Game Informer reviews tons of games every year, but only a select few are able to obtain special commendations reserved for the highest scoring titles. Games that earn an 8.5 or 8.75 obtain a Game Informer Silver award, while a score ranging from 9 to 9.5 earns that game a Game Informer Gold award. While most of the best games of the year fall into that range, the most elite titles ascend to the next level to earn a Game Informer Platinum award (9.75 or 10 score).
To help you keep track of the best of the best, we've compiled all of the top scoring games of 2016 here. Check out the games we've thought are the best of the year so far, and if you want to learn more, you can read the full review with a simple click-through. Also, be sure to save this page so you can check back each month to see which new games we think should be added to your "must-play" list.
For more of our favorite games from recent years, head to the links below.
Nav: SILVER | GOLD | PLATINUM
Be sure to click on the blue game titles to jump to the full review text.
Resident Evil 0
PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC
"This HD remaster of Resident Evil 0 is an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoyed the original GameCube release and has enough patience to navigate the sometimes tedious inventory management. New fans of the classic survival horror formula that came on board following last year's Resident Evil HD Remaster shouldn't expect as tight of an experience, but one that's deserving of its place in the core franchise and fleshes out Umbrella's troubled history with dramatic flair." —Tim Turi
UFC 2
PS4, Xbox One
"UFC 2 improves over its predecessor in the ways it needed to. The improved ground game and deeper career mode are the biggest draws, but Knockout mode is a blast to play with a friend, and Ultimate Team offers a unique twist on the popular mode from other sports games. If 2014’s EA Sports UFC was a promise being made, UFC 2 is its deliverance." —Brian Shea
Salt and Sanctuary
PS4
"Ska Studios continually impresses with the ambition of its games, which are always defined by an impeccable attention to detail and tight moment-to-moment mechanics. That reputation for clean design continues unabated with Salt and Sanctuary. This nightmarish island is well worth a visit, even if you’ve never confronted the challenging games that engendered the adventure." —Matt Miller
Quantum Break
Xbox One, PC
"Quantum Break isn’t a perfect game; it’s a bold experiment in how two mediums can tell a larger story, and at times it pays off. It would be foolish for every game to attempt to emulate this form of storytelling, but Quantum Break as a gaming oddity deserves attention. I wish the events of the show were more significant to the main story, but Quantum Break more than makes up for that with some of the best storytelling and gameplay Remedy has ever produced." —Ben Reeves
Enter the Gungeon
PS4, PC
"Enter the Gungeon is an essential pick for those that are fans of the roguelike twin-stick shooter genre, and a great choice for those looking for an action-filled arcade romp as well. Even with permadeath threatening to ruin your fun around every corner, the vast selection of goofy guns and eventual discoveries keep you coming back again and again without any lingering frustration." —Daniel Tack
The Banner Saga 2
PC
"If you enjoyed the first chapter, you are ready for a great time continuing your tale right where you left off. If you’re new to the series, you should play the original and start the saga from the beginning." —Daniel Tack
Chronos
Rift
"It travels to far lands, features challenging bosses, and does an impressive job of showing that, even from a third-person perspective, games in VR can transport you to another world. Chronos made a believer out of me, and I can't wait to see what this studio does next." —Andy McNamara
Severed
Wii U, Vita, 3DS, iOS
"Shortly after I finished the story, I dove back in to explore every path I didn’t already venture down with my new powers in tow. The draw to keep playing and exploring immediately after I finished is a testament to how much I enjoyed Severed." —Brian Shea
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens
PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, Vita, 3DS, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac, iOS, Android
"A Lego title is a strange choice to deliver new Star Wars story material, but it works surprisingly well, and gives fans plenty of interesting and new content to digest." —Andrew Reiner
Rhythm Heaven Megamix
3DS
"Megamix functions as both a great entry-point for newcomers thanks to its excellent minigame collection and the help it provides for breaking down the beats. For veterans, it’s like your favorite band released a greatest hits and remixes collection, and threw in a bunch of new worthwhile songs, making Megamix the best and most complete Rhythm Heaven to date." —Kyle Hilliard
Starbound
PC
"Starbound is a satisfying space sandbox that rarely disappoints, with occasional minor bugs or mandatory missions offering minor quibbles with unbridled, endless exploration." —Daniel Tack
Madden NFL 17
PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360
"If you asked me which I'd rather have – a new franchise mode or the improved line play that's now in the game, it's hard to ignore what I've actually experienced versus a hypothetical. The game is better because of it, and there's no going back." —Matthew Kato
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice
3DS
"While Spirit of Justice brings little novelty to the series and relies on a familiar gameplay system, it nonetheless offers a story full of intrigue and puzzles that are satisfying to solve." —Elise Favis
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
3DS
"Despite some minor quibbles, it stands out as one of the finest traditional JRPGs available on the 3DS, an easy choice for franchise veterans and a compelling entry point for someone looking to take a dark dip into something strange and striking." —Daniel Tack
Destiny: Rise of Iron
PS4, Xbox One
"This adventure through forgotten legends stands strong on its own, and continues an unbroken string of content drops that have each made Destiny a richer universe." —Matt Miller
Pokémon: Sun & Moon
3DS
Sun & Moon feels significantly different from previous Pokémon games. X & Y may have marked the series’ biggest visual change, but Sun & Moon shows Game Freak is willing to re-examine Pokémon’s tenured mechanics in order to improve the game.—Kyle Hilliard
Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 4: Guardian of Gotham
PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, iOS, Android
"...this episode packs enough dramatic moments, character development, and entertaining action sequences to emerge as one of the best episodes in the series and one of the best experiences by Telltale in recent memory, period." —Javy Gwaltney
Steep
PS4, Xbox One, PC
"...Steep has a charm that transcends that narrow question through its world design, accessible gameplay, and transmission of a certain joie de vivre that itself is a hard concept to create and convey." —Matthew Kato
Final Fantasy XV
PS4, Xbox One
"Final Fantasy XV is unlike any RPG or open-world experience I’ve played before. It succeeds and struggles in finding its unique stance, but a few problematic designs don’t hold it back from being a hell of a journey." —Andrew Reiner
Mario & Luigi Paper Jam
3DS
"One of the nicest things I can say about the Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario games is how consistent they are at offering interesting and funny RPG experiences for those not necessarily inclined towards the genre. Paper Jam doesn’t disappoint while not dramatically changing the formula previously established, but it ranks high in the Mario RPG pantheon thanks to its improvements in pace, willingness to trust its players to figure out the mechanics, and its goofy multi-Mario-verse premise." —Kyle Hilliard
HEX: Shards of Fate
PC
"Hex lacks some of the features initially promised in the Kickstarter campaign, like multiplayer raids, guilds, mercenary allies, and “endgame” PvE content. Even without those features, it is a well-designed, robust digital trading card game with a wealth of exciting content offerings. With several sets that take advantage of the digital-only environment and an enjoyable campaign already available, the future looks incredibly bright for this card-slinging soiree." —Daniel Tack
Far Cry Primal
PS4, Xbox One, PC
"Don’t let the lack of a number fool you: This is a full Far Cry experience, with top-notch production and another massive open world to explore. The missions start to feel fairly similar after a while, usually requiring you to go to an area and grab something or kill everything. And even though you have access to a fairly robust toolbox, you can get through most of the situations by running headlong into battle, stabbing faces with your spear while your animal friend creates a diversion for you. Still, this is the first entry in the franchise that seems to truly support the way I play these games. It always felt a little strange to be a warrior who rocks a polo shirt, and Primal lets me live out the caveman fantasies that I frankly never knew I’d been harboring." —Jeff Cork
Stardew Valley
PC
"As my time with Stardew Valley came to a close, I felt a tinge of sadness. After nearly 25 hours with the game, I was worn out but also deeply appreciative of my time in the valley. Turning off the game was almost like leaving a second, smaller home, one filled with fond memories and good people. Though some quirks might unnecessarily keep players at arm’s length, those willing to grapple with the more arcane aspects of Stardew Valley are in for a world of delight." —Javy Gwaltney
Doom
PS4, Xbox One, PC
"Driven largely by its successful single-player campaign, Doom is a welcome return to form for the genre-defining franchise. By sticking to time-worn traditions in all the right places and deftly employing some modern flourishes, id has rediscovered what made this demon slaying series so successful." —Matt Bertz
Total War: Warhammer
PC
"Total War: Warhammer is one of the best Total War games I’ve ever played, and fans of either franchise should find themselves with a winner here. Those looking for more historically rooted fare may find the fantasy over the top, but plenty of solid strategy lurks under the magic and mayhem." —Daniel Tack
Zero Time Dilemma
Vita, 3DS, PC
"The final chapter of the Zero Escape series is an excellent horror adventure both for fans and newcomers, allowing them to be storytellers in addition to players, defying time and fate to create their own twisted, macabre labyrinths." —Javy Gwaltney
Monster Hunter Generations
3DS
"Monster Hunter Generations offers some minor new tweaks to the franchise, but keeps the core completely intact, an easy winner for series veterans and the best point of entry for a new player looking to cut their teeth on some challenging creatures." —Daniel Tack
FIFA 17
PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC
"The Journey isn't the be-all-end-all of FIFA 17. It's a good start that adds to the game despite its flaws, while the title is anchored by the overall gameplay and other modes." —Matthew Kato
Picross 3D Round 2
3DS
"Picross 3D Round 2 is more complicated than the previous 3D Picross, but its changes add worthwhile challenge without venturing into the world of over-complication." —Kyle Hilliard
Dead Rising 4
Xbox One, PC
"In many ways, this is the game that people who just wanted to be a one-man zombie wrecking crew were probably hoping for all along." —Jeff Cork
Be sure to click on the blue game titles to jump to the full review text.
Nav: SILVER | GOLD | PLATINUM
