2016 proved to be a great year for video game releases thanks to blockbuster titles like Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Dark Souls III, Gears of War 4, Overwatch and more. Instead of picking one title to represent our game of the year, we decided to choose 10 games that we collectively had the most fun playing throughout the year.
The following list includes games that received the most votes from our staff. In addition to this, we also included some honorable mentions of several other titles that are worth both your time and money.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was without a doubt the most popular choice among almost everyone on the team. Naughty Dog achieved a great amount of success this year by not only releasing their latest Uncharted game but also by announcing both an upcoming Uncharted single-player DLC and The Last of Us: Part II at PlayStation Experience earlier this month. The future definitely looks bright for Neil Druckmann and everyone over at this Santa Monica-based studio.
Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV has already succeeded in captivating a large majority of individuals on our staff. While some of us figured that the game would disappoint, the fact of the matter is that Square Enix took as much time as they deemed necessary to make a great game and the end result has paid off. If you’re still thinking about trying out Final Fantasy XV, consider this recommendation as your final warning.
Dark Souls III
FromSoftware’s iconic Dark Souls series has always been praised for the punishing level of difficulty that it often presents to its players. With the release of Dark Souls III back in April, many of our staff took this challenge head-on and noted this game as one of their most satisfying experiences of the year. If you played Bloodborne last year, then you may be interested in trying out this title next.
Overwatch
Of every multiplayer game that released this year, Overwatch generated the most interest and started a movement in the span of a few short months. This charming team-based first-person shooter received a ton of votes from a majority of the people on our staff and is a breakaway success for Blizzard Entertainment in many people’s eyes. If you enjoyed Team Fortress, then you’ll definitely have fun with this game too.
Gears of War 4
The Coalition and Microsoft Studios officially lifted the veil off of Gears of War 4 a few months ago and most of us walked away happy with the final product. While some may say that this newly formed studio played it safe with the narrative and a few thematic elements, there was just enough new content to peak curiosity as to where the franchise is headed over the next several years. If you’re a fan of mature rated third-person shooters, then you can’t go wrong with the latest entry in Microsoft’s flagship series.
Inside
Inside is a unique puzzle-platformer in the sense that there was literally no information on this title leading up to its release this past summer. This alone is the main reason why it turned out to be a surprise hit and one of the most memorable indie games of the year. If you enjoyed Limbo, then you’ll definitely feel right at home with this game.
Dishonored 2
When it comes to 2016 action-adventure stealth games, Dishonored 2 is certainly at the top of our list. While it may not be a perfect game, it has been quoted as being the perfect sequel and is a much-welcomed change when compared to every other title out this year. If you didn’t play the first game but want to try out the sequel, then now is the perfect time to jump in.
Hitman
Square Enix turned a lot of heads when they decided to make their popular Hitman series episodic earlier this year. Many of us walked away thoroughly impressed by how fun each episode turned out to be and we’re definitely interested to see what IO Interactive has in store for us all next season. If you’re a Hitman fan or enjoy stealth games then you definitely owe it to yourself to give this title a shot.
The Last Guardian
After escaping development hell over an eight-year long cycle, The Last Guardian finally released worldwide earlier this month and won over the hearts of several people on our staff. While the game may be rough around the edges and dated in some aspects, the overall look and feel of the title is nothing short of breathtaking. If you own a PS4 and have the patience to play a unique adventure game, then you definitely should give Fumito Ueda’s latest title a try.
Battlefield 1
EA DICE made a smart decision to give their newest Battlefield entry a World War I theme. This is one of many reasons why we enjoyed everything that Battlefield 1 had to offer. If you’re looking for a meaningful first-person shooter that doesn’t shy away from the brutal nature of war, then this is definitely the right game for you.
Honorable Mentions
The following titles also received votes but weren’t high enough to make it into our finalized top 10 slots. These games are definitely worth playing when you have the time to do so.
- Batman: the Telltale Series
- TitanFall 2
- Oxenfree
- Firewatch
- XCOM 2
- DOOM
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
- Forza Horizon 3
- Pokemon Sun and Moon
- The Witness
- The Division
- World of Final Fantasy
This concludes our list of the top 10 best games of 2016. Which games did you enjoy playing most this year? Please feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
