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subtly suggestive ash can in Dubai (at Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

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2016 Top 10 Video Games

2016 is easily one of the best years for games. So many good games that I didn't have time to play all that could be contenders. Oh well, such is life.

Biggest Disappointment: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Mankind Divided was just not up to par with the mainstays of the series. Where previous games were playgrounds for exploration, MD seemed to be more streamlined. Past games also had tons of level variation, globe trotting and moody set pieces. MD is beautiful but is spent almost entirely in one city. Its ending seemed rushed, so much so that I didn't even bother with the downloadable post-release content.

Best Game of 2015 I played in 2016: Mad Max

A great Mad Max story, semi-related to the 2015 movie. Addictive and tight game-play loops engaged me in its brutal open world filled with violence and terrific characters.   

Best Re-Release: Amnesia Collection

I’m not going to re-play these scary as hell games but you should. The writing is literally the best in any games I have ever played. Worth all the intense screaming.

Best Game of 2016 I Haven't Had Time to Play Yet: Final Fantasy XV

I’ve heard and seen good things and surprisingly I’m interested, despite not having any desire to play a proper FF game since Tactics on the GBA.   

10: Darkest Dungeon

Despite being a randomly generated 2D strategy dungeon crawler, Darkest Dungeon captures the mood of Lovecraftian horror perfectly. Fun, challenging and one hell of an end game difficulty curb, I can’t recommend it for everyone but it is for sure a favorite of mine.

9: COD: Infinite Warfare

I knew I wanted a FPS set in various and grand locations in space but I did not expect that a Call of Duty campaign would deliver exactly what I wanted. Good game play, interesting characters and a serviceable story only add to the beautiful space vistas.

8: Hyper Light Drifter

Beautiful, minimalist and a top tier soundtrack make this Zelda/Metroid inspired top down adventure one of my favorites. It certainly plays its story close to the vest leaving it wide-open for interpretation in the best of ways. Difficult enough to make the fun challenging, engaging and, only at times,  frustrating.      

7: Overwatch

Easily the best team shooter since Team Fortress 2. Beautifully designed, noob friendly, meticulously balanced and continually supported (for free) with new maps and characters, this is and easy recommend for any gamer.

6: Dishonored 2

Massive maps, game play adaptive to any play style and immersive world building make this sequel an improvement on the original. Not the most friendly to newcomers, it can take a few deaths to understand the mechanics but it is worth mastering. 

5: Hitman

I hated 2012′s Hitman Absolution and I was quite convinced that another Hitman game would ever be the same. I was wrong. Hitman went back to the roots of the series. Huge levels that encourage experimentation and evolving challenges make this the best Hitman yet. Worth picking up at least the the first episode to embrace the chaos simulator that is Hitman.

4: Watch Dogs 2

It is rare that an open world game is able to get its hooks in me but WD2 got me good. The world is alive with tons of interactions (you can pets dogs!!) collectibles, side missions and technology to hack. Surprisingly well written and diverse characters lead a fun, pulpy plot through a beautiful (albeit abridged) San Francisco.

3: XCOM 2

A strategy rpg obsessed with numbers and overwhelming odds, XCOM 2 is not for the faint of heart. Every choice, be it on the battlefield or in base management, is a nerve wracking exercise in utilitarianism. One wrong decision can doom your game 8 hours later, leading to a frantic ‘where did I go wrong?’ frenzy. Unforgiving and highly addictive: I cannot stop playing despite knowing I will most likely never have a winning campaign.   

2: TitanFall 2

I bought TF2 for the multiplayer but ended up spending hours completing 100% of the single-player campaign. One of the best FPS campaigns I have played since Half-Life 2 and so wildly creative with its set-pieces I barely noticed I was on rails the entire time. Also: Its multiplayer is so good, I finally uninstalled BF4. Yeah, that good.

1: DOOM

Before release, this game was destined to be a failure. I mean, how could it capture the feel of old school DOOM and still be appealing to the modern shooter fan? It did it. It fucking did it. 

Fast, brutally beautiful and gracefully self-aware. DOOM is the best of the old refreshed with the new.  

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Developed by Epyx in 1989 for MS-DOS

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Zezhou Chen

via

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Ten great shots: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001, dir. John Cameron Mitchell).

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The Pillar of Hate.

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (1995)

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Meeting with a Warlord by Jakub Rozalski

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FLAWLESS KURANOSUKE THIS IS NOT A DRILL

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SUPERB, I tell you!

Prime Time Fighter / Top Ranking Stars, arcade.

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Alphonse Mucha (Czech, 1860-1939)

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I'm ready to leave the Solar System #iMissPluto