What were the hidden gems of 2016?

Spill it!

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There’s no shortage of discussion this week, civil or otherwise, about which games were the much-needed highlights of 2016. You’ve likely seen our staff-wide Game of the Year by now and a handful of other platform-specific picks. As we move into the new year, we’ve also begun posting our individual best-of lists that offer more of an opportunity to shine a light on cherished works like Kentucky Route Zero Act IV, VA-11 HALL-A, and even Keijo!!!!!!!! of all things (bless you, Josh).

But what about the lesser-known treasures? What about the games that slipped through the cracks?

With a holiday weekend looming, it’s a particularly slow news day in a particularly slow news month. A whole lot of good games are available at good prices thanks to year-end sales. And, personally speaking, I truly need a new late-night distraction to keep me safe from Stardew Valley‘s clutches.

So, let’s chat for a bit. What are some games that more people really should have paid attention to this year? I don’t have all the answers here, but I’m willing to bet we have a lot of ’em, collectively.

For my suggestion, I’m going to offer up something I just haven’t been able to shut up about lately, which is Overcooked. It’s the “too many cooks in the kitchen” idiom in video game form, it’s simultaneously the best/worst/most-heated local co-op experience I’ve had in years, and too few people are aware of its existence. (Also, I’d love to see a sequel and for that to make financial sense.)


[Screenshot by Steam user Killer]

If nothing else, Overcooked will teach you to cope with stress and thrive under pressure.

What’ve you got for us to consider? What should we be playing?


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Jordan Devore
Jordan is a founding member of Destructoid and poster of seemingly random pictures. They are anything but random.