game with enough similarities to make you smile, but enough new story beats, weapons, and worlds to make it feel like a new game. I'll always be there for Ratchet & Clank, from now until Insomniac stops making them.
9. Firewatch ; I know some people had problems with this game - whether it be its short completion time or how it ended or the simplicity in the game "mechanics." But I enjoyed my time with it. It was a nice, story-driven diversion from all the other frenetic, action-packed games on the market and I had fun spending time with the two main characters. Decent little game.
10. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse ; Speaking of SMT! While this is a sequel to SMTIV in all senses of the word - mechanics are recycled, maps are recycled, demons are recycled. Thankfully artwork wasn't recycled as the new art fits well with the established demon art. Regardless of it being a simple extension to SMTIV, it's still a good game with minor mechanical tweaks that improve the quality of life. Another worthy entry in the SMT franchise.
Honorable Mentions
x. The Witness ; A challenging puzzle game that I can only play in spurts, otherwise I'd get bored and/or too frustrated to continue. Not great enough to get into the top 10, but definitely a game I'm glad exists.
x. Dishonored 2 ; Fun, and builds on the structure of Dishonored. But the save system and the fact that it doesn't clearly tell you when people die/see you soured me on the game when I was trying to do a no see/no kill runthrough and both things happened and the autosaves wouldn't let me go back to before said things happened. Mechanically good, just...I'm still bitter at it.
1. Overwatch ; If you would have told me that a team-based, multiplayer-only online FPS was going to be my GOTY at the beginning of this year, I would have laughed at you. Mostly because for one, I play multiplayer very rarely if it isn't co-op, and for two I haven't set foot in the multiplayer FPS genre since Killzone 2. And yet Overwatch has pretty much dominated the time I've spent playing video games this year. I have over 200 hours invested in the game, which is probably more than the other nine games on this list combined. It's just that addicting. I love the gameplay, I love all the different, unique characters, and I love that it's not focused on K
ratios. It's also been the first game where I actually felt like I was a part of the game's GAF community - I've met and played with a lot of cool GAF people through Overwatch, something I haven't really done with any other game. Also as an unintentional side effect, it's made me stop spending as much money on other games because I know I'll just keep playing this. Win-win! The point is, there's no other game that comes close to the amount of time I've put into enjoying Overwatch, and anything else as my GOTY would just not make any sense to me.2. XCOM 2 ; I absolutely loved Firaxis' reboot take on XCOM, and it probably has my favorite turn-based strategy system of all time. That being said, the sequel changes it up a bit but in nothing but good ways. It offers a decent challenge while keeping the gameplay fresh by switching up the classes a little bit. The idea that you're the ragtag rebellion instead of fighting off an invasion was a neat twist to the story and allowed for some interesting new game mechanics. I upgraded my PC just so I could play this in February, and recently double-dipped so I could play it again on PS4. Love this game.
3. Enter the Gungeon ; Probably the most surprising hit for me on my list, this was an indie game that came out of nowhere for how addicting it was. I've probably put about twenty hours into it and I still haven't technically "beaten" it, but I'm having fun all the time. I'm not really big on bullet hell but I love rogue-lites, and this perfectly balances both genres (although the RNG gets a little frustrating at times). Plus, my friends enjoy playing couch co-op with me which is always a plus. Highly recommend for anyone who likes the rogue-lite genre.
4. Uncharted 4 ; While it's not the best in the series, U4 is a satisfying conclusion to Drake's story. I enjoyed the more open world aspect of it, the combat was satisfying as always, and it's an amazing graphical showcase on the PS4. The U4 screenshot contest thread was a great example of how pretty the game could look. It pulled all the right nostalgia strings while still having (what I considered) a decent story to end the series. While I'm still kind of interested in seeing what Amy Hennig's original version of the game would have been like, what we got was still a very, very good game.
5. Doom ; I still haven't finished this because I'm slowly making my way through it on stream every week. However everything about this game's single-player makes me scream MORE. The frantic battles where aggression is key and hiding in a corner does nothing for you, well, I wish more FPSes were like this. My only gripe is just how much damn space the game takes up on my hard drive. But holy crap, there isn't an FPS on the market that feels better mechanically.
6. Final Fantasy XV ; Another game I still haven't finished, but still worth putting on my list. It's been a long time since I could properly dive into a JRPG that wasn't an SMT game, but this scratches that itch very well and it's a return to form for FF, in my opinion. I'm all the way to chapter 8 and still have no idea what's really going on in the story, but I don't care. The combat is fun, the world is beautiful and a pleasure to explore, and the four bros are a great cast of characters to spend time with on your road trip. I'm glad this finally came out, and I'm looking forward to what the FF brand has in store for us in the future.
7. Dark Souls 3 ; If you would have told me a Dark Souls game wouldn't make top 3, hell top 5 in my best of the year list, I would have also laughed in your face. Sadly, this was the first Souls game I didn't finish. Demon's, Dark Souls & DS2, Bloodborne...all of them I played through to completion no matter how many times I threw my controller. But this one...while it was fun to play, eventually I just got bored. I definitely had my fun moments, and some of the PVP areas were the best of the series, but none of the bosses were particularly memorable after the fact. All it really did was make me want to play more Bloodborne. Still a good game, just...nothing new enough to wow me.
8. Ratchet & Clank ; I've been a fan of Insomniac's platformer-shooter bros since the original game on PS2, so playing this kept a stupid smile on my face for hours. I wish more developers did what was done with this game - a reboot/remake of the original game with enough similarities to make you smile, but enough new story beats, weapons, and worlds to make it feel like a new game. I'll always be there for Ratchet & Clank, from now until Insomniac stops making them.
9. Firewatch ; I know some people had problems with this game - whether it be its short completion time or how it ended or the simplicity in the game "mechanics." But I enjoyed my time with it. It was a nice, story-driven diversion from all the other frenetic, action-packed games on the market and I had fun spending time with the two main characters. Decent little game.
10. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse ; Speaking of SMT! While this is a sequel to SMTIV in all senses of the word - mechanics are recycled, maps are recycled, demons are recycled. Thankfully artwork wasn't recycled as the new art fits well with the established demon art. Regardless of it being a simple extension to SMTIV, it's still a good game with minor mechanical tweaks that improve the quality of life. Another worthy entry in the SMT franchise.
Honorable Mentions
x. The Witness ; A challenging puzzle game that I can only play in spurts, otherwise I'd get bored and/or too frustrated to continue. Not great enough to get into the top 10, but definitely a game I'm glad exists.
x. Dishonored 2 ; Fun, and builds on the structure of Dishonored. But the save system and the fact that it doesn't clearly tell you when people die/see you soured me on the game when I was trying to do a no see/no kill runthrough and both things happened and the autosaves wouldn't let me go back to before said things happened. Mechanically good, just...I'm still bitter at it.
RightChandMan
Member
1. Titanfall 2 ; The best FPS Campaign in a VERY long time. MP is tons of fun as well. Kudos to Respawn. I hope this franchise continues! This is not only my GOTY, but also my GOTG.
2. Uncharted 4 ; The game is not a masterpiece, however its still a great game. A great sendoff for Drake and company. I wish ND didnt follow the pacing of TLOU, but it was still a really fun game to play.
3. Inside ; I loved this game more than Limbo. The puzzles were fun to solve and I thought about this game long after I finished it.
4. Watch Dogs 2 ; I enjoyed the first game, but this is a HUGE improvement in almost every way. If it weren't for some tone issues, I might have placed this game higher.
5. Call of Duty Infinite Warfare ; The MP is garbage, but the campaign was fantastic. The best current gen COD campaign. Loved the sci-fi elements to the game.
6. Overwatch ; I probably need to play this game more, but from what I have played, its a fun game. I prefer my shooters Titanfall style, but I can acknowledge that Blizzard made something special
7. Doom ; What a surprising game. The campaign is pure fun. I preferred Titanfall's and COD IW's Campaign, but Doom is a great game. 2016...the year of the shooters.
8. The Witness ; I need to play this game more, but from what I have played its challenging and interesting.
9. Gears of War 4 ; This game does nothing new, but doing the campaign with a friend has been fun.
10. Mafia 3 ; There is a great game hidden in here, but unfortunately the mission structure could use a major overhaul. The core gameplay is fun and the city is generally good looking, but the repetitiveness killed this game for me. Wonderful story though.
Honorable Mentions
x. Amplitude ; I was beyond hyped for an amplitude sequel. I would have placed this higher if they released better songs, but still fun. Not as good as Amplitude 2003 though.
2. Uncharted 4 ; The game is not a masterpiece, however its still a great game. A great sendoff for Drake and company. I wish ND didnt follow the pacing of TLOU, but it was still a really fun game to play.
3. Inside ; I loved this game more than Limbo. The puzzles were fun to solve and I thought about this game long after I finished it.
4. Watch Dogs 2 ; I enjoyed the first game, but this is a HUGE improvement in almost every way. If it weren't for some tone issues, I might have placed this game higher.
5. Call of Duty Infinite Warfare ; The MP is garbage, but the campaign was fantastic. The best current gen COD campaign. Loved the sci-fi elements to the game.
6. Overwatch ; I probably need to play this game more, but from what I have played, its a fun game. I prefer my shooters Titanfall style, but I can acknowledge that Blizzard made something special
7. Doom ; What a surprising game. The campaign is pure fun. I preferred Titanfall's and COD IW's Campaign, but Doom is a great game. 2016...the year of the shooters.
8. The Witness ; I need to play this game more, but from what I have played its challenging and interesting.
9. Gears of War 4 ; This game does nothing new, but doing the campaign with a friend has been fun.
10. Mafia 3 ; There is a great game hidden in here, but unfortunately the mission structure could use a major overhaul. The core gameplay is fun and the city is generally good looking, but the repetitiveness killed this game for me. Wonderful story though.
Honorable Mentions
x. Amplitude ; I was beyond hyped for an amplitude sequel. I would have placed this higher if they released better songs, but still fun. Not as good as Amplitude 2003 though.
Cock of War
Member
1. Doom ; Balls to the wall action and music, smooth as butter and tonally on point.
2. Inside ; Totally engaging narrative that blew my mind.
3. Titanfall 2 ; Great action, surprising mechanics, awesome mobility.
4. Hitman ; Agent 47 is back with proper hitman gameplay, extreme replay-ability.
5. Seraph ; A hidden gem of a 2d rogue-like loot actioner with style and substance.
6. Rez Infinite ; Played this on PSVR, trip of a lifetime. Synesthesia indeed.
7. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Engaging from beginning to end, technical masterpiece. Bittersweet send--off for Nathan Drake..
8. Abzû ; Beautiful, meditative.
9. Broforce ; With BroboCop you can't go wrong. Great co-op fun..
10. The Last Guardian ; Amazing emotional and technical achievement, the sense of weight and scale is unparalleled.
2. Inside ; Totally engaging narrative that blew my mind.
3. Titanfall 2 ; Great action, surprising mechanics, awesome mobility.
4. Hitman ; Agent 47 is back with proper hitman gameplay, extreme replay-ability.
5. Seraph ; A hidden gem of a 2d rogue-like loot actioner with style and substance.
6. Rez Infinite ; Played this on PSVR, trip of a lifetime. Synesthesia indeed.
7. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Engaging from beginning to end, technical masterpiece. Bittersweet send--off for Nathan Drake..
8. Abzû ; Beautiful, meditative.
9. Broforce ; With BroboCop you can't go wrong. Great co-op fun..
10. The Last Guardian ; Amazing emotional and technical achievement, the sense of weight and scale is unparalleled.
1. Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright ; Although many would disagree, I found Birthright to be the perfect balance of challenging while being fair - simultaneously putting the Fire Emblem mechanics at its best. Sure, the writing is terrible, but it was a fun ride from beginning to end.
2. Pocket Card Jockey ; What a surprise this little download was! Awesome music, addictive gameplay, and plenty of strategy to go around in this cute little horse racer from GameFreak.
3. Star Fox Zero ; One of the best score attack games ever. The controls add to the game, not take away from it.
4. Zero Time Dilemma ; The conclusion to the Zero Escape series. I was happy with how things played out with this game. It is a miracle we even got it!
5. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero ; Having just released last week, this is currently the best Shantae game... and it will only get better as more updates and DLC goes out within the next year.
6. Quantum Break ; Probably the best looking game I have personally played, this was a nice little distraction. I loved the live action bits. Awaiting Alan Wake's return.
7. Kirby: Planet Robobot ; A safe Kirby sequel. Nothing too wrong with that.
8. Paper Mario Color Splash ; The battle system is awful but the characters, world, and dialogue heavily masked up for it.
9. Hyrule Warriors Legends ; The crazy Wii U game with the most amount of content is now portable! What's not to love about that!?
10. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ; Super original games like this is why I love the medium so much.
2. Pocket Card Jockey ; What a surprise this little download was! Awesome music, addictive gameplay, and plenty of strategy to go around in this cute little horse racer from GameFreak.
3. Star Fox Zero ; One of the best score attack games ever. The controls add to the game, not take away from it.
4. Zero Time Dilemma ; The conclusion to the Zero Escape series. I was happy with how things played out with this game. It is a miracle we even got it!
5. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero ; Having just released last week, this is currently the best Shantae game... and it will only get better as more updates and DLC goes out within the next year.
6. Quantum Break ; Probably the best looking game I have personally played, this was a nice little distraction. I loved the live action bits. Awaiting Alan Wake's return.
7. Kirby: Planet Robobot ; A safe Kirby sequel. Nothing too wrong with that.
8. Paper Mario Color Splash ; The battle system is awful but the characters, world, and dialogue heavily masked up for it.
9. Hyrule Warriors Legends ; The crazy Wii U game with the most amount of content is now portable! What's not to love about that!?
10. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ; Super original games like this is why I love the medium so much.
Silent Chief
Member
1. Dark Souls 3 ; I loved the mulitiplayer in this game.
2. Hardware : Rivals ; I had a blast getting the platinum.
3. Super Robot Wars OG : The Moon Dwellers ; Epic turn base gaming and as a bonus it feels like it was translated by real space aliens.
4. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered ; Same game, same fantastic gameplay.
5. Letter Quest : Grimm's Journey Remaster ; Same game, same letters, same time waster.
6. Dying Light : The following ; Not as good as the game, but still fun with friends.
7. Final Fantasy XV ; Finally.
8. The Last Guardian ; Would have scored higher if I had played more of it.
9. Uncharted 4 : A Thief's End ; Would have scored higher if I had played more of it.
10. Yakuza 6 ; Would have scored higher if I had played more of it.
I know some of the comments suck, but I honestly can't help it. I don't usually play games when they come out.
2. Hardware : Rivals ; I had a blast getting the platinum.
3. Super Robot Wars OG : The Moon Dwellers ; Epic turn base gaming and as a bonus it feels like it was translated by real space aliens.
4. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered ; Same game, same fantastic gameplay.
5. Letter Quest : Grimm's Journey Remaster ; Same game, same letters, same time waster.
6. Dying Light : The following ; Not as good as the game, but still fun with friends.
7. Final Fantasy XV ; Finally.
8. The Last Guardian ; Would have scored higher if I had played more of it.
9. Uncharted 4 : A Thief's End ; Would have scored higher if I had played more of it.
10. Yakuza 6 ; Would have scored higher if I had played more of it.
I know some of the comments suck, but I honestly can't help it. I don't usually play games when they come out.
1. Inside ; I'm Danish and this game makes me proud. I can't remember the last time that I truly wanted a game to be twice as long as it was. Brilliant.
2. Uncharted 4 ; Perfect Crime - goddammit it's a perfect crime.
3. Battlefield 1 ; Killing in the name of ... fun.
4. Doom ; Zipping up my boots. Going back to my roots (boots = shotgun, roots = old school fps killing). Just had a good time the whole way through.
5. Dark Souls 3 ; I love to hate you. From Software creates game worlds like no one else.
6. The Last Guardian : I love my dog(bird).
2. Uncharted 4 ; Perfect Crime - goddammit it's a perfect crime.
3. Battlefield 1 ; Killing in the name of ... fun.
4. Doom ; Zipping up my boots. Going back to my roots (boots = shotgun, roots = old school fps killing). Just had a good time the whole way through.
5. Dark Souls 3 ; I love to hate you. From Software creates game worlds like no one else.
6. The Last Guardian : I love my dog(bird).
thefatness16
Banned
1. Dark Souls 3 ; What it lacks in surprise, it more than makes up in refining the Souls Formula. Wonderful level design and the best gameplay in the series.
2. Hyper Light Drifter ; Beautiful pixel art, awesome gameplay and encounters. It's so damn good I even beat the insane ng+.
3. Pokemon Sun/Moon ; After the missteps of Pokemon X/Y and ORAS, Gamefreak knocked it out of the park with one of the best releases on the series.
4. Doom ; This one of the most exciting singleplayer FPS's I've ever played. The gunplay is sublime, the fast movement, it looks and preforms remarkably well too.
5. Hitman ; A return to form for the Hitman series. Great levels that are packed to the brim with exciting and hilarious ways to complete levels.
6. Monter Hunter Generations
7. Digimon Cybersleuth
8. Street Fighter 5
9. World of Final Fantasy
10. Dead Star
I don't feel very strongly about any game past Monster Hunter but just decided to fill em in anyway.
2. Hyper Light Drifter ; Beautiful pixel art, awesome gameplay and encounters. It's so damn good I even beat the insane ng+.
3. Pokemon Sun/Moon ; After the missteps of Pokemon X/Y and ORAS, Gamefreak knocked it out of the park with one of the best releases on the series.
4. Doom ; This one of the most exciting singleplayer FPS's I've ever played. The gunplay is sublime, the fast movement, it looks and preforms remarkably well too.
5. Hitman ; A return to form for the Hitman series. Great levels that are packed to the brim with exciting and hilarious ways to complete levels.
6. Monter Hunter Generations
7. Digimon Cybersleuth
8. Street Fighter 5
9. World of Final Fantasy
10. Dead Star
I don't feel very strongly about any game past Monster Hunter but just decided to fill em in anyway.
1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Monkey Island references rocket any game to #1, but yeah something something bla bla technically astounding, amazing character performances, stirring soundtrack, the stealth is a great addition and very forgiving, and the shooting is as fun as ever.
2. Salt and Sanctuary ; Metroidvania with Souls inspiration, a game I didn't know I wanted so badly until it happened. The creed system and array of equipment makes for great build diversity & replayability. Dreary foreboding atmosphere, satisfying combat, unique bosses, lots of secrets to find. A game that will always be fun to come back to.
3. Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight ; Similar to above, a more bite-sized metroidvania. The fantastic pixel art makes the game very memorable, and the additions of the Estus-style healing and dodge roll make it a ton of fun to play.
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine ; An open world fantasy WRPG on a level of its own with DLCs like no other. It says something that I played through the entirety of Witcher 3 this year over a few weeks and after 100+ hours I was still eager to start (and really enjoyed) Blood & Wine.
5. Firewatch ; Loved the wilderness setting and exploration, interaction between the characters, and heavy feeling of loneliness & mystery.
6. The Solus Project ; One of the most engaging and eerie sci-fi games I've played in a long time. Some neat surprises and more than a few moments that left me terrified or just staring in awe. Survival aspect can be adjusted and never became a burden. Played without VR and I was still really engrossed the entire time.
7. The Survey ; PT inspired, and easily the most intense and unnerving first-person horror since PT.
8. Inside ; Incredibly well put together game with smart satisfying puzzles. Didn't grab me quite as much as Limbo, but it certainly deserves all the praise it gets.
9. Virginia ; Unique spin on storytelling and leaving some details up for interpretation makes for my kind of game. The silent movie approach clicked right away (I can be pretty quick to turn off voice acting anyway). Story kind of lost me at the end but that just served to keep me thinking about it for the next few days.
10. The Last Guardian ; Staggering realistic animation & interaction with Trico, and some stunning areas to traverse, a really beautiful game. Something about it just didn't click enough with me to rank it higher on the list.
Honorable Mentions
x. Dragon's Dogma ; This would land way high on my list but I felt there were enough new games to place. Hopping over to Bitterblack as soon as possible and struggling to get that first kill which nets you like 5 levels still feels really good, as do the next 60 hours spent there. And those framerate and load time improvements are soooo nice.
2. Salt and Sanctuary ; Metroidvania with Souls inspiration, a game I didn't know I wanted so badly until it happened. The creed system and array of equipment makes for great build diversity & replayability. Dreary foreboding atmosphere, satisfying combat, unique bosses, lots of secrets to find. A game that will always be fun to come back to.
3. Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight ; Similar to above, a more bite-sized metroidvania. The fantastic pixel art makes the game very memorable, and the additions of the Estus-style healing and dodge roll make it a ton of fun to play.
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine ; An open world fantasy WRPG on a level of its own with DLCs like no other. It says something that I played through the entirety of Witcher 3 this year over a few weeks and after 100+ hours I was still eager to start (and really enjoyed) Blood & Wine.
5. Firewatch ; Loved the wilderness setting and exploration, interaction between the characters, and heavy feeling of loneliness & mystery.
6. The Solus Project ; One of the most engaging and eerie sci-fi games I've played in a long time. Some neat surprises and more than a few moments that left me terrified or just staring in awe. Survival aspect can be adjusted and never became a burden. Played without VR and I was still really engrossed the entire time.
7. The Survey ; PT inspired, and easily the most intense and unnerving first-person horror since PT.
8. Inside ; Incredibly well put together game with smart satisfying puzzles. Didn't grab me quite as much as Limbo, but it certainly deserves all the praise it gets.
9. Virginia ; Unique spin on storytelling and leaving some details up for interpretation makes for my kind of game. The silent movie approach clicked right away (I can be pretty quick to turn off voice acting anyway). Story kind of lost me at the end but that just served to keep me thinking about it for the next few days.
10. The Last Guardian ; Staggering realistic animation & interaction with Trico, and some stunning areas to traverse, a really beautiful game. Something about it just didn't click enough with me to rank it higher on the list.
Honorable Mentions
x. Dragon's Dogma ; This would land way high on my list but I felt there were enough new games to place. Hopping over to Bitterblack as soon as possible and struggling to get that first kill which nets you like 5 levels still feels really good, as do the next 60 hours spent there. And those framerate and load time improvements are soooo nice.
1. Uncharted 4 ; A fitting end to Nathan Drake's saga.
2. Final Fantasy XV ; Seems incredible that this game even came out. I love the battle system, but the game suffers in the later half.
3. The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine ; I would have seriously paid 60 bucks just for this expansion. It's that good and leaves the excellent Hearts of Stone in the dust.
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Great game Mechanics and pacing.
5. Far Cry Primal ; A fresh take on the Far Cry formula.
2. Final Fantasy XV ; Seems incredible that this game even came out. I love the battle system, but the game suffers in the later half.
3. The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine ; I would have seriously paid 60 bucks just for this expansion. It's that good and leaves the excellent Hearts of Stone in the dust.
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; Great game Mechanics and pacing.
5. Far Cry Primal ; A fresh take on the Far Cry formula.
General Lee
Member
1. XCOM 2 ; Best modding scene since Skyrim, infinite replayability
2. Witcher 3 Blood and Wine; The best DLC of any game, by far
3. Dark Souls 3 ; DS3 is the most polished Souls game this far
4. Civilization VI ; Civilization is as fun as it has ever been, truly a franchise that has stood the test of time!
5. Uncharted 4 ; A worthy end for a thief, showcasing Naughty Dog's industry leading production values
6. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; DXMD expands on HR in many ways, and despite the lackluster main storyline, the game is still tons of fun
7. The Last Guardian ; A unique title that offers something few others do
8. DOOM; In a sea of modern shooters, Doom is a breath of fresh air
9. Dragon's Dogma PC; DD is the best showcase of how games like these deserve a PC version!
10. Quantum Break ; Remedy's ambitious title is a visually impressive title that proves why they're still highly regarded
2. Witcher 3 Blood and Wine; The best DLC of any game, by far
3. Dark Souls 3 ; DS3 is the most polished Souls game this far
4. Civilization VI ; Civilization is as fun as it has ever been, truly a franchise that has stood the test of time!
5. Uncharted 4 ; A worthy end for a thief, showcasing Naughty Dog's industry leading production values
6. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; DXMD expands on HR in many ways, and despite the lackluster main storyline, the game is still tons of fun
7. The Last Guardian ; A unique title that offers something few others do
8. DOOM; In a sea of modern shooters, Doom is a breath of fresh air
9. Dragon's Dogma PC; DD is the best showcase of how games like these deserve a PC version!
10. Quantum Break ; Remedy's ambitious title is a visually impressive title that proves why they're still highly regarded
I have a question : is it okay to i put my ballot like "Uncharted : blablalba" or I have to put like "Uncharted; blablabla" ?
Just received a MP telling me to edit ( tnx NathanDiego ) my ballot cuz it wont be acepted beucause I used ":" instead of ";".
If thats the case is there any way to find my post ?
I have no idea in what page it is.
Just received a MP telling me to edit ( tnx NathanDiego ) my ballot cuz it wont be acepted beucause I used ":" instead of ";".
If thats the case is there any way to find my post ?
I have no idea in what page it is.
timetokill
Banned
Again, it doesn't matter. We've literally had warnings in the title and it doesn't change the fact that people won't read the OP. We end up getting 99% of the votes cast every year, don't freak out.
Manny Calavera
Member
1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; For me the biggest improvement over the first three games is the slower pace which gives the adventure a much needed time to breath and the game finds just the right balance between visually impressive storytelling with characters you truly care about, smooth action and adventure in beautifully detailed locations. Also worth mentioning are the best version of the main theme and the witty Monkey Island references.
2. Inside ; Goes to a places a very few games ever have and creates an unique and disturbing world that you barely dare to enter but after find it hard to leave. Simple when it comes to gameplay but effective in visual storytelling and sound design. A rare experience you will have a hard time shaking off
3. Dark Souls III ; The gameplay and boss encounters are as good as you have come to expect and the game doesn't miss a chance to raise your pulse. Excellent game on its own right even though doesn't quite reach the perfection that Bloodborne was
4. Final Fantasy XV ; I didn't really have any expectations for this since it's been a while since I last really played a Final Fantasy game, but the game took me by a surprise. From the memorable characters that you learn to care about to the vast open world filled with interesting activities. Even though the story was a bit inconsistent at parts I enjoyed the emotional Stand by Me inspired road trip with the little touches like having to camp every night.
5. The Last Guardian ; Despite the obvious technical problems this is an emotional experience that stays with you and the beautiful and heartfelt relationship is build with care and carries a strong emotional weight.
6. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero ; A visual treat and a great platformer with charming characters and a good sense of humor.
7. Ratchet & Clank ; One of the best looking games on PS4 with some fun dialogue and a great action gameplay.
8. Firewatch ; Has an intriguing premise and an especially atmospheric location but I was slightly disappointed when all the cards were revealed.
9. Doom ; Intense, fast paced and brutal. In short everything a good fps game should be.
10. Yesterday Origins ; Despite some minor technical problems and a slight linearity this adventure kept me intrigued till the end thanks to the personal characters, interesting plot with some surprisingly dark humor and detailed locations with a nice amount of variety.
Honorable Mentions
x. The Witness ; Takes a simple mechanic and creates some of the most challenging and unique puzzles seen in games but at a times I wished the rewards were higher than just more puzzles.
x. Kathy Rain ; Maybe not very original but I found the mystery fascinating and it helped that some of the influences were my favorites like Gabriel Knight and Twin Peaks. A good old school adventure.
2. Inside ; Goes to a places a very few games ever have and creates an unique and disturbing world that you barely dare to enter but after find it hard to leave. Simple when it comes to gameplay but effective in visual storytelling and sound design. A rare experience you will have a hard time shaking off
3. Dark Souls III ; The gameplay and boss encounters are as good as you have come to expect and the game doesn't miss a chance to raise your pulse. Excellent game on its own right even though doesn't quite reach the perfection that Bloodborne was
4. Final Fantasy XV ; I didn't really have any expectations for this since it's been a while since I last really played a Final Fantasy game, but the game took me by a surprise. From the memorable characters that you learn to care about to the vast open world filled with interesting activities. Even though the story was a bit inconsistent at parts I enjoyed the emotional Stand by Me inspired road trip with the little touches like having to camp every night.
5. The Last Guardian ; Despite the obvious technical problems this is an emotional experience that stays with you and the beautiful and heartfelt relationship is build with care and carries a strong emotional weight.
6. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero ; A visual treat and a great platformer with charming characters and a good sense of humor.
7. Ratchet & Clank ; One of the best looking games on PS4 with some fun dialogue and a great action gameplay.
8. Firewatch ; Has an intriguing premise and an especially atmospheric location but I was slightly disappointed when all the cards were revealed.
9. Doom ; Intense, fast paced and brutal. In short everything a good fps game should be.
10. Yesterday Origins ; Despite some minor technical problems and a slight linearity this adventure kept me intrigued till the end thanks to the personal characters, interesting plot with some surprisingly dark humor and detailed locations with a nice amount of variety.
Honorable Mentions
x. The Witness ; Takes a simple mechanic and creates some of the most challenging and unique puzzles seen in games but at a times I wished the rewards were higher than just more puzzles.
x. Kathy Rain ; Maybe not very original but I found the mystery fascinating and it helped that some of the influences were my favorites like Gabriel Knight and Twin Peaks. A good old school adventure.
1. Street Fighter V ; I know the game released unfinished (and still is honestly), I know they ignored a large part of their casual audience, I know they fucked over PC users, but I still played this game almost every day since it's release this February. I can't stop playing it. The core gameplay is very fun and even though they've dumbed some things. it's still SF at its core. It looks and moves wonderfully and Capcom has done a great job redesigning classic characters. I hope Season 2 keeps up the steam.
2. Final Fantasy XV ; I first got hyped when this game was announced back in 2013 as it was re-branded as XV. But over the years my hype had risen and fallen due to various news coming out. A few months before launch I had decided to not even get the game but I changed my mind a couple weeks beforehand and I'm glad I did. This game is ROUGH, similar to SFV this released way too early but I still found myself spending 80 hours with the game so far and I plan to keep going. The story is a mess, the camera can be funky, the open world design isn't the best but the core gameplay and cast are where the game shines. They totally delivered on the bromance roadtrip. Hopefully the DLC is good.
3. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; I love cyberpunk and I love RPGs. This game gave me both a good game and world. Yeah it's a bit of a bummer the story was just setting up another game but man just walking around prague reading emails, doing quests, and just generally soaking up the world was enough for me. I know many people had the complaint the game was just a re-skinned HR but it has been 5 years since the last game and there are no other games that play like this so I'm all for it. I just hope we get a third game.
4. Doom ; Like many people the beta turned me off and like many people I bought the game a couple days after launch after hearing all the good word of mouth. This game may have been in dev hell but you wouldn't know it. Everything is excellent: graphics, music, creature designs, gunplay, characters, voice acting, story...STORY in a doom game LOL. Yes even the story and lore are good in this game since they rightly took a Souls like approach to storytelling but nevermind that just go ahead and fuck up some demons. Game is so satisfying to play with good combat arenas, weapons, and enemies. The addition of melee was also great. Beth is 2/2 for bringing back old shooter IP now.
5. Dark Souls III ; I admit I suffer from souls fatigue. We've had 5 souls games in 7 years. Besides DeS this is the only souls game I have only completed once which is a damn shame because this is objectively the best souls game. Regardless of my own fatigue the game delivered and was a proper send off to not only Dark Souls but souls in general. Everything you want here is good and refined to a T: level design, enemies, weapons, music, bosses, etc. Hopefully From takes a break from the formula because I don't know if I can keep up anymore.
6. Fire Emblem Fates ; First FE game I played was Awakening and I absolutely loved it. Between the releasing of Awakening and Fates though I had sold my 3ds...this is the game that got me to buy another 3DS. As of now I've only beaten Conquest but plan to go to Birthright during some downtime next year (if there is any! LOL). Loved the characters, story, world, and of course some good old fashioned SRPG goodness. This is probably my favorite nintendo IP right now and I can't wait for the switch version.
7. Hitman ; Like many others I didn't like the episodic release upon announcement but it ended working great for the game. I would like to shoutout my friend Ibuki for giving me a copy of the full experience for free because I wouldn't have played the game this year otherwise. This is the hitman everyone has been waiting for since blood money. I've only played each map once so far but I can't wait to replay them all once I have the time. Will definitely purchases Season 2 as soon as I can.
8. Resident Evil 4 ; I couldn't come up with a 8,9,and 10 unfortunately so I'm making the last 3 the action RE REmasters lol. I will have a proper write up of the whole RE series in honorable mentions. Anyway 4 is still classic and my favorite RE.
9. Resident Evil 6 ; My first time playing the game this year and I loved it. I know the problems it has but I don't care. It's fun and exhilarating. I hope Capcom does not abandon this combat system.
10. Resident Evil 5 ; I didn't like the game very much when I played in 2009 but upon replay this year I really ended up liking it. Great end to the wesker story line.
Honorable Mentions
x.Final Fantasy VII ; This is the first time I played FF7 but it's currently tied with 15 as my favorite FF. Can definitely see why so many people hold this game in high regard. Can't wait for the remake. (2017 pls)
x. Resident Evil Series ; I played through every mainline game in the series this year for the first time (I had played 4 and 5 prior to this year though). It's instantly become one of my top 5 favorite series. I love the dumb story, lore, and characters. I love both classic and action styles. This series is just so much fun. I'm still very skeptical on 7 but I hope it ends up being as good as the others.
2. Final Fantasy XV ; I first got hyped when this game was announced back in 2013 as it was re-branded as XV. But over the years my hype had risen and fallen due to various news coming out. A few months before launch I had decided to not even get the game but I changed my mind a couple weeks beforehand and I'm glad I did. This game is ROUGH, similar to SFV this released way too early but I still found myself spending 80 hours with the game so far and I plan to keep going. The story is a mess, the camera can be funky, the open world design isn't the best but the core gameplay and cast are where the game shines. They totally delivered on the bromance roadtrip. Hopefully the DLC is good.
3. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; I love cyberpunk and I love RPGs. This game gave me both a good game and world. Yeah it's a bit of a bummer the story was just setting up another game but man just walking around prague reading emails, doing quests, and just generally soaking up the world was enough for me. I know many people had the complaint the game was just a re-skinned HR but it has been 5 years since the last game and there are no other games that play like this so I'm all for it. I just hope we get a third game.
4. Doom ; Like many people the beta turned me off and like many people I bought the game a couple days after launch after hearing all the good word of mouth. This game may have been in dev hell but you wouldn't know it. Everything is excellent: graphics, music, creature designs, gunplay, characters, voice acting, story...STORY in a doom game LOL. Yes even the story and lore are good in this game since they rightly took a Souls like approach to storytelling but nevermind that just go ahead and fuck up some demons. Game is so satisfying to play with good combat arenas, weapons, and enemies. The addition of melee was also great. Beth is 2/2 for bringing back old shooter IP now.
5. Dark Souls III ; I admit I suffer from souls fatigue. We've had 5 souls games in 7 years. Besides DeS this is the only souls game I have only completed once which is a damn shame because this is objectively the best souls game. Regardless of my own fatigue the game delivered and was a proper send off to not only Dark Souls but souls in general. Everything you want here is good and refined to a T: level design, enemies, weapons, music, bosses, etc. Hopefully From takes a break from the formula because I don't know if I can keep up anymore.
6. Fire Emblem Fates ; First FE game I played was Awakening and I absolutely loved it. Between the releasing of Awakening and Fates though I had sold my 3ds...this is the game that got me to buy another 3DS. As of now I've only beaten Conquest but plan to go to Birthright during some downtime next year (if there is any! LOL). Loved the characters, story, world, and of course some good old fashioned SRPG goodness. This is probably my favorite nintendo IP right now and I can't wait for the switch version.
7. Hitman ; Like many others I didn't like the episodic release upon announcement but it ended working great for the game. I would like to shoutout my friend Ibuki for giving me a copy of the full experience for free because I wouldn't have played the game this year otherwise. This is the hitman everyone has been waiting for since blood money. I've only played each map once so far but I can't wait to replay them all once I have the time. Will definitely purchases Season 2 as soon as I can.
8. Resident Evil 4 ; I couldn't come up with a 8,9,and 10 unfortunately so I'm making the last 3 the action RE REmasters lol. I will have a proper write up of the whole RE series in honorable mentions. Anyway 4 is still classic and my favorite RE.
9. Resident Evil 6 ; My first time playing the game this year and I loved it. I know the problems it has but I don't care. It's fun and exhilarating. I hope Capcom does not abandon this combat system.
10. Resident Evil 5 ; I didn't like the game very much when I played in 2009 but upon replay this year I really ended up liking it. Great end to the wesker story line.
Honorable Mentions
x.Final Fantasy VII ; This is the first time I played FF7 but it's currently tied with 15 as my favorite FF. Can definitely see why so many people hold this game in high regard. Can't wait for the remake. (2017 pls)
x. Resident Evil Series ; I played through every mainline game in the series this year for the first time (I had played 4 and 5 prior to this year though). It's instantly become one of my top 5 favorite series. I love the dumb story, lore, and characters. I love both classic and action styles. This series is just so much fun. I'm still very skeptical on 7 but I hope it ends up being as good as the others.
NathanDiego
Member
Page 5
DriftingSpirit
Member
I'm getting excited for Inside after buying it in the PSN sale. The talk on it here has me pretty intrigued.
scrubpatrol
Member
1. Tom Clancy's The Division ; Great fun, especially since the new patch. Survival is awesome. Hundreds of hours later and I'm still coming back to it.
2. Forza Horizon 3 ; Terrific installment of the Horizon franchise. A great "lite" version of Motorsport.
3. Titanfall 2 ; Surprisingly good campaign and tight multiplayer. Daily play.
4. Hitman ; Episodic turns out to be a good idea, who knew? Amazing level design and longevity too.
5. Far Cry Primal ; Really fun take on the Far Cry formula. Makes being a caveman fun as hell.
6. Final Fantasy XV ; Some of the best and worst moments of the year. Beautiful and flawed. Great combat and dungeons and music. Worst story ever.
7. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ; JRPG with idols turns out to be superfun. I never felt it get repetitive.
8. Fire Emblem Fates ; Great game, terrible story. Really good options to lighten the difficulty but the utter stupidity of the three plots rivals FFXV.
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition ; I'm still playing this goddamn game. Confession, I still haven't finished the main story -- still too many other things to do.
10. Pokémon Go ; For a month or two, the biggest game obsession I've ever seen from those around me. Makes it on the list solely for that. Nowadays, seems deader than anything.
Honorable Mentions
x. Overcooked ; Family wrecker.
x. Steep ; Zen.
x. Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir ; BEEEYOOOTIFUL.
x. Just Cause 3 ; Just Plain Fun Category winner.
x. Quantum Break ; Good effort.
x. Pokémon Sun/Moon ; Solid Pokemon entry.
x. Super Mario Run ; Good but $10? Really?
x. Bioshock: The Collection ; Nice to go back.
x. Gone Home: Console Edition ; Best Walking Simulator Played This Year.
x. Hyrule Warriors Legends ; Turn your brain off.
x. Stardew Valley ; My kids loved it.
2. Forza Horizon 3 ; Terrific installment of the Horizon franchise. A great "lite" version of Motorsport.
3. Titanfall 2 ; Surprisingly good campaign and tight multiplayer. Daily play.
4. Hitman ; Episodic turns out to be a good idea, who knew? Amazing level design and longevity too.
5. Far Cry Primal ; Really fun take on the Far Cry formula. Makes being a caveman fun as hell.
6. Final Fantasy XV ; Some of the best and worst moments of the year. Beautiful and flawed. Great combat and dungeons and music. Worst story ever.
7. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ; JRPG with idols turns out to be superfun. I never felt it get repetitive.
8. Fire Emblem Fates ; Great game, terrible story. Really good options to lighten the difficulty but the utter stupidity of the three plots rivals FFXV.
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition ; I'm still playing this goddamn game. Confession, I still haven't finished the main story -- still too many other things to do.
10. Pokémon Go ; For a month or two, the biggest game obsession I've ever seen from those around me. Makes it on the list solely for that. Nowadays, seems deader than anything.
Honorable Mentions
x. Overcooked ; Family wrecker.
x. Steep ; Zen.
x. Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir ; BEEEYOOOTIFUL.
x. Just Cause 3 ; Just Plain Fun Category winner.
x. Quantum Break ; Good effort.
x. Pokémon Sun/Moon ; Solid Pokemon entry.
x. Super Mario Run ; Good but $10? Really?
x. Bioshock: The Collection ; Nice to go back.
x. Gone Home: Console Edition ; Best Walking Simulator Played This Year.
x. Hyrule Warriors Legends ; Turn your brain off.
x. Stardew Valley ; My kids loved it.
You are in for a treat.
1. Forza Horizon 3 ; Best racing game ever. Love the setting and it's just so fun.
2. Dishonored 2 ; The art design and atmosphere are perfection.
3. Dark Souls III ; Had a blast playing through this. Co-op was incredibly fun.
4. Lost Frontier ; This game is so well made. A lot of content for an unassuming iOS game and it helped me get through a four week stint in hospital.
5. Titanfall 2 ; Best shooter campaign ever. Love the feel, the weapons, being in the titan, etc. Don't want it to end.
6. SteamWorld Heist ; Love the look and the gameplay.
7. Mafia III ; The combat and atmosphere kept me going all the way to the end.
8. Rebel Galaxy ; The combat and upgrading kept me hooked till the end.
9. Ratchet & Clank ; Enjoyed this way more than I expected to. Fun and very pretty.
10. Gundam Breaker 3 ; A nice take on the Dynasty Warriors formula.
2. Dishonored 2 ; The art design and atmosphere are perfection.
3. Dark Souls III ; Had a blast playing through this. Co-op was incredibly fun.
4. Lost Frontier ; This game is so well made. A lot of content for an unassuming iOS game and it helped me get through a four week stint in hospital.
5. Titanfall 2 ; Best shooter campaign ever. Love the feel, the weapons, being in the titan, etc. Don't want it to end.
6. SteamWorld Heist ; Love the look and the gameplay.
7. Mafia III ; The combat and atmosphere kept me going all the way to the end.
8. Rebel Galaxy ; The combat and upgrading kept me hooked till the end.
9. Ratchet & Clank ; Enjoyed this way more than I expected to. Fun and very pretty.
10. Gundam Breaker 3 ; A nice take on the Dynasty Warriors formula.
names2hard4you
Member
1. Final Fantasy XV ; My absolute GOTY that gave the most fun I've had this year in gaming. I built a connection with the characters, which have easily become amongst my favourites in the Final Fantasy franchise. Great soundtrack too!
2. Trails of Cold Steel II ; Another great RPG that had me totally hooked. The Trails games are known for their stories and characters, this one isn't any different. Dust off your PSVita or PS3 and play this game (but only if you already beat the excellent Cold Steel that came before this sequel).
3. Titanfall 2 ; Terrific campaign with a sublime MP that is unmatched in terms of feel. You cannot get this experience anywhere else. COD tried with the exo suits since the first Titanfall, but ultimately failed.
4. Tom Clancy's The Division ; For every problem this game had, I could tell you about the 138 hours that I spent playing this game, constantly obsessing about its loot. The game had a lot of faults, but I just had way too much fun with this game. The new Survival update looks good, and I've been considering going back for that...
5. Uncharted 4 ; The end of an epic saga with Nathan Drake. Breathtaking visuals, a griping story and the Naughty Dog stamp of quality that we as gamers cannot resist. This is a great game.
6. Battlefield 1 ; Was great on my OG PS4, but as soon as I plugged my Pro and played this, I was truly in awe by just how well it ran and how good and smooth the experience was, even in Conquest with 64 players. The campaign itself was actually cool with the little story vignettes.
7. Oxenfree ; This one came by surprise. I heard there was some buzz around it so I gave it a try. It ended up being one of the greatest stories of this year, with character moments that felt human - something that a lot of games try to do and can't. The game also had a bunch of scary moments that made me grip tight on my controller.
8. Zero Time Dilemma ; Another end to a crazy cool saga. 999 is a masterpiece to this day, with VLR being a great sequel as well. This one falls a little short of the two, mainly because some of the element of surprise that was present prior, specially in the first one, is now gone. Nonetheless this game will give you plenty of twists and turns!
9. Fire Emblem Fates ; I love Fire Emblem and loved the idea that you could pick your own path. This game can be pretty damn unforgiving if you bump the difficulty. Let's not forget the perma-death element to characters that you grow fond to as you interact with them.
10. VA-11 Hall-A ; What a great VN this was. The story, the visuals and the soundtrack were just phenomenal.
2. Trails of Cold Steel II ; Another great RPG that had me totally hooked. The Trails games are known for their stories and characters, this one isn't any different. Dust off your PSVita or PS3 and play this game (but only if you already beat the excellent Cold Steel that came before this sequel).
3. Titanfall 2 ; Terrific campaign with a sublime MP that is unmatched in terms of feel. You cannot get this experience anywhere else. COD tried with the exo suits since the first Titanfall, but ultimately failed.
4. Tom Clancy's The Division ; For every problem this game had, I could tell you about the 138 hours that I spent playing this game, constantly obsessing about its loot. The game had a lot of faults, but I just had way too much fun with this game. The new Survival update looks good, and I've been considering going back for that...
5. Uncharted 4 ; The end of an epic saga with Nathan Drake. Breathtaking visuals, a griping story and the Naughty Dog stamp of quality that we as gamers cannot resist. This is a great game.
6. Battlefield 1 ; Was great on my OG PS4, but as soon as I plugged my Pro and played this, I was truly in awe by just how well it ran and how good and smooth the experience was, even in Conquest with 64 players. The campaign itself was actually cool with the little story vignettes.
7. Oxenfree ; This one came by surprise. I heard there was some buzz around it so I gave it a try. It ended up being one of the greatest stories of this year, with character moments that felt human - something that a lot of games try to do and can't. The game also had a bunch of scary moments that made me grip tight on my controller.
8. Zero Time Dilemma ; Another end to a crazy cool saga. 999 is a masterpiece to this day, with VLR being a great sequel as well. This one falls a little short of the two, mainly because some of the element of surprise that was present prior, specially in the first one, is now gone. Nonetheless this game will give you plenty of twists and turns!
9. Fire Emblem Fates ; I love Fire Emblem and loved the idea that you could pick your own path. This game can be pretty damn unforgiving if you bump the difficulty. Let's not forget the perma-death element to characters that you grow fond to as you interact with them.
10. VA-11 Hall-A ; What a great VN this was. The story, the visuals and the soundtrack were just phenomenal.
Omotesando
Member
Contemplating buying it. but still not yet fully convinced. I did like Limbo, but thought it was way overrated aswell....
Cracklox
Member
1. Grim Dawn ; Not on the list, so this will be the only vote It saw full release on the 25th of Feb this year, so it should be eligible. An ARPGs tinkerers dream, with so much build variety coming from the class combination system and some great supporting itemization. Its all set in a pretty damn interesting world too, with lore I've actually bothered to pay attention to, unlike other games in the genre. I've put in over a thousand hours this year, and with an expansion due Q1 2017, adding two new classes (which close to doubles the amount of class combinations!) a new act and more, I can see myself logging a similar amount of time next year as well
2. Dark Souls 3 ; An excellent addition to the series. Some of the best levels and boss encounters across the 5 games. Overall I still rate it below Bloodborne and above DeS. The other 3, it just depends on what day you ask me. I really liked them all for different reasons.
3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine ; This is how to do an expansion. I think I posted in the OT or somewhere, that if Blood and Wine had of released as the main game of 3, and what we got in 3 never existed, then it still would have received amazing praise. I honestly felt a little guilty playing this at the price they asked, especially after the awesomesauce of the main game and first expansion.
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; This is where my voting gets tricky as I haven't played a lot of games this year that I want to. I picked this up on the Xmas sale though, after really liking the 2013 reboot. Overall I really liked it, but fell a little short of loving it. Still too much killing mercenary dudes for my liking. I was hoping it would be a little more like the original games with more exploration and puzzle based gameplay, and maybe the occasional shoot out with a T-Rex. Much like the 2013 game, the story was shit, but actually playing was pretty fun most of the time
5. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I'll put this hear I guess. I borrowed a copy from a work colleague who hyped it to high heaven. Along with a lot of the other early praise I was pretty keen to get stuck in. Well, I struggled to get through it tbh. I nearly gave it back after a week or so of struggling to get into it, but I decided to give it one last go and in that session, went through that set piece in chapter 11. That part was amazing, and it managed to hold my interest from there, but it was a bit of a slog
6. Dying Light: The Following ; I'll add this here, despite only starting it a few days ago (never played the original release). Really, really liking what I've played so far. A pretty awesome zombie apocalypse survival fantasy. Something tells me i would rate it higher then at least the 2 games above after more time. In fact if I remember I may comer back and edit this before the cutoff
Thats really about all I've got at the moment. Some stuff I want to play but haven't for one reason or another includes but likely not limited to Doom, Civ VI, XCOM 2, Dishonored 2, Watchdogs 2, Mirrors Edge 2, Hitman, FFXV and Last Gaurdian
It saw full release on the 25th of Feb this year, so it should be eligible. An ARPGs tinkerers dream, with so much build variety coming from the class combination system and some great supporting itemization. Its all set in a pretty damn interesting world too, with lore I've actually bothered to pay attention to, unlike other games in the genre. I've put in over a thousand hours this year, and with an expansion due Q1 2017, adding two new classes (which close to doubles the amount of class combinations!) a new act and more, I can see myself logging a similar amount of time next year as well2. Dark Souls 3 ; An excellent addition to the series. Some of the best levels and boss encounters across the 5 games. Overall I still rate it below Bloodborne and above DeS. The other 3, it just depends on what day you ask me. I really liked them all for different reasons.
3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine ; This is how to do an expansion. I think I posted in the OT or somewhere, that if Blood and Wine had of released as the main game of 3, and what we got in 3 never existed, then it still would have received amazing praise. I honestly felt a little guilty playing this at the price they asked, especially after the awesomesauce of the main game and first expansion.
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; This is where my voting gets tricky as I haven't played a lot of games this year that I want to. I picked this up on the Xmas sale though, after really liking the 2013 reboot. Overall I really liked it, but fell a little short of loving it. Still too much killing mercenary dudes for my liking. I was hoping it would be a little more like the original games with more exploration and puzzle based gameplay, and maybe the occasional shoot out with a T-Rex. Much like the 2013 game, the story was shit, but actually playing was pretty fun most of the time
5. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I'll put this hear I guess. I borrowed a copy from a work colleague who hyped it to high heaven. Along with a lot of the other early praise I was pretty keen to get stuck in. Well, I struggled to get through it tbh. I nearly gave it back after a week or so of struggling to get into it, but I decided to give it one last go and in that session, went through that set piece in chapter 11. That part was amazing, and it managed to hold my interest from there, but it was a bit of a slog
6. Dying Light: The Following ; I'll add this here, despite only starting it a few days ago (never played the original release). Really, really liking what I've played so far. A pretty awesome zombie apocalypse survival fantasy. Something tells me i would rate it higher then at least the 2 games above after more time. In fact if I remember I may comer back and edit this before the cutoff
Thats really about all I've got at the moment. Some stuff I want to play but haven't for one reason or another includes but likely not limited to Doom, Civ VI, XCOM 2, Dishonored 2, Watchdogs 2, Mirrors Edge 2, Hitman, FFXV and Last Gaurdian
wild wild rice
Member
I didn't like Limbo, but thought Inside is pretty fantastic. The world and experience are just so finely crafted. Even though you're just holding right and watching scenery go by like 1/3 of the time, it's great. And I am so not into experiences like that, typically. Inside just does it that well.
It is a better realized and more refined game than Limbo. I would talk more about it but I don't want to spoil it for you. Essentially you are paying $10 for a 4 hour experience. No filler. Interesting puzzles and story. IMO it was worth it at full price.
Phantom Liber
Neo Member
1. Trails of Cold Steel 2--great soundtrack, continuation of Cold Steel 1, same fun battle system, more freedom in moving about the environment than in Cold Steel 1.
2. Fire Emblem Fates Conquest--great soundtrack, gameplay--including multiplayer with a great friend, some fun, challenging maps (Ch. 10), more interesting characters than in Birthright. I shall not comment on the plot as that will engender flames. I also shall not comment on Revelations as having all the characters to use is great in theory but the campaign eventually felt like a slog I was obliged to finish than great. That said, I have a second playthrough going on Conquest and Birthright for different S supports and to try for more interesting army compositions.
3. God Eater Resurrection--good soundtrack, graphics, fast-paced gameplay and the Predator style and new weapon types encourage customization. I'd likely have this as 2 except my Vita suffered from a wandering analogue stick then died so I haven't finished Resurrection.
4. Odin Sphere Leifsraisr--good soundtrack, the art style nicely creates an anime styled fairy tale setting, the script sounds like something out of Shakespeare. It's also very well suited for pocket sized sessions considering the level structure. It's four on the list because that level structure creates repetition which can bore someone binging on the game.
2. Fire Emblem Fates Conquest--great soundtrack, gameplay--including multiplayer with a great friend, some fun, challenging maps (Ch. 10), more interesting characters than in Birthright. I shall not comment on the plot as that will engender flames. I also shall not comment on Revelations as having all the characters to use is great in theory but the campaign eventually felt like a slog I was obliged to finish than great. That said, I have a second playthrough going on Conquest and Birthright for different S supports and to try for more interesting army compositions.
3. God Eater Resurrection--good soundtrack, graphics, fast-paced gameplay and the Predator style and new weapon types encourage customization. I'd likely have this as 2 except my Vita suffered from a wandering analogue stick then died so I haven't finished Resurrection.
4. Odin Sphere Leifsraisr--good soundtrack, the art style nicely creates an anime styled fairy tale setting, the script sounds like something out of Shakespeare. It's also very well suited for pocket sized sessions considering the level structure. It's four on the list because that level structure creates repetition which can bore someone binging on the game.
J_ToSaveTheDay
Member
1. Overwatch ; great character designs (aesthetically and gameplay-wise) create one of the most dynamic and fun multiplayer games I've ever played
2. Doom ; a contemporary fast-moving and brutal gem of a single-player FPS that also plays fine and self-aware homage to its revered franchise legacy
3. Titanfall 2 ; takes the unique mobility options introduced in the first title and expands it into a very worthwhile singleplayer campaign and very worthy follow up multiplayer suite that has a level of polish that surpasses its predecessor and its imitators by a wide margin
4. Final Fantasy XV ; a game that feels like a very fresh take on Final Fantasy for today's gaming landscape, it managed to make me feel genuinely excited about Final Fantasy as a franchise again, despite having a fair share of obvious shortcomings
5. The Last Guardian ; a combination of great animation and AI work that feels wholly unique as a game experience when interacting with Trico and an emotional payoff that doesn't come along very often in games for me
6. Pokémon Sun/Moon ; various quality of life tweaks, a modern feel of moving through a 3D-rendered space with the updated omnidirectional navigation, and very fun-written side characters that draw me into the narrative events more than any other Pokemon game combines with tried-and-true Pokemon basics to, like Final Fantasy, make me feel like this franchise is relevant to my life again
7. Forza Horizon 3 ; the mood (and music!) of this game's music-car hybrid festival blend with gorgeous visuals and an open world that's varied enough to provide a wide range of diversity to the driving challenges comes together to deliver one of the most fun and engaging racing games I've ever played
8. Dark Souls III ; yet another enjoyable entry into the Soulsborne franchise, once again delivering a package that manages to please on a great balance of atmosphere and challenge within an action RPG framework
9. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; a game that sports fairly tired gameplay design with not enough improvements to the standard Uncharted formula to move it higher up this list for me, but still manages to feel like a monumental achievement within the games medium for its artistic design, technical design, writing, and acting
10. Inside ; a brief, haunting, surreal-yet-tangible game experience that has extreme clarity in its visual and gameplay design
EDIT:
HONORABLE MENTIONS
x. Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir ; enough of a gameplay overhaul to make me completely turn around my opinion on Odin Sphere from the original PS2 version, a game I wanted desperately to love but just couldn't due to its seemingly sluggish gameplay flow -- now I find it to be a very fun to play title with timelessly enjoyable visuals and a great storyline and characters
x. Dragon Quest Builders ; I don't typically mesh well with the post-Minecraft survival-building genre, but there is a certain charm to the way this game handles itself that was positively intoxicating
x. Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator ; I've loved and followed the Guilty Gear series since Guilty Gear X2 back on PS2, and have been hooked to the style of the characters and world ever since, and I'd probably put this game in my top 10 if I was actually any good at fighting games, but this is a fine representation of all of the aspects I've grown attached to in Guilty Gear over the years
x. SUPERHOT ; satisfying and unique way to feel like a John Wick-style badass
x. Battlefield 1 ; I honestly felt that Battlefield was on a gradual decline but this one managed to surpass all of my low expectations and turn out to be both fun and gorgeous to play, at least when it comes to multiplayer -- the single player is the best the franchise has ever had IMO, but still simply doesn't hang with the best of the genre, especially this year
x. Gears of War 4 ; similar experience as Battlefield 1, though I loved Gears 1-3 back on Xbox 360 -- wasn't expecting much and got another very solid entry into the Gears of War franchise that brings its graphics engine up to snuff in fine fashion while also running extremely well on PC
One of my favorite years of gaming ever. Sometimes even just getting a top 10 is hard for me (I typically just settle with a top 5), but it was super easy for me to even mention all 16 of the titles above.
2. Doom ; a contemporary fast-moving and brutal gem of a single-player FPS that also plays fine and self-aware homage to its revered franchise legacy
3. Titanfall 2 ; takes the unique mobility options introduced in the first title and expands it into a very worthwhile singleplayer campaign and very worthy follow up multiplayer suite that has a level of polish that surpasses its predecessor and its imitators by a wide margin
4. Final Fantasy XV ; a game that feels like a very fresh take on Final Fantasy for today's gaming landscape, it managed to make me feel genuinely excited about Final Fantasy as a franchise again, despite having a fair share of obvious shortcomings
5. The Last Guardian ; a combination of great animation and AI work that feels wholly unique as a game experience when interacting with Trico and an emotional payoff that doesn't come along very often in games for me
6. Pokémon Sun/Moon ; various quality of life tweaks, a modern feel of moving through a 3D-rendered space with the updated omnidirectional navigation, and very fun-written side characters that draw me into the narrative events more than any other Pokemon game combines with tried-and-true Pokemon basics to, like Final Fantasy, make me feel like this franchise is relevant to my life again
7. Forza Horizon 3 ; the mood (and music!) of this game's music-car hybrid festival blend with gorgeous visuals and an open world that's varied enough to provide a wide range of diversity to the driving challenges comes together to deliver one of the most fun and engaging racing games I've ever played
8. Dark Souls III ; yet another enjoyable entry into the Soulsborne franchise, once again delivering a package that manages to please on a great balance of atmosphere and challenge within an action RPG framework
9. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; a game that sports fairly tired gameplay design with not enough improvements to the standard Uncharted formula to move it higher up this list for me, but still manages to feel like a monumental achievement within the games medium for its artistic design, technical design, writing, and acting
10. Inside ; a brief, haunting, surreal-yet-tangible game experience that has extreme clarity in its visual and gameplay design
EDIT:
HONORABLE MENTIONS
x. Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir ; enough of a gameplay overhaul to make me completely turn around my opinion on Odin Sphere from the original PS2 version, a game I wanted desperately to love but just couldn't due to its seemingly sluggish gameplay flow -- now I find it to be a very fun to play title with timelessly enjoyable visuals and a great storyline and characters
x. Dragon Quest Builders ; I don't typically mesh well with the post-Minecraft survival-building genre, but there is a certain charm to the way this game handles itself that was positively intoxicating
x. Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator ; I've loved and followed the Guilty Gear series since Guilty Gear X2 back on PS2, and have been hooked to the style of the characters and world ever since, and I'd probably put this game in my top 10 if I was actually any good at fighting games, but this is a fine representation of all of the aspects I've grown attached to in Guilty Gear over the years
x. SUPERHOT ; satisfying and unique way to feel like a John Wick-style badass
x. Battlefield 1 ; I honestly felt that Battlefield was on a gradual decline but this one managed to surpass all of my low expectations and turn out to be both fun and gorgeous to play, at least when it comes to multiplayer -- the single player is the best the franchise has ever had IMO, but still simply doesn't hang with the best of the genre, especially this year
x. Gears of War 4 ; similar experience as Battlefield 1, though I loved Gears 1-3 back on Xbox 360 -- wasn't expecting much and got another very solid entry into the Gears of War franchise that brings its graphics engine up to snuff in fine fashion while also running extremely well on PC
One of my favorite years of gaming ever. Sometimes even just getting a top 10 is hard for me (I typically just settle with a top 5), but it was super easy for me to even mention all 16 of the titles above.
d00d3n
Member
Why would you say something like that? I would edit my post if I were you. Juniors have been kicked out for less.
Conkerkid11
Member
Meh. Can't be bothered to read the formatting rules which have been in place for previous annual votes as well, your votes shouldn't count.
1. Overwatch ; I said I would never buy it at full price on the PS4 after playing the beta and then bought the game for full price on day 1 anyway. Don't regret it all. I've met some people and play it regularly, just an overall fun and we'll polished game.
2. Furi ; My favorite PS+ game and biggest surprise. The gameplay is well done and the soundtrack is great. The story isn't amazing or anything, but it's presented in an interesting way that I can appreciate. Most underrated game this year.
3. Let It Die ; Doesn't show up in the list of eligible games but I'm voting for it anyway since it should be. Who the hell expected this game to amount to anything after so long, yet it's one of the most fun and unique games out there now. Game oozes style and it does the best job emulating Souls gameplay while being its own game.
4. Dark Souls III ; Possibly my favorite in the series. It's the most consistent in quality among its predecessors, just overall another quality game.
2. Furi ; My favorite PS+ game and biggest surprise. The gameplay is well done and the soundtrack is great. The story isn't amazing or anything, but it's presented in an interesting way that I can appreciate. Most underrated game this year.
3. Let It Die ; Doesn't show up in the list of eligible games but I'm voting for it anyway since it should be. Who the hell expected this game to amount to anything after so long, yet it's one of the most fun and unique games out there now. Game oozes style and it does the best job emulating Souls gameplay while being its own game.
4. Dark Souls III ; Possibly my favorite in the series. It's the most consistent in quality among its predecessors, just overall another quality game.
Mushroomer25
Member
1. Hitman ; The fact that IO Interactive gave us the best Hitman game of all time earned this game a spot in the top ten. It's the incredibly fitting release structure, constant updates, and ever-improving nature that earns it the gold.
2. Titanfall 2 ; In what may be the greatest single year the genre has ever seen, 2016 gave us a lot of shooters. Incredible singleplayer campaigns. Mezermizing multiplayer. Titanfall 2 does both, better than anything else this year. It's wonderfully paced, blissfully fast, and got into my veins like no other FPS.
3. Overwatch ; At some point this gen, games gave up their personality. With Overwatch, Blizzard brought a bright, joyful slap to the industry's face. Dozens of wonderful characters, each crafted for a diverse array of players. Blizzard made the cyncical 'hero shooter' genre into something worth celebrating. It's the best new IP of this gen.
4. Inside ; Playdead's follow-up to Limbo is art in motion. Every scene is unique, every frame considered. Not a moment is wasted in a quick climb through an industrial nightmare, into one of the industry's best conclusions.
5. The Witness ; Blow's tribute to the adventure game is a masterpeice of learning through game design. Without a single spoken word, the player conquers puzzles of astounding complexity. It is possibly the only game that could be handed to any human being above the age of 13 - regardless of language or cultural heritage - that could be solved by all. Beautifully abstract, esoteric, and undeniably genius.
6. Picross 3D: Round 2 ; Games are more than thrills, or narrative journeys. They can be acts of meditation, as with Picross 3D: Round 2. This is a simple puzzle game in undeniably perfect form. Hundreds of satisfying brainteasers, with simple control and soothing music.
7. Ratchet and Clank ; Insomnia's shot at making R&C into a blockbuster film franchise may have bombed, but it did give us this top-notch platformer revival. Possibly the most beautiful film of the year.
8. Tricky Towers ; The best 'free' game of 2016. A perfect spin on the Tetris formula.
9. Doom ; Doom nails a feeling. A blissful, violent, chaotic feeling. Music, gameplay systems, visuals, art design, and level structure collide to give us something impossibly beautiful.
10. Pokemon GO ; A bad game whose cultural impact was too major to possibly deny on this list.
2. Titanfall 2 ; In what may be the greatest single year the genre has ever seen, 2016 gave us a lot of shooters. Incredible singleplayer campaigns. Mezermizing multiplayer. Titanfall 2 does both, better than anything else this year. It's wonderfully paced, blissfully fast, and got into my veins like no other FPS.
3. Overwatch ; At some point this gen, games gave up their personality. With Overwatch, Blizzard brought a bright, joyful slap to the industry's face. Dozens of wonderful characters, each crafted for a diverse array of players. Blizzard made the cyncical 'hero shooter' genre into something worth celebrating. It's the best new IP of this gen.
4. Inside ; Playdead's follow-up to Limbo is art in motion. Every scene is unique, every frame considered. Not a moment is wasted in a quick climb through an industrial nightmare, into one of the industry's best conclusions.
5. The Witness ; Blow's tribute to the adventure game is a masterpeice of learning through game design. Without a single spoken word, the player conquers puzzles of astounding complexity. It is possibly the only game that could be handed to any human being above the age of 13 - regardless of language or cultural heritage - that could be solved by all. Beautifully abstract, esoteric, and undeniably genius.
6. Picross 3D: Round 2 ; Games are more than thrills, or narrative journeys. They can be acts of meditation, as with Picross 3D: Round 2. This is a simple puzzle game in undeniably perfect form. Hundreds of satisfying brainteasers, with simple control and soothing music.
7. Ratchet and Clank ; Insomnia's shot at making R&C into a blockbuster film franchise may have bombed, but it did give us this top-notch platformer revival. Possibly the most beautiful film of the year.
8. Tricky Towers ; The best 'free' game of 2016. A perfect spin on the Tetris formula.
9. Doom ; Doom nails a feeling. A blissful, violent, chaotic feeling. Music, gameplay systems, visuals, art design, and level structure collide to give us something impossibly beautiful.
10. Pokemon GO ; A bad game whose cultural impact was too major to possibly deny on this list.
macgoeszoom
Neo Member
1. Tokyo mirage sessions #fe- I was not expecting much from this game, but wanted a game to play on the Wii U. I love the battle system and the soundtrack. I've never played a fire emblem game and this has convinced me to try those and then play again to see what I missed
2. DOOM- I can't believe how fun this game is. Wanna be a bad ass and shoot shit? Come on down! The combat puzzles with power ups were a great treat and I can't wait to play this again too!
3. Battlefield 1- I have been a battlefield fan since it first came out. That being said the last battlefield I truly enjoyed was bad company 2. The maps, classes and destruction on that game was amazing. Flashback to today... what don't I love about this game. I love the setting. I love the maps abd map sizes. I love the classes (medic for life!) sadly I haven't played the single player... but that's because I've been too busy with multiplayer. It is such a rewarding game to get a squad together and work as a team to dominate with conquest. I also love the new mode domination, it's a refreshing take on conquest, and is the only mode I play now.
4. Stardew valley- Harvest moon used to be my favorite games to play. I played the 64 version for years, same with friends of mineral town and more friends of mineral town. The newer games lost me, and I fell off. However stardew valley has brought me right back in. It's simple and yet deep, and all I want to do all day is play to see what I can do the next day to make my farm and town a better place.
5. The legend of Zelda twilight princess HD- I started out this year only ever playing ocarina of time and a link to the past. I started twilight princess on the Wii and hated the motion controls. I never got it on the GameCube because I didn't take that to college with me. While the beginning of the game is sloooow, I think it really is a show case of what 3D Zelda games should be, and I really enjoyed the WII U tablet with changing to wolf link and so on.
6. Firewatch- love this walking simulator and living in the outdoors. The character building was great and I was sad to see it end
7- Virginia- I have no damn idea what happened near the end of this game, but I really enjoyed the story telling up until that point. No verbal communication and yet I knew what people were thinking during it. A pleasant surprise.. and only a few hours long!
8. Dirt Rally- Nothing like white knuckled driving on the edge of a cliff. I enjoy how this game stresses me out and makes me learn how at the same time. When you finally get a good run on a course it is so satisfying.
2. DOOM- I can't believe how fun this game is. Wanna be a bad ass and shoot shit? Come on down! The combat puzzles with power ups were a great treat and I can't wait to play this again too!
3. Battlefield 1- I have been a battlefield fan since it first came out. That being said the last battlefield I truly enjoyed was bad company 2. The maps, classes and destruction on that game was amazing. Flashback to today... what don't I love about this game. I love the setting. I love the maps abd map sizes. I love the classes (medic for life!) sadly I haven't played the single player... but that's because I've been too busy with multiplayer. It is such a rewarding game to get a squad together and work as a team to dominate with conquest. I also love the new mode domination, it's a refreshing take on conquest, and is the only mode I play now.
4. Stardew valley- Harvest moon used to be my favorite games to play. I played the 64 version for years, same with friends of mineral town and more friends of mineral town. The newer games lost me, and I fell off. However stardew valley has brought me right back in. It's simple and yet deep, and all I want to do all day is play to see what I can do the next day to make my farm and town a better place.
5. The legend of Zelda twilight princess HD- I started out this year only ever playing ocarina of time and a link to the past. I started twilight princess on the Wii and hated the motion controls. I never got it on the GameCube because I didn't take that to college with me. While the beginning of the game is sloooow, I think it really is a show case of what 3D Zelda games should be, and I really enjoyed the WII U tablet with changing to wolf link and so on.
6. Firewatch- love this walking simulator and living in the outdoors. The character building was great and I was sad to see it end
7- Virginia- I have no damn idea what happened near the end of this game, but I really enjoyed the story telling up until that point. No verbal communication and yet I knew what people were thinking during it. A pleasant surprise.. and only a few hours long!
8. Dirt Rally- Nothing like white knuckled driving on the edge of a cliff. I enjoy how this game stresses me out and makes me learn how at the same time. When you finally get a good run on a course it is so satisfying.
1. Overwatch ; I haven't been this hooked to a game since CoD 4/Halo 3. I've put in over 300 hours into the game since it's release and don't see myself stopping anytime soon.
2. Titanfall 2 ; This was the game I was most looking forward going into the year, as I had put many hours into the first one. I played the beta and like many I was left disappointed. I wasn't going to get it at release but a friend convinced me to do so and I'm glad he did. The campaign is/was fantastic and the best of FPS in years. Respawn listened to the community and made some needed changes after to the MP after the beta, which made it similar to the original, and it's a blast to play. Really wish I could play this more, but overwatch...
3. Pokemon Sun/Moon ; I hadn't played a mainline Pokemon game since black/white, but Pokemon Go had me itching for more Pokemon and I decided to get a 3DS and Moon. I was hooked once again. The soundtrack is great, and trials replacing badges/gyms was a nice change from the previous games. It's the best mainline Pokemon I've played.
4. Quantum Break ; I've always been a big fan of Remedy and their work, and QB is no different. The storytelling, time powers and gunplay are all fantastic.
5. Gears of War 4 ; Campaign and horde are a blast to play with friends. I used to be decent at Gears mp but that isn't the case anymore with 4, it's still fun tho.
My list would be longer but there's a lot of games I've bought but haven't played or barely have played due to getting addicted to overwatch. Damn you, Blizzard!
2. Titanfall 2 ; This was the game I was most looking forward going into the year, as I had put many hours into the first one. I played the beta and like many I was left disappointed. I wasn't going to get it at release but a friend convinced me to do so and I'm glad he did. The campaign is/was fantastic and the best of FPS in years. Respawn listened to the community and made some needed changes after to the MP after the beta, which made it similar to the original, and it's a blast to play. Really wish I could play this more, but overwatch...
3. Pokemon Sun/Moon ; I hadn't played a mainline Pokemon game since black/white, but Pokemon Go had me itching for more Pokemon and I decided to get a 3DS and Moon. I was hooked once again. The soundtrack is great, and trials replacing badges/gyms was a nice change from the previous games. It's the best mainline Pokemon I've played.
4. Quantum Break ; I've always been a big fan of Remedy and their work, and QB is no different. The storytelling, time powers and gunplay are all fantastic.
5. Gears of War 4 ; Campaign and horde are a blast to play with friends. I used to be decent at Gears mp but that isn't the case anymore with 4, it's still fun tho.
My list would be longer but there's a lot of games I've bought but haven't played or barely have played due to getting addicted to overwatch. Damn you, Blizzard!
1. The Last Guardian ; A game like this only comes around once in a long while. This was something special.
2. Doom ; Setting aside that they actually managed to stay true to the spirit of the original games while also pushing forward, setting aside the perfect soundtrack, the "feel" of the controls and the gunplay, the pitch perfect tone of the atmosphere and environment and even the, uh, story... Setting all that aside, I had so much dang fun with this game
3. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I've been a big Uncharted fan since the first and originally I thought this game's existence seemed unnecessary, so when I think back on it the theme seems to be surprise. They made another Uncharted game with a surprisingly well-told and believable story. The platforming was surprisingly creative and clever and had me grinning like an idiot at times. There were mechanics new to Uncharted that worked surprisingly well, and when it was over it felt like an appropriate conclusion. All that's impressive on its own, and when combined with Naughty Dog's incredible polish the game ended up proving itself admirably.
4. Ratchet & Clank ; The gold standard for remakes, without question. Faithful to the original but with meaningful improvements that make it feel modern. A great selection of weapons, beautiful visuals, so much fun to play
5. Firewatch ; An endearing game that was so enjoyable to play through. The voice acting was great and felt sincere, the writing felt natural and convincing, the plot was engaging... This felt like a remarkable evolution of the adventure game (a genre I've endlessly tried to enjoy without success).
6. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past ; My first Dragon Quest game and it felt like a great introduction to the series. Enjoyed pretty much everything about the game, from the classic combat system to the way the plot slowly weaved itself together... the game was wonderfully charming. Really looking forward to VIII and XI
7. Inside ; This felt pure in a way that most games don't. Creative puzzles, impressively realized atmosphere, great execution
8. Downwell ; Fun game! Not sure what else to say! There was a well and I went down it!
9. Amplitude ; A nice trip down memory lane. Content was pretty thin and I only ended up truly loving a few of the songs but it was a faithful and fun effort
10. The Witness ; I respected the ingenuity that went into the puzzles and the mechanics and I enjoyed solving the panels... to a point. They got frustrating at the end and I got very impatient -- I was ready for the game to be over but instead the puzzle difficulty got amped up even higher. At a point it felt like a Mensa test and just wasn't for me anymore, but again, I still respected it
Dishonorable Mentions
x. Final Fantasy XV ; The game felt like it had a big budget behind it, and there were clearly a number of talented people that worked on it, and I'm sure it could have been something great with more time. But what we got was a disjointed, confused, uneven mess of a game that was desperate to be loved and I couldn't stand it. Here's hoping they learned a lot of lessons for FFXVI because I do want to love a Final Fantasy again... It just wasn't this one
2. Doom ; Setting aside that they actually managed to stay true to the spirit of the original games while also pushing forward, setting aside the perfect soundtrack, the "feel" of the controls and the gunplay, the pitch perfect tone of the atmosphere and environment and even the, uh, story... Setting all that aside, I had so much dang fun with this game
3. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I've been a big Uncharted fan since the first and originally I thought this game's existence seemed unnecessary, so when I think back on it the theme seems to be surprise. They made another Uncharted game with a surprisingly well-told and believable story. The platforming was surprisingly creative and clever and had me grinning like an idiot at times. There were mechanics new to Uncharted that worked surprisingly well, and when it was over it felt like an appropriate conclusion. All that's impressive on its own, and when combined with Naughty Dog's incredible polish the game ended up proving itself admirably.
4. Ratchet & Clank ; The gold standard for remakes, without question. Faithful to the original but with meaningful improvements that make it feel modern. A great selection of weapons, beautiful visuals, so much fun to play
5. Firewatch ; An endearing game that was so enjoyable to play through. The voice acting was great and felt sincere, the writing felt natural and convincing, the plot was engaging... This felt like a remarkable evolution of the adventure game (a genre I've endlessly tried to enjoy without success).
6. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past ; My first Dragon Quest game and it felt like a great introduction to the series. Enjoyed pretty much everything about the game, from the classic combat system to the way the plot slowly weaved itself together... the game was wonderfully charming. Really looking forward to VIII and XI
7. Inside ; This felt pure in a way that most games don't. Creative puzzles, impressively realized atmosphere, great execution
8. Downwell ; Fun game! Not sure what else to say! There was a well and I went down it!
9. Amplitude ; A nice trip down memory lane. Content was pretty thin and I only ended up truly loving a few of the songs but it was a faithful and fun effort
10. The Witness ; I respected the ingenuity that went into the puzzles and the mechanics and I enjoyed solving the panels... to a point. They got frustrating at the end and I got very impatient -- I was ready for the game to be over but instead the puzzle difficulty got amped up even higher. At a point it felt like a Mensa test and just wasn't for me anymore, but again, I still respected it
Dishonorable Mentions
x. Final Fantasy XV ; The game felt like it had a big budget behind it, and there were clearly a number of talented people that worked on it, and I'm sure it could have been something great with more time. But what we got was a disjointed, confused, uneven mess of a game that was desperate to be loved and I couldn't stand it. Here's hoping they learned a lot of lessons for FFXVI because I do want to love a Final Fantasy again... It just wasn't this one
Riposte
Member
What wins GOTY is the least interesting part of all this.
1. Stardew Valley ; Never been a particular fan of Harvest Moon but this game clicks on every level and makes me feel like im twelve again in the best way possible.
2. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun ; A modern Commandos. I didn't know how much I wanted this.
3. Overcooked ; I like games that make you speak in their own "language" (in this case, kitchen language) and I love local multiplayer. Overcooked hits both marks and feels like a game Nintendo would have created once upon a time.
4. Superhot ; Makes me feel much more like I'm in a cool action movie than Uncharted or any other AAA game. Killing has never been so much fun. (ign.com)
5. Quadrilateral Cowboy ; What Superhot is to action movies, this is to heist movies. I just wish the guy would hire himself an artist already, those characters are driving me crazy.
6. Doom ; I didn't expect this game to be good. It turned out great, and I normally don't even like shooters.
7. The Witness ; I like games that make me feel both stupid and like a genius in the span of a couple of minutes.
8. Offworld Trading Company ; I couldn't explain this game to a friend even if I tried but it feels unlike anything I've ever played before which is quite a feat in 2016.
9. Firewatch ; Beautiful game, very well written for the most part.
10. Owlboy ; Looks like a game from the 90s but never feels like it which really distinguishes it from the crowd.
2. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun ; A modern Commandos. I didn't know how much I wanted this.
3. Overcooked ; I like games that make you speak in their own "language" (in this case, kitchen language) and I love local multiplayer. Overcooked hits both marks and feels like a game Nintendo would have created once upon a time.
4. Superhot ; Makes me feel much more like I'm in a cool action movie than Uncharted or any other AAA game. Killing has never been so much fun. (ign.com)
5. Quadrilateral Cowboy ; What Superhot is to action movies, this is to heist movies. I just wish the guy would hire himself an artist already, those characters are driving me crazy.
6. Doom ; I didn't expect this game to be good. It turned out great, and I normally don't even like shooters.
7. The Witness ; I like games that make me feel both stupid and like a genius in the span of a couple of minutes.
8. Offworld Trading Company ; I couldn't explain this game to a friend even if I tried but it feels unlike anything I've ever played before which is quite a feat in 2016.
9. Firewatch ; Beautiful game, very well written for the most part.
10. Owlboy ; Looks like a game from the 90s but never feels like it which really distinguishes it from the crowd.
Subway Diet
Member
1. Doom ; This is it. There have been many games over the past decades that have claimed to capture the spirit of the original. It doesn't matter now. From top to bottom, this is the true modern successor to Doom's Legacy.
2. Titanfall 2 ; Excellent! Creative single player with an addictive multiplayer that actually managed to hook me in.
3. Inside ; Amazingly bleak. Just such a sombre, unsettling journey that ends up going places.
4. Hitman ; Who would have expected it? Nobody seemed to have a nice word to say about the series, what with absolution and cynicsm around it's new episodic approach. Turns out it's the best the series has been in a long time.
5. Quantum Break ; They don't make epic narrative third person shooters like this any more. And I doubt they will again.
6. Stories: The Path of Destinies ; Delightful little chose-you-own-adventure ARPG-lite. Far more enjoyable than the sum of it's parts.
7. Overwatch ; Came for the charm and diverse cast of characters, stayed for the fact it's a team based online shooter that I don't feel like I'm ruining it for everyone.
8. Forza Horizon 3 ; I don't think I've done much racing in this game. I'm more than happy to play it as a virtual-tourist-with-sports-cars kind of thing. Just feels so right.
9. Rhythm Heaven Megamix ; Favourites from the past games get a gorgeous remaster, plus enough new content to not make it feel like too much of a remaster cash-in.
10. Pony Island ; Endless runner literally from hell. Weird and creative twists in an ever escalating narrative.
Honorable Mentions
x. Superhot ; Damn fine game. Got barely pushed out from the list because I wanted to see points for Pony Island.
x. Gravity Rush Remastered ; Adored the game on the Vita. Super happy to see it getting into the hands of more people.
2. Titanfall 2 ; Excellent! Creative single player with an addictive multiplayer that actually managed to hook me in.
3. Inside ; Amazingly bleak. Just such a sombre, unsettling journey that ends up going places.
4. Hitman ; Who would have expected it? Nobody seemed to have a nice word to say about the series, what with absolution and cynicsm around it's new episodic approach. Turns out it's the best the series has been in a long time.
5. Quantum Break ; They don't make epic narrative third person shooters like this any more. And I doubt they will again.
6. Stories: The Path of Destinies ; Delightful little chose-you-own-adventure ARPG-lite. Far more enjoyable than the sum of it's parts.
7. Overwatch ; Came for the charm and diverse cast of characters, stayed for the fact it's a team based online shooter that I don't feel like I'm ruining it for everyone.
8. Forza Horizon 3 ; I don't think I've done much racing in this game. I'm more than happy to play it as a virtual-tourist-with-sports-cars kind of thing. Just feels so right.
9. Rhythm Heaven Megamix ; Favourites from the past games get a gorgeous remaster, plus enough new content to not make it feel like too much of a remaster cash-in.
10. Pony Island ; Endless runner literally from hell. Weird and creative twists in an ever escalating narrative.
Honorable Mentions
x. Superhot ; Damn fine game. Got barely pushed out from the list because I wanted to see points for Pony Island.
x. Gravity Rush Remastered ; Adored the game on the Vita. Super happy to see it getting into the hands of more people.