Woohoo! We're almost to December, and it's that time of year again, where we put down the pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin flavored chocolates so that we can instead pick up some eggnog and cinnamon-infused candles and spend money like there's no tomorrow! 2016 is nearly done, and with the exception of just a handful of games, the 2016 gaming release calendar is pretty much over too. But before we turn our attentions to 2017's biggest releases like Horizon Zero Dawn, Persona 5, and everything Nintendo Switch related, I'd like to make a little blog entry about my favorite games I played in 2016. I did a little blog similar to this last year, and I had fun writing it, so I might as well do it again, a little preemptive this year, but alas, I'll be a little inactive from this week up til the new year. I won't be covering games that released in 2016, mind you, as I assume GBAtemp will once again do another yearly poll focusing on modern releases, and I'll share my opinions there. So with that, let's get to it. As I did a top 15 for 2015, how about a top 16 for 2016?
16. Uncharted 3
I'll be honest, in retrospect, I'm not much of a fan of the Uncharted series. 1 is a bit too dated for my tastes, and 2 was a boring cover shooter with a lot of set pieces and beautiful graphics. 3 at least is a refinement to the formula, and it held my attention throughout its campaign. I'd still rather watch Raiders of the Lost Ark though.
15. Star Ocean SNES
I'm a sucker for SNES-era RPGs, and Star Ocean took advantage of that fact. The gameplay isn't revolutionary, but it has its high points and interesting mechanics, and the while story feels a little cheesy at times, t's like anime meets Star Trek. And who wouldn't love that?
14. Bushido Blade
Are you looking for a unique and detailed fighter from the PS1 era? Well have I got the game for you. Bushido Blade is a neat fighting game that has you play as 6 different swordfighters with 8 seperate weapons to choose from. Each weapon has a uniqueness to it, such as better reach with a longsword, faster attacks with a rapier, or a mix of the both by using a katana. Despite being 30fps on the original hardware, the game plays smoothly, and the animations are very fluid and nice to watch. If traditional fighter games are getting a little repetitive to you, this will certainly be a great change of pace.
13. Disgaea
Though it gets a little boring at times to endlessly grind through enemies over and over, Disagea makes up for that by having a quirky cast and some fun writing. There's a lot of interesting gameplay mechanics going on here, although they feel a bit clunky, (Which I assume get more refined in later games) it's still worth a play for those that like SRPGS.
12. SSX
A reboot of the PS2's SSX series, the blandly named SSX is a definite worthy successor to Tricky and 3. The jump to HD allows for higher drops and more obstacle-laden courses, while still retaining what made the games so lovable to begin with.
11. Gravity Rush
One of the best games to show off the capabilities of the poor Vita, Gravity Rush offered a really cool platforming experience and had a lot of creativity put into it. The art design is especially well done, and though its a bit short, this is a game that every Vita owner should check out.
10. Pillars of Eternity
Hope you like classic old school isometric RPGs and are ready to invest yourself with a mountain of lore and world building, because developer Obsidian is back and ready to prove that consumers are still willing to play these types of games. Though it can get wordy and confusing, especially when you're thrown in at the start with long winded encyclopedia level instructions to guide you, Pillars rewards players with an amazingly detailed world full of interesting characters. So much so that it can be almost too overwhelming to handle.
9. Hatsune Miku Project Mirai DX
Playing a bit differently from the Project Diva series, Mirai instead has you matching notes to the music as they pass over a constantly moving line. I like this style, perhaps even more than the standard style, and it's quite fun. One of the 3DS's best rhythm games, for sure.
8. Story of Seasons
It's no Stardew Valley, but Story of Seasons picks up the Harvest Moon mantle fairly well. It holds itself to the classic formula, and adds a number of activities for you to do each day. However, you'll have to stick with a relatively lackluster start and power your way through it to get to the good part of the game. A lot of improvements need to be made to match the older entries, in my opinion, but there's some great new stuff here for fans of the genre.
7. Persona 4 Dancing All Night
Okay the story was total crap, let's not beat around the bush. You're here for fanservicey goodness that includes your favorite Persona 4 characters (not that kinda fanservice, get your mind outta the gutter). The remixes of the P4 tracks are great for the most part, and there's all sorts of costumes and songs to unlock so fans will have a great deal of fun here. Just don't expect much more than an okay rhythm game with a Persona skin to it and you'll like it for what it is.
6. Dragon Ball Z Hyper Dimension
Incredibly well done sprites, coupled with a fighting system that goes even further beyond what the Butoden series offered, Hyper Dimension is one of the best 2D DBZ fighting games out there. The ability to hop into the background to dodge attacks adds a nice layer of depth to the gameplay. Your ki and health are tied to the same bar, which is another cool addition here, which keeps things tense.
5. Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones
Surely not the best Fire Emblem that I've ever played, but still a decent entry. As much as I love FE: Awakening, the Fire Emblem series just works so well in a 2D style, and this title helps show that off. The animations and spritework is just as good as it was in Fire Emblem 6 and 7, and while I didn't like it as much as 7, Sacred Stones' gameplay and challenge is much more balanced than it was in 6. It can be fairly unchallenging to older fans, but if you're looking to play one of the older games after only trying the newer Fire Emblems, this is a great starting point.
4. 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors
The entire Zero Escape series is insane. Crazy twists, lots of dying, and some of the best writing in a visual novel that I've ever read. 999 beats out the later sequels in terms of writing, but the entire series is worth playing, and luckily, 999 will be coming to PC and Vita later this year, so you definitely should try out this fantastic game then.
3. Paper Mario TTYD
It takes the foundation that Paper Mario 64 built and massively improves upon it. Quirky teammates, great dialogue, solid gameplay, and typical wacky Nintendo humor. What more could you ask for? I wouldn't put it above Super Paper Mario, but it's definitely the second best paper-based Mario RPG I've ever played.
2. Tales of Vesperia
I'm making this choice a little pre-emptive since I've only put in a bit over 10 hours, and still have a ways to go. But I am really enjoying this game so far, and if Tales of the Abyss is anything to go by, I know I'll love this one by the end as well. The characters are great, the story is...decent, and the gameplay is fun. Definitely glad that I bought an Xbox for this.
1. Rocket League
This game is crack. I'm serious, it's one of the best games I've ever played. I could play this for hours on end without stopping, and I have. If I didn't have to sleep, I would play Rocket League for an eternity. I absolutely recommend the game to people who have at least one friend and enjoys playing matches online, hardcores that love competition, or even casuals looking to have a little fun.
Other games that I completed this year:
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend
Megadimension Neptunia
MegaTagmension Neptune + Blanc VS Zombies
Stardew Valley
Odin Sphere Leiftrasir
999/VLR/ZTD
Fire Emblem Fates
Dead Rising 2
Trails of Cold Steel
Fire Watch
Star Ocean 5
Fate/Stay Night
Saints Row 3
Miku X
Ace Attorney 6
Streets of Rage 1 3D
Code Realize
Shin Megami Tensei 4 Apoc
Attack on Titan
Liberation Maiden
Freedom Wars
Organ Trail
Forza Horizon 3
Superdimension Neptune
Guilty Gear XX
Steins Gate 0
Dishonored 2
Pokemon Moon
Wipeout 2048
Infamous 2
Killzone Mercenary
Chase Cold Case
Assassins Creed Syndicate
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
Dragon Ball Fusions
And there we have it. Whew! I'm hoping to finally tackle the Metroid and Ys series next year, as I've still never played a single one of those games. Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Final Fantasy V look fun as well, so hopefully they live up to the hype. And then there's every that's coming in 2017. So many games to play, and only less and less time to play them as time goes on. 2017 will be a huge year for me, and I know that college will surely take away a lot of time for me to play games like I've been able to this year. But gaming and reviewing is something that I really value, so of course I'll make sure to find a way to keep on top of everything! I hope 2016 has been a good year for everyone, or at the very least, that 2017 looks hopeful to you. Thanks for reading, guys, and I'll seeya next year.
16. Uncharted 3
I'll be honest, in retrospect, I'm not much of a fan of the Uncharted series. 1 is a bit too dated for my tastes, and 2 was a boring cover shooter with a lot of set pieces and beautiful graphics. 3 at least is a refinement to the formula, and it held my attention throughout its campaign. I'd still rather watch Raiders of the Lost Ark though.
15. Star Ocean SNES
I'm a sucker for SNES-era RPGs, and Star Ocean took advantage of that fact. The gameplay isn't revolutionary, but it has its high points and interesting mechanics, and the while story feels a little cheesy at times, t's like anime meets Star Trek. And who wouldn't love that?
14. Bushido Blade
Are you looking for a unique and detailed fighter from the PS1 era? Well have I got the game for you. Bushido Blade is a neat fighting game that has you play as 6 different swordfighters with 8 seperate weapons to choose from. Each weapon has a uniqueness to it, such as better reach with a longsword, faster attacks with a rapier, or a mix of the both by using a katana. Despite being 30fps on the original hardware, the game plays smoothly, and the animations are very fluid and nice to watch. If traditional fighter games are getting a little repetitive to you, this will certainly be a great change of pace.
13. Disgaea
Though it gets a little boring at times to endlessly grind through enemies over and over, Disagea makes up for that by having a quirky cast and some fun writing. There's a lot of interesting gameplay mechanics going on here, although they feel a bit clunky, (Which I assume get more refined in later games) it's still worth a play for those that like SRPGS.
12. SSX
A reboot of the PS2's SSX series, the blandly named SSX is a definite worthy successor to Tricky and 3. The jump to HD allows for higher drops and more obstacle-laden courses, while still retaining what made the games so lovable to begin with.
11. Gravity Rush
One of the best games to show off the capabilities of the poor Vita, Gravity Rush offered a really cool platforming experience and had a lot of creativity put into it. The art design is especially well done, and though its a bit short, this is a game that every Vita owner should check out.
10. Pillars of Eternity
Hope you like classic old school isometric RPGs and are ready to invest yourself with a mountain of lore and world building, because developer Obsidian is back and ready to prove that consumers are still willing to play these types of games. Though it can get wordy and confusing, especially when you're thrown in at the start with long winded encyclopedia level instructions to guide you, Pillars rewards players with an amazingly detailed world full of interesting characters. So much so that it can be almost too overwhelming to handle.
9. Hatsune Miku Project Mirai DX
Playing a bit differently from the Project Diva series, Mirai instead has you matching notes to the music as they pass over a constantly moving line. I like this style, perhaps even more than the standard style, and it's quite fun. One of the 3DS's best rhythm games, for sure.
8. Story of Seasons
It's no Stardew Valley, but Story of Seasons picks up the Harvest Moon mantle fairly well. It holds itself to the classic formula, and adds a number of activities for you to do each day. However, you'll have to stick with a relatively lackluster start and power your way through it to get to the good part of the game. A lot of improvements need to be made to match the older entries, in my opinion, but there's some great new stuff here for fans of the genre.
7. Persona 4 Dancing All Night
Okay the story was total crap, let's not beat around the bush. You're here for fanservicey goodness that includes your favorite Persona 4 characters (not that kinda fanservice, get your mind outta the gutter). The remixes of the P4 tracks are great for the most part, and there's all sorts of costumes and songs to unlock so fans will have a great deal of fun here. Just don't expect much more than an okay rhythm game with a Persona skin to it and you'll like it for what it is.
6. Dragon Ball Z Hyper Dimension
Incredibly well done sprites, coupled with a fighting system that goes even further beyond what the Butoden series offered, Hyper Dimension is one of the best 2D DBZ fighting games out there. The ability to hop into the background to dodge attacks adds a nice layer of depth to the gameplay. Your ki and health are tied to the same bar, which is another cool addition here, which keeps things tense.
5. Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones
Surely not the best Fire Emblem that I've ever played, but still a decent entry. As much as I love FE: Awakening, the Fire Emblem series just works so well in a 2D style, and this title helps show that off. The animations and spritework is just as good as it was in Fire Emblem 6 and 7, and while I didn't like it as much as 7, Sacred Stones' gameplay and challenge is much more balanced than it was in 6. It can be fairly unchallenging to older fans, but if you're looking to play one of the older games after only trying the newer Fire Emblems, this is a great starting point.
4. 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors
The entire Zero Escape series is insane. Crazy twists, lots of dying, and some of the best writing in a visual novel that I've ever read. 999 beats out the later sequels in terms of writing, but the entire series is worth playing, and luckily, 999 will be coming to PC and Vita later this year, so you definitely should try out this fantastic game then.
3. Paper Mario TTYD
It takes the foundation that Paper Mario 64 built and massively improves upon it. Quirky teammates, great dialogue, solid gameplay, and typical wacky Nintendo humor. What more could you ask for? I wouldn't put it above Super Paper Mario, but it's definitely the second best paper-based Mario RPG I've ever played.
2. Tales of Vesperia
I'm making this choice a little pre-emptive since I've only put in a bit over 10 hours, and still have a ways to go. But I am really enjoying this game so far, and if Tales of the Abyss is anything to go by, I know I'll love this one by the end as well. The characters are great, the story is...decent, and the gameplay is fun. Definitely glad that I bought an Xbox for this.
1. Rocket League
This game is crack. I'm serious, it's one of the best games I've ever played. I could play this for hours on end without stopping, and I have. If I didn't have to sleep, I would play Rocket League for an eternity. I absolutely recommend the game to people who have at least one friend and enjoys playing matches online, hardcores that love competition, or even casuals looking to have a little fun.
Other games that I completed this year:
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend
Megadimension Neptunia
MegaTagmension Neptune + Blanc VS Zombies
Stardew Valley
Odin Sphere Leiftrasir
999/VLR/ZTD
Fire Emblem Fates
Dead Rising 2
Trails of Cold Steel
Fire Watch
Star Ocean 5
Fate/Stay Night
Saints Row 3
Miku X
Ace Attorney 6
Streets of Rage 1 3D
Code Realize
Shin Megami Tensei 4 Apoc
Attack on Titan
Liberation Maiden
Freedom Wars
Organ Trail
Forza Horizon 3
Superdimension Neptune
Guilty Gear XX
Steins Gate 0
Dishonored 2
Pokemon Moon
Wipeout 2048
Infamous 2
Killzone Mercenary
Chase Cold Case
Assassins Creed Syndicate
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
Dragon Ball Fusions
And there we have it. Whew! I'm hoping to finally tackle the Metroid and Ys series next year, as I've still never played a single one of those games. Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Final Fantasy V look fun as well, so hopefully they live up to the hype. And then there's every that's coming in 2017. So many games to play, and only less and less time to play them as time goes on. 2017 will be a huge year for me, and I know that college will surely take away a lot of time for me to play games like I've been able to this year. But gaming and reviewing is something that I really value, so of course I'll make sure to find a way to keep on top of everything! I hope 2016 has been a good year for everyone, or at the very least, that 2017 looks hopeful to you. Thanks for reading, guys, and I'll seeya next year.
