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PSNStores 2016 Game of the Year Awards: Day Three | PSNStores

PSNStores 2016 Game of the Year Awards: Day Three

Posted by on January 19th, 2017 | 0 Comments | Tags:

With 2016 behind us the PSNStores Podcats once again have gathered to discuss our favorite games from the last year. You’ll be able to hear the entirety of that discussion in podcast form on Friday, but for now, welcome to Day Three of the PSNStores 2016 Game of the Year awards! Today we’ve got “Biggest Surprise”, “Most Disappointing”, “Best PS+ Game”, and “Best Retail Game”.

Day One: “Charmingest, Charming, Charmer”, “Best Narrative”, and “Best Soundtrack”.
Day Two: “Best Visuals”, “Best Multiplayer”, and “Whity the Dolphin’s Character of the Year”.
Day Four: “Best VR Game”, “Best Vita Game”, “Best PS4 Game”, “Top 5 Games of 2016” and Game of the Year Podcast.

Biggest Surprise

Bound

We went into Bound with a healthy amount of skepticism, the game certainly looked great, but Plastic’s earlier games (Linger in Shadows and Datura) never really impressed us. So, it came as quite the surprise that not only was Bound good, but that it sits comfortably as one of our favorite games of 2016.

Runners-Up: Life Goes On: Done to Death, Headmaster

Most Disappointing

Firewatch

Firewatch opens with a bit of an emotional gut-punch, it instantly gets you to sympathize with the main character and sets the stage for what should be a fully engrossing and memorable story. Much of the game builds off two strong characters while slowly unveiling what appears to be a greater conspiracy within the national park. Unfortunately, the last act of the game leads nowhere and wraps up in a way that was hugely disappointing to us. It’s a complete subversion of expectations that didn’t feel earned, but rather cheap. On top of that the PS4 version suffered from frame rate issues throughout most of the game.

Runners-Up: Virginia, Robinson The Journey

Best PS+ Game

Resident Evil HD Remake

What more could possibly be said about this game? Resident Evil is everything that a remake should be and more. It plays with nostalgia, subverts expectations, and recaptures what made the original so great while adding enough new things to feel distinct.

Runners-Up: Furi, Tricky Towers

Best Retail Game

(Aka “Curtis Presents: Best Retail Game”)

Much like our Best Multiplayer category, we only had one person with enough experience to talk about our nominees in this category. Our final three nominees also happen to be my (Curtis) top three games of 2016 period. These are all games I feel quite strongly about, but only one could stand among the rest.

Final Fantasy XV

For all of its faults, of which there are many, I can’t help but love FFXV for everything that it gets right. The feeling of going on a road trip with your buddies, making quick stops when someone sees something interesting in the distance, and the way Prompto hums the classic Final Fantasy music or puts words to the chocobo theme. I love those moments in battle when your friends assist you or pull you back on your feet.

From beginning to end, I felt that Final Fantasy XV truly sold that feeling of road-tripping with your best friends. Were there bumps along the way? Absolutely, but I’m hard pressed to think of a game that resonated with me on such a strong emotional level – especially in its final hour.

(Shout out to Pitioss Ruins and all those pictures Prompto took.)

Runners-Up: Dragon Quest Builders, The Last Guardian

Be sure to come back tomorrow for Day Four of our Game of the Year Awards! Until then, what do you think of our picks? What surprised you? What disappointed you? What PlayStation Plus and Retail games stood out to you?