Since I’ve been contemplating about whether I should do a list of games I’ve enjoyed in 2017, I might as well do it since everyone I know is doing it. I haven’t played everything to completion, in fact I might even update this as time goes on, so don’t think of this as a definitive list on my end. Also this will be in alphabetical order until the very end where I will show what my game of the year is. So without further ado, let’s go!

Divinity Original Sin II

Whenever a new CRPG, a game in the vein of Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale, comes out, whether it be through kickstarter or otherwise, I’m always excited to play it. I loved the first Divinity Original Sin with its innovative turn-based combat, its hilarious world, and beautifully constructed world. The sequel is an improvement on every way possible. It is hard for me to say if this is the best CRPG ever made, or hell RPGs as a whole, but one thing is for certain and that this was a triumph for Larian Studios and goes to show how a kickstarter project can birth something magical in video games.

Gravity Rush 2

Gravity Rush is a series that didn’t really get the love that it deserves. Mostly because the first one was a Vita exclusive and that alone was the reason why it never took off. Thankfully Sony decided to kick things up a notch with releasing it on the PS4 and giving us a sequel to further Kat’s story and add co-op to it as well. While people have kind of forgotten about Gravity Rush 2, I still think this was a gem for the PS4 and anyone who passes this or the first one off are truly missing out.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

This was what Zelda needed for almost a decade. Nobody is wrong in saying Breath of the Wild has one of the greatest open-worlds in any game ever. It even rivals Morrowind in many aspects. While yes there are aspects to it that keep it from being a perfect gem in the series, such as really drab dungeons and the shrines being 90% the same and boring, I still think this is at least a great step towards future Zelda titles improving and innovating with a fantastic open-world setting.

Nioh

Dark Souls clones are a dime a dozen, with titles such as Lords of the Fallen and Salt and Santuary being prime examples. But Nioh manages to exceed expectations from diehard Dark Souls fans and holds on its own merits. Aside from the obvious setting change, what it does change with the formula is the way combat flows, upping the difficulty way more, and exploring a diverse set of maps that are different from one to another. Considering this was done by the Team Ninja Studio, they have at least proven that they can finally put out a competent new IP instead of churning out drab titles from existing ones.

Prey

I am just as sad we did not get the Prey 2 that we always wanted. Nevertheless, Prey surprised me in being a great spiritual successor to System Shock. In fact I would say its better than the other spiritual successor, Bioshock. While the story beats do not compare to Bioshock, the ways in which you traverse the world and the multitude of ways you can approach locations you need to go feels very satisfying. Going out into space from airlocks and flying into other locations was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in the last couple of years in gaming.

Super Mario Odyssey

Finally we get the Mario 64 we always wanted in the next-gen era. While the result might not be the greatest they could have done, I still thought Mario Odyssey was a splendid game to play. Collecting Moons do not feel as satisfying as collecting stars from Mario 64 and some of the worlds do not look all that interesting. However, the addition of Cappy definitely gives this game its own unique flavor in exploring the world and defeating enemies that creates some really good moments in true Mario fashion.
Uncharted Lost Legacy

It was nice that Chloe finally got her own game. A true Lara Croft that we all need right now. Lost Legacy does not stray far from the Uncharted formula, other than that one open world area that gives us a great look at how Naughty Dog can create an expansive open world for their future titles. The puzzles here are still great to do, the dialogue between the characters are always fun to listen to, and that pizza scene alone was one of the great moments of 2017.

What Remains of Edith Finch

 

When walking simulators are good they are tremendous, but when they are bad they are completely devoid of merit and unfortunately the latter is the most evident. I didn’t even like Gone Home which started the walking simulator renaissance, to the mass displeasure of the gaming public. Yet with What Remains of Edith Finch, Giant Sparrow do a lot of innovative things in how you play the game that makes it unique from other game like it. And unlike many recent walking simulators, the characters you learn about are actually interesting and makes you want to delve deeper and deeper until the very end. That makes this my favorite of the genre by far.

Game of the Year!

Nier Automata

Hoo boy, where do I start with this one? The game that finally put Yoko Taro on the map, Nier Automata is an experience like no other; except for the first game Nier. I will admit that this just feels like Nier but with better technical aspects that make it fun to play. But that does not bother me in the slightest. While the combat is not top-tier Platinum Games combat, I always thought of it as how Platinum would make a Zelda game: It is not anything super complex but it’s super fast and fun in short bursts. Where this game truly shines is how it treats its narrative with each main route the player goes through and changes the way you look at the story and game as a whole. Not to mention the stellar soundtrack that heightens the experience to a whole other level. This will probably be at my top ten favorite games of all time as time goes on. I just hope that the next iteration of Nier as a franchise will continue to further its innovation in due time.