So, another year has come and gone, and it went by ridiculously quickly. 2016 was an awesome year for me personally. I got a new job which I love, which is important because if we have to work we would all love a job we actually enjoy. I also finally, after 17 years of waiting, made my much anticipated trip to Japan. I've wanted to go since I was a child, but thanks to growing up with parents who could never afford to take me and my brother abroad on holiday, I never had the chance when I was young. And after a few years of saving up I went for two weeks and loved every second of it. 2016 was one of the slowest years as far as collecting goes, in terms of the amount of games I added to my collection. I bought less games in 2016 than I did in the previous four years, but that was mainly because I added some rather pricey games to my collection, so I probably spent just as much as I usually do. The additions I made to my collection were cool though, or at least I think so. It feels good to finally own a Neo Geo AES and an original copy Samurai Shodown II. I've owned an FZ-10 3DO for many years, but that was joined by an FZ-1 3DO in 2016, as well as Panzer Dragoon Saga for my Saturn and Snatcher for my Mega CD. It was also a fairly decent year for video games, even if I had little interest in some of the bigger releases. You won't find any love for Overwatch here, because aside from watching my brother play it on several occasions I have little interest in it. I lost serious interest in playing games online a decade ago now. That being said, there are a few other games in 2016 not listed here that I did enjoy, but I wanted to keep this list strictly to five games, so they have been omitted.
Anyway, here are my five favourite games of 2016.
Doom
Without a doubt the game which entertained me the most overall in 2016 was Doom. As much as I enjoy the other games in the list, none of them quite compare to the sheer joy and exhilaration of id Software's newest entry in its classic franchise. The new Doom feels like the perfect update of the classic for modern times, keeping the frantic game play and all the awesome weapons fans of the original love. The game play is fast and super slick, even on consoles using a controller, and you simply cannot stop moving or else you will die quickly. In terms of game play I don't think I played any other game this year that controls as well as Doom. The online multiplayer wasn't as old school as I hoped it would be, but as far as single player experiences go it is hands down the best single player FPS since BioShock. If I had to choose a definitive favourite, Doom is my game of the year for 2016.
Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV has rekindled my love of the series. Final Fantasy is one of my favourite franchises in gaming, second only to The Legend of Zelda, but for the last decade and a half my love has somewhat waned. When Final Fantasy X was one of my most anticipated games, but when it was released I played it and really didn't enjoy it. XI was online, but MMO's just aren't my thing, and the less said about the XIII universe and the terrible launch of the original version of Final Fantasy XIV the better. Since the PS2 the only main series game I have enjoyed is XII, which is excellent and far superior to X. I wasn't expecting much from XV, but I picked up a pre-owned copy and I loved it. It's far from perfect, but I find myself overlooking the flaws it suffers because I'm just happy that there's a new main series title that I enjoy. Even the four main characters are very likable. Despite looking like an emo rock band they are nothing like you would expect. I still with the combat was more in line with what XII offered over the Kingdom Hearts-esque system it uses, but it's still perfectly functional and enjoyable as it is. If you're an old school Final Fantasy fan and are still on the fence about this one, I'd give it a go.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
At the beginning of the year I would never have thought the game which I spent the most time with would be a PlayStation Vita title. That's not to say I have anything against the Vita. I've had mine for several years now and I've had my fair share of enjoyment from it, but compared to my 3DS I've hardly touched it. But Trails of Cold Steel was such an enjoyable RPG that I pumped over 100 hours in to it in no time. If you've played any of Nihon Falcom's other The Legend of Heroes games, especially Trails in the Sky, you'll love Trails of Cold Steel. The characters are great, and the story has a ton of depth. But you have to go in to Trails of Cold Steel knowing the story isn't going to resolve in just this game. It's part of the trilogy, and the second game was also released in in 2016, although I haven't played that one yet. If you decide to play Cold Steel prepare for a long, but enjoyable, adventure.
Monster Hunter Generations
I became so obsessed with Monster Hunter Generations that I had to drag myself away from it after a while and I haven't returned since. I did the same when I played Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate in 2015. The series is traditionally difficult for newcomers to get in to, but for fans Monster Hunter is a long-term commitment. I love the series, even if it is rough around the edges, and whenever a new entry comes out I always sink way too many hours in to it. Generations isn't my favourite, but it was another quality entry in to what is currently my favourite Capcom franchise.
Ratchet & Clank
More of a re-imagining of the original game than a remake, the newest entry in Insomniac;s platform action series is unquestionably the best since the PlayStation 2. The last few Ratchet games have been somewhat sub par, but Insomniac finally got it spot on again after several missteps. If you played the original this one is very similar, but there's enough differences between this and the original to justify not labeling it as a full remake. And visually I don't think I played any other game this year that looked quite as stunning.