The GameSpot Staff's Favorite Games of 2016
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Staff Favorites
Now that our Top 25 Games of the Year have finally been revealed, it's time to show the staff's personal favorites from this year's outstanding roster of games. Compared to the site's Top 25 list, the GameSpot staff's individual favorite games are much different in terms of ranked order. After you've seen each list showcasing the varying and eclectic tastes of each member in our staff, you'll understand why 2016's Game of the Year debates were so heated. Click ahead to see what each of us had to say about this year's best games and what we played the most!
If you missed it, check out our site's official ranked list of the Top 25 Games of the Year in 2016.
Table of Contents
- Peter Brown | Senior Reviews Editor
- Justin Haywald | Managing Editor
- Jean-Luc Seipke| Video Producer
- Jimmy Thang | Tech Editor
- Spencer Kalin-Mulder | Video Producer
- Mike Mahardy | Editor
- Michael Higham | Associate Tech Editor
- Matt Espineli | Associate Editor
- Tamoor Hussain | Editor
- Dan Crowd | Video Producer
- Eddie Makuch | News Editor
- Edmond Tran | Editor/ Senior Video Producer
- Jess McDonell | Host/Producer
- Tony Wilson | Video Producer
- Scott Butterworth | Editor
- Jacob Dekker | Video Producer
- Randolph Ramsay | Editor-in-Chief
- Oscar Dayus | Staff Writer
Peter Brown | Senior Reviews Editor
- The Last Guardian
- Rez Infinite
- Doom
- Thumper
- Owlboy
- Hyper Light Drifter
- Abzu
- Furi
- Final Fantasy XV
- No Man’s Sky
In 2016, I journeyed among the stars, battled demons in hell, swam with fish in a lively underwater playground, and flew through mesmerizing virtual dreamscapes. I also met my new best friend, a gigantic hybrid creature named Trico, who taught me the value of teamwork and patience. My favorite games of the year spanned a wide range of genres and attitudes, and I appreciate—more than anything else—the sheer variety of memorable experiences that crossed my path. In 2016, originality was king; a trend I hope continues into the new year.
Justin Haywald | Managing Editor
- Overwatch
- Picross 3D Round 2
- Stardew Valley
- The Witness
- Headlander
- Rhythm Heaven Megamix
- The Last Guardian
- Fire Emblem Fates
- Hearthstone: One Night in Kharazhan
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Overwatch was far and away my favorite game this year; Blizzard's deft mix of masterful shooting mechanics, interesting characters, and fun game modes turned this into the rare game that I bought for both console and PC. And while I think 2016 had a lot of amazing experiences, the games that stood out the most for me were the ones that made me think. From the puzzle-book fun of Picross, the time management of Stardew Valley, and the philosophical conundrums of the Witness, this was not a year of passive entertainment; for me, 2016 was a year of active problem solving.
Jean-Luc Seipke | Video Producer
- Doom
- Hitman
- Titanfall 2
- Dark Souls III
- Stardew Valley
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
- The Witness
- Overwatch
- Darkest Dungeon
- Street Fighter V
A lot of the games on my list are surprising even to me. Like how even though I lean towards single-player games, I’m still playing Titanfall 2’s multiplayer. Or how I found myself spending way too much time in Hitman’s amazingly designed murder simulators, in the relaxing town of Stardew Valley, and fighting the horror’s of Darkest Dungeon. The real winner for me though is the comeback story of Doom, which did the impossible in reviving the grandfather of shooters and gave me one of the most fun and satisfying shooter combat loops I’ve played in years. It also has the greatest video game soundtrack. Period.
Jimmy Thang | Tech Editor
- Overwatch
- The Lab
- Rec Room
- The Unspoken
- Speedrunners
- Superhot VR
- Eagle Flight
- Onward
- Planet Coaster
- Darkest Dungeon
As GameSpot’s resident virtual reality enthusiast, I spent much of 2016 playing a bunch of VR games, including Valve’s game compilation The Lab; Against Gravity’s social game Rec Room; and Insomniac’s competitive 1v1 wizard dueling game The Unspoken. However, the game that I played the most this year is Overwatch. I’ve actually played it more than the rest of the titles on my top 10 list combined. I’ve sunk well over a hundred hours into it so far, and it’s one of those rare gems that I’m confident I’ll be playing for years.
Spencer Kalin-Mulder | Video Producer
- Battlefield 1
- Total War: Warhammer
- XCOM 2
- Hitman
- Overwatch
- DOOM
- TitanFall 2
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Overcooked
- Forza Horizon 3
This year was dominated by first-person shooters with Battlefield 1 leading the charge for me with its immersive multiplayer. However this was also the year where some dormant franchises saw new light such as XCOM 2 and Hitman reaching new heights with interesting characters and careful strategic gameplay. The biggest game for me however has to be Total War: Warhammer. I’ve been waiting for a fantasy based Total War game since Shotgun 2 and Warhammer gave me what I wanted with “Lord of the Rings” style battles with thousands of mythical creatures duking it out under my command. It provided an enriching story for each race that kept me glued to my seat beyond the 100-hour mark. I’ve never been a fan of Warhammer before, but now I can’t get enough of its world.
Mike Mahardy | Editor
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Titanfall 2
- XCOM 2
- Overwatch
- The Witness
- Doom
- Dishonored 2
- Inside
- Sid Meier's Civilization VI
- Dark Souls III
It was a great year for shooters, but there was no shortage of quality in other genres: XCOM 2 is one of my favorite strategy games of all time, and will likely be for some time. The Witness is one of the most challenging games I've ever played, but I'll never forget how it communicated its world to me and changed how I see video games. And of course, there's Uncharted 4, a sequel I didn't know I wanted, but looking back, can't imagine the series without.
Michael Higham | Associate Tech Editor
- Hitman
- Dishonored 2
- The Witness
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
- Quadrilateral Cowboy
- Mafia III
- Hyper Light Drifter
- Owlboy
- Overwatch
- Titanfall 2
I consider stealth-action to be one of the best genres in gaming, and 2016 treated me well with new entries in some of my favorite series; Dishonored, Hitman, and Deus Ex. I also strongly value the power of independent games and 2016 delivered on that front; from the tragedy and triumph of Hyper Light Drifter to the mind-bending puzzles of The Witness. As a long-time Counter-Strike player, it takes a lot for me to get into a new multiplayer game, but Overwatch and Titanfall 2 executed their mechanics so well and hooked me for much longer than I expected.
Matt Espineli | Associate Editor
- Dishonored 2
- Titanfall 2
- Owlboy
- Overwatch
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- King's Quest
- Furi
- Stardew Valley
- XCOM 2
- Overcooked
This year gave me a multitude of games that reminded me once more why I love stealth, action, and narrative-driven experiences, but it also gave me the unexpected. Stardew Valley taught me the charm of taking care of a farm and getting to know a small town's guarded inhabitants; XCOM 2 showed me the joy and sorrow of being a leader, commanding soldiers in tense strategic battles; and Overwatch awakened in me a love for competitive shooters that I never thought existed, clearing the path towards my favorite shooter this year: Titanfall 2. This year redefined the types of games I love, and challenged and expanded my tastes in the most fulfilling, organic ways.
Tamoor Hussain | Editor
- Overwatch
- Dark Souls III
- Dishonored 2
- Titanfall 2
- Street Fighter V
- Hitman
- Doom
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Inside
- Batman: Arkham VR
2016 was the year I discovered a new obsession: Overwatch. I haven't been this consumed by a game since Counter-Strike, and it feels great having a comfort game again. Between my Overwatch sessions, I managed to play a number of superb single-player experiences with Dark Souls 3, Hitman, and Uncharted 4. The year also finished strong with Titanfall 2, which was much better than I expected it to be, and Dishonored 2, which satiated my thirst for a new stealth game. Of course, Street Fighter continues to be a mainstay in my gaming life and I've come to love it, despite its shortcomings.
And 2016 was also the year I became Batman. Not bad going!
Dan Crowd | Video Producer
- Firewatch
- Rez Infinite
- The Witness
- Inside
- Battlefield 1
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Overwatch
- Forza Horizon 3
- Titanfall 2
- Trials of the Blood Dragon
2016 was a year in which all my fondest memories were tied to video games. Playing Rez Infinite with Tetsuya Mizuguchi in Tokyo; being moved to tears with just text and music as I made my opening choices in Firewatch; reminiscing about the long family road trips from my childhood as I explored Forza Horizon 3’s version of my home town. It was a year that had as many blockbuster, setpiece moments as it did quiet, personal experiences, and it reminded me why video games are so important to me.
Eddie Makuch | News Editor
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Battlefield 1
- Madden 17
- Tom Clancy's The Division
- Overwatch
- Inside
- Gears of War 4
- Forza Horizon 3
- Pokemon Go
- Doom
So many games blew me away this year. Uncharted 4 is possibly the best action game I have ever played. After a few years out of the mix, I came back to Madden this year to see what I'd been missing and to check out the week-to-week commentary updates; it did not disappoint. On the mobile front, Pokemon Go gave me a new way to interact with the franchise that I have a special fondness for from my childhood. The shooter category was an embarrassment of riches this year--I had no idea a World War I game could have anything more than trench warfare. It's so much more than that, and I've played more Battlefield 1 this year than probably any other game.
Edmond Tran | AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
- Quadrilateral Cowboy
- Firewatch
- Overwatch
- Rimworld
- Hitman
- The Banner Saga 2
- Stellaris
- XCOM 2
- Planet Coaster
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
I love PC strategy games, and 2016 was such a good year for it. Almost all of them had either interesting takes on their sub-genres or perfectly refined them; I wish there was more room on this list. I also love unique experiences born out of game mechanics. Both Rimworld and Hitman were fascinating sandboxes to poke at just to observe how things reacted. I really love titles that experiment with how you tell a story with video games. Firewatch did a masterful job of involving you in the growing relationship between two people, and Quadrilateral Cowboy painted a vivid sense of world and character with its stylish vignettes. Finally, I loved playing a shitload of Overwatch. Thanks 2016!
Jess McDonell | Host/Producer
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- The Last Guardian
- Firewatch
- Inside
- Oxenfree
- Orwell
- Tom Clancy's The Division
- Mafia III
- Abzu
- Thumper
I’m a sucker for stories that deserve to be told and demand to be felt, and this year was full of them. Firewatch painted the tragic narrative of a relationship in such a way that I was sobbing within the first ten minutes, and Inside took me from fearful to awestruck through its oppressive game world and unsettling mechanics. When I wasn’t bonding with Trico in The Last Guardian or sleeping with the light on after tucking into the beautiful and haunting Oxenfree, it was Uncharted 4 that had my attention this year. For me, Uncharted 4 was a blockbuster masterpiece with characters I cared about, and an epic and engrossing story that was an absolute delight to experience.
Tony Wilson | Video Producer
- Overwatch
- Fire Emblem Fates
- Dark Souls III
- Hitman
- Doom
- The Witness
- Salt and Sanctuary
- Thumper
- Hyper Light Drifter
- Final Fantasy XV
This year I revisited series I hadn't played in forever, and dove into genres I rarely ever touch. I returned to franchises like Hitman and Fire Emblem, and gave shooters like Doom and Overwatch a real chance. My list is composed of some incredible experiences that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Scott Butterworth | Editor
- Sid Meier's Civilization VI
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Doom
- Overwatch
- Stardew Valley
- Abzu
- Dishonored 2
- Titanfall 2
- The Witness
- Inside
This might ring hollow given the number of shooters on my list, but here's my big take-away from 2016: diversity. I never expected to love a farm sim as much as I love Stardew Valley. I could never have conceived of a game as intricate as The Witness. And I certainly didn't expect to be bowled over by a seemingly simple exploration game like Abzu. As much as I enjoyed this year's triple-A hits, it's the smaller, more unexpected experiences that I continue to treasure.
Jacob Dekker | Video Producer
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Titanfall 2
- Dark Souls III
- Doom
- Abzu
- Overwatch
- Hitman
- Stardew Valley
- The Witness
- Dishonored 2
2016 was quite the year for shooters. With games like Overwatch, Titanfall 2, and Doom, there was truly something for everyone. However, some of my most unforgettable moments were meticulously planning a kill in Hitman and Dishonored 2 or, conversely, exploring Abzu’s beautiful underwater habitats. These were all fantastic experiences, but my highlight of 2016 was stepping back into Nathan Drake’s shoes for one last time. Naughty Dog masterfully wrapped up a series that has meant so much to me over the years.
Randolph Ramsay | Editor-in-Chief
- Overwatch
- Dishonored 2
- Inside
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Thumper
- That Dragon, Cancer
- Offworld Trading Company
- Owlboy
- Superhot
I'm not usually one to enjoy online multiplayer shooter experiences, but Overwatch's insanely appealing mix of play styles and characters helped me overcome any reservations I had about jumping into a competitive environment. But perhaps the most surprising game this year for me was Thumper. As someone who was always a little skeptical about the merits of VR, I didn't expect any VR games (at least in these early days of the technology) to blow me away as much as playing Thumper on PS VR did. It's an intense, amazing experience which absolutely must be played in VR for the full experience.
Oscar Dayus | Staff Writer
- Pokemon Go
- Rainbow Six Siege
- PES 2017
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
- Superhot
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
- Clash Royale
- Hitman
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Mini Metro
Whatever your opinion of the game itself, 2016 was, and forever will be, the year of Pokemon Go. Seeing everyone I know--friends, parents, strangers--playing it and talking about it was magical, and it brought people together in a way I think we all needed in 2016. Other than that, it seemed this year was dominated by great shooters: Superhot was unique, Infinite Warfare was the best Call of Duty campaign since Modern Warfare, and Rainbow Six Siege was the game I've sunk the most time into in the last 12 months (yes, I know it technically came out in 2015, but I didn't get it until January so don't @ me). Oh, and PES 2017 is the best football game ever made. Bye!