Now that the summer has reached it’s mid-point, we inch ever closer to the maniacal fall season of game releases. At this “checkpoint,” as it were, The Young Folks staff assembles their favorite titles of the first half of 2016, from AAA flagship titles, to small, delightful surprises. On each respective list, there are hyperlinks to our writers’ reviews of these titles from this year as well, so feel free to click on those for a full review of each game! Let’s a’go!
Evan Griffin’s Top 5 Games of 2016 (so far)
- The Witness (PS4)
Jonathan Blow knows how to immerse people in any world he’s created through his bleeding of atmosphere stuffed up with puzzles to solve. Taking a note from people’s nostalgia for “Myst,” the creator of “Braid” decided to spend several years building a puzzle game reflective of those in years past that expertly conveys nonverbal storytelling, and gameplay exposition instruction. The puzzles of “The Witness” all function exactly the same way, but blossom into something more complex, whether it be systematic understandings of the puzzle panel, or the use of it’s surrounding environment depending on where on this mysterious island you happen to be. Maybe the story and ending leave very much to be desired for folks who wanted something conclusive for all of their effort, but I consider the journey, and by journey I mean several solid days of obsessive gameplay with almost no interruption, is what deems this game worthy of being at the top of everyone’s list by the time the year is over.
I’ve praised this game before in my review, but for those who aren’t aware by now, “SuperHot” is everything that GoPro movie Hardcore Henry is not: immersive. “SuperHot” slows down time so much that you feel more powerful than Keanu Reeves in Bullet Time. Not much else to say here other than “read the review or play it ASAP.”
- DOOM (XOne, PS4, PC)
“Doom” is just unabashed, insane kinetic fun and is one of the best single player campaigns for a first person shooter that I have played in a very very long time. It’s more than just running around a map and shooting and taking cover to survive. Being in constant awareness of your health and ammo, and how to get them as you fight through hoards of demons, creates a air of strategy to your gameplay that is rewarding throughout each mission. Now that Bethesda is 2-0 on remaking old ID Software games, a lot of people are going to be hyped for “Quake Arena.”
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4)
Having just marathoned through the Nathan Drake Collection prior to it, I was worried about jumping immediately into “Uncharted 4” as I felt like I was feeling a sort of “Naughty Dog fatigue” considering how painfully consistent the gameplay and storytelling is between Uncharted one, two and three. However, “A Thief’s End” stands clearly from the rest of the series, most notably based on how much more cinematic it truly is than it’s predecessors. Because of the superior graphical power of the PS4 by default, and the veteran cast with additional new performers, going through each chapter of Uncharted 4 feels more like a very compelling adventure television series instead of an overextended B movie. That, combined with new mechanics and improved gunfights makes “Uncharted 4” a proper, final, evolution of the Uncharted franchise in storytelling and in gameplay.
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- The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess (Wii U)
Picking a favorite Zelda has always been a very subjective argument, and I never really had one to make for “Twilight Princess”. However, this remaster is just as warranted as “Wind Waker HD,” as all the love and care into the textures, characters, music and over world have been masterfully upscaled here, and the touchpad of the Wii U is just as useful in all the remakes of Zelda games since “Ocarina of Time 3D” in 2011. While the game has a lot of fetch questing and backtracking, it by far has some of the most creative dungeons and biggest bosses in the Zelda series yet, and they only look and play even better here.
Donald Strohman’s Top 5 Games of 2016 (so far)
- Overwatch (Xone, PS4, PC)
You don’t have to be a Blizzard die-hard to understand why “Overwatch” is so much fun. With a plethora of characters to choose from, all containing a variety of different play styles for gamers to try out, it feels like a breath of fresh air for Blizzard to have finally made something so enjoyable outside the world of “Warcraft.” It’s a shame “Battleborn” got overshadowed by “Overwatch,” but it’s clear who is the superior of the two.
- Ratchet and Clank (Ps4)
Released exclusively on the PlayStation 4 to coincide with the feature film, “Ratchet and Clank” serves as a reboot of the origin story for one of Sony’s most recognizable duos. Thankfully, unlike the dreadfully unfunny animated feature, this game manages to be a blast from beginning to end, containing all of the heart and charm we’ve come to expect from the series.
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Whoever said you needed a deep story to make a fantastic video game was an idiot. “Doom” has next to nothing going for it in terms of a heavy narrative, but what defines this title as such an excellent game is how much fun it is to play. Like a maelstrom of extreme-bloody violence, guns, guns, and more guns, “Doom” is just an all around explosive experience that’ll satisfy newcomers and fans of the franchise alike. It’s also a lot of fun how you get to saw demons in half with a chainsaw.
A surprise gem buried beneath a wave of fellow indie titles, “That Dragon, Cancer” is a shockingly heart-felt adventure that’s guaranteed to tug at your soul strings. Created as a tribute to their recently deceased son, Ryan and Amy Green wove a tale of dread and heartbreak in a family battling their child’s cancer diagnosis as a way to remember him. A genuinely chilling, yet commendable experience from start to finish, anyone and everyone should check out this title, so long as they can handle the tears they’re bound to shed.
There’s a reason Naughty Dog remains top dog in the video game development world. Thanks to their dedication in creating grand adventures with lovable characters, generation defining titles such as Crash Bandicoot and The Last of Us have the team members of Naughty Dog to thank for their resounding success. So, it comes as no surprise that “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End” would be another splendid hurrah from the Sony Entertainment subsidiary. Ending Nathan Drake’s story on an exceptionally high note, thanks to a fantastic blend of action and character development, “Uncharted 4” is the definitive PlayStation 4 killer app that should be in everyone’s collection.
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Alexander Suffolk’s Top 5 Games of 2016 (so far)
- Dark Souls 3
- Overwatch
- Uncharted 4
- The Witness
- Firewatch
We still have a ton of great releases coming up in 2016, but I’m honestly wondering if any of them will be able to displace my top picks of the year so far.
“Firewatch” and “The Witness” are both indie titles that can go toe-to-toe with the best of the triple-A releases, offering some of the deepest experiences only an interactive medium can. “Firewatch” has you examine a man going through turmoil in their lives and lets you decide how he will grow as a person, while “The Witness” has you examine yourself and admire your own ingenuity and potential. It’s refreshing to have titles like these proving video games can be considered art, and are more than just endlessly killing dudes and smashing stuff.
But on the topic of killing dudes and smashing stuff, I do love me some action set pieces and sublime multiplayer matches, and I got those with “Uncharted 4” and “Overwatch.” That convoy sequence and all the grapple hook fighting in “Uncharted 4” are some of the most thrilling gameplay experiences I’ve ever had, and the fact that it did it all while look nigh photo realistic AND telling the most emotionally engaging story in the series proves that Naughty Dog is on a whole other level of game production. And as for “Overwatch?” I haven’t been this addicted to an online shooter since maybe “Halo 3.” Just when I think I’ve found my favorite character to play as, I discover a love for another and have to devote hours to master them. Even as I write this, I’m itching to boot the game back up and practice McCree’s Dead Eye ultimate attack.
Ultimately though, I know in my heart that 2016 is the year of “Dark Souls 3,” just as 2015 was the year of “Bloodborne,” and as 2014 was the year of “Dark Souls 2.” From Software just makes games like nobody else, challenging, saturated with detail and complexity. Not to mention that it’s the most badass swords and sorcery action I’ve ever done with a controller. These bring you down to the absolute lows of defeat and obstacle, and they bring you up to absolute highs of triumph and success. I doubt any upcoming game in 2016 will top the sheer joy I had at defeating the Nameless King for the first time, and for that reason alone, “Dark Souls 3” will stand at the top for me.
Jose Cordova’s Top 5 Games of 2016 (so far)
- Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst (Xone, PS4, PC)
The original “Mirror’s” was the classic example of a game with more potential than actual solid gameplay. I think “Catalyst” falls just short of fulfilling that potential but still has enough breathtaking and inventive moments to warrant a purchase, though you may want to hold out for a sale.
- World of Tanks (PS4)
The free-to-play model often gets a bad rap but I believe that there are certain implementations of the model that can be… tolerable. “World of Tanks” is one of those games. It never feels like the game penalizes you for not spending cash and you can have plenty of fun jumping around different types of tanks while progressing meaningfully. Solid gameplay and something you can really sink your teeth into with tons of depth if it strikes your fancy.
- The Division (XOne, PS4, PC)
After my “Destiny” addiction wore off I had a short relapse with “The Division,” pouring a decent amount of hours into the game in a short amount of time. While the overall world building didn’t completely pull me in, I had tons of hours of funs with my friends taking on challenging missions and scrounging up the best loot I could find.
- Overwatch (XOne, PS4, PC)
I’m not the biggest multiplayer guy. Especially shooter because, full disclosure, I’m terrible at them. Most of the time, as someone who is a huge fan of storytelling in all its forms, I tend to gravitate toward single player experiences with a strong narrative (see above). Blizzard has managed to craft a game where I can join my much more skilled friends and still contribute without having to be a great fps player. That’s a neat trick to pull off.
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4)
“Uncharted 4” landed earlier this year with enormous expectations and as far as I am concerned it absolutely met them. Naughty Dog has always had a strong grasp of character and story and their strengths are on full display in “Uncharted 4.” What truly blew me away was small technical achievements made in the environment work and motion capture performances. “A Thief’s End” is the first time that I’ve felt an actor’s presence come clearly through virtual characters. It’s the small details that get me, like tears welling up in someone’s eyes or the nervous hands of a person caught in an awkward situation. All of the visual polish combined with a strong narrative and solid, exciting, blockbuster gameplay makes “Uncharted 4” the best game I’ve played this year.
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