2016 has been a not-so-stellar year for lots of reasons, but oddly the opposite is true in the land of video gaming. With such AAA hits like Doom, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Fallout 4, Overwatch, Dark Souls 3, and many more we have a plethora of games to choose from that were made by large development studios.

But what about the little guy?

Those large dev team games usually cost an arm and a leg, and while visually impressive, can miss a lot on story or gameplay, so we turn to others for that, we turn to the independents.

Enter the Gungeon by Dodge Roll

The most enjoyable rogue-like this year or possibly of the last few, this crazy fusion of shoot’em ups and the random dungeon creation makes for a wonderful combination. With silly enemies (that are actually bullets), a high challenge rating, and looting and gun types to rival most first person shooters, this will keep you coming back for more.

Hyperlight Drifter by Heart Machine

A return to the old 16 bit aesthetic that’s so pleasing to the eye it could be considered art on its own, let alone a great game. With a very dark atmosphere that and emotional visuals that will both haunt your dreams and nourish the soul as your play through a medieval castle from what seems another dimension. A tough game to be sure, but it never lets you go with its gripping visuals and subtle story.

Darkest Dungeon by Red Hook Studios

Gothic looks that would rival Dark Souls, but with the gameplay of a turn based rogue-like. Not only does it give you the sense of dread and pure gory gothic horror with its visceral looks, but DD also makes you account for the mental health of all your heroes throughout their epic journey to fight the undead. It’s an homage to both the best of horror, and to old school turn based RPGs with some great modern visualization, so let’s hope that killing the undead isn’t too stressful for you.

Inside by Playdead

Few games can rival the dark atmosphere presented here, and it shines as an incredibly uneasy dreadful world.  Playing a lost boy just trying to survive but getting mixed up in some awful laboratory experiments gone terribly wrong just adds to the tension.  With near perfect graphics smoother than a babys behind you will forget your playing a video game, and instead just feel for the lost boy and want to cry every time you fail to save him. With so many games in a similar vein, this still stands out as the game to play from not just that genre, but many others.

Thumper by Drool

Many think that rhythm games are a thing of the past, and for the most part they would be right. However, Thumper seems to have never given up hope, and its brings the genre back in a big way. With graphics that will make you question where you are (especially in a VR headset) this rhythm attack game will push right to the limits of sanity with its great soundtrack, terrifying monsters, and fantastic gameplay.
Honorable mentions:
Owlboy by D-Pad Studio
Redout: Enhanced Edition by 34BigThings srl
SuperHot by SUPERHOTTEAM

Games to see in 2017:
 Yooka-Laylee by Playtonic Games