So, we've gone through my list of the most intriguing titles to come in 2016:
- Mighty No. 9
- Hyper Light Drifter
- No Man's Sky
- Cuphead
- Mirror's Edge Catalyst
- The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U
- Slain!
- Death's Gambit
But, those aren't the only games on my radar for the year. Let's give a few shout outs to the rest:
I spent a good amount of time ignoring the Far Cry franchise; I've since spent a good amount of time in Far Cry 4 and I'm thoroughly impressed. The open world feel to the game is really well done and the controls are spot on. With that in mind, it perked my interest to think of that engine used in a stone-age setting.
I put hours into Enemy Unknown. If the game is what it appears to be - a refinement and update to the previous release - then I think I'm in for another 40 hours minimum. The new perspective taking the side of a resistance instead of a defense force seems like a cool twist and I look forward to how that plays out.
Team based shooters are running hot and cold right now, with titles like Evolve, Titanfall, Rainbow Six Siege, and Star Wars: Battlefront all over the map in terms of fun, execution, and longevity. There is a gaping hole at the top of the food chain. If there's one group that knows how to stamp their authority on a genre, it's Blizzard. I expect this title to make some waves when it drops.
6 years have passed since the last Final Fantasy entry (that wasn't an MMO). Was it worth the wait? I love JRPGs, but it does take a certain kind to really grab my attention for the full 40-80 hours required. I am hopeful that Square-Enix has learned a few things since XIII and put those lessons to good use, and I hope that titles is one I can lose myself in for a good while. (If not, the updated FFIX will take it's place).
I'm horrible at fighting games, but I love them for some reason. Street Fighter is kind of Genesis for the fighting game fervor, with SFII being jump off for all of us 80s kids. Stories of crowds at the arcade around the one SF cabinet and the line of quarters on the glass waiting for "next." That means the fifth installment of the Street Fighter franchise is running high in expectations, and while I may not be a good judge of it all, it seems SF fans who have played the beat aren't too disappointed. I look forward to messing around with it and getting my digital face smashed in.
I'm guessing this game will be hard. The difficulty I've had playing some of the older titles really did create a high barrier to entry, but perseverance provided a kind of reward that really is unique this day in age. Word on the street is that this game will be less of a block/roll/attack/repeat style of gameplay that earlier versions used and will adopt a touch of the Bloodborne fluidity. I welcome the new found agility as the pace of earlier DS games was a tad sluggish and took a lot of getting used to, but I'm certainly not looking for a DMC or Bayonetta. Hopefully they've found a good middle ground.
As I only have so many hours in a year to play and game (and Rocket League may comprise of over half of it), we will have to see which of these I actually get to play in earnest, and which ones actually live up to my intrigue. Add to that the games I buy on a whim, games I've not yet heard about, and the backlog of games I've owned and not yet completed (or even started in some cases!), and it will be another jam packed year, but I look forward to sharing it with you.
So here's to you, 2016 - we wish you much success and that you surprise us more than you disappoint.
