The year 2016 was the year that the gaming industry needed after 2015. There were a number of titles that I had been impatiently waiting for, as well as some sleeper hits, that just absolutely knocked it out of the park this year. With 2017 finally here, here’s some games of last year that I personally feel deserve a hell of a lot of recognition.
Titanfall 2
After the enjoyable but ultimately short-lived success of the original Titanfall, I was cautiously optimistic about Respawn’s second foray into the new series. Thankfully, what we received was one of the best single-player shooter campaigns of this generation filled with awesome spectacles, huge levels and the wondrous character that is BT. All of this is alongside a very tight and hectic multiplayer with a new set of class-based Titans that are all fun and different to use. After Titanfall 2, I can’t wait for what Respawn has in store for us next.
Best Moment: When I realized that the level I was in was composed of miles of machinery on an assembly line, and it clicked just how massive and unique the level design was.
Battlefield 1
Battlefield’s known for its huge maps, huge player-counts and huge explosions. Battlefield 1 delivers all of this, all while walking a fine line between historically accurate and damn fun. The world is grittier than ever, and the small set of short stories reminds us that war isn’t easy.
Best Moment: The tutorial, when it was made clear that the death of some soldiers was inevitable, and that every single one had a name.
Forza Horizons 3
I’m not into racing games, but this title is objectively great. Forza Horizons 3 may very well be the best looking game that I’ve ever seen and is absolutely chock-full of things to do. A wide set of very different vehicles and activities, as well as a semi-RPG background system, makes this game difficult to ignore.
Best Moment: The second I opened up the photo mode during an off-roading venture.
DOOM
DOOM is exactly what it should be. While it’s drastically different and updated from its predecessors, its core tenets are the same. DOOM is fast. DOOM is gorey. DOOM is unapologetically violent. DOOM rewards skill, encourages speed-running, and has a wide array of hilariously awesome secrets like dolls and retro levels. DOOM’s multiplayer is somewhat generic for such a large title, but nothing’s really wrong with it. DOOM Snap-Map is extremely flexible but is quite complex.
Best Moment: Finding all the secrets on a level without looking up a guide, it all felt very old school with how I explored the level.
Overwatch
Overwatch is Blizzard’s most recent smash-hit and for good reason. The world is more vibrant and stylized than any other AAA title I’ve ever played. The cast is diverse, sporting many people (and robots) of differing genders and backgrounds who are all extremely useful (except Ana).
Best Moment: When I decided to switch off of D.Va as my main and experiment with other characters.
Firewatch
Firewatch is the most engrossed I’ve been in a non-violent game, ever. It’s quite possibly the best of its genre. The art style Campo Santo has delivered makes the environment feel like a watercolor painting. The decisions in the game don’t exactly change the course of the story, but they still felt important. The fact that Firewatch is incredibly engaging when practically all you do is talk on the radio and walk around is a testament to the narrative structure of the title.
Best Moment: Keeping Turt Reynolds.
What were your favorite games of 2016? Leave a comment below!
