Your 2016 Game(s) of the Year!

[The Shoemaker]

As typical, I've hardly played any 2016 games.

This is why I usually like to do these in the format of "best gaming experiences of [year]," where the actual release date of the game doesn't matter. Like you, only 5 out of the 25 games I beat last year came out in 2016. I will likely only catch up on 2016's best in the coming years. Anyway, I guess that's a thread I could still make.

To actually answer the question, highlights of 2016 for me were Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Street Fighter V. The former was, in my opinion, the best Lego game yet. The latter is a well-tuned fighting game that I was fortunate to get into after it had been updated to what one could reasonably consider a finished product.

Certainly feel free to share your best 2016 gaming experiences! I've been meaning to update a list of games I played that didn't come out in 2016 as well.

[SkyPikachu]

I like to look back after a year at the 2016 lineup since I've had enough time to play more games and finish them.

Games I've played from 2016.
Unravel, Ratchet & Clank, Star Fox Zero, Overwatch, Pokémon Go, Stardew Valley, Tricky Towers, NHL 17, Dragon Quest Builders, Pokémon Sun and Moon, The Last Guardian.

Overwatch: Still GOTY with no competition I played this for aggges over christmas and into the 2017. Was honestly surprised I liked it so much.
Unravel: One of the Contenders for GOTY really I couldn't put this down and I still have great memories of it.
Ratchet & Clank: A little forgettable really it was really enjoyable but honestly ask me about any of the levels and I'll barely remember them.
Star Fox Zero: 0/10 the game was garbage going to try another Star Fox game but it did put a horrible taste for the series in my mouth.
Pokémon Go: It was fun much longer than most mobile games but still no where near GOTY worthy.
Stardew Valley: Couldn't get into it.
Tricky Towers: I hate the concept of this game not having the blocks lining up perfectly does my head in I'd much rather play tetris.
NHL 17: Bought so I owned a PS4 hockey game more of the same really.
Dragon Quest Builders: I couldn't get into this I tried twice but it felt a little slow I may try again sometime but as of now I have no interest.
Pokémon Sun and Moon: Hated it purely purely hated it I struggled to finish it I felt like I was being guided the whole way it was a horrible change from the older stuff like Emerald. Hope X/Y is different as I'm thinking of trying them out.
The Last Guardian: Slots in in 3rd place. Controls are just wtf terrible but the story and visuals are amazing.

1st Overwatch
2nd Unravel
3rd The Last Guadrian
4th Ratchet & Clank

Reference from last year.

GOTY 2016 -Overwatch
Have made friends from this game and i've played it so much since I bought it 4 days ago that it's easily Goty for me. Just I can't explain why I love it so much.

Also Ratchet & Clank was an easy 2nd for me. (Yet to play enough The Last Guardian.)

Including games that came out in other years that I first played this year.
Gone Home - Amazing Story just incredible.
Hearthstone - Even though I'm over it I still find it fun here and there and I love it much more than yu-gi-oh or mtg. F2P is nice too.
Unravel - Such a beautiful game really loved it. Very fun puzzles.
Ori & the blind forest - 3 hours in but my god is it beautiful and fun. I'm streaming it currently as well. https://www.twitch.tv/slurmnator

[The Shoemaker]

Man, comparing my 2017 games of the year to 2016 really makes this look like a poor year in comparison

I never did get to talk about the games I played in 2016 that didn't release in 2016, and there were quite a few notable ones. It was a good backlog year for me.

Honourable mentions

Mega man 1-6
Layton vs Phoenix wright
Infamous second son
The Last of Us
Steamworld Hiest
Hyrule Warriors Legends