My Favorites of 2016: 10-8

I wouldn't be a video game site without a proper top 10 list at the end of the year. Unfortunately, I don't have games sent to me, or a full work week to dive into longer or stranger game, or even every current console, so there are some large gaps in this list.

There were some AAA games I still haven't touched this year that likely could've made the list. Final Fantasy XV is something I anticipate, hoping that Santa comes through for me. Call of Duty campaign looks interesting this year compared to last years. And Xcom 2 and Dishonored 2 didn't make my must play list because of lackluster first outings. 

So, without wasting further words, here's game 10-8 of 2016.

Honorable Mentions

Pokemon Moon likely could've crawled into my top 10, but I just didn't get enough time with it. I love the art style, the new Pokemon, the virtual pet additions of how to keep the Pokemon happy, but I've spent more time looking at dialogue than playing the game at this point.

Valkyria Chronicles Remastered is one of my favorite games I played this year, but since it is a remaster of a game that came out in 2008 with little changed, I dropped it from my list to make a tight 10 games.

Jackbox 3 had to win me back. The second one was fun for me, but it required talking people into playing it. The games didn't create those hilarious party moments like the first one did. Well Jackbox 3 is the first Jackbox where all 5 games landed in fantastic party loving fashion. I just wish there was a way to access all 14 Jackbox games I own through one UI.

Game 10

Played on: Android Phone

Pokemon Go is still a confusing game and feeling for me. I debated long and hard just putting Moon on the proper list because I'm still not fully convinced there's a game with Go.

This app had my wife and I riding our bikes for 30 miles a weekend chasing Pokemon and hatching eggs. It had wandering roves of 20 somethings in the sunlight, children having to pull their parents to the new exhibit at the zoo, and sort of created this weird sense of neighborhood that we don't see anymore.

I still hate playing games on my phone and tablet. It's something I don't think I'll ever get over. If Angry Birds and Fallout Shelter aren't going to hook me and I prefer Plants Vs Zombies on my Vita, I'm probably never going to fully love playing a game on my phone.

But Pokemon Go swallowed hours of my life and continues to. Sure, I fall off sometimes where I don't run the app for a week, but there's always some update or idle moment at a restaurant where I check in, see if there's a gym or any rare Pokemon nearby.

Game 9

Played on: PS4

Ratchet and Clank had no reason to be good. It seemed like a quick movie and video game cash grab

which historically have failed miserably.

Well, the movie did apparently fail, but the game captured a time and feeling before Killzone, Gears of War, and Call of Duty painted our world in earth tones and blood.

It's a bright, vibrant world, with just enough strategy to keep my an adult into the game, but easy enough to where a child could play. It's jokes land between fart jokes and sexual innuendo. Basically, Ratchet and Clank hit that Pixar spot where everyone is going to leave with something they loved.

The weird thing about Ratchet and Clank is how much it made me want more 3D platformers. I immediately started thinking about a Jak and Daxter on current generations and it made me excited for a game that doesn't even exist.

Game 8

Played on: PS4

Overcooked is a game that requires that you scream at all the other people in the room to make sure

you get those onions chopped and dishes cleaned, cause dammit, you are cooking the soup.

It's fast paced, it's challenging, but ultimately, even when you fail, you immediately want to go back in and try again. Between levels, you can't help but discuss what went wrong, where the bottleneck was, proper placement of non-chopped vs chopped food.

This one came out of nowhere. I hadn't heard a thing about it and then Giantbomb sat down and have played it every other week since it came out.

It's a game that I love playing after having a drink, but it's also one that you just can't play after 3. There's too many moving parts that have to run smoothly in order for you to secure the 3 stars on each level.