Topic: Best games you just happened to play in 2017

Same as usual. While I continue to be a somewhat sane person and not buy every console and every well liked, big budget game (instead saving my money like a plebeian), it's once again time to rant about what games I just happened to play this year. Join in if you want. Literally the only rule is that you had to have first played the game for any notable amount of time in 2017, actual release date doesn't matter. If you somehow only played Super Metroid last year for the first time, go for it!

1. Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment: At least I can start with a...kind of new game! Shovel Knight continues to be the best value for money of a single player game...maybe ever. Or at least right up there with the all time greats. I paid for it once for 15 bucks and because I was smart and realized it was worth that money on day 1, I've never had to pay more to get more. This is the 2nd DLC campaign added and imo, is way better than the first. Plague of Shadows, as good as it still was, did reuse a lot of content and was maybe too complex to fully appreciate for the type of short, quick single player game it was going for (the Star Fox Zero problem). But this one is almost as brilliant as the original Shovel Knight for simple yet brilliant mechanics and has far more original level designs that were just a real treat from beginning to end. And like usual, even has a story that's WAY better than any 8-bit retro platformer really needs. It's so good, Shovel Knight is now the only game I would consider close to being my favorite game of the decade (compared to Xenoblade 1, currently).

2. Lost Odyssey - Spoilers, Breath of the Wild is 3rd. I had to think for a while, and while they are fairly different games, I immediately have to put Lost Odyssey over it, and I don't think that will change no matter how much I play BOTW. Now Lost Odyssey is already a great JRPG that knows how to keep its tired turn based JRPG formula interesting without ruining what made it work in the first place, and has a very compelling story with some likeable characters. And it has good music, so it's automatically a great JRPG. But the thing that makes it really special to me are these interesting one-off flashback stories. They're really cool and interesting and well told and well presented despite being all text, but the main reason is that I believe...two of these stories actually made me cry. Which has never happened before with a video game for me, so that alone makes it really special.

3. Breath of the Wild. Only 20 hours in, haven't done one of the temples or whatever they are in this game. But I feel confident in this. It's a great, creative take on Zelda that knows how to use its open world aspects...mostly incredibly well. I don't need to talk about this game much on a Nintendo forum, but I do think it can still be improved, especially with adding more Zelda elements to it and fixing some minor issues, which is one of the reasons I don't think it's exactly my favorite Zelda game. But it is fantastic so far.

4. Metroid: Samus Returns: She certainly did return! I hope she stays this time though, she doesn't need to just keep...returning. That seems redundant?

...anyway, this game was great. Not a top tier Metroid at all, but being a very good one with some strong gameplay improvements makes it better than most games. It's a bit like the New Super Mario Bros of the series in a way, but I honestly think despite being a remake, it's more inspired and creative than that.

5. Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer: A lot of people didn't get this game, but shockingly I did. You might think that's sarcastic, but despite my username, I'm not the biggest Animal Crossing fan. I loved the first game but after that, it's not necessarily been my thing. Also, I can't stand how much I feel obligated to play often if I want to keep up with my town or avoid someone moving out or something stupid like that. But Happy Home Designer is such a pleasant, relaxing, occasionally mindless game that I've really enjoyed it. It's a perfect game to just play for a bit if I wanna relax and not think about anything worthwhile at all.