Incredible Games Turning 10 This Summer: A Look Back at Some of 2016's Best

The summer months used to be a slow time on the video game calendar. As the weather warmed up, people were content to enjoy the great outdoors rather than spending their summers inside.

Over time, though, things started to change. It’s tough to say when, but the late 2000s and early 2010s are when it feels like major games started to release outside the holiday window and other parts of the year.

Eventually, the summer months became less about E3 and new game announcements and more about highly anticipated new games getting into the hands of players. 2016, in particular, was a strong year for summer gaming, as evidenced by these incredible games that turn ten this summer.

9 Starbound

An Out of This World Experience

There’s just something so satisfyingly cozy about Starbound, even after all these years.

First entering Early Access in 2013 before being fully released in the summer of 2016, Starbound tasks players with exploring procedurally generated worlds in order to repair their damaged ship.

Starbound does an excellent job of balancing the best of a cozy experience with enough engaging content to draw in those who otherwise aren't fans of the genre.

8 Monster Hunter Generations

A Decade of Being on the Trail

It's hard to envision a world where Monster Hunter isn't the mainstream success it is today. Before the release of Monster Hunter World, though, that was arguably the case, at least here in the States.

That's not to say that past Monster Hunter games are bad. Far from it, in fact, and Monster Hunter Generations is one of many great games in the franchise's backlog.

2016 truly was a wonderful summer for hunting monsters. If being outside hunting Pokémon wasn't your thing, Generations was an excellent substitute that did an awesome job continuing to improve on the franchise's core gameplay.

7 Forza Horizon 3

Let’s Put a Shrimp on the Barbie

After the success of Forza Horizon 2 proved that the spin-off series was here to stay, Forza Horizon 3 upped the game.

Taking place in Australia, Horizon 3 treats us to a wide variety of locales, environments, and biomes that are nothing short of awe-inspiring. Best of all, the game’s map is super accessible. Even if you somehow get lost, there are plenty of surprises waiting to be discovered.

There was so much to see and do in Forza Horizon 3 that, at times, it felt a little overwhelming. Thankfully, all of the content was so inviting that it was well worth the trip down under. Even when you consider subsequent releases in the series, Forza Horizon 3 is still one of the best racing games you can play today.

6 Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

The End of an Era

It's hard to believe that we're now a decade out from the conclusion of the Uncharted franchise.

Is Uncharted 4 perfect? No; the introduction of a long-lost brother threw in some plot holes and curveballs for the game's story. I also wouldn't blame you if you prefer Uncharted 2.

Having said that, there's just something about Uncharted 4 that's impressive. Its emotional story can't help but tug at your heartstrings. Combined with the same cinematic gameplay we already know and love, and there's no better way for Naughty Dog to say goodbye to Nathan Drake.

5 World of Warcraft: Legion

Somehow, Illidan Returned

There are those who put Legion, World of Warcraft’s sixth expansion, in the upper echelon of WoW releases.

It’s not hard to see why. Anytime you bring back the Burning Legion, you’re in for a good time. Yes, Legion has a lot of highs with its story content, but the gameplay absolutely backed it up. It's an undeniable fact, as proven by the recent success of Legion Remix.

The endgame saw the introduction of Mythic+, a steady slew of excellent raids, and the new demon hunter class. More importantly, there was a steady stream of incredible content updates, including Argus.

4 Overwatch

The Dawn of the Hero Shooter

It’s hard to believe that Overwatch launched a decade ago.

Say what you want about the current state of the franchise, but when Blizzard released their highly anticipated team-based hero shooter, it was a true game changer. Everything just worked so well together, with each hero bringing their own identity and toolkit to battle.

Overwatch was a juggernaut for a reason, and even though the first-person shooter landscape has changed, we’ll always have those magical moments in the 2010s.

3 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Toss a Coin

The first two games in The Witcher franchise were good and well-enough received, but didn't exactly light the world on fire. That all changed with The Witcher 3, though.

Everything comes together so well in The Witcher 3. The grand scope and scale of the prior entries are on full display here, so long-term fans will feel right at home. One big reason why The Witcher 3 was better received is the strength of everything the game has to offer. Side-quests, the characters, the writing, the open-world itself; it's all in a league of its own.

Releasing on the more powerful Xbox One and PS4 hardware surely helped as well, finally helping the game reach its true potential.

2 Inside

The Indie Darling

It took six years for Playdead to release their long-awaited follow-up to Limbo. It was well worth the wait.

On the surface, Inside is a stylish 2.5D puzzle platformer that excels at delivering the solid gameplay experience we were expecting. What takes things over the top, though, is its story and theming.

Indie games are often at the forefront of the industry when it comes to emotional storytelling, and Inside is no different. It's simple and open to interpretation, but Inside's narrative is relatable for so many different reasons. It's a game everyone needs to play at least once, and it's one of the best indie games of all time.

1 Pokémon Go

Wait, It's Seriously Been a Decade?!

No game has taken the world by storm like Pokémon Go. It managed to do the impossible: get gamers up off the couch and outside.

It didn't stop there; it had crossed over and found a mainstream audience. Everyone was out and about, visiting local landmarks, restaurants, tourist attractions, and everything in between to capture Pokémon, engage in gym battles, and hang out with friends.

Pokémon Go is more than just a video game. It was a social experience unlike any other, resulting in hundreds of people getting out and embarking on their very own Pokémon adventure.