by wunder_
Not released in 2017
Solitairica
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Heroes of the Storm
Tabletop Simulator
Total War: Warhammer
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While still in Early Access, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) has the makings of a complete game. Though it isn't polished to a shine, the fundamentals are solid enough to give it legs to stand on. A Battle Royale game where up to 100 players are tossed on an island to explore and survive, PUBG manages to have a level of depth that many shooters can only dream of. Its core concept is so staggering that the first few hours can be spent simply exploring the game's loot, figuring out which attachment goes where, what energy drinks do, the different firing modes and the various miscellaneous buttons aside from the movement keys.
Enough people have mentioned the artstyle that Cuphead is so famously known for since its initial reveal at E3 2014, but the sheer cohesiveness of the entire package must be noted. Cuphead borrows from the animation stylings of the 1930s, but it would have failed to capture the atmosphere without the music, sound effects and UI surrounding it. It is a complete and total package from start to finish and that alone is a startling achievement for a studio's debut. The gameplay itself is also a remarkable feat, albeit with a fair share of quibbles. When first announced, people were enamoured by the art style, particularly from the animated boss battles. In the years following, opinion swayed on how the game would actually be structured. When it was announced that it was mainly a boss rush game, people lamented that the style would be wasted on such a rote and standard gameplay style. It is clear, however, that the vision of the Moldenhauer Studio remained resolute and firm through the development. While some may balk at the boss rush mode in other games, Cuphead manages to instill a full personality within each boss in the time spent with them. Thanks to varied and randomized elements in each boss, every run feels fresh, making conquering each boss less of a memorization test and more of a genuine challenge, dodging obstacles as they get thrown your way. The usage of various forms, in particular the final form, is used brilliantly together with the animation style, transforming each boss into larger than life character that stuns both in their new attacking pattern and design. It's also clear that the developers intended to make this a boss rush game simply by looking at the Run and Gun stages, which were added in at a later date. Some of my most frustrating deaths came not from the 20th time I died during Dr Kahl's Robot, or the second time I landed on Start Over during a King Dice fight, but by a silly projectile or enemy running slowly across the screen during a Run and Gun stage. Created solely to dispense coins, these stages can be completed without killing a single enemy. If they had been removed in favour of more secret coins sprinkled throughout the world, the game would not have been any worse for wear. However, they are yet just another obstacle in the way of victory, and they too can be defeated. The greatest achievement that Cuphead can claim is that every victory over a boss or stage feels significant. You may have gotten there through some pattern recognition, or even a lucky roll of the dice, but you still conquered the different phases and forms thrown your way and jumped, dashed and shot your way through any obstacle.
A game of enormous proportions, Persona 5 is the first Persona/SMT game I've actually played. Coming from only watching the Endurance Run, I was wary that I would either be bad at combat or be paralysed with choice during the social aspects of the game. Fortunately, neither ended up being true. With significant changes to both the social link/confidant and battle systems, the fifth entry of the lauded JRPG series lived up to my expectations. With a new cast of characters and set in a big city, Persona 5 ratchets up the stakes and tension immediately. While Persona 4 sought to solve an overarching murder mystery set in the sleepy town of Inaba, Persona 5 tackles larger societal issues facing modern Japan and the world at large. While some of the bigger story beats may miss the mark or feel too hamfisted, the overall plot and characterization is executed well. As for combat, the addition of the Baton Pass mechanic was appreciated and added an element of planning and diversity to fusion. While it's possible to nitpick and find flaws over the course of my 100+ hour playthrough, the experience of going through day by day and building relationships with various people in and out of your party is fantastic. Managing your time between squeezing as much as you can out of a single trip through a dungeon just so you can spend another day reading a book or hanging out with a Confidant is rewarding and challenging. If anyone is on the fence about trying their hand at Persona themselves after being enraptured by the Endurance Run, I highly recommend it.
A stellar game with a wealth of content to dig into, Yakuza 0 has managed to balance a gritty crime story with numerous twists and turns with dozens of over the top and hilarious side stories. Managing both protagonists was initially jarring due to the abrupt introduction of the second playable character, but eventually one learns to love and enjoy playing and watching both through their own adventure. Combined with a versatile combat system, players will find themselves spoiled with choice with up to 4 different styles for each protagonist, each replete with their own sphere grid, allowing players to build out Kiryu or Majima the way they desire. While a few plot points and a handful of gameplay mechanics can be questionable or tedious, it doesn't detract from the overall package, which is close to a 100-hour experience that takes you on a thrilling ride from start to finish. While the open-world graphics and systems feel closed and almost dated, the cutscenes that feature fully voiced and mocapped Japanese actors look fantastic, especially considering when the game was released originally. Being the first game in the Yakuza series I've had the pleasure of experiencing, I am deeply looking forward to Kiwami and hope to continue my adventure with Kiryu throughout the rest of the series.
War of the Chosen Expansion When the sequel to the highly anticipated XCOM hit, I was excited. Coming off a playthrough of Enemy Within, everything about XCOM 2 looked fantastic. With the blueprint and playstyle prototyped in Enemy Within, XCOM 2 was set to be another invigorating entry into the world of modern tactical turn based RPGs. However, XCOM 2 did not live up to expectations. Aside from the performance issues, the strategy layer felt suffocating and the actual moment to moment gameplay forced you to eliminate enemies the turn they appeared, lest they use their numerous abilities on you to devastate your squad. It no longer felt like a back and forth between the enemy, but a one-sided affair for one or the other. War of the Chosen looked like it was doubling down on everything I disliked about the sequel, with hero enemies and units that each had specific abilities and more ways to kill you, it looked like I was going to give it a miss and focus on Mario + Rabbids. However, as more footage surfaced, it was clear that this expansion was packed to the gills with improvements across the board, and wasn't just a beefed up DLC. After completing a campaign, I can safely say War of the Chosen has redeemed XCOM 2, and has transformed it into the definitive XCOM experience. With sweeping changes to the strategy and mission structure, you're still overwhelmed by choices on the map, but can influence rewards and out of combat training with the new Covert Actions system. With that, comes the chance to have your small covert squads ambushed or captured, leading to more varied mission types where you only have 2 or 3 soldiers, and need to escape to safety. The hero units are stunningly strong, with each bringing a unique take on an established class identity. Normal soldiers aren't left out to dry though, with both the Bonds system and Training Center allowing you free actions and additional skills outside your usual choice. A Templar with Bladestorm and Reaper make it an untouchable killing machine, for example. War of the Chosen is not without flaws, however, as the addition of The Lost falls flat. While the swarm mechanic is interesting and prevents the use of mass grenadiers prevalent in the Vanilla version, the headshot mechanic, along with several class abilities, renders most of the encounters fairly innocuous. It is also unclear if combat is better simply because I have more free reign with the multitude of extra actions, allowing me to dispatch enemies more easily, or if it is actually better and more dynamic. That being said, it is a remarkable achievement by Firaxis to turn one of the most disappointing sequels into the best XCOM has ever been.
