The 50 best video games of 2021

That moment of the year has come when we have to look back to see what 2016 has left us in terms of video games. We have witnessed many releases and excellent quality, both in terms of large productions and in the field of the indies.

For that reason, and following our tradition, we have made our own great games ranking. Or what is the same: here you have a list with the 50 best video games of 2016 according to the team that makes up VidaExtra.

I will quickly explain how we have done it. We put together a spreadsheet in which we have entered about a hundred games released this year so that each publisher could then assign a grade from 0 to 10 to each of them. We calculated the average score of each video game, took the first 50 in order, and then spent a few hours debating the result.

We wanted the list to reflect the tastes of each of the publishers that make up VidaExtra, so beyond the note that each one has wanted to assign to the games, we have been talking at length about it until we are convinced. Logically, all the editors would have liked to see a game a little higher or lower in a specific way, but in general, we are all happy with the result.

The list is ours, and we have done with it what we wanted, in short. And pay attention because this week, we will open a form to vote for your favorite titles, as every year.

At the moment, here you have the top with the 50 best video games of the year according to the VidaExtra team, and in the comments, you can tell us what you agree on and what you don’t. Let’s go there!

50. Star Fox Zero

• Studio: Nintendo / Platinum Games
• Company: Nintendo
• Platforms: Wii U

Adapting the formula to ‘Star Fox’ Nintendo’s desktop dual-screen system has taken time. Still, with a couple of barrel rolls and an exciting bonus in the form of a separate game called ‘Star Fox Guard,’ the latest adventure of Fox McCloud and his troupe manages to enter our ranking in extremis.

49. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare

• Studio: Infinity Ward
• Company: Activision Blizzard
• Plataformas : PC, PS4, Xbox One

Putting ourselves to fight against Jon Snow himself -or rather against the actor who plays him- in battles throughout the Milky Way has not been enough for Activision to regain the prominence of its prolific saga of first-person shooters with ‘ CoD: Infinite Warfare.’ Of course, its Zombies mode and the remastered version of the essential ‘Modern Warfare’ shine again with their light.

48. Far Cry Primal

• Studio: Ubisoft Montreal
• Company: Ubisoft
• Platforms: PC, PS4, and Xbox One

Ubisoft Montreal went off on a tangent for the new installment of the ‘Far Cry’ saga: we knew that fauna had an essential role in the series since the last installments, but getting to tame prehistoric beasts is a breath of air fresh to the series in a year in which the French company has struggled to reinvent its licenses.

47. Pokkén Tournament

• Studio : Bandai Namco Studios
• Company: The Pokémon Company
• Platforms: Wii U

Pikachu and company continue their confrontations, and this time they put aside the rules of turn-based RPGs to make the direct leap to the fighting genre with ‘Pokkén Tournament.’ It may sound like a risky move by Nintendo. Still, suppose it is from the hand of the same team responsible for the ‘Tekken’ series and with Katsuhiro Harada at the helm. In that case, the proposal becomes forceful, competitive, and entertaining in equal parts.

46. ​​Abzû

• Estudio: Giant Squid
• Company: 505 Games
• Platforms: PC, PS4

2016 has been a year where the indies have stood out significantly, and it is not surprising that their best representatives are very well distributed in our list. Of course, the shadow of ‘Journey’ is elongated, which has taken its toll on the position of ‘Abzû,’ although not enough for us to forget about this precious underwater journey.

45. World of Warcraft: Legion

• Studio: Blizzard Entertainment
• Company: Activision Blizzard
• Platforms: PC

The deployment of Blizzard on the occasion of its 25th anniversary has been remarkable, and the fact that we have seen its leap to the big screen or the arrival of new and successful IPs is not synonymous with the fact that it has forgotten its extraordinary legacy and less with its goose that lays golden eggs. ‘World of Warcraft: Legion’ is not only a great batch of content for the reference MMORPG, but it also offers the perfect excuse to return to Azeroth.

44. FIFA 17

• Studio: EA Sports
• Company: Electronic Arts
• Plataformas : PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 y Xbox One

At this stage of the game, it is difficult to surprise in the sports genre and the fact that the sanbenito of being simple renewals of templates may be justified to a greater or lesser extent. However, EA Sports has managed to take a step forward with ‘FIFA 17’. The secret? A change to the game engine, an ambitious story mode, and the entrance through the main door to eSports, among other novelties.

43. Pokémon GO

• Studio: Niantic
• Company: Niantic
• Platforms: iOS, Android

Niantic has turned half the planet into Pokémon trainers, bringing Nintendo’s pocket monster fever to a climax last summer through one of the most successful apps ever. It may not currently handle the same traffic and user figures, but definitely ‘Pokémon GO’ has been one of the great protagonists of 2016.

42. Street Fighter V

• Studio: Capcom
• Company: Capcom
• Platforms: PS4 and PC

‘Street Fighter V’ did not arrive in the expected conditions: 16 selectable exit characters, a story mode that would take almost half a year to come, and an Arcade that we are still waiting for. If Capcom had chosen another policy for its launch on PS4 and PC, we would be facing an accurate benchmark of the genre, but these decisions would have cost it many positions. Will he achieve redemption with the second batch of fighters?

41. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros.

• Studio: Alpha Dream
• Company: Nintendo
• Platforms: 3DS

If the saga ‘Mario & Luigi’ has established itself as one of the funniest and most carefree series in terms of RPGs, it is for something. But if we add to the equation the twists, tricks, and surprises of the ‘Paper Mario’ series, we get aaroundbet and one of the most enjoyable titles in the current Nintendo 3DS catalog.

40. No Man’s Sky

• Studio: Hello Games
• Company: Hello Games
• Platforms: PS4, PC

Trillions of planets and species have not been enough for the Hello Games proposal to unanimously convince critics and players, although it is a strong bet for a study made up of 15 people. What is clear is that, although ‘No Man’s Sky’ has not been the experience that all users wanted, it has had a significant impact within the independent scene.

39. World of Final Fantasy

• Studio: Square Enix
• Company: Square Enix
• Platforms: PS4 and Vita

This year Square Enix has put all the meat on the grill, giving the last section an absolute prominence to the fifteenth installment of ‘Final Fantasy. Of course, before we could see how many of the greatest personalities of the saga, such as Cloud or Squall, met with a unique aspect through ‘World of Final Fantasy, an original adventure that mixes classic elements with some touches of ‘Pokémon’ and that will delight the fans of the series.

38. Ratchet & Clank

• Studio: Insomniac Games
• Company: Sony
• Platforms: PS4

It is not usual that we have at our disposal a platform game capable of sneaking into the best of the year. Being an entirely forgotten genre, it is inevitable to stop and enjoy this as it deserves, ‘Ratchet & Clank’, which, despite having the remake’s sanbenito, could well be an entirely new game due to the significant change it has made.

37. Yo-Kai Watch

• Studio: Level-5
• Company: Nintendo
• Platforms: 3DS

It seems complicated to stand up to a giant like ‘Pokémon.’ Still, Nintendo has in its hands the possibility of approaching the success of Pikachu based on ghosts from Japanese mythology. In addition to a mind-blowing commercial stunt, ‘Yo-Kai Watch’ is much more than just a merchandising factory; it’s a massive game with wildly fun battles that young and old alike can enjoy.

36. Hyper Light Drifter

• Studio: Heart Machine
• Company: Heart Machine
• Plataformas: PC, PS4, Xbox One

Its creators get fully into the list of studies to consider for the future, creating a vast and tremendously rich universe based on mixing games like ‘The Legend of Zelda,’ ‘Diablo’ or ‘Fez.’ ‘Hyper Light Drifter’ is an ode to ’90s titles passed through the filter of what the technique can do today.

35. Battlefield 1

• Studio: DICE
• Company: EA
• Plataformas: PC, PS4, Xbox One

‘Battlefield 1’ does not invent the wheel, and it does not manage to become the experience for a user that we fall in love with most of all those living in 2016. However, its multiplayer is still an absolute delight to which it is inevitable to put an insane amount of hours. A more and better manual to which, in addition, the return to the classic battles feels excellent.

34. The Division

• Studio: Ubisoft Massive
• Company: Ubisoft
• Plataformas: PC, PS4, Xbox One

Although ‘The Division’ did not start by showing the best possible face, since its inception, it marked a great style that Ubisoft’s roadmap has been in charge of improving little by little. As with ‘Destiny,’ the game that we have available today is a real gem that, based on being polished and expanded, becomes an entirely recommendable experience.

33. Quantum Break

• Studio: Remedy Entertainment
• Company: Microsoft Studios
• Plataformas: PC, Xbox One

Microsoft’s efforts to sell us the experience of joining a series and a video game have been enormous, sometimes even forgetting that selling the game was already more than enough for us to want to sink our teeth into ‘Quantum Break.’ The plot was already an absolute joy without stopping to see how far the experiment went. Remedy’s gameplay and good work when it came to putting us at the controls are the icings on a cake as innovative as it is attractive.

32. Gears of War 4

• Study: The Coalition
• Company: Microsoft Studios
• Plataformas: PC, Xbox One

The loss of Bleszinski’s team is irretrievably noticeable, but that does not make ‘Gears of War 4’ a minor title, but a different one. By delving into the relationship between his characters, he reaches a different maturity that feels like a fable and, with shootout after shootout, reminds us that if he was ever the king of shooters, it is because he wants to because he can.

31. NBA 2K17

• Studio: Visual Concepts
• Company: 2K Sports
• Plataformas: PC, PS4, Xbox One

2K Games has a fantastic franchise in ‘NBA 2K17’ capable of sweeping any rival that gets ahead. But not only does it do so by creating a good sports game and endowing it with excellent graphics, but it also offers a tremendous variety of game modes and possibilities that would put more than a triple-A to shame in some depth.

30. Oxenfree

• Studio: Night School Studio
• Company: Night School Studio
• Plataformas: PC, Xbox One

It’s been a tremendous year for adventure fans, and Night School studios are, without a doubt, one of the best. With ‘Oxenfree,’ we move to a supernatural story in which characters and secrets invite us to continue getting deeper and deeper into a memorable and essential thriller. The only downside is that English can spoil the experience for some.

29. Watch Dogs 2

• Studio: Ubisoft Montreal
• Company: Ubisoft
• Plataformas: PC, PS4, Xbox One

If someone was left wanting more after beating the first installment or believed that the game’s idea was not well enough exploited, ‘Watch Dogs 2’ is without a doubt the answer to your pleas. One of the funniest sandboxes of the year and a challenging stealth action game.

28. Tyranny

• Studio: Obsidian Entertainment
• Company: Paradox Interactive
• Platforms: PC

Some ideas inevitably enter through the eyes, and being a tyrant is one of them. In ‘Tyranny,’ we face the curious challenge of embodying one of the soldiers of the Lord of Evil and, with his control in our hands, we will have to overcome this RPG in which our objective will be to become chaos personified. It is essential to get closer to him sooner rather than later.

27. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2

• Studio: Popcap Games
• Company: EA
• Plataformas: PC, PS4, Xbox One

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 ‘ takes the fantastic formula of the first and twists it by adding new playable options, more characters, and the possibility of playing a most epic campaign mode. Best of all, as usual, is that light-hearted multiplayer whose front door is easy and accessible but hides enormous depth for a simplistic game.

26. Severed

• Studio : DrinkBox Studios
• Company: DrinkBox Studios
• Plataformas: Wii U, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, iOS

A twist on the dungeon-crawlers in which the fighting will be more typical of a ‘Fruit Ninja’ than a classic RPG that is the great asset of ‘Severed’ and, in turn, the central claim of a game in which the originality of his fights and the number of secrets he has in store for us are more than enough to launch us headlong for him.

25. Stardew Valley

• Studio: ConcernedApe
• Company: Chucklefish Games
• Platforms: PC

Starting with the second half of the list, we have ‘ Stardew Valley, a game in which we will have to take care of and improve our farm as much as possible. However, the task is not easy since you will have to cultivate, water, fish, cook, and do other jobs that can be carried out more quickly and efficiently by leveling up and improving statistics. In addition, you can also interact with other characters and even get to marry one of them.

24. Owlboy

• Studio: D-Pad Studio
• Company: D-Pad Studio
• Plataformas : PC, Xbox One

In this top 50, several titles have a development that has lasted about a decade, and ‘ Owlboy, ‘despite not having a millionaire production behind, is one of them. However, it is one of those games that forgive what has been slow to arrive due to the experience that makes us live, with an excellent 2D action platform that bets on pixel art and in which the protagonist is an owl-boy with some special abilities.

23. Superhot

• Studio: SUPERHOT Team
• Company : SUPERHOT Team
• Plataformas : Linux, Mac, PC, Xbox One

‘ Superhot ‘ is another of the significant proposals that have surprised us the most this year. The first-person shooter has a simple appearance at first glance but is tremendously entertaining and challenging. Especially when it comes to checking that time will only move when we do so, so every move and blow will have to be thought through to get out alive.

22. Unravel

• Studio: Coldwood
• Company: Electronic Arts
• Plataformas : PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Can a wool doll be charming? Of course. And not only that, but he is the protagonist of a magical adventure. ‘ Unravel ‘ will put us in the shoes of Yarni; he is a character formed by woolen threads from which he will not separate at any time and that he will use to jump across platforms, push objects and solve puzzles some more complicated than others.

21. Pony Island

• Studio: Daniel Mullins Games
• Company: Daniel Mullins Games
• Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC

2016 has already seen that it has left us with indies that are difficult to forget, and ‘ Pony Island ‘ is no exception. Perhaps it is because of its graphics or mechanics, but the truth is that few titles resemble this one in which players will control ponies, yes, but inside some demonic arcade machines that are damaged and will have to be hacked to fix them.

20. XCOM 2

• Studio: Firaxis Games
• Company: 2K Games
• Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC, PlayStation, Xbox One

In ‘ XCOM 2 ‘, 20 years have passed since what happened in the first part, but peace does not last forever, and the aliens have returned to Earth to conquer it with armies more potent than ever. Humanity will not sit idly by with its soldiers, and again players will have to demonstrate their skill in the field of strategy to restore peace, something that will be challenging and entertaining.

19. Candle

• Studio: Teku Studios
• Company: Daedalic Entertainment
• Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC

The Spanish studio Teku Studios pleasantly surprises us with this title with a characteristic artistic section made entirely by hand. ‘ Candle ‘ puts us in the shoes of a character equipped with a candle in which we will have to solve all kinds of puzzles in which platforms and adventure are combined.

18. Fire Emblem Fates

• Estudio: Intelligent Systems
• Company: Nintendo
• Platforms: Nintendo 3DS

‘ Race ‘, ‘ Conquest ‘ or ‘ Revelation ‘. Each player will choose which story they want to complete, with different campaigns, characters, missions, etc., with the strategy genre at the forefront. However, not all of them are aimed at the same audience since the first is designed for everyone. In contrast, the second is for the most veteran due to its difficulty, and the third is a combination of the other two titles with all the news including.

17. Pokémon Sun and Moon

• Estudio: Game Freak
• Company: The Pokémon Company
• Platforms: Nintendo 3DS

The Alola region awaits coaches from all over the world. The new editions of ‘Pokémon’ have broken all kinds of sales records, and it is no wonder. In addition to the new creatures to capture, a multitude of new features are added, such as the Battle Royale mode or the Poké Mounts, which make this pair of installments one of the most complete that has been developed and with which players will indeed spend dozens of hours until finished.

16. Forza Horizon 3

• Studio: Playground Games
• Company: Microsoft Studios
• Plataformas : PC, Xbox One

There are well-known driving sagas that make us live great moments, and that of ‘ Forza Horizon ‘ is usually a safe bet in this regard. The long list of vehicles that can be driven is open-world circuits set in Australia with impressive visuals. One of the best console exclusives that are available on Xbox One.

15. Total War: Warhammer

• Estudio: Creative Assembly
• Company: SEGA
• Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC

Creative Assembly is one of the most expert companies in the field of strategy video games. He has shown it on many occasions with the ‘Total War’ franchise, and again he has achieved it by setting the series in the world of ‘ Warhammer. ‘ Orcs, dwarves, humans, vampires, and many other races will fight each other with their best armies in wars that will change the destiny of the Old World.

14. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

• Studio : Eidos Montreal
• Company: Square Enix
• Platforms : Linux, Mac, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Adam Jensen returns with ‘ Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, ‘a continuation set two years after the events of ‘ Deus Ex: Human Revolution, ‘which places us in a science fiction future in the year 2029. The original essence remains, allowing players if they want to advance stealthily or devastate everything, although yes, the decisions made at all times will change the course of history. If you liked its predecessor, this sequel would not disappoint you.

13. Final Fantasy XV

• Estudio: Square Enix Business Division 2
• Company: Square Enix
• Platforms : PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Ten years is the amount of time it has taken Square Enix to develop ‘ Final Fantasy XV; ‘a waits, that has been worth it. The journey that the game offers us through the world of Eos in the company of Noctis and his allies is undoubtedly the best we have seen this year. This delivery bets on a more direct action instead of the usual turn-based mechanics do not mean that it is worse but simply different, and of course, an unforgettable experience.

12. Overwatch

• Studio: Blizzard Entertainment
• Company: Blizzard Entertainment
• Plataformas : PC, PS4, Xbox One

‘Overwatch,’ the first FPS developed by Blizzard, has been a pleasant surprise. Focused solely on multiplayer, the title is one of those that hook like few others and can offer many hours of fun and piques of all kinds.

11. Dark Souls III

• Studio: FromSoftware
• Company: Bandai Namco
• Plataformas : PC, PS4, Xbox One

‘Dark Souls III’ is FromSoftware doing what it does best. It is a complex game that is very demanding on the player, but it also knows how to reward those who take the time to understand its ins and outs and play well.

10. Doom

• Studio: id Software
• Company: Bethesda Softworks
• Plataformas : PC, PS4, Xbox One

The return of ‘Doom’ in 2016, one of the great classics of video games, has been everything we expected and more. The campaign is devastating, one of the wildest and most fun is seen in years, and its multiplayer offers all the hours of brutality and entertainment that one wants.

9. Paper Mario: Color Splash

• Estudio: Intelligent Systems
• Company: Nintendo
• Platforms: Wii U

Let no one be fooled by the colorful and carefree tone that gives off ‘Paper Mario: Color Splash’, since behind that image hides an extensive and fun action and adventure title that is postulated, at least for us, as the best game that has received the Wii U this year.

8. Firewatch

• Studio: Campo Santo
• Company : Panic, Campo Santo
• Plataformas : PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One

‘Firewatch’ is the perfect example of an independent video game capable of putting a good handful of big-budget titles on the ropes. Its gameplay, story, and, above all, the narrative and those wonderful interpretations have earned it in the top 10 of our list.

7. Titanfall 2

• Estudio: Respawn Entertainment
• Company: Electronic Arts
• Plataformas : PC, PS4, Xbox One

What Respawn has achieved with the story mode of ‘Titanfall 2’ is impressive: it eats practically any other FPS that has stood in its way this year. And if that weren’t enough, multiplayer is still a natural sink for hours. Great play.

6. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

• Estudio: Naughty Dog
• Company: Sony Computer Entertainment
• Platforms: PS4

What are we going to say about ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End by now that we haven’t already said? Naughty Dog has shown that it is still in top form and has given us one of the recent best action and adventure games.

5. Civilization VI

• Studio: Firaxis Games
• Company: 2K Games
• Platforms: PC, Mac

This 2016 has also been a good year for fans of strategy, and in this same top, there are several outstanding exponents, but ‘Civilization VI’ is the one that has managed to climb the most positions. If you don’t know what to spend hours and more hours in front of the computer, this is one of the best options.

4. Dishonored 2

• Studio : Arkane Studios
• Company: Bethesda Softworks
• Plataformas : PC, PS4, Xbox One

Arkane Studios surprised us all with ‘Dishonored,’ a first-person stealth action title that turned out to be a marvel, and luckily for everyone, it has repeated with ‘Dishonored 2’. A great game that will mark a before and after in terms of level design. Give it a try if you haven’t already.

3. The Witness

And we entered the top 3 of our list. After marveling at ‘Braid,’ Jonathan Blow is back this year to bring us a truly unique puzzle game. From its artistic design to its mechanics, ‘The Witness’ is one of those games that grabs you and offers an experience as refreshing as it is challenging.

• Studio : Thekla, Inc.
• Company : Thekla, Inc.
• Plataformas : PC, PS4, Xbox One

2. Inside

‘Inside’ is without any doubt the best independent game of 2016 for those of us who make up the VidaExtra team. So much so that it occupies the more than deserved second place in our particular top 50, above a good handful of AAA games.

‘Inside’ is a jewel both on an artistic and visual level, to which we must add some excellent and creative mechanics and one of the best endings that we have had the opportunity to experience. The future of Playdead couldn’t look better.

• Studio : Playdead
• Company : Playdead
• Plataformas : PC, PS4, Xbox One

1. The Last Guardian

And here you have our brand new number one: ‘The Last Guardian.’ new work Fumito Ueda’s is a special and unique title for many reasons. Among them, it is worth highlighting what the studio has achieved when creating Trico: never before have we seen such a realistic representation of a living being. The beast has artificial intelligence that should be the reference for any developer who wants to enter this field.

On the other hand, there is also the great and unforgettable representation of the bond of friendship between two protagonists who could not be more different from each other, a child and a gigantic and winged being, which reaches levels never seen before in any other video game.

For all this and much more, and with the courage to carry out a unique and different project from the current in the industry, ‘The Last Guardian’ is our game of the year.

• Estudio : genDESIGN, SIE Japan Studio
• Company: Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Platforms: PS4