The Best Console Exclusive of 2016

Honorable Mention: Ratchet & Clank

It’s award season here at Twinfinite! Starting with a few runner ups, let’s look back at the best console exclusive games from this year and our 2016 winner!

While Ratchet & Clank is no stranger to being among the most memorable exclusives on the PlayStation platform as a whole, not many expected a whole lot from the complete remaster of the original release. Everyone was in for quite the pleasant surprise, though, when the remaster turned out to be much more than just a simple change in resolution.

The game was rebuilt from the ground up with stunning visuals (which happen to be among the best this year), but tighter controls, new gameplay sections, and some new story bits to tie into the new movie really brought the whole experience together. What’s better is that this game could be enjoyed by any player of any age, which made it a standout among all the other major console exclusives of the year.

Insomniac definitely put their best foot forward in bringing their classic back to life for the current gen. If you own a PS4 and have somehow missed out on this gem, do yourself a favor and check it out. 

Honorable Mention: Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE had a long road to the Wii U after it was first revealed as the Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem crossover. When the game finally did release, it took an interesting approach to mixing up the two beloved properties. On the surface, you have a typical Shin Megami Tensei game set in and around Tokyo. A group of young heroes looking to make it big in the music industry find themselves fighting against supernatural forces trying to suck all the energy and life out of humanity.

The Fire Emblem component comes in the form of friendly Mirages which bring the series’ greatest heroes into the real world as they assist the young stars. Elements from each series’ combat are on display such as the weapon triangle of Fire Emblem, and the elements of Shin Megami Tensei. These made for a system that offers quite a bit of depth and strategy, while still being recognizable and manageable to fans.

Crossovers are always a tricky beast, so it’s great to see that Atlus did such a solid job with this Wii U exclusive. If you have a Wii U and are looking for something to play, there’s no reason to not give this one a try. 

Second Runner Up: Gears of War 4

Not many were sure what to expect from Gears of War 4. When it was first revealed during E3 2015, many fans still had some sour memories from Gears of War: Judgement and there was the fact that a new team, The Coalition, would be handling this major exclusive. Yet when it was finally released, all of the worries and fears were assuaged. What you had here was a fine title with tons of content that fans could easily get lost in.

Passing the torch to new heroes isn’t always easy, but by using JD Fenix, son of the previous saga’s lead protagonist, and a new band of friends, Gears of War 4 manages to re-instill that feeling of camaraderie and a unified goal of stopping some sick alien beast that would like nothing more than to devour your entire race. The same action that fans have come to know and love was on full display, and after a somewhat slow start, the story really picks up and you can sense dread around every corner.

The content outside of the main campaign is great too. Multiplayer is still as hectic as ever with its third person, cover-rushing action. And horde mode will have you mowing down DeeBees and Swarm enemies. Surviving 50 rounds isn’t a small task, but you’ll find yourself entrenched in long battles with up to three allies as you prove that humanity still has what it takes to survive.

The Coalition had a lot of weight on its shoulders handling one of Microsoft’s exclusive flagship franchises, but they delivered without breaking a sweat. It’s intense campaign and equally engaging multiplayer content should not be missed by anyone with a Xbox One. 

First Runner Up: Forza Horizon 3

The Forza franchise has dominated the console racing scene for years now thanks to a blend of arcade style gameplay that offers some much-needed depth for those looking for a challenge. Attention to detail and a focus on great driving have carried the core series to the forefront of the genre, and it was time for the spinoff Horizon series to be just as big. For the Xbox One exclusive Forza Horizon 3, the developers provided a larger world, more cars, and a level of control that fans had yet to see so far in the series. For the first time, the player was the boss of the festival and it led to one of the most dynamic racing games on the market, and easily the best Xbox One exclusive of the year.

Having full run of the festival meant creating your own races and challenges then seeing how they fare as you earn fans, money, cars, and fame. Growing your Horizon festival is the greatest feeling as it offers new types of terrain and more cars to take out on the open road. Also, that terrain would end up being one of the more interesting components of the game. Most racers allow you to choose between race types, offering different types of vehicles suited for each, but Forza Horzion 3 allowed you to blend them together, leading to difficult choices and crazy challenges. Want to have a race start on paved road before hitting the dirt and rocky pathways? Go ahead. You can even set it so any car can compete, testing once and for all what’s really the best machine on the road.

Forza Horizon 3 was a great surprise that anyone with the slightest interest in open worlds and vehicles should check out. If you like to drive fast and show off, this is the game for you. 

Winner: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Nathan Drake has been the poster boy for blockbuster PlayStation exclusives for some time now. The first time players got to take control of the charming adventurer as he set out to find the legendary El Dorado, it just clicked. He was quick witted, careless, was clearly born with a rabbit’s foot somewhere within his body, and knew how to take players along for insane rides. But time moves ever forward, and there was no way that wouldn’t come back around. It’s that use of time and an adventurer that has spent a life avoiding death that grounds Uncharted 4. It is a masterpiece that is not only one of the best exclusive games on the PS4 to date, but easily one of the best games we’ve seen in quite some time.

That charming, careless Nathan Drake is older, wiser, and scarred by the years of adventuring he devoted his life to. But a life of boredom is not a life for him, and when his long-lost brother comes out of nowhere, things become interesting. How does a man choose between his new family and his brother, a life of peace and one that almost killed him? Naughty Dog managed to make A Thief’s End about more than just one last ride, it was the culmination of everything we’ve been through with Nate and his friends. The weight of a life well lived and the pressure of trying to decide what’s right brought a more mature, less brash adventure to the experience, and it was absolutely beautiful.

What the developers managed to do with the characters and action that millions of fans have come to know and love is nothing short of special. Nate was the same, but yet still somehow different. His heart cried for adventure but you could see in his incredibly detailed eyes that this was a man growing tired. It was time for his end in one way or another, and we wouldn’t have wanted to see it any other way. Those with a PS4 have no reason not to check out what is our favorite exclusive console release of 2016.

Congratulations to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, the winner of our Best Console Exclusive Game category for 2016! Be sure to visit back this week more award announcements including the big one, our game of the year for 2016! For the full list of award categories for 2016, visit our nomination page here.