Happy New Year! It is that time once again where everyone looks back on the previous year to reflect on everything good, bad, and ugly that happened within the year. Today, I’m going to focus on the good and share my top ten personal favorite and greatest games from 2016.

Before I begin, I’d like to share some games that I haven’t played yet, and therefore won’t be on my list. Games such as The Last Guardian, Song of the Deep, RIGS, and Titanfall 2 are games I definitely plan on playing sometime in 2017, but games I simply didn’t have time for in 2016. Which is really a shame, because I have no doubt in my mind they could have been contenders for my top ten list this year, but being a college student with other gaming friends only allows for so much time with single player campaigns.

Now without further ado, let’s count down that list!

10. Thumper

I’ll be honest, I haven’t played through all of Thumper, but after playing the demo of it on the PSVR Demo Disk, I went and purchased Thumper fairly quick. Some people describe Thumper as a horror rhythm game, but I see as a darker style rhythm game. From its creative combos of controls to how important and tasteful the music is within the game, it is a special experience, especially when played in VR. Thumper can be played normally on a PS4, but I believe the VR version is much more gratifying. Thumper is special and creative in enough ways that it makes its way onto my top ten list for 2016.

9. Job Simulator

When I first saw Job Simulator, I couldn’t understand what people saw in this game. I thought it looked stupid and was totally overrated. After playing it, I totally understand why people love this game. It is such a fun and stupid PSVR games, and one that highly encourages you to think outside the box. Job Simulator is hilarious and clever in ways you wouldn’t expect. Whenever I have someone new try out VR, I steer them towards Job Simulator. It's so unique in how quirky it is, and you can’t help but have a good time when playing this game.

8. Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 was in a weird spot for me throughout the year. I was a big believer in the first Watch Dogs, and I got along with it fine. Now with Watch Dogs 2, it wasn’t a hugely anticipated game for me, but it was definitely higher up on my priority list. After getting my hands on Watch Dogs 2, I really enjoyed it. The lively and colorful San Francisco was a blast to have be my sandbox, and being able to use an RC jumper and drone on mostly every mission to stealth my way through made me feel like an actual hacker. On top of that, to have the plot be so close and relatable to real life technological advances makes the game that much more interesting. I had a great time getting the platinum trophy for Watch Dogs 2, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, GTA type game.

7. Telltale’s Batman

I love Telltale and how they deliver their stories. I am beyond excited for their Guardians of the Galaxy game, especially since Telltale delivered on Tales From The Borderlands last year. Telltale did a marvelous job of shaking up Batman and Gotham as we know it. Each character had a different spin than anything portrayed beforehand, and with many twists and turn throughout the episodic plot, Batman delivered a fantastic and fresh version of batman told esquitly.

6. Rise of the Tomb Raider

Like Thumper, Rise of the Tomb Raider is a game I haven’t played through completely. However, I’ve been waiting for Rise of the Tomb Raider ever since it was first announced. The reboot of Tomb Raider in 2013 was a great game, and Rise expands on that in all of the right ways. Tomb Raider is all about Lara and the environment, which is what makes me love this game so much. I’m a sucker for story driven games, and Rise is all about expanding upon Lara and her character as we know her. From the portion of the game that I’ve played, it has confirmed to me it is a great game, and I plan on going for the platinum trophy. If I had played through all of it already, I believe it could be higher on my list potentially.

5. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Uncharted 4 is a great game, but it’s one that didn’t strike me the way all of the games above did. Its gorgeous graphics and tantalizing cinematics, both in gameplay and cutscenes, makes it like playing an action movie. Naughty Dog is known for creating outstanding games, and Uncharted 4 is no exception. For me personally, it didn’t strike me the same way Uncharted 2 did. My drive for this game wasn’t as strong, but it still definitely earns a spot on my top ten list for 2016. Uncharted is definitely a franchise everyone should play through and experience, as it is simply too good to pass up.

4. Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes

Although released for PC in 2016, Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes came to PSVR this year as a launch title, and it belongs here. When I bought PSVR on launch day, I purchased only a few games right away: Batman Arkham VR and Keep Talking. That night, when my friends came to test it out, we played Keep Talking for the longest amount of time. It is such a clever, fun, and novel game. While the person wearing the headset must defuse a bomb, the person looking at the screen must talk them through how to do it. This creates for tense situations, but it is always lighthearted. It is without my favorite PSVR game, and one of my favorites of 2016.

3. Ratchet & Clank

I had never touched a Ratchet & Clank game in depth before this reimagining remake of the original came to PS4 this year, and it was such a great game. The visuals of the game are stunning, as it literally looks like a Pixar movie. The writing for the game is fantastic, with several jokes and quips being stuffed into the fun to follow storyline. Every aspect of Ratchet & Clank was fun, and it was so well polished. The overall quality of Ratchet & Clank is outstanding, and my time with the game so enjoyed so much so that I played through it 3 times to earn the platinum trophy.

2. Oxenfree

Oxenfree is a special sidescroller that tells an amazing story in every way possible. From the characters, to the environment, to the art style tying it all together, Oxenfree is a remarkably charming game. I played Firewatch and Inside, but Oxenfree is the one that really stuck with me the most. Don’t get me wrong, Firewatch and Inside are both great games and I definitely recommend them, but Oxenfree spoke to me the most and left the biggest impression on me. I remember going back to play through the game a second time and I started freaking out with the subtle, but noticeable changes the game placed in the second playthrough. It was put in to fit with the plot of the games, and it was a perfect fit. Oxenfree was an experience, and one of my favorites so much so that I just might have to pick up the limited edition physical run of the game later this month.

1. Overwatch

Several times, I’ve questioned myself if Overwatch is really my game of the year, and I would be lying to myself and everyone else if I said it wasn’t. From the beginning of the year I had been watching videos of YouTubers playing the beta, and by the time Overwatch came out in May, I knew the game and how to play it. From watching that gameplay during break times to getting so involved in the lore outside of the game itself, Overwatch really stole my heart. Every character in Overwatch is so unique, and each one feels like a hero in real life. The whole world of Overwatch has its claws in me, and Overwatch news and coverage on YouTube is still something I seek out today. It has captured me for 100+ hours, which very few games have ever done before, and something a multiplayer game has never done before. For me to still be playing Overwatch to this day and not getting sick of it is incredible, and that without a doubt makes Overwatch my game of the year.