Welcome to the Critically Sane monthly Power Rankings for February 2016. As always the list is based on a mix of our opinions of what we’ve played this year (not much yet) as well as conjecture on what we think is going to be awesome in the months to come. The six of us each submit a list of 10 titles which are given a point total in reverse order (so 1st place gets 10 points, while 10th gets one), and then the totals are combined to come up with this monthly list. Last month’s rankings.
9t. Firewatch (12 points, new) – Firewatch is an incredible first-person narrative experience about a man who takes a job in the Wyoming wilderness to escape his problems. His sole human interaction happens via two-way radio with his supervisor, and their conversations keep the loneliness and isolation at bay. But as the days give way to months, fear and paranoia creep in, and Henry begins to believe that someone may be watching him out there in the mountains. Your enjoyment of Firewatch will depend on how much the story grips you, and how satisfying you find the outcome. Some of us loved it, others didn’t. ~Jeff
9t. The Witness (12 points, new) – This brilliant puzzle game takes place across a gorgeous open world that is a puzzle unto itself. The Witness had people drawing on graph paper, cutting out puzzle pieces, and generally going insane as their brains melted for a good chunk of January and February, but will it be enough to be remembered at the end of 2016? ~Jeff
9t. Horizon: Zero Dawn (12 points, no change) – It’s a game where you play a bad-ass that hunts Dinobots. Yet somehow we all forgot it was on the list and none of us wrote a blurb for it… ~Chris
9t. The Legend of Zelda (12 points, no change, 1 first place vote) – Legend of Zelda Wii U – If it releases in 2016, the new Legend of Zelda will be the first new console Zelda in five years. The only reason it isn’t higher on this list is because Jeff is the only real gamer at Critically Sane. Or is he the only Nintendo fanboy? I prefer the former. I mean, this is Zelda, folks. ~Jeff (Twilight Princess sucked ass. Just like Jeff’s opinion. ~Tony)
8. Doom (13 points, no change) – Remember when first-person shooters were fun and had meaty single player campaigns? Doom remembers. And the recently revealed May release feels like a perfect spot for Doom to tide us over into the summer months. ~Don
7. Gears of War 4 (16 points, no change) – Gears is Microsoft’s second biggest franchise and it, more than Halo, defined the 360 generation for many. Can new series developer, The Coalition, right the wrongs of the last game in the series? We’re betting they can. ~Chris
5. XCOM 2 (17 points, +1 position change) – It’s real, and it’s spectacular. There are some graphic issues at launch, so I’m playing on low settings, but the game still plays awesome, and the game offers everything you could want from an X-COM sequel. Never has watching your friends battle aliens been so fun. ~Tony
5. Ratchet & Clank (17 points, no change) – I’m not sure we needed a reboot of Insomniac’s best and most popular franchise but with a feature length film hitting theaters alongside it, we’re getting it. And new Ratchet & Clank should be reason enough for everyone to get excited. Unless you hate fun of course, then you’re excused from the excitement. ~Chris
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (21 points, no change) – Sure, it’s been delayed, and had one of the most obtuse preorder schemes in the history of preorder schemes. But Human Revolution was fantastic, and this franchise is ripe for another fantastic offering. ~Tony
3. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (27 points, no change) – The final Uncharted game is soon to be. Will Drake die? Will he finally settle down with Elena and hang up the adventures forever? Will he BE TRIED FOR ALL THE PEOPLE HE’S BRUTALLY MURDERED???? One or more of those questions will be answered when the game comes out. ~Peter
2. Final Fantasy XV (30 points, no change) – The game has been in development for over ten years and is finally slated to come out. What more is there to say other that we all hope it’s worth the wait. ~Peter
1. Mass Effect: Andromeda (32 points, no change, 3 first place votes) – This game is still largely an enigma, but, assuming it hits this year, Mass Effect Andromeda will gather up a huge crowd of attention. A new, more powerful console generation, with a well known universe, and a successor to some of the best games of all time? Sign me up. ~Tony
If you had to predict your top 10 list at the end of 2015, what would it look like? Let us know in the comments below.
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