2016 was filled with a multitude of games and not all of them could be played within the year. Of all the games I managed to get my hands on, these were the ones that stood among the heaping pile of video games that launched in 2016.
5. Furi
First up on my list is this short burst of adrenaline. Furi can be summarized as a series of boss fights told through storytelling similar to that of the Hip-Hop, samurai blend anime, Afro Samurai. Sweet on the eyes and even sweeter to the ears, Furi is a great example that not every great game needs to be 40+ hours long. Easy to pick up whenever and a speedrunner’s delight, there’s no reason this neon samurai’s story shouldn’t be experienced at least once.
4. Batman: Telltale Series
Having taken over the mantel of “Favorite Telltale title,” Batman: The Telltale Series turned out to be highly addicting. I actually held off on the series until the finale released so I could experience each episode back to back and I’m quite glad I did. Each episode left off at a point that practically dragged me into the next, well, if I had enough time in one day that is. As the first game where both Bruce Wayne and Batman are playable entities, I initially went into this title not expecting much. After all, most Batman games outside of the Arkham series never fare too well. Telltale Games breaks that mold by crafting a fresh take on Bruce’s beginnings, which induces the cliché saying of, “Just one more episode!”
3. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Probably the best ending to a game’s franchise I’ve ever witnessed, Uncharted 4 tugged at my heartstrings and did not let go. Sure, it may be dubbed the sliding simulator but it’s the best damn sliding simulator I’ve ever played. Nathan Drake’s journey comes to its much deserved conclusion with laughter, shock, anger, sadness…a vast array of feelings generated from the bonds built throughout each title. It’s actually a little sad to think we may never get another Uncharted game with the old crew again.
2. Titanfall 2
The only other 2016 FPS I played deserves a spot on my list. Even from the original without a campaign, I loved Titanfall. Titanfall 2 is no different except this time, Respawn included a pretty good campaign for the sequel. I didn’t find the story as enjoyable as others but the online portion still holds my interest. I can easily spend an entire night playing Titanfall 2 online. My fingers remain crossed for a third game to become a reality.
Honorable Mentions:
And then there are my honorable mentions, the games I felt just barely missed this list. For what it’s worth, these titles deserve a shout out. It’s not easy being considered for a GOTY list when hundreds of games launch in a year:
Valkyria Chronicles Remastered
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
Hyper Light Drifter
1. DOOM
What can I say about DOOM that hasn’t been said already? For me, 2016 had little to offer in the FPS realm but DOOM left such an impact on me, that I had to include it in my GOTY list. As someone who never really got into the DOOM games of the past, I went in with no expectations. Figured this quasi reboot/sequel would be a good chance to play a DOOM game from start to finish. And oh my lord, what a great decision I made!
DOOM is fantastic, an absolutely thrilling ride from Mars to Hell and all the bloody guts left behind in my wake. People owe it to themselves to play DOOM at least once.
