Let the Good Names Roll: Great Credits Sequences in Gaming - Part Five

The staff roll, otherwise known as the credits of video games. This is where not only do we see all the names of the folks who worked on the game you just beat, but perhaps something special to go along with it, whether it's an overview of your adventure, the cast of enemies in the game, or something else. This article delves into some of the very best and most memorable staff rolls/credits sequences in video game history. From old school classics to modern marvels, part five of this expanding list continues to bring the excellent staff rolls. Click on the game title to see the credits sequence described. Check out all past editions of these periodic looks at great staff rolls with these links:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Doom (PS4, XB1, PC)

We begin with the explosive 2016 entry in the Doom series, simply titled Doom. Its campaign is a nonstop thrill ride that takes players from the red surface of the planet Mars to the red underworld of Hell while blasting enemies and searching for secrets. Doom's finale brings an awesome credits sequence that showcases fantastic imagery of characters in action poses as the names and roles of the Doom staff enter into the scenes. It's absolutely impressive and just as exhilarating as the campaign itself. ...Okay, maybe not JUST as exhilarating, but exhilarating to watch all the same!

Titanfall 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

Speaking of excellent FPS campaigns, Titanfall 2 has a masterful single-player campaign that moves from the agile and mobile running, gunning, and jumping as Rifleman Jack Cooper to the high octane Titan battles in the cockpit of BT. When the final mission has been completed, Jack Cooper takes off his helmet and receives a hero's welcome from his fellow soldiers and comrades. Following this is a run-through of the cast doing various poses, showing off each character and who voiced them. Running at nearly ten minutes in duration, lengthy credits sequences usually bore me, but since Titanfall 2's has such interesting visuals throughout it, the minutes almost fly by. Oh, and who doesn't like that tease at the end?

Killzone 2 (PS3)

Though the majority of this game's credits are displayed against the same kind of visuals, various cubes and squares, it's the first minute or so of Killzone 2's credits that amaze. Showcasing some incredible editing and visuals in the form of overlays, overviews of maps, environments, characters, and guns, Killzone 2's credits are a stunning display of technological wizardry. The way everything materializes is damn impressive, and the subdued black, red, and grey color scheme is phenomenal in action. Sure, the rest of Killzone 2's staff roll is not much to talk about, but it surely says something when the credits of the game give such a great first impression that it makes the whole credits package ultimately worthwhile.

flower (PS3)

flower is an artistic delight and an adventure that speaks to its players in numerous ways. The credits are just as mesmerizing as the game itself. It follows the player's colorful flower petals as they waft through the wind, breezing through each staff name. The grassy hills under the moonlit sky offer a soothing, calming, and relaxing display that is almost therapeutic as the flower petals fly through the air, as if they were dancing. The end of the credits raise from the background behind numerous points of light. The whole sequence is a bit surreal but oh so satisfying to sit and play through.

Sonic Generations (PS3, 360, PC)

Sonic Generations was the 20th anniversary game that SEGA's blue mascot deserved. After a string of less of than stellar 3D entries (aside from a select handful), Sonic Generations paid brilliant homage to the blue blur, and so did the game's credits sequence. The staff roll features a visual and audio history of Sonic the Hedgehog, namely the entries and levels portrayed in the adventure. From the original Sonic the Hedgehog's Green Hill to Sonic Colors' Planet Wisp, the full array of levels from the game show themselves off in their original forms from their original games. The medley that seamlessly transitions between each theme is also well done. What you have at the end when all is said is done is a truly notable way to cap off a truly great game.

Mario Superstar Baseball (GCN)

After Mario's windup and pitch in a Field of Dreams-like baseball diamond, we get this rockin' staff roll. And what better time to showcase Mario Superstar Baseball with Major League Baseball back in season! Colorful animated silhouettes perform various actions, such as Yoshi catching a falling baseball with his tongue and Wario diving for a ball too early (and suffering for it with the baseball smacking right into his head), while a cheesy but awesome theme shouting the proclamation of "Let's play baseball!" It's so delightfully cheesy that you-- unless you're extremely self-conscious-- can't help but smile along with and tap your toes to. Let's play baseball indeed.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "New Horizons" Edition

SuperPhillip Central rings in a new month with some terrific tunes. It's a pretty packed lineup of games this time around with most of them releasing within the past year or two.

We begin our musical journey with the main themes of two recently released games: Horizon: Zero Dawn and Titanfall 2. Then, we listen to the epilogue theme of The Last Guardian. Taking us from there is a rock and choir-driven piece from Tales of Xillia 2. Finally, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth brings us home with an impressively epic battle theme.

Just click on the VGM volume name to open up the YouTube link containing its theme, and as always, click on the VGM Database to hear every VGM volume ever showcased on this weekly recurring SPC segment. Now, let's get on to the music!

v1346. Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4) - Main Theme

This edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs begins with the main theme of a game that launched last week on the PlayStation 4. It's the critically acclaimed Horizon: Zero Dawn from Guerrilla Games, the makers of the Killzone franchise. The development team really outdid themselves with Horizon, surpassing the expectations of many to great effect. The main theme is an emotional start to Aloy's journey, one worthy of being represented on this list.

v1347. Titanfall 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) - Main Theme

Despite EA's silly decision to release the game between Battlefield 1 and the newest Call of Duty, Titanfall 2 somehow managed to find some success in its sales. It's terrific too as the game possesses fantastic multiplayer and one of the best FPS campaigns in recent years. Titanfall 2's main theme is a joyride through various musical landscapes, from the boisterous brass to the stirring strings, it's a fun musical adventure from beginning to end.

v1348. The Last Guardian (PS4) - Epilogue

Starting off slow and modest with this theme, The Last Guardian's Epilogue theme soon brings with a heavenly chorus, backed up strings and brass. It's a theme that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and especially so when you hear it punctuated by the actual game. The Last Guardian is indeed a special game, albeit a bit aggravating sometimes. However, the occasional aggravation is overall worth it.

v1349. Tales of Xillia 2 (PS3) - Betting on the Last "Guide"

This theme from the mind of Motoi Sakuraba starts out with the music building on itself before climaxing with an intense rock and choir-filled main theme. It's an amazing buildup that succeeds in its execution. Then again, Motoi Sakuraba isn't one to disappoint usually. His music is generally more often than not of a high caliber, and it's evident here with this Tales of Xillia 2 theme.

v1350. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth (PS4, Vita) - Royal Knights

We conclude with another epic battle theme, but this time it's from Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth. Who knew that a series that started out all adorable and cute like with the Digimon anime with the Digi-destined would digivolve to something so serious? This tense chorus-filled battle theme showcases the idea that this Digimon game isn't the Pokemon knock-off that so many early Digimon games were!

Review Round-Up - February 2017

Learning lessons from Sticker Star, Paper Mario: Color Splash was a fantastic
adventure and is SuperPhillip Central featured game of February 2017.

Despite being a short month compared to the rest of the year, SuperPhillip Central managed to score eight unique reviews for February. The general theme of the month was color, and that was exhibited well with a slew of bright and bouncy games for the most part.

The month began with a retro review to get folks excited for Bomberman's return after a long hiatus. The game played was the cel shaded GameCube delight, Bomberman Generation, earning a B grade. The Wii U game turned Nintendo 3DS port, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, followed, crafting its way to a B+. The odd game out theme-wise, but no less a fantastic game, Titanfall 2, got a B+ grade as well.

We then returned to our month-long color theme with the delightful Red's Kingdom (C+), and then had some tank warfare of the cartoon variety with Tank Troopers (B-). Following that was a duo of games each providing a different take on a background color-switching mechanic, Hue (C+) and the fantastic Runbow: Deluxe Edition (A-). Finally, Paper Mario: Color Splash painted the town red... and blue... and yellow... to surprisingly great effect, getting a B+.

Bomberman Generation (GCN) - B
Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World (3DS) - B+
Titanfall 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) - B+
Red's Kingdom (iOS, Android) - C+
Tank Troopers (3DS) - B-
Hue (PS4, XB1, PC, Vita) - C+
Runbow: Deluxe Edition (Wii U) - A-
Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U) - B+

Yoshi's Woolly World returned, but in handheld form, and giving Poochy
a costarring role as part of SuperPhillip Central's color-themed month.

Best Levels in Gaming History - Volume Eighteen

Last week we took a look at some more fantastic boss battles. Now, it's time to look at some more fantastic levels! Nearly 100 levels have been featured on SuperPhillip Central's long-running Best Levels in Gaming History series. We continue our look at magnificent, memorable, fun, and exciting levels with Volume Eighteen. Such games represented this time around include Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Titanfall 2, and Super Mario 3D World.

For those who would like to look back at past prized levels featured on Best Levels in Gaming History, look no further than these links:

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six
Volume Seven
Volume Eight
Volume Nine
Volume Ten
Volume Eleven
Volume Twelve
Volume Thirteen
Volume Fourteen
Volume Fifteen
Volume Sixteen
Volume Seventeen

The Convoy Chase - Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS4)

The chapters in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End can range from relatively short affairs to much more lengthier ones. Chapter 11 is one of the latter, and it's also one of the most memorable in the Uncharted series' history. While the entire chapter is quite enjoyable with the opening saunter through the busy marketplace streets leading up to the clock tower, the actual clock tower climb and subsequent unintentional destruction of said tower, Chapter 11 is not short of memorable moments.

However, I'd like to cherry pick from the chapter and mention the best set piece in the game by far. It's the convoy chase that starts with Nathan Drake and Sully racing downhill through city streets, alleyways, and on makeshift shortcuts in their jeep as a Stormfront truck with a mounted machine gun pursues and hunts them down. They make their escape from the truck by speeding down across the tops of roofs until they reach an overhang where they can see the Stormfront convoy that is chasing after Nate's brother Sam.

It's up to the player to make haste down the hill, following through the trench below the roadway that the convoy is taking. Unfortunately, soon the amount of available road ends, requiring Sully to take over control of the jeep's steering and brakes to successfully stop it from careening into the ocean. Simultaneously, Nate lassos onto the hook of one of the trucks driving alongside the convoy, as he hangs on for all he's worth, Nate has to swing around beams and other obstacles or else he'll slam right into them, costing him his life. Once the convoy has crossed over the bridge, Nate holds on tight as he's pulled through the mud. He must pull himself towards the truck and enter inside its carrier to have a fighting chance against the motorcyclists and jeeps shooting at him.

The entire experience is so fast paced and frenetic that you can't help but feel the adrenaline pumping throughout your body, even after playing through this action-packed sequence multiple times. From jumping from truck to truck until finally commandeering a jeep to rescue Sam, the whole sequence is one of the Uncharted series's best and Naughty Dog should be commended for successfully accomplishing it.

Effect and Cause - Titanfall 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

As stated in this week's Titanfall 2 review, the game's solo campaign is one of the finest first-person shooter campaigns in modern gaming history alongside DOOM's. It consistently throws at the player fresh concepts and challenges. One of the main pieces to Titanfall 2's gameplay comes from the varied amount of mobility players can use to their advantage not only through the forced platforming segments but in every encounter in the game. The notion of Titanfall 2 introducing a constant feed of fresh concepts is perhaps no better displayed than in mission five's three chapters. The overarching mission is known as Effect and Cause.

The mission starts out quietly enough, but soon Pilot Jack Cooper finds something strange occurring as he explores a dilapidated city. Right before his (and the player's) eyes he sees on multiple occasions the ruins of the lab he's in turn into a clean and productive facility with human beings roaming about, casually going along with their business. This phenomenon is revealed to be a time distortion. Starting out, Jack can't use this to his advantage just yet, but by the second chapter of the mission's beginning, he pries a device of the arm of a fallen soldier who was tasked with investigating the area. Obviously he didn't come back from his assignment.

With this special device placed on his wrist, Jack gains the ability to switch between past and present as quickly as the player presses the front left shoulder button. This is used to great effect in not only creating clever environmental puzzles (like being able to enter a vent in the past that was covered up by a panel in the present) but also impressive platforming opportunities. Multiple times Jack will need to switch between past and present in midair, as in the past there's a wall to run along on the left-hand side of the chasm while in the present there's a wall to run along on the right-hand side of the chasm. Switching between the two time periods as he makes each of his jumps enables Jack to make it across the abyss with success. Then, there are enemies that appear in the past, human soldiers, that don't appear in the present, where vicious and hungry beasts lurk, ready to slash and strike Jack Cooper down in no time flat.

Effect and Cause isn't the first mission in the game that requires the player to have proficiency when it comes to running off wall to wall over an abyss, but it is the first and only mission to use instantaneous switching between times in such a clever way that it makes for one heck of an interesting and entertaining level.

Snowball Park - Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

Shifting gears to more lighthearted fare, Super Mario 3D World may not be the sandbox-styled Super Mario game that gamers experienced with Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, but it is an amazing platformer all the same, especially with friends. The levels of the game are much more linear than what was found in earlier 3D Mario games, so the design is more akin to a 2D Mario. However, all the levels have plenty of opportunities to explore off the beaten path, usually to find one of a level's three invaluable Green Stars or even a well-hidden Stamp.

With us North Americans deep within the winter months, it seemed like a pleasant time to delve into one of the most glorious levels in Super Mario 3D World, which conveniently enough, happens to occur in a winter wonderland. The start of the third world of Super Mario 3D World, Snowball Park, isn't a particularly lengthy level, but what it does possess is plenty of winter fun for all.

Right from the get-go you're introduced to a wonderfully winter landscape, fresh with heavy snow as well as huge snowballs that can be picked up and launched into enemies to eliminate them immediately. Large patches of ice are planted throughout the level to lower the traction on any would-be runners. However, the second half of the level helps players out with an insanely cool mode of transportation.

Perhaps making a callback to World 5-3 in Super Mario Bros. 3, the Goombas slide around the ice as if they were skaters at Rockefeller Plaza in giant ice skates of various colors. Just like with Super Mario Bros. 3's Kuribo Shoe, jumping on a Goomba's head will defeat it, relinquishing its control of the super-sized ice skate to you if you so desire to commandeer it. With it, you can skate and zoom around the ice without fear of slipping or sliding into one of many bottomless pits. Having a full crowd of four friends zipping along the ice together in four different full-sized skates is a truly remarkable and unique part of Super Mario 3D World, and it and the level design in general make Snowball Park one of the most unforgettable levels in the game.

World 3-S: Woollet Bill's Last Ride - [Poochy &] Yoshi's Woolly World (3DS, Wii U)

A 2D platforming mainstay since the early days of the genre is the auto-scrolling stage. That is the exact type of level that the secret level of Yoshi's Woolly World's World 3 is. Not only that but there is nary a batch of solid ground to work with at all! Most of the time Yoshi needs to ride the exhaust clouds of the titular Woollet Bills, making sure not to defeat the actual enemy itself, or else there will be no trail of exhaust to run along.

In Woollet Bill's Last Ride, you're in a constant state of rushing, especially if you plan to go for 100% completion for the level. From Monty Moles that occasionally fall into play from popped bubbles that float in the air to donut lifts that require enough time and weight for them to fall, Yoshi is seemingly always needing to hurry up or he'll either get crushed or fall into the great abyss below.

The platforming challenges only get more insane as Yoshi needs to avoid the paths of other Woollet Bills, whose exhaust trails conveniently carry bothersome Monty Moles to cause nothing but the ruination of a promising run, or have giant clouds pop their heads in on the level, causing damage to Yoshi if he doesn't launch a yarn ball to them before it's too late.

Even with the frustrations that can come for first-timers on this level, Woollet Bill's Last Ride from Yoshi's Woolly World and most recently its Nintendo 3DS port, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, is never an unfair challenge. It does take quick thinking and fast feet, but it's an enjoyable platforming trial in a game that can really be relaxing sometimes and crazy challenging other times.

Eagle's Tower - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (GB, GBC)

With The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the latest in the Legend of Zelda franchise hitting the Switch and the Wii U two weeks from today, it's a good time as any to talk about a truly special dungeon from the early days of the series. Link's Awakening was the first portable entry in the series, and since then, we've seen a multitude of handheld-only adventures starring the hero in the green tunic.

A lot of dungeons in the 2D games have an aura of memorability to them, and Link's Awakening abides by that opinion. Nonetheless, what stands out for me as the most memorable dungeon in the game is Eagle's Tower, the seventh dungeon in Link's Awakening.

This multi-tiered tower is special for two main reasons for me. The first is that it has an overarching puzzle to it. Nearly every other dungeon in the game has puzzles limited to just one room, while in Eagle's Tower, the main puzzle takes place in multiple rooms. This concept of an overarching puzzle in a dungeon would be a major one in the coming 3D Zelda games. The puzzle requires players to pick up an iron ball and throw it against the tower's four pillars. It's not just about figuring out to throw the various iron balls into the pillars (which is something that the player needs to come up with on their own), but it's also about figuring out to transport an iron ball from its starting location to the pillar it needs to destroy. Through damaging all four pillars, the previously inaccessible floor on top will fall down, revealing the way to the boss.

The boss of Eagle's Tower is the second reason the dungeon is special to me. The boss, a giant eagle (what a surprise, right?), has its battle taking place on the top of the tower in a 2D plane, similar to the basement sections of Link's Awakening's various dungeons. The fight is one that requires timing with the Roc's Feather to leap over the eagle as it zooms by, intending to collide with Link. The whole setting of being on top of the tower and the fun of facing off against the boss make the conclusion to Eagle's Tower magnificent. Thus, the whole dungeon is quite special.

Titanfall 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) Review

Fresh off the heels of Yoshi's friendly relationship with Poochy comes a different kind of friendship: one between human and titan in Titanfall 2. The game has been out for several months, but now it's SuperPhillip Central's chance to cast a verdict. 

Clash of the Titans

The original Titanfall was an impressive beast of a multiplayer game that unfortunately suffered due to corporate politics-- in particular, Microsoft getting an exclusive deal from EA, making the original exclusive to the Xbox brand. However, now Titanfall 2 is a brand-new entity, no longer just stuck to Xbox, supporting an improved multiplayer package that will keep players coming back for more, as well as something completely new-- a single-player campaign. Thankfully, both the multiplayer and the all-new single-player campaign make Titanfall 2 one of the most impressive first-person shooters on the market today.

The campaign features the story of a relatively inexperienced rifleman named Jack Cooper who gets the honor of being mentored and trained by one of the most notable titan pilots in the military force opposing the evil IMC. When his mentor gets taken out in battle, in his last moments he relinquishes control of his titan, BT, over to Jack. Throughout the game, Jack and BT establish a rapport. Some humor even comes about in Titanfall 2's campaign which is a nice change of pace compared to all of these modern shooters, particularly military ones, that take themselves way too seriously. There will be moments where Jack will say a turn of phrase, such as after a particularly fierce battle on Typhoon where he says he's on a hot streak. BT, the dry sentient being it is becomes confused by this, saying that Jack's body temperature is perfectly normal. These small moments give the campaign some character, and I found myself enjoying them even when I didn't really care about the overarching story.

The moment in Titanfall 2's campaign where Rifleman Jack Cooper and BT first meet.

The campaign itself isn't that long to experience (taking anywhere between 5-7 hours the first time through with optional collectibles to find), but at the same token, it doesn't outwear its welcome... well, for the most part. I must say that something that does outwear its welcome are the scenes within the game that have you unable to speed through dialogue or a particular story sequence. They have you either stuck in a static position able to look around, or have you able to move around while the story sequence unfolds. These happen all too often throughout the campaign. They're fine the first time through, but on repeated play-throughs they just become tedious.

However, that issue is the only big problem with Titanfall 2's campaign. They're sort of worth it in an essence because what you get to do in the campaign is a lot of fun. This is due to the level of mobility that Jack has a pilot. In the campaign, you start off learning the basics of wall-running-- dashing forward, jumping at a wall at an angle, and then rushing along the wall to jump to the other side of a chasm, for instance. By the end of the game, you're expected to leap from wall to wall, dodging hazards, and taking out foes during your feats of acrobatic excellence.

The movement possibilities in Titanfall 2 make for multiple layers of available strategy.

A fantastic part of Titanfall 2 is how the developers constantly throw new mechanics and things into the campaign to keep things from growing stale. One level has you riding through a factory of sorts that manufactures houses. You ride on platforms to designated stops where enemies await to ambush you. Then, you hop onto the next platform to another stop. This process repeats itself until the platforms form full houses, taking you deeper inside the facility. Another notable part of the campaign has you using a specific tool to activate mechanisms that open doors as well as move platforms into position for you. There's one section where you need to activate platforms in midair to move them in position to either run or wall-run on them. If you're too slow in doing so, your "reward" is falling into the abyss below.

A late mission in Titanfall 2's campaign has you bringing the fight to the enemy while in BT.

Thankfully, Titanfall 2 is quite generous with its checkpoints. Seldom will death ever mean you have to redo a significant portion of a level. Instead, it usually means you just have to start your current firefight or platforming section over again.

Besides running around levels as Jack Cooper, there are many times where you'll be piloting his titan BT. You always have the ability to dismount and mount into BT during any occasion, but in battles against other titans, you probably don't want to take them on solely as Jack. During the campaign, BT acquires new loadouts that can be cycled through with the press of the right direction on the D-Pad. These range from loadouts where BT's primary weapon is a machine gun, one where he can lock onto enemies and fire homing missiles at them, and also one where BT can launch a ball of fire to create an eruption on the ground to slowly but steadily deal damage to foes. Each loadout has several offensive and defensive abilities to it, and some are more useful than others.

Talk to the hand because the chassis don't understand.

Other than taking on typical enemy titans, in specific parts of Titanfall 2's campaign, Jack and BT will face off against a boss titan, a member of a mercenary group that is serving the IMC for the good of their wallets. Each encounter begins with a quick introduction of the merc opening its titan's cockpit hatch to reveal themselves to Jack and BT and give each some semblance of character before the battle begins. Each encounter takes longer than a typical enemy titan would as they have bigger health bars, but overall they're almost just as easy to dispatch as any other titan. The real takeaway from each boss titan is their personality and design, which is unfortunate.

While you will most likely enjoy Titanfall 2's campaign, the part of the game you'll be returning to again and again long after finishing off the story is the multiplayer. The original Titanfall suffered from a lack of mode variety. Fortunately, Respawn took the criticism from players to heart, giving Titanfall 2 a multitude of modes and lots of variety in them.

One of the best things I love about Titanfall 2's multiplayer other than how fast it is to get back into battle after dying is that the movement found in the single-player campaign is just as wonderful in the multiplayer. It's a blast to chain jumps together, sprint, and slide through maps to discover the best routes to get back into the action or to temporarily retreat. There is a tremendous amount of skill found in doing this.

Another terrific part of Titanfall 2 is how the game balance has been altered from the original's multiplayer, and it has been altered for the better. One means to balance Titanfall 2's multiplayer is that titans no longer have the ability to regenerate their shield. You can just take damage and then rush out of the storm of battle to some safe corner of the map to regenerate health. Instead, each shot you take deals permanent damage to your titan. Even a one-man army who strategically picks and chooses his shots can take a titan down with enough patience and skill. This makes it so titans are much more valuable to have and important to keep in battle. Yes, they're powerful machines, but losing them can be the difference between victory and defeat.

Titanfall 2's multiplayer features an abundance of modes. The more original of these include Attrition, returning from the original game. This signature mode has eight players on each side taking one another out as well as the occasional AI reinforcements to score points. Titans can be called into battle when specific conditions have been met, making this mode one of the most popular and also one of the most enjoyable. Additionally, there is a brand-new mode in the form of Bounty Hunt. Here, players destroy AI enemies in both humanoid and titan form as they simultaneously take one another out. Kills earn money for each player, which is then banked between waves. Hoarding your money isn't the best strategy, as being defeated by a foe gives half of your money to them. Bounty Hunt is an interesting addition to the Titanfall 2 multiplayer experience.

This won't end well for one of these guys. (Hint: It's the guy lying down.)

The other multiplayer modes in Titanfall 2 basically check the boxes of what is to be expected from any first-person shooter's multiplayer offerings. You have deathmatch in both team and free-for-all varieties, and Titanfall-themed pilots-only and titans-only battle modes. There is plenty to sink one's teeth into in Titanfall 2's multiplayer, and that incentive to play continues with the awards system that constantly earns you experience points that when you reach new levels, gives you new unlockables for use in the multiplayer like new weapons, titan loadouts, cosmetic goods, and much more.

Titanfall 2 greatly improves on the multiplayer foundation created in the original while adding a single-player component that is one of the greatest first-person shooter campaigns in recent memory alongside, of course, DOOM. The constant feed of unlockables and awards in the multiplayer as well as the sheer fun of the mobility options in the game make for a shooter that should keep players coming back for more day after day, and maybe even months from now.

[SPC Says: B+]

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards - Top Five Biggest Surprises

This category of the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards delves into those games where I wasn't expecting to enjoy them as much I ended up doing so. It's always awesome to not have high expectations for a game, and then that same game ends up blowing you away. The five games on this top five countdown are those that did just that.

5) Dragon Quest Builders (PS4, Vita)

Minecraft is a massive beast of a game. It was so much one that Microsoft purchased the property for an extravagant chunk of change, and even that's underselling it. Many clones of Minecraft have since come out, but none have the pomp and circumstance of the Dragon Quest name. Combining the similar gameplay of Minecraft to the world of Dragon Quest with Dragon Quest Builders paid off enormously for Square Enix and for gamers in general, as Builders is a fantastic cross between Minecraft and Dragon Quest. Building a fortified town or castle, scrounging around the land for materials, and besting big bad enemies make for a supremely good time. Whether you play on a portable or sit down at home and play on the PS4, you're going to get a satisfying gaming experience with Dragon Quest Builders.

4) Aqua Moto Racing Utopia (PS4, PC)

The sole indie game on this list (though the amount of surprisingly good indie games could take up 10 lists!), Aqua Moto Racing Utopia feels like a fantastic unofficial successor to Nintendo's Wave Race series, sporting smooth and tight handling of the various watercraft, ten venues featuring multiple buoy-to-buoy courses, a wide variety of modes, and plenty of things to do, such as local or online multiplayer. It seems like sacrilege to say that a game from a lesser known indie developer could shine just as brightly as Nintendo's Wave Race, particularly Wave Race 64, but it, in fact, is very much true, making Aqua Moto Racing Utopia perfect for this list of biggest surprises of 2016.

3) Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)

While I've enjoyed previous Olympic outings by Mario and Sonic, two of the most revered icons in gaming, I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed the latest game on Wii U, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. No longer did players have to waggle a Wii Remote (and I mean actual random shaking of the Wii Remote and not actual gesture controls) to race, run, or whatnot. Instead, the game was wholly controlled with analog and button inputs. The amount of content and enjoyable events made for some very pleasant solo and local multiplayer gaming sessions, and the presentation was superb as ever. The Summer Olympic might be over, but it's never too late to check out Mario and Sonic's Rio exploits on Wii U.

2) Titanfall 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

I'm a fan of older first-person shooters due to many having expansive levels and maps with plenty of places to show off my shooting prowess (or lack thereof). Titanfall 2's single player campaign possesses such a campaign, plus it features a lot of awesome mobility measures like running along walls and sliding across the ground. Then, there's the ability to pilot a massive mech, bringing the pain to both infantry and fellow mechs alike. Couple the insanely exciting single player campaign with the craziness of combat online across a series of well designed maps, and you have SuperPhillip Central's runner-up pick for biggest surprise of 2016.

1) DOOM (PS4, XB1, PC)

As I mentioned, I'm not the biggest modern FPS fan out there, as many campaigns nowadays are extremely linear with very little exploration involved. DOOM's resurgence into the gaming this past year not only surprised with its insanely fun and fast paced combat, but its level design housed a plethora of interesting secrets that stood out for being fun to find and worthwhile too. I am amazed by how much I really enjoyed DOOM. It feels like a modernized version of old school FPS games, and that is a concept that really resonated with me as a player, making it my biggest surprise of 2016.