Best PC Games of 2016

As yet another year full of releases comes to a close we do what must be done and take a look at the games released in 2016 that impressed us the most. With the other platforms already covered, we’re left with the PC, so, without further ado, let us get into our list.

Darkest Dungeon came to people’s attention during its time in Early Access, being a notable presence on Twitch for a while. Finally coming out in January, the game brought with it a unique art style, brutal difficulty and a marvelously well done implementation of madness as a gameplay mechanic, fitting of a game that draws inspiration from Lovecraftian tales. Darkest Dungeon may feel intimidating and first, and punishing all throughout, but manages to draw you back in every time you swear to yourself you’re not touching it after having your high level characters get slaughtered by unspeakable horrors for the millionth time.

DOOM managed to dispel any skepticism that could be had starting with its intro sequence. The no nonsense approach, focused on killing demons because they’re demons and you happen to have a gun or ten with you, is exactly what DOOM needed to be. With an excellent handling of pacing and fights that have a perfect rhythm, often requiring you to get in close while you’re low on health, as executions replenish your HP, DOOM succeeds at delivering a FPS experience that very much contains a part of the soul of the original DOOM. Besides that, a vast array of guns that both look and feel great, a soundtrack that pumps you up for every fight and a mode that allows you to create your own levels are what make DOOM one hell of a package.

I find it a bit amusing how Stardew Valley ended up sandwiched between DOOM and Grim Dawn. Unlike those games, Stardew Valley doesn’t require the quick annihilation of armies of foes, nor does it put you in the shoes of a powerful hero. Instead, you’re someone that’s getting away from your corporate job in the city after having inherited your grandfather’s farm. What comes after that is an open-ended experience where you grow crops, organize your farm, look for a soulmate and explore your surroundings that has large amounts of charm, is relaxing and always beckons you to return to it.

Grim Dawn went through a Kickstarter and a pretty lengthy Early Access period before it was released. Crate Entertainment have managed to deliver an aRPG that still does things the old-school way. While to some this approach may seem limited, the developers have managed to create a game with engaging combat, a good enough story and a handful of classes that play and feel different from each other. With constant post-release updates, a new class and an expansion on the horizon, Grim Dawn is where you want to go to scratch that aRPG itch.

After just one game, Playdead became a name that was hard to remove from memory. Limbo is a videogaming gem and, to be fair, Inside follows very closely in its footsteps. While definitely more colorful than its predecessor, Inside does an excellent job at building a bleak world which you get to experience through the eyes of a child. The narrative unfolds without anyone uttering a word and, just like Limbo, leaves enough to be interpreted by the player.  Dying, regardless of its cause, is simple and brutal, often times transcending the screen to affect the player in a way very few games manage to do so. Lastly, it’s a lesson in simplicity, offering unexpectedly simple solutions to what sometimes look like challenges that cannot be overcome.

Now that you know which titles released on PC impressed us the most this year, we’d like to learn your picks in the comments below.

Bogdan Robert, NoobFeed
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