As the year comes to a close, I’ve decided to look back at a year of games and highlight some which I thought were the best that 2016 had to offer. So in no particular order here are some of the games i enjoyed the most this year. And, with the year end sales going on, who knows, you might want to pick a couple of these games up yourself.

Darkest Dungeon

I picked up Darkest Dungeon because of a friend’s recommendation at the beginning of the year, and it’s been a game that I’ve enjoyed immensely. A twist on the traditional Dungeon Crawler RPGs, Darkest Dungeon explores the effects of exploring dungeons has on a adventurers. With a strong artstyle and theme, Darkest Dungeon thrives when you and your adventurers feel down and hopeless, bordering on insanity. But, however bleak things may seem there’s always a ray of hope, that you can reach out for and battle though the gloom.

Superhot

One mechanic sets this game apart from the other games I’ve played to date, time move, only when you do. This unique mechanic allows you to plan your moves before you execute them. With you being so fragile that you die with a single hit, the game does not allow you to be too gung-ho with your playstyle. To conquer this, you must use the time afforded to you when you are still to carefully survey your surrounding and avoid our opponent’s gunfire and melee.

Inside

A game with simple mechanics, but with an incredible storyline, this puzzle-platformer set in an eerie, but captivating world. The game never lets you feel comfortable but at the same time, continually draws you in till the end.

Stardew Valley

A throwback to games like Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley puts you in the shoes of a farmer who has just inherited his plot of land from his grandfather. Balancing your time on the farm, interacting with NPCs, and exploring the dungeons is key and while playing it, I easily lost myself for hours doing all three things.

Overwatch

Overwatch is quite possibly the game that I’ve spent the most time with in recent years. Sure the game only has 3 game modes at the moment, but Overwatch has managed to keep me hooked despite losing track of the number of times I’ve played all the maps. Each match feels like a new experience, and the fast pace of the game allows me to clock a couple of games a night despite my busy schedule.

With the game growing with the addition of maps, new game modes, and new heroes (Terry Crews as Doomfist needs to happen), I think Overwatch will be a game I’ll be playing for the foreseeable future.

Think I left some of your favorite games out? Tell us what you think should made the cut in the comments below.