Video games were a blessed escape during the darker moments of 2016.

The Secret Confessions (2025) Week 7 Highlights 40best of them helped us step away from the daily trials that this garbage year delivered. Not all of them have happy stories -- or even happy endings -- but they provided a much-needed break from reality.

More than that, the blockbuster games of 2016 seemed to grow up. It was encouraging, for example, to see so many stories focused on non-white faces. Some, such as Lincoln Clay's racially charged journey through Mafia III, were there to make a statement; others, like the multi-ethnic cast in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, trumpeted diversity by simply not drawing attention to it.

We only list 10 titles here as our picks for the best video games of the year, but really, every fan of games won in 2016. This was a hard list to create, but here are some of our favorites.

10. Pokémon Go

Pokémon Gohas a lot of issues with accessibility, progression, update timeliness, and overall design, but the one thing that makes it appealing -- catching Pokémon -- works so well. It's more than a game at this point; it's a cultural sensation.

Whether or not developer Niantic can keep players interested in the long-term is a question for 2017; for now, Pokémon Go's widespread popularity is reason enough to number it among the best games of 2016.

9. Severed

Severedwas first released back in April for PlayStation Vita, Sony's oft-forgotten portable gaming machine. But DrinkBox Studios' inventive and artful game -- which plays like a cross between Infinity Bladeand the old Wizardryseries -- really found its true home in September, when it came to iOS devices.

The game's gorgeous art design is a thing to behold, but it's the challenging-yet-fair swipe-based combat that keeps us coming back for more.

8. Doom

Doomis back, baby. It's great when games have something to say, but sometimes you just want to sit down, lean back, and shove a shotgun barrel down some gnarly demon's throat. Doom delivers. It channels the fast-paced, always-moving-never-stopping action of the past games but marries that with a handful of fresh mechanics and an updated arsenal.

Few games make it more fun to mow down armies of demons while heavy metal music blasts in your ears. That's the Doomof 2016.

7. Eagle Flight

We singled out Ubisoft's Eagle Flightas the best virtual reality game to date when it launched in mid-October. Even with Oculus Touch out now and opening up new VR experiences for early adopters, our feelings toward the game still hold true.

Built much like any other Ubisoft open world adventure -- with scads of collectibles and optional distractions that give you more to do than just chase a story -- Eagle Flightlets you soar through the skies of a post-apocalyptic Paris as seen through an eagle's eyes. It's an exhilarating experience, and one of VR's best when it comes to nailing that ever-elusive sensation of "presence."

6. Battlefield 1

It was easy to be cynical about the Battlefieldseries ditching modern theaters of war in favor of a World War I setting -- the series' first foray into that period of history. Low-tech times mean low-tech weaponry. In other words: fewer toys to play with.

Battlefield 1thumbs its nose at that idea. The expertly crafted shooter is developer DICE's best effort in the series since the widely adored Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Games might not be able to replicate actual war, but this one puts you at the center of your very own epic war movie.

5. Inside

It's difficult to discuss why Insideis so great without spoiling the entire game. Let's just put it this way: it's all about that third act.

The sophomore effort from Limbo developer Playdead re-imagines tales like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrialand Gooniesas chilling sci-fi horror yarns. You play through this side-scrolling puzzle game as a young, curious child who breaks into a research facility where some troubling experiments are underway.

That's all we'll say. Go play Inside. In one sitting, if you can handle it.

4. Dishonored 2

Arkane Studios has done it again. Dishonoredintroduced us to a steampunk -- ok, technically it's "whale oil-punk" -- world modeled after London of the industrial era. The sequel shifts that setting to a new city, and with that comes new murder sandboxes to play in.

The beauty of Dishonored 2is the way it defies description. You can play it for out-loud action or quiet stealth -- or even a mix of the two -- and the world adjusts accordingly. It's also one of the most enjoyable worlds to explore in video games, thanks largely to some stellar writing that adds to the narrative texture on every level.

3. Watch Dogs 2

Ubisoft has always had a talent for nailing the second act. The publisher's Assassin's Creed series started out in 2007 with a dull stealth-action adventure that was driven by great ideas. Then Assassin's Creed IIcame along in 2009, roping the original's best bits into a much more refined framework.

The same goes for Watch Dogs, which launched in 2014 with a lifeless protagonist and dull story weighing down the game's golden central concept of putting you in the shoes of a super-hacker. Watch Dogs 2tethers its story to a more likable hero and a satire-fueled fight against the establishment in modern-day San Francisco.

It's a delight from beginning to end, and a positive sign for more good things to come from this promising new series.

2. Hitman

No one was really sure what to expect when publisher Square Enix announced its plan to release Hitman-- a sandbox-y action/stealth game -- as an episodic series. It was a big gamble, but it paid off.

The episodic format not only gave players the time between releases to really master each location; it also ensured that Hitmanwas part of the 2016 conversation far longer than most other games. Thank the masterful level design, the inventive Escalation contracts and the limited time Elusive Target scenarios. Thank developer IO Interactive. Hitman is back.

1. Overwatch

How is this game so good?

Overwatchis a small game in terms of content. As of Dec. 2016, there are just 15 maps, 23 heroes and a small handful of game modes and options. The only unlocks in the game are cosmetic enhancements. Everyone plays on an even footing, at all times. And yet.

The game's seemingly slim offering of content is an illusion; in truth, mastering even one of the 23 heroes is a commitment on its own, and the game is designed to actively encourage experimentation. And thanks to developer Blizzard Entertainment's trademark focus on game balance, experimentation is a real joy.

Esports growth has helped to propel Overwatch's early success, but it's a fun game for just about anyone to pick up and play. Even if you're the sort that finds competitive first-person shooters daunting, this one is worth a look.