2016 was a really good year for games and a pretty bad one for everything else. Taking some time to reflect, I've assembled a list of my top 5 video games of 2016.
Non-2016 Games I Enjoyed This Year: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, Puyo Puyo Tetris, Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair
Honorable Mentions: Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme vs. Force, Pokemon Moon, Kamen Rider: Battride War Genesis
5. 100ft Robot Golf
100 Foot starts this list not as an especially strong game but as one with so much hard work and heart put into it that it deserves to be respected. Maybe it's the gameplay resembling Neo Turf Masters. Maybe it's the story mode that's presented like a fandub of an anime. Maybe it's having Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy of "My Brother, My Brother, and Me" as the announcers. Or maybe it's just me having an affinity for giant robots. Either way, 100 Foot Robot Golf is a small, lovingly-crafted little game that captured my heart and gave me an idea of what it is that indie games can do when the developers put their hearts into it.
4. DOOM
DOOM is how you pay homage to a classic the right way. Actually, it's less of a homage and more of tearing an old man out of their grave, yelling "THIS IS MY HOUSE NOW, OLD MAN!" in their face and slamming them into the wall. DOOM's forte is violence, and good god does it do violence right. Nearly every weapon you find (sans the pistol) is extremely satisfying, but the highlight of the game is the glory kills. These are quick melee attacks used to kill weak enemies and get some health and ammo back, short enough to not break game flow. DOOM's campaign mode is so satisfyingly violent that it completely overshadows it's weak Multiplayer and Snapmap modes, but trust me, one minute in the campaign and you'll forget that those modes even exist. DOOM is a refreshing game that fans of old school shooters will absolutely adore.
3. Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator
2016 was a good year for fighters, but Xrd (pronounced X-ard) easily takes the cake for being the best. Possibly the best thing I have to say about the game is how it's able to have solid fighting mechanics while still being cinematic. The character roster is diversified and balanced so that anyone can pick up the game and find a character that they enjoy playing. The game's visual appeal is a large part of how enjoyable it is. The super moves are as visually pleasing, plus the camera pulling behind the attacker after pulling of a "Dust" launcher move is extremely satisfying. Even if you're not a fighting game fan, Guilty Gear is at least worth checking out.
2. Overwatch
I knew nothing of Overwatch before its beta period. Initially, I downloaded the beta expecting nothing of it. After my first match, however, I was hooked. The result is what happens when you learn the right lessons from Team Fortress 2 and incorporate MOBA elements into a shooter's game design. As a result every character plays completely differently from each other, not to mention that there's more than one character for each critical role. Also an important lesson learned is that the game itself will tell you what's wrong with your team composition on the character select screen, something that most co-operative multiplayer games desperately needed. Overwatch is a game that has legs to it, and I look forward to how it adds new content and changes in the future.
1. Titanfall 2
DOOM had the single player, Overwatch had the multiplayer, but Titanfall 2 has both AND giant robots. Dear God, I have never played a Triple-A First Person Shooter as satisfying as Titanfall 2 is on nearly every level. The guns are satisfying to shoot, the movement is some of the most satisfying and fun uses of mobility ever in a game, and the campaign is an unexpected gem. BT-7274, the main mech throughout the campaign mode, deserves some recognition as the true hero of the story, having more of a character arc than the player character Jack Cooper, who is about as cookie cutter of an FPS main character as they come. The multiplayer is especially phenomenal as well, with the Titan mechs serving multiple purposes that actually complement the pacing of the multiplayer. Not only can you pilot the Titan yourself, but you can also get out and fight on foot as well. My personal favorite game moment of the year was leaving my Titan to distract an enemy, only to end up rushing them on foot, dropping a grenade where their generator once was, and blowing them up. Titanfall 2 pushes the envelope for Triple-A shooters, an establishes a high standard for them to meet in the future.
