7 Titles That Could End Up Being Game Of The Year 2016

1) Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Uncharted 4 certainly had big shoes to fill after the success of Naughty Dog’s smash hit The Last of Us and given Uncharted’s reputation as PlayStation’s hallmark franchise, and boy did it not disappoint. The developers have once again outdone themselves, redefining what video games are capable of in regards to cinematic presentation and narrative, setting the benchmark even higher for the series and once again elevating Uncharted to king of its genre. Sure, Uncharted 4 follows a familiar beat to what we’ve come to expect from the series, but it’s easily the best game in the series, and we don’t often see that upswing in quality with other video game sequels.

Uncharted 4 really did raise the bar in every respect, with significantly improved gunplay and platforming controls, graphics that even exceeded our expectations, and a narrative that saw career high performances from its cast of voice actors. Tonally, it’s quite a change of pace from the more whimsical Indiana Jones style action of prior games, and while Uncharted 4 still had its fair share of those quintessential moments, it also felt like a much darker and grittier adventure that detailed a different side to its beloved characters. In combination with the game’s more expansive level design and clever new gameplay mechanics, Uncharted 4 felt innovative and modernized without compromising its signature identity.

The game really was a fitting end to Nathan Drake’s story. An instant classic, Uncharted 4 has already etched itself into PlayStation legend. Even at this early stage, who would bet against it being crowned Game of the Year?

For our full thoughts on the game, read our in-depth review.