Games of the Year 2017
In this category I included only games that have released in 2017 and I got to play. It doesn’t mean it includes every game released in 2017 that I played, no. In this category I am only including those I thought were high-quality and deserved to be mentioned and recognized.
Super Mario Odissey
Released October 27th
Super Mario Odyssey is everything a fan could hope from a new Super Mario game. Between the fluidity of gameplay, the open world nature of each Kingdom in the game, the huge number of Moons you can find and collect along with the brilliant introduction of Cappy, Odyssey more than lived up to my expectations. No matter what, Super Mario Odyssey was one of the best games I’ve played in recent times and one I’ll remember for a long time.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Released March 3rd
If I had to choose a single game from 2017 to remember it would be The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. From the incredibly detailed open world, with the sheer amount of freedom the game offers and how much of a breather this game is in the overall gaming industry, it truly is a remarkable game. After playing Breath of the Wild, something happened to me a couple of times where I was playing a completely different game, such as Pokémon, and the thought would occur to me “what if Game Freak created a BotW-style Pokémon game, a single huge and interesting open world that had different pokémons spread across the different regions?”. All in all, Breath of the Wild is one of those landmark games that everyone should play and one that inspires future games with its unique and refreshing design.
Nioh
Released February 8th
Nioh is a game that found the perfect balance between the SoulsBorne series formula and the Warriors-like gameplay we’ve been used to by Koei Tecmo. In short, we have a game that uses the general SoulsBorne intense and tactical gameplay where you look out for enemies’ attacks and strike them at the right time while managing your stamina bar, that simultaneously retains much of the hack’n’slash feel from previous games the publisher brought us before. Besides the gameplay, the quest-based system Nioh uses brings us very well-designed sandboxes, full of enemies’ ready to kill you and collectibles to be found. Nioh also uses a loot-based system, somewhat akin to Diablo or Destiny, with different tiers of weapons and gear to collect. To sum it all up, Nioh is a very intense game, full of content and enough depth to keep you entertained for a very long time.
Nier: Automata
Released March 10th (Europe)
Nier: Automata is a strange but beautiful game. On one hand it looks like an anime (from the character designs to the story itself), while on the other it is an incredible masterpiece full of surprises from beginning to end. When you think you’ve figured the game out it throws you another curve ball! The gameplay itself is really good, with a mix of hack’n’slash and bullet hell, or even a more arcade-y style (no spoilers) depending on which character you’re controlling. However, there’s something quite important left to be said: if there’s something this game should be remembered for (and believe me, there’s a lot), it should be the alternate endings. The more you play the game the more alternate endings you’ll find, giving you new perspectives about the events that transpire or even adding new content to the story itself.
Persona 5
Released April 4th (Europe)
This game was an absolute blast to play. One of the things you’ll probably know this game for is either the visual designs or its soundtrack, and oh are they both good. Visually, this game looks like no other, it has a clear and distinct aesthetic that makes it stand out, while the soundtrack is one of the best I’ve listened in a very long time. For the gameplay, you have a mix of “teenager simulator” where you socialize with your friends, study, work part-time, etc., and dungeon crawler, where all the fun stuff happens. During the second part, the game turns into a more turn-based RPG, with Pokémon-inspired design, where you and your friends assault cognitive dungeons to steal its treasure and induce a change of heart to corrupt adults. If you’re looking a game to last you more than 100 hours and you love (J)RPGs, this is hands down the game for you.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Released February 28th
Horizon Zero Dawn is another game that breaks the trend in its own genre. Even if it is an open world game, it surpasses by far the typical mindset of just creating a sandbox as big as possible and populating it with forgettable busy work. From beginning to end, Horizon makes sure to provide meaningful, well-structured and engaging side quests that add new depth to the world you’re exploring, while keeping the player entertained with its superb combat: a heavy mix of Monster Hunter with robot dinosaurs. Regarding the story, while it is good enough to keep you interested, with some slight mishaps due to predictability, it manages to maintain your attention, mostly because of how well written and memorable the female protagonist, Alloy, is. Oh, and let’s not forget how stupidly beautiful the world of Horizon Zero Dawn is!
Nex Machina
Released June 20th
Even before the release of Nex Machina, Housemarque was already revered as the kings of twin stick shooter games. However, after this game the developers have created an enormous gap that either will never be filled or will take a long time to do so. From the first couple of minutes you spend playing this game you quickly realize this game excels in visual design, audio design and gameplay. The controls are easy to pick up so the game is relatively accessible from the get-go, but as expected from a game like this, the difficulty quickly ramps up. Expect a challenge when playing this game, but expect a damn satisfying one.
Stardew Valley
Released October 5th; Nintendo Switch Version
Stardew Valley is one of those games that seems simple at first sight but when you start playing you forget about everything else. A simple “I’ll just play for 15 minutes” most likely turns into a two-hour play session. Even if what you’re doing is actually not that complicated, there’s a certain loop to what you’re doing which turns out as something incredibly enjoyable and memorable. Between the charming art style and the surprisingly engaging gameplay you’ll have hours upon hours to spend with Stardew Valley.
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment
Released March 3rd
What more can be said about anything Shovel Knight-related if not praise? Since its original 2014 release, the developers have continually built upon the game with two brand new expansions with completely new stories, stages, (playable) characters and gameplay mechanics. Specter of Torment is the second and latest of these expansions, putting Specter Knight at the center of the action, controlled by the player. Specter has brand new gameplay mechanics, which give the game a fresh new coat of paint or even a canvas if you will, making this the closest we’ll have, at least for the time being, of a direct sequel to Shovel Knight.
Splatoon 2
Released July 27th
I am one of those people that didn’t play the original Splatoon and wasn’t that much interested anyway. However, because a sequel was releasing on the Switch I felt tempted to give it a shot and I’m glad I did. It’s unique design of using ink for movement, attack, defense, etc. is brilliant and makes the game stand out because of its visual presentation. On the gameplay front, it makes the game easy to pick up for new players while creating competitiveness for skilled players to enjoy. The focus for the game is clearly the multiplayer, with weekly free updates that bring new weapons to the table, and occasionally new maps or even modes. The online matches are a bliss because they are short, which means you can play a lot in a short time and feel like you’ve accomplished something. If you want a breather you can also try the cooperative mode to unlock some cool gear. All in all, Splatoon 2 is a game I can easily recommend to any Switch owner.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Released April 28th; Nintendo Switch Version
Mario Kart 8 was an already brilliant game when it originally released on the Wii U, but now that it is available on the Switch, packaged with all its dlcs and some brand-new content, it becomes a must-have for anyone with a Switch. Its gameplay remains the same, that is, it retains it’s high-quality, with some new accessibility improvements for newcomers. Besides, with the improved hardware, the game looks better than ever before and much easier to play in a group, thanks to the Joy-Cons individuality. On the content front, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe offers loads of content, from the plethora of single-player cups to compete in to the more diversified modes such as the revamped Battle Mode. All in all, no matter if you plan on playing the game alone or with friends, you should buy it anyway because you’re guaranteed to spend a great time with it.
Little Nightmares
Released April 28th
Remember the genre Limbo and Inside have sparked interest in? Well, Little Nightmares is another great game that joins the genre. It’s a short game, but the story it tells is engaging, unpredictable, visceral and cathartic. Throughout the game, Six, the main character, is thrown twists that make her grow but also descend into madness. It’s another great story told with no words but one that, like it peers, manages to leave the player impressed and, above all, with the thought “what the f*ck just happened?”.
Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King
Released December 21st; Nintendo Switch Version
Blossom Tales is a game that scratches an itch we all needed to be scratched when it comes to the Switch’s library. Remember those 2D The Legend of Zelda games, with a world full of mysteries and places for you to explore? Well, Tales is just like that, except its built with the much better technology that exists today, which gives it a much more refined look and sound. Throughout your adventure you’ll find tons of quirky and entertaining dialogue that puts a smile on your face, not to mention the funny commentaries from the narrator and its grandchildren that are listening to the story you’re actually playing.
And that's a wrap for the Games of the Year 2017 category. Thank you for reading it.
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