12 2016 Video Game Gems You Totally Missed

9. Owlboy

There's gorgeous pixel art, and then there's gorgeous pixel art.

Granted, you may be getting a tad sick of 'side-scrolling pixel platformers', and even if that's the case, I guarantee there's room for the luxurious Owlboy.

Much like Final Fantasy XV and The Last Guardian, this also came out of development Hell in 2016 (after having originally started in 2007), the long dev cycle resulting in every last part of the production being assembled with care and attention. From the stunning, laboriously hand-painted backgrounds to the old-school cast of characters, it all helps elevate Owlboy into the same territory as a Chrono Trigger or a Shovel Knight - simply an inviting world of passionate execution you'll want to get lost in at every turn.

Gameplay-wise you'll alternate between flying and picking up a number of characters that all come with bonus abilities - many of them projectile-related. Ostensibly it allows Owlboy to transition between platformer and twin-stick shooter every few minutes, itself being a game mechanic that highlights the fluidity and effortlessly playable nature of everything on display.