Games of 2016

Let's get this over with!

Firewatch (PS4)
Firewatch is a beautiful game. Olly Moss's aesthetic translates great in the world the game presents. In addition to being gorgeous, the feeling of isolation I felt while playing was very powerful and impressively pulled off. I have small problems with the narrative and some of its resolutions, but overall, the game was very enjoyable.

Pokemon Moon (3DS)
I've been a fan of Pokemon since it started. Now, 800 Pokemon later, I still love them. Pokemon Moon changes the formula of traditional Pokemon adventures in a welcomed way. It also presents cool and interesting new monsters and region. Mechanics have also been tweaked to make the experience of playing through the game more efficient (and albeit easier). Pokemon Moon is one of the most polished Pokemon games to date. 

Ratchet and Clank (PS4)
The game based on the movie based on the game. I went to go see the Ratchet and Clank movie. My friend and I were the only ones in the theater. It's not great. Especially if you're not a long-time fan of the series. If you are, it's cute, but definitely doesn't do the characters or the series justice. What does do it justice is the game. The game is pretty, fast-paced and a ton of fun. Revisiting these reimagined areas from the original PS2 game was cool and the gameplay is solid. I recommend the game to anyone. I recommend the movie to only those who have been super invested in the series. 

Inside (PS4)
Limbo helped start the indie game boom a few years back. With Inside, PlayDead studios reminded me how good they are at making games. Inside is intriguing, dark, smart and pretty. It's a nice successor to Limbo in that they play very similarly, with Inside being more refined. I don't want to spoil, so I'll just say play it and enjoy the ride. 

Jackbox Party Pack 3 (Steam)
Jackbox really knows how to nail party games nowadays. Their 3rd party pack is hit or miss with its games. But the ones that hit, hit hard. Fakin' It and Trivia Murder Party have been very popular for my friends and I. Jackbox Games really knows how to break a room of people into accusatory assholes. In the most fun way possible. Fakin' It makes sure of that. And Trivia Murder Party is one of the most fun Trivia games I've played since the reboot of You Don't Know Jack. Highly recommend this party pack for any group of friends. 

Mirror's Edge Catalyst (PS4)
I'd been waiting for 'Mirror's Edge 2' since Mirror's Edge came out. I bought a PS3 mainly to play Mirror's Edge. And buying a PS4 was, in part, in anticipation to play its sequel. That being said, Catalyst is ok. It's strongest aspect, by far, is it's controls and gameplay. Faith controls fluidly and fast and it's so much fun to run around Glass. The story is uninteresting but pretty non-intrusive. I played on a PS4, so I can't speak for PC players, but for a city being called 'Glass', it is the least reflective world. It's sort of a nitpick, but when the story and theme of the game revolves around mirrors and glass and reflections, not seeing your reflection in the windows of Glass sort of takes me out of it. BUT THAT ALL BEING SAID, I wasn't too disappointed by the game. It was still really enjoyable and fun to play. I hope that if we have a Mirror's Edge 3, that it'll finally have online races. 

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS4)
Uncharted 4 is above all else fun. It's a cool action movie story with great controls in combat encounters. Rafe and Sam stood out among the cast. Not much else to say that hasn't been said. It's a gorgeous game. It's dialogue sort of seemed tired and there was a lot more waiting around and slowed down portions of the game compared to previous entires, I felt. It's still enjoyable for the adventure, but what it really lacks is that 'Uncharted 4 Moment'. When I think to the previous games, I correlate them to big set-piece moments. Uncharted 4 didn't really have that. It's sad to see Drake go, but everyone's gotta retire at some point. 

Pokken Tournament (Wii U)
The lone Wii U title on this list. RIP. Pokken was sort of a random dream-I-never-knew-I-had come true. The makers of Tekken (one of my favorite fighting games) making a Pokemon Fighter? Hell yeah. And it is as fun as it sounds. Oh sure it's unbalanced as fuck, but it's still really cool to witness. The roster is pretty spot on and the controls (while they take some time to get used to and learn) are great. It's just a really cool game that I'm glad happened. 

Hyper Light Drifter (Steam)
I love challenging games like Hyper Light Drifter. Especially when the look, sound, and control as great as this game does. Hyper Light Drifter falls into that category of games where the controls are so good that any mistake made while playing, I blamed it on myself. Never the game. But seriously, its beautiful and fast and a good challenge. Not much else to say. 

*The Witness (PS4)*
The Witness is my game of the year! It is the most intelligently crafted puzzle game I've ever played. So much so that it's inspired me to create my own. As my thesis project for my BFA, I'm designing a puzzle game drawing a lot of inspiration from The Witness. The way the game presents its puzzles with zero explanation other than a smart series of progressively difficult panels to solve is incredible. The game is very self-driven. Meaning you sort of have to force yourself to see a puzzle/area through. Which isn't difficult given how gorgeous the game is. I wanted to explore the whole island which led me to new discoveries and new puzzles to solve. It's just such a smart game and I can't recommend it enough. 



Runners-Up: Overcooked, SuperHot, Ultimate Chicken Horse



Non-2016 Games of the Year

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (PS4)
The swan song of the Kojima-run Metal Gear series is a strong one. I've only played MGS4 before this, but that was enough to ensure I'd enjoy MGSV. This game came out when a lot of big open-world games were coming out so I skipped it for a while. Once I picked it up, though, I had a lot of fun playing with it's mechanics. I've still yet to beat it, but God are there a lot of side-missions.

Vanquish (PS3)
Here's an oldie. I started Vanquish whenever it came for free for PS Plus years ago. I decided to pick it back up over the summer. It's such a faced past, hyper-masculine, over-the-top game. Platinum really made a fun original title here and I'm glad I got to finally finish it. 

Assassin's Creed Syndicate (PS4)
Syndicate is the best Assassin's Creed title in a while. The story was interesting and the gameplay was solid (so much more so than Unity). Exploring London was fun and all of the hidden stories and time warps were really cool to experience. I'm glad the series took a year off to reflect and this game left me on a good note to be excited for the next main entry in the series. 

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PS4)
I just started the Witcher 3. It took me a while for the same reason as Metal Gear. Overwhelmingness. But I'm really enjoying it. I've never been a fan of Medieval settings, but I've been willing to give Witcher a try for all the recommendations I've gotten. So far, I'm having fun with it. 

Guitar Hero 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Live (PS2, PS4)
I went through a phase this summer of playing a lot of old Rhythm games. DDR and Guitar Hero mainly. I went online to find old copies of PS2 Guitar Hero's to play since I only ever had 1-3. And during this time, I got really good. Not EXPERT good, but HARD good. And then when the time was right, I invested in the new Guitar Hero Live. And this game, while I don't necessarily like it's 'Plays' system, is great. Huge selection of songs and fun new controller. And this game, I can say, I'm pretty consistently EXPERT good. Just don't ask me to play Fire and the Flames.

Life is Strange (PS4)
I love this game. I love the story, the characters, the setting, everything. I've watched it played through almost 4 times within the year. I think Dontnod did a great job portraying these characters in a pretty believable way and presented a story in a cool, mysterious way. Just go play it. It's so good. 

Mother 3 (Rom)
While my friend was yelling at me to play Undertale, I started Mother 3. I enjoyed Mother 3 much more than did Earthbound. The characters are cooler, the story is way better and the gameplay is more refined. If you're a fan of JRPG's play it if you can. 

Transistor (Steam)
Another game I'd been meaning to beat that I can check off my list. Transistor is a very unique action game who's story and atmosphere really drove it. The ambiance of the dystopia and its inhabitants make for a really engaging world. I can't wait for what SuperGiant has in store with Pyre. 


OK! That's the year! Happy Holidays! See ya around this time next year, probably! Bye!