It’s that time of the year once more...Game of the Year time! Here are what we thought were the best games of 2017.
Resident Evil 7
After reinventing itself with the wonderfully fantastic RE4, the series floundered for years. Many people, myself included, felt that after the disaster of RE6, the series’ best days were behind it. Well, RE7 managed to blend the best of American and Japanese horror to create a legitimately terrifying game that wasn’t being crushed under the weight of decades of pre-existing story lines. It showed that the series isn’t as dead as its zombie antagonists.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Time and time and time again, people write Nintendo off as company that only gets by on the strength and nostalgia of its 30+ year old franchises. Time and time and time again, people complain that Nintendo games play the exact same way they have for the past 30+ years. Then along came “Breath of the Wild”; featuring a beautifully minimalistic yet poignant story, it took the formula of a Zelda game that we all know and love and applied it to an open world format, resulting in what many consider to be the best Zelda game of all time. Combined with another Nintendo game on our list, “Breath of the Wild” is a reason to own a Switch!
Persona 5
While not having the most impressive graphics (due to being built to be released simultaneously on both the PS4 and PS3), Persona 5 is a single player Japanese RPG that oozes style. With great Jazz music and a distinctive anime art style, it's a game that also boasts of having unique, charming characters, genuinely funny scenarios, and an interesting storyline. While it does a great job portraying high school life in Tokyo, its universal themes of friendship and finding your place in the world are appealing to everyone, regardless of background. The battle system is fun, the story is great, and the graphics are stylish and cool; if you enjoy RPGs at all, you'll love this game.
Horizon Zero Dawn
In this day and age of “multiplayer only” and the endlessly rehashed sequel, a unique, new single-player IP is always a blessing. Coming from the minds behind the Killzone franchise, Horizon Zero Dawn is an unbelievably gorgeous open-world game, featuring an interesting world/storyline combined with a unique combat system. Horizon is must have for PS4 owners and proof positive that the single-player experience is far from done.
Super Mario Odyessy
Let’s-A-Go! Now I know I just did a whole thing about Nintendo rehashing things over and over but, you know what...sometimes that is exactly what people want (look at Star Wars - The Force Awakens). In what can only be described as pure unadulterated fun, Odyssey proved that people want their “Mario” games to play exactly like a “Mario” game and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Combined with “Breath of the Wild”, this game is another example of the fact that if you haven’t yet gotten a Switch, you should go get one!
Neir: Automata
In what can only be called a modern masterpiece, this amazing action RPG takes you on a rollercoaster ride in a post-apacoliptic adventure that examines the human condition through a burgining machine/android society. Platinum Games and Square-Enix have created a game that will endure for a very long time, and deservinly so.