This was another year where I feel like I didn't play much. Maybe it's because I watch so much Giant Bomb content that I feel like I get my fill and compare what I play to people who get paid to play and talk about as much as they can. I could still be reeling from my open world binge after playing Dragon Age: Inquisition, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Fallout 4, and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain so close together. Partially to blame is also how I've gravitated towards familiar time sink games like my top two selections this year.
Perhaps in the new year I'll give Doom and Battlefield 1 a shot for their single player campaigns. Please scroll down for the numbered list. I wish I could post these drawings with their write ups.
This game! I'm mad at you, but I can't stop playing you. You may be the reason I haven't played more games this year.
Unique class content, an altoholic's dream! Not since vanilla has there been so many tailored quests to each class. Class halls, artifacts and skill pruning have really focused the fantasy of each class and spec.
Transmogrification collections have made collecting armor and weapon appearances another thing one could focus on full time in this game. Unfortunately the cost of replacing appearances has lead me to only hide helmets and cloaks rather than continuously update them.
World quests are a great way to shake up the stale old model of daily quests while encouraging players to return to every corner of the brand new continent.
Another game that will not let me go! I've been playing quite obsessively since it came out in early September and only JUST NOW completed every puzzle. But I'm not finished yet! I need to get rainbow gems on every one of them. Highly recommended for any person who needs to travel anywhere.
Great characterization in a fun and engaging action adventure story. This is what the Uncharted series does better than anyone else and they still do it here.
Tight, focused experiences were my jam this year. Inside was a great one of those. Taking Limbo's dark tone as a spring board and blowing it out of the water. It's an artistic achievement. I've never seen a game use depth in a sidescroller quite the way Inside does. The animators of Inside do some spectacular things I won't go into detail about here. The dark tone gives this game an aura of mystery that has a tremendous payoff.
I bought Titanfall 2 because a friend of mine had just bought a PS4 and I thought this could be my in to the modern world of online shooters. It's fun, but it still not enough to hook me.
It still feels impersonal, I haven't really enjoyed multiplayer shooters since the days of Goldeneye and Perfect Dark where it's just you and your friends sitting next to you on your couch. This is less a criticism of Titanfall and more my feelings on today's shooters.
But I don't regret my purchase I had a blast in single player campaign! It's a quick, focused experience with a lot of neat ideas that doesn't overstay its welcome.
I love the aesthetics of Double Fine games. The humor and art direction are top notch in Headlander. I love the 70s/VHS look of this distopian vision of the future. I wish I could say I completed this game, but I got stuck. I may yet finish it, but my playing of this game has been very off and on.
There's much to like about the setting and characters of Mafia III, but ultimately it may be too much game for me. It scratched my competitionist itch for a little while as I attempted to collect every magazine while ignoring the main missions, but I eventually drifted away. Another to add to my list of games I regret not completing this year.
The Witness is a game I respect more than I enjoy. I can appreciate the craft of these puzzles, but I didn't have the patience to get the most out of the game.
I'm putting this at number 11 because I'm not sure if it counts as a game or as a tool. Also it's hard to separate my appreciation for this app with my personal relationship with Miiverse. But it's a really good drawing tool for Miiverse artists! Layers, multiple undos and a decent selection of tools.
I genuinely want to return to Dishonored 2. I preordered it because of a deal offered at E3 and played it only a little bit. Otherwise I probably would have waited. I loved the first game and keep hearing great things, but now is not time. It doesn't feel right putting it in the top 10, but this could turn out to be one of my 2017 games of 2016.
I bought Star Fox Zero. Barely played it. I wish I gave it a better chance, but on my list of games that belong in this camp my chances of returning to it are low.
