BEST OF 2016

2016 will probably go down as one of peoples’ least favourite years for a long time. A lot of bad stuff happened. For example, Independence Day: Resurgence, a film twenty years in the making, was forced upon the public. But enough about the bad stuff. Here’s my list of the best Films, TV and Games 2016 had to offer…

No. 10: Telltale's Batman

Having never played a Telltale game before, I wasn't sure what to expect from their adventures into the world of the Dark Knight. Thankfully, their Batman game was a great story served with some comic-accurate graphics. Definitely worth the price.

No. 9: Forza Horizon 3

There’s good looking games…Then there’s this. Set in the beautiful looking Australia, Forza Horizon 3 has to be by far one of the best looking racing games of all time. The thrill of speed mixed with top class graphics, and just about every super-car under the sun makes for an unforgettable experience.

No. 8: Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange was, ironically enough, a strange one. It’s both very similar to what Marvel has done before, and yet is very different at the same time. While the mind bending visuals were definitely a win, having yet another Tony Stark-like hero is starting to get a bit old, as is wasting a hugely talented actor in a poor villain role.

No. 7: Deadpool

A movie many fans had waited arguably too long for, Deadpool finally brought one of Marvel’s most liked characters to the big screen, played by the actor born for the role. The only thing is, for me a least, the movie was a bit of a let-down. As it turns out, all of the film’s best jokes were done to death in the trailers, and by the time it came round to actually watching the film, those jokes weren’t as funny anymore.

No. 6: Jungle Book

One of the biggest surprises this year, Jungle Book saw the classic tale re-told in unbelievably beautiful CGI. A solid story, incredible visuals and an all-star cast makes for a great viewing that anyone can enjoy.

No. 5: Daredevil – Series 2

Series 1 was great, no arguing there. Series 2 took great to a whole new level. Adding Punisher and Elektra to the madness of Hell’s Kitchen made for by far Netflix’s best Marvel-based series yet. If you’ve watched it, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, watch it. You won’t regret it.

No. 4: Star Trek: Beyond

Admittedly very different from the other two films in the new series, Star Trek Beyond was still one of my most enjoyable viewings of the year. The fast paced space action and great visuals was a lot of fun. And on top of that, it payed huge respect to both the crew of Star Trek past and, in particular, Leonard Nimoy. And, Y’know, that scene with the Enterprise crashing…Top notch.

No. 3: Battlefield 1

Dice’s newest entry into the Battlefield series, Battlefield 1 takes players back to the bloody and war-ridden world of The First World War. A hugely emotional campaign, fun multiplayer and great graphics make it one of the series’ best.

No. 2: Captain America: Civil War

Carrying on the ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: Civil War saw two Marvel heavyweights, Iron Man and Cap himself go head to head. Yes, it’s very different from the source material, but it’s still one hell of a film, Marvel or not. Plus, it brought Spider-Man back to where he belongs.

No. 1: Rogue One – A Star Wars Story

Is it really that surprising? I mean, come on, it’s Star Wars. Not only is it by far the best prequel ever made, whatever the series, it also gave us THAT Darth Vader scene at the end. Not to mention the fantastic CGI used to bring Peter Cushing back to the big screen. And come to think of it a few X-Wing pilots too.

So that was 2016, a year I’m sure many of us will be glad to see go. Badness of the year aside, it did give us some great Films, TV and Games. That being said, it also gave us Jared Leto’s ‘Joker’. That’s gonna take a while to move past.