1. HITMAN (PC) - What’s truly fascinating about HITMAN is that they actually took lessons from what Absolution did both right and wrong. They could’ve decided to make Blood Money 2 with all of those same systems. Instead they forged a new path, even taking some risks along the way. The episodic rollout could have backfired on them big time, but it didn’t. It’s the best playing Hitman by far and it’s probably my favorite in the series now. I can’t wait for season two.
2. Jackbox Party Pack 3 (PC) - This is the first Jackbox that I would call a complete package. Every game type is great in its own way and I had a ton of fun playing it with friends and introducing it to my family.
3. Titanfall 2 (XBOX ONE) - I haven’t played an multiplayer FPS of this type since Modern Warfare 1, and it’s a wonder how I ever went without jump jets, wallriding, and sliding. Everything about the way this game plays just feels great. The titans lack this freeform movement but they don’t suffer for it. Titans are powerful forces on the battlefield, an equal match for any other titan and deadly for any titan-less players that get in their way.
The campaign makes good use of your titan in this way by matching you up against boss-level titans or just occasionally throwing dozens of ground troops at you to trundle over as you head to the next objective. The amount of titan and ground-based combat is almost perfectly paced throughout despite a slow start. One level even has a major gimmick that has you switching between combat arenas and pulling off various shenanighans even beyond what you can normally do with your invisibilty cloak. And when you finally return to your titan, because you had to split up (as you do), your buddy has been patiently waiting for you, giving you the thumbs up (which you taught him) as you embark and continue with your mission.
If there was a companion of the year award, your titan buddy, BT, would definitely be up for nomination. Your player character is just your common everywhiteman, leaving BT to carry the game on his massive mechanical shoulders. It’s hard to pin down when exactly he stops being your titan and becomes your friend, which is actually reflective of how well paced your relationship with him is. At a certain point he suggests throwing you over a gap, and the response he gives you (pictured above) when you agree to do it is a very human feeling one. It’s really refreshing to have everyone in this universe just trust A.I.s like BT, because frankly I’m fucking tired of stories about A.I.s that are out to kill you.
Games that have both amazing singleplayer and multiplayer modes don’t come out too often. Don’t miss out on this one.
4. Overwatch (PC) - There’s a gay lady on the cover and Widowmaker stepped on me. Oh and also it’s a pretty good team shooter.
5. Tharsis (PC) - Pictured above is a run that is almost pure fantasy. Almost, because that run happened to me. None of you will probably be that lucky in Tharsis because this game is heavily skewed towards shit going wrong. You will have to get good and learn how to play the game or the game will play you. You will die and you will die, and when you finally get your ass to Mars, you’ll understand what you were doing and what you have already done.
6. Phoenix Wright: Spirit of Justice (3DS) - As a followup to Dual Destinies, it falls a little short. The technical aspects of the game, like character animation and art, has been perfected. It’s pretty clear now that moving forward to 3D character models was the right decision. The music is definitely on the lower end of the series, only slightly better than Apollo Justice’s OST. However it’s still a great Phoenix Wright game and I would definitely recommend it.
7. Pokemon Go (Mobile) - One of the biggest surprises I got this year was when I caught what I thought was a random pidgey. I was only half paying attention because I was on a walk when I had noticed there were a ton of effects I didn’t recognize happening on my screen. A caught ditto pops up on the screen and I literally said “What the fuck?” out loud. Of course I realized the ditto I just caught was only just transformed as a pidgey. This happened to me just this week. It’s hard to believe I’m still playing Poke GO and still finding new things and enjoying it.
8. Uncharted 4 (PS4) - Another big surprise I got this year, without just spoiling it here, was from the game within a game in Uncharted 4. The parts where Naughty Dog just lets this game breathe are some of the best moments in the whole series. It gets a little long in the tooth and you’re ready for it to be over a couple hours before it actually ends, but it’s hard to regret starting and ending this final chapter in Nathan Drake’s saga. I felt more fully satisfied closing the book on this series by the end than I had with Uncharted 3.
Ya’ll are in luck, you got “write about shit instead of be lazy and just do a list” Nick.
