01) Pyre (Supergiant Games)
Pyre is a rousing expression of exceptional high fantasy, and delivers on its fun gameplay in a way that beautifully illustrates the struggles of redemption and what it means to gain true freedom. Pyre gives Supergiant Games the hat-trick on indie excellence.
02) Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games)
Horizon Zero Dawn reminds me why I love games. I was able to get lost in the world for hours on end, fighting those robosaurs without a care in the world. Aloy is the best new character to be introduced in a game since we journeyed with Ellie and Joel in The Last of Us. The Frozen Wilds expansion only elevates the games overall quality even more so,
03) What Remains of Edith Finch (Giant Sparrow)
By the end of this story, I felt close to the Finch family. I felt close in a way that only games could articulate with their unique interactive language. I was a kid on a swing, trying to get as high as he can. I was a baby in a bathtub. I was a curious, hungry kid. What Remains of Edith Finch doesn't just tell you about the tragic history of the Finch family, it allows you to embody it.
04) Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (Naughty Dog)
Naughty Dog does it again, and leaving the best set piece of the entire Uncharted series to its closing chapter too. Quite happy to carry on playing these side stories with Chloe and Nadine (or Sully and Charlie Cutter!) in the foreseeable future.
05) Gravity Rush 2 (Japan Studio)
The leap from playing as Kat in the original Gravity Rush on my PS Vita to this long awaited sequel simply boggles my mind. It feels like a whole new game altogether! It may start out a little slowly, but once it hits its stride, it quickly becomes apparent that the sky's both the literal and figurative limit as to what this game can accomplish.
06) Last Day of June (Ovosonico)
Those unique Impressionism visuals, the Steven Wilson soundtrack, the stop-motion animation of the puppet-style characters, the way body language is used to convey emotion, the feel of an unexpected spiritual sequel to Shadow of Memories... and that ending. I wept like a baby. Some things cannot be changed.
07) Resident Evil VII (Capcom)
Harking back to the spirit of the original Spencer Mansion, the Baker House is an active hide and seek playground. Being chased by Jack Baker is the highlight of this game. The final chapter let’s thing down a little bit, and the whole Mia and Zoe decision was poorly handled however, your time spent in the Baker House is some of the greatest survival horror moments the series has seen.
It’s even better (and much scarier) on the PS VR!
08) Night in the Woods (Finji)
I ‘got’ this game as part of being a backer on their Kickstarter project back in February and, eight months later, I finally played this and saw it through to the end.
It’s a beautiful, heartfelt coming of age story that says something about life, love, relationships and death... and manages to crack a few (terrible) puns and jokes along the way too. It is a tight knit package with more depth than I ever could have imagined going in. Mae is such a delightful character to spend time with.
09) Gran Turismo Sport (Polyphony Digital)
The last Gran Turismo game I put more than an hour or two into was a shy over sixteen years ago, with GT3 on the PlayStation 2. I kind of miss the gradual career progression, from starting out in a Mini Copper or a VW Golf to all those supercars of that era however, Gran Turismo Sport is the most fun game in the series yet!
10) Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Ninja Theory)
A group of just twenty people who singlehandedly created this game are brave for tackling psychosis so directly, and braver still for pouring so much of its efforts into its narrative. Senua’s story successfully weaves metaphors of grief and loss into fundamental game mechanics and rich folklore, and through these I felt like I truly was able to understand how someone else sees the world.
A nice even split of indie and big studio games.
Honourable mentions to Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, Little Nightmares, GNOG, RiME, Life Is Strange: Before the Storm (still waiting for the third episode...), WipEout Omega Collection, Tekken 7 and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, the latter three of which took me back to my fond childhood years of playing on all my friends PSone!
My biggest disappointment of the year goes to Yooka-Laylee.
Nostalgia will hit hard within the first half an hour or so however, once this nostalgic feeling gradually fades, you shall soon come to a stark realisation that Yooka-Laylee is never able to live up to the brilliance that was Banjo-Kazooie.
A clunky camera (even after the Spit ‘n’ Polish update), occasionally uninspiring platforming, iffy level design, joyless bosses and outdated gameplay mechanics will more than likely hinder the overall experience for you.
Granted, there's some fun to be had, but it doesn't come easily. And if I never have to collect another shiny again, it’ll be far too soon.
I haven't played many games this year, so I won't do a top 10.
1. Horizon Zero Dawn
Biggest surprise of the year for sure. It's weird thinking Guerilla went from Killzone to this. The combat is absolutely brilliant! I like Aloy as a character, and I'm a big fan of setting, the lore and the machines. Story and side quests aren't as good as TW3, but they're not bad either. Frozen Wilds is even better than the main game IMO, and is probably my favourite DLC expansion since Blood & Wine.
2. Super Mario Odyssey
Yes! The 64/Sunshine formula is back! Controls feel good, and the game looks good! A little on the easy side, and it turned a bit too much into a collect-a-thon for my liking, but very enjoyable regardless. I still think Sunshine is my favourite 3D Mario game though.
3. Splatoon 2
More Splatoon! That's all I have to say. Salmon Run is surprisingly fun, and probably my favourite mode. Too bad its availability is bound by a weird schedule. I haven't played it in a while, I need to get back to it soon!
4. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Is it better than Uncharted 4? Maybe. It feels a lot like the best parts of 2 and 4 combined. I really liked the Western Ghats, the openness of this game is a big improvement over the previous installments. And I hope ND will carry of these ideas into The Last of Us Part II. Still weird to think this started out as Uncharted 4 DLC, because it definitely feels and plays like a game on its own.
5. Gravity Rush 2
Same reasoning as with Splatoon 2, more of the first game, but bigger and better. I like the new setting as well, Jirga Para Lhao (yes, I had to Google that name) is absolutely bursting with colour. While I liked the drab and dreary setting of Hekseville, GR2 is much more pleasing to the eye. I still have to beat the main story, I'm almost there, but I can safely say that it's very good game.
Anyway, I'm more interested in reading everyone else's favourite games and seeing what I missed out on this year. There's always more room in my backlog!
2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - this would be number 1 had it been a brand new game, as it's the greatest game of all time.
3. ARMS - probably the most innovative game I've played in some time. Fun, challenging, activating. Deserves many more hours than I've given it so far.
4. Rocket League - this is so accessible on Switch. Within about 60 seconds of your backside hitting the sofa you can have turned your Switch on, booted the game, and have scored a calamitous own goal in an online match.
5. Chess Ultra - this revitalised the game of chess for me. Within 60 seconds I can be almost anywhere in the world and have checked in on an online marathon match, giving me the freedom to play a game against anyone in the world without having to synchronize schedules.
i don't think i've played a single game released this year. no time yet and to be honest nothing super interesting besides games on switch, which i don't own. but i will probably get metroid 2 for 3DS to have something to play over the holidays
1. Breath of the Wild - Easy one for me! A wonderful adventure that I'd probably class as being one of my favourite games of all time...astonishing!
2. Overcooked!* Special Edition (Switch) - Not strictly a '2017' game, but new for me this year and has found a perfect home on the Switch...a truly great local co-op game - love it!
3. Stardew Valley* (Switch) - As above, not a 2017 game as such but, again, new for me this year. I held off getting it for a long time (waiting for the Switch release) and it didn't disappoint. I haven't played a farming sim in years and, aside from a few frame-rate stutters and a fairly disappointing battery life in handheld mode, it's as good as I've played...Harvest Moon - take note!
4. Gran Turismo Sport - I love a good racing sim and this did not disappoint! ..really innovative and enjoyable - great game!
5. Mario Kart 8* Deluxe - Having not owned a WiiU, this was a 'must buy' for me - and it was everything I hoped it would be and more! ..not my favourite Mario Kart game, but great nonetheless (they all are!) - fantastic game!
6. Splatoon 2 - Fantastic game! My 'shooter of the year', no doubt about it. Not without frustration though - the way that they handle disconnects leaves a lot to be desired as far as I'm concerned - but it's the game that I've played the most this year and deserves an honourable mention at the very least! A lot of fun, for sure!
Haven't played enough new this year for a top 10. Mostly just played old stuff.
1) Breath of the Wild - Not really deserving of 97% metacritic imo but still an incredibly well made game that was a joy to play and made a necessary change to the traditional formula. I really feel that if they reuse this engine for the next Zelda, they could easily improve on it by having a much meatier story. The DLC will be my biggest christmas excitement too.
My score: 9/10
2) FF12 remaster - far from my favourite FF game but a very solid game all the same and easily one of the best designed worlds in the series. Nicely updated with some new lighting and texture work. Also the fast forward function makes this game so much more enjoyable to play.
My score: 9/10
3) Steamworld Dig 2 - Great example of how to do a sequel by just expanding on the premise of the original. Not gonna change the world but a fun and interesting distraction that at least kept me using my Vita in 2017.
My score 8/10
4) Uncharted Lost Legacy - Solid side story with more of the brilliant environmental work that made Uncharted 4 such a masterpiece.
Didn't quite enjoy this as much as the mainline games as I really just couldn't get into these 2 being the main characters. Chloe worked great with Nate in Uncharted 2 but Nadine just isn't as interesting a character. At least she inexplicably stopped being invincible.
My score 8/10
5) Cuphead - hardly played any of it so far (waiting for christmas co-op), but this art style is just glorious and I love hard games. Yep, that's how few new games I've played this year.
Games I really need to play that would probably make my list in retrospect:
-Mario Odyssey
-Persona 5
-Horizon Zero Dawn
-Ys 8
-Xenoblade 2
@Dezzy Now I want to play a version of Uncharted 4 where Nadine ate an invincibility star, with the sparkles and the music included every time she is on-screen.
1. Zelda BOTW
2. Splatoon 2
3. Mario Odyssey
4. Stardew Valley
5. Resident Evil 7
6. Horizon Zero Dawn
7. Metroid: Samus Returns
8. MK8D
9. Arms
10. XC2 ~ I know it just came out but..i love it
Whats poppin
Switch Friend Code: SW-5982-6570-5215 | 3DS Friend Code: 3583-5718-9476 | My Nintendo: Neko | Nintendo Network ID: Nekokanane
Well, most of what I've played this year has been from the Switch, and there's enough I've liked from those games that most could really fill up a top ten. However, I'm cutting this to just six games, simply because... You'll see when I give honourable mentions.
Super Mario Odyssey is perhaps the biggest surprise in how good it feels in all areas. And just like with Breath of the Wild, feels like something new while still retaining what makes it great. Breath of the Wild falls in at second as it just feels like a one and done game. However, I enjoyed my time with it as much as I have done Odyssey.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe improved upon the original version, and not just with the battle mode. As I've said elsewhere, this is a console quality Mario Kart on a handheld device. And looking at the last handheld Mario Kart, it's definitely an improvement. Despite only playing the ten hours through EA Access, I want to mention Need For Speed Payback as being an improved game over it's last iteration in every way.
Probably gaining some flak for these next two mentions, but this is personal choice. Star Wars Battlefront 2 has made great strides to be improving in every way over the 2015 game. I've found the class system to be better overall than the 2015 game, and the modes much improved.
I'm also one for liking Stardew Valley on the Switch. It feels a perfect fit. There's a lot to do in the game, and the world feels alive.
Honourable mentions go to LEGO City Undercover for still being one of the best LEGO games I have played. Sonic Forces for, while not being perfect, providing quite a bit of fun with its new concept of gameplay. Pokemon Ultra Sun/Moon for upping the challenge from the previous games. And ARMS for being a fun new IP.
DarkRula
3DS Friend Code: 4253-3513-2745 | Nintendo Network ID: DarkRula
Wonderful year full of great experiences, but the two that stood out to me most were...
1) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: A magical, wholly engaging experience, and the Zelda game I've always wanted.
2) Persona 5: The game I bought a PS4 to play. No regrets.
Too many games released this year that I've yet to play for me to say any more. These top two won't change, though. I'll update and expand my list over the course of the next year.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: A magical, wholly engaging experience, and the Zelda game I've always wanted.
This
Zelda is the only game I really played this year. Maybe I invested 150 hourse and I am still not finished. What a huge great game. I am still wowed by it.
1). Nioh (PS4). Scratches that Dark Souls itch while providing a flavor all it's own!
2). Disney Afternoon Collection (PS4): So much of my childhood in one package! I would love to see Capcom do additional 8-bit anthologies! Bionic Commando, Little Nemo: The Dream Master, Yo Noid, Commando, Willow, etc. DAC proved that nothing is off the table!
3). Breath of the Wild (Switch): this game shocked me with how much they changed up the formula! The Wii and Wii U had me worried that Nintendo was going to keep playing it safe with their franchises, relying on a formula that, while still excellent, was starting to feel a tad standard. I love that this game feels like a 3D remake of the very first game!
4). Strikers 1945 (Switch): one of my favorite arcade games of the past twenty-plus years! I am beyond excited for Gunbird to come out!
5). Super Mario Odyssey (Switch): Whereas BotW mixed up the formula, Odyssey took things back to the roots (in this case, Mario 64), and expanded on it while still making it feel fresh, vital. I am sitting at 732 power moons, and I am determined to get every last one of them!
6). Splatoon 2 (Switch). Just a good old fashioned fun game! I love how much content this game is seeing!
I didn't play enough games to make a Top 10, so I'll make a Top 5 instead.
1. ARMS (it's my favorite new franchise from the last 10 years, it's crazy how much I love it)
2. Super Mario Odyssey
3. Owlboy (technically from late 2016 but I didn't play it until this year)
4. Cuphead
5. Rime (the PC version was great, such a shame about the Switch version)
1. Super Mario Odyssey
2. Zelda Breath of the Wild
3. Splatoon 2
4. Rivals of Aether
5. Persona 5
6. Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy
7. Sonic Mania
8. Golf Story
9. Metroid Samus Returns
10. Steamworld Dig 2
It would be great if David Wise made soundtracks to all future Nintendo games.
Forums
Topic: Your Games of the Year in 2017
Posts 1 to 20 of 70
This topic has been archived, no further posts can be added.