by bladeblur
This year was too good for video games. My top 10 alone could be #3-#1 in a regular year. So with that being said. Hope you understand that even if a game is ranked low here, it's only because the competition is steep.
And no I did not finish Persona 5.
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I am unabashed Sonic fan through and through, but even I can't deny the atrocities the blue blur has brought to gamers over the years. Heck, even this years' Sonic Forces was a disgrace. That being said, not only that Sonic Mania was able to be the game in the series for maybe 2 decades, but it also made me feel proud of being a fan again. Saying I like Sonic the Hedgehog in today's sarcastic gaming world is not easy, but when a game of this caliber comes out I can smile with pride. My fandom finally has merit. Sonic Mania is a platforming masterpiece I go back to so many times, and while the competition is tough, it's my game of the year.
I am not a big Zelda fan, nor am I a big fan of open world games. Heck I thought that it'll be Skyrim, stripped from any Zelda-ness it had. But thank god the world has so much character nuance that all my worries were put to bed. It's massive, sure, but its brimming with detail from top to bottom. I can't wait to delve more into it and finish every single shrine.
If Nioh came out in a regular year, I think it would've gotten many more accolades than it actually did. Not only I think the game used the Souls formula to a tee, I would argue it's even better than any of them, including Bloodborne which used to be my favorite. The fast combat, tough difficulty and the intriguing setting of fantasy Japanese mythology were engaging from beginning to end. Nioh is the game I spent the most time on in 2017, and that is only the story mode not including the DLC. Even without Tomonobu Itagaki, Team Ninja are aces when it comes to action games, and after Ninja Gaiden 3, I am more than happy they got their groove back.
Even before coming up with the visual style, the Moldenhauer brothers wanted to pay homage to games like Contra and Gunstar Heroes. Even without the visual design the game controls like butter and the boss fights are some of the most intense I have had in years. Sure I died a lot, but thanks to its visual design and creativity I didn't want to stop until I saw everything the game has to offer. It's tough but fair.
Even if I didn't get every ending the game has to offer it doesn't discredit it from being the excellence that it is. I don't pretend to know who Yoko Taro was, nor did I play any of his previous games due to their lukewarm reception. Thanks to PlatinumGames it looks like Yoko Taro finally got a well playing game that compliments his surreal creations. Honestly as much as I want to play this more, I would love to play the original and then unlock the other endings.
I do think that the levels were better in The New Order, but besides that does Wolfenstein II stick out. I don't think I will even forget the story of that game. It has so many WTF moments that it's hard to gush about without spoiling anything. Here is my spiel: Even if you don't like first person shooters, just play this game on Easy. You have to experience one of the best stories I have witnessed in a game. It goes from sentimental and series to bat-shit insane with a flick of the switch, but never too ridiculous to make you question anything. While I can't say it surpasses the holy trinity of shooters from 2016 (Doom, Overwatch and Titanfall 2), it is very close.
I wish I loved this game more, because platformers are my favorite genre. And I do humbly think that Mario is perhaps the best game from a pure design standpoint, as in there is little wrong with it, including the motion controls. I just wish that we got more of the enjoyable platforming challenges from Galaxy 1 and 2. However, even if I didn't get that, I can't deny that Mario Odyssey had some of the best moments in any game this year (you know the one).
I own all of the Yakuza games but never played them because of other stuff on my backlog. But I thought to myself if there is any game I should start with it's 0. The first tale of Kazuma Kiryu is electric with its professional caliber acting from famed Japanese actors, and how excellently it captures the late 80's atmosphere of Japan. Goro Majima is also a reason. It's not the most beautiful game in the market, but considering how well the story and gameplay holds, it's meager.
Gorilla hit it out of the park. I don't think I can remember I loved more based on its setting alone. The fact it takes place in the far future and yet humanity reverted back to a more tribal lifestyle reminds me a lot of Final Fantasy X. I can say proudly that Horizon Zero Dawn is my favorite PS4 exclusive yet.
Is it safe to call this the biggest surprise of 2017? Yes. Because who would've expected a crossover game that features the Rabbids of all things to be... good? The turn based strategy game, while simplistic, is very effective and enjoyable. I'd say that if you have interest in games like XCOM or Fire Emblem but afraid of the risks of Permadeath, Mario and Rabbids is a perfect entry point to anyone who wants to see why people love the genre so much.