Though 2016 had some great games come out, if I had to compare it to 2015, I would give the edge to the year that gave us The Witcher 3 and Rocket League.  As always, I don’t have time to play every game that comes out.  Notable 2016 games I didn’t get a chance to play yet:

• The Last Guardian
• Watch Dogs 2
• Dishonored 2
• Far Cry Primal
• Gears of War 4
• Overwatch (though I did play a couple times in the open beta and enjoyed it)

And then there are the games that I played and liked, but they didn’t make the top of the list (Honorable Mentions):

• The Division
• Madden NFL 17
• Fifa 17
• Mafia 3
• No Man’s Sky (even though it was a disappointment)

#5 Uncharted 4

If you’ve ever played any of the previous Uncharted games, you already have a good idea of what you’re getting with this one.  And while each game in the series seems to improve upon the last one,  this one is far better than the others.  It helps that it gets to use the power of the PS4, and it’s absolutely gorgeous.  Possibly THE best looking console game ever made.  The environments are truly amazing to stare at.  It has the typical set pieces and death-defying platforming as all the others but most of all, I enjoyed the story in U4 way more than any of the others, involving Nate’s brother which made it all a bit more personal for him this time.

#4 NBA 2K17

I listed 2K16 in last year’s top five.  Every year I think this new version can’t be topped.  Every year I’m wrong.  2K sure knows how to get me to purchase the newest iteration of their simulated hoops franchise every September.  Though still not perfect, MyCareer mode has thankfully been improved from last year’s version, making the cutscenes less goofy if you happened to create a non-black player.  The on-court gameplay AND graphics are still the best in the sports genre, and my favorite mode (MyTeam) got some small notable improvements made to it as well.  Sometimes this game is a treat to just watch the AI play each other.

#3 Darkest Dungeon

Released earlier for PC, I hadn’t heard of this game at all until it came out for PS4/Vita in September.  When I bought it, it was on sale on PSN, and had it not been I may have never given it a chance.  I’m picky when it comes to more difficult/challenging games.  Dark Souls-type games aren’t for me.  What I do like is a more cerebral challenge, and this has it.  It allows to slow down and really weigh your options thanks to the turn-based battle system.  Darkest Dungeon is last year’s Rocket League for me, in that it seemed to come out of nowhere and I dove into it having very little idea of what it was about.  The unique art style and the added maintenance of your characters’ stress levels both make this 2D dungeon crawler RPG feel extremely fresh.  Also, I love permadeath.  And though you only go exploring with four characters at a time, managing a couple dozen characters, who are made up of about 15 different classes, back at your hamlet (or base) can be a challenge in itself but it’s very necessary to achieving your longterm goals.  And more importantly, very worth it.

#2 Forza Horizon 3

Two years ago, I was sucked into Forza Horizon 2, and at that time I decided that it was my favorite racing game of all time (and I’ve played a lot of good ones).  It was well-balanced in excitement, atmosphere, and steady progression.  I was so anxious for Horizon 3 to come out, and it did not disappoint.  It improved on everything Horizon 2 did well, and even managed to find a better environment (Australia’s varied landscape is perfect).  I still haven’t finished this game, and don’t know when I will because I’m just having too much fun driving around the open world at my own pace and drooling over the beautiful Australian scenery.  For racing fans, it might not be the best “sim” but it’s certainly the most exciting open world racer I’ve ever played.

#1 Final Fantasy 15

Another game I haven’t quite gotten to the end of yet, this is definitely a unique game in the FF series.  With an interesting blend of FF’s 10, 12, and even the MMO 14, it also adds its own original style and mechanics to it.  But the best part about this game is the group of characters you fight with.  This isn’t just a bunch of people thrown together to fight for a common cause.  This is a group of fairly close friends with an already established history.  Even a brotherhood.  And though you only control one of them during the game, when you’re in battle you know your boys will have your back, and they trust you will have theirs.  It just makes the journey feel more personal.  That’s the most unique part about Final Fantasy 15, and it’s something I’ve been waiting to see happen for a while.