20 Best Video Games Of 2016

4. The Last Guardian

Hands-down, Trico is the best animal that's ever been in a game, period.

His inquisitive animations and improvisational animations help create the illusion that this is a real beast you're dealing with - one that'll look out for itself, call after you and occasionally struggle to adhere to your commands along the way.

All of this is in service of believability and reward, and like training a cat or dog in real life, when they do finally do what you want - something that happens far more as the game goes on as our heroes grow ever closer - it establishes a sense of fourth-wall breaking magic that really sticks with you.

When you begin talking to Trico as though he was a real companion - only for his in-game A.I. to do exactly what you wanted without uttering a syllable - there's nothing as special and unique as The Last Guardian.