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[watdaeff4]

Looking through all I played this year and most things were from previous years but here goes:

1. Uncharted 4 ; I enjoyed the entire Uncharted series - even the original - and this was the perfect swan song. Took everything from the previous games and made those mechanics better, added the new rope mechanic and a great storyline. The ending and epilogue was fantastic also. Easily my GOTY

2. Dark Souls 3 ; More of the same but still a great game.

3. Gears of War 4 ; I enjoyed this game very much. It really improved upon and refined the mechanics from the previous games in the series. Also Horde mode is a blast.

4. The Last Guardian ; The concept of this game is phenomenal. Also the graphics, the bonding with Trico, is a nice package. I would say the "highs" I got from this game were the best I got from gaming all year, the only reason why this game is this far down is that the control scheme (and not just having to be patient with Trico, but the controls overall) and execution were not the best.

5. The Division ; While the endgame might not be the best or what people were hoping for, the ride there was very fun....The graphics were amazing and some of the ideas they introduced could have a lot of potential in the sequel.

6. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 ; Had a blast with this game. The missions were fun for what they were, but the continued play via co-op with my sons and playing online added a lot of mileage to the game.

7. Street Fighter V ; Mechanically this is the best fighting game I've ever played by far. THe SP options for this game really hold it back though. Despite this (and me being a scrub) I still sunk dozen of hours into this game.

8. Abzu ; Beautiful game. Due to it's ties with Journey will get a lot of comparison.

9. Quantum Break ; As long as you don't play it like a cover shooter, it's a lot better than what it seems otherwise. The integration with the TV episodes failed though IMO.

10. Dead Rising 4 ; This may be a factor of just playing it, but still really enjoyed it. I can understand why purists of the series would have their issues with the game though. Personally enjoyed this a lot more than DR3 - mainly because Frank West is such a better character than

Spoiler

I can't even remember the guy's name

 

[SunhiLegend]

1. Final Fantasy XV ; Was never a fan of FF, hate turn based action, played the demo for XV which convinced me to buy the full game. 60+ hours in and still having a blast, love the open world, gameplay, the main characters and the post game content which is some of the best I've ever experienced in a game.

2. DOOM ; The Fury Road of shooters. Was my unanimous GOTY before I played FF, gameplay and soundtrack is sublime, graphics are amazing. There was never a dull moment in the campaign, I never wanted to put the controller down, gameplay is so addictive and I loved the enemy and level design, can't remember the last time I've played a FPS as good as DOOM.

3. Forza Horizon 3 ; Played the demo which convinced me to buy the game day 1 even though I don't even own an xbox, played it on a borrowed one same with the demo. Loved the open world, the soundtrack, graphics, gameplay. Good variety of things to do and different types of areas to explore, spent most of my time just cruising though, drone mode is a game changer, would love that for all future open world racers same with the replay system in the game.

Honorable Mentions
x. Uncharted 4 ; Graphics take the cake, amazing, gameplay is much improved from previous entries, story was good, pacing however was horrible. Way too much downtime spent in between the action, everytime I expect the game to pick up your forced into 30 minutes of exploration, made the game a chore to get through at times. Less downtime and a lot more action would have put the game in my top 3, otherwise it just misses out.
x. PES 2017 ; Hands down the best gameplay I've ever played in a football game, miles ahead of the competition in that regard, I play exclusively offline and locally so it helps that the A.I. is amazing as well.
x. F1 2016 ; Last time I had this much fun with an F1 game was back during the modded rfactor days and F1 2006 CE on the PS3. Although I played with a pad it felt so good, graphics, sound, overall package I though was great this year.

Looking through other users lists there's a few games I've yet to play that I'd like to, TLG, Inside, Life is Strange, Firewatch, The Witness and ABZU. In The Last Guardians case I did have a chance to buy the game but seeing the horrible job the developers did optimizing the game for the PS4 I couldn't justify paying full price. My top 3 won't change though, they're pretty much locked.

 

[DarkLordMalik]

1. Final Fantasy XV ; The only game that I have played this year for hours without getting bored. The ending was easily one of the best that I have seen this year.

2. INSIDE ; Simply beautiful and one of the most amazing experience in a video game for this year.

3. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; I was really disappointed in the game but the combination of a decent SP but a surprisingly good MP is still better than a lot other games released this year.

4. Dragon Quest Builders ; One of the most fun game I have played this year. I wasn't sold on the original idea for the game but the demo made me realize the game is much more than a clone.

5. DOOM ; Fun and fast paced first person shooter. Best one released this year.

6. Gears of War 4 ; More of the same but I really enjoyed it in co-op. Horde mode is really fun too!

 

[NeoRaider]

Just some advice: use a semi colon instead of a dash otherwise it's not counted (look at OP).

Thanks. I edited my post. Is it ok now??

 

[Fakeknowledge]

Haven't thought about an order but these would be the dead certs.

Titanfall 2
Inside
Overwatch
Dark Souls 3
PES2017
The Last Guardian

 

[wild wild rice]

Yeah it's kinda sad I only played a single game this year considering the amount and variety of great games launched this year but unfortunately, I only own a Wii U and 3DS (But it's been like 2 years since the last time I played 3DS! I'm not into handhelds anymore) and pretty much none of the games released for those systems this year attracted me enough to get them. Lot's of good JRPGs released though but not a fan of that genre mostly because there's no time to play them properly, hah. There's a lot of games I would love to play such as Doom, Overwatch and FFXV but I'm screwed since I only own Nintendo devices... Never again!! Next year will save to get a proper PC or a PS4 or something (among Nintendo Switch of course) Because waiting 3, 4, 5, sometimes 6 months between each worthy Nintendo game with zero third party stuff to play in the meantime sucks!

Gotcha. Yeah, it's been a pretty rough year on Nintendo consoles. I couldn't be exclusive to any one console, tbh. They all have weak years, droughts, etc. Hell, this is the first year I feel I really got good use out of my PS4.

 

[delSai]

1. Let It Die ; Nothing is better than being hyped for a game for a long time, then playing it and not being disappointed. A 10/10 Soundtrack, fair Free to Play model that can be enjoyed without spending a cent. Fun characters including my favorite of the year, Uncle Death, crazy and over the top violence, grinding for more money and equipment has made me addicted to the game. Gameplay, while not the best, is still alright. It's a game that i am going to play for a long time.

2. Ratchet and Clank ; This was my first Ratchet game. It was just fun to play through. It's not hard, not too long and looks amazing. It was enjoyable from start to finish.

3. Kamen Rider Battride War Genesis ; The game that made me watch 100s of hours of the movies and TV Shows. I have to be honest and say that it's not a great game, you play on the same few stages, the music sucks and it doesn't look up to date. But that didn't matter to me, it made me a fan of this fantastic serie and love the characters. It became my pick up and play game, just jumping in seeing the characters poses and hear 'em talk is good enough. I am thankful that this game made me fall in love with Kamen Rider.

4. Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End ; A beautiful game. Graphics were impressive, the characters are so loveable, the gameplay was really strong, the locations that we got to play in were pretty cool too. The more lighthearted, slower, non-action moments are what i really liked, i liked shooting and stealthing my way around the levels, but just walking around hearing the characters talk to each other or Nate playing with a Toy Gun in his house was just fantastic. Also the ending was amazing. Multiplayer was fun as well.

5. Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth ; I spend so much time digivolving my monsters back and forth and training them. It's a really good turnbased Jrpg, has cool music and for people that like Digimon it's just a great game. It's also the first Monster-Training game that i have enjoyed in a long time!

6. Battleborn ; A fun Online Shooter, crazy cast of characters, a story mode that you can play through with friends, a cool leveling system in the matches that allows you to change your playstyle and from my experience a really nice community. Matches could be so much fun when people were playing together. For a few weeks it always made me come back for more, to unlock stuff, learn new characters and to kick some ass.

7. Batman - The Telltale Series ; I still like the Telltale games. Batman has a different take on the characters we all know which i liked a lot. Also i'm a sucker for Superhero games, this featured one of my favorites comic characters and for once wasnt a fighting/action game. Being able to play as Bruce Wayne was cool too.

8. Alienation ; Twinstick Shooter Goodness from the Kings of Gameplay, Housemarque. It played really good, kept me playing to find better weapons and could get really hard too. Really strong game.

9. Far Cry Primal ; Great and underused setting, which was the strongest part of the game imo. It was a surprise to me, i didnt expect to enjoy a Far Cry game as much as i did with this one, they were always "Okay" but nothing more, but the unique setting and good gameplay made me like it enough to get the Platinum Trophy.

10. Overwatch ; Fun Game, really cool characters. Really polished and there really isnt anything wrong with it, but i just didnt enjoy it more than those other games.

Honorable Mentions
x. Tricky Towers ; Fun Multiplayer Game.

 

[BoxManLocke]

Oh shit, expansions/DLC are accepted ? Well that totally fucks up my ranking. Go to put Blood & Wine in there somewhere.

 

[Kralamoonard]

Thanks. I edited my post. Is it ok now??

Yep it's fine now

 

[thegameplayloop]

1. Overwatch; bright, imaginative, accessible yet deep.

2. Uncharted 4; though the tale was not all I expected, the sheer prowess of the game can't be ignored, multiplayer kept me coming back again and again.

3. Dark Souls III; the perfect send off to a legendary series.

4. Doom; big, bold, and brutal, even if too much of a good thing is bad for you, I'll happily take another heaped helping of Doom.

5. Titanfall 2; a cut above the other shooters released around it.

6. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE; spectacular in the literal sense of the word but not flawless, still a breath of fresh air.

7. The Last Guardian; a flawed masterpiece that still somehow manages to live up to the weight of expectation.

8. Superhot; some might call it the most innovative shooter of 2016.

9. Fire Emblem Fates; almost too much to take in volume, but any game that retains Awakening's combat and social elements succeeds in my eyes.

10. Severed; forgotten by many but dripping in atmosphere and held together by polished turn based combat, that's before you mention the perfect size of the game.

 

[Mazre]

1. Enter the Gungeon ; Fast paced action, well thought out rogue-lite mechanics. A playful sense of humor and a huge arsenal of guns, many with unique and interesting mechanics. The base game is an incredible value and the free supply drop update will be landing soon.
2. Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate ; 5th entry in the Shiren series, super solid roguelike with a ton of challenging post game content.
3. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past ; Fantastic remake of a fantastic game. Most changes are for the better and the game still retains much of it's original charm.
4. Hitman ; A return to form for this series. Massive levels, tons of player freedom, lots of ways to go about your grim tasks.
5. Overwatch ; Fun. Plain and simple.
6. Darkest Dungeon ; There's just something about a game that's not afraid to take hours of work and effort and obliterate it sending you practically back to square 1. Best narrator.
7. Tyranny ; Original IP from Obsidian, great world, combat could use a little more variety and depth.
8. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ; MegaTen + idols. And it works. Combat drags a little towards the end but it's a fun ride overall.
9. XCOM 2 ; So many dead rookies.
10. Furi ; A beautiful mix of swordplay and bullet hell shooter.

 

[MrS]

1. Salt and Sanctuary ; This fucking game! Harder than DSIII, tougher bosses, more environmental dangers. It's Dark Souls in 2D and it's incredible. The lack of map made navigation super tough but I loved this game and the sense of accomplishment upon completing it was worth running the gauntlet. The map design is excellent. That this game was made by a team of 2 is a major accomplishment. I salute them.
2. Dark Souls 3 ; The worst Dark Souls game is still almost GOTY-level, which says everything about this legendary series.
3. DOOM ; Simply the best FPS campaign I've played in a long ass time. We all know why this game is great. Hopefully id will give Quake the DOOM treatment next.
4. Darkest Dungeon ; Repetitive but exhilarating.
5. Alienation ; Not up to Housemarque's usual standards but still throughly enjoyable and the online aspects worked seamlessly. Underrated.

 

[ecierif]

Query

I didn't see Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition on the spreadsheet. Is an enhanced re-release of that nature ineligible?

Edit: It was added.

 

[Jamix012]

1. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice ; Undoubtably the most pleasant surprise of the year. In my opinion Ace Attorney hasn't been nearly as high quality since Apollo Justice, though I haven't managed to play the japan only releases. Spirit of Justice proves that the series still has what it takes to be top of it's class in the genre. Had you told me I would have picked this game over Zero Time Dilemma at the beginning of the year, I would have laughed, but here we are. Ace Attorney 6 may not hit the heights of the third entry in the series, and to be honest the DLC case wasn't that great, but it is still a shining return to form delivered, unfortunately, in a download only format.

2. Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma ; Moving from the most pleasant surprise of the year, to the least. Obviously this game is still worth playing, else I would not place it on my list at all, yet I cannot help feel slightly disappointed. To start with the good points: the series still has suspense, soundtrack and mystery and I would say it's certainly worthy of the Zero Escape series, but it's almost certainly the worst in it. I'm sure others have bashed on this relentlessly thus far but here's my two cents, at least: the worst problem the game had was the pacing. The beginning and end have very little puzzles and a lot of exposition, and the middle has basically only puzzles with little exposition. The biggest flaw is that it wasn't paced out in a way that had a good balance of the two. Still, I highly recommend the game overall as it brings the series to a well-enough rounded conclusion.

3. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ; The second best Fire Emblem game to come out this year. Feels like Persona with slightly better battles, progression system and dungeon design but worse aesthetics and far worse music, characters and plot. A great RPG, but a mediocre story.

4. Fire Emblem Fates ; So much worse in story than any previous FE, but also has the best gameplay to my tastes. An overall step up from Awakening (which also had a garbage plot.)

5. The Last Guardian ; This game has so many control and camera issues that drove me up the wall. It's bad as a game for that. But as an experience? I was touched. Not enough to make me overlook everything, but it was certainly endearing. Shoutout to Trico's realistic AI too.

6. SteinsGate 0 ; A solid followup to the original game. Not quite in the same league as it, but certainly not a disappointment. Soundtrack and characters are on point, but it doesn't quite hit the same highs as the predecessor. It also has some inconsistencies which I try to overlook... Still, it's worth noting that pure visual novels like this aren't really my genre of choice, so for a game like this to even make it on my list makes it worthy of attention. If you like the reading-only type visual novels, this is a great pick.

7. Shadow of the Beast ; I just finished this one up. Honestly didn't expect it to land here, but here we are. A surprise for sure! Graphically a little weak but otherwise atmospheric and the gameplay has depth...Can be frustrating at points but the short length keeps it from overstaying its welcome. Also, original Shadow of the Beast included? Heck yeah.

8. Ratchet and Clank ; My first REAL journey into the series and a good one too! Man the visuals are something to talk about, like... On PS4 Pro THIS is what I imagined next gen to look like. I still believe in diminishing returns, but this is a damn treat for the eyes. Not the say the gameplay is shabby! Far from it! A great little shooter/platformer and I'm honestly excited to check out more in the series.

9. Forza Horizon 3 ; The best Xbox game I played this year. A nifty little game which is outside genres I usually play. Still, I sunk 15 hours into this and certainly had fun even with some complaints about how stupid some the dialogue sounds and how repetetive the game can get.

10. Pokemon Sun ; Eh. Like I don't know. Objectively this hits higher marks than X and Y. The bad guys are more interesting, setting is at least as interesting, difficulty is better and music is at least on par but... I may just need a break from the series. I didn't really get into this one as much as I have previous entries, though the fact it is still on my list should show that even with that, this is a solid title to pick up.

Honorable Mentions:

x. Until Dawn: Rush of Blood ; VR!!! THE FUTURE!!! To be honest not really. But I enjoyed this on rails shooter quite a bit. VR certainly added significantly to it, which is more than I can say for most VR I've experienced thus far. Good stuff.

x. Playroom VR ; Simple, but somewhat effective. The Monster game is my Jam, to be honest. No other games so effectively use the second screen effect so well...yet...

x. Pokken Tournament ;

x. Firewatch ; Barely missing my top 10. The issue here was just that there didn't feel like there was enough to it. Also I felt like some stuff was under explained with the ending. Just me?

x. Batman Arkham VR ; Cool Tech Demo. Not game enough to be a top 10 contender though.

 

[eXistor]

1. The Last Guardian ; I've always had faith. I never once thought The Last Guardian was not gonna be released. I had faith and I was rewarded with one of the best experiences I've had with a game in a long, long time. Exactly like I knew it would. Trico is a triumph, the bond you get with him (her?) is just the best I've seen in any game and by the end you've been through so much together that I dare anyone not to cry at the end. There are minor issues. Yes, the camera could be more responsive, yes, the boy could control a little tighter, but ultimately, these things don't matter when looking at the big picture. The things the game sets out to do it absolutely nails. I loved the various locations. I loved the liitle moments between the boy and Trico. The puzzles were mostly fun and clever without feeling illogical. The sense of scale and grandeur is just about unmatched. This is a masterclass in storytelling with minimal dialogue. The few cutscenes are worthy of any Ghibli film and nothing feels out of place. This, good people, is a masterpiece plain and simple. A few blemishes here and there do nothing to deteriorate the beautiful soul this game has.

2. Final Fantasy XV ; Another game with issues that ultimately don't affect the game as much as you'd think. More than the sum of its part, Final Fantasy XV manages to excite and impress more than it frustrates and disappoint. But let's be honest, it does frustrate and disappoint. Playing the game it becomes obvious it is not a complete game. Sacrifices have been made to even make the game possible. Most obvious is in the narative, It's bad, I'm not gonna lie. The story there is is good, but it's told terribly and while the endgame does a lot to do leave the player with some closure, overall, the story and characters are wasted. That said, I don't think I've put as many hours of pure fun in a game as I did with FFXV. Running, driving or flying around the world is great fun, the vistas are beautiful, the fights are fun, the music is inspriring. I could probably write a ton of pages on things that maybe don't really work in the game, but when I've had this this much fun, who really cares? Final Fantasy XV made Final Fantasy relevant again after the frankly abysmal FFXIII. The road may be bumpy, but at least we're on the right one again. Hopefully they can smooth things out the next time, but we're defintely back on track.

3. Doom ; Talk about a surprise eh? Like many, I had low expectations for this, but man did it deliver against all odds. This is fast, furious and just plain 'ol fun. In pure terms, this is the best videogame I've played this year. As seen in my list I put 2 games over this, but they are for very different and personal reasons. This is the best designed game this year and that can't be understated. This is great stuff. I'm still not a fan of the music though, that's the one thing everyone seems to love and I just don't hear it. It sounds like over-produced metal being farted out by robots. I would have much preffered melody-driven music instead of the industrial noise we got, but hey people seem to like it so who am I to complain?

4. Paper Mario Color Splash ; The funniest game of the year. Also the most charming of The Last Guardian didn't exist. Some things don't quite work like the tedious Roshambo temples or the Color Ninja's that you sometimes literally can't stop from screwing up progress in a level (if you care about such things) or some terrible insta-death moments (hope you saved!) and a pretty bad end-fight. All those things don't matter in the end. The game is very long at about 30 hours, but almost none of that time is wasted; the environments are plentiful and varied, the music the same, it constantly manages to surprise. I found it to be an utterly charming and pleasant experience. It's a good thing I love adventure games, because this is one through and through. If you have the right mindset and don't go in expecting an rpg, you should love it.

5. Dark Souls III ; It's a solid entry in the series. It's predictably great. Nothing wrong with that, but it's more of the same great stuff we're used to. It speaks volumes about the quality of the game that a "solid entry" is a top 5 game of the year. It's effortlessly fantastic, which is amazing when you think about it; you'd almost take it for granted, but really, we should count our blessings.

6. Dishonored 2 ; I enjoyed it more than the first. Whereas I thought the first game kind of petered out towards the end, this one was solid throughout with some great "highlight" levels along the way. Great level design and the two playable characters add some variety which is never a bad thing.

7. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Very close call between this and Dishonored 2. D2 edged it out in the end mostly because it felt more complete, but Deus Ex: MD was a great experience as well. Like Dishonored 2, this one was solid throughout where I really disliked the last mission of the previous game. Great level-design as usual.

8. Steins;Gate 0 ; As good a sequel as we could have hoped for. It never quite reached the insane heights of the first game, but it manages to be utterly captivating nontheless (it's good that they didn't try to one-up themselves) . Some of the new characters are a bit wasted, but others (Maho in particular) are great additions to the cast.

9. Earth Defense Force 4.1: Shadow of Despair ; Both a greatest hits and great sequel. This is the ultimate EDF game (so far). It has all the characters, all the stages and better performance compared to previous entries. The most addicting game I've played all year.

10. Uncharted 4 ; A worthy (and wordy) finale to the series. I loved the more adventurous and relaxed tone of the game and less emphasis on action (never Uncharted's strong suit imo). It;s a one-and-done kinda game to me though. It's fun to play through once, but after that you've pretty much seen what it has to offer. But what it has to offer is great fun and amazing graphics and with the characters we all love.

Honorable Mentions:

x. Yomowari: Night Alone ; Basically an overhead Silent Hill. I was surprised at how good this was. While the game isn't particularly scary, it has a very dense atmosphere and a bunch of fun little side-stories. The game doesn't overstay its welcome and was great fun to play.
x. Dragon Quest: Builders ; The kind of Minecraft clone I like. A much more streamlined and structured game like this makes me interested for way longer and of course the considerable Dragon Quest charm helps give it its own unique flavor. In the end I never finished it, but it's the best game of its kind for people like me.
x. World of Final Fantasy ; Another game that nets some big points for charm. The game itself is fairly straightforward and simple, but it harkens back to simpler times and manages to tell a fun little story and has some surprisingly fun characters to boot.

 

[timetokill]

Not reading the OP is bannable folks

 

[Jawbreaker]

1. The Last Guardian ; Against all odds and despite living under the shadow of the mightiest of colossus', Fumito Ueda's latest puzzle/platformer managed to live up to its predecessors — even surpassing them in certain areas. The premise is simple, but the emotional journey with your beloved Trico — through an interconnected world as intricately designed as any of Hidetaka Miyazaki's "Soulsborne" titles — will challenge your ability to simply let go, thanks in large part to the life-like nature of Trico's animations and AI.

Despite there only being a limited amount of rewards to unlock on a second playthrough, the game's true replay value lies in your attachment to the creature. The bond you create while journeying through the picturesque ruins of The Last Guardian is its lifeblood, and this companionship could be what helps a lonely soul weather the winter with the warmth it offers in spades. This is an example piece for what the medium is uniquely capable of offering, and I can only hope Ueda continues to create these experiences for years to come.

2. Dark Souls III ;
3. Let It Die ;
4. Dragon Quest Builders ;
5. Uncharted 4 ;
6. Furi ;
7. INSIDE ;
8. Owlboy ;
9. Virginia ;
10. Hyper Light Drifter ;

[Work in progress]

 

[Jamix012]

Query:

Fire Emblem Fates was released as one package, in admittedly limited quantity, as a triple pack. Am I not able to vote for that? It seems contradictory that Assassin's Creed Chronicles Trilogy Pack is eligible for voting, but I can't cast a vote for Fire Emblem Fates as a whole.

 

[Bits N Pieces]

1. Inside ; Can't say much more than has already been said. The game is a masterpiece.

2. Forza Horizon 3 ; My favourite racing franchise somehow manages to get better with every iteration, incredible amount of fun to be had with the single player and online. Playground are a top tier developer.

3. Gears of War 4 ; I was really worried about how this would end up but it's safe to say The Coalition know what they are doing. A real service to the fans but still bring new stuff to the table. Plus Horde is amazing.

4. Titanfall 2 ; I was really worried after playing the beta, it just felt off and the maps didn't feel great. Once the good impression started coming in I bit and im glad I did. Outstanding campaign ad fun mp.

5. Quantum Break ; Im a big Remedy fan and I really enjoyed the whole game/tv crossover and it played out much better than I could have hoped. The actual gameplay was fantastic and chain together moves and kills never got old.

6. Oxenfree ; Really engaging story with a great cast acting out some fantastic writing, bot a big fan of point and click games but this game really clicked with me.

7. Superhot ; It's the most innovative shooter I've played in years.

8. Hue ; I like my puzzle platformers and this game is a little gem. Quirky premise with some well thought out puzzles. Really charming little game.

9. Doom ; The structure and flow of the game might not be for everyone but I thought the devs nailed it. Not much more satisfying than chasing together some gruesome kills with some awesome guns.

10. Layers of Fear ; A good old fashioned ghost story type of game and one that gave me a good few scares and a lot of walking/running with dread. Great fun.

 

[Hikami]

1. Overwatch ; Shooters have become increasingly generic for me over the years. Overwatch changes that by giving you unique characters to play with and oh boy does that work well.
2. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II ; One of the best JRPGs I've played. Tops the first game easily with all the new things introduced and how crazy the story got throughout the game.
3. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth ; The game that reinvigorated my interest in Digimon. This is something I wish more companies would do. The game was aimed at the older audiences that grew up with Digimon rather than always aiming at kids like a certain other monster raising game does.
4. Dragon Quest Builders ; Everything I ever wanted that Minecraft didn't give me.
5. Dark Souls III ; It's not my favorite game in the series. But there's no denying that it's one of the best. It's hard to go back and play older Souls games after playing this one with it's refined mechanics.
6. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse ; SMT IV was my favorite 3DS game. Apocalypse doesn't really top that for me since it's more of the same. More of the same isn't necessarily bad here though since that means more awesome demon collecting and defeating powerful foes.

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

1. Inside ;
Can't say much more than has already been said. The game is a masterpiece.

2. Forza Horizon 3 ;
My favourite racing franchise somehow manages to get better with every iteration, incredible amount of fun to be had with the single player and online. Playground are a top tier developer.

3. Gears of War 4 ;
I was really worried about how this would end up but it's safe to say The Coalition know what they are doing. A real service to the fans but still bring new stuff to the table. Plus Horde is amazing.

4. Titanfall 2 ;
I was really worried after playing the beta, it just felt off and the maps didn't feel great. Once the good impression started coming in I bit and im glad I did. Outstanding campaign ad fun mp.

5. Quantum Break ;
Im a big Remedy fan and I really enjoyed the whole game/tv crossover and it played out much better than I could have hoped. The actual gameplay was fantastic and chain together moves and kills never got old.

6. Oxenfree ;
Really engaging story with a great cast acting out some fantastic writing, bot a big fan of point and click games but this game really clicked with me.

7. Superhot ;
It's the most innovative shooter I've played in years.

8. Hue ;
I like my puzzle platformers and this game is a little gem. Quirky premise with some well thought out puzzles. Really charming little game.

9. Doom ;
The structure and flow of the game might not be for everyone but I thought the devs nailed it. Not much more satisfying than chasing together some gruesome kills with some awesome guns.

10. Layers of Fear ;
A good old fashioned ghost story type of game and one that gave me a good few scares and a lot of walking/running with dread. Great fun.

Fam I'm feeling your list.

 

[Strangelove77]

1. Uncharted 4 ; a perfect culmination, evolution and ending to the series. It elevated everything the series did well while keeping it's identity.

2. Overwatch ; my first mp only game that I paid for. Before this I thought paying for something without single player would get dull and it would be a ripoff. Thankfully, the game is well supported and things happen constantly to keep it fresh. I love it and still play it to this day. I could play this for years.

3. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; it's basically more Human Revolution, and I am totally ok with that. I really enjoyed coming back to this universe and I'm still thirsty for more.

4. Doom ; it's just fun. I don't know what else to say. Its rare to play an fps that encourages up close combat, which tends to be how I play shooters. I loved it.

5. Rise Of The Tomb Raider ; more of the same, which was already good. It changed enough things for the best to balance it out with the unnecessary additions and alterations so that it's still a good game.

 

[RoKKeR]

GIF of the year right here. Your content from FH3 was top notch stuff Sunhi.

Thanks as always for putting this thread together OP. Love skimming through people's thoughts on their favorite games of the year. Still have a few smaller titles to work through and then I'll get my votes in.

 

[SargerusBR]

1. Dark Souls III ; The conclusion of the Dark Souls saga, not quite what I was expecting but the boss battles, zones and weapons are some of the best of the series. The final boss fight is unmatched in fun, soundtrack, gameplay mechanics and nostalgia.

2. Overwatch ; Extremely fun FPS with good mechanics and diversity even if it's lacking a few game modes.

3. Final Fantasy XV ; Besides the pretty weak storytelling, it's an amazing game, the combat system feels good, the world is well crafted, Noctis and his band of brothers are well made overall, plus it has perhaps the most emotional ending in gaming this generation.

4. World of Warcraft: Legion ; WoW continues to be the best MMO all around and this expansion made up for all the shit Warlords of Draenor brought to the game. Demon Hunter is really fun to play, the zones are beautiful and the quests are well crafted.

5. Street Fighter V ; The core gameplay is solid, but it lacked a lot of features when it first launched, since then several updates helped the game and is the first fighting game in this gen i don't completely suck at it .

 

[Linkyn]

I'm not even sure I played 10 new releases this year.

 

[Comrade Crunch]

1. Dishonored 2; Quite possibly the best immersive sim I've yet played, the level of detail and care put into each level is staggering. It also has one of the most beautiful artstyles in gaming.

2.Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End; A fantastic end to a wonderful franchise, and a great evolution in everything ND has become known for with the some of the best third person shooting I've played experienced.

3.Firewatch; A great, touching, sad, story wrapped around a gorgeous local and some fantastic dialogue.

4.The Last Gaurdian; The single most believeable AI creature I've seen in a game, a great story, interesting puzzles, and beautiful graphics, well worth the wait.

5. Inside; Beautiful, horrifying, brilliant, and shocking, sometimes all at once.

6. The Witness; An early frontrunner for my GOTY, by far some of the most creative puzzles in gaming.

7. Abzu; Spoke to me on a deeper level than Journey, swimming amongst the fish in this game is a feeling unmatched anywhere else this year.

8. Gears of War 4; Gorgeous and proved the franchise is in great hands.

 

[funking giblet]

1. Doom ; Best FPS, Best music and fantastic approach to the classic formula, it's also a technical marvel.

2. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; Loves getting lost hacking away and just doing my own thing. Only game in a long time where I instantly replayed it.

3. Hitman ; This is my jam, just absorbing the atmosphere and taking it slow, lots to do and great support from the devs

4. Civilization 6 ; Adds more depth than previous iteration and a joy to play.

5: Overwatch ; Really solid game, easy to get into and builds up nicely.

 

[Thores]

Adding to the sentiment that it's weird Fire Emblem Fates doesnt blanket each of its releases under the same entry. The spreadsheet counts Pokemon Sun and Moon as the same entry, so it's especially strange that you guys are segregating the votes for Fates. They're all designed to be different parts of one gigantic game, and you only get the full narrative if you've played all three. I feel like Fates will be placed unfairly in the final ranking if it's as three separate games.

Glad this thread is back, though! Excited to put together my list. I still need to play a few big releases from this year.

 

[Kralamoonard]

1. DOOM ; I wrote a very detailed LTTP about this, but in short the fun, fast paced chaotic gameplay that's just perfect for a DOOM game, with a nice variety and depth to the combat systems, enemies, and with guns that pack a punch, a soundtrack that gets you pumped and amazing exploration, this game was a hell of a surprise and a neat homage to old school shooters. Level exploration is also so good -- I absolutely love the secrets, collectibles, hidden classic levels from the older DOOM, and the various mission challenge and rune trials. Keeps the gameplay loop interesting, especially as the mission challenges and combat rating you get all feed into each other in helping upgrade your character and weapons. In a nutshell, this game just BLEW ME THE HELL AWAY, despite already having my expectations elevated due to all that post release hype. Bethesda are doing great work investing into these SP focused games, especially in the FPS genre (apart from the fact they never did this game justice pre-release). It goes without saying, but the tech on display here is superb: 110 FoV, 1080p 60fps, on PS4 with a great PBR implementation, post-processing (loved the depth of field and per object motion blur) and the slick presentation coupled with the horrifically awesome glory kills. Landscapes and backdrops are also beautifully done. The only improvement I'd say is perhaps the textures could have streamed in faster, but that's just nitpicking because you have to compromise at consoles. Overall, a really fun ride and blast to play through from start to finish.

2. Ratchet & Clank ; One of the best 3D "platformers" I have ever played. The pixar graphics, super fun gameplay, creative weapons, amazing cartoon-like animations, fantastic level design with great exploration and secrets/replay value, this game was another amazing homage to old school platformers. I loved every second of it, and it goes to show that Ratchet has never aged one bit. Truly great stuff.

3. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Though not the best Uncharted game in my eyes, it was the perfect send off for Nate and crew. Though it sometimes misses the marks on aspects that make Uncharted great, it has everything else that only a developers like Naughty Dog can deliver: top notch writing, well told story, very written and believable characters, superb acting, mindblowing graphics, attention to detail-filled animations and an unmatched presentation. Though there was too much downtime for my liking, thus making the pacing feel off at times, when you were in combat, the gunplay and various mechanics came together very nicely. Overall, the perfect send off to a magnificent series.

 

[Kureizu]

1. The Last Guardian ; One of my favorite games of all time. After all those years, it was everything I expected and more. A game that feels like nothing I've played before.

2. Uncharted 4: A thief's End ; Not as brilliant as Uncharted 2, but still an incredible game. The best goodbye to Nathan Drake.

3. Dark Souls III ; As good as the first one, these games are just a blast to play.

4. Let It Die ; Biggest surprise of the year. So deep for a free game it's crazy. I just can't stop playing this shit.

5. Doom ; Most satisfying fps I've played in a long time. Such amazing combat and level design.

6. Titanfall 2 ; Fantastic campaign and a really fun multiplayer. Too bad it didn't sell that well, I hope we get more of these.

7. Battlefield 1 ; The campaign was really disappointing but the multiplayer is incredible.

7. Inside ; Such a clever game, intriguing and with a great atmosphere.

8. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir ; Never played the original but this was a gem. Really fun gameplay, beautiful art and a great story.

 

[timetokill]

On mobile, so will pretty up this list later with pictures and fix typos I make later. This is all for my personal taste, which mostly includes horror games. I have been busy this year, so haven't had a chance to play even half the horror releases this year yet, especially in the last few months, but it's been a very good year. My list as it is now:

As always, one of the most unique lists we'll find on GAF this year. I always look forward to your lists, DG!

I added them to the spreadsheet... (and to my Steam wishlist lol)

 

[fantomena]

1. DOOM ; The game took me by complete suprise. I had no expectations from it outside it being well regarded in the OT shortly after release. I boguht it and received the most enjoyable, fun and well-made singleplayer campaign since Wolfenstein: The New Order. The multiplayer was also really good.

2. INSIDE ; I had zero expectations of it, I even waited for the PC release. I rarely finish a game ina a stretch, but I had too with INSIDE. It was just so damn good. The unkown got me going.

3. Dark Souls 3 ; Not as good as Bloodborne, but still really good. I had a great time with this one.

4. Dishonored 2 ; I bought this on sale due to my skeptical sense of the performance on PC. I hav eyet to have any performance issues and the tnrie game was more of the same, but better, which was good enough for me.

5. ABZU ; Also took me by complete suprise. I saw big inspirations from Journey and it worked perfectly.

6. TITANFALL 2 ; I very much enjoyed the first game, but the lack of a singleplayer campaign was dissapointing. In Titanfall 2 however, the singleplayer campaign was absolutely fantastic, very creative and the multiplayer was also really entertaining and good.

7. Layers of Fear ; The best horror game Ive played this year. Lots of creativity, a suprise lack of jump scares and more about the atmosphere and the environment.

8. The Witness ; A gorgeus looking puzzle game with tons of awesome puzzles.

9. Unravel ; Really enjoyed it. Yarny is cute.

10. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Despise it flaws, a good end to a well-made franchise.


Honorable mentions:

Firewatch ; Very much enjoyed it, but it was very short and I expcted more from the story. Very pretty though.
Stardew Valley; Really good farming game.
XCOM 2 ; Didn't play this one much, so couldn't put in on my lsit, but I really like what Ive played so far.
Ratchet & Clank ; Very enjoyable.

 

[The Judge]

1. The Witness ; I'm not even an avid puzzle gamer, but this was a genius and fulfilling experience
2. Dark Souls III ; doesn't beat Bloodborne, but still pretty damn good
3. Civilization VI ; Better than I expected, have to police myself to not play this too much
4. Ratchet & Clank ; never played the classics, but this is full of charm and pure fun factor
5. Uncharted 4 ; doesn't quite beat Uncharted 3 for me, but it's a close call, which means it's very engrossing
6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood And Wine ; excellent DLC for one of the best games out there
7. Final Fantasy XV ; not all I was expecting it to be, especially on combat depth, but still very enjoyable

 

[Alpha Phoenix]

You must have at least one comment in your ballot or it may not be counted.

I suggest you include something like 'READ OP' in the title, or you will be seeing a lot of that.

 

[darth991]

1. Overwatch ; Most fun I have had with a game this year. Gameplay is just so much fun, heroes are diverse and fantastic and the events/updates kept me coming back.

2. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Excellent conclusion to one of my favourite series. Graphics and story were amazing, combat was tight and multiplayer was a blast to play.

3. The Last Guardian ; Absolutely breathtaking. Trico was an amazing character to bond with, graphics were amazing, soundtrack was phenomenal and ending was fantastic.

4. Ratchet & Clank ; Great reboot for one of my favourite series. Gameplay was top notch and the re-imagined plants from R&C1 were an awesome nostalgia trip.

5. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine ; An excellent addition to my last year's GOTY. Story was top notch and was a very satisfying conclusion to Geralt's adventure.

6. Battlefield 1 ; Not a big fan of the battlefield franchise but this game blew me away. Graphics were phenomenal, setting was awesome, multiplayer was exhilarating and the story was surprisingly interesting.

7. Watch_Dogs 2 ; A definite setup from the previous game. Characters were interesting and likable, San Francisco was great to explore and the themes explored in the story were quite interesting.

8. Titanfall 2 ; Did not expect much from this game but it was awesome. Campaign was phenomenal, multiplayer was thrilling and the titans are so much fun to play as.

9. Street Fighter 5 ; Was my go-to fighting game of 2016. Characters were awesome and varied, the additional content was great and the core gameplay kept every match thrilling.

10. Doom ; Another surprise to me in 2016. The campaign was just pure fun to go through, guns felt awesome and that soundtrack is mind-blowing.

2016 was a great year for gaming but 2017 looks to be insane

 

[Hellsing321]

1. Overwatch ; As someone who used to be heavy into Counter strike and Team Fortress back in the day, I haven't been able to get into competitive FPS in a long while. Overwatch changed that. It has done a lot of smart things to on board people who haven't played competitive team based FPS games with its easy to learn hard to master game play and lots of positive reinforcement. Its also got that undeniable Blizzard polish and its world and the variety of characters keep the game feeling new and fresh. Its because of this game that I didn't get to play as many games as I would have liked to this year but even after crushing defeats it keeps me coming back for more.

2. Final Fantasy XV ; The wait for this game was long but I can say, for me, that after 10 years the wait was worth it. The world square built is vast and the road trip theme keeps and relaxed atmosphere is just what I needed after this hellish year. The combat is some of the most fun I've experienced in the series and its extremely satisfying to take on hunts much higher level than yourself and come out on top. I haven't beaten it yet but I just enjoy spending so much time with the characters in this world that I want to take my time with it and soak it all in.

3. VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action ; This game took me completely by surprise. I'm not usually interested in visual novels but the setting and premise of this one was enough to get me interested but the writing, music, and characters are what keep me going through it. I loved learning about the world and regulars of Vallhalla one drink at a time while smooth cyberpunk tunes washed over me.

4. Titanfall 2 ; Was extremely impressed by the campaign Respawn put together for Titanfall 2. It was constantly surprising me with inventive new ideas and mechanics throughout and they knew just when to move before something overstayed its welcome.
5. Dark Souls 3 ;
6. Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth ;
7. Superhot ;
8. Overcooked ;
9. Jack Box Party Pack 3 ;
10. Job Simulator ;

Honorable Mentions
X. Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel ;
X. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir ;

 

[Robiin]

What a year. While 2016 truly sucked in real life - with politics, terror attacks, deaths and miserable news feeling like daily occurances - gaming was absolutely fantastic. I have a hard time ranking these games, but here's a try.

1. The Witness ; I enjoyed Braid mostly because of the aesthetics and platforming, not necessarily the puzzles. I was again drawn into The Witness because of the atmosphere, and the legacy. But god damn this game kept me interested for over 40 hours even though it has exactly ONE mechanic. The Witness starts simple, connect the dots and move on. But by the end you have essentially learned a whole new language. And the way you get there makes it feel like you are the smartest person alive, just the right amount of overwhelming. The learning curve is phenomenal, the way it trains your brain is insane - and not since skate. have I constantly imagined things in real life relating to a game. And I don't want to spoil it, but this game has the single most memorable gaming moment this year for me. Also this is the first game in years where I've actually pulled out a pen and paper, even taking it so far as to take pictures of my screen and drawing on top. Felt both nostalgic and new.

2. Dark Souls 3 ; While not as inspired as it's predecessors (including Demon's Souls and Bloodborne), it's still this high up because of formula alone. No one simply does what From Software does. It's got some amazing bosses, a few stunning vistas and many examples of masterful 3D level design. And fantastic callouts (and a few weird ones) to wrap up the series. But the best thing about Dark Souls 3 is something that no other Soulsbourne title has done to date; NO FILLER. While it does not reach the peaks of Dark Souls 1 or Bloodborne (maybe simply by repetition, nothing in these games surprises anymore), it also has no actual bad levels. Beginning to end, I was always having fun, which is saying something when it is the fifth game with similar structure. A great sendoff to a franchise that started a revolution in gaming.

3. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Speaking of ending on a high note, here comes Naughty Dog with a PS4 debut that simply blew my mind. In a time where every franchise goes open world, this game has set the bar for cinematic gaming and will probably hold it until The Last of Us Part II. No fluff, just pure set piece driven action. The voice acting is best in business, the animation is incredible and the image quality is beyond what I thought the Playstation 4 was capable of. A showpiece for the medium.

4. Inside ; Limbo was amazing. The tone, the twisted story told without a single word or cutscene, the art style and the brutal animations all came together to create one of the most unsettling games I had ever played. Inside comes along and follows all of that up with the same expertly crafted atmosphere and tension. Absolutely excellent pacing and a twist that comes out of nowhere and turns the whole game on its head - gameplay, story implications and the tone completely shifts and as you are coming to terms with what you are dealing with, the game is over. Without explosions, unnecessary exposition or fanfares, it just ends - at the exact moment it should. With Inside, Playdead showed that Limbo was not a fluke, and while I probably could not pick a favorite between the two, Inside definitely left an impression that will stand at least as long as Limbo's will.

5. The Witcher 3: Blood & Wine ; I played almost all of The Witcher 3 in 2016, and it had me hooked to the point where I completed EVERY side quest (except Gwent, fuck Gwent for having cards that are missable) in the main game. After almost 200 hours, I can say that this is one of the GOATs of our medium. I have not completed Blood & Wine yet, but this stands here because all of The Witcher 3 deserves all the recognition it can get.

6. Hyper Light Drifter ; What a fun gem this game turned out to be. The Zelda-like structure and all the secrets here kept surprising me throughout the journey. The most surprisingly good game of 2016.

7. Titanfall 2 ; I have yet to touch the multiplayer, which means that a single player FPS campaign is this good. The pacing is so good, and in some ways it feels like a Mario game in the way it handles levels and gimmicks - giving you a new thing to try out at the start, then exploring the theme throughout the level and ending in a test to see if you have understood what you are capable of. Then they do this again with something new. This means you always want to see what's around the corner. And also, the movement is fantastic.

8. The Last Guardian ; I have not completed this game myself yet, but from what I have played so far (about ten hours) this definitely deserves recognition. A game so long in the making, could easily be a disaster. But it is not. It is a bit awkward to play, but the animations, the cuddly but uncontrollable beast and the bonding makes it enjoyable nonetheless. I got a puppy this past April and have worked on training and bonding with him since he was eight weeks old. He is now ten months, and we are still working on our friendship. The frustration when we don't understand eachother is sometimes driving us both nuts, but the moment he understands a trick and the happiness from us both when he succeeds makes it worth it. This game reflects my own year and was a beautiful way to end it.

9. Final Fantasy XV ; So many flaws, but the combat is so much fun. Sometimes it feels like a single player MMO, and sometimes that is just what I need. Mindlessly playing and getting in the zone feels fantastic, as long as you don't think about what you are doing too much. Great battle system. Also, the best music of the year.

10. Rise of the Tomb Raider (PC) ;

Other games I played that I liked:
Honorable mentions:
X. Overwatch ;
X. Enter the Gungeon ;

Games I played I wish I didn't spend time on:
Street Fighter V (not necessarily, I just wished they put more effort into the game modes and launch...)
Mirror's Edge Catalyst (fucking skill tree and RPG systems killing one of my all time favorite IPs)

Games I wish I played:
Dishonored 2 (got this as an Xmas present!)
DOOM (got this just haven't started it yet)

 

[Confused Cheeseburger]

1. Overwatch ; As the internet proverb goes, Blizzard never actually innovates, they just iterate. Reductive as that statement is, it's hard to refute the validity of the sentiment, and Blizzard has no qualms about it. Blizzard's ability to polish and smartly reconstruct old ideas is of a quality only matched by Nintendo's shiny toy guns. Overwatch is the culmination of blizzard's impossibly keen observation. Overwatch is a game that respects the lineage of the shooter and understands the alienation of its modern titans. It isn't the best shooter of the year, it isn't the best looking game of the year, it has no campaign to toss into that basket, but Overwatch has “it”. The greater sum of Overwatch's experience electrifies all of its parts. Overwatch's characters are already iconic and its character matchups are already becoming second nature to people who detest multiplayer. Blizzard's first push into the FPS takes an incredibly fun game and ties it to a unifying sense of optimism, reward and collaborative spirit. Overwatch fundamentally embodies the reasons why we play games; we share experiences together, we learn from one another and we recognize how different approaches can make a better whole.

2. The Last Guardian ; The Last Guardian wasn't supposed to be here; it was supposed to be canceled, it was supposed to be a middling game slowly oozing into a 2016 years past expiry date. All the red flags couldn't stop The Last Guardian, it's finally here and it's still ahead of its time. There are some technical issues that have scuffed Ueda's latest work as it's entered our atmosphere, but its 10 hour journey melts those scars from the mind. The synthesis of narrative companionship, path-finding, combat and puzzle solving is elegantly and brilliantly filtered through Trico with an organic confidence that is unparalleled. During the journey between boy and bird, trust is at all times both a mechanic and storytelling device. More than a theme and motif, actually trusting Trico to understand your commands, understanding patience and silent faith is given mechanical weight. Every jump Trico makes is reward and a tightening of the bond. The Last Guardian is once again proof of Ueda's Lou Reed-like genius; he fundamentally reveres vision and concept in ways that would scare big budget publishers and we're lucky to still have him and his team around.

3. Uncharted 4 ; Naughty Dog so rarelymiss that it would be fair to say the never do. Uncharted 4 increases an impossibly consistent wining streak for Naughty Dog by providing one of the most satisfying and complete packages of 2016. The technical bar is once again raised as Uncharted 4 brings forward one of the most visually accomplished games of all time; it's that pretty. Uncharted 4 has also done some serious growing up in all facets. Bigger, more explorable areas underscore pacing that allows moments of quiet and conversation between Nate and friends. The set pieces are expectedly gorgeous, but Uncharted 4's most deft adjustment is how it values breathers. Nate and his brother share a relationship with genuine dimension and rapport because Naughty Dog understand that explosive Indy-moments are gratifying in context of characters with an explored grasp on the world. Will Naughty Dog ever miss again? Who knows, but their pedigree will always give them a chance at redemption; Uncharted 4's quality assures that much.

4. Dishonored 2 ; Arkane's sequel to the original Dishonored is a case of iterative excellence. The fundamental soul of Dishonored needed no changes, it only needed elaboration. The possibilities and creativity enabled by Dishonored 2's toolbox of powers is mind-bending. The idea of a jumping down on a copy of yourself in order to knock an enemy out cold 15 meters away is an example of Dishonored 2's twisted genius. The Mediterranean world of Karnaca is as beautiful as it is meticulously designed for player manipulation. The amount of options for points of ingress, narrative solutions and supernatural sandbox stealth is impressively vast. Dishonored 2 is a case of more being better in nearly every way.

5. Pokemon Sun/Moon ; At 20 years old, Pokemon could be forgiven for just treading water by its 7th generation. Diehard fans have stiff expectations to be met, a competitive scene would prefer things as static as possible and a massive boom of newcomers hot off a world-toppling mobile app are ready for their first “true” pokemon title. With legacy at their backs, Gamefreak come through in the clutch once more and deliver the most cohesive, lively and charming iteration of pokemon to date. With fundamental structure changes to the pocket RPG formula, a compelling cast of fleshed out characters and a ton of modernizing tweaks, Pokemon Sun/Moon make the Alola region a hard place to leave.

6. Titanfall 2 ; In terms of raw verve and feel, Titanfall 2 is undisputed masterclass. The kinesis, fluidity and responsiveness of Titanfall 2's controls make doing a complex variety of things satisfying and flashy. Not to be confused with the also ran mobility bolt-ons of Call of Duty, Titanfall's flow of play is mastering the pace of an alternate reality John Woo-directed Star Wars movie. With a newly added campaign of a quality level not seen in a shooter since Modern Warfare 2, Respawn once again make good on their legacy as the leaders of the modern cinematic shooter.

7. Owlboy ; Owlboy's greatest irony is that it never got to enjoy the zeitgeist it helped spawn a decade ago. Stuck in a prolonged development cycle, indie pixel darlings like Super Meat Boy, Fez and Shovel Knight rose to prominence. Pixel art platforms are now a dime a dozen, yet Owlboy arrives unscathed. Owlboy doesn't simply supply a nostalgia hit, it doesn't mark itself as throwback, Owlboy is a game made for the modern era. Featuring incredible art and animation, Owlboy uses as novel amalgamated foundation of Zelda, Kid Icarus and Chrono Trigger. Owlboy purposefully splices these games with an incredibly realized world full of interesting characters, dilemmas and believable motivations that push far beyond conventional expectations. Set pieces and story moments feel big and important and they aren't relegated to the player's imagination to fill in the gaps. Owlboy may be late to the pixel art party, but it easily sits at the top with other contemporary classics.

8. Inside ; Inside is the Doolittle to Limbo's Surfer Rosa and it improves on literally everything Limbo already did brilliantly. Unmistakably made in Limbo's mold, Inside shows a maturity and growth in design gained from 6 years of reflection and refinement. Wordless and ambient, Inside's world explores themes, motifs and gameplay ideas with an ironcast cohesion. Nothing feels out of place and everything remains lockstep in a consistent internal logic. By the end of Inside, Playdead's title for the game is apt, subtly brilliant and densely profound.

9. Hyper Light Drifter ; Mysterious until the very last screen, HLD is an exploratory gem that greatly benefits from it's intentional obfuscation. A metroid game at heart, the allusions and implications HLD makes about its larger world add fascinating texture to all of its layers. In it's grueling dungeons, HLD's combat demands perfection like an unholy cross strain of Dark Souls and Hotline Miami. Polishing it all of is Disasterpiece's musical hand binding the mysteries and hieroglyphs together with amazing, evocative alien synths.

10. Ratchet &Clank ; R&C for the PS4 is one of the most lovingly created remakes ever. Peaking at nearly Pixar levels, R&C is easily one of the best looking games of the current generation. Filled with so much personality in every inch of the screen, R&C is a gleefully destructive game that never stops being fun and rarely stops smiling. 3D platformers have been gone a long while but R&C's sparkling sum total is a reminder that the genre's tragic absence is a problem.

Honorable Mention

X. Dragon Quest Builders ; The Minecraft for the rest of us. Combining Dragon Quest's charming writing and fantastic with a construction loop of Minecraft construction hits a shocking synergy that feels very careful considered.

X. Abzu ; A beautiful realization of the sea's alien nature. There's a gorgeous flow about Abzu that harnesses an incredible zen.It may not have the same impact as Journey, but it's an amazing journey nonetheless.

X. Rhythm Heaven Megamix ; While the story setup initially hinders the pop-shot addiction of RH's off the wall genius, Megamix continues to build into the most robust title in the series.

 

[MavFan619]

1. The Last Guardian ; Trico will be a memory I retain from video games forever. No matter how many more hours I put into other games this year, or how much better their framerates and cameras were, Trico trumps all of the bs, jaded about video games bullshit. The ending had me sobbing. Endings that make me sob usually are my GOTY contenders, this one is my GOTY winner.

2. Final Fantasy XV ; Story problems aside I had so much fun on my road trip with my homies. So what if we kind of just passively ignored important news bits about the rest of the world, we killed big monsters in style and ate good food. The ending sequences were some of my favorite storytelling in any game, not bad for a game that kind of sucked at telling the story of all those other people that actually didn't matter. Only the homies mattered. I cried.

3. Overwatch ; I feel like a mark in retrospect putting as much time into this game as I did. It's a lot of fun with friends. You shoot shit and its colorful. Yay! I didn't cry.

4. Uncharted 4 ; Probably would have been number 3 if they just recreated Uncharted 2's multiplayer. Wraps up the story of characters I've grown to love over the course of the series in a way that made me happy. I dig the walking sim parts, fight me, I thought the combat was some of the most fun and freeform as it's ever been in the series. Seriously though should have just recreated Uncharted 2 multiplayer I want you back in my life. I cried.

5. Pokémon Moon ; Pokémon just always manages to hook me in for hours, catching all of them, fighting with them, getting way too attached to them and then their IVS suck and I cry.

 

[SmokedMeat]

1. Titanfall 2; Simply awesome. Plays like a dream and the multiplayer is a blast!

2. Shadow Warrior 2; This tops Doom for me. Frenzied action and some badass weapons along with the ability to equip "upgrades" to yourself as well as your weapons.

3. Forza Horizon 3; The pinnacle of racing and beauty.

4. Rise of the Tomb Raider; Action adventure at its finest. Lara is a strong female character.

5. Doom; Fast paced and powerful, Doom pulls no punches!

6. Uncharted 4; Naughty Dog did a tremendous job with Nate's final adventure. Never expected the nostalgic feels!

7. Dark Souls 3; More Dark Souls is never a bad thing. The monsters seem bigger then ever.

8. Overwatch; Blizzards fps attempt is a winner

9. Devil Daggers; My go to pick up and play!

10. The Division; Kind of like an action rpg with guns.

 

[PensivePen]

Too many games this year that I wanted to play but simply didn't get around to. I do want to try and squeeze in one or two more games I haven't played yet so that I can see if they'll make it into my list before the deadline hits.

2. Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate ; 5th entry in the Shiren series, super solid roguelike with a ton of challenging post game content.

The first person to put Shiren on their list! Good on you. Absolutely loved that game, a shame so few have played it.

 

[nightmare-slain]

1. The Witcher 3: Blood & Wine - this could've easily been a game of it's own. it took me about 50 hours to "finish" it. I know I didn't do everything it offered either because A) i simply never found it or B) the quest was bugged at launch.
2. Overwatch - so much fun even if, like myself, you suck at it.
3. Dark Souls 3 - i don't think it was as good as DS1/DS2/Bloodborne but still really enjoyed my time with it. Definitely will be replaying it when the inevitable GOTY comes out.
4. Watch Dogs 2 - As much as I enjoyed the first game this was a big step forward. Can't wait for Watch Dogs 3!
4. The Division - Still playing it at the moment but it fills that space left by Destiny/Diablo 3.
5. Doom - incredibly fun. only played the single player. my first doom game. it looks amazing and the gameplay is just so satisfying. that soundtrack makes everything 10x better.
6. Uncharted 4 - Good ending to the series. Fantastic visuals.

 

[itshutton]

1. The Witness ; Had me obsessed for weeks and unlike anything I've played.
2. The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine ; An amazing conclusion to my current Game of the Generation. Made several improvements upon an already sublime game.
3. Final Fantasy XV ; Who know this game would actually be good! The gameplay and side quests were excellent. A shame about the underdeveloped story, but a good Final Fantasy entry has been long awaited.
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - Such potential but felt like half a game.
5. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Amazing game and story, graphically unmatched, but 5 hours too long.
6. Pokémon Go ; Technically a piece of shit, but such a phenomenon that had me hooked. The first mobile game I've ever played.
7. PlayStation VR Worlds ; While not the best VR game I have, I showed this to countless friends this year and they all loved it. Never have my non-gamer friends been so interested.

 

[shiba5]

1. Uncharted 4 ; This was tough, but I've played all my possible games of the year multiple times, and this is the one that's the most polished and still amazes me. The art direction and graphics are phenomenal, and the attention to detail is off the charts. Character animations are the best I've ever seen, and I really enjoyed the story. As a total package, I have to give it to Uncharted. A great send off for the series.

2. Inside ; A tight, masterpiece of a game. Atmosphere through the roof and a bonkers finale.

3. Doom 2016 ; A remake of an original that actually feels like an updated original. 60 fps of blood and gore. Somehow managed to give the generic Doom marine a personality.

4. Dishonored 2 ; Dishonored is one of my favorite games and the sequel is better in almost every way. Huge, gorgeous environments to explore. NG+ makes it even better. Just lovely art design.

5. The Witness ; stunning to look at with some brutal puzzles. No hand holding.

6. Ratchet and Clank ; flat out fun with Pixar level graphics.

7. Titanfall 2 ; I actually edited my list because I just got this and it's just so good that I had to make sure it got on my top 10. Fantastic fluid movement with a great campaign. Graphically, (with HDR) it is the best looking game I've seen on the PS4 Pro. EA should be ashamed for sending this out to die.

8. Overwatch ; The first multiplayer only game I've ever enjoyed. Super polished with great character designs. I probably played this for the longest amount of time this year, but I stopped playing after season one and haven't played it since.

9. The Last Guardian ; a beautiful but flawed game that struck an emotional chord. Some truly gorgeous cut scenes and Trico is special.

10. Final Fantasy 15 ; A mess of a story with a fun game attached. Some good postgame content has me still playing. Makes my top 10 for having a time traveling Shiba Inu.

Honorable mentions
x. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; would have been higher but the game is pretty obviously truncated.
x. Stardew Valley ; A great throwback to Harvest Moon.
x. The Division ; great blizzards and an interesting world. Fun with friends, but sucks solo. Survival mode is intense.

 

[bobawesome]

1. Umineko ; The music is almost as amazing as the story, which is one of the most unique and engrossing experiences I've had with a visual novel. Beatrice is one of the greatest antagonists of all time, among any stories I've read.

2. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ; The 2016 PC port breathes new life into a game that struggled with performance on last generation consoles.

3. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir ; Beautiful game that truly shines on the PlayStation Vita. The gameplay is simple but fun and each of the five characters play differently.

4. God Eater Resurrection ; More than just another Monster Hunter clone, it differentiates itself in many ways when it comes to combat.

5. Steins Gate 0 ; While not as good as its predecessor, Steins Gate 0 stands alongside the original. The story and its main character are more morose and it's fitting for purposes related to the first game but this may be a turnoff if you enjoyed an Okarin who was full-blown chuunibyou and had more unique dialogue than "...".

6. Deathsmiles ; A wacky Cave shooter in which you control one of several young girls who serves as a ship. Definitely not for everyone but it's a fun, casual shoot 'em up that seems pretty deep if you really start digging into the other modes.

7. Raining Blobs ; A puzzle game that came out of nowhere for me. Cheap to pick up on Steam and a fun way to waste a few minutes. The aim of the game is to match blobs of the same color and ultimately end the combo by matching two star blobs of that same color next to each other so all the blobs of that color are destroyed.

8. Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni ; Senran Kagura with combat that feels better and girls that look more detailed. Unfortunately, the dressing room shinanigans are funner than the actual game.

9. Senran Kagura: Estival Versus ; Like Shinovi Versus but bustier and maybe more action packed. You can play as a granny this time around. No, you can't rip her clothes off, unfortunately.

10. Pokemon Moon ; It's Pokemon but with just enough new changes for it to not feel too old. Admittedly, I haven't made it very far into the game so not much has stood out but it looks like a nice return to form. So far.

 

[Alucrid]

1. The Last Guardian ; Majestic game. Trico is one of the most enjoyable companions through a video game I've played so far. Every detail from his jumping animation to his whines of pain when you throw a barrel in his face (by accident of course) and his stretching after waking up from a nap is just so well crafted and a joy to behold.

2. Overwatch ; From McCree annihilating tanks, to Genji getting hit with the nerf stick, to Beyblading Reaper, Overwatch hasn't let me go from its grasp. But really, you need to fix this meta Blizzard. I don't care if you have to send Granny to the retirement home this four tank shit needs to stop. Otherwise I don't see me buying anymore loot boxes. Okay, I'll probably still buy them, but please, no more quad tank.

3. Uncharted 4 ; Some of the best "down time" moments in a game.

4. Rez Infinite ; Area X is a perfect evolution of Rez gameplay and with any luck we'll be seeing a full version of it coming soon.

5. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II ; Courage isn't taking away a 3.5mm jack. Courage is taking away this franchise from the Vita and PS3 to exclusively on the PS4.

6. Dark Souls 3 ; Not the best souls game, but not the worst.

7. Street Fighter V ; Many faces were met with the ass cheeks of R Mika. I hate wrestling. But I love R Mika.

8. Inside ; Best pig anus of 2016.

9. Severed ; This game made me rub my Vita harder and faster than ever before.

10. Gundam Breaker 3 ; It's like Gunpla except it's cheaper and takes up less room.

Honorable Mentions
x. Final Fantasy XV ; Hey, you came out!
x. Abzu ; Very fun and soothing game.
x. Gravity Rush Remastered ; It's great to have a high resolution version with the much improved controls.
x. Doom ; I haven't finished it but it is enjoyable. Maybe if I get around to it before the deadline I'll shuffle some games around.

 

[DigSCCP]

1. Uncharted 4; The perfect conclusion to an amazing franchise !

2. The Last Guardian; Ueda's game definitely was worth the wait. A masterpiece that will just like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus stay into my favourite games.

3. Doom; Brutal, fast and breathtaking ! Everything I was waiting for a FPS campaign in a long time.

4. Ratchet & Clank; I just love R&C and this reboot is everything the serie nedeed after some bad spin offs late last gen.

5. Let it Die; put some Souls elements on a rogue game, then add Grasshopper ID on it, plus a Reaper skateboarding and all this package is a F2P made in the correct way.

 

[Equanimity]

1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Naughty dog has raised the bar once again, their craftmanship and Uncharted's feeling of adventure is second to none.

2. The Last Guardian ; at the heart of it, this game is the purest form of companionship, fantastical tale and mesmerising adventure.

3. Inside ; inside is an immaculate piece of work and its final chapter kept me thinking about the game for weeks.

4. Ratchet and Clank ; the return of Ratchet and Clank in all of its PS4's "Pixar" capable glory is all I could ever ask from this beloved franchise.

5. Titanfall 2 ; TF2 is quite possibly the best first person shooter I have ever played

6. Battlefield 1 ; the large scale battles in Battlefield 1 are a sight to behold.

7. Watch Dogs 2 ; a game that buckles the typical Ubi open world formula and ends up being a lot of fun.

8. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; I asked for this, DE's choice-driven story, stealth and RPG elements are fantastic.

9. Hitman ; patience agent 47, your time has come to blend in and take the 9th spot in my top 10 games of 2016.

10. Gears of War 4 ; this is the best game in the series, but it needs to evolve further for true greatness.


Honourable mentions

X. Doom ; while I found it slightly boring and somewhat tiresome, its core gameplay is enjoyable in small 30 minute sessions.
X. Quantum Break ; Quantum Break is the last of its kind from team Remedy, it was an experiencing worthy of my time and an honourable mention.
X. Forza Horizon 3 ; quite possibly the best and most beautiful open world racing game ever made.

 

[Wanderer5]

1. Overwatch ; I tend to not really get into shooters, but Overwatch is one of the very few that has gotten me hooked. It is not only a pretty fun shooter, but one that is really oozing with charm and character. It is a shooter that feels tight and polished, introducing a wonderful cast of characters filled with personality and variety, that will continue to expand in the future. So much little details and love are really shown in this game. This is one shooter that I feel I be coming back for a while, even bit by bit, cause this is some of the most fun I have had in multiplayer and I want to see what new characters get introduced.

2. Dishonored 2 ; Dishonored 2 expands on the already great first game in many ways with flying colors. Gameplay includes much more variety, a lot of which is thanks to being able to play two characters now, each with their own powers, and much more non-lethal approaches to assault tactics that was very much needed for those that desire that route. Strong level design not only just desperately wants you to explore these levels that are full of goodies and lore, but many of these levels also offer its own flavor. This follow up certainly didn't disappoint in these regards.

3. DOOM ; Yet again speaking of usually not getting into shooters, DOOM came charging into me with such over the top badass-y and metal. This game is an absolute blast that feels so good, offering a very enjoyable single player. It certainly doesn't disappoint in mowing down a crap ton of demons with plenty of cool weapons in a nice fast paced style, and even throwing in some nice exploration. Rip and tear, like a badass.

4. ABZU ; Journey if it was underwater. That game is possibly one of my favorite games ever, and while this game doesn't quite stand as tall, it certainly is really great in its own right, with breath taking scenery, and really good and smooth underwater controls, which probably very few game nailed them as well.

5. Rise of the Tomb Raider (PC) ; I was quite disappointed with TR2013 particularly for feeling like it lost a lot of the charm that Tomb Raider series as a whole has, and really lacking in tombs. Rise however comes around making sure to improve on that, offering more ruins to find, many of which offer some nice exploration and puzzles. The game even has gotten great DLCs post release, especially the 20th anniversary pack, which not only includes some nice classic skins to celebrate the anniversary, but also Blood Ties being one of the best levels in the series as a whole even probably. Still has a bit of ways to go, but this reboot series is on the right track.

6. Mirror's Edge Catalyst ; Bringing this game to the open-world had some less than stellar results, and combat and story still aren't that good if not a bit worse, but I be damned if I didn't really think that the good things about this game are really really strong. Parkour is still as amazing as ever and there are still some nice side stuff to check out in the open world, while a lot of the story levels are still well done in their level design. Who knows if EA will give Mirror's Edge another chance, but reboot was still quite fun despite it flaws.

7. Deus Ex Go ; The latest addition to the GO series from Square Enix Montreal offers good puzzle gameplay much like Hitman and Lara Croft GO, while making sure to inject some of the characteristics of the Deus Ex series into it like hacking. Some of that falls a bit flat, but nonetheless the GO series continues to be quite worthy among mobile games.

Honorable Mentions:

x. Pokemon Sun & Moon ; Didn't feel like I have done quite enough to add it to the rankings, but the new region looks pretty cool, and there some nice small QoL stuff to find.
x. Monster Hunter Generations ; Yet another I don't feel like I haven't done enough to rank, but the new styles are interesting and fun to mess around with.

 

[Nielm]

1. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ; The sequel to Human Revolution that I really enjoyed playing. The intricate side quests, well designed environments, variety of routes and choices and the soundtrack by Michael McCann make me put this at Number 1.

2. Hitman ; I have been a big fan of the series since Silent Assassin, and the 6 year long wait for Absolution was frustrating, Absolution being even more frustrating. Hitman is the sequel Blood Money deserved, and much more.

3. Overwatch ; A brilliant addition to the world of multiplayer FPS games by Blizzard. This game is an extremely well designed package overall, the characters in the game bring it to life and it's a ton of fun to play.

4. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End ; Nathan Drake's final chapter was stunning. The technical accomplishments in this game blew me away. However, I felt the pacing and narrative were underwhelming, as was the character of Sam.

5. Dark Souls III ; Hidetaka Miyazaki is back again, and has created my favorite Souls game.

6. Dishonored 2 ; The level design in this game is incredible, but I was disappointed in the plot. There were also a lot of performance issues which affected the quality of the game.

7. The Last Guardian ; Fumito Ueda's The Last Guardian finally came out, delivering a soulful, emotionally impactful experience bolstered by the beautiful art design and soundtrack. I felt technical issues let this game down.

8. Doom ; I have stayed away from FPS games recently (I didn't like Wolfenstein: TNO,) but Doom really surprised me. I didn't expect it to be as good as it was. Doom feels fantastic to play.

9. Titanfall 2 ; The campaign in this game puts it in my Top 10.

10. Inside ; This game was a change of pace for me, but I was engrossed all the way through, it is a fantastic 2D platformer.