Game of the Year Awards 2016

“The game overlooks a relationship between two isolated, conflicted and uncertain people with a remarkable authenticity. Henry and Delilah’s correspondence is heartfelt and real, and it’s during their most trivial exchanges that Firewatch is at its best. It’s a game about fear. It’s a game about being alone. And it’s at its most unnerving when those two concepts collide. Firewatch’s study of a flowering friendship makes for a riveting experience, against a gorgeous backdrop that breathes with fragile solitude.” – Charlie Nicholson

Honorable Mentions: Mafia 3, Oxenfree, Uncharted 4

“Played in the first person view, you will roam an island and solve hundreds of maze-like puzzles. The island is vibrantly colored, like a cartoon world, and sometimes the palette is overbearing. These bright colors keep the world areas separate, and assist when solving the more abstract puzzles. And yet, despite its suitability for Bugs Bunny and co., the island is actually creepy. Human statues are unsettling in mazes, scratching noises in the bushes can be distracting, and the mirrored reflection in the water is not quite right. Perhaps unintentionally, the juxtaposition of color and solitude is just enough motivation to solve puzzles without dawdling.” – Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: The Banner Saga 2, Dark Souls 3, Overwatch

“The technical aspects are quite astounding – from smooth edges to crisp textures and great lighting. Visual effects are excellent, as are the dynamic and scripted animations. Everything runs at an unshakable framerate with amazing anti-aliasing, and the game presents breathtaking vistas at almost every opportunity. The small details and nuances are what push the game above its technically competent peers – vegetation being pushed away, the way characters move and react, the excellently mo-capped cutscene performances, the vibrant and varied color palette; it all comes together in one rather incredible visual package.” – Alex V

Honorable Mentions: Battlefield 1, The Division, Forza Horizon 3

“DOOM’s hellish combat is perfectly complemented by its high-tempo, heart-pounding musical themes. The deep, reverberating, and distant music from Mick Gordon is the perfect match for the butchery on screen and an awesome modern rendition for the series. It is clear that a lot of passion and attention to detail went into the soundtrack, as the loud guitars shred and overwhelm the senses and you can’t help but headbang along, even as the demon hordes surround you. It is easily one of the best original soundtracks of the year.” – Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: Stardew Valley, Forza Horizon 3, Mafia 3

“Sound quality remains exceptional, with explosions, soldier screams, and ambient audio creating sublime aural sensations. Hearing a plane dive for a strafing run, followed by a train whistle in the distance, is just an example of how the audio telegraphs the action so intricately. Nearby soldiers will also talk during the action, giving praise when enemies perish under fire. Soldiers’ boots make clanking noises when running over spent artillery shells and their uniforms tear when brushing against barbed wire. Hearing the deep grumble of a tank roll in through the mist is something else.” – Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: Far Cry Primal, Dark Souls 3, Inside

“The Snowdrop engine produces consistently stunning visuals, with levels of detail usually reserved for more linear experiences like Metro Last Light being present everywhere. Lighting and weather effects are particularly impressive; New York looks strikingly different at night and during the day. Snow storms will blow in, reducing visibility during firefights while snow accumulates on your agent and the environment. Audio is also strong, with good sound design that immerses you in the city. The interiors you explore during story missions or when heading underground are full of details and often ooze atmosphere.” – Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: Firewatch, Inside, Forza Horizon 3

“Audio design is not far behind the excellent visuals, offering solid voice work from Nolan North. Other franchise vets Richard McGonagle and Emily Rose play their parts as well as usual. The big-name addition of Troy Baker as Sam Drake works well, though it’s not a groundbreaking performance. Laura Bailey does OK as Nadine Ross, but it’s Warren Kole that offers an impressive surprise in his role as Rafe Adler. Overall, the game assembles one of the best voice acting crews of the year for every single major character.” – Alex V

Honorable Mentions: Batman – The Telltale Series, Firewatch, Mafia 3

“The story of the protagonist, a rifleman who gets thrust into the shoes of a pilot, proves more enjoyable. Following a tutorial and intro sequence, you get acquainted with your Titan BT-7274 after the previous pilot dies, and often engage in dialogue with this sentient robot by choosing between two different responses. There are no major choices here, but choosing simple responses does serve to engage you in the somewhat humorous relationship that evolves throughout the adventure.” – Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: Nathan Drake – Uncharted 4, Paul Serene – Quantum Break, Joel Green – That Dragon, Cancer

“The mechanics are everything in Superhot. In many ways, shooters and puzzle games have some common threads and Superhot explores these threads through its time-based structure. You’ll still have to line up shots and anticipate enemy movement, but the encounters of Superhot would be impossible to most people in real-time – especially in the later levels where you might start with a gun pointed at your head. This is where the puzzle aspect comes in. Superhot forces players to think about how they use each second and how to keep time moving while avoiding enemy fire.” – Josh Hinke

Honorable Mentions: Quadrilateral Cowboy, Unravel, Steep

“For an indie game, it’s about as densely packed as they come; a 40+ hour affair that involves management mechanics on a decently complex scale. As a one-man farming operation you spend hours watering crops, chatting up townsfolk, feeding your livestock, catching a variety of fish, exploring an abandoned mine, learning to cook, unlocking new sections of the rundown town hall, crafting items to improve your crops, and paying someone to add buildings to your farm. Each day, season, and year feels special in Stardew Valley. The developers did an incredible job of adding little details to make your experience feel like a strange and wonderful journey, unique to each playthrough.” – Josh Hinke

Honorable Mentions: Final Fantasy XV, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Dishonored 2

“In multiplayer, WW1 provides many thematic changes that are a good fit for the franchise. Due to the technology available a century ago, the action goes back to basics. Self-guided weapon systems are absent, and apart from placed mines, each death is the direct result of immediate player input. And whatever mode you end up playing, there will be no shortage of those jaw-dropping, unscripted moments. You might be laying down suppressing fire on a hillside and see bodies tumble down the slopes while an airship goes up in flames. Or maybe a friendly soldier falls to sniper fire and you utilize the cover of newly-formed craters to revive him. It could be as simple as charging through the dense fog and piercing an enemy’s chest with a bayonet. These electrifying moments are everywhere.” – Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: Titanfall 2, Overwatch, The Division

“The core gameplay loop that was so much fun several years ago remains highly engaging. Unless you are playing Pilot vs. Pilot or Last Titan Standing, each round begins as a purely infantry match, with damage, kills and objectives adding to a gauge that will let you drop in a Titan after it fills up. From this point, the remainder of each match sees both Titans and Pilots on the map at the same time, making for a really fun combined arms experience as Pilots sprint around the large maps at top speed and Titans slowly stomp back and forth dealing death wherever they go. The parkour movement, satisfying weapons and expanded Titan options make for a consistently fun and exciting experience.” – Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: Overwatch, Dishonored 2, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

“Grim Dawn has been worth the wait since its Kickstarter campaign ended four years ago. Using the Titan Quest engine provided that essential first step to greatness, and it helped create awesome locations populated with diverse monsters. The levels are huge and joined together in a cohesive manner. The inclusion of faction alliances, and numerous written logs, helps strengthen the role-playing aspects. Character customization, class combinations, equipment upgrades and Devotion skills allow for a titanic range of viable builds. Once you finish the game, additional time can be spent with bounties, faction quest, and exploration of obscure areas.” – Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, Shadow Warrior 2, Civilization VI

“The Uncharted franchise has always operated with certain areas of focus in mind. For the first two games, it has been about story and characters first, gameplay second, and technical visuals third. With Uncharted 4, the focus has shifted, as this final chapter focuses on tons of gameplay improvements and incredible presentation, while the story and characters are not quite at their peak. But even so, almost every element of the game remains at least reaching greatness. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End wraps up one of the most memorable action adventure franchises in gaming. The quality has fluctuated a bit, but this final chapter safely brings the series to a satisfying and technically impressive finish.” – Alex V

Honorable Mentions: Ratchet and Clank, I Am Setsuna, MLB 16: The Show

“The new Australian setting in Forza Horizon 3 brings a larger map, more environment variety, and plenty of local inspiration, from the DJs to the HSV cars. Exploring the world, there is tons to do and a huge assortment of cars to do it with; from career races to Bucket Lists, from developer-made events to those created by fans. Online play is just as free-form, offering something for all types of players. The game also impresses with its visuals. The cars are excellently detailed inside and out, and the environments are also full of detail. The lighting looks simply excellent, as does the nearly photo-realistic sky during the day / night cycle.” – Alex V

Honorable Mentions: Gears of War 4, ReCore, Quantum Break

“Xenoblade Chronicles X is a very well crafted action RPG that provides more and more content the further you delve into it. The game can be learned and enjoyed relatively quickly at least on a basic level, and the enjoyable, generally fast-paced gameplay makes it inviting to more casual RPG fans. At the same time, it embeds subtle mechanics and features that are quite rich, ensuring that the diehards will get much out of it as well. Those who appreciate RPGs, particularly with a focus on action and an open-world brimming with tons of content, should give this Wii U exclusive a chance.” – Stephen LaGioia

Honorable Mentions: Paper Mario: Color Splash, Pokken Tournament

“Grim Dawn is a satisfying, complex and clever hack-and-slash adventure that provides great value. The variety of environments and monsters is excellent, from zombie-infested villages to wasps swarming within gloomy caves. Watching the snow gently descend upon a mountain-top—already swarming with bloodthirsty cult members—was quite memorable. The dangerous Aether-corrupted land looks stunning, scorched green from crystals embedded into the earth. Grim Dawn has a dark influence inspired by the Diablo series and with this comes a horde of skeletons, spiders, and slithering serpents.” – Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: Stardew Valley, Inside, The Witness

“Blood and Wine is a great expansion to The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, offering up almost an entire new game’s worth of content. The expansion’s setting, Toussaint, is large and vibrant, with loads of interesting characters to meet and side quests to accomplish. You can even choose to purchase and restore a Vinyard. The main storyline focuses on vampires, and is perhaps a bit lighter in tone than what the base game offered. Anyone who enjoyed The Witcher 3 owes it to themselves to play this excellent piece of DLC.” – Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: Dying Light: The Following, ARMA 3: Apex, Forza Horizon 3 Blizzard Mountain

“On the PC, I had trouble finding games when searching exclusively for less popular modes like Capture the Flag or Last Titan Standing, but these modes can still be accessed via the ‘mix tape’ playlist which seems to be populated. If the original game’s fast-paced action didn’t appeal to you in 2014, I doubt the sequel will change your mind, but if you like the idea of a mix of parkour-based infantry combat and slower Titan combat contributing to regular moments of profound badassery, it is hard to think of a better alternative to Titanfall 2.” – Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: Obduction, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, Pony Island

“Given that Blizzard have never really made a first person game before, their first attempt with Overwatch is indeed an impressive one. With the promise of free content updates and a massive community already entrenched, this game is here to stay. While there are still some kinks to be worked out in the competitive scene, the breadth of play styles present and the amount of fun that comes from combining different character abilities means this is a game I will likely be returning to over the next several years. Overwatch is an addictive and well designed team-based multiplayer game with a bright future featuring a remarkably diverse set of classes.” – Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: The Division, Grim Dawn, ReCore

“While still occasionally entertaining, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception suffered from a convoluted plot and questionable gameplay alterations. However, Nathan Drake’s tale was not yet complete, and for that we must turn to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End on the PlayStation 4. The actual story of Captain Henry Avery is clearly communicated and feels quite cohesive, something that hasn’t always been the case with the past historical adventures. Players will get to find out pretty much everything there is to know about Nathan Drake, and there’s some actual character growth on display. It also has the most impressively designed levels the franchise has seen, combined with solid action and exciting setpieces. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End effectively combines amazing presentation, polished gameplay and a good story to make it one of the best exclusives the PS4 has to offer, and a fitting end to the tale of our brave adventuring trio.” – Alex V

Honorable Mentions: Final Fantasy XV, Dark Souls 3, Ratchet and Clank

“Far Cry Primal is a good twist on the franchise and a game that encourages respect for the nameless Stone Age warriors that lived before recorded history. The game’s basic survival mechanics give it an edge while still retaining the fun associated with the franchise. The world of Oros is absorbing and the progression system is nearly perfect. There are plenty of good changes that come with the setting, like an observant owl or tamed predators that assist during combat. Despite initial appearances, it does not suffer from the tedious aspects of resource collecting. It is more concerned about giving players a progressive sandbox of satisfying encounters.” – Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: Final Fantasy XV, Stardew Valley, Doom

“Despite what should be a crowning achievement for the space genre in video gaming, No Man’s Sky doesn’t quite satisfy. Its sheer scope and sense of wonder are amazing at first, but the immersion is fleeting. The core gameplay loop of exploring, resource gathering, then selling your items and jumping to the next solar system grows tiring quickly. You can’t create anything nor is it challenging as a survival game, so the only thing left is to beef up your bank account, craft some minute upgrades and try to make it to the galactic center (which isn’t worth the journey). The technical issues and full asking price don’t help, either.” – Alex V

Others: Dreamfall Chapters, Street Fighter V, TrackMania Turbo

“Titantall 2 doesn’t reinvent the formula that was so much fun a couple of years ago, but refines and expands it. Each of the six Titans available in multiplayer feel distinct, with clear weaknesses and strong points. The pilot boosts contain some fairly straightforward enhancements like amped weapons; these boosts feel like a good equivalent to Kill Streaks in Call of Duty, only better balanced. While the starting Pilot weapons aren’t particularly exotic, it quickly becomes apparent that each weapon is rather distinct. Energy weapons are mixed in with traditional ones, and even though the sheer amount of weapons won’t knock your socks off, the variety is rather impressive.” – Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: Battlefield 1, Doom, Overwatch

“When it comes to combat, Uncharted 4 completely reinvents itself. Gone are the flat environments where enemies spawn in and rush towards you. All hostile encounter sections are usually found on a part of the level that has a multitude of paths, buildings, and elevation changes. It’s an impressive level design feat, and this means Nathan is able to choose his approach, to either eliminate enemies in silence or even bypass most of them altogether. Going in guns blazing, there’s the usual assortment of pistols and assault rifles with limited ammo to choose from, and more can be picked up from fallen enemies. The explosive setpieces continue to take center stage and take players on a wild ride.” – Alex V

Honorable Mentions: Far Cry Primal, Skylanders Imaginators, Enter the Gungeon

“From retro muscle, to buggies, cult classics, hypercars, and offroad monsters, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re handling a modern hatchback through tight corners, drifting through the dirt in a classic muscle car, or speeding down the highway in a track toy, the cars handle wonderfully and believably, while remaining highly accessible. The cars are the center of the experience, and Forza Horizon 3 has the biggest roster so far in the franchise, with over 350 to choose from. Everyone’s invited – Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Ford, Honda and tons of others. The third iteration of the Forza Horizon franchise continues to offer the most accessible, fun, and expansive arcade racing experience around.” – Alex V

Honorable Mentions: It was a clean sweep!

“The actual gameplay is a blend of ideas from Homeworld and traditional ground-based RTS games, and ultimately feels quite unique. Your carrier, dubbed the Kapisi in the campaign, is your hub and must be protected, but you can also choose how its internal power is used: repairs, increased armor, offensive weaponry or increased range can all be bolstered or reduced depending on the situation. The units produced by your base carrier mirror those in the original Homeworld games. Light, fast-moving vehicles are great for harassing the enemy while heavier, longer range vehicles blast them from afar. Most units have a fairly well defined role and once you understand how to use them, it makes for a rich tactical experience.” – Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: XCOM 2, The Banner Saga 2, Civilization VI

“The panoramic Wyoming wilderness appears authentically choking, despite the game’s still quite palpable boundaries. There are clear-cut paths Henry can take, but despite its exploratory limits, Firewatch invokes an atmosphere that is ominous, hypnotic and above all impressive. You’ll find no markers announcing your goal, lending immersively to Firewatch’s orienteering elements. Each nook and cranny feels original, and whilst you won’t be rewarded with treasures or additional quests for exploring, there’s enough spirit emanating from Firewatch’s various alcoves to make you feel like a bonafide adventurer. Or at the very least, a terrific Scout Master.” – Charlie Nicholson

Honorable Mentions: Obduction, Batman: A Telltale Series, Inside

“Players can slay monsters with six familiar classes—Shaman, Arcanist, Soldier, Nightblade, Occultist, and Demolitionist. Although some have similar skills, the classes generally play differently. Although you can play as one class, Grim Dawn is best experienced with dual classes. With 15 class combinations, and several skill trees within each, there are many possible builds. All classes utilize a multifaceted armor and weapon system that resembles similar games. All gear can be further enhanced with special upgrade components dropped by appropriate monsters. There is a huge variety—after finishing the game, my inventory was held captive by over 50 different components.” – Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Final Fantasy XV, Dark Souls 3

“With continually expanding gameplay variety, new online and offline modes, and the introduction of The Journey, FIFA 17 offers an all-around great virtual football experience. Gameplay changes are focused more on dead ball situations and work relatively well. Player and Manager Career modes remain solid offerings that should provide offline players with tons of gameplay hours. The new pro player progression seems well designed and sadly not used in Player Career, but slots in well with The Journey and Pro Clubs. In FUT, squad building challenges are a great way for more active players to get rid of their dust collecting cards. Presentation continues to be very good, with unmatched authenticity.” – Alex V

Honorable Mentions: MLB The Show 16, PES 2017, NHL 17

“Joule has a nice double-jump and a booster move that makes the platforming fun. When her own skills fail her, each of her robot companions have something special they can do to help out with the platforming, like climbing walls or bashing obstacles. The dungeons are often creatively designed.” – Josh Hinke

Honorable Mentions: Unravel, Inside, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst

“Although difficult, The Witness is worth playing to behold its exceptional trickery created largely thanks to the stellar world design. The well-designed maze puzzles are going to retrain your brain and make you look at things from a different perspective. Not all players will find their way to the crippling selection of final puzzles, but many will discover a few of the devious and wondrous solutions. Just finding one is more than enough reason to play, and the delightful solutions may spur players to solve more because all the answers are there to discover.” – Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: Hitman GO, Obduction, Superhot