3. Dark Souls III

Dark Souls III was one of the most challenging games of 2016.

Although some have criticized designer Hidetaka Miyazaki’s games due to their excruciating difficulty, there’s no doubt the Dark Souls games have been some of the best action role-playing games released during this decade. Dark Souls III, the concluding chapter to the trilogy, thankfully is as great as anything Miyazaki has put out before. It features the same combination of oppressive environments, terrifying enemies and fantastically designed bosses.

And the bosses did not only look menacing but could change form and tactics in combat, meaning defeating them was truly a test of skill. Plus, Dark Souls III’s expansive levels and secrets even surpassed those in the earlier games, meaning this was not only one of 2016’s best but also a great swan song for a classy video game series too.