8 best games of 2016 (so far)
It's the halfway point of 2016, a perfect time to take stock of the best entertainment offerings of the half-year. Check out our picks for the best games of the year below — and since "The top 16 of 2016" is exactly 50% premature, we chose the Top 8.
Also check out our lists of the best television episodes, movies, albums, beauty moments and digital entertainment trends that have happened in the first half of 2016.
1. Doom
Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
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Doom is the best kind of throwback. It's a series revival that channels the speed, the intense action and the gory exploded demon bits of the original game, but fuses all of that with cool unlockable toys and stunning visuals.
Facing down demon armies on Mars and across the pits of Hell has never been so enjoyable.
2. Fire Emblem Fates
Available on: Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS
Fire Emblem Fates takes the stellar characters and first-class storytelling that the Fire Emblem series is known for and blends it with something new: three unique story directions based on which side of a war you want to (or don’t want to) side with.
The strategic combat requires you to constantly stay on your toes during battle, and the compelling stories that bookend each chapter makes it hard to put down the 3DS. Plus, after beating one storyline, you get to play a whole other game for half the price.
3. Hitman
Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Technically, Hitman isn't finished coming out yet with only three of the five episodes in its new release model finished. But that new approach has been a miraculous thing for a game that shines best after repeat playthroughs.
Hitman is an elaborate murder sandbox; the wait between episodes mixed with cool offshoot modes like Escalation and Elusive Targets gives players the chance to really explore and discover everything.
4. Inside
Available on: Xbox One
Inside is the latest game from Playdead, the team behind the 2010 indie hit, Limbo. Much like Limbo, Inside is a heavily stylized side-scrolling puzzle game in which you run, jump, push and pull your way past an assortment of obstacles.
Where Inside really stands out is its wordless-story, which escalates into an emotionally devastating third act finish. The less you know, the better. Just go play it.
5. Overwatch
Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
How do you do it Blizzard? In the same way that World of Warcraft set the bar for MMORPGs and Hearthstone set it for collectible card games, now we have Overwatch putting team-based shooters on notice.
Blizzard's first shooter is a triumph, with a smooth feel to all the action and a stunning diversity of heroes that each bring their own, unique weapons and abilities to the fray. It's a competitive online game that, in its best moments, feels more like a challenging co-op game. Once you get past the initial information overload, this is one of the most accessible shooters out there.
6. Ratchet & Clank
Available on: PlayStation 4
If Pixar made a sci-fi movie featuring lovable characters and outrageous guns then turned it into a game, that game would be Ratchet & Clank. Insomniac Games re-imagines the first chapter in its long-running series for its PlayStation 4 debut.
More than anything else, Ratchet & Clank is gorgeous. Watching enemies explode into a shower of nuts and bolts -- the game's currency -- after you've blown them up with any number of eye-popping weapons never gets old.
7. Tharsis
Available on: PC, PlayStation 4
Tharsis is a game of space travel, dice rolls and cannibalism.
You're on a mission to Mars and disaster has struck. There are holes in the ship, multiple key stations are burning and some of the crew is already dead. Do you have what it takes to make the rest of the trip?
In Tharsis, you roll dice to make things happen, whether it's putting out a fire or growing more food to keep your crew effective. There's definitely an element of chance to the game, but where and how you assign your die rolls is just as -- if not more -- important.
8. The Witness
Available on: PC, PlayStation 4
Eight years after releasing his revelatory puzzle/platforming game Braid, Jonathan Blow is back with The Witness. It's another puzzle game, but this time with a first-person perspective and a sprawling open world to explore.
Fundamentally, The Witness is a game of drawing lines and following lines. There are puzzles within puzzles, puzzles that lead to other puzzles and puzzles just for the sake of it, but for all of the game's vastness, beauty and mystery, you still spend most of your time puzzling over the right path to draw.
Don't let the "drawing lines" bit deter you. There's a reason The Witness made our list. It's outstanding.
Mashable esports reporter Kellen Beck contributed the Fire Emblem portion of this article.
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
