1. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt ; The combination of solid open-world combat, unparalleled world design, and writing of a quality that has never been seen in a game of this magnitude much less any game combine to create what may dethrone Morrowind as my favorite game of all time.
2. Ori and the Blind Forest ; Without a doubt the most visually stunning game of the year, and almost certainly the best-looking 2D game in history. Fortunately it's every bit as much of a joy to play as it is to look at. It's a game that gives you endlessly compelling powers and wonderfully precise control and challenges you to take on what it can dish out.
3. Life is Strange ; An ultimately underdeveloped ending does not stop this game from accomplishing great things. It takes the formula Telltale has used to such great mainstream success, and goes somewhere worth visiting for a while.
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider ; This game was frequently jaw-dropping on XB1 which for all my anticipation was not something I was expecting. The fleshed-out areas to explore, raid, and hunt really made the reboot installment look like a warmup for Crystal Dynamics. On top of that, the plot was excellent and supported by some genuinely exceptional sidestories tied to collectibles that made exploring every tomb and valley worthwhile.
5. Halo 5: Guardians ; Probably my longest-running love affair with games is with this franchise, and I could not be happier that I'm playing the best game in the series in 2016. 343 found their voice with Halo 5 crafting a confident campaign with superb level design and a setup of the most interesting plotline in the franchise so far while introducing a cast of awesome new characters. This is all tied together by the biggest step up for the franchise's core gameplay in series history. I can't go back to the old games now. It just doesn't feel right, and multiplayer support is going to keep me playing until Halo 6 is in my hands.
6. Rocket League ; It's a damn fine video game. I loved playing shitty soccer with friends on Excitebike 64, and Rocket League fleshes that idea out beautifully. Just a good old fun game to go with all these entertainment media powerhouses.
7. Dying Light ; Ever since Modern Warfare 2 when I would haul ass around the map knifing people with the Commando perk I've loved parkour and enhanced movement in games. Dying Light does this so well while building on the things I loved about Dead Island. The story is laugh out loud stupid at times, but in an entertaining way and it's the gameplay you're here for which delivers in spades.
8. Smite ; I really couldn't get into any MOBA's on PC, but I started messing with Smite on XB1 over the Summer. Soon enough, my friends and I were having nightly sessions. It has its issues to be sure, but it is damn fun nonetheless. I love the layer of accessibility the use of gods familiar to most people adds to what is otherwise a daunting genre even for the initiated. Despite some technical issues, it is clearly a game that is receiving a lot of love from its developer and the community of fans. I'm hoping to dabble a bit more when Halo 5 isn't consuming my competitive multiplayer time.
9. Bloodborne ; It's a little bit different than Souls fans are accustomed to, and unfortunately a lot of the changes I found to be less than impressive. Fact is, these games are often more compelling than most other games at their lower points. The narrowing of focus to one combat style as well as some real shortcomings in the visual design department made From Software's latest effort not quite as memorable. It didn't live up to my expectations, but it turns out that still leaves it in good company on this list.
10. Metal Gear Solid V ; The Phantom Pain[/B]; It's a shocking game that does some amazing things with its gameplay and mechanics. Unfortunately, it was extremely disappointing as the last real hurrah for the series. Level design, game structure, storytelling, and other problems work against it. Regardless, the achievements in gameplay design cannot be ignored.