The most interesting games released in 2016

Arcade 05 July 2016

Energy Hook is a 3D arcade game developed by Happion Labs that takes place in an unspecified future. The titular Energy Hook is a mechanical device that looks like a glove and fires a beam of energy that sticks to the hit object like a rope. Initially used on construction sites, the device soon began to be used by the youth in crazy competitions of flying between skyscrapers. Participants would get points for speed, style, and acrobatics.

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Adventure 23 March 2016

A mystery adventure game from the visual novel genre, developed by small Polish developer team, MoaCube. It takes us to a fictional city in the middle of a desolate ice desert, cut off from the rest of the world. One day, the local archaeologist disappears. A pair of young people, a bored doctor on a contract and a young women who arrived with the last dog sled, decide to investigate the truth behind the event.

PC

Racing 21 September 2016

An arcade game based on dog sled racing, developed by a team consisting of two members. You play as a musher (a dog sled driver) and the game takes place on the slopes of a tall mountain with its own history, legends and secrets, which you can discover during the gameplay consisting mostly of participating in dog sled racing. The game is fully 2D, and your task consists mainly of throwing bone-shaped treats so that your dogs can catch them in mid-air.

PCANDiOS

Arcade 06 May 2016

An atmospheric platform game with logic elements, created by an independent French studio - Sundae Factory. The game is set in a dark and strange world, where you play as a mysterious character whose face is always hidden under a white mask. Players have to explore the game’s world and try to learn something about the protagonist's identity and the world itself. You visit three diverse areas encompassing 15 levels each.

PC

Adventure 15 February 2016

Downfall is a bloody horror adventure with a classic point & click interface. The player directs the actions of Joe Davis, who tries to find his lost wife in a hotel like a nightmare. Due to the dark subject matter and extremely brutal scenes, the game is addressed only to adult audiences.

PC

Strategy 18 May 2016

A simple real-time strategy by Polish studio Squatting Penguins. Plot of The Mims Beginning tells the story of the titular Mims, who traverse the galaxy in search of a new home. However, their ship gets damaged by an asteroid, so they are forced to seek refuge at nearby celestial bodies, each of which is distinguished by a different climate and terrain. Player's task is to help Mims in building and developing a colony under those difficult conditions.

PC

Action 28 July 2016

A cyberpunk online FPS game based on the popular Ghost in the Shell franchise, and more precisely, on the animated TV series Stand Alone Complex. This title was created by a Nexon company’s subsidiary who specialize in online games. The story is set in the year 2030 in New Ports, a fictional Japanese city. Most of the society has enhanced their bodies with implants or even exchanged their bodies for fully mechanical shells.

PC

RPG 20 July 2016

A web-based MMO role-playing game based on the popular manga universe created by Masashi Kishimoto. Naruto Online was developed jointly by Chinese studio More Fun and the CyberConnect 2 team, also known from the majority of the stand-alone games in the franchise. The game takes place in the world, where elements of the medieval Japan are combined with modern technology, and you play as ninja warriors, who represent selected villages from this universe.

WWW

Adventure 22 September 2016

An isometric adventure game that is a debut title of an independent studio VisionTrick Media. Pavilion is described as a fourth-person perspective game. This means that the player doesn’t have any direct control over the hero. Instead, the player assumes the role of the being that looks after the protagonist, influencing his movements through manipulation of environment and his senses. The story of Pavilion takes place in an oneiric world, which often surprises with its rules.

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Strategy 20 January 2016

An online RTS developed as the debut project from Blackbird Interactive, studio founded by former employees of Relic Entertainment - the creators of the cult Homeworld series. Originally, this game was entitled Hardware: Shipbreakers, however, the partnership with the current owner of the Homeworld franchise, the Gearbox Software company, resulted in changing the game’s title and its official inclusion as a part of the series.

PC

RPG 03 June 2016

Set in fantasy realities, an RPG modeled after the Japanese representatives of the genre. The production is based on a card game called Anima Beyond Fantasy, and its digital adaptation is developed by the creators of the original. The game tells a story of a young girl and her demon friend named Ergo. They belong to a mysterious organization Nathaniel, whose task is to protect people from evil powers.

PCXONEPS4Switch

Simulation 01 November 2016

A science-fiction tactical space simulator shooter. It is the debut title of Marauder Interactive – a studio founded by Mike Tipul, one of the designers of Halo: Reach. In the game, the player assumes the role of one of loyal commanders of dead Emperor, who is tasked with punishing the traitors which caused the monarch’s death. In order to do it, player takes control of a modern fighter jet, Executor Mk II, and commands the remains of the defeated fleet of the empire.

PC

Puzzle 25 July 2016

A mix of logic and stealth game developed by independent studio Blendo Games. The title recreates the life of a hacker as imagined by the cyberpunk literature of the 80s. During the game, the player assumes the role of a young, talented hacker who has neither ideals nor morals, offering his services to whoever pays more. Many corporations and criminal groups are eager to hire the protagonist, for example, to steal valuable date for them.

PC

Action 03 March 2016

A first-person shooter set in a science fiction setting, and the debut production from Iran Raspina Entertainment studio (previously known under the name of Tigra). Extraterrestrial Armies exploits themes from the history and traditions of Iran and is set in fictional world of future, in which the nations are at war over resources. Players take the role of a soldier representing one of the factions and takes part in spectacular battles.

PC

Arcade 08 November 2016

A Minecraft-inspired sandbox simulation game that emphasizes survival aspects. It was developed by the independent developer Pathea Games and tells the story of a group of colonists whose ship broke down while landing on an uncharted planet. Those who survived the crash have to keep fighting for survival in an unknown and hostile environment. The gameplay mechanics are typical to the genre and involve primarily exploration, gathering resources, constructing various items, vehicles, and weapons.

PC

Action 31 October 2016

A co-op-oriented action game created by an independent developer known as Massive Black. The plot here focuses on zombies invading one of American primary schools. The students decide to re-capture the building using the available weapons. The player's goal in Zombie Playground is to eliminate subsequent waves of zombies - not only strict cooperation (4 players at max) is required for success, however, but also being able to develop effective tactics and make the best of one's equipment.

PC

Arcade 29 June 2016

Inside is the second project of the independent Danish studio PlayDead, which became famous by creating the cult game Limbo. The game's development was partially funded by a grant from the Danish government. The story tells about a young boy who must stop the forces of evil that are trying to take over the world by experimenting on humans. The gameplay mechanics are similar to classic platformer games.

PCXONEPS4SwitchiOS

Action 17 May 2016

A sequel to a first-person shooter from KAOS Studios. As the game's former publisher, the THQ company, went bankrupt, it was developed by Crytek UK studio. The game continues the story of a fictional armed conflict between North Korea and USA. The game takes you to the streets of occupied Philadelphia, where you become a member of the resistance. Waging a campaign of guerilla warfare you have to stand up to the invaders and start a nation-wide revolution.

PCXONEPS4

Strategy 02 May 2016

An original science-fiction tactical strategy game, the first one developed by the independent studio Mercenary Games. FleetCOMM: Operation Vigrior takes place in the distant future, during humanity's colonization of exoplanetary systems. One day the humanity's fleet encounters an aggressive alien race, whose behavior resembles that of a deadly virus. The player is put in a role of the leader of the fleet, entrusted with the task of evacuating all the colonies from the eponymous Vigrior sector.

PC

Action 22 July 2016

An exploration game that eludes standard genre classification, developed by independent studio Chucklefish. Starbound combines elements of a 2D sandbox platformer and a strategy game. As you play, you explore and colonize other planets, provide for their inhabitants, construct useful items and vehicles, as well as fight hostile aliens. The game is set in a procedurally generated world,providing a great amount of freedom to the players.

PCXONE

Arcade 02 February 2016

A two-dimensional science fiction platformer filled with humor and action, created by an independent Swedish team Oxeye Games in cooperation with Minecraft's producers - Mojang AB. The game's main character is an expeditionary robot called Metalface MK1. The protagonist travels to a distant planet, Tunkopia, to find a colony ship that went missing.

PCXONEX360

Action 26 February 2016

An online FPS which is a spiritual successor to the 2002’s Command & Conquer: Renegade. The game was developed by Totem Arts, a studio established by the fans of the series, and its action is set in the popular C&C universe. The title offers a short single player campaign, but it focuses primarily on multiplayer competition.

PC

Action 23 September 2016

A multiplayer war game set in the World War II period and a debut production of Danish studio Reto-Moto. Heroes & Generals stands out from the competition with its three game modes, each being able to exist as a separate game. The first one is a classic FPS that emphasizes teamwork and realism on the battlefield. The second one is a browser MMO strategy, where the players command their troops, recruit new units, and launch military operations.

PC

Arcade 01 November 2016

A retro-inspired adventure-platform game developed by D-Pad Studios. The protagonist of Owlboy is Otus, an owl-boy from a flying village - Veille. One day, when the village is invaded by sky pirates, our protagonist embarks on a dangerous adventure that will be full of exploration of intriguing locations and battling increasingly difficult opponents.

PCXONEPS4SwitchX360

Adventure 05 April 2016

An unconventional action game developed by the American iNKstories studio, focused on The Iranian Revolution - the events of 1979 that led to the overthrow of the dictatorial regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in Iran. 1979 Revolution is set in an open-world environment, reminiscent of subsequent installments in the Grand Theft Auto series.

PCXONEPS4SwitchX360PS3ANDiOS

Adventure 24 March 2016

The third installment in a light-hearted adventure game series created by Czech developer Amanita Design, who also created such titles as Botanicula and Machinarium. Once again, you play as the little space gnome, who does not speak and communicates with the world solely by gestures and strange sounds. In terms of gameplay, Samorost 3 is a typical point-and-click adventure game that focuses on exploration of diversified locations and solving inventive logic puzzles.

PCANDiOS

Action 01 March 2016

A third-person action game with stealth elements, set in the Cold War period and created by Haggard Games (the title was previously intended as the third installment in the Death to Spies series). The game has you assume the role of a Russian agent, and at the same time a trained assassin. While cooperating with American CIA, he takes part in a series of espionage operations in different parts of the world (Europe, USA, Cuba).

PCXONEPS4

Adventure 25 February 2016

A point-and-click adventure game created by a German developer, Mosaic Mask Studio. The game combines the dark atmosphere of the 19-th century with comedy elements. The main character is called Talorel and is an angel candidate attending a stunt school located in the heavens. During one of his flights, he has an accident and falls to the ground near the eponymous town.

PC

RPG 25 February 2016

A dark fantasy action RPG. Grim Dawn was developed by Crate Entertainment, a studio established by the former employees of Iron Lore, the creators of Titan Quest. The action takes place in the dark world of Cairn where a war fought between two mighty powers has driven the mankind to almost total extinction. The few remaining survivors inhabit small enclaves. We assume the role of a hero who possesses supernatural abilities and uses them to save the remains of the old Cairn.

PCXONE

Action 18 March 2016

Network shooter made with the use of classic two-dimensional graphics. The action takes place in the futuristic city of HERZ, and players play one of the four solidly armed characters. The game resembles a combination of a platformer and a shooter. The authors took care of a large selection of missions for both single player and multi-player games.

PC

Racing 22 March 2016

Another installment in the series of racing games started in year 2003. For the past few years the franchise was developed by Nadeo Studio, the founders of the series, under the banner of Ubisoft. The general concepts of the gameplay are left unchanged and the objective is to complete wicked tracks, filled with various obstacles, ramps, barrels, and treacherous turns.

PCXONEPS4

RPG 29 November 2016

A JRPG with elements of third person shooter that came out as the next major installment in the bestselling Final Fantasy franchise. Final Fantasy XV was developed by Square Enix’s 1st Production Department, led by Tetsuya Nomura and Hajime Tabata. The game features some lore elements from the franchise’s sub-series Fabula Nova Crystallis. You play as prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, who tries to defend his city-state from the Niflheim Empire invasion.

XONEPS4

Adventure 06 December 2016

Third-person action adventure game created by the ex-members of Team Ico, led by Fumito Ueda. Previously, the studio had made their name known by giving us two of the most original and highest ranking titles ever to be released on PlayStation 2: Shadow of the Colossus and Ico. Their new game retains similar artwork style and equally unique atmosphere. You play as a young boy trying to escape the guards pursuing him.

PS4

Party 05 January 2016

A re-edition of the classic music game for PlayStation 2, one of the first productions of Harmonix, the creators of the Guitar Hero franchise, as well as the Rock Band and Dance Central series. It was developed thanks to a successful fund-raising campaign on Kickstarter. Amplitude combines typical music game features with elements of a 3D space shooter.

PS4PS3

Arcade 21 April 2016

Rogue Stormers, initially known as DieselStörmers or Ravensdale, is an action game that includes elements of a shooter and a platformer. It was developed by Black Forest Games. The story is set in a dieselpunk universe that combines fantasy elements with combustion engines, where a conflict of human knights and orcs takes place. The gameplay resembles a typical two-dimensional platformer that heavily emphasizes the combat, in which the players use weapons they create and modify themselves.

PCXONEPS4X360PS3

Puzzle 26 January 2016

A first-person adventure game with logic puzzles, developed by the creator of Braid – Jonathan Blow and his independent studio Number None. The game takes you to a large, mysterious island, whose all inhabitants vanished without a trace. Gameplay has you explore this vast world, solve logic puzzles, and search for clues that will help you solve the mysteries of this place. Game mechanics resemble the cult Myst series.

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