This racing series continues to dominate, and the fact that the latest game now offers an add-on for winter racing (and driving up mountains) makes it even better. I won’t say the gameplay is that unusual - it mirrors what you see in the original game - but the overall experience is on par with any tentpole movie and the graphics are otherworldly.

I was really roped into the story in Titanfall 2, especially in the first few opening levels. Seeing Han Solo run by shooting at you only helps. It feels like you are in the Star Wars universe. For sheer visceral and visual quality, Star Wars: Battlefront deserves even more credit. Some of my favorite games of the year ended up on my innovative game list as well. The reason it is a best game of the year is due to the creatures, some of which you find by accident driving over a ravine and see them off in the distance. The main innovation of Final Fantasy XV, as I’ve already noted, is that the gameworld is so massive. I consider it one of the best games of 2016 because of the memorable gameplay and design, but also because you want to keep going back to it and even replay some of the levels (and the ending is astounding). Inside is both an innovative game and a really engaging experience.

The more you play, the more you notice the surprising ball dynamics, headers, and momentum changes. The AI keeps getting better in the FIFA series, and this release is so convincing that I kept playing to see how the computer-controlled players would react. There are so many characters to choose from, so many dynamics to the weapons, that you can’t stop playing. The real story with Overwatch is that it is a return to the classic first-person shooter mechanic of pure visceral fun.

Best games of 2016 pc light