2016 is almost over, so it’s time for an epic question: What were our best games for 2016? We deliberated for a while and came up with a list that includes what we think are the best games of the year.
In this post, we’ll detail the best games we played in 2016 as well as some others we have yet to enjoy. Please keep in mind that we didn’t play all of this year’s releases and that we’ll focus on PlayStation 4 games for this post. Later in the week we’ll have more posts detailing our best PlayStation Vita releases!
After you’re done reading this list, please be sure to tell us about your best games for 2016!
PlayStation 4
The PS4 is now three years old, and we recently got the new and improved PS4 Pro revision! Most of us played more on PS4 than on other consoles this year (with the exception of EdEN who is still going strong on his Wii U!). This meant we had a lot of material to choose from. Without further ado, here are our best PS4 games for 2016!
Ratchet & Clank (2016)
I’ve been a huge Ratchet & Clank fan ever since playing the franchise’s debut game back on the PS2. I have played every game in the series, so obviously when the Rachet reboot was announced, I was very much ready to give it a go. Insomniac was still at the helm, and they were going for a retelling of the first game, but with modern mechanics and graphics. Then after all of the previews, I finally got it in my hands. Boy, did it feel good to be playing this one on PS4!
I know we say this with every new R&C game, but this might be the best animation I’ve ever seen this side of Pixar. Along with Uncharted 4, it may also be the prettiest game on PS4. With the great new visuals, there is also some great gameplaye mechanics, including upgradable weapons and health. It really scratched a particular itch!
The game also has a fairly obtainable Platinum, which actually took me four playthroughs due to having to make all the enemies dance with the Groovatron. And even after playing it so many times, it was still a super fun release.
You have to play this game today as it is one of the best games on the PS4, and it deserves all of the praise it gets. I know Insomniac is now working on Spiderman, I wouldn’t be surprised with the sales and critical ovation if their second team wasn’t working on Rachet 2 of some sort. Now if only that movie was better…
Honorable Mentions:
I do want to give a few honorable mentions this year as well. Day of the Tentacle Remastered was a great revision of a classic adventure game.
Randall’s Monday, although it has some flaws, was a great throwback to old-school adventure games like the aforementioned Day of the Tentacle and the excellentGrim Fandango.
Finally, The Witness was an excellent title released earlier this year – no game challenged me and made me appreciate its virtual world as much as this one did. Just when you think you understand this game, you end up realizing how much you’ve missed. What an amazing experience!
Uncharted 4
I’ve always loved what the Uncharted series had to offer, and in this fourth installment, Naughty Dog went all in and created a masterpiece. Every scene is carefully crafted, and even places you only see once in the entire campaign show a level of detail never attained before. The graphics, the gameplay and the story of this game were all epic. I loved playing through Uncharted 4, and I highly recommend you to try it, right now! This gem is one of the best games from the last decade.
Honorable Mentions:
I’ve added Shantae: Half-Genie Hero to this list at the last moment since I played it only in late December for review. This game was a blast to play, and the gameplay is near-perfect. The platforming sections were challenging, and the bosses were creative. I liked it a lot, and even more going after I was able to go back to previous locations to discover new items thanks to the new powers that are unlocked as we progress through this lovely campaign.
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
I have played and reviewed many great games in 2016, and it was pretty hard to choose which have been the best! All things considered, the one that really sticks out in my mind for the PS4 is Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, which is also available on the PS Vita. This game is an enhanced remaster of the PlayStation 2 classic that many of us enjoyed during our teenage years. It’s fun, very addictive, and featrues different intertwined stories to play through – as well as a bonus one that can be unlocked if you follow the required steps.
The gist of the story is that the Armageddon prophecy is about to come true, so you must play from five different perspectives on how the prophecy is told. The game also includes the game in its original form exactly as you remember it from back in te day, so that purists can enjoy it in all its former glory. Odin Sphere is a wonderful game that is highly addictive, and the graphics are bright and vibrant. I couldn’t recommend the game enough if I tried!
Ah, 2016. A year with so many great PlayStation 4 releases that it’s hard to select just the one. All games listed so far are great options, but for me a game that left a lasting impression is Furi. This one is a very fun, fast-paced and hectic release with a particular look and solid gameplay mechanics that hooked me right from the start. If you like boss fights then you’re going to love Furi since it’s basically a solid Boss Rush mode with an interesting story and setting keeping everything together.
The character design is top-notch, the music is surreal and energetic but fitting, and the gameplay is fun and hectic. The game shines on PlayStation 4, and its certainly one you should add to your collection. Trophy hunters will be presented with a nice challenge if they want to get the game’s Platinum trophy… but you’re going to love every minute of it.
Stay tuned for our best PlayStation Vita games post which go live on Wednesday!
And now, what were YOUR best PlayStation 4 games this year?
