My Top Ten Games of 2016

2016 was.... hm, yeah. It was a year of some personal highs for myself and very real lows for everyone in the world. My rare takeaway from 2016 is that I finally got married to my best friend and I can at least point to that as a source of joy during this relatively rough year.

In terms of video games, I played a lot of them and I also beat (!!) a decent amount of them. That said, I am unfortunately finding that I watch people play games as much as I actually play them these days, which is a crying shame when I consider my (flexible) backlog. There is never enough time for anything.

Some honorable mentions before heading into the actual list (cribbed from the great Danny O'Dwyer):

Late to the Party Award: Super Mario Galaxy (Runner up: Assassin's Creed 2: BROTHERhood)

Wish I played more Award: The Last Guardian (Runner up: Ratchet and Clank)

Best 2015 game of 2016 Award: Rocket League (I continue to play it on a weekly basis)

Biggest Disappointment: No Man's Sky (Runner up: Street Fighter V)

Best Beta: For Honor

List items

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  1. Hitman

  HITMAN. Oh man... as a longtime Hitman fan I had high hopes for this game. But hey, not only is it a return to form for a series that had a bit of a misstep with 2012's Absolution, it is an amazing episodic experience. I have laughed a lot while playing this game and also watching people play this game (VINNY!). The amount of detail within the levels and the fun things to discover in each of them is a true joy to behold. The story is nicely told with several after mission cut-scenes that really scratch that sort of "spy thriller/conspiracy" itch that video games rarely touch upon these days. Features such as the elusive targets and escalation contracts give this game a lot of legs and it's one that I've been eager to play on a consistent basis for several months. Needless to say, I am definitely looking forward to HITMAN's "next season".

  Well done, IO Interactive. You're back in business.

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  2. Doom

  DOOM is kind of baffling to me. After DOOM 3 and Carmack's departure, I felt like shrugging at the notion of a modern DOOM game that was actually awesome. Well slap my booty and call me Samuel Hayden, this game IS awesome. It still retains a lot of that old-school expierence of the older Doom games, while refining it with modern ideas in a way that makes sense. DOOM was very close to being my GOTY, but I actually had to give that award to...

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  3. Overwatch

  The great multiplayer experience of the year! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Overwatch, both with and without friends. The usual tropes of multiplayer games, like toxic players, hold it back from becoming my top pick.

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  4. Dark Souls III

  Dark Souls III is... the worst of the trilogy for me. At the same time, I still loved a lot of what it offered. The gameplay is a nice mix of Dark Souls 1/2 with some Bloodbourne-esque mechanics, which helps to liven up the combat. I felt more frustrated with this particular Souls game, whether it was the unfortunate nerfing of magic characters or somewhat lackluster bosses, I kept feeling like I would rather just play I or II. The game improved a lot when I switched over to a Dex/Pyro build, but I couldn't help shake the feeling that this game was disappointing when compared to it's predecessors. I still "love" the game and it was a nice send off for a franchise that I have spent hundreds of hours playing.

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  5. XCOM 2

  XCOM 2 is, yeah, more XCOM, but that is not a bad thing. This game continues the same harsh, squad based gameplay that I loved from the first "reboot". This sequel is unfortunately held back due to some bugs and the somewhat forgettable story. I still had a blast playing this game during the entire month of February, I just never felt a need to go back after I was done with it.

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  6. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

  Hey, I haven't actually beaten Adam Jensen's 2nd game, but I've played roughly half of it and I really like it so far. It feels like a smart continuation of everything that was set up in Human Revolution. I ASKED FOR THIS?

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  7. Darkest Dungeon

  I played way more of this game when it was in early access, but that doesn't stop me from appreciating it this year. I've loved the time that I have spent trying to survive in this game's grim and relentless atmosphere. The narrator is one of the best of it's kind.

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  8. Overcooked!

  The first game that I played on a regular basis with my wife! And we had a blast. There is something oddly hilarious about frantically yelling at each other while trying to make sure the soup doesn't burn. Great couch co-op experience.

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  9. Batman: The Telltale Series

  I love "The Batman" and the universe that he inhabits. I always seem to pick one Telltale game to "get into" every year and I have quite enjoyed my time with this particular one thus far.

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  10. Stardew Valley

  As a longtime fan of Harvest Moon/Animal Crossing... STUFF, this game was kind of a no-brainer for me. Something about farms in general are appealing to me and this game is a fun simulation of that kind of life. It's filled with some goofy characters and there are cool ways to maximize your farm's profits. All that said, the game did run it's course for me after a couple weeks of playtime.