Here we are, mere hours away from ringing in the New Year. But before we bring in 2017, let’s celebrate 2016 one last time with a look back at my favorite games that were released within the year. There were plenty of great games that came out. There were strong showings for both AAA and indie titles, and I was lucky enough to play a good bit of both. Unfortunately, I couldn’t play them all, but that’s why there is always a top 10 list of “old” games for every year, it gives me an opportunity to praise those games that I couldn’t play in the year of their release. If you haven’t checked that out, you can click here.

But enough of my babbling, let’s begin! Once again, my wife has included a small list of her favorite new releases that will follow mine.

Top 10 Games of 2016:

10. Overwatch

Ah, yes, the darling child of the industry this year is undoubtedly on my list of best new games as well. Blizzard’s newest outing proves their developer mettle once again with a solid competitive shooter that packs in a whole bunch of style. The mechanics are a hybrid of your typical shooter tropes, mixed with a dash of character-specific MOBA-like abilities, including a unique ultimate skill as well. The characters, or heroes, are what make this game shine above the rest of the shooter genre though. They’re varied, with each hero’s personality being on display at all times, and it’s ridiculously charming! It’s also nice that Overwatch was kind enough to purposefully hide players’ kill-death ratios in matches, and instead focuses on the positive things that every player is doing to help their team. It’s a nice change of pace to enjoy a shooter that isn’t all about comparing stats to see who is better. The reason it doesn’t place higher with me, however, is that I find the maps and modes to be a bit on the thin side. But what Blizzard achieved here is still nothing short of amazing.

9. Doom

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much out of id’s reboot of one of the most iconic franchises in gaming history. But this Hell-diving, demon-exploding, balls-to-the-wall adventure came out of the gate firing (literally), and it never looked back. Doomguy is more loveable than ever, with his “I don’t give a shit about anyone or anything” attitude, and the new glory kill system is not only clever, it’s downright visceral. The game looks gorgeous on both PC and console. The story is engaging, and the small amount of humor sprinkled throughout the levels is welcomed. The game knows exactly the direction in which it wants to go, all the while embracing what made the series a hit in the first place. Sure, the multiplayer is a bit lackluster and the SnapMap creation tool could use some refinement, but overall Doom shocked me, just like it did the rest of the world.

8. Gears of War 4

Speaking of nostalgia, the one game that enticed me to finally pick up an Xbox One just so I could relive my teenage years is also one of my favorite games of the year. I haven’t gotten to play much of the story, which is arguably why I’m attracted to the series in the first place, but I have enjoyed plenty of Horde mode with friends and family. The mode is very similar to previous iterations, with some new additions such as a class system to imply more focus on teamwork and less focus on run-and-gun. The multiplayer is as fast-paced as ever, to my dismay, and the trash-talk feels like it hasn’t changed since I last left. I mean, in my first game I was called a scrub by what sounded like a 10-year-old. Yup. It’s Gears. It’s more of the same awesomeness that I enjoyed during high school and college, and I’m okay with that!

7. Forza Horizon 3

What a strange year for games. I mean, the fact that I played a racing game at all is an oddity in itself, but to have one in my top 10? Craziness. Forza Horizon 3 is the first racing game that I have played since my beloved Burnout Paradise, and for good reason. The racing genre has been rather stale for a while now, but I honestly think that the third installment of the Horizon series highlights what makes racing fun. It’s more about the speed and feel of how the cars drive and the sights you see along the way that make Horizon 3 a hit. Australia is beautifully rendered in what I consider to be the best-looking game I’ve played in recent memory. The way the single-player unfolds, allowing you to go wherever you wish and do whatever race you want, all the while not hampering the experience with a different car requirement at every turn (pun intended) makes it feel more like a love-letter to racing games, and not just another racing game. I haven’t tried the multiplayer yet, and I might not ever, but to be able to drive the best feeling, looking, and sounding cars in the industry is enough reason for me to give this the nod as one of the best games to have come out this year.

6. Turing Test

Without going too far into spoiling this one, I’ll say this: play it. The puzzle-like mechanics of the game, which are similar to Portal, are entertaining and make you think. It was fun to go through the multiple levels, solving puzzle after puzzle in hopes of that next bit of conversation between the A.I. named T.O.M. and newly-awoken space scientist, Ava. The story is enthralling and really touches on some bigger-than-life issues regarding the advancement of A.I. Turing Test also has some great use of lighting effects that I think everyone should see. It’s not the longest game on this list, but it’s definitely worth the playthrough.

5. Titanfall 2

The game with by far the cleanest shooting and movement mechanics this year is Titanfall 2. I loved every moment of this game. The story included in this highly-anticipated sequel delivers in a huge way. For one, there is actually a story this time around. You won’t get any spoilers from me here, but the danger presented in this game is both strange and exciting. This leads to some of the best set-pieces in any game I have ever played. I was often times left sitting there with my mouth agape asking “what just happened?”. BT, your titan companion, is easily the best character in the game, and is full of personality that is unexpected robot humor, but humor nonetheless. The multiplayer takes all of those mechanics and cranks it up to 100, but at the same time never seems too fast or leaves you wondering how you died. So much titan goodness!

4. Killing Floor 2

The wife and I played a fair amount of Killing Floor 2 over the past couple of years and it has finally dropped the “early-access” moniker in exchange for a full release, but it’s still an amazing wave-based survival shooter. The shooting and movement are straight-up Unreal Tournament, minus the low-gravity, and the look is very similar to that of a Doom game, but that’s not a bad thing. I spent hours mowing my way through waves of Zeds, only to get ripped apart by the final boss wave again and again. The class progression system keeps the game from feeling stagnant and the maps are gorgeous vistas with winding paths and hallways that will either be your quickest way of escape or the final resting place for your poor soul. The weapons range from old to new, standard to archaic, and come with various attachments to spice up your murder spree. Also…there are katanas in this game, guys, katanas!

3. Overcooked

Since Towerfall, I haven’t had the excitement of a good couch-coop game. Enter: Overcooked. The game where chaos is just another day at the…kitchen? The world is ending and there’s only one way to save everyone from the apocalypse: be simply one hell of a chef. Seriously though the game is endearing on all levels, the sound design, the look and feel, and even the various unlockable characters are adorable. The wife and I have played this game with a couple of groups of friends and each experience was wholesomely enjoyable and unique in its own way. Rushing around the small kitchen maps trying to gather, chop and cook the ingredients to satisfy your customers has never been so exhilarating. The real challenge lies in how the maps change throughout the middle of a round, with floors rising, counter-tops floating to another side of the stage, or having to cook food while riding on the back of three moving flat-bed trucks. Oftentimes it turns into everyone yelling at each other to take the pot off the stove or else suffer yet another kitchen fire, but it’s all in good fun. I’ve become recently obsessed with trying to get 3 stars on every level, now I just need to find the right cooking crew to do it. I’ll get there!

2. Hitman

The newest Hitman has proven that even the biggest of titles can go episodic if done correctly. Seriously, the way that this game was released is as good as the game itself. Being able to play a new level every couple of months and having the time in between releases to master your hitman craft on each map is a blast! The game does a great job at giving you a laundry list of ways to tackle each level. You can kill your target both traditionally and non-traditionally. Want to casually pop the target in the back of the head with a silenced ICA Silverballer while no one is looking? Done. How about killing the first target by pushing the second target off of the balcony onto them in front of everyone? Sure! I spent hours on the couch with my wife crafting the best hit, only for us to botch it up at the last conceivable moment. There’s still plenty of the game that I haven’t experienced yet, only because my drive for perfection has me trying to get every 'mastery unlock'. The story isn’t anything extraordinary, but it’s enough to keep you engaged from episode to episode with some well-acted cut scenes before and after each level. There are even challenges that require you to kill a certain target in your first try, for fear of never being able to replay the hit again! IO Interactive recently announced that they’re doing a second season, and I’m so ready for it!

1. Darkest Dungeon

The best game for me in 2016 also happened to be the most punishing game I played this year. Darkest Dungeon is a rogue-like dungeon-crawler mixed with several RPG elements and smothered with a heavy dose of depression and angst. The art style is effective in bringing the maddening world’s creatures to life and capturing the despair that the protagonist should feel. The sound design brings all sorts of sludge, blood, and disease to echoing fruition. It’s just so hard to describe how desolate and terrible this game’s presentation makes it seem without actually experiencing it yourself. Add onto this setting with some of the most punishing gameplay and you’ll be in for quite the ride. The rogue-like mechanics of constantly watching your newly hired adventurers die as they explore the ever-foreboding passageways of the dungeons under your inherited mansion is heartbreaking. One moment you can feel on top of the world with your high-leveled mercenary cutting through waves of undead in one hallway, only for it to be dashed away as they are driven insane and struck down with a heart attack in the next room. The key to the game is finding balance in choosing the right quest for your heroes, managing their stress levels, and collecting loot to further achieve your goals. The boss fights are super punishing and drained me of my morale so quickly that I often times had to stop playing for a couple of days just to stave off the madness myself. The best part about the game though is the narrator, who was the patriarch of this once great estate. His insights into the ghastly world that he wrought upon the player is like listening to a poet whose only way of passing time was to memorize every word in the dictionary and subsequently the thesaurus. He is the reason why my favorite word now is ‘antediluvian’. Please do yourself a favor and play this game if you like challenging experiences with a great aesthetic. I’ve still yet to beat the game, but I fully intend to close the darkest of dungeons, even though it will take me well into the next year.

Waifu’s Top 3 Games of 2016:

3. Killing Floor 2

So, the husband and I played this when it was still in early access, but we loved it nonetheless. The level designs were sharp and well-done and I really didn’t get the sense that the game was unfinished. Nothing was bare, nothing seemed lacking. Overall, for an early access game, it was definitely top notch. The absolute cherry on top to me is the speed metal that plays throughout each level. I mean, there really is no other way to murder zombies (or “zeds” in this game) than by listening to the soothing tunes of speed metal. The shop system is quick and easy to use, which is great considering you only have a limited time until it closes up before the next wave. Each different class comes with its own weapons, so one must decide, “How do I want to murder zeds today?” It’s such a hard choice, but I’m a fan of dual-wielding revolvers or the good ol’ fashioned double-barreled shotgun. There are many varieties of zombies to keep the game different and fresh feeling, and the boss fights are nothing to sniff at. My most hated variety? The Sirens. Scrawny, harpy-looking witches that stun you when their scream hits you, and they are wickedly hard to kill. Stupid Sirens. TL;DR? Killing Zeds to speed metal? Don’t threaten me with a good time.

2. Hitman

Just how many ways are there to murder a target? According to our famous Agent 47, quite a lot. Found a Vampire Magician costume in the attic of a Parisian fashion show? Why not put it on and murder someone in it! Found a fire axe that is in no way able to be concealed? Why not run around until you found your target and murder them with it! I’m garbage with being sneaky and even worse with tactics, but this game makes both of those things fun and worth attempting. It’s all about finding the best, easiest, hardest, most extravagant ways to take out your target. It’s like a puzzle game to be honest, with a dash of murder thrown in there. Since the missions are released episodically, it’s a good excuse to go through each mission time and time again to not only find multiple ways to take out your target, but to also complete many of the challenges that are presented to you. The most difficult challenge to date for me is when you have to go through and take out your target without alerting anyone, without using a disguise, and without being recorded by a security camera. We haven’t managed to do it yet with any of the missions, but I imagine we will at some point. This game has amazing replayability, and that is one of the must-haves in a game to make it amazing in my book. TL; DR? Find ALL THE WAYS to murder someone! Especially the stupid ways!

1. Titanfall 2

Okay so I had a LOT of hope for this game. The first one was a complete let down, as it was essentially Call of Duty with mechs. As someone that detests Call of Duty with every fiber of my being, the original Titanfall was a real bummer. However, seeing all of the trailers for Titanfall 2, I was super pumped, as it looked like they had adjusted a lot of game mechanics, and beefed up the titan play. And I was right. My husband and I bought two copies, but I played a good portion of the campaign on his copy to make sure I really did want to open mine and play. Wall running is a blast, and it is an easy thing to catch on to. The shooting is extremely clean, and turn rate is neither too fast nor too slow…it’s just right. I really appreciated that. The choice of guns and grenades was excellent, and I didn’t really feel like there was a bad choice for anything. Sniping was fun, as the hit box for enemies’ bodies/heads actually felt accurate. I never once felt like I was staring at someone’s face down the scope, yet they were still juking the shot based on the hit box being impossibly tiny. But let’s be honest, the real reason I enjoyed this game was the titan combat. Well, and just the titan in general. BT was a joy in all of his literal nonsense. He reminded me very heavily of Drax the Destroyer from Guardians of the Galaxy. It was fun to choose the funny/sarcastic replies to BT, knowing he had a literal response. The titan combat was smooth and the different classes you had access to were excellent. The story was intriguing, which, again, let’s be honest, isn’t always the case with a shooter. I haven’t even ventured into the online portion of this game, but that just tells you how much I love the campaign and the mechanics and feel of the game if I am putting this at #1 on my 2016 games list. To me, a shooter is excellent if an FPS noob such as myself can feel comfortable. You can always ramp up the difficulty to make it harder if you deem it necessary. If an FPS is approachable and doesn’t feel like you have to be part of an elitist club in order to play it successfully, then I classify that game a thumbs-up. TL;DR? Oppa Gundam style!

We hope you enjoyed the lists for our personal favorite games of 2016. We will see you in 2017!